Join me as I take a look into the history of my favorite short lived attraction at Disneyland that deserved way better than it got! Link to all the socials: linktr.ee/ghou... Buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/ghou... Join my Discord! / discord
I think the reason most people are fond for Peoplemover is the same reason it’s still going strong on Florida: They specifically wanted the slow, relaxing ride, a respite from all that walking. The old ride was 16 minutes long. Rocket Rods was 3 minutes. When I’d be at Disney world, if I had 20 or so minutes till my space mountain or Buzz Lightyear fast passes activated, I would go ride Peoplemover, it was slow and relaxing, in Florida the track is completely covered so even the 3PM daily downpour wouldn’t stop it. Also, as a side note: before they renovated everything, if space mountain went down, you made a beeline for Peoplemover, since when the coaster went offline, the Peoplemover wasn’t affected and you had a full view of the coaster track you otherwise never got. Now the roof they put over the Omega track load platform partly blocks the view.
At least there's a Peoplemover in Florida and Rocket Rods sort of lives on in Test Track and even Rad Springs Racers? Guess that tease of Rocket Rods coming to DCA was oddly real after all???
Thank you so much for that nostalgic look at Rocket Rods. I too liked this ride and miss it. My grandmother and aunt would ride with me, and at their age it was one of the few thrill rides in the park they could still ride with the comfortable seats and smooth transitions. The mismanagement of this attraction was typical of Pressler/Harris era Disneyland, and had this ride come along in another era where the turns could have been banked and tracks redone it would still be around today. Your video made my day since my grandmother and aunt are no longer with me, but this brought back some wonderful moments I had with them in the last years of their lives.
my family was somehow able to be there during this period and my parent rode it (I was too scared at the time) I think it was a decent idea and respect your nostalgia for it, but I also have to admit being angry that because of how they built it they not only made a ride that failed but may have permanently destroyed any chance of using it for anything else, it's like worse than doing nothing. That being said, good video.
I think it would've been better if they themed it with a futuristic city around it, bc that ride is supposed to be a futuristic form of transportation.
It's always bizarre to me that Disney built an E Ticket thrill ride with no show building, no animatronics, no scenery, no special effects, no new track and they *still* couldn't afford to bank the turns and achieve basic functionality! :o
I never got to go on rocket rods, but hearing it described as "bumpy", I imagine it held a similar appeal to the Matterhorn, being jostled around is just part of the fun.
Excellent video! Having never been on Rocket Rods, and only been on PM once, this is a great look into a particular point in history. Shame the tracks were damaged, but hope springs eternal they find something to do with the space
Never got to go on the original Disneyland Peoplemover. I remember asking my parents about what those cars were, but they just told me I'd be bored on that ride, and five-year-old me believed them lol. I did get to ride Rocket Rods once or twice. I remember not really liking it, but I always had a bit of a nostalgic interest in it, since it was this big, super-hyped attraction that disappeared shortly after debuting. To be honest, I remember the commercials for Rocket Rods that aired in Southern California around that time more than I remember the ride itself lol.
Thank you for telling us about the Rocket Rods! Even if the Peoplemover was a better fit for the space and tracks Rocket Rods still is a strange little curiosity of an attraction! Hoping we can get something to return to the space to give Tomorrowland more life again. The tracks are a constant reminder of future and past possibility
I was just a kid when I went on the People Movers at Disneyland. I loved it yes it was slower but I loved the top down view I had looking at either the Ride Ques or getting to see the rides themselves. And it was a good way of also just chilling out with all the walking around me and my folks and siblings would do.
I think the people mover is more interesting because of its history more so than actually being fun. I did ride on it, but I can't say I really have any memories of it, except for my mom always having to close her eyes in the Tron part because it made her sick. I rode Rocket Rods twice, in the same day. I didn't really think much of it, it seemed really clumsy, the track layout was not designed for a fast rides and you could really tell. I honestly don't think Rocket Rods would still be open today even if it did last longer than 2 years, especially now with other way better rides like Radiator Springs Races.
@@GhoulishGabs I’m glad I’m not the only one who wants the rocket rods back! (Of course this time done the right way). I was born in 2001 so I wasn’t alive for the people mover and rocket rods, but after watching videos of both I’d prefer to have the rocket rods brought back. They could even theme it to wall e or meet the robinsons (like having those flying time machines run down the track and the tunnels that go through the buildings can be used to simulate you jumping through time). I know it’s an unpopular opinion wanting these back, since usually like 80% of Disney fans want the people mover back. But I really hope that Disney goes with the rocket rods instead. Especially since wdw still has the people mover.
The peoplemover was boring af, the rocket rods was the right sentiment. They could connect autotopia with an upgraded rocket rods track and it would be an easy win for Disney, but they're too clueless to see it. They don't have creativity anymore and no shame having a rotting abandoned Walt era attraction rotting in the heart of tomorrowland while they work on new lands and new attractions instead of fixing something that would mean so much to everyone.
I never been or seen rocket rods, but the aesthetic is really cool to me. The one glow in the dark rod they were able to afford looked gorgeous. According to imagineer Tony Baxter a lot of concepts that were cut from Rocket Rods made it to Epcot's test track in it's revamp, which makes a lot of sense. Though I wouldn't mind a revamp of Rocket Rods as it was meant to be in Disneyland, even if that is unlikely. I also find it funny that in a way, "Rocket rods coming to California Adventure" wasn't a lie, since the Test Track ride system is used for Radiator Springs Racers.
When I was a wee child, I went on rocket rods and thought it was the best thing ever. Years later, as a young teen, I made an account on micechat called rocket_rods_fan or something. Off the bat I got all these adults saying horrible nasty things to be, and I was like, whoa whoa whoa? Like it was intense! My stint on the micechat boards was briefer than rocket rods itself. LOL! I loved this video! Rocket rods was such a cool concept, but if only it had been… you know… built better. You don’t often hear people say I loved the rocket rods. Thank you for taking one for the team haha
Lucky! I wish I was alive to ride it 😂. I was born in 2001 so by the time I was old enough to walk it had already been closed for a while. But if Disney ever brings it back and does it the right way, it could be an amazing ride
I feel so lucky to have been able to ride it as much as I did. That was a glorious time… catching bwitched and 5ive that one night. It felt like peak civilization. Cringe comment, I know. But it felt nice.
I would call you a horrible person, but I think you do have a point with the peoplemover. One of the major criticisms I have had with the peoplemover it with how it was marketed. The concept of a WEDway peoplemover system is best suited for consistently mass transit between a few points. For example: Airports.
If they bring back the rocket rods this time done right, it could be an amazing ride. I just wish I had gotten to ride it before it closed. Because by the time I was born (2001) it had already been closed
Good video and very informative, now I’m not sure if it’s maybe your style, but try not to make it seem so obvious that your reading from a script ( there’s nothing with having a script), but it gets the audience more engaged when you look at the camera as though we are in the room with you. You have very nice eyes too
Great video! You've converted me into believing in Rocket Rods supremacy. I will join the campaign for it to return to Disneyland instead of the PeopleMover. Actually, one step further - I will start the campaign for it to replace the Florida PeopleMover too. Long live Rocket Rods. 🚀🚀🚀
Video is rather quiet. RU-vid says it's -16db. A good level to shoot for when normalizing your audio is somewhere around -4 to -6 db. I had to use one of those sketchy apps that boosts the volume on my phone to hear you.
