Fifty-Eight Years Ago...

The Last Weeks For Big Thunder 1.0

Big Thunder Mountain viewed from the Mark Twain

The recent Disney Parks Blog confirmation that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close on January 7th for the most extensive refurbishment in its 33 year history has me itching to get to the park for one last ride on its original rolling stock...and one last brake run through the little town of Rainbow Ridge.

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.

Paradise Pier Before the Makeover

Way back before the Cozy Cones existed in Cars Land, Disney California Adventure harbored another bright orange landmark. But this one didn't serve Chili Cone Queso. Epcot has Spaceship Earth, but DCA had the Orange Stinger. Insert sad trombone music here.

And right next door, you can see the now-gone towers of the Maliboomer ride, which was supposed to resemble a gigantic test-of-strength mallet game. For some strange reason, that end of Paradise Pier had a "giant" theme going on, as it also hosted the giant hamburger UFO at the long-gone McDonald's Burger Invasion (barely visible on the left there).

Appearances aside, the problem with Orange Stinger was that it contained a circular swing ride, and the ride's views were mostly blocked by the surrounding orange peel. The experience felt like spinning around inside a dockside warehouse.

Maliboomer was a fun, scary ride, but it looked tacky and too modern for the Pier's theme.

In 2012's DCA, Orange Stinger has become the open-air Silly Symphony Swings and the Maliboomer's given way to...some planters. The removal of both original structures has greatly improved the believability of Paradise Pier's old-time boardwalk atmosphere.

Inside and Out of the Matterhorn

How about a brisk Matterhorn Bobsled run to wake you up first thing in the morning? On-ride Matterhorn photos always make me want to shout, "Woooooooooo"...or something like that.

Hello, teacups! These shots were taken just before the recent refurb, so we're in the older bobsleds. One of the many things I love about the ride is how little of the track support structure is visible. You see the two rails, and that's all, makinge the zippy descent all the more thrilling.

Time Machine Day: Alice in Wonderland 1967

Caterpillars twist their way down the outdoor finale of Disneyland's Alice in Wonderland ride, circa 1967, as seen through the lens my childhood Polaroid Swinger Camera!

This is the original version of Alice before the remodel -- the version with the Upside Down Room, Oversized Room and hallway of Screaming Doors. In this version, the track did not re-enter the castle at the end; it twisted back and forth all the way to ground level, then simply did a U-turn to the unload zone.