The Return of the Rocket Jets

[Titanfreak46]

Sources have said the Rocket Jets will return to their rightfull place atop the PeopleMover loading area
Question is are they gonna be the white original rockets or the sad looking astro orbiter, does anybody know?
and what will it be called will Ouimet keep it Astro Orbiter or Rocket Jets?
Lets discuss

[Kevie]

It won't be the original rockets, because they are gone. The original rockets were replaced with the satelites on the Observatron.

I would guess it'd be something silver/white/blue, to go with the newer TL scheme.

[ModHatter]

Good thoughts... probably a year or two ago I would have suggested something more along the lines of a shuttle theme, but having read some enthusiastic posters speak on this subject, and with the Ansari X-Prize yielding a successful result, I'd get on the horn with Richard Banson and suggest he and Virgin sponsor the renewed ride, and make this version SpaceShipOne. Or, use the basic idea without the Virgin tie-in.

Each spoke currently has a rocket attached perendicularly. Imagine if a mechanism were designed so that each rocket loads perpendicular to the central tower itself, on an L-shaped arm, hinged to the tower at the top of the L. When the ride begins, the L arm lifts at its hinge, so that when it fully extends, the seated rider is actually facing straight up as if on a real rocket. Then a mechanism on the rocket swings up so you are now facing forward like the old Rocket Jets used to. Then at the end of the ride, the rocket turns back to its original position, as if firing retro rockets the way a real rocket would. It'd be more complex than the original, which would probably mean the same kind of weight issues that motivated the Jets' move in the first place, but it would now be much more than just an elevated Dumbo spinner.

[EpTxGuy]

It won't be the original rockets, because they are gone. The original rockets were replaced with the satelites on the Observatron.

I would guess it'd be something silver/white/blue, to go with the newer TL scheme.

I read on another thread that the Observatron doesn't even work anymore, is that right? Is that something that can't be fixed? Is it strange that they wouldn't want things like that working for the 50th?

[pyrateslife4me84]

I read on another thread that the Observatron doesn't even work anymore, is that right? Is that something that can't be fixed? Is it strange that they wouldn't want things like that working for the 50th?

They would probably just take that mechanism out and build a new one up there. These rides aren't expensive at all.

[melmel]

They would probably just take that mechanism out and build a new one up there. These rides aren't expensive at all.

How much you think it would cost to replace? $100,000??

[ModHatter]

I'm not sure that the Observatron doesn't work. More likely, it COULD work, it just costs more to operate to justify the cost. Besides, even if it doesn't work, it could be something independent of the ride mechanisms, like the sound system or special effects.

[pyrateslife4me84]

How much you think it would cost to replace? $100,000??

Not THAT cheap...cheap by Disney standards, the company that builds $100,000,000 rides...

no more than a few million, keeping in mind added cost due to location and queue work. The lighting and other theming that Disney adds to the rides are not cheap...(after all, that is what takes EVEREST from being a $10-15 million coaster to a $100m e-ticket)

[Ghostbuster626]

It would be relatively cheap to move the Orbitor back to where it used to be.

[Crispy]

I'd love to see something up there resembling the rocket jets that are currently at WDW

[Cousin Orville]

How much you think it would cost to replace? $100,000??

At Disney, the meeting of the 75 managers to discuss what to do about the Observatron would cost "$100,000.00.

[ksejr1]

I've always hated that they moved the rockets down to the ground, thats why I never go on them.