*Some sources (as “Disneyland Admission Media Rides and Attractions” report, page 39, published 1971), and other sanctioned sources cite March 24th, 1956 as the attraction’s soft-opening day.

At Disneyland® Park every attraction has a story, and there is a "story behind the story" of every attraction! Disneyland ride-through attractions and adventures are living experiences for guests and have officially been defined as an “individual show, ride, or exhibit designed to produce an entertaining Guest experience. Disney attractions stir the imagination, enliven the senses, and provide the participants with positive, innovative entertainment, which is the essence of the DISNEYLAND Show.” It is important to review the story of the attraction, tell the story, explain it, and create interest. This is the story of AstroJets.

“Blue Sky for the Roto Jet Ride”

You may have heard of Herb Ryman’s iconic “Aerial Over Disneyland” concept drawing! A subsequent document “The Disneyland Story” was produced (on September 26th & 27th, 1953), in order to tell the story of what guests would experience upon entering Disneyland and Tomorrowland. After a detailed 2-page description of the Rocket to the Moon attraction, the document plainly states : “We will have other outer space rides that we will develop as the Park progresses.” The United States Space Program had just begun, so this news must have excited many Americans of all ages.

Bruce Bushman (born Francis X. Bruce Bushman) attended Choinard Institute and was hired by Walt Disney Studios. He went on to fulfill the role of layout artist for several Walt Disney Productions. In 1954 Bruce served as layout artist for “Casey Bats Again,” “Social Lion,” and “Daisy’s Diary” (1954) before working on Walt Disney’s Disneyland! By 1954, Bruce Bushman was employed byBradley & Kaye and he began creating concepts for Rocket and Flying Saucers attractions. However, Tomorrowland opened on July 17th, 1955 without flying saucers and just one space-themed adventure - Space Station X-1.

Still, Walt Disney promised expansions for Tomorrowland when he announced, “Disneyland will continue to grow, to add new things, as long as there is imagination left in the world.” Walt Disney, on the eve of Disneyland’s first day of operation, promised that “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow, to add new things, as long as there is imagination left in the world.” The year 1956 brought many imaginative, new Park attractions, proving quickly the truth of Walt Disney’s words of an ever-expanding Disneyland! Two of these additions were part of a one million dollar Tomorrowland expansion. The presentation of the AstroJets show on the vast DISNEYLAND “stage” would become a distinct part of the Disneyland theater concept.

“Master Planning a Roto Jet Ride”

A “Roto Jet Ride“ was perhaps first mentioned in the minutes recorded in a Disneyland Merchant's Association Meeting (held January 25, 1956): “There is a new model that has never been used in the U.S. before. This will be in the spot where the 48 flags are now. These cars are maneuverable by the driver and are quite exciting, Ride capacity is 480 per hour or 4,000 per day. The 48 flags will be moved up to the entrance to Tomorrowland. The plan is to establish some billboards between the flags to tell what is in Tomorrowland.”

Lessees weren’t the only ones privy to knowledge of the coming attraction. Subscribers of “The Disneyland News” would soon read about the “Super Jet… an advanced design version of a ride that was recently developed in Europe,” [“Disneyland Expansion Plans Revealed - New Rides and Exhibits To be Ready by June 1,” The Disneyland News’ (Vol.1 - No.8 ; February 10, 1956)]. Imagery of the forthcoming attraction also began to become the subject of licensed Disneyland merchandise as the Acres of Fun souvenir fan.

“Concept”

Soon, (before Disneyland’s big summer season even began), the “First Annual Report to Disneyland Lessees” (prepared in February of 1956, by Ed Ettinger and the Disneyland Public Relations of Disneyland, Inc.) described the “Astrojet” which “promises to be a real spectacular in a place where the spectacular is accepted as commonplace. This ride, as modern as tomorrow’s news, will offer participants a preview of ‘Outer Space Flight.’ Passengers will ride in aero-jet gondolas suspended from 30-foot booms attached to a rotating central tower. The jets will be controlled individually by the passengers in each gondola. Levers inside the cars will allow the flyers to raise or lower their cars at will.”

According to Disneyland postcards printed during 1956, this attraction was to be “an advance version of the roto-jet and the only ride of this type now operating in the United States. It was invented, developed, and manufactured by the Klaus Company of Memmington, Bavaria.” The original concept was to feature “twelve cars, shaped aerodynamically,” at the end of “24-foot booms attached to a central tower. As the central tower turns, the cars will go up, to a height of 36 feet, or down, as the individual operator manipulates control levers inside the jet.”

