To those who rode the original 20k under the sea at DW, can you share your experience?

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Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
TrainsOfDisney said:
The yellow subs? The lagoon was filled in 2004. Finding Nemo came out in 2003 and the ride at Disneyland didn’t open until 2007.
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Maybe it was different waters at DW. Or maybe I'm just mistaken. Was a long time ago. Think it was in the 80s or so. I remember on some recollection there I was wearing a Winnie The Pooh shirt and the cast member were jokingly telling me that I have Pooh all over my shirt :D
 
TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
Eric Graham said:
Maybe it was different waters at DW. Or maybe I'm just mistaken. Was a long time ago. Think it was in the 80s or so. I remember on some recollection there I was wearing a Winnie The Pooh shirt and the cast member were jokingly telling me that I have Pooh all over my shirt :D
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I guess I’m confused… in the 80’s 20,000 leagues was still running and Pixar wasn’t making movies yet.

Sorry if I totally misunderstood you.
 
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Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
the subs were orange i believe...i was like wow, is that some new ride. one time i was riding the buses to the parks also and they were transporting some huge pirate ship through the parks by truck also...pretty cool!
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Eric Graham said:
I believe I was in diapers or close to it. I remember riding it partially. Was it just me, or do I recall them testing the Finding Nemo Sub ride at the same place where the 20000 leagues waters which was at DW. The ride is now at DL.
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Nope. The Anaheim ride was a reskin of a previous ride (existing subs were reused). Disneylands Nemo ride and Epcots Seas shared the same projection tech though.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Eric Graham said:
the subs were orange i believe...i was like wow, is that some new ride. one time i was riding the buses to the parks also and they were transporting some huge pirate ship through the parks by truck also...pretty cool!
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The subs were yellow.

You should watch @marni1971 ’s video which was shared on the previous page.

But be warned, once you watch one, you’ll be spoiled for life. No one else makes them as detailed with both the history and ride pov in the same video.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
gsimpson said:
It was a good attraction, it was unique and a tiny bit educational. I was/am sad that it no longer exist. If it still existed today they would have no doubt have had to make some significant upgrades to accommodate the typical "body geometry" of today's guest, when I was in my teens and twenties I could easily get down inside the sub and fit, if I had tried in my thirties I expect I could have made it but would have sworn off the ride at that point, today it would be a laughably bad experience for me and those watching me try. Note: that is NOT a complaint, I understand that through my own lack of effort and/or discipline I have allowed myself to become fat and it is not anyone's problem other than mine. I DO NOT feel a company should be obligated to accommodate my lifestyle choices.
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The one thing that I always found about WDW is that nothing was built with just the skinny minnie's in mind. That is until they built the Snow White 7 dwarfs ride. That was a tight squeeze for even thin people especially if they were tall. I have never been thin but I am large framed and only in recent years can I say that I have put on some excess fat. I've seen some people in the parks that all I can think of is how do they manage to fit in to some of the seats, but somehow still do. The subs are no exception. For me the big thing was that the subs were so unique. Corny, yes but different because of that interesting. My wife who, by the way, held two master degrees was complete fooled by the special affects (not the fish on a string) and thought that they really did dive below the water. She was totally depressed when she finally realized that they didn't. Took some of the excitement away, I guess.
 
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Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
My DW & I rode 20k on our “Disneymoon” in 1993…it was the first trip to Orlando for both of us…the biggest thing that stood out to me was that is was VERY uncomfortable for this 6’3” guy to get into, ride and get out of…but it WAS a cute ride…
 
graphite1326

graphite1326

Well-Known Member
Rode it. Didn't like it. You climb down in the "sub" and sit in a cramped seat. Today's people would have trouble getting in. It rode on track in a rectangle shaped "pool". You looked at cheaply made fish and that's about it. You got back to where you started and climb out. I cannot believe people lile it.
 
TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
graphite1326 said:
Rode it. Didn't like it. You climb down in the "sub" and sit in a cramped seat. Today's people would have trouble getting in. It rode on track in a rectangle shaped "pool". You looked at cheaply made fish and that's about it. You got back to where you started and climb out. I cannot believe people lile it.
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I still love it! Just rode it 2 weeks ago at Disneyland - it’s a must ride each visit!
 
MickeyLuv'r

MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
My recollection is along the lines of what others have posted. The deep dive was convincing. the fish were one of the weak parts. The ride was popular.

A video can't do justice to what it was like to ride it. Real subs are also claustrophobic (or at least real ones from the era when the movie was made.) The interior of the sub in the movie is more spacious though, which is part of the story. The novel was written in the 1860's, when subs were more primitive. The author was inspired by a sub he saw in 1867.

In any event, that feeling of being in close quarters was part of what made the ride feel realistic. And gave you the sense that the sub was a real sub that could be attacked by a squid and crushed.
 
C

celluloid

Well-Known Member
A ride that could have been an ideal ride to be plussed, but a lot of upkeep as a ride that utilized real vehicles in real large body of water.

Large real estate and wear and tear. Its kinetic energy and look were great. I think the rides at Mysterious Island of Disney Sea are so incredible and a great compromise.
 
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Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
MickeyLuv'r said:
My recollection is along the lines of what others have posted. The deep dive was convincing. the fish were one of the weak parts. The ride was popular.

A video can't do justice to what it was like to ride it. Real subs are also claustrophobic (or at least real ones from the era when the movie was made.) The interior of the sub in the movie is more spacious though, which is part of the story. The novel was written in the 1860's, when subs were more primitive. The author was inspired by a sub he saw in 1867.

In any event, that feeling of being in close quarters was part of what made the ride feel realistic. And gave you the sense that the sub was a real sub that could be attacked by a squid and crushed.
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I went on one in either Kauai or Maui. Can't remember which. It was a time ago, and was a pretty large sub. It was pretty awesome at the time! The people of Hawaii are the nicest people on the planet, well people in most places around the world are pretty nice!
 
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Heelz2315

Well-Known Member
I SOOOO miss that ride. It was my favorite! It had the hottest que I've ever been in. it was like you were literally standing on the surface of the sun.
 
TomboyJanet

TomboyJanet

Well-Known Member
I remember riding it as a kid vaguely. I know the alarms made me jump. I know the water looked merky, the space in the cabin was wider than in California, and The sea monster was scarier. But that's all from my little kid brain. I remember mostly being afraid of falling off the sub when loading and getting stuck in the monster's clutches (early submechanophobia? I was afraid of filtration systems too to be fair) I did it like twice and was too scared as a kid but now I feel like I'm mad I wasn't braver. I mean come on I'm supposed to be a tough tomboy! What's up with you little janet!?

Oh well...At least I was a lots girl before it was cool!
 
TomboyJanet

TomboyJanet

Well-Known Member
DisneyHead123 said:
I rode it a handful of times before the age of about 12. I don’t have detailed memories of it but I remember loving the predictable sequence. I guess it gave it the feel of a tradition, the way that you do everything in a certain sequence on holidays, if that makes sense. I can’t even remember what we saw but I remember loving the sense of “Oh, and now the X is coming!!” The only thing that I recall more specifically is the squid, which I also loved and who I thought was an octopus at the time.
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That sounds like me too. lol. I miss the playful danger. Oddly enough the rides that scared me the most as a kid became my favorites later on. That includes the Tiki Room and the Country Bears (heads on the wall talking? buff was huge compared to me) People today may not get that experience too often but that's how it was with me. knocking Haunted Mansion, Space Mt, Pirates, and Splash mt up to my faves (and tot etc)
 

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