Rocket Rods/WDW Question

[Lauriebar]

The TTA has been a lifesaver to our family more than once. It is a great place to rest and take in the atmosphere of Tomorrowland, but the best thing about it is the first time we took our daughter to WDW she was five and small for her age. She is quite a thrill seeker though and was SO ready to take on Space Mountain...of course she didn't make the height requirement and was beyond disappointed. We then took her straight to TTA and when it went through SM she perked up and said that she felt like a big girl because she rode into SM!!

Our next trip was a couple of years later and this time our son couldn't ride SM but DD could. Off to the TTA I went with him and DH took her on the real SM. Once again everyone was happy and excited!! TTA is a great ride and needs to stay!

 

[imagineer99]

GM was involved early on. Then Test Track began to become a bit of a fiasco, so GM pulled out of Rocket Rods. Left with no money for the ride, WDI had to rely on Disneyland to foot the bill. The budget they were given didn't allow for any modifications to the track, or to the indoor scenery.

It's safe to say, that if Test Track would have gone smoothly, Rocket Rods would be a great feature in DL's Tomorrowland to this day.

By that time though, hadn't WDI already worked out the kinks with the Test Track technology? Thus, wouldn't the cost of a proper Rocket Rods be A LOT less? After all, all the money spent on reserach and development would've been already expended.

Doesn't Journey to the Center of the Earth in Japan use upgraded test track vehicles? If this is true, does Journey suffer the same "breakdown" problems as Test Track?

 

[imagineerfan]

It failed because it was an overlay instead of a new design

Of course, not all overlays are failures, but the magnitude of this overlay was so much that damage was done

1. There was major structural damage done to the tracks. The tracks were designed to hold what was basically a slower version of our own TTA. Rocket Rods, however, travelled much faster and changed speeds often.

If they would have rebuilt a lot of the track, they could have banked turns and the cars could have travelled much faster.

2. There were no major additions to the ride. They made minor changes to the tunnels, adding some lights and strobes, but nothing major. The scenery changes were all very very cheap.



3. The lines for the ride were rediculous. The ride's capacity was even less than Test Track, if that gives you any picture. The vehicles only held a whopping 4 people per car. Of course, before the single rider line, many seats would end up being empty.

Even with the negatives, the ride was still a big hit. The section over the Autopia was very thrilling and the cars actually went at a high speed. The tragedy here is that the cars went pretty fast in the Autopia section, but slowed down a lot to go through an S-curve because they didn't build more supports to straighten out the track and keep the high speed rolling.

When I rode it 6 years ago, I remember there being 5 riders per car. Still not that many per vehicle, consquently the lines were very long. However I really enjoyed it

 

[cherrynegra]

HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLL NO!!! Did I just read something where someone thought it would be better replacing TTA with Rocket Rods??? :fork: I disagree for I like TTA the way it is. It's actually one of the most relaxing attractions there is and it's great to get off your feet for a bit. Not everything has to be a 0 to 60 in five seconds blast attraction. At least that's my opinion. :wave:

 

[ButtClown44]

From what I understand, DL's TTA was quite a different ride system than ours is. Their TTA was more unsafe than ours and needed to be replaced becasue of an unofficient evacuation system. Our TTA is a magnificent piece of modern technology. Not really, but ours is much safer and doesn't require a new overlay. In addition to the reasons listed earlier.

 

[FamilyMan]

The old DL PeopleMover used motors with moving parts... Our TTA uses electro mags with no moving parts... Much safer.

 

[Yen_Sid1]

Great video. As I remembered, the front end would pop up during the acceleration parts like you were popping a wheelie. The thing I didn't like about it though was the queue line. They shutdown Circlevision and the Mission to Mars buildings and used them just for the queue line. And it was a 1-2 hour wait and broke down several times while waiting also.

 

[ogryn]

I got videos of both RR and DL' Peoplemover. 3 minutes ride time for RR compared to about 22 minutes. RR's was from The DisneylandSource (although it appears that site doesn't have videos anymore. If anyone can accept E-Mails of about 3.5Mb then I can send it to you that way). The PeopleMover video I have is by Kevin Yee, but I can't rememeber where I got that from.

