Disneyland's PeopleMover (video)

One more nostalgic post before we move on: the Disneyland PeopleMover. An absolute fan favorite, it ranks among the top things people miss in the Disney parks today. 

This PeopleMover opened in 1967 (before Magic Kingdom itself opened in Orlando) and closed in 1995. Like Orlando's present version, it roamed Tomorrowland, but the Anaheim version went out into the Autopia area, and it went up and down more rather than stay on a level surface. It was powered by tires in the floor, the same thing that gives a boost to bobsleds in the Matterhorn. Both systems had been inspired by the Ford factory, where Disney workers touring the place (prepping for the Ford-sponsored 1964 World's Fair attraction) saw a similar system for moving materials, and realized it could be used for Moving People... and the placeholder name stuck. The Ford pavilion used a similar method of moving people... in Ford cars. When the ride came to Orlando, a new direction for propulsion was taken that was tire-free and more constant.

Here's my video from 1994, about a year before this ride closed.

The PeopleMover track was vacant for a while, then it was replaced by the faster Rocket Rods, which developed tire problems and track stress issues, and the track is again unused.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Wet 'n Wild Tour Part 15 - Bubba Tub

The family raft ride at Wet 'n Wild is called Bubba Tub, an oddly fitting (if vaguely Southern inspired) name.

The ride design is simple enough: it's a straight shot down from a tall tower, with only various drops and no turns whatsoever. That means you build up speed, friends and neighbors, and the ride has thrills to spare.

Alas, that also means it generates a lot of lines. That's especially true since the line seems to move slowly. If you're here with a group, this might be one of your first destinations in the morning, if you come early enough that lines are still short.

At least you don't have to haul the family raft up the stairs; they are sent up for you.

One last note: unlike several of the other family raft rides, this one uses the "common floor" design rather than everyone having his own "corner" of the raft and his own circle to sit in. This is the more traditional big, open raft.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

The Disneyland Skyway (video)

The recent post about Norway's lost ship has made me nostalgic, so I'm going to dwell for a couple of posts on things I miss (and have ready video access to).

In 1994, Disneyland removed its Skyway attraction that connected Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.

I happened to be working at Disneyland at that time, and was working that morning. So when I heard that day was the last day, I bolted home, grabbed the 1994-era video camera (let's just say it was shoulder-mounted and contained a VHS tape), and came back to document the very last day of operation (and probably not too many hours of daylight left, either). The result was this video you see here:

The audio, needless to say, was dubbed in later.

People would get up to mischief on the Skyway (it had a minor Mile High Club cachet, among other things), and it was labor intensive. People would get hurt on the thing, others would sue, and kids would spit on people below. But what did the Skyway in finally was the ADA law, which required wheelchair access, and none of the platforms, stations, or cars were equipped for wheelchairs, so the ride could not be renovated without hefty costs (with any refurbishment, the ride has to come up to ADA requirements).

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Wet 'n Wild Tour Part 14 - Lazy River

There's a lazy river at Wet 'n Wild, and it's inventively named... Lazy River.

I'm always amazed at the lines of people waiting to float in a lazy river, in any water park. I do it too, so it doesn't surprise me that people want it. What surprises me is that parks doesn't fix this by creating ever more lazy rivers. People like them!

That's no exception here at Wet 'n Wild, where you can find a small crowd always waiting to grab a tube and float along. This is all the more amazing because it's not a tremendously imaginative lazy river. It's got some lush greenery, but nothing special, and there is no particular theme. It would be just as easily at home in a Las Vegas hotel as it is here.

This is no knock on the ride - people still want it and line up for it - but perhaps it reflects the larger topic of this park's status. Mostly, Wet 'n Wild caters to thrills, with a healthy dose of "doing it togetherness" in the ride design. The lazy river doesn't fully support that thesis, but neither does it argue it against it particularly. It simply is. Maybe people want a break from the thrills?

The lazy river is a simple oval, creating an island in the middle. Bridges arch over the river in a few places so you can access the island, which is largely peaceful (and where the cabanas are, as well as the all you can eat BBQ).

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

The lost Norway pavilion Viking ship

Since we just looked around Norway, I was feeling nostalgic, so I looked in the photo archives for a few pictures of the Viking ship that used to be here.

It was a playground, and you could climb aboard to pretend you were sailing the high seas. I think there was a very minor climbing net here too, but that was it in terms of playground equipment. It was mostly a prop you could climb on. Then, in the mid-2000s, they blocked access to it, and you could only look at it.

Finally, the prop was removed entirely, and the area was nothing but bushes for a little while in 2008.

Happily, some of the pieces came back as props for the Kim Possible Adventure.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Wet 'n Wild Tour Part 13 - Wake Zone

The back part of Wet 'n Wild is a lake, on the other side of which are apartments and other tall buildings--these are no part of the park. But the front half of the lake is part of the park. It's the Wake Zone, where you can knee-ski, wake board, or be pulled along in an inner tube. Each costs additional money.

It's $7 (or $10 for doubles) to ride the Wild One, which is an inner tube experience. 

It costs $12 for wake boarding or knee-skiing. This requires more in the way of equipment, and involves being pulled along an automated pulley system that moves around the lagoon.

These are unique experiences in Orlando water parks, though you can find other Central Florida facilities outside of water parks which give you this chance.

One caution: there is a dangerous amoeba in Florida lakes called Naegleria fowleri, and on warm days, it can rise from the bottom of the lakes and be where swimmers are. If it gets into your nasal passages (such as you falling while knee-skiing), it's potentially fatal. People die from this every summer in Florida, so use a nose clip or simply opt to skip the attraction if you're worried.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Norway Pavilion - A few pictures

Here's a "just because" look around Epcot's Norway pavilion. I picked it at random (and no, I'm not about to start on a tour of all the pavilions).

This pavilion strikes me as ever more photogenic, the more you look at it and examine it. I have a further cache of pictures in the kitty already, but I'll reserve those for a later time. In the meantime, this is just a quick glance around to confirm the pavilion is much more than just the Maelstrom attraction or the Akershus restaurant. Do you take a photo with that giant troll every visit?

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.