In preparing a sketch for the poster design that promoted the forthcoming Skyway over Tomorrowland, artist Bruce Bushman referenced several attractions including the AstroJets. The AstroJets were assuredly being developed for Disneyland Park.

“Installation”

Now, thanks to ride importer Eric Wedemeyer Inc., the attraction was not the first of its kind, as it seems that nine Roto-Jets were imported into North America from 1954 to 1956 (for example Klaus’ Satellite Jets, opened 1954, at Palisades Park). This was also not the first attraction of its kind at Disneyland for that matter, considering that Dumbo Flying Elephants (an opening day attraction in Fantasyland) was a custom version of the Roto-Jets. Yes, in the heart of Tomorrowland (on the exact site of the Court of Honor) and adjacent to the Moonliner rocket and the Flight To The Moon, guests could soon board, test pilot, and “break the sound barrier” aboard their personal Astro-Jet!

“Final Preparation”

Note the colors of the jets in the image above. At least one Disneyland Souvenir Postcard preserves a “Vintage View” of the original red, blue, and green “Astro-Jets”(as well as the original hyphenated name on the Ticket Booth). You may also notice colorfully-striped central support. It was only a month after the soft-opening, when Walt’s artists changed the colors of the Astro Jets to blue and red (and added a red and white checkered pattern to the Central Tower support) before the opening ceremony. 1956 Pictorial Souvenir Guides would swiftly feature a photograph of the updated (blue and red) color scheme (though early licensed merchandise still featured the red, blue, green, and yellow color scheme as late as 1957). Lastly, you may note a most important detail - that none of the Astro-Jets have no names on them at this point in time!

“The AstroJets Attraction Poster”

According to “Disneyland Attraction Posters: 40 Years of Visual Adventure” by Margaret Shumate, published in Walt Disney Collector Society “Sketches” periodical: “With his usual attention to every detail of his beloved park, Walt Disney personally reviewed and approved each finished piece of poster art until his death in 1966.”

“Grand Opening”

The name of the attraction seemed to be one of the last sure things. The Disneyland News (published for March 10, 1956) began to describe the “Super Jet… a participation type ride that guests will be able to control by manipulation of levers inside the aero-jet cars.” Despite the fact that “News From Disneyland” (a press release, published 1956) mentioned “the super roto-jet…scheduled to open about April 1,” the launch was delayed and the “blast off” occurred the following day.

The Disneyland News reported on the opening ceremonies of April 2nd, 1956 : “Disneyland’s first major new ride - the Astro Jet - was opened Monday, April 2 with a fanfare and ceremony that included participation by members of the three flying arms of the United States military services. Personnel from the El Toro Marine Air Station, the 11th Naval District Headquarters at Long Beach were on hand to make the first ‘official’ flight in the Astro Jet.

The day’s activities got under way promptly at 11:15 a.m. with the arrival of the jet pilots in Tomorrowland at the wheels of Autopia Cars following a Parade down Disneyland’s Main Street. Director of Customer Relations Jack Sayers introduced the aces, many of them flight veterans with the hundreds of hours of jet flying time to their credit. Soloing with the flyers were youngsters from the Los Angeles and Orange County area, visitors to Disneyland that day. Also on hand and lending color to the ceremony were Disneyland’s Space Man K-7, and the futuristically clad Space Girl, the Disneyland Band, under the direction of Vesey Walker, provided appropriate musical background.

Following the dedication flight by the jet aces the assembled crowd was treated to an exhibition of precision flying given by the Disneyland Air Force, composed of volunteers recruited from various departments and leasee employees, under group captain John Miller. A special luncheon honoring the participants was held in the Red Wagon Inn following the special event.

Airmen who took part on the ceremony included Navy pilots Lieutenant JG Jerry J. Jester and Lieutenant JG Charles Steele from the 11th Naval District in San Diego ; Marine Pilots Captain Morris Eliasof and Lieutenant Edward Williams. Youngsters who flew with the jet aces were Glen Sherman, Jimmy Murray, Billy [K.]… and Timothy [D.]…of Los Angeles and Michael [L.] and Eric [B.] of Orange County.”

