Rocket to the Moon takes off

[Lost Boy]

Do you remember the Rocket to the Moon ride? Do you remember the amazing feeling of take off and the Earth dropping away on the lower screen? Here is what it looked like when the Rocket to the Moon took of from the Launch Pad at Disneyland back in the 50's. Never known till now was that the technology to do this was not available back then, but obviously Walt Disney knew how.

Scroll Down to see the lift off as seen from the Entrance to Tomorrowland circa 1954.

[TikiRoomLiz]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

I remember that ride pretty vividly, and in fact is the ride that I recall the most from the old Tomorrowland. Although it is probably because I enjoyed learning about space.

[mickeyandme67]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Nice composite Lost Boy!

[Datameister]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Nicely done! Very convincing. (As a Photoshop lover myself, I don't say that to every hack job I see. )

[Green Mother]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Oh, the memories. This was fun, as well as a must-do, (along with "Adventure Thru Inner Space").

Loved watching the screen as we took off from Earth and made our way to the Moon and back again.

Greenie

[monotonehell]

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You can see why they had to discontinue the ride. I mean the cost of fuel aside, the pollution from regular launches was becoming a real problem...

[aashee]

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When did it become Rocket to Mars? I don't remember going to the moon. I bet I went to Mars 50 times.

[jeffy51]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

What a great Job, if only.

[EvilQueen]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

When did it become Rocket to Mars? I don't remember going to the moon. I bet I went to Mars 50 times.

Flight to the Moon became Mission to Mars in 1975

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission...8attraction%29

It was a great, educational, immersive attraction - both versions were a real experience.

Now, you can 'experience' buying a $40 pizza.

[Alchimedes]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Love the photoshop shot Lost Boy, I totally remember riding this. And that was in the last year. The rider attendance was really low, so I had a feeling it was on its way out.

[aashee]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Flight to the Moon became Mission to Mars in 1975

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_to_Mars_%28attraction%29

It was a great, educational, immersive attraction - both versions were a real experience.

Now, you can 'experience' buying a $40 pizza.

Thanks EQ. That date confirms why I don't remember it. My family told me I have been on it, but anything before my 5th birthday is a little foggy.

Loved mission to Mars though. Great memories.

Chad

[pianoman13]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

thats great, very convincing! wish i had photoshop:shy:

[thejoshualee]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Very nice.


I'm saddened not only by the loss of the "real life" spaceflights from Disneyland, but the loss of interest in the real life space program.

[pianoman13]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

sorry to get sort of off topic but i think that disney could make a new version of this but use advanced technology-it would be like mission space but in a big room surrounding(sp) two big screens and with better effects-savy?

[Lost Boy]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Thanks for all the comments about that photo I took at Disneyland so many years ago. The other day while walking by the lagoon over by Big Thunder I spotted this. I guess Captain Nemo wanted a safe place to Park until Discoveryland comes along to Disneyland. Wouldn't this be nice to see?

I did post this same picture over in the lounge but it was in a thread about photo shopping cars and I just sort of threw this in.

[Tom Chaney]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

It's just like I remember it in 1955. Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories.

[Barbossa]

Re: Rocket to the Moon takes off

Very nice.


I'm saddened not only by the loss of the "real life" spaceflights from Disneyland, but the loss of interest in the real life space program.

Nice shot Lost Boy

I agree with thejoshualee, NASA should be providing us a vision of the future by developing space ships, not going back to cold war era rockets. I too wish they'd bring back Mission to Mars in a brand new revamped way with new technology. I didn't go to Disneyland for pizza, I want to go on a simulated ride to space.

[Steve DeGaetano]

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The landing pods are properly shown in the retracted position--a nice touch not too many people would have bothered with.

[petesimac]

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It's a shame that people have grown so blaise about rocket travel; the people in the picture aren't even watching. So sad.

[Opus1guy]

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Flight to the Moon became Mission to Mars in 1975

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_to_Mars_%28attraction%29

Just FYI...that Wikipedia page isn't quite right (surprised?). It states that it opened as "Flight To The Moon" in 1955. This is not correct. The attraction opened as "Rocket To The Moon" in 1955.



I'm pretty sure it changed to "Flight" in 1967 (after the outside Moonliner Rocket had been removed and an Audio-Animatronic Mr. Morrow was added to Mission Control, along with many other show changes).

I first saw the Tomorrowland launch Photoshop that's in the first post, back on a web site in April of this year. I also found this Photoshop regarding Flight To The Moon...which some of you may find funny, while others may not: