Disneyland Aeronautics
Written by @PerGron
When Blue Sky Disneyland [Tentative Name] opened to the public, initial plans for a railroad like in the other castle parks around the world were cut for unknown reasons. Other concepts, including a boat cruise across the park (later adapted into Taonga River Journey in Adventure Atoll), were also discussed, but none ever ended up coming to fruition in the initial plan. However, Imagineers noticed a severe lack of novel transportation throughout the park. Due to the park’s sheer size, to expect guests to traverse the large lands exclusively on foot would not work, so plans for park-wide transportation were once again ushered onto the table.
Imagineers jumped around, focusing on the theme of water, thinking about reviving the boat concept, but due to the Taonga River Journey filling that niche, as well as the park’s many water-sources being occupied by attractions already, the boat concept was once again scrapped. Another idea presented in the initial park was “Conflict,” which one Imagineer known as PerGron, pointed out was a great way to loosely define and tie together their lands. This idea was brought back up in designing the concept for park-wide transportation, but a ride powered by people punching each other didn’t fit the Disney mold, so instead it was sent over to Six Flags where it’d probably fit better.
Eventually, just as Imagineers were about to throw the whole concept out and do a flying alien saucer around the park themed to the 2005 hit film Chicken Little, the Imagineers came up with a concept that was revolutionary, one never before seen… at a Disney Park. Hot Air Balloons! However, the feasibility of lowering and raising hot air balloons just… well, it just didn’t work out. So, over a few beers and quite a bit of brainstorming, eventually, the Imagineers realized, what if we took the skyline just built in Walt Disney World, condensed it down to a smaller scale, and used “hot air balloons” instead of gondolas, and thus, Disneyland Aeronautics was born.
Comprising a route around the park, hot air balloons were chosen as the decided theme because, no matter what land they flew over, it’d fit thematically. The first-ever hot air balloon launched in 1783, and, although it wasn’t a massive success, the fact they existed was enough to justify seeing hot air balloons from Harbortown U.S.A. which is set post-American Revolution (which ended the same year as the first balloon took off). With the idea fitting into every time period and with the period accuracy in Harbortown USA met, the Imagineers began working on an official plan for how the system would work.
The air balloons load right outside of Harbortown U.S.A, nearby to the show building for The Haunted Lighthouse, at the Port Voyage Aeronautics Station then take a round-trip route of the interior of the park. Their first stop is out in Adventure Atoll in the Ottoman City area, nearby the stunt show, where guests can debark or board their trip here at the Adventure Atoll Aeronautics Station. Those balloons then travel over towards what many speculate to be Frontierland, but due to the park not having announced any official land filling that spot, it is unknown whether or not there will be a station there. The balloons then fly directly over Seasons of Fantasy, giving a phenomenal view of the land, but not offering the ability to stop here. Why? Some Imagineer insiders have suggested that the land itself was so dense, to add another structure here would probably collapse the ground out from under them (which is, hopefully, poking fun at the size of the land and not a true statement). Guests then stop at the station by Four Winds Square at the Four Winds Aeronautics Station. It is unknown if the plot speculated to hold Tomorrowland will be filled, or if the land will house a station, but balloons are shown going over the plot of land in the concept map. With that, guests return to the Port Voyage station.
There is also a secondary line for guests hoping to just ride out the attraction without all the stops, called the “Express Line.” Guests can choose the Transport Line for the stops along the route, or the Express Line for a relaxing ride with gorgeous views of the whole park.
Each station will be simple, with theming from their respective land, including mainly being wood and sandstone in Adventure Atoll, having a colonial Boston feel in Port Voyage (due to its proximity being closer to Harbortown U.S.A., and with bright Mary Blair artwork at Four Winds Square.
Each “balloon” can hold up to ten people and are fixed with seat belts that lock during the duration of the ride for guest safety without having to enclose the whole structure. With stops included, guests riding the transport line all the way around are looking at a 30-minute ride, while the express line cuts that time down to 15 minutes, depending on loading, making it the longest attraction in the park, but one known for its gorgeous views and relaxing setting. As of now, there are around 60 balloons on the transport line, each holding up to 10 passengers, so, hypothetically, 600 people can be in the transport line at a time, giving the transport line an hourly capacity of 1200 guests. The Express Line, however, has only 30 balloons, and thus, gives it the same hourly capacity.