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Niwel
04-11-2007, 01:58 PM
I always say that I wish America Sings and the Peoplemover were back in the park. But I wonder if I am remembering them the way they were -- or the way I think they were.
Anyone else run into this problem? :confused:
What attractions do you think you remember better than they actually might have been -- or were they really that good?

DisneylandForever
04-11-2007, 02:07 PM
I would ride the Peoplemover all the time. I ride the TTA a lot in WDW.

But I agree about America Sings. I say I want it back, but that's probably more of me wishing I could go back in time. If we had a more "modern" America Sings today, I would of course check it out, but probably not ride it often. On the other hand, anything would be better than Innoventions!

I would LOVE for the Tahitian Terrace to come back!

If they didn't bring back the Peoplemover, I wouldn't mind a better done version of the Rocket Rods (i.e. banked corners). I especially loved its queue.

I liked the Swiss Family Treehouse better.

I dunno. Everything that I can think of that's gone is really okay with me. I would love to ride it again of course, but again that's just me transporting back to my childhood. I would get a huge kick on riding Adventures Thru Inner Space again, but yeah it obviously doesn't belong in the Park anymore.


For those who know me, you know I wouldn't mind them bringing back the Carousel of Progress! But that was before my time, so I have no memories of it.

Bytebear
04-11-2007, 03:33 PM
maybe they can open a variation of America Sings in the Opera House. I think that would be pretty cool.

simnia
04-11-2007, 03:44 PM
But I wonder if I am remembering them the way they were -- or the way I think they were.
Anyone else run into this problem?

No, because I bought DVDs from the Extinct Attractions Club of many old attractions, and the attractions were as I remembered them. I guess I'd gone on all of the rides too many times to forget them, anyway. For me the main difference is I'm now more tolerant of some attractions I didn't used to like much, such as Country Bear Jamboree or Carousel of Progress, so I'd kind of like to see them again for real, but not that much, and they still will never win me over completely. Evidentally my taste hasn't changed.

WhichIsStitch
04-11-2007, 07:29 PM
If you go to www.youtube.com and type in "Disneyland" you will find a lot of movies that folks have contributed from years past. I mean old, old stuff from super 8 movies! It's really great to enjoy those "once upon a times" again. I miss them terribly. I like the new additions at DL but it breaks my heart to see things gone. I enjoy CA immensely but (call me wacky) I miss the parking lot!!!

Clotho
04-11-2007, 10:06 PM
The ONLY attraction that I really long for is the Peoplemover. I loved riding the TTA in MK, and it made me remember even more why we all miss it and long for it to be back.

Everything else...I don't miss, really.

I wish Innoventions were better. We have a great Science Center here in Seattle, and I often wish that they could do something like that in Innoventions. But I think the problem with Innoventions is that they NEED people to cycle through. That is, if they make it too great, people will stick around longer, clog it up, not move through other rides, and more importantly, not be moving through all the marketing and merchandising outside. They would have to have some preety deep pocket sponsors with a very creative vision to make it much better, and find a way to keep the flow of people moving through, and not staying too long. That is why I think it keeps floundering, IMO...

vegasmommytoDL
04-11-2007, 10:31 PM
I remember how much I loved the Skyway and seeing the lonely little station on the hill in Fantasyland makes me sad!

I regret that I never got on the Rocket Rods. I thought about it on my Grad Night in 1998, but I never got around to it. I think we had at least 2 other trips when it was operating but I was always going to wait until the line wasn't so long =(

Pat-n-Eil
04-12-2007, 05:57 AM
We tried to ride Rocket Rods one time and were in the queue for about 45 minutes when they announced the ride was down and we left.. never got the pleasure.

I would love to see some variation of the Skyway though.. All the way from Fantasy land to either Critter Country, New Orleans Square or Adventureland.. it would be nice to have another way to get from the Tomorrowland side of the park to the other side - especially at Parade times when the hub area is blocked or super busy.

Gone2Disneyland
04-12-2007, 07:13 AM
I will ALWAYS be an "America Sings" fan. I bought the soundtrack from Disneyland years ago when they had the music-on-demand booths and picked up the above-mentioned DVD from Extinct Attractions. Watching it again really brought a heart-warming tear to my eye to see it all the way through from start to finish. :)

I like the idea of putting it in the Main Street Opera House and also updating perhaps the last section with modern music. But the House isn't large enough for the original attraction.

