Whale of a tale

“This is Captain Nemo speaking. Welcome aboard the Nautilus. We are proceeding on a course that will take us on a voyage 20,000 leagues under the sea.” This line sent shivers down the spines and thrilled others for the better part of twenty-three years in Fantasyland. Captain Nemo welcomed visitors to his home port of Vulcania and aboard his beloved Nautilus for a most extraordinary voyage to lost undersea worlds.

That’s just a few opening lines from my recent article in Celebrations. The tale moves on to discuss the design and construction of the Nautilus fleet (such as the submarine being constructed below) with Imagineers George McGinnis and Bob Gurr, examine the story of the ride itself, and its ultimate demise. It is a whale of a tale if I’ve ever heard one, and it’s all true! I hope you’ll pick up Celebrations Issue 22 to read more!