July 1955 – present
LOCATION
Tomorrowland – When entering from Main Street USA, you will see the Astro Orbitor right at the front.
BACKGROUND
Like every other ride in Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbitor has continuously changed and evolved since Disneyland first opened in 1955. The original rocket ride, the “Astro Jets”, sat next to the lagoon and featured checkered jets that navigated a wide 50-foot circle. In 1964, the attraction changed to the “Tomorrowland Jets” and moved to the top of the long gone PeopleMover ride’s still existing platform. And finally, in 1998, the ride was completely refurbished and moved to its current location, finally settling on its current name.
EXPERIENCE
Details:
- Single Rider Line – no
- Fast Pass – no
- Height Requirement – none
- Duration – 1:30
Like Dumbo The Flying Elephant, The Astro Orbitor rotates around a central monument, and pilots have the ability to adjust the height of each rocket ship. Each flight lasts about two minutes, during which guests experience a high-flying journey above Tomorrowland. The Astro Orbitor offers one of the best panoramic views of Disneyland (the absolute best from a moving ride), and invites space explorers of all ages to fly into the skies of Tomorrowland.
MY RATING: ★★★★★
The Astro Orbitor is really cool. I had always skipped it when I visited Disneyland because I assumed it was the same as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, but I’m so sorry I did! The Orbitor is very tall, and the ships go surprisingly high. As I said before, the views of the park are just breathtaking, and it’s really fun to fly around Tomorrowland in a rocket ship. This ride is really under-appreciated, so give it a try on your next visit.
VISITING TIPS
If the park is crowded when you visit, you may have to wait a long time to board the Astro Orbitor. My advice is to ride as late as you can. Crowds start to die down after dark, and the neon lights of Tomorrowland are so beautiful at night. The Astro Orbitor offers excellent views of Tomorrowland, the castle, and Main Street USA, all of which have a magical glow after dark.
If you don’t want to wait until the evening to visit the Astro Orbitor, the sooner you ride the better. I recommend hopping on the Orbitor first when you venture through Tomorrowland, since this is not one of the rides in this area with fast pass.
TRIVIA
When the Astro Orbitor moved to its new home at the entrance of Tomorrowland, Imagineers originally planned to install a small moat around the base, but this concept was never fully developed.
In honor of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, one of the planets hanging from the central monument changed into a hidden mickey. See if you can find it!
With four name changes, the Astro Orbitor earns the prize for the most names for a single ride (with no major changes to the ride itself).
At Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, after the completion of Star Wars Land in 2019, that ride could move all the way up to the top above the PeopleMover as opposed to Rocket Jets around 2020-2021.