Opening on October 14, 1971, just two weeks after the Magic Kingdom’s grand debut, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was one of the park’s earliest and most ambitious attractions. Inspired by Disney’s 1954 live-action film, the ride featured:
- 12 individually piloted submarines, each seating 38 guests
- A nearly 12-million-gallon lagoon, occupying nearly a quarter of Fantasyland’s footprint
- A backstage show building, housing elaborate underwater scenes with animatronic mermaids, giant squids, sharks, sunken ships, and the Lost City of Atlantis
Guests boarded Nautilus-style vessels, designed by Harper Goff, and embarked on a narrated journey through Captain Nemo’s world—complete with volcanic eruptions, polar ice caps, and a dramatic encounter with a giant squid.
Despite its popularity, the attraction faced mounting challenges:
- High maintenance costs, especially for the submarines’ hydraulic systems
- Accessibility issues, with steep steps and cramped interiors
- Low hourly capacity, leading to long wait times and operational strain
The ride was quietly closed on September 5, 1994, initially labeled as a “temporary refurbishment.” The submarines remained docked for months, fueling speculation. In 1996, Disney confirmed the attraction would not reopen.
After the closure:
- The queue area was repurposed for character meet-and-greets
- A temporary waterfall was installed, flowing into the lagoon
- A statue of King Triton was added, tying into the nearby Ariel’s Grotto, which opened in 1996
Though the lagoon remained a visual fixture, it was eventually drained and filled in to make way for Pooh’s Playful Spot in 2005, and later the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as part of New Fantasyland.
💧 A Ceremonial Farewell
In 2012, during the opening festivities for New Fantasyland, Disney held a special water-pouring ceremony. In a symbolic gesture, water from the original 20,000 Leagues lagoon was poured into the new waterways of Fantasyland—honoring the legacy of the attraction and its place in park history.
This moment served as a quiet but meaningful tribute to an extinct icon that had captured imaginations for over two decades.
Fantasyland’s lagoon features a submarine, rocky caverns, and cascading waterfalls.
Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon shows a small submarine near rocky caverns, flowing waterfalls, and palm trees, with clear blue water reflecting the Fantasyland setting.
A sleek vehicle crosses the elevated span in a black-and-white Disney scene.
A black-and-white view shows a streamlined monorail-style vehicle crossing an elevated span above grassy land, with cloudy skies and a few smaller vehicles visible nearby. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea appears in the filename.
A rocky lagoon and tropical shoreline evoke 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A wide lagoon scene shows blue-green water, rugged artificial rocks, dense tropical trees, and a small dock area at right, creating a vintage 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea setting.
The bold 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea title sits above a fantasy underwater adventure scene.
A colorful Walt Disney World Fantasyland poster shows the title 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea above a submarine, coral, sea life and swirling tentacles in a vivid underwater adventure scene.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea glides through a tropical lagoon beside rocky shores.
A submarine-style vessel moves through a bright blue lagoon, leaving white wake behind it. Tropical palms, rocky outcrops, and clear water create a vivid Disney waterway scene.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea bordered the future Mickey’s Birthdayland area at Magic Kingdom.
The rocky lagoon at 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea shows lily pads, a narrow submarine-like vehicle, and a small waterfall, with the wooded Magic Kingdom area behind it.
The Nautilus rests in a rocky lagoon beneath palm trees and a vivid sky.
A tropical grotto with stacked rockwork frames a blue lagoon while the Nautilus submarine sits partly hidden near the waterline. Palm trees and bright clouds rise above the Disney attraction.
A vintage submarine passes a rocky lagoon waterfall in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A green vintage submarine moves through a turquoise lagoon beside a rocky grotto with cascading waterfalls and palm trees, evoking Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.
The Nautilus moves through the lagoon in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
The Nautilus submarine rides low in the water beside rocky outcrops and palm-lined shore, with its bronze hull, forward prow, and deck details visible in soft light.
Rocky waterfalls and clear blue water evoke the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon.
A wide lagoon scene shows turquoise water, layered rock formations, and several small waterfalls beneath a treeline. The view suggests the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea meets tropical rockwork, still water, and a Nautilus submersible.
A themed lagoon with rugged rock formations, palm trees, and a cave opening surrounds a green Nautilus submersible in calm water under a cloudy sky, evoking 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A rocky lagoon and striped tents frame the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea area.
A broad blue lagoon runs past rocky ledges and dense trees, with striped tents, walkways, and small seating areas along the water’s edge in a classic Disney park setting.
A riveted green submarine sits beside the lagoon, framed by rocky shores and metal structures.
