![]() ![]() ![]() I’ve gotten a couple of other attraction vehicles, but these are my “Rolls Royces”. after a “trade”, the 2 PeopleMovers I’ve got are sister cars… probably the only 2 surviving cars that are together now and were together at the start in 1967. It never came to mind back then that someday I’d actually be able to have a PeopleMover vehicle of “my own” but the day came! Since then, another came my way and even better…. Whether alone in a car (sometimes talking across to people you didn’t even know) or sharing it with a special “friend” (maybe that you just met, dancing at the Tomorrowland Terrace) always a very good attraction to go on-D-ticket or free. During the day, an escape from the crowds and heat on the asphalt in the evening, the cool night air, usually music and sometimes, Fireworks!. The relaxing excursion through Tomorrowland with the running commentary from Jack Wagner (what a voice). I remember sitting in PeopleMovers in the 1970’s when I was a young adult (relocated from Boston) and being intrigued by the “Speedramps” and the automatically opening doors and tops. Many feel it’s keeping a physical part of a fond memory. By its nature, a very select and small group. The Disney Company has allowed some of these “retired” ride vehicles to be placed in the hands of “regular” folks. And, Bob Gurr was the guy who made all those wheels a reality.Īs “rides” come and go at Amusement parks (though they are so similar as not to notice)-“Attractions”-especially Disney Attractions-seem to live on even after a very successful life span. People-young and old-remember, fondly their first ride on Dumbo, Matterhorn, Big Thunder, Space and Splash Mountains and “veterans” feel privileged to be able to reminisce about Flying Saucers, Sky Buckets, Viewliners, Astro Jets, and PeopleMovers. We sometimes forget just how unique Walt’s dreams were for the time.Īnd “wheels”-especially Attraction wheels-have been a big part of that. Yes, times have changed and there have been good years and bad, but the Park and the Company Walt Disney put together has somehow survived, and even flourished into an entirely new Theme Park Industry. To be able to make it happen-in the 1950’s-and flourish all these years still amazes me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an interest in Walt’s concept for Disneyland (the original in Anaheim) as a location where Children and Adults can have fun, interact and LEARN together. A unique concept in entertainment…and in business. The name, Classic Park Wheels Association was suggested by none other than Bob Gurr (and who knows more about park wheels than he) during a gathering at my house in 2009. KEVIN DOHERTY & THE CLASSIC PARK WHEELS ASSOCIATION This extremely forward-thinking mode of transportation eliminated traffic jams and was a huge energy saver. It was Walt Disney’s prototype transportation for EPCOT the Peoplemover would carry citizens of EPCOT from their home to work, to shopping areas, etc., without having to use cars. During it’s 28-year run, two separate incidents of guests trying to jump between the moving vehicles lead to their deaths.Īlthought the Peoplemover may seem like a slow mode of transportation, it was actually much more than that. The PeopleMover closed in August 1995 and was replaced by Rocket Rods in 1998. In 1982, the scenes were changed to clips from “Tron”’s light cycle race scene, and the tunnel was renamed Tron SuperSpeed Tunnel. Race cars were projected on the walls all around the trains. It was located in the Carousel Building, then housing America Sings. In 1977, the SuperSpeed Tunnel was added to the PeopleMover. It sat 4 guests per car, and included 4 cars per train with a top speed of 2 miles per hour and a ride length of 16 minutes. The cars were red, blue, yellow, or green with white roofs until they were repainted all white with colored stripes sometime during 1987. The trains were powered by rotating Goodyear tires embedded in the track, which the trains would pass over every nine feet. The vehicles were constantly in motion and accessible by a large rotating platform inside the station. Since it sponsored the attraction for more than 28 years, it was one of the longest-lasting sponsorships in Disneyland’s history. The PeopleMover logo is even influenced by Goodyear, using the same font as Goodyear’s logo (often called the Goodyear PeopleMover). Goodyear was asked to sponsor and the wheels in the WEDway system were replaced by tires. When Disney asked Ford to continue sponsorship by sponsoring Disneyland’s new PeopleMover, they declined since Ford didn’t want to support technology that could replace the car. The attraction was based on the WEDway used for the Ford Magic Skyway at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. BACKSTORY (July 2, 1967-Aug): “D” Ticket attraction opened as part of “New Tomorrowland” (1967). ![]()
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