>Take a Slow Ride, Take it Easy

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In 1966, when Walt Disney taped a 24 minute preview of what EPCOT was going to be, no one knew he would not be around to see his dream come to fruition. The EPCOT that Walt proposed is not the Epcot that we have today. He had a vision of a utopian society where people could live and work. This Experimental Prototype Community was to always be growing and changing, with new technologies and with all the best practices that were to be developed. At one point the “City” was to be put under a dome. Cars and

trucks would be forbidden in the town’s center and would only travel underground. This was Walt Disney’s EPCOT. But Walt passed away and his plans never were realized. His brother Roy and the other leaders of the Walt Disney Company did carry out the first phase of Walt’s Florida Plan, by building the Magic Kingdom and the resort hotels around it, but when it came to EPCOT, they weren’t sure what to do. When they finally decided to build it, they decided that they would not have people actually live there, but would present the technology that can helps us to change our lives and to also present the world that we live in. This is the Epcot that we have today; World Showcase and Future World, two areas in one park that grew from Walt’s original plans.

Many people don’t know that the model for the original Community is still in Walt Disney World. It can be found in what I consider an Unknown Magical Attraction that can be found underneath the Astro Orbiter. I personally find it one of the best things to do in Tomorrowland, but I like to take it easy and not rush, so the ride you take on this attraction is just my speed.

The attraction is called the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. The PeopleMover takes you on an elevated ride around Tomorrowland. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is powered by a process using linear induction motors which are really huge magnets. To get to on the PeopleMover, you need to go up a moving incline ramp; up to the ride vehicles. As I said this is right below the Astro Orbiter. As you are riding around, above Tomorrowland, you pass by a model of what looks like a futuristic city. This is the model of EPCOT, the EPCOT Walt envisioned.

As you travel above Tomorrowland, you can also hear an inside joke that pays tribute to an attraction that is no longer in the Magic Kingdom; passing through Space Mountain, you hear “Paging Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Please contact Mr. Johnson in the Control Tower to confirm your Flight to the Moon.” It isn’t just a witty play on words it actually pays tribute to Mission to Mars the attraction that used to be where Stitch’s Great Escape is now.

This attraction is a very easy going laid back ride that you can take a slow ride that just keeps going around and around. It isn’t flashy, it isn’t something that you need to ride because you need to tell everyone back home about it, but it is an attraction that shouldn’t be missed. It is one of these Magical Experiences you get from taking it easy, instead of going Disney Commando, because not only do you get to see the model of Epcot, but you also get to see inside of the other attractions in Tomorrowland. This is a must ride when Space Mountain has broken down, because they turn the lights on inside the “mountain” and you can see the tracks and how the ride is set-up.

So, know you now, you can see some Disney history, the inside of some attractions and still enjoy a relaxing view of Tomorrowland. All you need to do is take the ramp up to the next level and get on the PeopleMover and take a slow ride, take it easy.

>Above it All

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You fly past the planets in one of 12 vehicles at 11 Revolutions per minute. The attraction travels 1.2 million miles per year, without ever leaving its spot in Tomorrowland. And you feel as if you are speeding into space, with every trip. This attraction was considered the focal point of Tomorrowland after it was added in 1974; it helps that this Unknown Magical Attraction is above everything else in sight and its spinning motion and central location helped too. No, it’s not Space Mountain, it is the Astro Orbiter.

Originally called the StarJets, this attraction was refurbished in 1994 and is still as great an attraction as it was back then. With a two person ride vehicle shaped like a rocket, it is a fun ride for everyone in your family. Once you take the elevator up to the launch pad, and get settled into your “rocket” you lift off and start to “orbit around a retro sci-fi style central structure full of brightly-

colored planets”. As you fly around, you can use the joystick to make your rocket fly higher or lower. This is great fun with kids as long as neither of you is afraid of heights, because even though it is kind of like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, it is much higher.

If you aren’t afraid of heights, this is an amazing attraction as you can see all of Tomorrowland. It is especially wonderful at night as the lights are lit on both the Astro Orbiter and all the rest of Tomorrowland below. What an amazing sight it is when you are circling in the dark, high above everything.

This is one of those attractions that can create Magical Experiences for you and your family, but you have to make sure you don’t walk by it. The elevator to get up to the launch pad is found near the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover entrance. So, the next time you are in Tomorrowland, especially at night, take a few minutes to get Above it All!