Mary Oceaneer was an English sea-captain and celebrated treasure-hunter during the late-19th century. On July 30, 1898, Mary launched her experimental vessel the R.V. Oceaneer Lab to serve as her flagship. She used the lab to study the ocean and excavate goods from the ocean, leading to her being enlisted as a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.
On December 5, 1901, Mary did archaeology on the island of Castaway Cay in the Bahamas where she uncovered a pirate sword from a shipwreck which became her favourite blade. Around this period, she also excavated the 18th-century pirate-haven of Shipwreck Cove on the South American island of Shipwreck and the sunken island of Isla de Muerta which she excavated cursed Aztec gold from. Amongst the trophies she uncovered were a pipe having belonged to the 19th century Atlantican princess Ariel, a contract made by Ursula, and the Dead Man's Chest of The Flying Dutchman. She also seemed to have knowledge of the lost nation of Atlantis, having Atlantean writing marked across her diving bell.
During the 20th century, Mary took her ship, the M.S. Salty IV, to the Floridian lagoon of Placid Palms. While searching for treasure, the M.S. Salty IV was hit by a hurricane that beached her in the lagoon. While it is unknown exactly what year this occurred in, early scripts for Typhoon Lagoon and the Adventurers Club suggest that this occurred in 1955, when Mary would have been at-the-least in her 70s.
Development[]
Mary was first created for the attraction Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland; that park's variant of the Haunted Mansion. She would be established as a member of S.E.A., leading to her being incorporated into the Disney Cruise Line and Typhoon Lagoon.
Mary was further developed for the Disney Cruise Line's Oceaneer Lab with a series of portraits establishing her as a treasure hunter and diver accompanied by her pet parrot Salty. The maiden voyage of her Oceaneer Lab ship took place on July 30, 1898 (a reference to the Disney Magic's maiden voyage) and uncovered buried treasure on Castaway Cay. Treasures from the Castaway Cay expedition and other excursions are on display throughout the Oceaneer Lab's central areas. With treasure hunting being her main occupation, she had a fondness for pirate lore and would establish special "Pirate Nights" aboard her vessel.
Mary is also one of the members of S.E.A. that left an expedition paddle at The Tropical Hideaway, with her paddle coming from an 1899 expedition on the Orinoco River in South America.
There is an obscured post-card to Alberta Falls from Captain Mary Oceaneer in Alberta's office. The post-card identifies Oceaneer as heading an expedition to find the missing Dr. Albert Falls.
Items from Mary can be found in the Skipper Canteen including a map charting legendary beasts of the Mediterranean Sea created by her, a library book titled "Parrots as Pets", her Club fez, and her signature on the, "Hightower Spirit of Adventure Award" awarded to Dr. Albert Falls on the August 19 of 1921.
The attraction is set in the aftermath of one of Mary's adventures aboard the M.S. Salty IV ship. On her way to port, she and her second known parrot, Duncan, were caught in a storm and ended up stranded at Typhoon Lagoon. Recent acquisitions were scattered around the shipwreck site and judging from beach chairs set-up on there, she was prepared for an extended stay. She can be heard providing the safety spiel for the attraction. Meanwhile, Duncan has chosen to roost in the exposed cabin of the ship, looking for treasure by spyglass.
Trivia[]
Mary connects to several different properties in the Disney Parks mythos which she herself does not appear in. Amongst these are:
Atlantis: The Lost Empire: Mary's diving-bell outside of Miss Adventure Falls has Atlantean writing on it with the message, "I come in peace". What appears to be an illustration of the Leviathan appears on her map of the Mediterranean in the Skipper Canteen.
Castaway Cay: Mary is identified as having performed archaeological work on Castaway Cay, the locale where she found her favourite sword.
Expedition Everest: In her message to Alberta Falls, Oceaneer mentions sending subordinates to the Forbidden Mountain near Anandapur to follow leads in Dr. Falls' disappearance.
The Little Mermaid: In Mary's collection aboard the MS Salty IV, Ariel's Snarfblatt and Ursula's contract from The Little Mermaid can be found.
Peter Pan: Various pieces of artwork from Peter Pan depicting Neverland and the Jolly Roger decorate the interior of the RV Oceaneer Lab.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Mary Oceaneer has several connections to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. She has crates in the Oceaneer Lab identifying her as having excavated in Shipwreck Cove and Isla de Muerta, the latter of which implies she excavated the cursed Aztec gold. Various items from the franchise also appear in her possession, most notably being the Dead Man's Chest used by Davy Jones and later William Turner.
Sindbad's Storybook Voyage: Her skipper canteen map has an illustration of the Living Straights from this ride, labelled as a, "Crocker Fish".
Tower of Terror: Mary was one of the S.E.A. members present at the Hotel Hightower the New Year's Eve of 1899 when Harrison Hightower III unveiled Shiriki Utundu. She also has newspapers commemorating different events in the Hotel Hightower's history within the R.V. Oceaneer Lab.
World of Motion: Mary's map in the Skipper canteen contains an illustration of the sea serpent from World of Motion which is labelled Kimballum Horriblus as a to tribute to imagineer Ward Kimball.
Mary's name is possibly derived from Disney Legend Mary Blair. Some of her artwork produced for Peter Pan is utilized in murals found in one of the Oceaneer Lab's activity rooms.
Jock Lindsey and Captain Mary Oceaneer are the two S.E.A. members who are known farthest in the timeline as the latest chronological references to both occurred in 1955, being the only S.E.A. members known to have been alive and/or active in the 1950s.
Gallery[]
Mary and Duncan on a magazine cover in the Miss Adventure Falls queue
Mary and Salty in a portrait at the Oceaneer's Lab
Oceaneer Lab Maiden Voyage, dated July 30, 1898, Oceaneer's Club
Mary and Salty on a Deep Sea Dive, dated December 5, 1901, Oceaneer's Lab
Finding buried treasure on Castaway Cay, Oceaneer's Lab
