Abandoned - Disneyland Peoplemover
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- čas přidán 20. 06. 2024
- For over 20 years, Disneyland's Tomorrowland has had a prevalent, massive reminder of the past high above guests. It's the tracks of the former Disneyland Peoplemover, an attraction born from Walt Disney's love for transportation concepts and one which ultimately closed in the mid 90's. Replacing it was a short lived, thrill ride known as the Rocket Rods and it's failure left this once beloved attraction completely abandoned. Join me today as I take another look at this iconic, abandoned attraction.
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Abandoned decaying infrastructure may be the most accurate predictor of the future that Tomorrowland has ever displayed.
Ooof that cuts
Underrated comment 😂
@@scarlett453 looking forward to Soylent Green on the snack bar menu
I wish I can favorite comments
So dark. So true.
Still weird that it just sits there rotting considering Disney’s usual standards when it comes to removing rides.
It's so weird
Maybe it’s because it’s too out in the open? Idk
The reality is that they would have to shut down a large portion of the park to remove it, and Disney cannot afford that. They need rides with large hourly throughput processes right now. Their numbers are down for the fiscal year, and that number would only grow if a massive portion of the park was closed for pillar removal. At this point Tomorrowland would look weird without it
I feel part of the issue is that with how much of the ride is in the open, too much of the park would need to be shut down to remove it completely.
Disney has no standards for the rides anymore
As a current tomorrowland cast member, not only do i get guests asking if the people mover is open, but i also come across guests who have no idea what the people mover was and ask me what attraction that is. It breaks my heart to tell them that its been closed for decades, but i at least get to dive a little into the park's history.
That’s dope, you actually care enough to educate people. Most cast members wouldn’t even bother learning the history, let alone teaching it.
"the bones of the people mover" is such a hardcore phrase out of context
Great book title.
@@americana9692nah nah nah 15-minute long stoner-prog doom with djent influences and jazz chords that forms the B-side of an unreleased demo tape.
Metal Af
Or it's just a hearse! 😉
Pretty crazy how the "transportation method of the future" ended up being one of the longest-standing abandoned Disney rides in history...all because they wanted it to be a thrill ride.
Fantastic video as always, Jake
Transport mode of the future being left abandoned in the future.... That's so ironic it should be a line in an Alanis Morissettes song "Ironic" 😂
Would be great if Adam Something sink his teeth into why the Peoplemover would never work or otherwise be inferior to standard trains (hint: look up interoperability and redundancy)
Hard pass on another disney episode. Yarn. Keep them away from the kids.
@@johnmurray9526
It would be the only line in the song that was actually "ironic."
@@BB_Sebring Not everything needs to be a full sized train. The Peoplemover seems more like a 'futuristic' [at least futuristic for back when it was designed] version of a streetcar for short distance travel; like if you wanted to go from one city block to the next, or from one building in a large complex to another. Just hop on without having to wait. It would never be a substitute for subways or long distance trains, but it would be more convenient for the things it IS good for.
What's left is a beautiful shade structure on a hot summer day when you're in Tomorrowland with no shade escape 🤣
no misters in land?
Getting rid of this for Rocket Rods and then letting it collect dust is definitely one of the dumbest things Disney parks has done over the years.
When I was a kid, my parents were the ones who loved the peoplemover. It was slow, relaxing, great way to take a break from a lot of walking and kept the kids mildly entertained. It was a nice way to preview other rides without waiting in line. Like many families, someone always not into fast rides so it was one of the few that all members could ride together. It also kind of competed with the monorail, faster, slicker, functional and great views.