I've never ridden on the People Mover. But I have read some stories about it in "Mouse Tales." I've ridden Rocket Rods but was really disappointed when the ride had to take each bend soooo slowly after such an exhilarating run on the straight-aways. Because the tracks are there, Disneyland really needs to put something on those tracks, whether it be PM or something different. And frankly, I'm sure John Lasseter's probably thinking the same thing.

Disney Daddy of 4
04-12-2007, 07:16 AM
Maybe this is a Darkbeer question. Does anyone know if the People Mover Track is still 100% in together?

Crazydave
04-12-2007, 07:54 AM
The "People Mover" track was removed when the rocket rods were installed.
The rocket rods track (a single cylindrical steel tube) is still in place. This is visisble from a few places throughout tomorrow land.

I couldn't image that it would be particulary difficult to install a new ride using the rocket rods platform.

tinker3
04-12-2007, 08:34 AM
I would love to see the people mover or rocket rods come back. The few times I rode Rocket rods it didn't break down and was fun, so I would love it if it came back. To me the people mover is a lot like the train, it was a great place to see some of the park and rest the feet.

A ride that I thought was wonderful but in reality maybe wasn't so great was "Adventures through inner space". As a little kid that ride just amazed me, I remember wondering.... how do they shrink all of us ;) . Would I be that entertained today, maybe not so much :) .

Lekta
04-12-2007, 08:57 AM
I just want to see the Astro Orbitor put back where it belongs. It was SOOO much more thrilling when it sat up top. Now it is just Dumbo with different designs.

Tisha
04-12-2007, 09:00 AM
As someone mentioned earlier, YouTube can be very handy for joggin memories. Especially for me since I was still a kid when many of these rides closed.

America Sings: http://youtube.com/watch?v=k1GuVelpDQs (http://youtube.com/watch?v=k1GuVelpDQs)

People Mover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME3X8bOmyqw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME3X8bOmyqw)

Rocket Rods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vtObfWgD1U

Submarine Lagoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX5GULvLP9A

Skyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uaLlkg4Dhk

Anything else you can easily find by searching.

jeffthechef
04-12-2007, 09:28 AM
If you go to www.youtube.com and type in "Disneyland" you will find a lot of movies that folks have contributed from years past. I mean old, old stuff from super 8 movies! It's really great to enjoy those "once upon a times" again. I miss them terribly. I like the new additions at DL but it breaks my heart to see things gone. I enjoy CA immensely but (call me wacky) I miss the parking lot!!!

Also, try yesterland.com.

hbquikcomjamesl
04-12-2007, 09:51 AM
The "People Mover" track was removed when the rocket rods were installed.
The rocket rods track (a single cylindrical steel tube) is still in place. This is visisble from a few places throughout tomorrow land.

I couldn't image that it would be particulary difficult to install a new ride using the rocket rods platform.

The problem is that the stress from the Rocket Rods compromised the supporting structure, to the point where, without some major repairs, it wouldn't even take the stress of the Peoplemover.

houseofmouse
04-12-2007, 11:54 AM
As someone mentioned earlier, YouTube can be very handy for joggin memories. Especially for me since I was still a kid when many of these rides closed.

America Sings: http://youtube.com/watch?v=k1GuVelpDQs (http://youtube.com/watch?v=k1GuVelpDQs)


Oh my gosh I love you!! I have been dying to show this to my kids!!! We listen to the soundtrack all the time and they ask all the time which animal is this? What are they doing right now? THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! :D

ladodgerjon
04-12-2007, 12:43 PM
Sorry to be in the minority here, but I always HATED "America Sings"-- perhaps because it replaced my FAVORITE ride, "The Carousel of Progress." CAll it adolescent resentment.

I LOVED all the AA figures, and the revolving stage... and the VERY COOL model of the futuristic city at the end of the ride.

I've tried -- TWICE -- to ride it on visits to Florida, but no luck (rehab being done on the attraction both times).

YES, bring back the People Mover (Aah the memories of make-out sessions with girlfriends come flooding back!). I liked the slow-moving vistas that you got on the PM!

I also would like to see the return of the Tahitian Terrace. What a great place to feel like you were on a far-off vacation... eating a fun meal... watching the dancers... and off in the distance, the growl of the passing jungle boats!

simnia
04-12-2007, 01:10 PM
Sorry to be in the minority here, but I always HATED "America Sings"-- perhaps because it replaced my FAVORITE ride, "The Carousel of Progress." CAll it adolescent resentment.

I must be in the same minority because I thought America Sings was even worse than Country Bear Jamboree, and I thought the latter was terribly stupid. It was around those years that I began to realize that either Disneyland was in decline and/or my taste was very different than that of the general modern public. I cringed at the obviousness and stupidity of America Sings throughout all of my first viewing and never went on it again. I saw Country Bear Jamboree a second time only because I was with out-of-town company who wanted to see it.


I've tried -- TWICE -- to ride it on visits to Florida, but no luck (rehab being done on the attraction both times).

Our tastes must be similar. I made 2-3 trips to WDW in Florida in close succession a few years ago, and on one such trip virtually the only ride I went on all day was the TTA (their Peoplemover), and I videotaped my every ride, from the front cars, from the back, from the left side, from the right side, from below, the escalator, the control panels... I intended to put my footage on DVD for Peoplemover/TTA fans as the most complete and extensive footage ever made, but never got around to it. Maybe your comment will motivate me to continue with that project.


I also would like to see the return of the Tahitian Terrace. What a great place to feel like you were on a far-off vacation... eating a fun meal... watching the dancers... and off in the distance, the growl of the passing jungle boats!

I never got to see Tahitian Terrace, despite very much wanting to. Luck was always against me: on one trip it was in refurbishment, on other trips I was either committed to eating elsewhere or I couldn't get reservations in time, or something. Then on my trip when I told myself that finally eating there was my #1 priority, I walked over to make reservations and it was gone.

tinker3
04-12-2007, 02:14 PM
The problem is that the stress from the Rocket Rods compromised the supporting structure, to the point where, without some major repairs, it wouldn't even take the stress of the Peoplemover.

Thank you! I have always wondered why they have not done anything with that empty track. I always wondered why they at least wouldn't put back the people mover to relieve traffic. Now I understand. :)

Klutch
04-12-2007, 05:22 PM
The problem is that the stress from the Rocket Rods compromised the supporting structure, to the point where, without some major repairs, it wouldn't even take the stress of the Peoplemover.

So, that makes three Disneyland attractions ruined by overstressing due to Paul Pressler's shortsighted attitude: Space Mountain (thankfully, rebuilt), People Mover, and Swiss Family Treehouse. Also left in complete disrepair were Mark Twain, Sailing Ship Columbia, all the buildings on Main Street, and pretty much the entire park infrastructure. Pressler was the ultimate slumlord. I'd like to go to business school just so I could write a paper on the abomidable failures resulting from short-sighted cutbacks using Paul Pressler as the star example. Much of corporate America has yet to learn this lesson.

As for ride memories, I always found Disneyland's A Trip Through Inner Space completely amazing when I rode it a kid. After many years without a Disney visit, I got a chance to ride the MK version shortly before it was ripped out. I enjoyed the nostalgia, but otherwise found it downright cheesey.

vegasmommytoDL
04-12-2007, 08:18 PM
Skyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uaLlkg4Dhk


What a sap I am... I got all teary eyed watching that LOL. It was nice to see it again, and the PeopleMover as well.

Then it made me think... are the "holes" still in the Matterhorn? I haven't even noticed!

simnia
04-12-2007, 08:36 PM
Then it made me think... are the "holes" still in the Matterhorn? I haven't even noticed!

No, the Skyway holes were (mostly) filled in on the Matterhorn. The remaining holes now are just bobsled holes. However, you *can* see inside the mountain a little bit where huge icicles have been placed to block off the hole on one side. I had the same reaction, though: I think because Matterhorn mountain looks so natural now, I didn't notice the absence of holes for quite a while.

http://www.simnia.com/dl/dl-periphery/harbor/070219_017_A_DL_Matterhorn_hole_032.jpg

Bumbershoot
04-12-2007, 09:51 PM
I wonder if Captain EO was as good as I thought.

dlandnut
04-13-2007, 11:49 AM
We were in Disneyland on the Opening Day of "Rocket Rods". What a pathetic, poor excuse of an attraction. Oh how I long for the days of "the People Mover". I also wish the Tahitian Terrace would return. Captain EO, absolutely, although I suspect with all the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson that it would be a cold day at wherever before we'd ever see that again, lol! :)