Remember "The Hydrolators"?

[WEDWDW]

My first trip to WDW was in 2003 and I was so NEW to EVERYTHING!

I had NO idea that Disney sometimes does a little "slight of hand" and I vividly remember my first "trip" on The Hydrolators and I really thought I had gone down a floor in a real elevator!LOL

What GREAT memories of my first trip!
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/09/vintage-epcot-a-return-to-seabase-alpha/

 

[disney1990]

Yes, there was a lady that sued Disney saying that the pressure from going down had hurt her ears.

 

[MapleGirl]

When I was a kids I thought they were real elevators too.

 

[Gorechick]

Does anyone remember that there was an hour long tv special introducing The Living Seas? I only remember it because Simon LeBon of Duran Duran was on it reading a poem about the sea and I videoed it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Those were unique, WED, and do miss them. Thanks for the memory.

 

[North of Mouse]

My dh also had to convince me that we really were not moving

 

[dwfanatic]

My older DS talks about how much he misses them every time we go! I thought they were cool, too!!!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I miss them too! I'm just glad I got to see the movie one last time at a point I was old enough to really understand what it was about. I remember sitting there as a little kid and being like "Can we get to the fish?!"

 

[auntfrannie]

And remember after the Seas preshow and the hydrolaters there was the short clamshell ride to the aquarium area? On mmy niece's first trip she was 6 yrs old. She got off the clamshell and said "this ride stinks". It was the stupidest ride through nothing and it was really short.

 

[PSUGuy]

Two observations here. When folks here ask if this or that ride might scare a 4 yr old, or whatever age, I recall being on the hydrolators with a young family and a boy of about 5 was freaking out like I've never seen at WDW. The mom kept saying, 'This is not scary, it's not a scary ride'. Sonny wasn't buying it.

To those who don't care to waste time on the Clam/Nemo entree' to the attraction, just go left when approaching the building and enter through the exit and go right to the seafood.

Bill From PA

 

[laurabelle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg_vBiAbrdY

I remember the hydrolators too...I found this video. I can't believe how long ago this was.

Gorechick: Can you put your video on Youtube? I'd love to see it...especially Simon reading the poem. My daughter has become a massive Duran Duran fan (although John is her fav. )

 

[FBDM66]

Thanks for the video! I was about 20 when I first rode the Hydrolators and it took me about 10 years to realize that they didn't really descend!

 

[JetsetJAK]

After seeing in this thread that there was a tv special about "The Living Seas", I immediately began searching (I love stuff like that). I was excited to find that it's already on YouTube.....then discovered that for some reason none of it appears to have any audio.

"Making of the Living Seas, Part 1"

I can't believe I never heard of this. Hosted by John Ritter! I need to find a copy of this that I can actually HEAR!

.

 

[mking624]

I remember the hydrolators so well that apparently I talked about them while drugged up right before I had surgery. My DH was sitting next to me before the took me into the OR and whatever drug they gave me made me so loopy that I pointed to the wall and told him, "Look! The wallpaper is moving just like the hydrolators!!" My DH still laughs and says it is pretty telling about me when I am drugged up and still can only think about Disney.

 

[Peepster]

Yes, and I remember my dear Mother embarrasing the heck out of us because she was scared to death of water and wouldn't believe us that the hydrolaters weren't real and she kept asking how deep the water was and how far down did we have to go...and, of course, everyone just kept laughing at her as she was in a panic. We teased her about that for years. We finally had to get a CM to make her believe we were telling her the truth!

 

[huntforjulia]

We went in 1999 and again in March with grandkids along,This trip we were disappointed with the "new" living seas. My kids loved it as teens and were excited to show their kids, but we thought it was kind of boring,there just didn't seem there was as much to do or see. We may have built it up more in our minds then it actually used to be. We did really like the Finding Nemo interactions and the youngest grandsons Loved Turtle Talk with Crush

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg_vBiAbrdY

I remember the hydrolators too...I found this video. I can't believe how long ago this was.

Gorechick: Can you put your video on Youtube? I'd love to see it...especially Simon reading the poem. My daughter has become a massive Duran Duran fan (although John is her fav. )

Great to see you, Laura!!!!

 

[Scubee]

I really miss the old pavilion.

I recall my first trip down the hydrolators at about age 8. I blurted out "I don't think we're really moving" loud enough for everyone to hear. I thought my Mom was going to thump me! If looks could kill...

 

[Micca]

That was a great effect, sure do miss it.

 

[TandLMommy28]

Omg, omg, omg. This makes so much sense now.

My mom hadn't been to WDW since 1995 until our 2010 trip. So when we took our kids to the seas, she stayed outside! She said she remembered it from 15 years earlier and it was terrifying and she felt so trapped and closed in. I couldn't figure out for the life of me what she was talking about! Now I get it. She must have been remembering this that is so funny.

Now I can tell her it's ok. It's now safe for her to enter the building. Hahahahahaha.