 

[General Grizz]

I remember reading something like that at another website.
They reported that it would have used the old DL Rocket Rods in an unspecified attraction on the East side between The Land and The Living Seas.
I never had a chance to ride them, but with a really good track perhaps they could replace the Speedway freeing up some space while still having an "auto based" attraction.

Correct. I wonder how this Living Seas/Land project is going. (Hopefully the coaster is LONG dead).

 

[FamilyMan]

I thought that one was going to be based on the rainforest...?

 

[General Grizz]

I thought that one was going to be based on the rainforest...?

Disney was looking at a "coaster." Could be Rainforest, could be seas. There was also a plan to connect the Land and Seas somehow with the ride. All of this was Blue Sky, so anything and everything could have been considered.

I think they basically wanted a thrill ride.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I would have to say that anything that jeapardizes the TTA is bad in my book. There is nothing like a two or three round trip "sit down" on the TTA to give you that rest that you need midway through the day. When we were at WDW in Nov 03, my wife was 6 mos pregnant and daily we would sit and ride the TTA for 30 min's or so. The CM's were very understanding and would give us a huge smile each time we would come to the unloading area and would just sit there.

 

[Fievel]

I got a chance to ride Rocket Rods when out in Cali....I did like it, but something about the TTA seems better in my mind.

It was a good ride, mind you...just not worth all the hoopla they made over it at the time.

 

[DarkMeasures]

I would have to say that anything that jeapardizes the TTA is bad in my book. There is nothing like a two or three round trip "sit down" on the TTA to give you that rest that you need midway through the day. When we were at WDW in Nov 03, my wife was 6 mos pregnant and daily we would sit and ride the TTA for 30 min's or so. The CM's were very understanding and would give us a huge smile each time we would come to the unloading area and would just sit there.

They let anyone stay on. Even during the busy season, the ride still has empty seats but that is due to its massivly high capacity that probably rivals the omnimover's capacity.

Anyway, I was very dissapointed when I heard Rocket Rodds close because I really wanted to ride that ride someday.

 

[DisneyFreak721]

The thing I didn't like about it though was the queue line. They shutdown Circlevision and the Mission to Mars buildings and used them just for the queue line. And it was a 1-2 hour wait and broke down several times while waiting also.

ACtually, the Mission To Mars Building became Redd Rockett's Pizza Port.... but there was one thing cool about the queue.... It had all the old tomorrowland ride vehicles on display. It had one of the original monorails, Astro Jets, Peoplemover cars, giant blueprints of Space Mountain sleds...that to me was the best part of the ride.

 

[Merlin]

ACtually, the Mission To Mars Building became Redd Rockett's Pizza Port.... but there was one thing cool about the queue.... It had all the old tomorrowland ride vehicles on display. It had one of the original monorails, Astro Jets, Peoplemover cars, giant blueprints of Space Mountain sleds...that to me was the best part of the ride.

I found that to be the ONLY good thing about the ride (and it wasn't even actually part of the ride itself)! Rocket Rods was one of the lamest Disney attractions I have ever personally experienced. It seemed very pointless because it went through Tomorrowland attractions but it certainly wasn't like taking a tour (like TTA). On the other hand, it was completely unthrilling. Every time it would seem like it was about to accelerate, it would slow WAY down. I realize that's because the track didn't bank. But the point is not so much the reasons behind it. Rather the simple fact that it was a total waste of time in my opinion.

 

[DisneyMemories]

l did not know you don't have to get off the TTA ride when it returns to the station,heck l would have known that l would have rode around a few more times,great photo shots along the way if you get your correct camera speed set and lined up.

 

[DarkMeasures]

l did not know you don't have to get off the TTA ride when it returns to the station,heck l would have known that l would have rode around a few more times,great photo shots along the way if you get your correct camera speed set and lined up.

Well, still ask the CMs if you can stay on. There are some that would make you get off.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I thought the old AE and new Stitches Escape took over the mission to mars building.....

And for those that dont know....TTA goes through Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and one other that I cant recall right now, and yes you get great photo views of Tomorrow Land....

 

[ZHoyt]

I thought the old AE and new Stitches Escape took over the mission to mars building.....

And for those that dont know....TTA goes through Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and one other that I cant recall right now, and yes you get great photo views of Tomorrow Land....

This is true for WDW, but not Disneyland.