The original Submarine Voyage was loosely based on the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine that voyaged to the North Pole in 1958. It was going to be closed permanently and dismantled, but after several attempts, the engineers at Disney (Imagineers) managed to re-theme it so it matched a successful movie in theaters.
The ride uses 8 submarines that have vertical rollers attached to each end and roll the sub through a guide channel. Originally powered by diesel engines, the electric battery units are charged at the loading dock by contact-free inductive coils, so there’s no fuel to spill. The subs don’t actually submerge, but you can peek out the windows for the entire ride. The bubbles are created to simulate diving.
One of the issues with the windows was fogging, so they now blow fresh dehumidified air across the glass so it stays clear. The helmsan uses a joystick to control the forward and back movement as well as speed. They guide the sub through a network of lasers that trigger a different scene for the show.
There’s a lot you can do with this type of ride. The first thing is to start by taking my Marine Biology class, which is free and you can sign up for it here:
www.SuperchargedScience.com/ocean
If you love whales, aquariums, and underwater volcanoes, and you also love to watch everything that swims, crawls, or moves in the sea, then this is the area of science for you.
This online class is not only going to teach your kids about underwater life and the physical ocean elements, but also provide your kids with a hands-on experience of what it’s really like to be a marine biologist.
Kids learn how to study the creatures that live in the sea in their natural environment by building scientific instruments that marine biologists use in the field, including a live-cell microscope and underwater ROV robot in addition to exploring erupting chemical volcanoes, and so much more! Sign up at this link for this free class: