Space Station

Greetings family, friends and Disney buddies. Today's rambling is about a little known opening day Disneyland Tomorrowland attraction that beat Russia's Sputnik satellite into "space" by two years.........Bill

Disneyana

SPACE STATION X-1

Space Station X-1 sounds more like one of those 1950’s science fiction movies like Forbidden Planet, Destination Moon, or Rocket Ship X-M  ,than a Disneyland opening day attraction. The simulated view of the United States from an imaginary orbiting manned satellite joined Trip to the Moon and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as the only three non-sponsored Tomorrowland  attractions on July 18, 1955. 

After turning a ten cent ticket over to the space suited cast member and entering through a darkened tunnel, guests stepped into a large round room, onto a slowly revolving platform to seek a spot close to  one of the large viewing windows. “This is Moon Watch Disney Reporting” a recorded voice announced  describing the experience where “you will witness a satellite view of America”.The convincing effect of orbiting the earth and crossing over the country at an altitude of about thirteen miles, from sunrise to sunset, took about three minutes. 

There were no satellites in 1955 and no one had seen the earth from space when Walt Disney’s assigned Imagineers Claude Coats and Peter Ellenshaw to create a low cost believable “space platform” attraction. They came up with a highly detailed circular panoramic aerial view painting on canvas that surrounded the perimeter of the room. Cloud and smoke, black light, and pinhole star effects were created as inspirational music played in the background. Except for a first few busy months of operation, the attraction wasn’t very popular and lost out to Disneyland’s other more thrilling and technologically advanced ride options. The re-naming to Satellite View of America following the launch of Russia’s Sputnik and America’s Explorer didn’t help increase attendance and Space Station X-1 made it’s final orbit in 1960.

-Bill  1/24