Walt Disney had “promised that his ‘Disneyland Story’ will never be completed,” according to “Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland” published 1956. Even after the opening dedication and fanfare, changes were coming that would further distinguish Walt’s attraction from those at other amusement centers and parks (attested to by that storybook-shaped advertisement on the ground, in the previous excerpt). Thirteen names were given to each Astro Jet. While according to some sources, thirteen AstroJets were to be emblazoned with the names of brightly burning stars, there were only ever a total of 12 Astro Jets attached to the attraction’s 12 booms at any given time.

“When Disneyland's present ‘realm of the future’ was designed in the early 1950's, Early Bird, Gemini and Apollo were space-age terms of the distant future. Even the household word ‘astronaut’ was still to be coined.”

WED Enterprises employee John Hench suggested the following names - Altair, Antares, Arcturus, Canopus, Capella, Castor, Pica (which cannot be confirmed to have been utilized), Procyon, Regulus, Rigel, Sirius, Spica, and Vega. Sometime after these names were added, footage of the AstroJets was shot and included in “Disneyland U.S.A.” (a People and Places feature film, distributed December 20, 1956, by Buena Vista Film Distribution).

Like most Disneyland attractions, the AstroJets had its own Ticket Booth. Here, Guests found the original price of admission for one flight aboard a red, green or blue rocket, was a “C” Coupon (or, a mere 35 cents). The Astro-Jets attraction was so popular that a version of the attraction was later built for Hershey Park, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The exciting attractions debuting during 1956, increased ride capacity, and during one day in August, a peak total of “197,547 individual rides” were enjoyed by Guests (according to a letter from Walt to Ward Kimball, dated January 23, 1957).

By September of 1958, an appraisal of Disneyland “land improvement” assets valued the AstroJets at $83,722.

There were many flight-based attractions in the hub of Tomorrowland (c. 1960s), including the Rocket to the Moon, the Flight Circle (where model jets performed high-flying tricks, while controlled by operators on the ground), and the AstroJets! Guests who wondered what it would be like to soar over Tomorrowland in the cockpit of a miniature jet looked no further than the Astrojets!

According to the Disneyland News : “Twelve jet-like gondolas were attached to a central tower by 30-foot metal booms. When the ride is operating, the central tower spins and raises the…unit into the air.”

According to some sources, pilots could choose one of thirteen AstroJets emblazoned with the names of brightly burning stars - Altair, Antares, Arcturus, Canopus, Capella, Castor, Pica, Procyon, Regulus, Rigel, Sirius, Spica, and Vega. The names were suggested by WED employee John Hench via a WED Inter-Office Communication dated May 1, 1956.

In 1959, the AstroJet ride structure was appraised between $53,100 and $58,000.

…and BLAST-OFF!

Above, it’a a busty day at the Astro-Jet Control Panel.

Castor (named after one of the Gemini constellation’s stars, and one of the brightest stars in the night sky), prepares for departure!

The jet engines of Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris, CMi or Alpha CMi) prepare for ignition!

Two passengers prepare to shoot through Tomorrowland’s sky aboard the Canopus!  Of note is seating arrangement of the AstroJets, where passengers sit side-by-side (rather than one-front-of-the-other).

Altair is believed to be the twelfth brightest star in the night sky, and it is the name of one of thirteen AstroJets!

A young pilot un-boards the Antares during late 1962 - early 1963. During the 1962-1963 winter season, the AstroJets operated only on weekends.

Yet another guest un-boards the Antares.

Safety is first at Disneyland! According to Vacationland (Sumer, 1961) : “Things like…the spindles…that support the AstroJets are made to specifications which far exceed those for comparable military items. Metal parts, like the spindles, that are subject to high stresses are sent out to engineering laboratories at least once each year for comprehensive examination to insure against weaknesses that could cause accidents.”

By 1959, Joe Fowler was Vice President of Disneyland Operations Committee and Doc Lemmon of Disneyland Operations was overseeing Operators of Rides & Amusements, Livestock, Parking Lot, and Ticket Sellers.

The Astro Jets carried the admission fee of 20¢ (or one Disneyland “B” Coupon) some time between May 28, 1960 and August 7, 1964. Table IV of the ”Ride Operating Schedule” (effective October 3, 1962) reported a maximum capacity of 480 guests week end days.

