Evilgidgit
Well-Known Member
Thank you!It concludes with the balcony Muppets launching air streamers, and Gonzo crashing his airplane through an upstairs window in Cayley Gallery (a breakaway setpiece).
Thank you!It concludes with the balcony Muppets launching air streamers, and Gonzo crashing his airplane through an upstairs window in Cayley Gallery (a breakaway setpiece).
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Inspiration Observatory Tours
C-ticket walkthrough
The history of aviation comes to life within the vibrant halls of Inspiration Observatory
A guided walkthrough of Inspiration Observatory’s inner workings serves as a summation of the park’s aviation themes. This is essentially DisneySky in miniature, as the clockwise foot route takes guests chronologically from prehistoric flight, through the varying eras of man made invention, to outer space and the promise of future creation. These scenes are realized with simple, dimensional storybook dioramas, making aviation history both fun and charming. Think of it as DisneySky’s “thesis statement.”
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Groups gather within the Observatory’s original telescope dome left of the rotunda, the one inspired by Ladd Observatory. A spiral ramp leads up the red brick perimeter and into a warm wood-and-stone atrium. The refractor telescope here is functional (though not of much use in the daytime), and guests are invited to peer through its lens. Plaques along the wall detail the backstory of Inspiration Observatory - and of much of DisneySky as a whole - telling the family history of Rudolph Blauerhimmel, of his son S.K.Y.-founder William Diesel, and of his granddaughter the space-loving Dr. Luna Diesel who oversaw most of Inspiration Observatory’s creation and expansion.
Eventually a cast member appears to lead the group deeper into the observatory. Functionally, this tour operates similarly to the “Once Upon a Time” Adventure in Shanghai Disneyland’s Enchanted Storybook Castle, or Tokyo Disneyland’s one-time “Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour.” Our guide presents himself as a member of S.K.Y., as a disciple of Dr. Diesel. Subtitling the tour as “World of Flight” (a nod to old school EPCOT Center), the guide leads guests down a downwards spiraling ramp along the dome’s perimeter. Down we go into the observatory’s basement, to a space directly below In an Ocean of Stars and passing around Ptolemy’s.
(Groups of 20 leave every minute and a half, for an hourly throughput of 800. Tours last roughly 10 minutes.)
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Exhibit Hall #1 - Man Dreams of Flight
Stone-lined halls let out into the first exhibit hall. Observatory walls give way to a stylized painterly jungle filled with simplistic animatronic birds (and one bat). Projection screens, seen through the trees’ branches, show the birds in flight against a crystal clear blue sky, rendered in 3D using Disney’s modern CGI animation style. Throughout the tour, here and to come, an aural throughline is provided by an orchestral version of “If You Had Wings” - a disused Magic Kingdom standard now revived!
A disembodied announcer provides a brief description about natural flight, and how it inspired mankind’s legends and myths. To illustrate this, the tree-lined screens are suddenly inundated with legendary flying creatures. Dragons. Pegasus. Cupids. Even winged pigs, flying ineptly.
The announcer describes how Man then invented very early flying devices. Colorful kites rise up into the screen, crowding out all the creatures and birds. As the skies grow more congested, guests move on through a canyon of granite.
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Exhibit Hall #2 - A Renaissance of Invention
The enclosed, underlit canyon becomes a medieval fortress. Portico arches look out onto the terraced Romanesque garden of Leonardo da Vinci. An animatronic of da Vinci himself sits in a shaded patio workspace, drawing onto a large mounted parchment. All around him are wood-carved bits of clockwork gears, while a wastebasket nearby overflows with several discarded paper airplanes...plus the Mona Lisa painting.
As the announcer describes da Vinci’s thought experiment flying machines, the room’s lights dim and the parchment paper comes to life. Da Vinci’s pencil sketches move on their own. A little wireframe man runs through his blueprint world, constructing fantastical contraptions from clockpunk parts. He first fashions da Vinci’s famous top-shaped wooden tank...then a functioning parachute. A hand-powered ornithopter glider. Lastly the famous “aerial screw” helicopter, with its spinning cloth spiral mechanism.
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Exhibit Hall #3 - The Golden Age of Ballooning
Guests pass through more dim stone hallways as the announcer describes the boundless creativity which drove inventors and tinkerers...which led to early successes. From a curlicue Crystal Palace veranda, guests look out onto a flowering French airfield at the height of the 19th-century ballooning era. Projections in the sky show off a progression of fanciful lighter-than-air devices, all introduced with narration.
First simple handheld balloons - among them hidden away is Disneyland’s beloved Mickey ear variety. Next Victorian things like the Montgolfiers’ aerostatique balloon and the Aerostat Giffard start to show up. More and more ornate hot air balloons fill the skies, all piloted by stereotyped European nationals arguing amongst themselves. Two balloonists even duel with pistols, shooting each other’s balloons to the ground. Paris’ Eiffel Tower constructs itself in an instant, just in time for an airship to moor to its top. Throughout this scene, the bright blue day fades into a saturated crimson sunset. The night skies come up as guests press onwards.