Tomorrowland needs an overhaul. Would it be amazing to have a people mover back? Yes! Would they do it. Probably not. The hard lesson they learned is to stop building tracks through their buildings.
tomorrowland has become yesterdayland
@@MCscarfacematt epcot too. The best part of epcot if you can even call it that is just stereotypes of what americans think of other countries lol
I agree that tomorrowland needs updating. The biggest issue with the land now is that its a fix of sci-fi ish properties and rides. There isn't much connection. You have the Astral Orbitors, Star Wars, Lightyear shooter, Launch Bay, Autotopia, Space Mountain and the stage show that gets used on, Monarail (I guess it counts) and off along with the sitting building and tracks to People Mover. Not really counting the train that passes through the land. In short its a mix of property based attractions and original/semi original attractions. I think what Tomorrowland needs is a reimagined "future" and or a new concept of properties based around the idea of a "future". As much as I hate to say it, I think Star Wars needs to leave tomorrowland now that the new land is open. There isn't a point in having Star Wars in tomorrowland other than keeping launch bay's building open. Buzz Lightyear is kind of a hit/miss in my opinion to stay or go. As of late it's been kind of having performance issues. I think all the other attractions are fine, just maybe need a new update or retheme. Overall I think the reason why Disney is against making changes to the land is because they know it should have to be shut down or closed in parts which they don't want to do as its still a popular land.
@@UrSammich They're probably worried about removing or rebranding the IP-based attractions, not just the temporary closures needed to do so. Disney wants to keep leveraging their overvalued IPs, so any idea of consistent themeing is forced to take a backseat.
It does need some serious tlc. Wish they would just bite the bullet and close Tomorrowland and fix it, instead of focusing on new parts of the park.
Like, does Disney know that they would hit a home run just by bringing the Peoplemover back in its previous form? I would visit just to see this thing operating again.
As much as I wish it would happen it's very unlikely. Rocket rods strained the tracks too much for it on top of the many years rotting thst the tracks would still probably have to be rebuilt. It would probably cost ad much if not more to do that than to just rip them out.
Serves as a good refuge from the California sun though.
They can’t do it
for the reasons mentioned above, plus maybe the reputation of being a Peoplekiller, moreso than any other ride to my knowledge
Disney doesn't know what they are doing these days. Just look at the shows they are making.
No they wouldn't. A handful of people who have a weird delusion about it what it was would find out it kinda sucks. It wasn't really a ride, it was something to do when your feet hurt because there was never a line for it and it was a "tour" of Tomorrowland. Don't really think they need a motorized means of showing you a busted ass arcade, Pizza Planet Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours.
Having rode it ALOT before it closed its kinda hilarious the weird delusion that people have about it being so amazing.
I wish it was still a People Mover. There are so many thrill rides. A nice overview of the Park with a relaxing pace would be so welcome. I remember Jenny Nicholson talking about when they closed the petting zoo she worked at, & her advocacy for places to take a breather bc theme parks are exciting but can stress or burn families out, so she champions those slower paced experiences, & I agree.
Here's an idea what Disney could do with the Peoplemover tracks: turn it into their own version of the High Line in New York.
Imagine having all that greenery on top of it and sitting spaces, view decks, etc.
That's a genius idea. No major construction, guest access, doesn't need to be a ride, etc
That was on my mind as well. I've seen pictures of the High Line in New York but have never been there. Certainly would be a positive, especially in car dominating Southern California to get people out of their cars and...WALK. Mind you I enjoy driving and don't like the self driving cars that dominate the surface streets in my current home of Phoenix, Arizona. Certainly the downside would be providing enough shade to counteract the increasing temperatures of the USA Southwest.
They definitely need more shade and shelter from rain
Disney should absolutely bring the Disneyland Peoplemover back with the coming park expansion. Having a relaxed way of moving from park to park (by having loading/unloading stations in each) or getting a tour of the OG park and expansion via an updated Peoplemover would be a huge crowd-pleaser while also being a great way to shift some of the park capacity around.
Too logical.
@@captiannemo1587 disney looks at what people want?
I am guessing the support structures got very damaged by rocket rods, then got even worse from being abandoned for 20 years.
It could be an automated light metro allowing different services to run between parks, journeys within, and possibly even to the hotels.
Similar to the Vancouver skytrain docklands light railway or Copenhagen metro
I literally clicked as soon as I saw the video. Its counterpart in WDW is such a classic and I wish I had the opportunity to ride the version in Disneyland before they made it into Rocket Rods.
