Blast off into the outer reaches of the solar system on the Astro Orbitor, a retro rocket ride where you spin around the spheres of the solar system! Board shining ships with gleaming gold fins that hearken back to space ships from classic science fiction films. Painted red, blue, gold and silver, your sleek space ship sails high and low - all at your command! Control your altitude by pulling or pushing a lever inside the ship.
Ride around a fascinating kinetic sculpture inspired by real centuries-old astronomical designs. With the precision of a finely tuned watch, the orbs dance with universal grace as you zip past these circling satellites! Although each ride may have a different name, all share the same premise of rockets spinning around a central monument. As each form of the attraction appeared, new designs and locations have been implemented to fit with changing schemes of several Tomorrowlands.
Touring Tips
- Astro Orbitor is slow to load and expendable on any schedule. If you want to take a preschooler on this ride, place your child in the seat first and then sit down yourself.
- Children must be 7 years or older to ride by themselves. Note that the loading speed can be slow as molasses.
- The line for this ride moves very slowly because the ride takes a while to load and unload. The waiting area is similar to those in Fantasyland. The line is generally narrow and contained by railings or other barriers. It is quite claustrophobic and there is no place to sit. There is some shade during part of the day but there is no cover to protect from the elements. There is also no theming but you can see part of Futureland from the line. Because the line moves slowly and there isn't much theming, this can be a difficult area to wait in when you are with small children. I wouldn't recommend this ride when the line is long because the wait can be boring and claustrophobic.
Facts
History
In 1956, the first rocket-spinner attraction opened at Disneyland and was known as the Astro Jets. The attraction was made by Klaus Company Bavaria and similar to several versions found in traveling carnivals. The "jets" made a 50-foot circle around a large red-checkered rocket and guests were able climb upwards of 36 feet in their ride vehicles from the ground level they were boarded at. The attraction stood between the Submarine Voyage and Rocket to the Moon.
The name Astro Jets was changed in 1964 when United Airlines, as a new park sponsor (sponsoring "The Enchanted Tiki Room"), contended the name was free advertising for American Airlines' coast-to-coast Astrojet service. After this dispute, the name was changed to Tomorrowland Jets. The name lasted until September 1966, when the attraction was closed to make room for the new renovated Tomorrowland.
The attraction returned in August 1967 as the Rocket Jets. This version was located on top of the new PeopleMover platform, and was accessible from ground level via an elevator. The focal point of this version was its replica Saturn V/NASA-themed rocket in the center. This version remained open until 1997, when it closed for renovations with the rest of Tomorrowland. The new form of the attraction opened one year later as Astro Orbitor. The new version is a replica of the Orbitron, Machines Volantes at Disneyland Paris.
The Astro Orbitor was planned to be placed where the Rocket Jets were, but weighed too much for the current building. Instead, it was relocated to the entrance of Tomorrowland, and placed on ground level, thus making the ride the new focal point as guests step from the main plaza of Disneyland into Tomorrowland. One concept drawing had guests boarding the attraction underground and others had the center of the attraction featuring a water moat (similar to the "Dumbo the Flying Elephant" attraction in Fantasyland). Both ideas were never carried out.
The mechanism for Rocket Jets on top of the PeopleMover was re-used as a kinetic satellite-themed sculpture known as Observatron was built out of the ride's skeletal structure. The Observatron was originally planned to come to life every fifteen minutes and appear to summon signs from the skies, while a selected soundtrack (such as selected music pieces from Space Mountain and Le Visionarium at Disneyland Paris) would play over Tomorrowland. However, the mechanism has been prone to failure and occasionally will be inactive for periods of months or only play sporadically on certain days.
In April 2009, the Astro Orbitor closed for refurbishment and was stripped down to its skeletal structure.
It reopened in June 2009 with a silver, blue, red, and gold trim color scheme.