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Exhibit Hall #4 - The Pioneer Era
Guests proceed into a dark void lit only by a vintage film projector. Genuine stock footage plays of early failed flyers, all with silent movie wurlitzer accompaniment. Think of the opening montages from Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines or 1961’s Master of the World. The announcer describes these comically doomed efforts at heavier-than-air flight.
At last the morning sunlight brightens this space, revealing that guests are inside a makeshift cloth hangar. The front bay looks out onto the beaches at Kitty Hawk, where another screen projection shows off the Wright Brothers’ first ever successful 1903 experiment with their Flyer. As with previous scenes, again the skies soon thicken with more flying inventions, all Pioneer Era aeroplanes, first generation biplanes shown much as they were on EPCOT Center’s World of Motion. Jaunty jazz music plays as guests proceed through a shiny metal hangar doorway.
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Exhibit Hall #5 - Testing Our Limits
Metal catwalks lead to a tube-shaped screen room. Projections cover every surface of this lengthwise cylindrical tunnel. The skies rush past us at Mach 1 speeds, just a blur of chemtrails and diffused light. The narrator describes how Man must constantly push his boundaries. How Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. A grand booming noise echoes across the chamber.
The narrator goes on to describe faster speeds. He mentions the speed of light, a speed deemed unattainable by mankind. What would happen if we were to go that fast? Suddenly a swirl of abstract colors floods the screens, like we are stuck inside a dream. Imagine physical immersion into 2001’s Beyond the Infinite sequence. Guests continue down the catwalk towards a distant doorway, the origin of this rushing imagery.
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Exhibit Hall #6 - Beyond Possibility
Lastly our tour reaches a dark starfield dome. The only visible objects are the faintly-lit walkway below and a few twinkling star points above. Slowly, one-by-one, wall projections reveal space flight vehicles chronologically, with narration. First is Sputnik, when Man first broke Earth’s bounds. Next come the Mercury rockets, the Apollo spacecraft, the Space Shuttle, ISS, Viking probe, spinning ring-shaped satellites, SpaceX, on and on as futuristic, yet-unrealized spacecraft begin to appear.
The narrator delivers an inspirational call to future development and imagination. To think beyond our limitations. To dream beyond tomorrow. To move beyond possibility...
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Spotlights illuminate a corner of this dark, celestial room. They reveal familiar observatory interiors. A hallway, ramping upwards, carries guests back into the solid physical world of Inspiration Observatory, and into its Planetary Marketplace shop (which we will visit later).
Here, our cast member guide might hand out S.K.Y. medals and pins - sure to become a collector’s item. The guide might also hand out a scavenger hunt map to younger guests. Think of this as a way to extend the S.K.Y. mythos beyond Inspiration Observatory, with a rather low-tech variant on Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. Guests are encouraged to seek out specific details in every DisneySky land, details like more evidence of S.K.Y.’s activities, or even simply Hidden Mickeys - the game’s specifics can easily change over time. Using the Disneyland App they can take photos of these details. What a great way to encourage further exploration for our bold and curious guests!
Sorry for the delay today. The power has been out since breakfast.
D Link, Well...Are you going to continue it?![]()
Every day I will add a new post until we have completed our circle tour of DisneySky.
I still am blown away at the details and thought process put into this project. Would it be possible to put labels on the overview map once you announce the headlining features? i.e. or a legend with numbers corresponding back to your reveals?
Very pleased you’re enjoying the park!Land Layout & Details
Guest Relations: 1. Iwerks Terminal, 2. Park Info Board, 3. Storage Lockers (not on map)
Attractions: 4. DisneySky JetRail, 5. Skyliner, 6. Marceline Character Hub, 7. The Muppets Present…Great Moments in Aviation History, 8. Inspiration Observatory Tours, 9. In an Ocean of Stars
Dining: 10. Ptolemy’s, 11. Almagest Bar, 12. Layover Lounge, 13. Wright Bakers, 14. Pudknockers, 15. Glider Sliders, 16. Refueling Center
Retail: 17. Avionics, 18. Rosie’s, 19. Cayley Gallery, 20. Air Tower Sweets, 21. Mach 1, 22. Lindy’s, 23. Planetary Marketplace, 24. Flyer Suppliers
D, when I get picky, it's because there's nothing major to criticize. In fact, after reading this section (and before getting to your disclaimer), I was thinking that you've really done an amazing job of incorporating a great variety of dining options into a single land. Well done!![]()
Pudknockers
Buffeteria
Pub grub and more
[ADULT DRINKS]
In the glory days of aviation, fearless test pilots and naval airmen enjoyed private clubs where they could boast about their exaggerated exploits in a boisterous, welcoming atmosphere. These long-lost officer clubs reflected the pilots’ personalities, big and bold and brass.
Now DisneySky guests may relive this storied heyday at “Pudknockers Pilots Club & Coffee Shop.” (The term “pudknocker” refers to a greenhorn aviator.) This rowdy, romanticized restaurant sits on the path towards Cosmic Crater and Avengers Airspace, anticipating those lands’ heroics.
The club’s exterior, set back from the main walkways in an overgrown orange grove, is an unassuming stone shack, one primarily inspired by the Happy Bottom Riding Club once frequented by Chuck Yeager and other legends at Edwards Air Force Base. There’s just a bit of Scotty’s Castle from Death Valley mixed into the facade, to give it character. This setting is a converted test pilot school up in the high desert, where Joshua trees mix with the citrus.
Entry to the outer gardens is between twin rock towers bearing archway lettering. A neon sign to one side advertises “Liftoff Coffee.” There is a nearby roadside statue of a coffee pot made from an experimental test plane. Outdoor diners sit around repurposed plane wings under the shady grove.
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Pudknockers’ interior is mostly inspired by the defunct, fabled Point O-Club once found at Naval Air Station Cubi Point in the Philippines. This was possibly the greatest officers club of all time! Imagine all those family restaurants with random memorabilia scattered across the walls. Now multiply that by 10 and add an aeronautic twist! That’s what guests find within Pudknockers. Artifacts from (nearly) every DisneySky “destination” line the shelves. Mounted cases display air squadron patches. Framed plaques. Pilot helmets. Leather bombardier jackets in cases. Repurposed propellers and cockpits. Peppering the ceiling, there are flags from every nation on earth circa 1955.
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Ordering counters are found in the converted bar. There is an unmistakable greasy spoon diner ambiance. Pub grub scents waft from the visible kitchen. Cast members taking your order behave in-character as sassy waitresses. “What’ll it be, hon?” Guests may choose from an eclectic pub menu which features standards such as meat pies, salads, and treacle pudding for dessert. The Pudknockers specialty is simply the classic American hamburger. All-beef patties are generously thick. A nearby condiments station (under a converted cockpit bubble “sneeze guard”) lets guests dress their burgers as they like.
Most indoor dining is on the main club floor, found at tables or booths or at countertops flanking the ordering counters. Overstuffed red leather seats welcome diners. Smaller side rooms are dedicated to specific famous aviators such as James Doolittle and Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman, completely populated with photos and memorabilia for each. Every corner of Pudknockers bursts with timeless aeronautic charm!
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Glider Sliders
Snack cart
Wagon selling slider burgers and more
For a quicker alternative to Pudknockers, Glider Sliders is a snack cart next door set in a corrugated airfield shed. A vintage Parasev hang glider (an experimental NASA “flying jeep”) rests on the roof. The shed’s side wall is adorned with the logo for the fictional “55th Flying Wing” squadron, complete with Pegasus mascot.
Glider Sliders’ cuisine is inspired by L.A.’s vibrant food truck culture. The signature item is slider burgers (with seasonal variants). We also dish up classic Mexican street tacos with options like carne asada, chicken, al pastor, or veggie. Pudknockers’ outdoor tables are available for use.
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Refueling Center
Beer stand
Wagon offering character foods and other items
[ADULT DRINKS]
Left of Inspiration Observatory is a vintage airport fuel truck which actively refuels a PA-20 Pacer plane parked on display. This truck also offers up quick snacks to guests from a side window set under a military tarp. Think of these snacks as another form of fuel! Shaded seating is available under the Pacer’s wing, or guests may dine on-the-go.
You’ll find stands like this throughout California Adventure or DisneySea, beer stands whose refreshing adult beverages set themselves apart from Disney’s Castle Parks without promoting drunkenness. It is the same here. Refueling Center (and all of DisneySky’s beer stands) serves locally-brewed draft beers.
Refueling Station in particular also specializes in an Instagram-worthy DisneySky specialty, the Mickey Glove Bun sandwich. This unique snack item is a spongy glove-shaped bun which comes filled with an assortment of savory fillings. It is a must-try treat for first timers or regulars!
To address my colleague @James G. and his critique of my food selections, the menus I discuss for DisneySky are simply suggestions. They are by no means comprehensive. The same will apply for retail items. My focus has been on creating grand dining & shopping spaces where other, cleverer people can provide the best food & merch. Theme park food menus are eternally malleable.
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Runway One - Attractions
I've added labeled maps for Runway One's previous Attraction and Dining sections, to hopefully help clarify where things are located. I'll be doing the same with the Retail section which begins tomorrow, plus everything to come.![]()
Runway One - Dining
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