![]() (WED standing for Walter Elias Disney, of course!) Goodyears in Disneyland Walt passed away before it was installed, but he did get to ride a prototype – and I can only imagine the fun he had! Thankfully, the Imagineers remained true to his vision, even keeping Walt’s nickname for the project, “PeopleMover,” as part of the final name: WEDway PeopleMover. Goodbye traffic jams, hello fast lane!Ī Ford Mustang being debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair – with Walt’s help! (Photo: Ron Frazier Via Flickr)Īlthough this technology didn’t end up in the average street, it did end up in Disneyland. (Fun fact – masonite is a type of engineered wood! 3 But maybe you already knew that?)Īn EPCOT film quips that these new-fangled traffic lanes could be the way of the future – after all, even if a car’s motor went kaput, the motors and wheels in the road would keep the car moving. The wheels were placed every nine feet along the ride’s track, and as the wheels turned, they would make contact with masonite placed beneath the cars, pushing Ford Mustangs along their merry way. The conveyor system Walt and the Imagineers came up with would have electric motors that powered wheels embedded in a track. 2 Even as he watched the steel skeletons trundle down the line to become real cars, Walt began engineering his own plan, thinking to himself how he could turn an assembly line into an incredible journey. This gave people a chance to test drive a Ford without having to put up with an annoying car salesperson! An actual Ford assembly line inspired the conveyor system in Detroit, which Walt Disney witnessed firsthand on a business trip. The attraction was appropriately called “Magic Skyway.” Ford convertibles were placed on a conveyor-type track, making the cars the ride-vehicles themselves. The Ford Rotunda at the New York World’s Fair. The combination of Ford’s flare – it introduced the Mustang here – and Disney magic made this particular pavilion the most popular one at the World’s Fair. The Ford Motor Company hired Disney to design the Ford Pavilion at the Fair. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, or just PeopleMover for short, was originally developed for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. I’m riding the PeopleMover again!” Fords & Fair Lanes After you read this, you might just say, “Forget Space Mountain. It’s a journey through Disney history, scientific breakthroughs, and of course, a touch of magic. A ride on PeopleMover is not just a ride through Tomorrowland. It also offers the chance to observe the Kingdom from a new perspective.Īlthough a “leisurely” train ride might not sound like the most exciting attraction, the PeopleMover is actually full of intrigue. It provides a nice change of pace from the rat race (or should I say mouse race?) of the Magic Kingdom. The narrator’s soothing voice even encourages you to sit back and relax. When I was able to see Space Mountain with the lights on, it was a fascinating view, but I’ve heard from others that it “ruins” their perception of Space Mountain.While the “PeopleMover” sounds like it should be on an album with The Purple People Eater or the title of a bad sci-fi B-movie from the fifties and sixties, it is actually Disney World’s take on a mass-transit system! Unlike the crowded subways of NYC or the bustling London “Underground,” the PeopleMover is described by its patrons as leisurely. If you go on the PeopleMover while Space Mountain is closed, there’s a chance you’ll be able to see the iconic roller coaster with the lights on.Lines are almost always short for this ride.This ride was originally called the WEDway PeopleMover.This ride features a portion of the model for the original plan for the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow (aka EPCOT), which Walt Disney intended to be a city, not a theme park.The point is to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. If you want a bit of a break from the heat and running around, the PeopleMover is the ride for you! There’s nothing terribly thrilling about the PeopleMover, but that’s not the point. ![]() ![]() This is the definition of a relaxing ride. ![]() While the PeopleMover was originally foreseen as a mode of transportation, this ride only goes on a single-stop grand-circle tour. ![]() Guests can board the PeopleMover at the single station at Rocket Tower Plaza. Notable sights include inside of Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover takes passengers on a tour above Tomorrowland. ![]()
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