What was the big deal w/ the 20K Leagues Under the Sea ride?

[petersenjp]

There are many pros and cons to the ride. Cons, tight, cramped, and very hot. Pros, it wasn't like any other ride at disney at the time. I always found it amusing that we were "deep" underwater, but you could look up and see about, well, I dont remember, like 6 inch of water from the top of your window to the surface....It kind of ruined the effect, but was amusing at the same time.

Today's standard, this ride would be flamed. Back in the day, it was something different.

 

[AshaNeOmah]

I hear too many people stating that the ride would not live up to today's standards. What standards are these?

The disrepair of Country Bear Jamboree
pre-closing Space Mountain
Star Tours video sequence
Incomplete SSE Descent

The list could continue about aged aspects of rides or half-done refurbs. The standards we expect are not being met on a daily basis. That's no reason to throw 20k under a bus.

 

[Lee]

Other than Jungle Cruise....20K is my favorite all time ride in the MK. One of my favorites ever at all of WDW.
It was storytelling done in a uniquely Disney way.
The lagoon.....prettiest area in all of MK. (Now...not so much...at all...)
The theme, the style, the story.....just awesome. Superior in every way to the dark rides of Fantasyland, Speedway, the spinners, Tiki....etc.

That's why I have one of the seats from the subs, a piece of coral, a replica Nautilus and a CM badge in my office at home.

 

[MousDad]

Easy - not only was it immersive, it was submersive.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I hear too many people stating that the ride would not live up to today's standards. What standards are these?

The disrepair of Country Bear Jamboree
pre-closing Space Mountain
Star Tours video sequence
Incomplete SSE Descent

The list could continue about aged aspects of rides or half-done refurbs. The standards we expect are not being met on a daily basis. That's no reason to throw 20k under a bus.

Very few of the old rides would live up to "today's standards", as we seem to be harder and harder on the same stuff year after year.

Problems exist everywhere, but sometimes I wonder if we inflate the quality of what we remember sometimes, myself included.

I just have trouble believing that everything I remember from then was so wonderful and everything we get today is just crud.

 

[Tinkyroo]

I guess I suck too because I never liked this ride. I was very little when I rode this but even I felt cramped and that it was stinky and lame. We stopped riding it many years before it closed. As one poster said it was also like the Tiki Room for us - didn't want to waste time on it. This is the only ride that I was not sad about it's closing. Though I wish they had made better use of the vacant space. I would have preferred a dark ride or two. Who wants a playground when your at WDW? We go there for rides!

 

[AshaNeOmah]

Problems exist everywhere, but sometimes I wonder if we inflate the quality of what we remember sometimes, myself included.

I just have trouble believing that everything I remember from then was so wonderful and everything we get today is just crud.

Oh, we definitely inflate the quality. One of the cornerstones of Disneyland was nostalgia. From what I can tell the fans , including myself, take that to a new level. I was only stating the fact that 20k not being modern is not a reason to scrap the entire thing. An update to modern 1994 effects could have given us something on par with Indiana Jones Adventure or Tower of Terror.

20k was and still should be an e-ticket. The fact that is was 20+ years old should not be used as the primary reason for closure. If it was, then board up PotC, Haunted Mansion, IASW, and a myriad of other classics. I see many aging qualities to all the Fantasyland darkrides. Close them?

20k was cramped. The lines were usually long. But it's still better than a playground.

 

[SirGoofy]

Other than Jungle Cruise....20K is my favorite all time ride in the MK.

. That is all.

The lagoon.....prettiest area in all of MK. (Now...not so much...at all...)

Can't disagree here. While I wasn't a huge fan of the ride, the aesthetic pleasure of the lagoon was immeasurable.

That's why I have one of the seats from the subs, a piece of coral, a replica Nautilus and a CM badge in my office at home.

Did they used to give name badges that were specific to attractions?

 

[RiversideBunny]

Didn't they bury the subs somewhere on WDW property?

Seems like they could have sold them as big ticket souvenirs.

 

[Lee]

Did they used to give name badges that were specific to attractions?

No, but at 20K the costumes at one time had a cool, stylized "N" logo pin. Made of something like brass.

 

[EpcotServo]

Seems like a metaphor for everything awesome in life. The kids who are realists, want everything now, and eventually fit right in with normal people thought it was old, stinky, and lame. The subversive cool kids knew that this was amazing and completely different and substantial compared to "Normal rides".

SUBCULTURE FOREVER!
:sohappy:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

No, but at 20K the costumes at one time had a cool, stylized "N" logo pin. Made of something like brass.

