What should happen to Rocket Rods?

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's been nearly 20 years since Rocket Rods closed forever. Dead before its time. The trackway has remained empty all this time, reminding everyone who has looked up in wonder, even those of us who never even went on it prior to its untimely closure, of what once was.

Will we ever again be able to ride around Tomorrow Land in a non-go-kart car? Why is the track still there? Will there eventually be a TRON ride equivalent that will replace its gigantic sprawling track that encompasses the whole eastern side of DL?

Should we start a petition? Those seem to work these days.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I would support a return of Rocket Rods, as long as things were done right (replacement of the track, no slowing down on the banks, incorporation of updated technology, etc.).

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Trust me, you didn't miss a thing. Ride was just awful. They should tear down tomorrow land except for Space Mountain and put in a tron coaster and restore a proper people mover or make a proper rocket rods with a track designed for the vehicle that can handle the speeds and not slow down during turns. Tomorrowland should be worked on waaaay before ANY Splash Mountain overlay is even started or considered.

 

[waltography]

I'd be totally down for a TRON light-cycle on (replaced) PeopleMover tracks. I mean, they've done it before with the original PeopleMover.

Truthfully, I'd be happy if they did anything with those tracks, even if it meant tearing them down for good.

 

[No Name]

At least Cynthia Harris admitted publicly that it failed because they were too cheap to replace the turns with banked ones. Today they’d have to replace pretty much the whole track because it doesn’t meet newer safety regulations. And they’d have to put railings and emergency exits and such everywhere, which are good for satefy, but ugly. So they’d basically be building a suckish Radiator Springs Racers from scratch.

I’m on board!!

 

[DLR92]

Something need to be in place of those tracks! Otherwise demolish!

 

[Rich T]

Trust me, you didn't miss a thing. Ride was just awful.

I gotta disagree. I rode it twice and loved it. I It was fun, fast and scenic. The sudden brakings, accelerations and non-banked turns gave it a touch of Mr. Toad wackiness. The main problem was the capacity—even Single Rider was a nearly hour long wait. The ride wasn’t quite long enough or thrilling enough to justify the wait—and certainly could have been improved—but it wasn’t awful.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I gotta disagree. I rode it twice and loved it. I It was fun, fast and scenic. The sudden brakings, accelerations and non-banked turns gave it a touch of Mr. Toad wackiness. The main problem was the capacity—even Single Rider was a nearly hour long wait. The ride wasn’t quite long enough or thrilling enough to justify the wait—and certainly could have been improved—but it wasn’t awful.

Agreed. Rocket Rods was a family favorite for us. The takeoff was the best part.

It definitely had issues, but it was a fun ride.

 

[Rich T]

I'd be totally down for a TRON light-cycle on (replaced) PeopleMover tracks. I mean, they've done it before with the original PeopleMover.

Truthfully, I'd be happy if they did anything with those tracks, even if it meant tearing them down for good.

Or even just bring back Rocket Rods using a gentle launched family coaster system.

 

[Phroobar]

The problem with the People Mover is it is an outdated concept. People need to be entertained or thrilled these days. A slow moving car through the land would be considered a baby ride similar to the Dr. Seuss Trolley at IOA or the submarine ride at Sea World San Diego. The idea of the Rocket Rods still has marit. Change the vehicle to some kind of hover car and bank the turns. Add scenery to the inside portions of the ride. Give the ride a story and make it faster but not coaster fast. Have it travel through the volcano above Sea Base Delta. Have creatures try to attack it. Maybe have it go under water? If they have to add an IP, then put Syndrome in there as we sneak into his volcano layer and rescue the Incredibles.

 

[solidyne]

The problem with the People Mover is it is an outdated concept. People [have such low attention spans and such meager imagination that they feel they] need to be entertained or thrilled these days. A slow moving car through the land would be considered a baby ride similar to the Dr. Seuss Trolley at IOA or the submarine ride at Sea World San Diego. The idea of the Rocket Rods still has marit. Change the vehicle to some kind of hover car and bank the turns. Add scenery to the inside portions of the ride. Give the ride a story and make it faster but not coaster fast. Have it travel through the volcano above Sea Base Delta. Have creatures try to attack it. Maybe have it go under water? If they have to add an IP, then put Syndrome in there as we sneak into his volcano layer and rescue the Incredibles.

Some elaboration for ya there.

 

[westie]

The People Mover is still a big attraction at WDW. And it's a people eater which absorbs crowds. The problem with the DLR track is that Rocket Rods has cracked the track and the whole thing needs to be rebuilt which is a huge OSHA headache and money pit. So it's just another defunct attraction in Tomorrowland.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I heard there is structural concerns with the track after they destroyed it to fail with rocket rods. If it was possible, just bring back the people mover.

 

[Phroobar]

Some elaboration for ya there.

Good addition.

 

[Phroobar]

Not at all. People love slow rides and many people have families that cant go on thrill rides. At Magic Kingdom the people mover always had a lot
of people waiting for it when I went last year.

At the Magic Kingdom people go on the ride because it exists not because it is popular and fun. Tourist have to ride as much as possible regardless of what it is. At Disneyland locals are more selective.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

So we agree it should return.

 

[milordsloth]

I'm amazed that a Tommorowland Redo was pushed aside for a Splash Mountain retheme of all things.

Way simpler and less of a blow to operations to close 1 ride than an entire land in the park. I'm sure significantly cheaper also.

 

[jmuboy]

I think a UNIQUE launch coaster like TRON from WDW built to follow some (or all) of the old People Mover path way would be cool. But I think any hope of a PM attraction coming back of any reuse of the current tracks is DEAD. As mentioned above the old tracks are too unstable and current building codes would make it too complicated a project to be viable.

I'm overall pessimistic about the Parks division. They face so many headwinds. I'm hoping 18 months from now the pandemic will be over and normalcy can return and then we will see then where the company goes.

For now the company that always wanted us to Dream Big really can :-(

 

[JD2000]

banked turns would remove the multiple accelerations and the lateral forces. that is what made it exciting, no?

 

[Sailor310]

The People Mover was a great makeout ride when I was in high school.