![]() ![]() Startling realism keynotes the entire voyage, from departure in an exotic south seas lagoon to the trip’s climax, an 80 foot long sea serpent. 27, 1959):Įight authentic submarines of Disney’s navy carry visitors thru “liquid space” on a voyage that takes them exploring “beneath the seven seas” for face-to-face views of sea serpents, giant squid, beautiful mermaids, and hundreds of other denizens of the deep.Īs the 38 passengers gaze thru individual portholes, the submarines cruise past the “Lost Continent of Atlantis” and under the “Polar Ice Cap” thru the “Graveyard of Sunken Ships”, and a fiery underwater volcano and earthquake. Here’s how the Chicago Daily Tribune described the ride at the end of its premiere year (“Disneyland Charms 18 Million Visitors in Five Years: Exhibits Keep on Increasing,” Dec. Beginning June 1959, the Nautilus and seven sister submarines-the Triton, Sea Wolf, Skate, Skipjack, George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Ethan Allen-allowed 38 Disneyland guests at a time to take their own voyage to the North Pole, and to see sights that Commander Anderson and his men never saw. ![]() In Disneyland, less than a year later, another Nautilus, this time powered by diesel, made a different kind of history. With 116 men on board, the Nautilus traveled below the polar ice cap of the Arctic Ocean, silently and secretly, to become the first ship to cross the geographic North Pole. On August 3, 1958, the USS Nautilus-the world’s first nuclear powered submarine-made history under the command of William R. And if you’re like most people, this is as close as you’ll ever get to a trip on a real submarine. Okay, so the effects weren’t really that convincing, but you have to admit that there’s no other ride like this one. If you suffer from claustrophobia, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief as you exit from the confined space of your submarine. Photo by Frank Taylor, courtesy of Chris TaylorĬlimb back up the spiral ladder. Upon seeing this, the captain decides it’s time to return to the surface. What could it be? As the sub reaches the head end of the creature, it turns out to be a cross-eyed sea serpent. Those eruptions look strangely like air bubbles illuminated by red lights. The captain safely guides your submarine past underwater eruptions that continue to rock the ruins. Although destroyed long ago by volcanic activity, there’s still plenty of evidence of the former culture and beauty of Atlantis. You’ve now reached the Lost Continent of Atlantis. As with the other fish on this voyage, they swim without moving their bodies, as though they were made of a rigid material. Strange, bioluminescent fish provide their own eerie light. Now the ocean is dark because no sunlight reaches this depth. Suddenly you find yourself below the polar ice cap at the North Pole. Sorry, the submarine doesn’t stop for you to retrieve the sunken treasure. It’s a good thing the submarine can dive below the storm, unlike the wrecks that you see in the Graveyard of Lost Ships. Liquid Space below the Highway in the SkyĪccording to the crew, there’s a surface storm ahead. Photo by Marion Caswell, 1977, courtesy Dennis CaswellĪmerica Sings being transformed into Innoventions in the background And no smoking please-the smoking lamp is out.”Īs you pull away from the dock, you look into the crystal clear water of the Submarine Lagoon where giant clams, moray eels, groupers, and other sea life thrives-all inanimate. ![]() Make yourself comfortable, but please remain seated at all times. En route, we will pass below the polar ice cap, and then probe depths seldom seen by man. We are underway and proceeding on a course that will take us on a voyage through liquid space. A stream of cool air blows from beneath the porthole to keep you from feeling queasy. You’ve just climbed down the spiral ladder and taken a seat in front of your own personal porthole.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |