Defunctland has revived a legendary Disney World roller coaster from the 1970s – and you can take it for a spin in the comfort of your own home.
In 1994, the Disney World Magic Kingdom resort in Florida closed down one of its most popular attractions, namely 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage. Initially said to be closed just for maintenance, the underwater roller coaster never re-opened (much to fans’ disappointment), and was thought to have been lost in the depths of time… until now.
Defunctland, a YouTube channel dedicated to reviving theme parks’ past glories, has created an incredibly detailed VR experience of the ride that is free to access. Whether you’ve got VR goggles or not, you can take a 15-minute ride on the recreated roller coaster in all its 360-degree glory via the embedded video below:
As you descend through the shallows, you’ll spot lobsters and green sea turtles from your porthole viewing position, before spying shark-infested shipwrecks. But once the vessel plunges below the ice caps of the North Pole, the crew makes a startling discovery…
Related: Super Nintendo World is opening soon – and we can’t wait for this Mario Kart AR rollercoaster
The rollercoaster was based on the 1954 movie adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic adventure novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which featured Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre. It’s seen as an early precursor to the steampunk genre, and the its influence is immediately evident in the BioShock video game series, to take one example.
If you’re interested to learn more about the ride itself and its history, then the same channel has created an informative video (below):
The video is a thrilling demonstration of how Virtual Reality can be applied to bring the past to life, all thanks to the efforts of the dedicated enthusiasts at Defunctland. And what’s even better is you don’t have to queue to take this roller coaster, or share the ride with snotty spoiled brats!
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