After walking through the second zone of the lab guests reach the Hydrolator staging area. Here cast members count off guest letting a certain amount into the area in front of one of two Hydrolators. The Hydrolators serve the same function as any pre-show and operate a lot like the stretching rooms at the Haunted Mansion. Keeping with that comparison this staging area serves as the foyer.
Every 60 seconds the doors to one Hydrolator slide open and a group of about 60 guests are corralled inside. The Hydrolator's appearance is changed slightly form incarnation and now feature 2 large curved screens themed as windows on either side of the circular room. Between the "windows" are the entry and exit doors on opposite sides as well. Once all the guests are inside the door slide shut and the show begins.
At first when guests enter the windows of the Hydrolator reveal an open harbor with boats cruising by. Also visible out the windows is a buoy with the iconic "Mine" birds from Finding Nemo, even inside the Hydrolator you can still hear their iconic line.
Then the show begins, the door closes and an Australian individual comes over the intercom. We here some science jargon before he says prepare for dive. Then our Hydrolator begins to rumble and begins to descend under the water. The individual introduces himself as Doctor Sheldon Shoars and that he is a head scientist down on Seabase Alpha. He explains that guests are descending down to the drop off point and that from there they will ride Clam-mobiles the rest of the way to Seabase Alpha and see all varieties of sea life on the way. As he's explaining the attraction and setting up the ride experience guests are viewing al sorts of ocean life as they dive deeper and deeper into the ocean. Then the Hydrolators reach the drop off facility nad lock into place. Doctor Shoars says that he hopes to see the guests soon in Seabase Alpha. The doors then slide open and guests are ushered out.