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thamnarestan
09-26-2001, 08:23 AM
As Al Lutz reported today in his DIG Update, CircleVision is returning to Tomorrowland!

He notoed that it will play America the Beautiful. Is this the original movie that Walt Disney worked on, or is it an update, a shorter cut, or what? Has an American Journeys movie ever been shown? I seem to remember a Disney movie or attraction by that name.

Anyway, what does everyone think about the return of this attraction?

80S ERA
09-26-2001, 09:34 AM
Confirmation of this would make my AP renewal in December a no-brainer! I've always loved American Journeys! I'll keep my fingers crossed that they bring Timekeeper, AJ, and ATB..

btw - Have you heard any rumors of this as a CM?

merlinjones
09-26-2001, 10:13 AM
>>He noted that it will play America the Beautiful. Is this the original movie that Walt Disney worked on, or is it an update, a shorter cut, or what? Has an American Journeys movie ever been shown? I seem to remember a Disney movie or attraction by that name. <<

America the Beautiful was Walt's original CircleVision presentation at Disneyland. It was updated in 1967 for the New Tomorrowland.

All new American Journeys replaced America the Beautiful in the early 80's. It has more mobile camera set-ups.

They are both really great. I'll be very glad to see them back!

lisap
09-26-2001, 12:40 PM
This is good news indeed. I can't wait for the kids to see it!

SimpTwister
09-26-2001, 12:41 PM
ToT under construction in DCA?

CircleVision returning?

Is the good news really starting to trickle in?

Any more of this, and I may have to pinch myself!


(Not that these rumors are so exciting in and of themselves, but the momentum seems to be shifting for the better...)

thamnarestan
09-26-2001, 01:39 PM
Originally posted by 80S ERA
btw - Have you heard any rumors of this as a CM?

Well a couple weeks ago I wrote on this messageboard of my visit to the old Rocket Rods queue / Circlevision building. I noted that all the automatic doors are still in place (there was just a cheap wall put up to hide them) and that no changes at all had been made to the interior, expect for the addition of a few clothing racks, as the theater was being used as a dressing room for the Atlantic characters.

As a CM, I haven't heard rumors of CircleVision's return. In fact, I had been hearing rumors of Buzz Lightyear being installed. But my guess is that the Attacks have changed everything.

thamnarestan
09-26-2001, 01:41 PM
Originally posted by merlinjones

America the Beautiful was Walt's original CircleVision presentation at Disneyland. It was updated in 1967 for the New Tomorrowland.

All new American Journeys replaced America the Beautiful in the early 80's. It has more mobile camera set-ups.



Thanks for the info.

I remember hearing that Walt Disney could be seen in some shots in America the Beautiful. Did they still use a lot of the footage from the original film for Journeys, or was it completely refilmed?

Even if Journeys is newer, I would like to see the original. Mabye they'll bring back both... does anyone think it's reasonable to expect them to show both films?

Morrigoon
09-26-2001, 03:00 PM
I'm elated!

I just found out my schedule for next month, so, barring any problems, I should be there oct 6th & 7th!

Hey... let's have a Mousepad All-American meet! I'll start a new thread about that now!

Morrigoon
09-26-2001, 04:44 PM
Does anyone know WHEN Circlevision reopens?

Kevin Yee
09-26-2001, 06:28 PM
Circlevision could open pretty much any day they wanted. They just have to reinstall the guide rails.

Personally, I'd much rather have American Journeys back than America the Beautiful. AtB is so... DATED.

There is one teeny clip of AtB in AJ: at the Lincoln Memorial. If you ever get to see AJ again, notice how 80s everything is, except at the Lincoln Memorial, where the cars are all from the 60s.

All that aside, I'm dying for CircleVision to return. Who do we have to kill to get PeopleMover back?

zapppop
09-26-2001, 06:49 PM
Originally posted by Kevin Yee
Who do we have to kill to get PeopleMover back?

The name Eisner comes to mind :D

Nigel2
09-26-2001, 09:34 PM
Dang it, I hate it when I predict incorrectly. Wasn't ATB actually the last CV film he oversaw? I wonder if they are going to keep the floor the same way or go back to carpet? But they are probably going to cheap out and keep it on standard film projectors instead of digital. But TK would be a cooler attraction

Darkbeer
09-26-2001, 09:52 PM
I am glad that they will bring back either ATB or AJ, but please, take a couple of days, remove the old Peoplemover car, and theme the pre-show area with some type of American themed pre-show!!! Please do not go the DCA route and forget about pre-show/queue area!!!!!

SpazRobot
09-26-2001, 10:05 PM
Peoplemover was the greatest thing ever. You could always walk right on because there was never any line (thanks to the continuous loading process,) and the ride itself lasted for about 10 minutes. That was bang for the buck!

When the time spent experiencing an attraction exceeds the time spent waiting in line, you've got a sure-fire recipe for making people happy. Removing the PeopleMover from the east side of the park was basically a really really retarded thing to do.

They should bring it back with updated cars/styling and call it "PeopleMover...9000" or something.

