Mysteries of the Nautilus

As we conclude our visit to Discoveryland, let's go back to the visionary who started it all, Jules Verne. Among his greatest works is "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," which inspired one of the greatest Disney adventure films, along with several Disney Parks attractions. In fact, an early Tomorrowland attraction at Disneyland was a walk-through exhibit of sets and props from the making of the 1954 movie.

Added to Discoveryland in 1994 as part of the park's first significant expansion, Les Mysteres du Nautilus invites Guests to step down into the might submersible and explore the world of Captain Nemo.

This self-guided walking tour passes through several chambers of the Nautilus, including the Captain's quarters, furnished in rich wood and occupied by a collection of artifacts from his worldly travels.

Our adventure also carries us past the engine room and the air lock, where divers come and go from the Nautilus on their missions of exploration beneath the sea.

The charts room is filled with maps and devices to aid in navigation. There's even a map of Nemo's secret island stronghold, Vulcania. Spiral staircases in this room, while inaccessible to Guests, appear to lead up to the bridge. You can almost imagine hearing the Captain shout to Mr. Baxter, "Steer clear the tottering columns!" (pronounced kol-yooms, of course)

Next up is the Grand Salon. Here and in other chambers of the Nautilus, many of the props you see are genuine antiques, including books and maps dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Having real items like this adds to the believability of each scene.

At the far end of the Grand Salon is Captain Nemo's massive pipe organ, designed to replicate the one seen in the film. The original organ from the movie was part of the attraction at Disneyland until 1967, when it was moved to the ballroom scene in the then-under-construction Haunted Mansion. You can still see it there today.

The organ in the Grand Salon of Les Mysteres du Nautilus is somewhat haunted itself. As the instrument steams through Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," the face of the Captain appears in the mirror above the keys.

The real thrill of this attraction, though, comes when the iris of the observation window slides open to reveal the Nautilus under attack by a giant squid. The creature grabs hold of us with its suckers, pulling us toward its snapping jaws, until the sub's electrical defense system kicks in and wards it off.

Safe from the threat (for now), we decide to return topside to continue our day at Disneyland Paris... but not before appreciating one last detail. The exit turnstile for Les Mysteres du Nautilus continues the nautical story line right to the very end.