Quantcast
MousePlanet.com


Walt Disney World >> Magic Kingdom >> Tomorrowland

Astro Orbiter

Similar to other hub-and-spoke rides found elsewhere at the Magic Kingdom as well as most other Disney parks, the Astro Oribert version puts you in a rocket, spinning above Tomorrowland and controlling the up and down movement. The unique element of Astro Orbiter is how high up you are. Perched above the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, you achieve heights unavailable to any other version of this attraction.

General Information - Hide Section
  • Location: In the middle of Tomorrowland, on top of "Rocket Tower Plaza" and above the Tomorrowland Transit Authority.
  • Date Opened: 2/25/1995
  • # of Ride Units: 16 rockets
  • Ride Capacity: 2 riders per rocket
  • Restraint Method: Seatbelt
  • Ticket Rating: C Ticket
  • Ride Photo: No
 
Time Commitment Information - Hide Section
  • Open/Close: Open and close with the park.
  • Wait Times: As with most hub-and-spoke attractions, Astro Orbiter is low capacity (not many people per ride and it takes almost as long to load and unload the vehicle as it does to ride). It isn't the most popular attraction in the park, however, and lines generally aren't too bad, rarely more than 30 minutes.
  • Length of Ride: 90 seconds
  • FastPass: No
  • Single Rider: No
  • Queue Description: Not particularly themed, wrapped around the ride itself.
Access Information - Hide Section
  • Health Restriction: People with heart problems should not ride. A fear of heights may also be problematic.
  • Ride Access: The queue is accessible to wheelchairs and ECVs.
  • Wheelchair Transfer: It is necessary to transfer from a wheelchair or ECV into one of the rocket ride units. At rest, the units are near ground level but it will be necessary to step up and then down into them.
  • Service Animals: No
  • Audio: Spoken instructions are given for loading and unloading, but no translation or captioning devices are available for this attraction.
  • Weight and Size Issues: The rockets aren't the biggest things in the world, but should generally be comfortable if riding alone. If large or tall, it may be very uncomfortable to ride with another adult or a large child.
Parenting Information - Hide Section
  • Height Restriction: None
  • Child Swap: Yes
  • Other Issues:
History and Trivia - Hide Section
  • At this location: Tomorrowland wasn't quite ready for primetime when the park openedin 1971. When the park opened the space now occupied by Astro Orbiter and Tomorrowland Transit Authority was completely empty. Construction soon began however and on November 28, 1974, Star Jets opened. Star Jets was an attraction along the same lines as the current Astro Orbiter, though it had fewer rockets and they orbited around a large rocket ship. On July 1, 1975, WEDway People Mover opened and the area pretty much took on its current form. In 1994, Star Jets closed, was torn down, and Astro Orbiter was built, premiering in 1995. At around the same time, the name of the WEDway People Mover was changed to Tomorrowland Transit Authority.
  • The Attraction's History: Astro Orbiter remains essentially unchanged from when it opened in 1995.
  • Other Trivia:
    • A Hulk Hogan Connection?: After it was removed, the rocket that served as the hub for Star Jets was painted and made an appearance in the television series Thunder in Paradise starring wrestler Hulk Hogan, Chris Lemmon (son of Jack Lemmon), and swimsuit model Carol Alt.


You can help us keep these guides current. If you see anything incorrect on this page, or if you have additional information that should be added, please fill out our form.