- 7/12/2025
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TravelTranscript
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00:10Technically speaking, they weren't submarines. Yes, they look like real subs. We're named after real Navy subs. We're promoted as the world's largest peacetime fleet of subs, and we're sponsored by a company, General Dynamics, that actually built subs.
00:38But if the true definition of a sub is a vessel completely submerged beneath the water surface, then what began circling in Disneyland's 9 million gallon concrete lagoon in June of 1959 were not true submarines.
00:51For decades, eager crowds swarmed the attraction that cost $2.5 million, almost $26 million in 2022, to build, and that even featured live mermaids in its lagoon for a couple years.
01:05Whether nosing out from under a waterfall or sliding gracefully through illuminated evening waters, the submarines made vivid postcard subjects.
01:13A sub streaking through the depths underwater was transformed into one of Disneyland's most dramatic attraction posters.
01:21The sub queue ran underneath the monorail station, making this a particularly bustling area.
01:25After paying with their e-ticket, guests boarded a sub and descended through a hatch to sit in front of small portholes for a nine-minute voyage.
01:33Realistic shipboard sounds and bubbles streaming past the windows recreated a descent into liquid space, and as each sub putted along at just under two miles an hour.
01:44Such memorable sights as the exotic mechanical fish, the ruins of Atlantis, tethered artificial mermaids, sunken treasure to polar ice cap, and a googly-eyed sea monster were soon drifting past.
01:56A few guests recognized some of what they saw wasn't in the open lagoon at all, but was actually housed in a building underneath the Autopia Roadway.
02:05The subs entered and exited this building by going through cascading waterfalls.
02:09Seemingly nuclear, but actually diesel-powered, the subs were a military gray color until 1986, when they were painted in the yellow scheme of oceanographic vessels.
02:20Then deemed out of date in 1998, the long-running attraction finally closed.
02:24From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968, Submarine Voyage takes guests into the mysterious world of liquid space aboard Disneyland's eight atomic submarines.
02:34Through his own individual porthole in the 38-passenger air-conditioned vessel, the guest crewman views the South Sea's coral lagoon with sea life ranging from giant sea bass and manta rays to king crabs and eels.
02:47Through the stormy sea, subs pass the graveyard of sunken ships and under the polar ice cap to an exotic world where light has never penetrated, the Mermaid Lagoon and lost continent of Atlantis.
03:01Guests then pass tottering rocks as a fiery volcano erupts below the sea and the world's longest and wackiest sea serpent threatens the undersea travelers.
03:10Each of the submarines in Disneyland's Navy, world's eighth-largest undersea fleet, is 56 feet long.
03:171986 refurbishment from October 9, 1986 Disneyland line.
03:23Those brave cast members who weather the seas in our Disneyland submarines are off on new adventures.
03:28But another great crew has replaced them, and the attraction is getting a complete facelift during its first major rehab since 1980.
03:35Submarine rehab is one of the largest undertakings of any rehab process, and the teamwork and compatibility of the many crew members are helping the rigorous job to run smoothly and be done safely.
03:46Jerry White is project supervisor and is responsible for overseeing this extensive process.
03:52The attraction is down for a scheduled 14 weeks, and during this time, a total of 50 cast members representing every craft in the maintenance division will totally revitalize the lagoon floor and caverns, as well as paint the boats.
04:05There are over 300 different phases of this rehab, but the results are sure to please our seagoing guests.
04:11The lagoon was slowly and totally drained.
04:14To reduce the chance of rupturing the ocean floor, this was done in thirds, with 12-hour rests after the first two drain periods.
04:21Trashing was the next step, as all the existing lagoon animation foliage and treasure loot was removed, piece by piece.
04:28After the decorations were removed, 22 people worked for nine days just chipping away remnants of the silicone glue, which has kept the decorations so well in place for these last six years.
04:39The walls of the lagoon will be thoroughly scrubbed and dried before the painters go to work.
04:43Some of the special chlorine-resisted paint they will use costs $150 per gallon, and the gold leaf paint contains real gold, so this rehab is an expensive undertaking.
04:53One major repair unique to this year's rehab will be made on a leak, which was discovered a few years ago, between the submarine lagoon and the motorboat crews.
05:02An estimated 40,000 gallons of water each day were being lost from these attractions.
05:08After draining the lagoon, a void 35 feet long by 12 feet wide by 4 feet high was uncovered where, over a period of time, the sand had completely eroded.
05:18Our Disneyland waterway system utilizes cathodic protection, which interjects energy into the water.
