![]() ![]() The installation of the Astro Orbitor and the adjacent rock sculptures created one of the worst chokepoints in the entire park, especially in the evening during parades and fireworks. It reopened in June 2009 with a silver, blue, red, and gold trim color scheme. In April 2009, the Astro at Disneyland closed for refurbishment and was stripped down to its skeletal structure. It is unknown if the Observatron still functions. However, the mechanism has been prone to failure and occasionally will be inactive for periods of months or only play sporadically on certain days. The Observatron was originally planned to come to life every fifteen minutes and appear to summon signs from the skies, while a selected soundtrack (such as selected music pieces from Space Mountain and Le Visionarium at Disneyland Paris) would play over Tomorrowland. The mechanism for Rocket Jets on top of the PeopleMover was re-used as a kinetic satellite-themed sculpture known as the Observatron, built from the same skeletal structure. One concept drawing had guests boarding the attraction underground and others had the center of the attraction featuring a water moat (similar to the "Dumbo the Flying Elephant" attraction in Fantasyland). Instead, it was relocated to the entrance of Tomorrowland, and placed on the ground level, thus making the ride the new focal point as guests step from the main plaza of Disneyland into Tomorrowland. The Astro Orbitor at Disneyland was planned to be placed where the Rocket Jets were but weighed too much for the current building. The new version is a replica of the Orbitron, Machines Volantes at Disneyland Paris. The new form of the attraction opened one year later as Astro Orbitor at Disneyland. ![]() This version remained open until 1997 when it closed for renovations with the rest of Tomorrowland. The focal point of this version was its replica Saturn V/ NASA-themed rocket in the center. This version was located on top of the new PeopleMover platform and was accessible from ground level via an elevator. The attraction returned in August 1967 as the Rocket Jets. The name lasted until September 1966, when the attraction was closed to make room for the newly renovated Tomorrowland. After this dispute, the name was changed to Tomorrowland Jets. The name Astro Jets was changed in 1964 when United Airlines, as a new park sponsor (sponsoring " The Enchanted Tiki Room"), contended the name was free advertising for American Airlines' coast-to-coast Astrojet service. The attraction stood between the Submarine Voyage and Rocket to the Moon. The "jets" made a 50-foot circle around a large red-checkered rocket and guests were able to climb upwards of 36 feet in their ride vehicles from the ground level they were boarded at. ![]() The attraction was made by Klaus Company Bavaria and similar to several versions found in traveling carnivals. In 1956, the first rocket-spinner attraction opened at Disneyland and was known as the Astro Jets. ![]()
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