It was a great experience, it's a shame it's no longer available in DL. When i went to DW in 2019 it was the second right I went on.
@@phantomdance So the PPl Mover is still working in FL at DW? I've only ever been to DW (not DL), and I LOVED the PPl Mover. When I went w/ my mom years later, it was our favorite ride, we went on it at least a few times.
@@requinremembers it was when I was there in 2019, I believe it is still operating but I am uncertain,
@requinremembers @phantomdance I’m a cast member at Disney world in Florida and it’s still open
@@briannaw103 thank you!!
It was a highlight, not because my friends and I really liked the experience, but because it was fifteen minutes where you could just sit down and enjoy the company of your friends while doing something relaxing and a bit kitschy. Also the rollers on the moving ramps going up to the loading area and down again to street level made for a great foot massage.
Also the speed ramps on Space Mountain gave a equally awesome foot massage!
I’ve been waiting for this video for 10 years. 10 YEARS
Get over it. The PeopleMover is a fancy airport moving walkway at best.
@@LeftCoastDrones Shame on you. The PM was one of the best best rides ever to be built at Disneyland. Not all rides need to be thrill rides. ON a hot day with sore feet, a tour on the PM was a wonderful break.
Still blows my mind that I can watch such high-quality videos for free from this channel
I mean, unless you have free internet, it costs something to watch. And the creators make bank off this "free content."
The older Abandoned Episodes got me into this channel, it’s so neat seeing old videos being given a new breath of fresh air
the People Mover, Submarine Voyage, and the Carousel Of Progress are the 3 rides i STILL don’t understand why they were removed from Disneyland.
Because they only care about Star Wars marvel movie franchise themed rides now. Ugh
Disney is a trash company.
@@ahsatan8997don't forget Pixar too! It's just so much easier to literally slap a coat of paint on an old ride than make a new one I guess
CoP moved because GE figured they were no longer getting any bang for their bucks, as Disneyland is mostly locals and they'd seen it. GE agreed to continue to sponsor if it was moved to WDW for a new audience and agreed to fund the move. It was GE sponsered at WDW for a long time
The people mover is a perfect analogy of everything Disney back in the day and everything Disney today. 15 years ago, my kids were on top of the world with out Disneyland experience. Today, I can't even pay them to visit it now.
I have very vivid memories of riding this. One memory that stands out, I remember peering over the edge of the bars and seeing people resting on a bench in a buildin area.
I read this initially as "peeing over the edge" and it hit very differently until I reread
@@stealthspy007 I read it that way until I read your reply.
I used to work ODV in Tomorrowland and we kept fridges in a room that would lead to the queue and I used to go down there and explore, it was creepy af. Covered in dust and abandoned strollers. Best memory tho was when my leads took us up to the ride to watch the fireworks, it was amazing
The people mover was easily my favorite Disney ride, it's hard to believe it's been gone for that long.
A couple of corrections/clarifications: Tron was released in July 1982 and the SuperSpeed Tunnel (added 1977) added Tron within a month. Signage was completed by October.
In preparation of planning the new attraction, the tracks were closed and torn up in 1995 to allow structural engineers to verify every pylon, joint, gap, and curve be sound.
The attraction was designed with banked curves and the lack of budget which caused the removal of the banking. This redesign caused the unplanned severe braking which caused the track joints to crack and vibrate. The closure in 2000 was planned to address these issues and multiple engineering firms were consulted in creating a solution. The attraction was not abandoned until the last minute, right before the reports in late April, 2001.
I know all these details since one of my college roommates was involved in the Tomorrowland ‘98 construction (although they only worked on Innoventions) and did some of the consulting before and right at the beginning of the Rocket Rods closure.
Been subbed to you for probably ten years at this point, it's insane how good you've gotten man
That’s really kind of you, thanks!
It's sad the attraction has been closed longer than it was open, rocket rods don't count
I remember riding the 'People Mover' in Houston Airport in the late 90s. I thought it was fairly neat at the time, and wondered why other airports didn't use the same.
