The Former 20,000 Leagues I Remember... Lost Attractions of WDW & More Discuss The Former 20,000 Leagues in the I Remember... forums; The last time I had a chance to poke around on Google Earth the images still showed (although shutdown) the 20,000 Leagues lagoon. There were no subs but the water ...

[BamaJenn]

The last time I had a chance to poke around on Google Earth the images still showed (although shutdown) the 20,000 Leagues lagoon. There were no subs but the water was still full because of the tie in to Ariel's Grotto at the time. Today I logged into it to poke around a bit (because I'm getting REALLY psyched to leave Sunday) and noticed the shot is more recent. I then began to get depressed. Look at allllll this land just wasted.

[tigger_03]

Last time I was there the lagoon was still there. It had an Ariel sculpture in it. I'll have to look through my pics to see if I can find that pic. I was hoping it was still there this time.

[BamaJenn]

It's been gone for awhile now. When they filled it all to put in Pooh's Playful Spot away the water all went. It just kills me the wasted land back there. I really hope news breaks of them doing SOMETHING with it... eventually.

[wdw4us2]

I can't even stand to look at the playground when I walk by there. What a waste of a beautiful space!

If they could bring the subs back to DL, I don't understand why they couldn't do the same thing at WDW. Filling the lagoon in and putting in a cheap playground was probably a new low for Walt Disney Imagineering.

I'm sure I'll get flamed by all the people who say their kids love the playground. I'm just saying that at WDW, you should expect something better than what you could find at your local playground at home.

[stephanie71717]

It just makes me so sad that my kids will never get to experience a great ride.

[tigger_03]

Originally Posted by stephanie71717

It just makes me so sad that my kids will never get to experience a great ride.

I was looking forward to riding it in 2003 when DH and I went and was very disappointed that it was gone. I didn't ride it when I was at Disney the first time and now I wish I would have. But I was not quite 10 so it really didn't interest me then.

Originally Posted by wdw4us2

I can't even stand to look at the playground when I walk by there. What a waste of a beautiful space!

If they could bring the subs back to DL, I don't understand why they couldn't do the same thing at WDW. Filling the lagoon in and putting in a cheap playground was probably a new low for Walt Disney Imagineering.

I'm sure I'll get flamed by all the people who say their kids love the playground. I'm just saying that at WDW, you should expect something better than what you could find at your local playground at home.

Guess I'll have to go to DL to ride it then. Even though my kids will probably play on the playground equipment there I probably won't be able to look at it the same way now either.

Originally Posted by BamaJenn

It's been gone for awhile now. When they filled it all to put in Pooh's Playful Spot away the water all went. It just kills me the wasted land back there. I really hope news breaks of them doing SOMETHING with it... eventually.

Seems like that is a lot of wasted space to use for a playground. I was at least hoping that Ariel sculptured would still be there as she is one of DD's favorite princesses. Oh well, she won't know that she used to be there but I'll know and also remember what used to be there.

[BamaJenn]

Originally Posted by wdw4us2

If they could bring the subs back to DL, I don't understand why they couldn't do the same thing at WDW.

Well the subs being brought back to DL was easier because they never demolished and filled in 20k... unfortunately by the time they had decided to refurb it there, WDW's had already been turned into a mud pit.

Originally Posted by wdw4us2

I'm sure I'll get flamed by all the people who say their kids love the playground.

Well if it makes you feel any better... my son loves the playground and I love to take him to it. I just have to forget I'm standing where the queue for one of the best attractions in the history of WDW once was and I'm good.

Originally Posted by tigger_03

Seems like that is a lot of wasted space to use for a playground. I was at least hoping that Ariel sculptured would still be there as she is one of DD's favorite princesses. Oh well, she won't know that she used to be there but I'll know and also remember what used to be there.

The Ariel sculpture is still there. That's over in Ariel's Grotto. It's only the water features that are gone (i.e. Tritan outside the waterfall etc.).

I have to wonder if, like many things at Disney, there are plans for the unused space that we all just aren't privvy to.

[wdw4us2]

Well, according to my CM friend who works at MK, there are no plans for anything new at WDW property wide. They are going to keep busy trying to refurbish/rebuild everything that has fallen into disrepair over the past few years.

This is what WDW used to do on a yearly basis. During slower attendance, the walls would be put up around attractions and the "Please pardon our dust" signs would be up in various locations. Things were painted, repaired, or replaced so that everything would look new again before peak attendance. Now, it seems as though they wait until things are falling apart to fix them (i.e. LIberty Square bridge).

[tigger_03]

Originally Posted by BamaJenn

Well if it makes you feel any better... my son loves the playground and I love to take him to it. I just have to forget I'm standing where the queue for one of the best attractions in the history of WDW once was and I'm good.

I'll probably be in the same situation. I know my mom was disappointed when I told her after our last trip that 20,000 wasn't there anymore. So to now know that it's totally filled in will probably be another disappointment.

The Ariel sculpture is still there. That's over in Ariel's Grotto. It's only the water features that are gone (i.e. Tritan outside the waterfall etc.).

I have to wonder if, like many things at Disney, there are plans for the unused space that we all just aren't privvy to.

That will make DD happy. I hope something is being planned for the unused space.

Originally Posted by wdw4us2

Well, according to my CM friend who works at MK, there are no plans for anything new at WDW property wide. They are going to keep busy trying to refurbish/rebuild everything that has fallen into disrepair over the past few years.

This is what WDW used to do on a yearly basis. During slower attendance, the walls would be put up around attractions and the "Please pardon our dust" signs would be up in various locations. Things were painted, repaired, or replaced so that everything would look new again before peak attendance. Now, it seems as though they wait until things are falling apart to fix them (i.e. LIberty Square bridge).

I guess there is always hope that they will decide to use it for something. That's good that they are going to keep busy refurbishing/rebuilding things that are in disrepair. I think that should be something they try to do on a yearly basis though. I wonder why they stopped?

But I know a business here (and one that is pretty important to the community and surrounding area) quit trying to keep up with it's mechanical systems (including heating system) and instead tried to build on and then redo things they'd just redone a couple of years prior. Now they are having to redo a bunch of things including adding on yet again and redo the system that is vital to it being in business. Yeah, that's a bright idea to build a building and then not do any mechanical upgrades for not quite 50 years. Smart idea.