Southern (California) Wisdom

There’s an old joke that’s a staple among Southern California stand up comics that goes something like this, “I’m from L.A. I know what to do. If I see a line in front of anything, I get in it.”

Within minutes of the official reopening of Disneyland’s Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, a switchback queue, often four across, snaked its way out of Tomorrowland past the eastern side of the Matterhorn, up and down to the length of the old motor boat lagoon loading dock, and back up on to the Fantasyland parade viewing area all the way to It’s a Small World. Park officials estimated the length of time to get from the beginning of the queue to the end of the line at the Subs loading dock to be four and a half hours!

At times during the early afternoon, following the grand opening ceremonies, it appeared as if most of Southern California had taken the day off just for a chance to ride “the Subs.” Whole families queued up, taking turns making food and bathroom runs. Groups of fans waited in line wearing individually hand-lettered T-shirts that spelled out

“F-I-N-D-I-N-G  N-E-M-O”

Disney Imagineers, who’d worked diligently for more than two years reimagining the classic Disneyland attraction, were amazed by the overwhelmingly positive public response.

It was a perfect ending to years of planning, development, construction, and two full days of celebratory events.

In a line that never ends, Disneyland guests patiently wait for their chance to ride the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage .
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Disney Imagineers were surprised by the overwhelming public response to the newly reimagineered Submarine Voyage.
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Dream On!

Media registration for the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage Grand Opening Celebration took place in the Disneyland Hotel’s Mickey Mouse Penthouse suite, especially designed for the Year of a Million Dreams promotion. From there, media guests were invited to head to Disneyland and ride the attraction. In the media center, we were offered the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be a member of the Disney Dream Squad.

Voyager, one the eight subs in Disneyland’s fleet approaches the loading dock.
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Journalists and reporters were given a special “Dream Certificate” that could be given to families of up to four for a ride on the Subs, following the blue carpet arrival of celebrity guests. For my family of four, I chose four members of the MiceChat discussion boards, which hosts the o-meon discussion forum, participating in the weekly MiceChat Disneyland meet-up.

From left to right, top to bottom: Gena Davis, David Arquette, Koby Bryant, Sean Astin and Kareem Abdul Jabar walk the blue carpet to Disneyland’s Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
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Legendary Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter and o-meon’s MiceChat family of four
Julie, Katrina, Elizabeth, and Hastin, AKA MonorailMan.
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Wonderful! Beautiful! Amazing! These were just a few of the things the MiceChat family of four had to say about their experience riding the new Subs at Disneyland. Additionally, like so many other riders I spoke with who had fond memories of the old Submarine Voyage, our MiceChat family all agreed that they loved the fact that the new ride kept “the spirit of exploration that you had with the old subs.”

One guest packed his own lunch in this vintage Tomorrowland lunch box.
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Party On!

With the last of the first day’s rides and interviews with guests and Imagineers concluded, it was time to par-tay.

  Pluto joins Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro, authors of the recently updated and expanded Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Guide to the Disney Theme Parks, Queens in the Kingdom for the Grand Opening Celebration party.
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 Minnie Mouse gets down with a party guest.
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What’s New, What’s Next

Before the Subs dedication ceremony, Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier led a presentation describing some of the other “High Touch” and “High Tech” attractions now open at the resort. Grier spoke of the joint project between Nintendo, Disney Interactive, publisher of the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End game for NintendoDS, and Disneyland’s Pirates Lair at Tom Sawyer’s Island. Using wireless technology, POTC gamers will be able to download content while in the park for their own personal pirate treasure hunt.

Additional presentation highlights included a recap of the announcement of the return of the Disney Cruise Line to the West Coast and a demonstration by Walt Disney Imagineering of “living characters” technology, featuring the Muppet Mobile Lab featuring Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker.

What’s next is Toy Story Midway Mania, now under construction at Disney’s California Adventure. Imagineering executive vice president Tom Fitzgerald said the new attraction will be a major leap forward in the use of both 3D and 4D technology that will provide up to eight passengers per ride vehicle with a unique interactive experience.

  Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier and John Lasseter, the creative head of
Disney/Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering.
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 Tom Fitzgerald with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker in the Muppet Mobile Lab.
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  Before boarding their Toy Story Midway Mania ride vehicle, guest will be entertained by a
larger than life interactive Mr. Potato Head.
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  With the help of CG technology, riders will use scene-specific ammunition in each of
Toy Story Midway Mania’s shooting galleries.
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And Now Your Host…Bob Iger

The Grand Opening Celebration for Disneyland’s Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage drew to a close late Monday morning as Disney Executives Ed Grier, Jay Rasulo, and Bob Iger made a few brief remarks complimenting the hard work and dedication of everyone from Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering, and the Disneyland Resort who helped make “this 21st Century vision of Walt Disney’s original Submarine Voyage possible.”

  Jay Rasulo (Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman), Bob Iger (Walt Disney Company CEO), Dory (from Finding Nemo), and a group of children at the dedication of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
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  Andrew Stanton (director of the feature animated film Finding Nemo), Tony Baxter (one of the lead Imagineers for the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage), and John Lasseter (creative head of Disney/Pixar Animation Studios and
Walt Disney Imagineering).
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All images copyright© obe-mediaone.

But Wait…There’s More!

Be sure to check back during the next few days as we continue our coverage of the Grand Opening of Disneyland’s all new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. We’ll have a podcast interview with the Subs’ lead Imagineer Tony Baxter and, later, my thoughts and observations about what was and was not said during this past weekend’s celebratory events.

Overheard at the Disneyland Media Center

Why do they call him a senior correspondent?

At his age, what else could they call they call him?