Long before modern Tomorrowland, guests visiting Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage could encounter something even stranger than the attraction itself: real women dressed as mermaids swimming in the lagoon. The performers debuted with the attraction in 1959 and later returned for three summers from 1965 through 1967, swimming alongside the submarines, posing on rocks, and waving to guests watching from shore. These vintage photographs capture everything from auditions and costume preparation to the unusual sight of mermaids relaxing in the middle of one of Disneyland’s busiest attractions.
Mermaids Beneath the Monorail
Several mermaids gather in the Tomorrowland lagoon as Disneyland’s red Monorail passes overhead, perfectly capturing how many futuristic attractions were packed into the area.
Testing a Mermaid for Submarine Voyage
Imagineer Bob Sewell stands beside an animatronic swimmer during an early pool test of how Disneyland’s new mermaids would look and move in the water.
Two Submarine Voyage Mermaids
Two performers pose together in their matching tops and elaborate tails for a bright publicity-style photograph associated with the Submarine Voyage.
Mermaids at the Disneyland Hotel Pool
Away from Tomorrowland, a group of mermaids poses together at the Disneyland Hotel pool during the attraction’s mid-1960s revival.
Judy Baverstock Scott and Fellow Mermaids
Judy Baverstock Scott, pictured at left, joins several fellow performers in a more casual snapshot taken away from the usual lagoon rocks and submarines.
Candidates Along the Pool Edge
A row of prospective mermaids sits poolside with their green tails stretched into the water, giving a particularly good look at the unusual costumes they had to swim in.
A 1966 Mermaid Tryout
This black-and-white portrait captures one of the young women who participated in Disneyland’s 1966 auditions for a new group of lagoon mermaids.
Another Hopeful Mermaid
Another photograph from the 1966 tryouts preserves the casting process that selected strong swimmers for one of Disneyland’s most unusual summer jobs.
Poolside Mermaid Auditions
Candidates line the edge of a swimming pool during the mermaid auditions, where swimming ability mattered just as much as looking convincing in costume.
Mermaids Pose With a Trophy
Several costumed performers gather around a trophy in this unusual staged photograph that takes the Disneyland mermaids away from their familiar aquatic surroundings.
Four Mermaids and the Ethan Allen
Four smiling mermaids wave from the lagoon while the Ethan Allen submarine passes directly behind them during the attraction’s 1965–1967 era.
Two Mermaids and the George Washington
Two performers relax together on one of the lagoon rocks as the George Washington glides through the Submarine Voyage behind them.
Real Mermaids Beside the Submarines
The live swimmers appear remarkably close to the operating submarines, illustrating just how directly the mermaid performances were integrated into the ride itself.
A Mermaid on the Rocks
A lone performer in a shimmering tail sits high above the water, where she could easily be seen by guests watching the lagoon from Tomorrowland.
A Flower-Trimmed Mermaid
Wearing a flower-decorated top and gleaming tail, this mermaid rests alone on a low rock surrounded by the lagoon’s striking turquoise water.
A Mermaid Among the Underwater Props
An underwater animatronic reaches toward an ornate prop surrounded by artificial seaweed, showing how Disneyland blended live swimmers into the attraction’s manufactured undersea world.
A Mermaid Watches the Submarine Pass
A blonde mermaid reclines on a rock in the foreground while one of the Submarine Voyage vessels makes its way across the lagoon behind her.
Mermaids at Work in 1967
Taken on 1967, this wonderfully practical image shows one mermaid helping another deal with the stiff, cumbersome tail costumes while sitting on the dock.