05:24This process creates a charge opposite from that which causes rust.
05:28The result is a slowing down of the rusting process and less deterioration of the metals underwater.
05:34Although this voltage is low, the divers do, at times, feel it as a slight tingling sensation.
05:40A major portion of the submarine rehab budget is allocated for decorating costs,
05:44and Noelle Spitella is responsible for supervising the fabrication of the ornamentation.
05:49Her staff will assemble over 15,000 clusters of foliage, which will be reattached to the ocean floor,
05:55along with over 12,000 shells, 150 coins, and 150 feet of gold chain.
06:01The undersea treasure, jewelry they are fashioning, contains 14,000 beads and jewels,
06:06which are being individually strung or glued into their settings.
06:10After the animation and foliage are in place, the lagoon will be refilled with 6.5 million gallons of water.
06:16This water will be murky, and it will take our filtering system 5 to 7 days to clean it.
06:21Once the water is clear, we will make it murky again.
06:24But this time, to the specifications of Imagineering Art Director Ralph Nielsen.
06:28The proper look for the submarine lagoon requires a specific level of cloudiness in the water,
06:34so the guests will only see the ocean bottom the way we want them to see it.
06:38A new sophisticated instrument will allow us to measure this murkiness on a regular basis
06:43to ensure it continues to meet our specifications.
06:46As our guests see our new ocean floor, they will also see the new fish who live at Disneyland.
06:52These special fish are made of a flexible, synthetic material,
06:55and the fins are so light that as the water is agitated by the movement of the boats,
07:00the fish will actually appear to swim.
07:02While the submarine voyage is down for rehab,
07:04the monorail canopy will also receive a new high-tech look.
07:08The monorail is expected to be back in operation on October 14th.
07:11The submarine attraction is scheduled to reopen just in time for Christmas,
07:15so plan to take your friends and family on a holiday cruise.
07:19From Steve Birnbaum Brings You the Best of Disneyland 1982,
07:23the scenery along the way here is attractive enough to keep you wide-eyed
07:26from the plunge at the start of the journey through the sojourn in the graveyard of lost ships.
07:32The trip under the North Pole to Atlantis,
07:34and on to your rendezvous with a sea serpent who is cross-eyed.
07:38Most of the sites en route approximate those associated with the sea now and down through the ages.
07:44Giant clams weighing in at 500 pounds or more really do inhabit coral environments of the East Indies and Australia.
07:52There actually was a submarine trip under the North Pole made in 1958 in the USS Nautilus.
07:58Giant squids can be found in waters deeper than 600 feet.
08:01They do grow to lengths of 50 feet and more.
08:04Mermaids have figured in the folklore of the sea for centuries,
08:08and Atlantis was described in Ignatius Donnelly's Atlantis,
08:12the Antidavillion world in 1882,
08:16while marine monsters have appeared regularly in world literature since the earliest years of Chinese history.
08:22The subs are named for real-life craft as well.
08:24The Nautilus for the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.
08:27The Sea Wolf for the second of that type.
08:30The Skate for the first nuclear sub to make two Atlantic crossings without surfacing.
08:35The Skip Jack for the United States' first attack sub.
08:38And the Triton for the sub that made the world's first undersea circumnavigation of the globe.
08:44The hulls were built by Todd Shipyards in San Pedro, California,
08:47and then shipped to Disneyland's Naval Shipyard to be completed under the supervision of Rear Admiral Joseph W. Fowler,
08:54USN retired, for whom the Columbia's dock Fowler's Harbor is named.
08:59Each vessel measures 52 feet from nose to stern and displaces 47 tons.
09:04And each, according to attractions hosts, who know them all too well,
09:08has its own distinct feel when it comes to handling and braking.
09:11Top speed under the power of the four-cylinder diesel-electric engine is 1.7 miles per hour.
09:16The lagoon holds about 6 million gallons of water, said to be 25 times as clean as drinking water,
09:22since any bit of grease or dirt would distort viewing of the attraction's underwater show.
09:26Worth a wait.
09:34Secure ship for sea.
09:36Make all preparations for getting underway.
09:38Aye, aye, sir.
09:39All hands to stations.
09:41Single up all lines.
09:46Cast off forward.
09:48Cast off aft.
09:52Clear the bridge.
09:53Clear the bridge.
09:55Secure hatches and vents.
09:58Standby engines.
10:04All stations man, sir.
10:05Ship rig for getting underway.
10:08All ahead one-third.
10:10All ahead one-third.
10:11All ahead one-third.
10:11Aye, aye.
