Tomorrowland has the most active skyline of any land in the park; around every corner you’ll see flying rockets, a mountain, towering tracks, and lots of geometric architecture. But you may notice one structure flying high above the rest: the Moonliner!
This rocket is a 2/3 replica of the original Tomorrowland Moonliner, which stood at the end of the walkway (roughly in the plaza where the Launch Bay resides now). The rocket marked the entryway to Rocket to the Moon, one of Tomorrowland’s first headline attractions. From 1955 – 1961, the structure was sponsored by TWA (Trans World Airlines), and bore the logo on its head. From 1962 – 1967, the rocket took on a new sponsor: Douglas Aircraft.
When Rocket To The Moon closed in the 1960s, the Moonliner disappeared from Tomorrowland. It became a symbol of Disneyland nostalgia, recognizable only to older generations of Disneyland fans. But in the 90s, Tomorrowland went through an expansion and transformation, and a replica landed back home, this time representing Coca Cola at Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port.
For more information about the rocket’s original run at Disneyland and its history of sponsorships, check out these two awesome articles from Yesterland. They are fascinating reads!
