It was a first class E-Ticket during the first decade of Walt Disney World, but photographs such as this one are among the few tangible reminders of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This particular image from 1974 offers a rare glimpse of the attraction's exit area. It is increasingly hard to imagine the scale and scope of the lagoon that once occupied the northern portion of Fantasyland, especially as that area now evolves into something new and wholly different from Jules Verne-inspired science fiction. When I was a young man of twelve years, the Nautilus was the be all and end all of the Magic Kingdom.
I think the removal of the 20,000 leagues ride (and the subsequent lack of putting anything of value there) is one of the most glaring examples of corporate cluelessness I have seen from Disney. Granted, there are many more examples, but this one may sting the most...
ReplyDeleteI rode the Nautilus several times during my one and only visit in the '70s. Sadly by the time I returned in the '90s, the fleet had been moth-balled.
ReplyDeleteA new, updated version of this ride would make an awesome addition to Hollywood Studios.
The loss of 20K is a loss of my interest in going to WDW. After going to California, Paris and Tokyo, there is nothing in Orlando that is a big enough draw on its own to make me invest in the trek. Their loss.
ReplyDeleteLoved this attraction as a kid and into my teen years. While I'm glad the subs are now back at Disneyland, there was something about the Jules Verne theme and expansive setting at WDW that really set this attraction apart. I miss it!
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