10:12Standby to dive.
10:14Diving stations.
10:15Dive.
10:17Dive.
10:18Take her down easy.
10:20Aye, aye.
10:21Trim bow diving plane.
10:22Three degrees down.
10:23Catch her at ten fathoms.
10:25Aye, aye.
10:26Steer three-zero degrees.
10:37Right rudder.
10:39Three-zero degrees.
10:41All ahead full.
10:43Steady as she goes.
10:45Aye, aye, sir.
10:46All ahead full.
10:47This is the captain speaking.
10:48Welcome aboard.
10:50We are now underway and proceeding on a course that will take us on a voyage of exploration
10:54through liquid space.
10:57En route, we will pass below the polar ice cap and then probe depths seldom seen by man.
11:04Make yourself comfortable, but please remain seated at all times, and no smoking, please.
11:11The smoking lamp is out.
11:13Among these coral reefs, you'll see various species of marine life feeding among the seaweed
11:18and unusual rock formations.
11:21There are lobsters, crabs, sea turtles.
11:23These reptilian patriarchs of the deep are the amphibious descendants of the dinosaur and have changed little in the past 200 million years.
11:34Roaming the coastal sea bottoms in search of food are the groupers or giant sea bass.
11:40And speaking of giants, the giant clam has a fluted shell that can weigh up to a quarter of a ton.
11:47The moray eel, with its powerful tooth-filled jaws, ambushes unwary prey from holes and crevices in the reef.
11:55The fish world has always been considered a silent habitat.
11:59But now, thanks to remarkable advances in marine technology,
12:04we can use instruments such as our sonar hydrophones to actually hear the fish talk.
12:15The fish world has always been considered a silent habitat.
12:17Bridge, radar one.
12:19Weather warning, surface storm ahead.
12:21Weather alert.
12:23All controls, eight degrees down.
12:25Weather alert, down eight.
12:27Hold her at 80 fathoms and proceed on course.
12:29Eight zero fathoms.
12:31Aye, aye.
12:35Submarines can dive safely below the violence of surface storms.
12:40Other craft have not been so fortunate.
12:42Witness the evidence of their fate.
12:44The graveyard of lost ships.
12:47Stronghold of sunken treasure.
12:50Salvage operation ahead, sir.
12:51Divers to port and starboard.
12:53How many attempts have been made to claim the treasure that lies hidden in these rotting holds?
12:58Of fortune and gold and jewels,
13:01safeguarded by these man-eating sharks,
13:04and other silent sentinels of the deep.
13:06We've raised the polar ice cap, sir.
13:10Ice flow thickening.
13:11Take her deep.
13:12Aye, aye.
13:18We are now passing beneath the North Pole,
13:21into a region of deep water where the sun has never penetrated.
13:24Here, in this realm of eternal darkness,
13:28nature has provided her creatures with their own eerie luminescence.
13:33Warning light, sir.
13:34We've reached maximum depth limit.
13:36Ease her back up to 80 fathoms.
13:39Eight zero fathoms.
13:40Aye, aye.
13:40Captain, giant squid, dead ahead.
13:45Stand by, repellent charge.
13:48Steady as she goes.
13:52Our submarine is equipped with a high-voltage electrical shield
13:55that would discourage even the most aggressive predator.
13:58There are legends told by ancient mariners
14:02of ships being crushed into splinters
14:04by the powerful tentacles of giant squid.
14:07But, of course, these stories have no basis in fact.
14:11They're merely tall tales
14:13that should be classed as fiction
14:15along with the myths of...
14:17mermaids?
14:19I don't believe it.
14:21Uh, Mr. Baxter, check the air pressure.
14:25Green board, sir.
14:26Mermaids and sunken treasure.
14:31Something is causing these hallucinations.
14:34Or can it really be possible?
14:38Nah.
14:40Unusual formation to port and starboard, sir.
14:43Aha.
14:44These crumbling heaps of stone
14:46betray the hand of man.
14:49These classic ruins
14:50could very well be
14:51the legendary lost continent of Atlantis.
14:54For centuries, scholars have debated its existence.
14:58Some...
14:59They were on the super hard...
15:02Always a laugh to night.
15:12...
15:12...
15:18A little one needs that, too.
15:24Oh, yeah?
15:41How are you doing?
15:42Good.
15:43Good.
15:43One step in the time, please.
15:48Oh, please, you're welcome.
15:53Hey.
15:55Come on, we get on the rail, let's see.
16:01Would you like it?
16:02Like it?
16:03Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the submarine voyage.
