Les Mystères du Nautilus

During our recent visit to Paris, we surprised the Lad with a surprise trip to EuroDisney.  Aside from the other great bits about this day out was the "The Mysteries of the Nautilus" walk-through attraction, based on the 1954 Disney adaptation of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (starring James Mason as Captain Nemo).

As a big fan of the movie (despite its departure from the novel) I really enjoyed this attraction and took a bunch of pictures.  Amused at my detailed observations, SWMBO reminded me at one point that it wasn't a museum at one point!  Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures from a modelling/design perspective.  The quality isn't great because of the lighting and crowds, but from an architectural perspective they do the job.


Captain Nemo's Cabin : This cabin shows the Captain's belongings and bunk.  One bulkhead is the main navigation chart, which has a neat brass armature which appears to track the submarine's position (which BTW was in the northern part of the Sandwich Islands)

The Chart Room : This room is the hub of the Nautilus, with staircases ascending to the wheelhouse and the main deck above (although these cannot be visited). Several charts are displayed, including one representing Vulcania (which I have posted here: http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2008/09/vulcania.html), Nemo's lair in the movie.  The others were mostly of islands and areas in the Pacific Ocean (so no divulging the secret location of Altlantis!)

The Diving Chamber : In the center of this small chamber is a water well and diving suits hang on the wall.

The Main Salon : This is the heart of the Nautilus with books and  treasures of the sea gathered here. The Captain's organ stands on the far side and you can see Nemo's reflection when staring at the mirror just above the keys. One scuttle opens on the ocean's depths and you to witness the attack of the giant squid. As it approaches, its beak reaches for the submarine then gets repulsed by an electric charge.

The Engine Room : sadly no detail here or looking into the reactor like on the movie.

So overall I really enjoyed it in a nerdy VSF kind of way that few can appreciate!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Myst%C3%A8res_du_Nautilus



And some more pics taken by others of this attraction:
http://www.20kride.com/photos_other_p2.html