Amusement Odyssey
Rocket to the Moon: A Precursor to Motion Simulators
Rocket to the Moon (1955-1966)
What could be considered the original “star attraction” of Tomorrowland was only conceived months before Disneyland’s opening. The idea for this attraction really took form after the airing of the "Disneyland" TV show’s episode Man in Space on March 9, 1955. Walt Disney desired to provide a simulator-type attraction that would mimic flight and space exploration to guests in a faux trip to outer space and the moon during the journey. Walt was familiar with this type of attraction from memories of his local amusement park, Electric Park, in Kansas City. The park offered an attraction known as Hale’s Tours of the World, which utilized panoramic images and special effects to simulate a train ride to its riders.
While simulators were very primitive at the time, Disney’s staff developed a technology that would project films on circular screens, one placed on the ground, and one placed on the ceiling of a circular theater. Guests sat in a three-tiered stadium seating style, and the ceiling screen would project the view of where they were headed, while the ground screen would project the view of where they had been. This illusion was supposed to simulate that guests in the theater were actually on-board a spacecraft. Along with the dual casting films, the experience was narrated by a pre-recorded script and had a live cast member to interact with the guests.
Only two months from opening day, the attraction had finally begun construction, with the show building to include two 104 seat theaters, known as Diana and Luna to boost capacity. While the ride was ready to present for members of the press on the park’s opening day, it had actually opened to the public 5 days after the park.
John Hench was responsible for the creation of a scale rocket named the Moonliner for the front of the attraction. Constructed out of aircraft aluminum, supplied by Kaiser who had also sponsored a pavilion in Tomorrowland, the model rocket was supervised by Wernher von Braun, who lent his V-2 rocket design as an inspiration for the build. Standing at 76 feet tall, the model was actually the tallest structure in Disneyland upon its opening, even taller than the Sleeping Beauty Castle. A plaque was placed at the base of the rocket explaining its presence:
THIS 80-FOOT PYLON is a ⅓ scale model of a rocket ship of the future. The full-scale ship would be 240 feet in length and designed to use nuclear energy as fuel.
Stabilized in flight by gyroscopes, it would be controlled by automatic pilots and magnetic tapes. Landing tail-first, no air-foils or wings would be necessary, its vertical descent controlled by its jets. The 3 retractable landing legs would be equipped with shock absorbers.
The light color used on the outer surface is for maximum reflectivity of solar radiation and would probably be a baked enamel finish to resist excessive heat due to atmospheric friction. Liquid coolants would circulate through all window panels and cockpit enclosures.
Launching and landing would be done over a “firing center” to confine and lead off the superheated exhaust gases.
Sponsored by Trans World Airlines (TWA), one of the largest commercial airlines in the country at the time, they held the sponsorship rights for the ride until 1962, when Howard Hughes, a longtime member of management for the company left. The sponsorship was picked up by Douglas Aircraft from 1962-1966, with the Moonliner sporting a new paint job and color scheme.
Each show lasted approximately 10 minutes, with guests loading from an area known as the “Spaceport”. The experience simulated the launch of the rocket from Disneyland, showing an aerial view of Anaheim, the United States, and finally the Earth. As the rocket moved farther away from Earth, the view of the moon became larger and larger on the ceiling projection. While the rocket would not touch ground on the moon, it would fly around it before returning to home. While aboard the attraction, the pre-recorded narration explained the phenomenon of space travel, as well as facts about planets and the solar system. For those in 1955, the concept of the everyday person being able to experience space travel seemed like a possibility only available in the future.
For the 1955 season, the attraction required a “C” ticket. Due to its popularity, it was raised to a “D” ticket from 1956-1958, followed by an “E” ticket for the 1959 season, with the addition of several big-ticket attractions to Tomorrowland. From then on, it was reverted back to a “D” ticket.
Flight to the Moon (1967-1975)
As Tomorrowland as a whole began to age a decade into the park’s existence, it became apparent that the land as a whole needed a refresh. Enter the 1967 refurbishment of New Tomorrowland, and a complete change swept through the area.
With NASA actively developing technology in the race to send man to the moon, the appearance of the Moonliner rocket became a relic of the past. As a result, the Rocket to the Moon show building would be demolished, and the whole attraction moved to a new part of Tomorrowland in a larger building. The Moonliner was removed and moved into backstage storage. Now known as Flight to the Moon, the attraction saw some much-needed updates.
As opposed to the rocket trip of the past, guests now boarded a “Lunar Transport” to more closely resemble spaceships of the time. One of the biggest added effects was the addition of moving theater seats, which could rumble to simulate thrusters firing, as well as move up and down to simulate the feeling of high g-force and weightlessness. In addition, a full pre-show area named “Mission Control” debuted, with a set of eight Audio-Animatronic figures who monitored the control boards and simulated video screens of a flight in progress. During the simulated flight, a UFO has been sighted on closed circuit screens, leading to a series of flashing lights and alarms.
The film itself remained fairly similar to the original, where riders embarked on an outer space journey to the moon, where they orbit around the moon before returning to Earth. In a surprise turn of events, the lunar transport gets caught in a meteor shower, where guests must safely escape before landing back in Disneyland. Due to its popularity, the ride received a second version, to open with the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida for 1971.
Here is the script for the ride, derived from the Magic Kingdom version, courtesy of Walt Dated World:
Mission Control Pre-show
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please? In a moment, when we leave this area, please be sure to take along all of your personal belongings, including your imagination. Our Flight to the Moon takes place sometime in the future, when travel to outer space will be an everyday adventure. Now, if you will all follow me, our first stop in the World of Tomorrow will be inside our Mission Control Center.
(Note: The cast member spiel in Disneyland would have plugged sponsor McDonnell-Douglas, but they never sponsored the attraction in Florida until after the change to "Mission To Mars". Guests are led from the waiting area, where the clock announcing the departure of Flight #92 has now gone down to zero, by a cast member to the area looking into Mission Control.)
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and gentleman, this is our Spaceport Mission Control. While we're waiting for clearance to board Flight #92, I'll try to get our operations director to explain what's going on. Oh Mr. Morrow?
Tom Morrow: Yes? (George Walsh voiced Mr. Tom Morrow, just as he would later voice Mr. Johnson for "Mission To Mars".)
Cast Member (Live): Mr. Morrow, could you spare a few minutes to explain Mission Control to our passengers?
Tom Morrow: Of course, glad to. Welcome aboard space travelers. The small TV monitors you see are keeping track of various activities here, and out in space. The men over here are watching operations on the Spaceport itself. We have tracking and traffic control, and space mission monitoring. And also, we're receiving pictures from various Earth observation satellites. Let's have the repeater monitor please. The small pictures can be repeated up above for an overall view. But in addition, anyone can be put on the large monitor for a closer look. Base Operations, give us your picture please.
(New image comes up on the main screen of a giant spaceship on the launch pad. This was likely the same image that passengers would see in the final portion of the "Mission To Mars" briefing before boarding their spacecraft.)
Tom Morrow: Here, we see a space vehicle that's leaving for Mars next week. It's almost forty stories high and weighs over six million pounds. Incidentally, the round trip takes something over two and a half years. I hope no one in the crew leaves the water running in the bathtub!
Base Operations: Base Operations here. Pad 21 is T-minus ten seconds and counting.
Tom Morrow: Good, may we see it?
(Main screen now shows a rocket ready to launch.)
Tom Morrow: This small rocket is about to launch a scientific satellite into orbit around the Earth. Let's watch the liftoff. (The filmed liftoff takes place.) At peak times here, we have a launch or landing every three or four minutes. And as you see, we handle all sorts of missions.
Controller #1: Attention. Flight # 704 has retrofired and is starting re-entry.