A green, riveted submarine sits in calm water beside a rocky lagoon, with industrial metal towers and dense trees behind it. The weathered vessel suggests Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A calm lagoon surrounds the rocky shoreline in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A wide lagoon stretches past rocky edges and thick tropical greenery, with a small submarine boat crossing the water. The setting suggests 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in a lush, secluded landscape.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea reveals a sunken chamber filled with treasure and sea creatures.
A dark underwater treasure chamber from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea shows sea creatures amid gold coins, debris, and a stone doorway, creating a dramatic Disney scene.
Two divers in bulky gear move through a rocky underwater cavern in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Two yellow-suited divers with large air tanks navigate a rocky underwater cavern, with dark stone walls and seaweed-covered ground evoking 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Two divers work through a colorful lagoon in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Two divers in yellow suits bend over a sandy undersea path, working among coral-covered rocks and pastel sea life. A distant castle and other figures add depth to the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea setting.
The Nautilus faces a giant squid attack in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A giant squid coils around the Nautilus in a dark underwater battle scene from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, with powerful tentacles, a massive eye, and rough ocean textures.
The Nautilus is trapped beneath twisting octopus arms in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Red octopus tentacles wrap across the green riveted Nautilus hull in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, obscuring portholes and metal panels as the creature grips the submarine.
A quiet lagoon scene with a green dock and rocky shoreline from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A green dock with lamp posts stretches across clear lagoon water, bordered by large rocks and a carved stone wall. The setting matches the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction at Disney.
A busy Character Festival crowd gathers at a bright theme park entrance.
A large crowd gathers outside the Character Festival entrance, where bright retro signage, shaded walkways, and summer outfits create a lively Disney park atmosphere on a sunny day.
Guests gather under the colorful Plaza Shades at EPCOT’s Innoventions area.
Visitors stand beneath the teal Innoventions Plaza Shades at EPCOT, with open plaza space, metal posts, and bright daylight beyond the shaded walkway.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarine display hangs above a pink exhibit wall.
A brown submarine model hangs from a dark ceiling above a pink exhibit area, with display panels and lights below. The setup recalls 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Dense foliage surrounds two olive-green cylinders with metal handles on top.
Two olive-green cylindrical structures sit partly concealed by thick shrubs and wildflowers, with pale lids and metal handles visible above the greenery. The scene feels tucked away and overgrown.
Warm sandstone layers and cracks create a weathered, organic rock surface.
Close-up of layered sandstone with warm ochre, rose, and cream tones, showing rough cracks, curved ridges, and eroded textures across the surface.
Below is a rare glimpse into the final chapter of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarines. These photos capture the last known moments of the vessels before their quiet retirement—submerged off the coast of Castaway Cay, where Disney Cruise guests could encounter them beneath the waves.
One haunting image shows the subs docked, seemingly in limbo—awaiting their fate. Eventually, one was deliberately sunk to become part of a scuba diving experience, offering a surreal underwater tribute to a beloved attraction.
Special thanks to Eric for sharing these evocative and atmospheric shots—they’re more than photos; they’re echoes of a legend.
A submarine-style vessel sits by the dock as a cruise ship rises at the edge of the lagoon.
A submarine-style vessel is tied beside a wooden dock in bright turquoise water, with a large cruise ship at left and a rocky shoreline in the foreground. Low islands line the horizon.
A corroded Nautilus-like wreck lies on the seabed, recalling 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
A corroded submarine-like wreck with netting, a pointed stern and a torn opening lies underwater in turquoise water. The scene recalls the Jules Verne-inspired 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea setting.
The battered Nautilus lies on the seabed in a blue underwater scene of ruin.
A damaged Nautilus rests on the sandy seafloor under turquoise water, with its bow tilted forward and the hull fading into the haze as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remnants.
A submerged structure drifts below clear turquoise water in a quiet underwater view.
A pale submerged structure rests in clear turquoise water, with rippling light above and a gridded end extending into the haze near the lower edge.
A weathered concrete remnant rises through turquoise water beneath the surface.
A long, weathered concrete structure rises from clear turquoise water, its sloped edge stretching into the distance. The underwater remnant shows age, stains, and a faded industrial surface.
A dark wreck rests over the sandy seafloor as fish move through the clear water.
Teal underwater water surrounds a dark ship hull resting above a pale sandy seabed. Small striped fish drift nearby, creating a quiet, abandoned look tied to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remnants.
A submerged wreck lies on the seafloor, with a broken fin-like section rising above the hull.
A large submerged wreck sits on the sandy seafloor in blue-green water, with a broken tail section or fin rising from the hull. Light haze and rippled sand emphasize the underwater setting.