16:05I'd like to remind you before we dive, there will be no eating, drinking, or smoking while
16:09on board the submarine.
16:10If you care to take photographs underwater, we do suggest you remove the flashback camera.
16:15The porthole underwater will reflect back like a mirror.
16:18You'll get a white light on your front, so we are suggesting that you remove your flash.
16:23Now, once the captain has given us the okay to dive, you may sit up on the edge of your
16:26seat, look through the portholes, and you will enjoy the underwater scenes with a much wider
16:31scope.
16:31This is the submarine voyage, it was one of Walt Disney's original creations.
16:36It opened here in Disneyland in Southern California in 1959.
16:40Again, on behalf of the captain's crew, we'd like to welcome you aboard and enjoy your
16:59undersea voyage through liquid space.
18:00All ahead, one-third.
18:12All ahead, one-third. Aye, aye.
18:13Handbite dive.
18:15Diving stations.
18:17Dive. Dive.
18:19Take her down easy.
18:21Aye, aye.
18:22Trail bow diving clean. Three degrees down.
18:25Catch her at 10th at the ready station.
18:27Aye, aye.
18:30All ahead, one-third.
18:33Three degrees down.
18:37Aye, aye.
18:47Spear three zero degrees.
18:50Right, letter. Three zero degrees.
18:53All ahead, full.
18:55Steady as you go.
18:57Aye, aye, sir. All ahead, full.
18:59All ahead, full.
19:00This is the captain speaking. Welcome aboard.
19:03We are now on the way and proceeding on a course that will take us on a voyage of exploration through liquid space.
19:10In route, it will pass below the polar ice cap and then probe depths seldom seen by man.
19:17Make yourself comfortable, but please remain seated at all times, and no smoking, please.
19:24The smoking lamp is out.
19:25Among these coral reefs, you'll see various species of marine life feeding among the seaweed and unusual rock formations.
19:37There are lobsters, crabs, sea turtles.
19:40These reptilian patriarchs of the deep are the amphibious descendants of the dinosaur, and have changed little in the past 200 million years.
19:50Roaming the coastal sea bottoms in search of food are the groupers, or giant sea bass.
20:05Speaking of giants, the giant clam has a fluted shell that can weigh up to a quarter of a ton, and the moray eel with its powerful tooth-filled jaws ambushes unwary prey from holes and crevices in the reef.
20:29The fish world has always been considered a silent habitat, but now, thanks to remarkable advances in marine technology,
20:38we can use instruments such as our sonar hydrophones to actually hear the fish talk.
20:44Bridge, radar one, weather warning, surface storm ahead.
21:00Weather alert, all controls eight degrees down.
21:04Weather alert, down eight.
21:05All right, 80 fathoms, speed on score.
21:08Eight zero fathoms, aye, aye.
21:14Submarines can dive safely below the violence of surface storms.
21:25Other craft have not been so fortunate.
21:28Witness the evidence of their fate.
21:30The graveyard of lost ships.
21:32Stronghold of sunken treasure.
21:35Salvage operation, sir.
21:37Divers to port and starved.
21:39How many attempts have been made to claim the treasure that lies hidden in his rotting mold?
21:44Of fortune in gold and jewels, safeguarded by these man-eating sharks and other silent sentinels of the deep.
21:53We've raised the four ice caps, sir.
22:16Nice slow thickening.
22:17Take her deep.
22:19Aye, aye.
22:19We are now passing beneath the North Pole into a region of deep water where the sun has never penetrated.
22:49Here in this realm of eternal darkness, nature has provided her creatures with their own eerie luminescence.
22:57Warning, Mike, sir.
22:58We reached maximum depth limit.
23:00These are back up to 80 fathoms.
23:03Eight zero fathoms, aye.
23:06Captain, giant squid, get ahead.
23:09Stand by, repellent charge.
23:12Steady as she goes.
23:13Our submarine is equipped with a high-holder threat for shield that would discourage even the most aggressive predator.
23:22There are legends told by ancient mariners of ships being crushed into splinters by the powerful tentacles of giant squid.
23:31But, of course, these stories have no basis in fact.
23:35They're merely tall tales that should be classed as fictional, along with the myths of mermaids.
23:42Mermaids?
23:42I don't believe it.
23:45Uh, Mr. Baxter, check the air pressure.
23:49Drink more, sir.
23:50Here at Tomorrowland's submarine loading docks.
23:53And in keeping with Navy tradition, Admiral Charles Kirkpatrick opens the dedication ceremonies with host Walt Disney.
24:02And in keeping with Disneyland's tradition, there is always the unusual.
24:07A mermaid ballet.
24:08A mermaid ballet.
24:38A mermaid ballet.
24:40A mermaid ballet.
24:41A mermaid ballet.
24:42A mermaid ballet.
24:43A mermaid ballet.
24:44A mermaid ballet.
24:44One of seven submarines, the Nautilus proudly heads out for an adventure in liquid space.
25:00This is your captain speaking.
25:19We are now underway and proceeding on course
25:22for a voyage through liquid space.
25:25Destination, the North Pole.
25:28Rig, ship for dive. Rig, ship for dive.
25:30Dive. Dive.
25:38Pressure in boat. Straight board, sir.
25:41Very well.
26:00Along these coral reefs, you may see some of the strange inhabitants of this undersea world hiding among the seaweed and weird rock formations.
26:25With the use of our exterior sonar hydrophones, we can actually hear the fish talk.
26:31Salvage operations ahead, sir. Divers to port and starboard. Very well. Take her down to 350 feet. Use 10 degree down angle. Blood negative.
26:41A graveyard of lost ships.
26:43A graveyard of lost ships.
26:49A graveyard of lost ships.
26:51Think of all the treasure that must lie in those ancient hulls.
27:01Satellite sub-crossing bow, sir.
27:02A graveyard of lost ships.
27:03A graveyard of lost ships.
27:07Think of all the treasure that must lie in those ancient hulls.
27:09Satellite sub-crossing bow, sir.
27:13Proceed with caution.
27:15Steer clear of mothership.
27:17Sir.
27:18Sonar shows polar ice cap dead ahead.
27:19Very well.
27:20Continue on course to pole.
27:28Yes.
27:30No point.
27:35Satellite sub-crossing bow, sir.
27:36Proceed with caution.
27:37Steer clear of mothership.
27:38Sir.
27:39The sonar shows polar ice cap dead ahead.
27:40Very well.
27:41Continue on course to pole.
27:44Scraping iceberg, sir.
27:50Take her deep.
27:51Take her deep.
27:52Blood negative.
27:53Blood negative.
27:54Aye, aye.
28:02Uh-oh.
28:03A giant squid.
28:04Giant squid have often been mistaken for sea serpents.
28:08Such reports have persisted for centuries.
28:10But, of course, they have no basis in fact.
28:14Tall tales of ocean monsters should be classed as fiction,
28:18along with the myth of mermaids,
28:21a pure flight of fancy belonging to the realm of make-believe.
28:24Here, a view into the distant past,
28:45the fabulous lost continent of Atlantis.
28:54The treasures and grandeur of this ancient civilization
29:03are believed to have been submerged centuries ago
29:07by the eruption of a gigantic volcano.
29:10All ahead, full.
29:10Aye, aye, sir.
29:15All ahead, full.
29:16All ahead, full.
29:17They're clear of those tottering columns.
29:19Aye, aye, sir.
29:20All ahead, full.
29:22Houserot?
29:23They're clear of those tottering columns.
29:25Aye, aye, sir.
29:25Let's go.
29:55A sea serpent, captain, the crew, ban your battle stations, stand by for action.
30:03Fire to surface.
30:05Landing by to surface, sir.
30:16Officer to deck, make off preparations for entering port.
30:19From the lost world of Atlantis to the world of the future is a long jump.
30:28Yet it can be done with Disneyland's magic as we witness the debut of tomorrow's transportation.
30:34Specs, capacity per hour 1,520, capacity per sub 38, cycle time of 12 minutes 12 seconds, load time 1 minute 26 seconds, unload time 1 minute 11 seconds, trip time 9 minutes 8 seconds, dispatch interval 1 minute 31 seconds, trips per hour 39, distance travel 1,365 feet, speed 1.8 miles per hour.
30:49Changing chamber for the mermaids.
30:54A couple of mermaids helping each other with their outfits.
30:59In the northeast corner of Disneyland, there is a sub repair area.
31:03This is the shots of it.
31:05They could bring the subs into there and be covered in weather and work on them.
31:11You notice one is in there now with its hatch up, working on the engine area.
31:16The next channel is Bridgewater's 안 Republicanтер
31:23The next channel is we're going to be able to keep the
31:41In 2001, a testbed was set up in the lagoon to test the possibility of an Atlantis Expedition
31:53Overlay.
31:54This was never completed, equipment that makes the bubbles at the loading dock.
32:06This is a video of early mermaid tryouts which were held at the Disneyland Hotel.
32:36This is a video of the
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