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

janoimagine

janoimagine

Well-Known Member
EPCOT Explorer said:
Oh, so it's THAT kinda model.:rolleyes::lol:


Pass....I'll continue to hunt eBay for a TDS Version...:p
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I've been looking for a TDS one for a while, problem is people know what they have ... I have seen them for about $500 on the low end and $1K on the high end.

What do you mean that kind of model though? The one pictured is the early prototype, no finished paint or lighting. If they do it right I think it will be pretty nice. It's not going to be a build it yourself kit.
 
EPCOT Explorer

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
janoimagine said:
I've been looking for a TDS one for a while, problem is people know what they have ... I have seen them for about $500 on the low end and $1K on the high end.

What do you mean that kind of model though? The one pictured is the early prototype, no finished paint or lighting. If they do it right I think it will be pretty nice. It's not going to be a build it yourself kit.
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That's true.

Honestly, I'd be thrilled with a little plastic one.:lol:
 
A

addcogulf

Member
I've been going to WDW for so long now that once in awhile something I remember brings a smile to my face, and the 20,000 leagues under the sea ride is one of them. It was my favorite ride. You got into a submarine, sat on a bench with a small porthole in front of your face and believe me, your eyes were glued to it. When the sub was full, the door slammed closed and then disney water and noise felt like you were really submerging deep underwater . Then the sub was going all over the ground of the ocean with all sorts of under the ocean visions in front of your porthole, just like the other magic you see everyday in a Disney experience. When the ride was over, the submarine emerged with all the water noise of how you would think a sub would emerge from under the ocean. It was a great, wonderful ride, no one was sick, everyone would be happy and smiling ,and it was different than an ordinary ride because...after all...how often do you enter a submarine, explore the ocean floor, and come back up in one day? I am sorry it is no longer in WDW.
 
D

drossjr

New Member
slow loading = yes
cramped and warm = yes

But I still think this was a cool ride to see within the park and definatley a cool idea and not the same type of crap ride like Dumbo, Aladdins Carpets, The Dino version at AK and Rocket Ships of Tommorowland.

I think its terriable that they tore it down and created a Pooh Playground and meet and greet with Aerial. They couldve taken this attraction and plused it. And I dont mean adding Nemo. I think thats crap too.
 
Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
EPCOT Explorer said:
That's true.

Honestly, I'd be thrilled with a little plastic one.:lol:
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I know the Art of Disney stores were selling a Nautilus replica at one time. I bought one. Its about eight inches long, green, and is a replica of the ride vehicle made from a resin compound that sits on a black wooden base.

Its one of my prize Disney things...:lol:
 
janoimagine

janoimagine

Well-Known Member
hakunamatata said:
I know the Art of Disney stores were selling a Nautilus replica at one time. I bought one. Its about eight inches long, green, and is a replica of the ride vehicle made from a resin compound that sits on a black wooden base.

Its one of my prize Disney things...:lol:
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Hang onto it ... Ive been trying to buy one on ebay for a while without having to take out a second mortgage. :)
 
janoimagine

janoimagine

Well-Known Member
Martin .. do you know if the hulls on the 20K Nautilus were made of metal or were they fiberglass? I can't seem to find the answer.
 
Buried20KLeague

Buried20KLeague

Well-Known Member
janoimagine said:
Martin .. do you know if the hulls on the 20K Nautilus were made of metal or were they fiberglass? I can't seem to find the answer.
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To be honest, I think it was actually a combination of the two... Fiberglass over metal. It almost HAD to be, because those weren't real rivots and so forth on the exterior. To fashion that out of straight metal would cost a FORTUNE, and weigh an absolute TON... Meaning a higher cost to propel around the track, and more wear on the track as well. I'm sure they were concerned with boyancy... The lighter, the easier to move.

I don't know that that was rust on the one at Castaway though... Like I said, I was the one that wrote about that, and it looked to me like something that had attached itself to it more than anything. But I also didn't dive down that low to really check it out.
 
janoimagine

janoimagine

Well-Known Member
Buried20KLeague said:
To be honest, I think it was actually a combination of the two... Fiberglass over metal. It almost HAD to be, because those weren't real rivots and so forth on the exterior. To fashion that out of straight metal would cost a FORTUNE, and weigh an absolute TON... Meaning a higher cost to propel around the track, and more wear on the track as well. I'm sure they were concerned with boyancy... The lighter, the easier to move.

I don't know that that was rust on the one at Castaway though... Like I said, I was the one that wrote about that, and it looked to me like something that had attached itself to it more than anything. But I also didn't dive down that low to really check it out.
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Thanks ... I guess the world may never know. :)
 
janoimagine

janoimagine

Well-Known Member
So after doing a lot of digging and a ton of reading (for anyone who is still interested). The hulls on the 20K ride were indeed fiberglass, not steel like Disneyland's ... which in turn led to the problem of the boats leaking. The source of the info was a quote I read in one of my Disney books from Tony Baxter. He said that the Florida heat expanded the hulls during the day and the cooler temps at night as well as the waterfall exiting the cavern caused the hulls to rapidly contract and crack in places, and was one of the reasons the waterfall was dammed or split off.
 

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