Disneyland Resort Press Release
Underwater Adventure Returns to Disneyland Park In Time for ‘The Year of a Million Dreams’!
ALL NEW “FINDING NEMO SUBMARINE VOYAGE” TO “SURFACE” IN TOMORROWLAND JUNE 2007
ANAHEIM, Calif. – January 25th, 2007 - In preparation for a brand-new “E-Ticket” attraction at Disneyland, the Tomorrowland Submarine Lagoon is being transformed into the underwater habitat of Nemo, Marlin, Dory and friends for the “Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.”
The new attraction, opening June 11, 2007 as part of “The Year of a Million Dreams” at Disneyland, will feature extensively enhanced versions of the eight original submarines from the fondly remembered “Submarine Voyage” attraction, which explored the “liquid space” of the lagoon from 1959 through 1998. “Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage” is inspired by the Disney/Pixar film, Finding Nemo.
“From the very beginning, we’ve combined new innovations with favorite stories to create magical new worlds,” declared Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, when he unveiled plans for the attraction. “In ‘Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage,’ our guests will experience Nemo’s world in a way that has never been done before.”
As a member of the sub crew, guests will embark on an expedition to the site of an erupting undersea volcano. Soon after departure, they will be delighted to discover their favorite fish friends getting into the swim of things right alongside their submarine! Nemo and company are able to go along for the ride thanks to a stunning new animation technology developed exclusively by Walt Disney Imagineering. The Finding Nemo characters will appear exactly as they do in the film, but in a real, three-dimensional underwater setting.
Along with the improved unique underwater technology, the “Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage” will feature fully sculpted Audio-Animatronics characters, including scuba divers and the scavenging seagulls (“Mine, Mine”) from Finding Nemo.
“We are literally bringing the undersea world of Finding Nemo off the screen and into the submarine lagoon of Tomorrowland!” says Tom Fitzgerald, executive vice president and senior creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, creative arm for all Disney parks and resorts. “We are going to immerse our guests into an adventure that will leave them in disbelief - - they will want to experience this new attraction over and over to find out – ‘How did they do that?’”
The Finding Nemo submarine vehicles are being enhanced in a number of ways, including the addition of two extra seats and portal windows in anticipation of expanded guest interest. In a first-of-its-kind development, the submarines are being converted from the diesel power of the 1950s to a new, environmentally friendly fully electric power. With new on-board audio, guests will get to hear the sounds and voices of the underwater characters as they move alongside the submarine. These sounds are synchronized to travel along with the figures under water using a four-channel stereophonic sound system. Guests will get to eavesdrop on the exploits of Dory (Blue Tang fish), Marlin (Clown fish), Crush (Turtle), Bruce (Great White Shark) and the members of the “tank gang,” and most importantly, take part in an ever changing adventure of trying to “find” Nemo throughout the voyage.
Along the way guests will travel through colorful undersea environments created using yet another original Imagineering-developed technology. The underwater scenes will be more eye-popping than ever before thanks to custom colors created from recycled glass, providing deeper, richer hues that last longer under water. After surviving a sub-shaking volcanic eruption, the subs will dive alongside a breathtakingly beautiful coral reef where Marlin, Nemo and all their friends gather to celebrate finding Nemo at last!