Tom Morrow: Let's see it. (New image on screen.) This is a picture you don't see very often. We are looking back from a spacecraft entering the Earth's atmosphere at about 17,000 miles per hour. The greenish glow is air being ionized by the tremendous heat generated through friction with the spacecraft. Also, as you can see, the ship is rolling as it comes in. It's all quite normal for this method of re-entry. Which was proved out by the Gemini astronauts back in the 1960s.
(Warning alert sirens suddenly sound as the pictures on all monitors grow snowy.)
Controller #2: Emergency, emergency! Unauthorized approach on Runway #12!
Tom Morrow: All stations. Emergency standby!
Controller #2: Picture on B Channel.
(One-by-one, each monitor shows an image of an albatross coming in for a landing. This moment would be repeated again in Mission To Mars.)
Tom Morrow: Ahem (chuckles dryly). Well, at least this is one UFO we can identify!
Cast Member (Live): Mr. Morrow, isn't that a Saturn rocket I see on the Operations monitor?
Tom Morrow: Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. Give us a picture of the 2-5-1 mission, please. This spacecraft is just about to be launched on a prospecting trip to the Asteroid Belt. Stand by.
Controller #3: T-minus, five seconds. Four, three, two, one. Ignition!
(Main screen shows this spacecraft launch.)
Tom Morrow: As your hostess mentioned, this rocket is one of the old Saturn series, developed back in the late sixties. They were so dependable, we're still using them. In fact, they've become the real workhorses of space. In a moment, we'll have first stage separation. Then, we'll see a rare sight.
Controller #4: First stage separation.
(Main screen shows an in-camera perspective of the first stage dropping away from the second stage.)
Tom Morrow: This picture is coming from a camera in the first stage. The second stage is moving out into position for firing. (Monitor shows second stage igniting.) That was the second stage engine igniting. And as you can see, the spacecraft is on its way. Just as you will be, shortly.
Controller #5: Flight #92 is now ready for boarding.
Tom Morrow: On the large monitor, you can see your lunar transport. The countdown is in progress, and all systems are go. Have a pleasant flight.
Cast Member (Live): Thank you, Mr. Morrow. Ladies and gentlemen, please follow me to the boarding area.
Flight to the Moon Main Show
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight #92. We are now ready for departure. During our trip, the cabin atmosphere will be air-conditioned and controlled by internal systems. So please remember, there will be no smoking. Hostess to captain, passenger cabin is now secured.
Captain: Welcome aboard, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. During our flight, I'll select pictures from television cameras mounted outside our spacecraft, and put them on various screens in your cabin. We're on final countdown now, so I won't be speaking to you again until we're well on our way.
Tom Morrow: T-minus five, four, three, two, one. Ignition!
(As with Disneyland's "Rocket To The Moon" ride of the 1950s, and "Mission To Mars" later, on the lower screen we see the liftoff and feel our seats sink, simulating the g-factor.)
Captain: Attention, please. We have just passed maximum flight dynamic pressure. We're climbing at about one thousand feet per second on our assigned escape trajectory. We're still under traffic control because as you know there are hundreds of objects in Earth orbit today. With our telescopic cameras, we can see some of the traffic in our vicinity.
(The upper screen shows a satellite passing by.)
Captain: On the upper screen is one of the weather satellites that send back hundreds of pictures of the Earth's atmosphere every day. Now observe the lower screen please. We're bringing you a picture of a space commuter bus. These craft take men and supplies back and forth between Earth and various orbiting space stations. We'll see one of those stations on the upper screen. This one carries a crew of fifty men and circles the globe every two hours, moving at a constant speed of 16,000 miles per hour.
(Beeping sound.)
Captain: Earth control has advised us that we are now clear of traffic. In a few seconds, we'll begin mid-course maneuvers, and we will experience partial weightlessness for a short time. There's no cause for alarm, but by the way, hold on to any loose belongings, and no floating about the cabin, please.
Flight Control: Flight Control to Captain. Gyro control on.
Captain: Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the middle screens now. We've arranged a live telecast from the surface of the moon for you. Stand by. Go ahead, moon. You're on.
(The side screens reveal a scene of a group of astronauts on the moon. One of them faces the camera and raises his visor.)
Astronaut: Hello. Welcome to the moon. We're up near the rim of a good-sized crater on a geological survey. I've been taking pictures of the area, and these men are collecting rock samples and recording a description of each one. As you can see, it isn't easy to work in these spacesuits, but we couldn't survive without them out here. For example, this faceplate is all there is between me and an absolute vacuum. If it suddenly popped out, my blood would literally boil. We carry our air in these backpacks, and our suits are temperature controlled. In fact, they're the latest thing in moon fashions. But enough of that. Now, let's look at the moon.
(A panning shot as the astronaut points to a lunar base consisting of multiple structures that look to be mostly assembled from lower stages of old rockets.)
Astronaut: Out on the plain, there, you can see one of our moon bases. Most of the living quarters and laboratories have to be underground for protection from radiation and meteorites. Of course, the moon does have its advantages, too. For instance, it's a perfect observatory, because there's no air. Also, gravity is only one sixth that of Earth, and that has some very interesting effects. Now let me give you a little demonstration of something you may have read about.
(The astronaut lowers his face-plate and then makes a leaping bound off the ridge to the plain surface below. He then raises his face-plate to talk to the audience again.)
Astronaut: I know my kids back home would sure get a kick out of that. And that's not all. Watch this.
(He lowers his visor and then picks up one of his fellow astronauts, and taking advantage of the one-sixth gravity, tosses him in the air to the third astronaut in the group.)
Astronaut: Actually, these tricks are dangerous here. There's too much chance of ripping your precious suit and losing air, and that would be the end. And speaking of air, mine's getting a little low. I'll have to go in for a fresh supply.
(We follow him up to one of the old rocket sections now acting as a moon base.)
Astronaut: This is our traveling laboratory, sort of a super mobile home we live in when we're away from the base. Inside, we have enough air and supplies for about a week. It's a little cramped, but after walking around in a spacesuit for a couple of hours it feels like a mansion. Drop in for a visit some time. So long. (Some versions of audio for this attraction feature this line of dialogue before the line "Now let me give you a little demonstration of something you may have read about." and omit the lines about tricks.)
Captain: Ladies and gentlemen, the moon now appears on the lower screen. It will remain there during our passage near the surface.
Copernicus Control: Flight 92, this is Copernicus Control. Radar contact. Your altitude at closest approach will be zero-four-five miles. Velocity 6,020 miles per hour. Control clear.
(While this was meant to be the voice of a controller based on the moon, the voice was the same as Tom Morrow's.)
Captain: As you can see, the moon is riddled with thousands of craters of various sizes. Most were made by meteor impacts, but there are some caused by volcanic activity. Right now, you can see a telescopic shot of the moon base we were in communication with. They're sending us a bon voyage by laser beam. In just a minute now, we'll pass into the lunar night, and flares will be launched so that you can see some of the surface.
Copernicus Control: Fire one.
Captain: Whether it's night or day, this side of the moon is always turned away from Earth. For centuries, it was a mystery.
Copernicus Control: Fire two.
Captain: But as you can see now, it's about like the other side. Ladies and gentlemen, we're now leaving the dark side of the moon and moving into the sunlight again. You can see the Earth on the upper screen. Right now, we're in a good position to look at the sun. It's always a dramatic sight from space. We'll use the middle screens, since this requires special filters and telescopic lenses.
(A telescopic view of the sun appears on both side screens.)
Captain: Those huge dark areas are sunspots. Actually, they're cool patches on the sun, a mere 7,000 degrees. The giant eruptions of incandescent gases you see bursting from the sun's rim are probably over a million miles long. If the sun were to burn out suddenly, our Earth would freeze, and all life would come to an abrupt end. But don't worry. It's supposed to last another two or three billion years, at least. By that time- (a crackling noise erupts) stand by!
(Warning sirens blare as the images on the screens go wildly awry indicating the ship has gone off course. By the time the tumult dies down, the Earth is now visible again on the lower screen and rapidly drawing close.)
Captain: Attention, please. We've just passed through a shower of meteoroids, sometimes called "shooting stars. We took a few hits, but we'll make it home alright. Traffic control has given us a priority re-entry clearance. As you can see on the lower screen, we're almost back to Earth, and in a few seconds we will increase power for terminal deceleration. Please remain in your seats until all rockets are shut down.
(Final sounds of deceleration as the surface now fills the lower screen.)
Captain: Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived back at the spaceport, and you may now leave the spacecraft. We're happy to have had you aboard, and we hope you'll fly with us again.
(Cast member gives instructions for exiting.)
Douglas Aircraft, now known as McDonnell-Douglas, continued to sponsor the updated attraction in its new home. One major milestone in history was about to occur, however, with the 1969 Apollo 11 mission by NASA. With Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin officially becoming the first men on the moon, as well as subsequent Apollo missions through 1972, it became apparent that Disney’s vision had become dated. Technology was continuing to evolve, and the thought of visiting the moon had now become the present, and not the future.
Mission to Mars (1975-1992)
By 1975, the ride was once again due for an update. With the major investment and changes made for the Flight to the Moon version of the ride, it made it much easier to update the show, meaning that the theater could remain intact, while the actual script and film could change for a whole new experience.
This time around, Disney partnered with NASA to offer an accurate perspective of space flight and the technology being used at the time. However, much of this was very secretive as the government’s space program was in competition with other countries at the time, and many pieces of information could not be made public. With this limiting the complexity of the show, as well as the need to make it digestible for the average park guest, the final product may not have been as originally intended with the partnership. For the newest iteration, guests would now be part of a flight to the planet of Mars, as this planet had not yet been explored by man. Mission to Mars officially opened on March 21, 1975.
The pre-show element had remained, slightly updated with a new flight director, Mr. Johnson, who replaced the popular Mr. Tom Morrow character. During the pre-show, he explained the advances in space travel, and the effects of gravity in space. As opposed to being interrupted by a UFO, now the show was interrupted by a spacecraft crashing near the Spaceport.
The main show reused some of the film from previous versions, including the original shots of the moon as riders passed by. As the spacecraft passes by Mars, an emergency occurs where a possible volcanic eruption damages the vessel, leading to an expedited return to Earth. The attraction required a “D” ticket upon its opening.
Here is the script for Mission to Mars from Walt Disney World, courtesy of Walt Dated World:
Mission Control Preshow
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please? When we leave this area in a moment, be sure to take along all your belongings, including, your imagination. Our Mission to Mars takes place sometime in the future, when a sightseeing trip to the red planet is a everyday adventure. When you enter, please use all three aisles, keep your group together, and move as far toward the end as you can.
(Passengers follow cast member down hallway and come to Mission Control, which they look down into and see numerous Audio-Animatronic technicians at various stations. Standing in the center, in white coat and red turtleneck with horn-rimmed glasses, is the figure of Operations Director Mr. Johnson.)
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and gentlemen, this is our McDonnell-Douglas Mission Control room at Disneyland Spaceport. The Director of Operations has been expecting you, and while we're waiting for our flight to be called, he'll take a few minutes to describe what's going on. Excuse me? Mr. Johnson? All the passengers for Flight 295 are now in the boarding area.
(Mr. Johnson turns around to face the people.)
Mr. Johnson: Thank you. Welcome to Mission Control, space travelers. The first part of your trip to Mars today will be directed from this room, and so will your landing when you return to Earth. (Turns around to face large monitors on the board.) As you can see on the large screen behind me, we're keeping track of things on one of our many manned space stations now in orbit. While the small screens below show other activities being monitored by Mission Control. I'll have them repeated on the upper screens for you also.
Astronaut Voice: SSL, this is instrumentation.
Mission Control Voice: Roger. SPO, starting port records and TV video tape recorders.
Astronaut Voice: Wilco.
(Image of astronaut at work on space station fills screen.)
Mr. Johnson: Now on the large screen again, you see a scientist aboard the space station at the controls of a large telescope trained on the sun. This kind of solar research was begun back in the early 1970s by the Skylab astronauts. And time-lapsed pictures from space like this are revealing new facts about how the sun produces energy, which may help us solve some of our own energy problems on Earth. (New image fills screen.) This is a very interesting part of the station. Where special manufacturing processes are carried out under weightless conditions. (Main screen now shows scientific experiment demonstration.) Here you see a close-up picture of a groove being melted in a stainless steel plate. Done in Zero G conditions, this imparts a quality to the metal we can't get under Earth gravity.
Astronaut Voice: Ah, Mission Control, this is Space Lab zero-niner, stand by for new video on B channel.
Mr. Johnson: And now through an onboard microscope and time-lapse camera, we can see the way crystals form in Zero G.
Astronaut Voice: Ah, Capcom, this is Space Lab o-niner. Request you transmit this recording to crystallography lab console, over.
Capcom (Capsule Communicator): Zero-niner, this is Capcom. Roger your request. Relay coming up will be via Goldstone (This was a reference to a real-life tracking station). Capcom out.
Astronaut Voice: Zero-niner out.
Mr. Johnson: These space-grown crystals are so pure that they're going to bring revolutionary advances in electronics, which will benefit everyone of us. In fact, they're so-
(Alarms sound and flashing lights fill Mission Control. The monitors suddenly grow snowy.)
Mission Control Voice: Attention! Clear all channels for possible emergency re-entry!
Mr. Johnson: Oh no, not again!
Mission Control Voice: Stand by! Video signal coming in on all channels.
(Each monitor in Mission Control now shows an awkward looking albatross coming in for a landing.)
Mr. Johnson: Just as I thought. Somehow this silly bird trips the emergency system every time he comes in. And I think he knows the laugh's on us.
Cast Member (laughing): Oh Mr. Johnson, would you show us what it's like for people in zero gravity? That's very interesting. (If the live Cast Member wasn't present for this part of the show, a pre-taped voice with the same question would then kick in.)
Mr. Johnson: Of course, just a moment. (Turns to technician.) Patch us into Skylab video-net please.
Astronaut Voice: Roger, Mission Control. (New images on screen.)
Mr. Johnson: Now there you see how easy it is, to get from one place to another. You simply float through the air. That takes some getting use to. But Zero G has other advantages too. Like this for example, one man can easily handle heavy pieces of scientific equipment, that he couldn't even move under normal gravity. (New film of astronauts in exercise mode.) Astronauts quickly adapt to Zero G, but over extended periods, regular exercise is absolutely vital. Here are some off duty crew members working out in the station's gymnasium.
Flight Surgeon: This is JSC Medical, MX leads are now being monitored on channel 27. For this exercise period, all ECGs normal. Heart rate - 120 plus.
Mr. Johnson: It's fun, but it isn't always as easy as it looks as you can see. With a little practice though, you can do tricks that would make a circus acrobat turn green with envy.
Female Technician: All personnel, switch to channel number two for status check.
Male Technician #1: Core communications status is go. Global network status is go.
Female Technician: Instrumentation?
Male Technician #2: Instrumentation go.
Female Technician: Propulsion?
Announcer (above technicians cross-talk): Disneyland Flight two-nine-five to Mars is now ready for boarding at gate number three.
Male Technician #3: Go. (The image of the Mars spacecraft now fills the main viewing screen.)
Mr. Johnson: Now on the large monitor, you can see your spacecraft, waiting on the launch pad. Count down is in progress, and all systems are go. Have a good flight.
Cast Member (live): Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Ladies and Gentlemen, please follow me to the boarding gate.
(Passengers follow the Cast Member out of Mission Control area through doors that lead to "spaceship" seating.)
Mission to Mars Main Show
(Passengers seat themselves in circular theater. There are screens on either side of the room, with main screens in the floor and ceiling.)
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard our McDonnell-Douglas DC-88 space liner for today's Mission to Mars. The captain has asked that you remain in your seats at all times. And please, no smoking. (McDonnell-Douglas sponsored the attraction briefly in the late 1970s, the only time the attraction had sponsorship at Walt Disney World)
Third Officer Collins: Attention please. Folks, this is Third Officer Collins speaking, I'm your tour guide today and I'll be telling you about what's going on during the trip. Right now we're on final countdown, and you can watch our lift off on the lower screen in your cabin. I'll speak to you again after we're in space. (Third Officer Collins was voiced by Disney park veteran Pete Renaday.)
Captain: Mission Control, this is Mars two-niner-five, ready for departure.
Mr. Johnson: Two-niner-five, Roger. Countdown is go in T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Ignition!
(On the lower screen we see the liftoff and feel our seats sink, simulating the g-factor. The upper screen shows the Moon coming into view. This film footage of the liftoff and the Moon overhead dated all the way back to the original Disneyland "Rocket To The Moon" ride in 1955!)
Mr. Johnson: Mars two-niner-five, auto-control is terminated. You are cleared for hyperspace penetration. Good Luck!
Captain: Two-niner-five.
(A loud popping sound emits as we feel our seats suddenly rise back up underneath. On the side screen, we see the lower stage of the rocket being jettisoned.)
Collins: Ladies and Gentlemen, we've just dropped our booster engines and in a moment we'll make what we call a hyperspace jump, the new method of space travel which enables us to cover enormous distances in seconds. (The side screens now show new diagrams.) On the side screens, our ship's computer has drawn a diagram of our solar system, and we'll tip it over and move in closer so you can see where we're going. You'll notice that the orbital velocity of the planets is exaggerated, but as we approach the inner planets, you can see that they move with the proper relative speeds. (The orbital paths of Earth and Mars are now shown.) Earth and Mars are anywhere from 35 million to 240 million miles apart at times. Which used to make a trip to Mars pretty tricky. For example, space ships had to follow a curved path for about eight months to intercept Mars when it reached a certain spot. (Chuckles.) It was like trying to hit a golf ball in California hard enough, and accurately enough, to make it go through one particular window of a train arriving in Florida that much later. (New diagrams and visuals demonstrating hyperspace.) Today it's much easier. We simply launch out into space, until we reach Mars Acquisition Velocity, or MAV. Then we generate a hyperspace field around us for a short time. When we switch it off, our space craft is approaching Mars. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, this would have seemed like science fiction, but today it's routine. And we-
Captain: Attention all stations. Hyperspace penetration now commencing. Secure all ship operations.
(Top and bottom screens show light effects of hyperspace jump. The side screens flash the message "Hyperspace Penetration" . When it ends, the top screen shows Mars.)
Captain: All stations, we are now in normal space mode. Resume all operations.
Collins: Well, folks, a hyperspace jump is always interesting, to say the least, but we're back in the real universe again, and on the upper screen you can see Mars as it actually appears close up. The dark markings were once thought to be vegetation but they're actually just large areas where rocky surface material has been swept clear of top soil by high winds. Mars does have a very thin atmosphere but it contains no oxygen. There's no liquid water at all, and temperatures are far below zero over most of the planet.
Captain: Attention all stations. Outer lock is now open. Standby to launch camera drones.
(Two camera ships zoom into view across the upper screen.)
Collins: Those small unmanned rocket ships you see leaving us will shortly be sending back television pictures as they fly near the surface. But we'll continue our view from orbit also. (The upper screen now shows a more close view of the Martian surface.) Through telescopic lenses, Mars looks even more barren. And there's definitely no sign of it being inhabited. As we now know now, some things once thought to exist on Mars turned out to be only illusions, such as the famous Martian canals. But it does has some natural features that are almost as amazing. (New image on upper screen.) For example, this gigantic rift in Mars's surface called Mariner Valley; it's over three thousand miles long, ten times bigger than the Grand Canyon back home. And for a planet that's only half the size of Earth, that's pretty impressive. (Outline of Continental US appears over the image on upper screen.) This superimposed outline of the United States will give you an idea of its size. (Close-up image now appears on upper screen.) Here's a closer view of the section of the rift one of our camera craft is approaching. In a few seconds, we'll have the picture it's sending back, so watch the side screens, please. (Side screens now show same image of the mountainous rift from the camera ship's perspective.) There's the picture. Our camera ship is down in the rift now. Seeing this close, it looks quite Earth-like, but it's hard to get the scale of things. The wall there is almost four miles high, and the floor is about fifty miles across at this point. Even those branch canyons you see are six or seven miles wide and go back as much as one hundred miles from the main rift. This is no little canal by any means. (New image on upper screen showing a conical shape peak.)
On the upper screen we're switching to what is literally the high point of Mars. Olympus Mans, the biggest volcano in the whole universe, as we far as we know now. It's 370 miles wide at the base and over 75,000 feet high at the top. Two and a half times more then Mt. Everest, the highest point on Earth. (New images on side screens.) Now on the side screens, is the picture from our other ship as it approaches the top of the cone. In just a moment it will drop down in the caldera, and you can see how big it really is. On Earth, the largest calderas are up to ten miles across, but that's forty miles to the opposite rim. Olympus appears to be extinct now, but just imagine what it was like when that entire area was a sea of boiling lava.
Scientists estimate that- (The image on the side screen abruptly shakes. A warning beeper sounds.) Just a moment, please.
Operations: Space Con, we show a lost of signal on remote two. Impact count is rising.
Collins: Ladies and gentlemen, our camera ship has been knocked out of control by a shower of meteoritic particles. We may encounter the same conditions and- (Flashing lights and sirens now fill the theater. Looking at the upper screen, the image of the Martian surface is gone indicating the ship has been knocked violently off course.)
Operations: Space Con, this is Operational. We have damage to primary ACS.
Captain: Emergency! Standby for space warp!
Collins: Ladies and gentlemen, we're returning to Earth immediately. Be prepared for another space jump.
(Hyperspace jump. When it ends, the top screen shows the Moon and the lower screen the rapidly approaching Earth.)
Captain: Mission Control, this is Mars two-niner-five, we're terminating emergency space warp. Are we cleared straight in?
Mr. Johnson: Two-niner-five, this is Mission Control. Affirmative your last transmission. You are priority one for descent, auto-control is locked on, and we are counting to retro-fire.
Captain: Two-niner-five.
Collins: Ah, ladies and gentlemen, (chuckles sheepishly) as you can see, we'll be on the ground soon. Everything's all right now, but ah, that was a close call. Actually the chances are a million to one against meeting another emergency like that, so please fly with us another time. There's a lot more to see on Mars. Now, please stand by for touchdown.
(Roaring sound as the ground comes into view. Then, the images on the lower and upper screens disappear as the lights come on and the sound of the engines fade out.)
Cast Member (Live): Ladies and gentlemen, the outer locks are now open and you may leave the spacecraft. Thank you for flying McDonnell-Douglas today, and we hope to see you again
soon.
Mission to Mars remained in operation until November 2,1992, retaining McDonnell-Douglas as its sponsor through its tenure. The attraction closed with the intention of being redeveloped as part of the “Tomorrowland 2055” concept, which was included in Michael Eisner’s “Disney Decade” investment of the 1990s. With its circular theaters, it was likely that the company was intending to install a new attraction “ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter” in its place, as would happen at Walt Disney World in Florida.
However, this idea would not come to fruition for two major reasons. First, the failed opening of Disneyland Paris created severe debt for the company, leading to pushback in new investment. In addition, trial runs of the Alien Encounter in Florida proved too scary for younger audiences, meaning that it would not be successful without major changes. The Mission to Mars show building stood unused until 1998, when Disneyland opened Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port, a new restaurant.
While the attraction underwent many changes over the years, it can be said that the original “circular theater” design offered from Disneyland’s opening day was a major success given its longevity. Even with certain films and plots becoming outdated, the design could be reused and is evident by the re-themes and re-use in later attractions across Disney Parks.
