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[ghosthost]

I was wondering what did they do with the ride and ect. This ride pre-dated STAR TOURS at Disney.  This was one of my favorite attractions at SDC.  Who was the rides designer and things Im interested!  TIm

[Junior]

Tim: I played Junior Dugan at Rube Dugan's Diving Bell from 1979-1984. Star Tours was a similar "simulation" attraction that came later at Disney. The diving bell was one of the first simulation attractions in theme park history, and it operated at SDC from 1977-1984. It simulated a plunge in a submarine into Lake Silver in search of Grandpappy Dugan's lost silver treasure. If you go to the forums section here at sdcfans.com, click on SDC memories/park history, and look at the threads about the diving bell. If you check out the thread "diving bell photos" start at the first page and work your way through it. Click on my Flickr site and start at page one and work your way through the eight pages. There are lots of photos and info about the diving bell, and on the Flickr site you will see many, many photos of "the old days" at SDC. I certainly hope you enjoy it all! It is always my pleasure to talk about the old days at SDC, but I must admit, I am very excited about visiting for the anniversary weekend April 30-May 2! Hope to see you there.

[Junior]

Oh, just a quick addition...the diving bell was replaced with the Lost River in 1985, due to capacity issues. The diving bell could not move as many visitors through as Lost River could. The capacity issue was also the downfall of attractions like the Butterfield Stagecoach Ride, and buggy rides that used to be given in the early, early days of SDC. The crowds coming to SDC have always increased dramatically over the years, meaning the park has had to find more ways of entertaining people in a quicker, faster way. Although you probably don't believe me if you have had to stand in line 45 minutes for one of the rollercoasters or one of the popular shows!

[ghosthost]

Hey thanks for the info, I remember Rube Dugan and always loved it.  Being only in my early teens chances are I saw you down there.  I myself worked at Six Flags as a character (95-98) and was always a clown since I was Foghorn Leghorn. But SDC was and still is my favorite destination.  I ran across a picture from the earlier days with me and my family dated 1971 with us about ready to do Marvel Cave (It was snapped when I had one sock up and one down) but just looking back I was like "WOW Mom you had a BEEHIVE!" 

[Junior]

We are always interested on this website at hearing from folks who worked at or visited other parks. Why not start a thread under the "other parks" section about your days at Six Flags? Give us plenty of details about what you did and post some photos. It's always interesting to see stuff like that. Post away!

[Ozark Outlaw]

I was wondering what did they do with the ride and ect. This ride pre-dated STAR TOURS at Disney.  This was one of my favorite attractions at SDC.  Who was the rides designer and things Im interested!  TIm

Junior is definitely one of the best people to talk to around here about the old Diving Bell!

Speaking of Disney, it seems like I remember reading, or hearing about how at one time the folks over at Disney didn't believe an attraction such as the Diving Bell would work?

I don't know, maybe I dreamed it!

[ghosthost]

It wouldnt suprise me......but then again I think George Lucas kinda changed their minds.  The diving bell will LIVE ON!  BTW I will be posting in the "Other Park" thread about my days at SFSTL.  Tim

[PastorDon]

Actually Disneyland did have a simulator ride that pre-dates the Diving Bell at SDC.  In 1955 they opened a ride called Rocket To the Moon, that simulated (as the name suggests) a rocket ride to the moon.  It had seats that sunk down on liftoff to simulate G forces and projected moving pictures of the earth and moon on the floor and ceiling.  When I first rode it in the mid 80's they had changed the name to Mission to Mars, because after we actually landed men on the moon in 1969 it started to make Tomorrowland look like Yesterdayland.  The beauty of a ride like Rube Dugan is that it never goes out of date. 
On my first trip to Disneyland I got to ride Star Tours which made Mission to Mars seem like a merry-go-round in comparison with a ride like Wildfire. 

[Junior]

SDC contacted Disney in 1975 or 1976 about the diving bell idea. Disney apparently said the idea was unworkable but if it could be pulled off it would take millions and millions of dollars. SDC shrugged it's shoulders, proceeded with the project, and built the diving bell for about $1.2 million. Cutting edge attraction for it's time. One of the most beloved attractions at SDC to this day.

[PastorDon]

Junior, do you know why SDC contacted Disney about the Diving Bell?  Was it to see if Disney would build one for them?

[sdcforever]

^As I understand it, the ride company that came up with the concept first pitched it to Disney and they turned it down saying it couldn't be done.  The ride company then pitched it to SDC; SDC probably contacted Disney to hear the details behind why they felt it couldn't be done.

[ghosthost]

After they removed the ride what did SDC do with the components?  Was it shipped to another park? Who designed it?  Who did the filming for the vid screens?  Im just full of questions today lol 

[sdcforever]

SDC contacted Disney in 1975 or 1976 about the diving bell idea. Disney apparently said the idea was unworkable but if it could be pulled off it would take millions and millions of dollars. SDC shrugged it's shoulders, proceeded with the project, and built the diving bell for about $1.2 million. Cutting edge attraction for it's time. One of the most beloved attractions at SDC to this day.

Specifically, Disney said it could not be done for less than $6 million.  $1.2 million in 1977 is equivalent to $4.2 million today; in other words, this was a major capital investment for the park.

[rubedugans]

Disney spent a reported $100 million on thier ride Expedition Everest! They stated that Rube Dugan's couldn't be built for less than $31 million in 2010 dollars, that is nothing to WD and thier piles of $$

[Junior]

I have been in contact in recent months with one of the men who designed the diving bell. He is a major ride builder and architect that currently is involved in a big theme park being constructed in China. He's based in Florida. He tells me Jack Hershcend met him in '75 at a theme park industry gathering, and that Jack was impressed with a project he worked on for a different company. Jack commissioned him to come up with ideas for SDC projects. Three proposals were sent to Missouri. The proposal accepted was the diving bell. He told Jack that although simulator attractions were not new...the technology at the time had not been applied as well as could be, and that a strong storyline, special effects, the addition of the pre-show activities in the line in front of the building, the wharf, and the scales bits were important to enhancing the ride portion. Even the bit at the end of the ride where Junior was outside the capsule exit huffing and puffing and acting as if he were just glad to be alive was all important to convincing visitors the simulation was real. It all together provided a satisfactory experience for guests. He tells me a half size prototype of a diving bell was constructed at his facilities in Florida, a test film shot...just to see what kind of potential was there. Then, it was off to California to shoot the film that was seen by guest beginning in spring of 1977. Over the next few weeks I'm going to speaking with him again, so maybe I can ask him a few more questions about the development of the ride. I'll pass along some of that here, if everyone is interested.