I feel like they overlooked the real advantage and attraction of this ride....a break. I know when I go to Orlando, the people mover there is a great way to rest and cool down a bit while getting some light entertainment. It's the lofi of Disney rides, and I think its kinda sad DIsney just ditched it.
This channel has really hit a prefect formula for making these videos. Entertaining and informative for things that don’t seem like they’d be all that interesting. Makes you wonder how companies (like Disney) can churn out complete trash costing millions but a simple limited budget CZcams channel makes absolute gold.
Well he doesn't pay for the footage he uses
The secret is passion and creative freedom.
The people mover...through the world of TRON was one of my favorite rides!
I always wondered why Bush Intercontinental Airport had a strange little subway in the basement!! I love riding it even though it’s tiny and very rough.
The US capital has the same people mover.
I remember when I was twelve and went to Disneyland, the Peoplemover was good for us moving around the park in the hot weather, because my family hated walking really far. Also I feel Tomorrowland needs a massive overhaul, since I last went there three years ago, they abandoned the Captain EO theater, the Starcade, and the track feels like Disney isn’t even caring about maintaining Disneyland enough! I can’t believe they wasted their investments on Rocket Rods and abandoned the structure for decades, Disney needs new leadership!
I heard someone say the words "People" and "Mover" together. I'm in.
As a kid in the 90's, we used to go ride the "people mover" at IAH for fun, just doing laps around the airport for laughs!
Always loved the PeopleMover as a little kid. I went on Rocket Rods once and kinda hated it lol
If/when Disney gets their shit together and decides to make a serious decision to revamp Tomorrowland (and not need to tie everything to IPs), I hope the Tomorrowland Transit Authority makes a full appearance at Disneyland and the PeopleMover makes a comeback.
I never got to ride the PeopleMover...
It was such a great ride from what I've seen online.
I still find it baffling to this day how Dosney hasn't done anything to fix or at least remove the track. To me, its a sad reminder of what was and what could've been.
I honestly really hope Disney can bring back the ride in some form. I also hope Disbey can make the rest if Tomorrowland more like how it was in 1967, since that version if Tomorrowland is the best to me.
It wasn't that good. People are overrating it just because Magic Kingdom is a 6/10 park.
@@LeftCoastDronesI think people over rate it for the nostalgia. I didn’t ride the Peoplemover until I was in my 30s. I had no idea what it but after hearing the hype, I went on it at Disney World and was thoroughly disappointed.
Dallin weeps for this.
After the people mover closed, they should really have just had some model spaceships without passengers going around on the tracks or something like that, for visual interest.
That's what I said. Similar to what IOA did with their elevated track in Seuss landing before the Seuss trolley train opened.
Or just leave open as is.
You don’t want to have a fake ride that looks more interesting than actual rides. It’s problematic enough with the empty promise of the elevated track.
They really should call it Ancient Annex because it's clear they don't care about Tomorrowland and it does not live up to its name and hasn't for a long long time. I feel lucky to have ridden both the Disneyland people mover, and the Rocket Rods.
I love the use of its soundtrack in the background. one of the best albums out there
the people mover was a timeless attraction and i wish i got to experience it. my dad got to experience not only the people mover, but the gondolas too. oh how i envy him.
They got rid of the gondolas when I was very young. However, I do remember riding in those too. I remember both rides were amazing and I'm sad that you never got the chance to try both.
Put the old 80's carts back up there, slap some Tron paint on 'em and I'd be a happy camper taking a chill ride.
Sadly it jeeds more then that. Rocket rids damaged it
Somebody needs to show this video to Offhand Disney
I'm calling out the copyright infringement! If it's the Peoplemover, The Haunted Mansion, or Living with the Land, Dallin has to approve! 😂
Oh I'm here and I'm loving every second of it.
@@OffhandDisney cryptid sighting
Ha! I just commented this very thing! 😂
@@OffhandDisneyThought of you immediately
I really hope they leave it standing. The fact that it has remained a time capsule for this long is so cool to me. Cooler than whatever they’d replace it with.
West Virginia University still has a running people mover, they call theirs PRT (Personal Rapid Transit). Its claim to fame is that it essentially never breaks.
I remember when Tomorrowland was happening with the people move, skybuckets. Rockets on top of the people mover. Bands playing. I miss that Disneyland
The unused track provides some pretty good shade from the sun but it also makes the area feel pretty boxed in and crowded. The entirety of Tomorrowland needs a refresh, but modern day disney is just gonna throw whatever IP at it and call it a day instead of actually innovating so I don’t even know about that
I'm not a Disneyland goer, but my theory as to why Tomorrowland sees so much neglect is that the concept of an optimistic future is... a thing of the past? Tomorrowland was made to showcase how the future is bright and how technology is awesome. Then it became about Sci-Fi in general. And today, whatever you see about the future or Sci-Fi... it's always post-apocalyptic. Even Star Wars thrives off the themes of decay, grime and authoritarianism. The current cultural sentiment does not see a positive future, and an optimistic Tomorrowland is not in the zeitgeist - and Disney doesn't want to bum guests out.
That said, a truly optimistic Tomorrowland would be really good. We're in desperate need of positive visions of the future again.
The issue is that no one can appropriately predict what the future may be from a present perspective. Back in the 50s and 60s, the world was much simpler and visions were much larger and brighter. Today everything is so massive and saturated that it's virtually impossible to conceive a believable, optimistic future that everyone would agree on conceptually.
The Disney World people mover is great because of the shorter wait times, the ride experience lasts longer, and it is a welcome change of pace in the day. Not every ride needs to be high speed thrills.
It’s pretty crazy that at Transit Trivia Night in Seattle just a couple nights ago they showed pictures of transit systems and we had to figure out what they are and they showed a picture of the Disneyland Peoplemover and myself being into theme parks and transit I was like “holy cow”
Thank you for this video. I have never been to Disneyland, only Disney World. And just went back in April but before that was back in 1990. My parents never allowed us on the people mover, but when i went with my wife, we went on it, and I loved it. So fun too
If Disney is so obsessed in their desire to "leverage other intellectual properties", then the only thing I can visialise them doing in the near future is put holograms on the cute walking droids from that Star Wars land and let them parade endlessly around the track. IP used! Cute kinetic display! Free Ad space on those holograms!
Disney, please surprise me, you can do more than this bare minimum... Right???
I was born in 91 and I was fortunate enough as a kid to ride both the people mover and rocket rods. Both were great rides, I totally remember the tron part of people mover and how fast and rickety rocket rods was. Im glad I was alive to experience both as with most rides and attractions at disneyland
Thank you for this! It is curious to me why Disney doesn't at least remove the railings from the loading station in the middle, for when I first visited Disneyland a number of years ago, they were the biggest givaway that something had been abandoned there. The "shelfs" of the ride itself at the entrance to the land blend well enough in as a kind of sculptural element, and you'd have to more intentionally trace them to see that they went through buildings. But the railings call attention to the absence (and the decay) and thus reduce the overall theatrical impact of the land. Seems like it would be a small cost item to remove them and do a bit of touch up to better sell the 'transport you to magic' Disney and Disneyland professes to aim for. Also, neat to hear about how this version was a testbed for what was planned for EPCOT and how it evolved in the, as you note, still-popular version at the Magic Kingdom. :)
Hyperbole aside, most visitors hardly notice the People Mover remnants. The portions that are visible are maintained, painted, and decorated with flags, etc. Additionally, it provides a small amount of much needed shade in a sea of sun-baked concrete. As stated in the story, reinstating the original ride and/or closing it down would require all of Tomorrowland to be shut down. Disneyland’s small foot print is a double-edge sword: easy to navigate but horrible when anything requires major construction. Personally, I love seeing this part of Disney history as I walk around the park or take a ride on the monorail.
I truly miss the PeopleMover very much as I was very lucky to have ridden this beloved classic especially during my early first visits to Disneyland around 1994 when I was months old at that time. It’ll be great to someday see “PeopleMover” make its long awaited comeback in Disneyland especially with the Upcoming “Disneyland Forward” Expansion Project within the near possible future ahead.
Learning that they turned what is clearly an mode of transportation into a thrill ride is probably the biggest engineering failure imo and I never been to WDW (and likely never will). If they want to revive it, I think its best to restore it to its original intent and repurpose it to an viable transportation network by adding stops to points of interests and or extending to neighboring parks. And maybe get Brightline, Siemen or Hyundai Rotem to sponsor it.
However there is a good chance that the track is beyond repair so its likely destined to just simply rot away to time but it would be cool if they, at the very least turn it into a walking path/trail... and maybe adds some entry points along the track if viable.
That original installation at IAH (Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport) is still running.
So is the same system in the US capital.
Tomorrowland at Disneyland may have peaked after the opening of Star Tours in the late 80s, although I enjoyed the quirkiness of Adventures through Inner Space. The Astro Jets over the People Mover and the Skyway added to the multiple levels of kinetic activity. No visually this land is mostly on the ground plane.
Disney would never building attractions that intertwine like People Mover which touches every other attraction in Tomorrowland. The same issue exist with Autopia being built on top of the Submarines.
Great video!
Perfect show to watch before my afternoon nap
we're on the same boat
The abandoned Rocket Rods attraction is always right up there with River Country in terms of my favourite abandoned Disney stories.
I always loved the people mover and got upset when they abruptly closed it. Whenever I went to Disneyland and tried to get on the Rocket Rods ride, it was closed. Then they permanently closed it. I never got a chance to ride the Rocket Rods. Even though I was told the ride sucked, I at least wanted to try it once. I wish they would bring the people mover back. It would be a great homage to the past and a nice leisure ride that people can enjoy. It would also put that abandoned track to good use.
Walt Disney would be ashamed of what's happened to his company since the current cast of leadership.
A $4 billion franchise in the toilet, and the people responsible are still employed.
I remember as a kid riding the 90s people mover. I remember it reopening as Rocket Rods and really enjoyed that ride for whatever reason.
Was bummed when it closed and am still bummed that it is gone. Memories.
Disneyland used to just be able to shut down entire lands for extended construction even when the park had significantly less capacity. Not only Tomorrowland in 1967, but Fantasyland in 1983, too. With California Adventure existing and with Star Wars land + the eventual opening of Tiana's directing thrill ride traffic to the opposite side of the park, I don't believe anyone who says it wouldn't be feasible for Tomorrowland to get another revamp that removes the tracks. With how much current Tomorrowland feels like a redundant extension of Galaxy's Edge anyway (especially when Hyperspace Mountain is on) it feels like it would be financially beneficial for Disney to not split the Star Wars focus between two areas regardless.
I grit my teeth at how much the current execs focus on IP, but even if I accept their POV, surely they'd want to promote an IP in that area that isn't Star Wars, right? Are there that many people buying Star Wars merch in Tomorrowland instead of the only area in the park dedicated to a single movie franchise?
Babe wake up. Brand new BSF video.
The people mover and gondola are two retro Magic Kingdom attractions that I miss!
Yea, they should have never removed the people mover and left it alone, It was a great place to rest your feet and the scenery was wonderful for those nice long rides around tomorrowland. Rocket rods broke down so much, probably a few times in one day i saw it shut down back when it was running. I hope they add it back in, maybe doing it like the magic kingdom in florida has it.
My big hope for tomorrowland is that once disneyland forward is at least partially opened, then Tomorrowland may see a complete refurb. I would hope that not only the people mover would return, but also maybe Tron can take the place of Autopia, finding nemo, and innoventions
It's very insane how such an ominous ride with so much history would be easily visible to everyone after being abandoned
We were in Tomorrowland in November 2023, We rode the PeopleMover. It was awesome. Confused and doubting my experience after this video and comments lol.
Did not look abandoned at all. It was open. Me and my girlfriend rode it. Her Minnie ears Twilight Zone bow lit up in the dark over the queue for Space Mountan.
Carousel of Progress however was super depressing.
After talking to my girlfriend, It's World not Land. Thanks for your time everyone.