Nigel2
09-26-2001, 10:08 PM
Oh god the preshow area I almost forgot that. What about the exits? that is pretty narrow for a theater full of people. I hope they don't do that dumb thing with all the state flags again like last time it seemed like a cheap way out since there was no real preshow.

Morrigoon
09-26-2001, 10:19 PM
Theming the preshow area, and even the theatre itself, would be quite simple... provided they can aquire that rarest of assets these days: the American flag. Imagine that big round room lined with flags, how beautiful would that be!

ATB and/or AJ would be fine, and would afford them time to produce an update, if it proved worthwhile (profitable). Here's an idea: Move the space experience to the upper floor of the Starcade (former home of some terrific air hockey tables). Use the space area for (try not to gag, just work with me here) an all-american shop! They could import merch from Epcot for now, and get some of their own on order. American flag Mickey shirts, jackets, pins (mais oui, very profitable), etc. Eventually, they could have major entertainers in the park (Animazement cast, Rod Miller, one or two of the regular swing bands, Billies, Chance to Shine girls, etc) record an album of patriotic music, with short clips of Walt saying patriotic stuff in between the songs. I imagine that would sell well, if for no other reason than that people would like an album of all the big patriotic songs in one place. (Imagine that singer who sang "reflection" at the divas event doing God Bless America!). And of course they already sell the Uncle Sam style top hats, so they could just move that merch over. I imagine within a month or two they could have a fair selection of merchandise there, and sales helped along by the presence of a patriotic attraction, no matter how old.

Here's an idea for a pre-show video "Heroes". Not just the current ones (though they'd obviously be featured) but also those who have gone before, in defense of freedom or out of love for their fellow men.

WizKidRyan
09-27-2001, 01:28 PM
Originally posted by SpazRobot
They should bring it back with updated cars/styling and call it "PeopleMover...9000" or something.

Wasn't that known as the Rocket Rods :)

Lacrosse Boy
09-27-2001, 04:57 PM
Wonder what they'll do for the preshow area . . . maybe add a rocket rod into the mix. lol

mspangler
09-27-2001, 05:07 PM
I'm glad it's coming back. Now they will put the theater to good use, rather than using those great screens to show the Rocket Rods queue stuff. :)

Napsto
09-27-2001, 06:06 PM
i am looking forward to seet this classic. it will be itnresting.

Disney Fan Matt
09-27-2001, 08:07 PM
I am glad to see America the Beautiful come back!
I never did see American Journeys, so I would like to see that, but I am kind of partial to Walt's origonal...
That would be cool to put some kind of video in the preshow.
I don't mind the flags, but putting in some kind of entertainment would be the classic Disney thing to do, and is a good idea!
I don't like most movies at the DL resort, but I know this one is good. ;)

And by the way, it does seem like we get a lot of good news lately.
Circlevision
Tower of Terror
Dl's 50th Anniversary ride!

DisneyFreak2000
09-27-2001, 08:41 PM
What's the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Ride?

Nigel2
09-27-2001, 09:47 PM
If they could make it work with the theme I would say keep the videos from the "showcase" room in rocketrods since there is alot of driving/travel shots. An america shop is nice, but its like false partiotism if you think about it, sure I shoot people, but I have a colonial mickey doll so I am a good american. Plus its Tomorowland so it could be actual space related merchandise. Dosen't anyone find it a little odd that they don't sell space stuff as much in Tland?:confused:

Chris Lang
09-28-2001, 07:27 AM
If anyone is interested in hearing the audio from the three Circlevision films, you may want to check out:

http://disneylandsource.com/tom/circle.html

As mentioned on the page, this page has been updated in anticipation of the attraction re-opening (hence some of the refereces to it actually being open).

beanpole
09-28-2001, 09:39 PM
I'm looking forward to the return of CircaVision!

My dream is that the return of AJ or ATB kick-starts a return to 1960's style attractions and theming throughout Tomorrowland. It could be a hip retro thing.

Beyond the added kitsch value of reviving previously closed Tomorrowland attractions, it would bring back some of the 'message-in-the-theming' that the older attractions used to have. The 1967 version of Tomorrowland had something to say about the promise of Technology; specifically, how scientific discoveries being made at the time could be experienced as an exciting adventure for the young and the young at heart - when accompanied by a spoonful of Disney magic to help the concepts go down. Although CircaVision had more to say about the present than the future, the space-age architecture of the building and the stunningly powerful effect of the 360 degree image certainly embodied an excitement and optimism about the possibilities of tomorrow.

I used to love Tomorrowland for two distinct reasons. One, the rides. Two, the message in the theming and how it manifested itself in phony panels of blinking lights, boxy little cars running around a curving track in and around the show buildings, Omnimover journeys through op-art images of atoms, and other details that both entertained and inspired. I'd love to see even a partial return to the old Tomorrowland.

On the other hand, I'd be just as excited to see a really cool double-E Ticket attraction added to Tomorrowland that doesn't communicate a darn thing.