Touring Titanic: The Experience

When I was a kid I was OBSESSED with the Titanic. I would read tons of books on the subject and was all over anything that had to do with the ship. I ended up growing out of my obsession but the doomed liner still interests me. So when I was offered a press pass to view Titanic: The Experience in Buena Park I immediately signed up.

When you enter you are given a “boarding pass” with the name and information of a real Titanic passenger. This will come in to play at the end of the tour.

The tour begins with the creation of the ship. A “ship builder” instructs you on its origin and multiple artifacts are on view, including the ship’s horn.

first class state room

third class room

This area is filled with several artifacts, all authentic. Yes, every one of these items has been recovered from the ocean floor. It’s amazing to see what has been saved.

The “not wanted” mark on this shipping label indicated it can go into cargo rather than the passenger room.

A postcard that was never sent

Eyeglasses and cufflinks

hot and cold water valves

a terra cotta souvenir from England

There’s even a piece of the ships hull that can be touched. It was crazy to think that I was touching a piece of the Titanic!

Throughout the exhibit are also wall boards sharing the lives of a selection of passengers.

The end of the exhibit deals with the fateful night the Titanic sank. It’s a somber experience to say the least. This is also where you’ll learn of the fate of the people from the wall boards above. You’ll also learn the fate of the person on your boarding pass. I was lucky enough to have one of the survivors.

Overall I was impressed by the exhibit but my favorite part of the day had nothing to do with the Titanic. You see, Titanic: the Experience is located in the former Movieland Wax Museum.

Movieland will forever have a place in my heart because I visited it multiple times in my formative years. It was really an amazing wax museum full of detailed dioramas showing scenes from classic films.

So, I was happy to see some remnants of its former occupation. There’s, of course, the sign. Here it is in it’s original glory.

And there’s also a display of celebrity footprints outside:

Bob Newhart & Vincent Price

Liberace

Ray Charles & Ed Anser “Love & Life in Buena Park”

Original muchkin Billy Barty “Think Big”

Carol Burnett “My feet are as big as my mouth!!”

Although Movieland may be long gone, some hints of it remain. And the current exhibit is a worthy occupant of it’s former home.

Titanic: The Experience
7711 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620