DL Sub Rumor

[Sarangel]

From MiceAge:

Speaking of Disneyland management, they've been poring over the initial findings from the Submarine project over in Tomorrowland. The first few reams of data are in, and there seems to be a great deal of work needed to both the vehicles and the underground building they travel through. While the price tag on this potential project is creeping upward a bit, the Disneyland Facilities department has at least given their initial approval for the plans. What that basically means is that if the final approval is made by Burbank to bring back the Submarines with a Finding Nemo overlay, the Disneyland Facilities department agrees that the maintenance and continuous upkeep this reopened attraction would require is something they would be able to reasonably accommodate and accomplish.

And so now it's time for the Imagineering (WDI) artists to really dig in and get ready to install the effects and showpieces they've designed that would bring this aged concept back to life for 21st century audiences. While the Tokyo DisneySea's version of a Submarine ride has riders traveling through dry show scenes, the Disneyland version would have riders traveling through real water but with "dry" show scenes submerged alongside the sub tracks. Using what amounts to big clear plastic boxes built underwater, animatronics and moving props all themed to the Finding Nemo characters would be placed in the boxes for riders to view underwater as they passed by.

The effect has been tested at WDI, and it's said to be very convincing. Now the challenge is to see if it can be pulled off on a larger scale back in the caverns area of Disneyland's Submarine Voyage ride. And of course it all needs to be novel and unique enough to convince Michael Eisner and Bob Iger to pony up the tens of millions of dollars this project will need. The deadline for a final show from WDI, and a decision from Eisner, is October 1st. We wish them luck, as Disneyland's once great Tomorrowland needs all the help it can get.