The Astro Jets would have carried the admission fee of 25¢ (or one Disneyland “B” Coupon) some time between May 28, 1960 and August 7, 1964. Only a few months later (in 1965), the price of piloting a high-flying jet to Disnyland’s outer space was a “C” coupon, or 35¢.

Not far from the Astrojet launchpad, guests found other flight-based attractions like the Thimble Drone Flight Circle (pictured left)! Here, guests could test model cars, boats, and planes sold through select Disneyland shops and catalogues.

The Klaus Roto-Jet was certainly popular among theme park goers during the “atomic” early 1960s. While the Astro Jets thrill Disneyland guests in the shadows of Skyway cabins, the Super-Jets shuttle guests under Sky Ride cabins (at Cedar Point, Ohio), more than 2,000 miles away!

The Spacebar (left) offered futuristic refreshment for the weary pilot, while the Mc Donnel Douglas’ Flight to the Moon offered a flight like no other - a grand circle tour of Earth’s Moon from outer space! The AstroJets were closed weekdays during the winter season of 1962, operating on weekends.

In just a few months from the point that this Vintage View was captured, the Astro Jets would be rebranded.

In 1964, United Airlines became the sponsor of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. One of their stipulations was that another Disneyland attraction change its name (due to competing American Airlines’ Astrojet service). So, after about a decade, the name AstroJets was discontinued, and the attraction was briefly renamed the Tomorrowland Jets, on August 7th, 1964. This name remained until the final flight of the Tomorrowland Jets on September 5th, 1966.

When the attraction reopened as the Tomorrowland Jets, a single admission price was originally similar to that of its AstroJets days - one “B” Coupon, or 25 cents.

After they were renamed, note the increased price of admission for the Tomorrowland Jets - now 60¢ (or, one Disneyland “D” Coupon).

The AstroJets were also featured in promotional media. For instance, in August of 1962, Lloyd Richardson, Larry Clemmons, Joe Marquette, Coy Watkins, and Jack Leppert (of the Walt Disney Studio) filmed and shot scenery for Studio Production #3185. During this visit, a plate was shot “looking through through the Astrojets at the Monorail.”

Photographs for the “Schwinn Takes A Trip To Disneyland” catalogue (including this one where the AstroJets became a background for a two-page spread exhibiting Schwinn bikes for girls and juveniles) were shot at Disneyland during the Tencennial celebration of 1965. The latter can be seen above.

Before the Tomorrowland Jets “blasted off” for the last time, the “D” Coupon admission fee for one ride increased by 10¢. Rides were now 70¢.

Since the beginning, the Four Keys of the DISNEYLAND Show (operating priorities in presenting the DISNEYLAND Show) have been present - Courtesy, Safety, Show, and Efficiency. Walt Disney Imagineers are always seeking out new magical opportunities to increase the efficiency, safety, and show quality of Disneyland adventures! Knowing their audience, artists like Herbert Ryman and George McGinnis began to create designs to integrate the AstroJets into the world of the New Tomorrowland. Part of the plans involved the attraction moving to another part of Tomorrowland. Internal materials published during 1966 teased: “Tomorrowland Jets - To be raised to a new level with access via a glass elevator.”

Some of these viable project Concepts (as seen above), were supported by a well-developed business case and built expectation.

Though the innovation of futuristic Rocket Jets would replace these mid-century-style jets, pilots of the original Astro-Jets understand the important place they hold in Tomorrowland history - inspiring an attraction which is beloved and around the world and seemingly “timeless” more than a half-century later!

In fact, the attraction inspired a legacy when the Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland opened!

By the release of the “Disneyland 1st Anniversary Souvenir Pictorial,” it was reported that “new rides have added some 40 percent to the Park’s ride capacity,” listing “the Astro Jet” among the contributors. Yes, in “Uncle Scrooge Goes To Disneyland” #1 (published 1957 by Dell Comics), even Uncle Scrooge shelled out the fare of one “Adult Admission” ($1.00), and likely the price of an “Adult Big 10” ticket book, in order to soar high over Tomorrowland aboard an AstroJet in this Carl Barks artwork!

“Walt Disney’s Disneyland Game” was manufactured by Whitman (maker of fine Disneyland publications, puzzles, and games). This Disneyland board game not only features the AstroJets on the cover art, but it also contained a buildable AstroJets-themed ‘Magic Whirl Spinner’!