11 awesome vintage posters for Disney's greatest sci-fi rides
It's not just the rides that have made Disneyland the (repeat after us) "Happiest Place On Earth." Since 1956, silk-screened posters at the park's main entrance and along pedestrian tunnel walls have also transported us, giving a tantalizing preview of the attractions inside. And some of the MOST awesome of them advertised the sci-fi rides of Tomorrowland.
We've uncovered a batch of vintage Tomorrowland posters featuring the promise of a better future, even if it didn't quite evolve as planned. After all, you can't fault the fertile minds of Imagineers if we don't all get to work on bullet-shaped monorails or skyway gondolas.
In the Tomorrowland dedication speech on July 17, 1955, Uncle Walt offered these affectionate words for his favorite sector of the park:
"A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man's achievements ... a step into the future, with predictions of constructive things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals: the Atomic Age ... the challenges of outer space ... and the hope for a peaceful and unified world."
So whip out your Magic Kingdom ticket book (remember those?) and let's take a nostalgic stroll back in time ...
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FLYING SAUCERS (1961-1966): Basically mini-spaceship bumper cars on a whooshing cushion of air. Must have seemed extreme at the time.
SPACE STATION X-1 (1955-1960): Circle the Earth from fifty miles up in the "Satellite View Of America." Guests actually viewed a large painted panorama of the continent seen via a rotating, doughnut-shaped platform. Should have been sponsored by Dunkin'.
SPACE MOUNTAIN (1977-Present): A thrilling flight through shooting stars and diving meteors, into the black void of infinite space. Still pure, unadulterated E-Ticket gold!
ADVENTURE THRU INNER SPACE (1967-1985): Presented by Monsanto, enter the world of the Mighty Microscope in your funky Atomobile and shrink to the size of a snowflake molecule.
STAR TOURS (1987-Present): Soon to be unveiled with its much-needed, Star Tours 2.0 overhaul by the folks at Disney and Lucasfilm. The simulator ride though the Star Wars galaxy boasts three generations of adoring fans. Hope they keep the Paul Reubens-voiced pilot droid, Rex in the revamp.
MONORAIL (1959-Present): Glide along the futuristic "Highway In The Sky" aboard space-age trains for a round-trip journey around the Magic Kingdom. Urban transit never looked so damn cool.
ROCKET JETS (1967-1997): Take a spin through the skies high above Tomorrowland. The ride's imperial black and white NASA launchpad design provided a vivid focal point for adventurous park-goers.
PEOPLEMOVER (1967-1995): A winding, snail's-pace ride in 4-car trains atop an elevated glideway. This automated transportation system of the future created to replace automobiles was inexplicably sponsored by Goodyear Tire and Rubber. They make car tires, right? CAR tires? Nevermind.
SKYWAY (1956-1994): An aerial tram journey into the heart of Tomorrowland station in candy-hued buckets. Safety concerns and high operating costs caused its eventual demise. Juvenile delinquents would have to find another perch from which to drop gum in people's hair.
ROCKET TO THE MOON (1955-1975): The TWA-backed Moonliner spaceship treats passengers to a voyage around the moon. The illusion was created by vibrating seat cushions and round projection screens above and below the cabin. Really? Changed to Mission To Mars after routine moon excursions became passe.
ASTRO JETS (1956-1966): Orbit high above Disneyland in a 2-person retro rocket. Replaced by the more modernized Apollo-style Rocket Jets in 1967.
