Condor Flats Needs More Personality. Planes, Anyone?

An unusual new Disney animated film is nearly upon us (the first non-Pixar feature film set in a Pixar world), and--no surprise--the Planes merchandise has landed ahead of the movie to begin the ballyhoo.

As usual for the Cars franchise, the little collectible die-cast characters are slickly packaged, and I love the backdrop for Skipper (shown above), as it looks like a ready-made Imagineering pitch for an upgrade to DCA's airstrip-themed Condor Flats.

This area, of course, holds the gigantic hangar-shaped show building for Soarin', the only real reason anyone ventures into Condor Flats. This land needs another ride and a big boost in the personality department.

It's got an appealing theme, and I love the ramshackle airstrip buildings on the Grizzly Peak side.

Perhaps, however, it's time to get rid of the giant rocket jet mist-blaster (which is an eyesore even when it's working) and really add some more charm (and much more shade) to the whole zone. I know I'm not the first blogger to point out that this would be a fantastic photo-op location for meeting the cast of Planes.

Any chance of the film's mythical Propwash Junction coming to life here in any form depends, I'm sure, on the movie's box office take. With or without the Planes crew, however, DCA's Condor Flats needs to become a truly beautiful and memorable destination, and not just the place you hurry through on your way to Soarin'.

Remembering the Rocket Rods

From PeopleMover to Rocket Rods to...Pretty much nothin'....

The old tower loading platform has become the saddest sight in Disneyland. Many fans avert their eyes as they walk past it, and everyone hopes that maybe--just maybe--this will be the year that Disney announces a great new project that will finally take over the location and erase the memory of Rocket Rods.

But we shouldn't forget the ill-fated PeopleMover replacement, because--truth be told--the Rockets Rods were a lot of fun...while they lasted.

Once There Was a PeopleMover (with Fish Heads & Crumbs)

The abandoned tracks twist above Disneyland's Tomorrowland, serving no purpose except as a nighttime lighting fixture for the area's entry strip. Once there was a PeopleMover ride bustling along that wonderful elevated roadway. Why it went away, and what happened to its much-hyped  and ill-fated replacement remains one of Disneyland's saddest tales. It's clearly time to move on, tear those old tracks down and have fun imagining the possibilities for Tomorrowland's future.

Younger Disneyland fans often ask about those old tracks. It's the duty of PeopleMover pros to pass along their knowledge to these eager learners. And it's important to get the facts straight. And avoid fibbing. And...hey, look, it's Fish Heads and Crumbs...

The Rocket Jets: Tomorrowland 1983

Soaring high above Tomorrowland aboard the Rocket Jets was an early-morning tradition in my family (we always rode right after Space Mountain), and a spectacular thrill I miss dearly. Riding the gantry elevator to the ride's third-story platform atop the PeopleMover station was an adventure in itself.

I'm sure the Imagineers had the best intentions when they closed the ride and reinvented it as the ground-level Astro Orbitor. The newer experience, however, pales in comparison to the views and exhilarating heights of the Rocket Jets.

Guests can still enjoy an elevated rocket spin on Walt Disney World's Astro Oribter and Tokyo Disneyland's Starjets. Whatever the future holds for Disneyland's Tomorrowland, I hope the thrill of flying far above ground level returns in some form. Tomorrowland used to be all about looking up toward the skies. The land's been grounded for far too long.