Howard Hughes and TWA sponsored the Moonliner attraction at Disneyland between 1955 and 1967.
Moonliner/Rocket to the Moon Attraction
2/26/2008
By: David DeCaro
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Web Site: davelandweb.com
(1955–1967) Sponsored by TWA/Howard Hughes, The Moonliner was the tallest structure at Disneyland when it was built (80' high!). Nearby, the "Rocket to the Moon" show allowed 100 guests to enter either the Luna or the Diana (changed to Arcturus & Polaris in 1959) for a 10 minute trip to the Moon and back. Disney archivist Dave Smith recalls "Space flight was still years away when Disneyland opened in 1955 so the Rocket to the Moon experience was a big thrill for the Park Guest. They would sit in a pseudo rocket and live through a simulated trip to observe the far side of the moon. Projections above and below enabled guests to see where they were going and where they had been. It was always impressive to see Disneyland and then the earth getting smaller and smaller as the rocket left for the moon."
Designed by John Hench, one of the original Disney Imagineers, with the help of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, the Moonliner resembled a V-2 rocket and was supposed to represent what atomic space travel would be like in 1986. Hughes left TWA, and sponsorship was changed to Douglas Aircraft Company in 1960. The moonliner remained until 1967 when the "new" Tomorrowland debuted. The show became "Flight to the Moon," but the rocket was no longer next to the building. However, this time guests were able to "meet" the director of operations, audio-animatronic man name Tom Morrow. By the 70's, traveling to the moon was considered passé (since American Astronauts had already walked on the moon), so the show was changed once again, becoming "Mission to Mars" in 1975. Finally, in 1992, even this show was removed.
August 1955
August 1956
October 1956:
1950's
Switch to Douglas sponsorship, July 1962 photo:A "miniature" version (2/3 the size of the original) promoting Coke was added in 1998, next to the building that formerly housed Rocket to the Moon (now Redd Rockett's Pizza Port). Although it has been gone for 40 years, the Moonliner still pops up in retro Disneyland collectibles and is still viewed as a symbol of Tomorrowland.
Hope you are all living up to your resolutions and spending plenty of time at Disneyland—until next time, see you at Daveland, 24/7! Feel free to email me suggestions for the next column. Mickey News °o° - Moonliner/Rocket to the Moon Attraction
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