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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Close The Subs: Save Some Bucks


So by now, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction is closed down and boarded up. "Closed for refurbishment" as the saying goes. Here we are in January and the ride is not scheduled to re-open until late September. But the speculation is that the Finding Nemo Submarine may never re-open even though there is Pixar Finding Nemo (Finding Dory) sequel movie somewhere in pre-production.

Now I have no doubts that the sub attraction is in need of some repair. It is by all accounts the most expensive attraction to operate and maintain in the park. So maybe it is just a "refurbishment". But everyday the ride doesn't operate, Disneyland is saving a boatload of money so to speak.



But it strikes be funny (and I'm just thinking out loud here) that Disney closes the expensive subs, eliminates an expensive act with Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, cuts down on the length of firework displays, well, all this seems to add up some belt tightening by Disney accountants and bean counters. Much cheaper to load up character meet and greets than having actual entertaining attractions for wider appeal of guest demographics. (Disney announced a new Captain America meet and greet coming soon earlier this week to go along with the more recent Thor and Frozen meet and greets).

But I'm willing to cut Disney a bit of slack here. If these cutbacks lead to a fully realized development of the Star Wars franchise (which is rumored but would be costly), then I'm all for Disney cutting back on some things temporally to put some park development money away to be used for a DCA type of makeover (except the Billy elimination, that was an outright mistake).

While I enjoyed taking pictures of the various vistas for the submarines and the surrounding lagoon, I was not a fan of ride itself. It the space utilized for Innoventions, the subs, and Autopia were allocated for Star Wars and a true Tomorrowland development, then I'm on board.



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