Rocket Jets
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| Rocket Jets | |
| Disneyland | |
| Land | Tomorrowland |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
| Opening date | July 2, 1967 |
| Closing date | January 6, 1997 |
| Vehicle type | Saturn V rocket |
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Rocket Jets was an attraction at Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the third-generation spinning rocket attraction in Tomorrowland. It opened in 1967 for the new Tomorrowland and closed in 1997 for the 1998 New Tomorrowland. Upon the decision to redo Tomorrowland for 1998, the Rocket Jets, three-stories above the ground, would be replaced by a newer attraction, based on Disneyland Paris' Orbitron, at the entrance to Tomorrowland. The Rocket Jets are still in their place above the PeopleMover station, as the Observatron, a sculpture that would spin around and play music every fifteen minutes, with the rockets replaced by satellite dishes, and the Saturn V rocket in the center replaced by a laser-beam. The Saturn V rocket in that the rockets were attached to was sold on eBay by Disney Auction in 2005.
Many have theorized that it will be removed and a new version of the Rocket Jets will open up where the skeletal remains of it are now.
[edit] The Observatron
The Observatron, the Rocket Jets without the NASA decorations and rockets, the centerpiece of the new Tomorrowland in 1998, would rotate along to music every 15 minutes, but often malfunctioned, as the machinery was built for more than four uses per hour, and it was built to handle the rockets, not satellite dishes. It appeared to have mechanical trouble, sometimes playing just the music every 15 minutes or not doing anything at all. As of late 2006, the Observatron has received much needed maintenance which allows the Observatron to now rotate every 15 minutes while playing its music as originally planned. As part of the new maintenance, new speakers were installed which replaced the old ones as well as introducing new ones. These new speakers allow park guests to hear the Observatron music almost wherever they are in Tomorrowland. Also, since the maintenance on the Observatron, it very rarely breaks down and operates on a daily basis. The recent maintenance has started a new rumor and sparked much speculation around the Disney community that the old Rocket Jets may in fact come back sooner than originally rumored to its former spot atop the PeopleMover platform.
[edit] Rocket Jets in Disney Movies
The Rocket Jets appear in scenes from the Disney animation Meet the Robinsons as well as another Disneyland attraction, Space Mountain.
- orange.co.uk [1]
