The Tomorrowland we should have gotten

[britain]

The thing I didn't like about Rocket Rods wasn't the ride itself, it was the way it turned the circle-vision space into a big queue, then took you down into what felt like what used to be a maintenance basement under the Tomorrowland Terrace garden area, to then go upstairs in the center of the loading platform. And everywhere, you could tell the budget was paper thin. Old people-movers & monorails painted with UV, and a 'story' that was too meta by half: "At Tomorrowland we're always dreaming up new ways to move people, and today we're inviting you to test the latest vehicle, the Rocket Rod!"

I will add that the vehicles were uncomfortable. Nothing like the groovy peoplemover cabs meant for jet-set lounging.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

See, I think the waiting line looked charming. Using the round theater was a brilliant idea. Sure, it was probably slapped together, but many of the lines at Disneyland are. It's neat that you went underground then ascended to an elevated platform. I'm almost positive this ride and Super Star Limo would have been in my top 3 Disney attractions list.

 

[britain]

See, I think the waiting line looked charming. Using the round theater was a brilliant idea. Sure, it was probably slapped together, but many of the lines at Disneyland are. It's neat that you went underground then ascended to an elevated platform. I'm almost positive this ride and Super Star Limo would have been in my top 3 Disney attractions list.

But what was it supposed to be? It wasn’t a ‘lab’ - there weren’t prototypes being worked on. It literally was the husk of Circle-Vision decorated as... the husk of Circle-Vision with little Tomorrowland badges here and there!?

 

[shortstop]

Does anyone know of any good photos/videos of the Rocket Rods queue? I never experienced it and I’ve kind of struggled to wrap my head around it.

 

[britain]

Does anyone know of any good photos/videos of the Rocket Rods queue? I never experienced it and I’ve kind of struggled to wrap my head around it.

@marni1971 has a good video here, but there’s not much of the queue:

 

[Phroobar]

Does anyone know of any good photos/videos of the Rocket Rods queue? I never experienced it and I’ve kind of struggled to wrap my head around it.

Google is your friend.

 

[britain]

Rule of thumb: UV and Dark light is good on-ride, but in a queue it comes off as ‘indoor mini golf’.

(Exception: Flight of Passage has enough details in addition to the UV to avoid looking cheap.)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Looks great!

 

[Phroobar]

I wonder if that grid thing above the stairs is still there.

 

[Anjin]

I rode the Rocket Rods a few times while it was open. It was fun but not super thrilling. I did enjoy that the queue ran through the circle vision. There was not much of a theme other than "hey, vehicles are cool."

 

[DanielBB8]

These Tomorrowland graphics are interestingly portrayed at night time. They always look better at night, but this doesn’t mean it’s any good.