It’s so funny seeing how nice the tomorrow land in Disneyworld looks, then comparing it to Disneyland with a more wacky layout with many different color schemes and ofc the people mover
I loved Rocket Rods when I got to ride it in '99, but I'll never forgive Disney for cheaping out and not banking the turns. So much squandered potential. Had they done it right, it might still exist.
The people mover was a rare jewel. Covered in the shade, smooth gliding movement, the slight breeze running through your hair; it was one of those perfect rides you'd go on in the middle of the day for some relaxation.
I loved the People Mover. Used it all the time when I was there.
As a LA resident who has an annual pass most of her life I can say this:
1. The Peoplemover was one of the most loved rides at the park til the day it closed, there was a constant but efficient line. When it was removed people were genuinely upset, especially since we had recently lost the Skyliner. Both of those ate up guests
2. I was one of the few who got to try Rocket Rods multiple times, and was one of the groups who got to first try it when it opened. It was fun, to a point. People complain about Matterhorn being rough...RR was rough! The stopping and starting and turns weren't fun. I only kept doing it cause...it was magically open at closing several times I was there. I was bored lol but I still wanted Peoplemover back. Most did
3. I strongly remember that no one was surprised when RR closed AND that people petitioned to bring back people mover for YEARS!! No one missed RR either because so few in reality to the amount of people who went to the park, got to ride the ride. It went down more than Rise of the Resistance
4. Disney admitted openly that due to the massive changes to the track and destroying most of the Peoplemover cars that they didn't want spend more money on bringing it back. Add on there's legit damage to the structure, the cost to repair is extremely high. But it's also been openly said that when they do do another needed update to Tomorrowland they'll likely bring it back because they know it would bring the crowds back. All this has been said by former and current Imagineers
Honestly if Disney is smart they're make it the nostalgia ride, have us see the beginning of Disneyland to the planned future which could easily be regularly updated
I agree, we do enjoy the People Mover in the Magic Kingdom. When the day gets long and hot, a little ride on the People Mover gives you a chance to relax, and enjoy the leisurely ride through some AC.
Can't believe the Peoplemover's just been left to rot like that! It's such a bummer, considering how iconic it was back in the day. Sure, maybe some folks might think it's old news now, but I bet a lot of people still have a soft spot for it. I mean, imagine if they brought it back with a fresh, modern twist. That'd be so cool!
The issue is the damage Ricket Rods did to the structure
As a regular to Disneyland since 1965 (I was 4 then) I agree. I am one of those who write on the Dis fan boards that Tomorrowland 1967 was the best Tomorrowland. I have spoken to Bob Gurr (he's still with us!) and he has an idea of what a new Peoplemover should be but I doubt Burbank will listen to someone in their 90's. Oh well. Love your channel Jake!
I always wondered why this was left to rot, thank you BFS what a great video I’ve watched this entire thing 125 times already
I really liked the rocket rods, fun ride. It was short lived. I guess I was one of the few that experience this ride. I remember hearing the rocket rods on the tracks when you were in the Tomorrowland area. They had a distinct noise
yup I liked the rocket rods a lot 💯
Was it kind of a SHAKUGAKUKAKU noise or am i thinking of Test Track?
Real fans of the channel know that this is a revisited topic!
I miss the Peoplemover. I'm glad I got to ride it during the 80's.
Also missed that as well and really used to go to Disneyland back when it was still good and may have hit there when I was a young boy somewhere back in the early 90s.
I rode the Peoplemover in 1988, and I really liked it. Its sad to see it in such a state.
The WDW Peoplemover is popular and a people eater. It’s shocking they haven’t found a way to just reopen the DL Peoplemover with ride cars similar to the WDW version.
I just came back from Florida and as we drove through Orlando I was thinking about how your Disney Abandoned videos are always the most interesting. I even drove past Cabana Bay and rewatched that video.
They could re-theme it for the 2030s as a 1960s retro-future, with the 1960s being as distant in time from the 2030s as the 1890s.
What makes it sadder? The People mover lasting this long when exposed to the elements, shows us that Walt Disney had _Always_ intended for it to be built to last.