So...I should start hunting eBay?:brick::lol:


I had sworn off that...:lol:

 

[Phonedave]

It was always one of my favorites at the Magic Kingdom. It was uncomfortable to everyone but small kids but that seemed to add to the realism -- real subs are not the most spacious vehicles -- but the idea of riding underwater in a sub was just fascinating to me and at the time the effects were great, in my opinion.

Real subs also dont have windows (nor screendoors)

I am another person who found it cramped, humid, damp, smelly and quite frankly a let down.

I rode it back in the 80's - I was around 14 or 15 at the time, so maybe for little kids it was thrilling, but I remember getting on it with my dad, riding it, and not thinking all that much of it.

Of course there is a REAL WW II Balo class sub berthed in the river 2 miles from my house that you pay a $1 to go on. I had been on that dozens of times, so maybe going on a "sub" was no great new thrill.

-dave

 

[DizneyPryncess]

It was my favorite Disney ride, ever.

Now, I was very young when I used to ride it. 10 years old and under - so to me, everything about it was unique & amazing. I didn't recognize the cramming or discomfort or obvious fake fish. If I had been an adult, I don't know if I would've liked it as much.

I'd gone to a lot of theme parks as a kid and never ridden anything else even similar to its set up. There was something fantastic about believing we were going under water. Plus, being from Pennsylvania, I never saw things like submarines, beaches, tropical fish, etc. This was just a dream-attraction for me. I've always missed it, and wish for it to make a major comeback someday.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Seems like a metaphor for everything awesome in life. The kids who are realists, want everything now, and eventually fit right in with normal people thought it was old, stinky, and lame. The subversive cool kids knew that this was amazing and completely different and substantial compared to "Normal rides".

SUBCULTURE FOREVER!
:sohappy:

HA hardly...the subversive cool kids were less impressed by a non moving styrofoam fish tethered to a 4 inch thick highly visible rope and wished the the detail of the ride vehicles could have been duplicated in kind with the details of the lesser bits of the attraction. They felt the vehicles WERE the attraction and the the visible highlight was seeing them from above the surface since below the surface was a big let down.

the simple kids liked the fishies on the ropes :lol:

 

[EpcotServo]

HA hardly...the subversive cool kids were less impressed by a non moving styrofoam fish tethered to a 4 inch thick highly visible rope and wished the the detail of the ride vehicles could have been duplicated in kind with the details of the lesser bits of the attraction. They felt the vehicles WERE the attraction and the the visible highlight was seeing them from above the surface since below the surface was a big let down.

the simple kids liked the fishies on the ropes :lol:

:zipit:

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

:zipit:

I can just imagine what thoughts are going through your head but on the boards all I would see is _______! _____ ____ _______ __! ________! :lol:

I guess we're from different subcultures. :wave:

 

[Hakunamatata]

Didn't they bury the subs somewhere on WDW property?

Seems like they could have sold them as big ticket souvenirs.

One is submerged at Castaway Cay and you get to see it when you go on a Disney Cruise. I believe one was sold, and the others were burried....

 

[bjlc57]

Well there is a real response...

Well, I was only 7 when I first rode. I admit by 1987 we skipped it. But back then.. wow. Just be clear, I`m glad it has gone today. It would be embarrassing.

Have you ever seen the movie? well I did IN THE THEATER.. and trust me 20K was great.. so you went once, missed it another time, and now you are glad that its gone.. thats a ton of trash.. what perspective. How about for those of us who rode it since the park opened. for years and years. it was NEVER LAME..

the only thing would have been the sea serpent, but for those of us WHO saw the movie the FIRST TIME AROUND. Who coveted the Voice of James Mason. Those of us who loved to hear KIRK DOUGLAS SING.. the Great Peter Lorre'.. think about that cast. and then you down play this attraction. Who are you to say it was lame. Watch the movie and then do the ride.. and then say something.. Because you have no clue what or what is not lame..

 

[Jasonflz]

Have you ever seen the movie? well I did IN THE THEATER.. and trust me 20K was great.. so you went once, missed it another time, and now you are glad that its gone.. thats a ton of trash.. what perspective. How about for those of us who rode it since the park opened. for years and years. it was NEVER LAME..

the only thing would have been the sea serpent, but for those of us WHO saw the movie the FIRST TIME AROUND. Who coveted the Voice of James Mason. Those of us who loved to hear KIRK DOUGLAS SING.. the Great Peter Lorre'.. think about that cast. and then you down play this attraction. Who are you to say it was lame. Watch the movie and then do the ride.. and then say something.. Because you have no clue what or what is not lame..

Actually he does. Marni is one of the smartest people on the forums. The ride would be cheesy by todays standards unless they added projections and what not. People don't want to be cramped together in a sub that usually give most guests a panic attack. Nostalgia is a terrible curse.....