20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, Submarine attraction in Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom, US.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was a submarine ride experience in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom in Florida, where riders traveled through an artificial underwater lagoon in vessels modeled after the Nautilus submarine. The crafts moved along a track system below the surface, while windows revealed scenes featuring fish, ruins, and other marine elements.
The attraction opened on October 14, 1971, as one of the original rides in the park and remained operational for 23 years. Maintenance costs and the effort required to keep the underwater mechanics running led to its final closure in September 1994.
The name comes from Jules Verne's novel and the Disney film that told the story of the mysterious Captain Nemo. Guests experienced animated creatures and a recreated underwater world that made it feel like actually traveling through the ocean.
Each vessel could hold up to 40 people, and the entire fleet carried around 480 guests per hour through the experience. The ride lasted several minutes and passed through a series of staged rooms beneath the water surface of an artificial lagoon.
After the closure, two of the original vessels were moved to Castaway Cay, a private Disney island in the Bahamas. They now serve as artificial reefs and provide habitat for fish and other marine life in a snorkeling area.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