The fact that it only began to have problems _After_ the company turned it into a _Thrill Ride,_ shows us how Short-sighted the company had become by then, and they have only become even more myopic as the decades have passed.
I went to Disneyland in the late 90's and got to ride the Rocket Rods (it was one of my favorite rides). I might have gotten lucky since I don't recall it being down for maintenance when I was there, although the lines were very, very long for such a short ride. I never realized it was previously another attraction (and neither did my parents, who recognized Space Mountain from a previous trip, but not the Peoplemover).
Traveled here about a year ago for the first time and I’m so used to seeing the peoplemover at Disney world it didn’t even cross my mind this had been closed for so long. Your videos always amaze me
Jake, thanks for amazing episode. I had a season pass to Disneyland in '99 and hated the Rocket Rods. They were fun, but as you stated, always broken down and the queue was always so long. The People Mover will forever have a fond place in my heart and memories. Thanks again!
As someone who spends far too much time in the ca parks, the peoplemover sitting abandoned is so etched into the lore you hardly see it when you are there. It’s more decoration with a backstory.
I love your Disney abandoned videos!
Glad to see some new content Jake!!!
I remember the peoplemover. It was my dads favorite ride. The rocket rods I rode only once but I remember it being pretty boring. I wish they would bring back peoplemover.
I've been saying that the new parking structure as part of Disneyland Forward would be a perfect time to bring back the Peoplemover. Remove the east ticket gates for the station and obviously you have cast members manning the stations to help with wheelchair guests. A constantly moving track to bring guests to the esplanade area would be the most efficient thing they could do for the structure. They could even make it a true hub, kinda similar to the transportation hub at WDW, by adding 2 tracks that would go directly inside the parks from the hub. It would require a couple extra cast members to check tickets at the hub, but it would also alleviate crowds at the main gates. The DL track would join up with the old Peoplemover track possibly by following underneath/beside it to get back to Tomorrowland. DCA might be a bit trickier, but maybe they could get rid of Redwood Creek and make that the station. It wouldn't be very long, but it'd have the added benefit of putting guests close to the Grand Californian for those coming to restaurants like Napa Rose. Maybe even create a system for those with reservations to be able to use that section without needing a park ticket.
Or just bring back the Peoplemover with the same ride system as Magic Kingdom.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Should've left it alone, it was cool.
Sometimes, executives can't help themselves. 🤷🏻♀️
Slightly off-topic, but years ago I attended Grad Night at Disney World. I don't know if it's still a thing, but the gist of it was that graduating high schoolers around Central Florida paid a reduced fee to go the Magic Kingdom and get locked in overnight doing all of the normal Disney stuff (everything was open). It was great except for one detail: they expected us to dress up, boys in suits, girls in formal dresses. In Central Florida. In July. You know how tiring walking the park can be wearing casual clothes, imagine it wearing dress shoe or heels.
The magic of the evening quickly wore off one we saw the park was overcrowded with teenagers, the blisters started forming on our feet from ill-fitting dress shoes, and when we started soaking sweat completely through our shirts. The thing that saved our night was that blessed Peoplemover. We snuck food onto it and spent a couple hours slowly circling the park, eating and taking naps. The Disney workers probably didn't care what we were doing, to be honest, they were likely exhausted and tired of dealing with thousands of high schoolers, and we weren't causing any kind of trouble.
I'll always have a small place in my heart for the Peoplemover. I'm not sure what we would have done without that option... maybe watch the Tiki Birds for a couple of hours... tiki tiki tiki room lol
Imo, the People Mover was way ahead of it's time and its promise only know being understood. (Best example: Boring Company's Vegas Loop) If Disney had any of Walt's vision left in it they'd bring it back.
Besides, it seems like it wouldn't take much to bring it back and operate with updated cars. Right now it's just wasted space getting them nothing.
Really liked how you see the People Mover. Same for me. Great video.
I rode the People Mover with Grandma in 1986. I remember when it went through Space Mountain she got a little nervous and I had to reassure her that we weren't going on the coaster. But we both enjoyed riding this & seeing the park from up high.