On our most recent trip to the Disneyland Resort we decided one morning to bite the bullet and take the time to ride Finding Nemo.
We arrived at the gates about 20 minutes before Disneyland was due to open. Once inside there was a mad dash for Nemo. We took our time and followed the crowd. At each entrance into Tomorrowland there were Cast Members telling those who wanted to ride Nemo that they must stick with the crowd and go around the Matterhorn. These Cast Members were very careful not to let anyone pass and cut in line.
The queue for Nemo goes well past the Matterhorn into Fantasyland and when we arrived, that is where we were. The line was moving very quickly to fill in all the empty spaces. While it seemed an impossible task, our wait was only 45 minutes. Once we exited the ride though the line was 1 ½ hours.
Our submarine was named Scout. They load from two sides and you climb down a steep stairway. Each side of the submarine holds 20 seats that fold up when empty for easy walking. Once you board and you are cleared for submerging the sub will begin to go down. Or at least it seems to be going down due to the water movement outside your port hole. During this time the captain will be telling you what is going on, as you enter the coral fields.
You may think that the coral fields are all you get to see, but as the sub goes down even more (again, not really, but the water depicts downward movement) you suddenly see familiar fish. You will see all your favorite characters from Finding Nemo in living color. Poor Dory, confused as ever is still trying to figure out who she is looking for. Bruce must be reminded not to eat fish and the EAC (Eastern Australia Current) is very well depicted and you will see Crush and Squirt.
There are other surprises in store on this adventure and I will not divulge that information.
I will say that this is an incredible ride that was very much enjoyed by our whole family. I had never been a fan of the older version of submarines, but am a definite fan of the Nemo ride. This attraction was worth the 45 minute wait we endured.
A recommendation for riding Nemo: Do it first thing at opening. Make no other stops, simply follow the crowd to Nemo and wait your 45 minutes. Any later in the day and the line will be up to two hours long. It is also important to note that once you get to the 1 hour marker in the line, other family members can NOT join you. So, if you are splitting up while in line, keep that in mind.