Friday, September 19, 2008

Disneyland in Focus: Adventure Thru Inner Space pt. 2



Back again today for the conclusion to this 2-parter. When it came to edu-tainment, few did it as well as Disney. Who woulda’ thunk that an attraction about molecules and atoms would be so popular? Or maybe it was just the fact that the Omnimover system provided the perfect place for a quick little makeout session (under the watchful guidance of Disneyland cast members). Either way, this attraction is still talked about with extreme fondness over 20 years after its removal (Sept. 2, 1985).



Even cast members got a little lovin’ on this attraction:









A little Monsanto propaganda, which is only natural since they sponsored the attraction until September 1977. Once Monsanto was gone, virtually all traces of the sponsor’s name were removed and ATIS carried on for another 8 years.



See more Adventure Thru Inner Space photos at my regular website. For the Major who asked the other day if the Main Street Wooden Indian was still around, here is a visual timeline from 1955 to present of the famous icon which is still there for guests to enjoy:















See more Disneyland Adventure Thru Inner Space photos at my main website.

6 comments:

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Amazing ATIS photos Dave! "Maybe, just maybe...." I used to think that too...! Oh I do miss this attraction. Thanks for all the "Disneyland In Focus" series', they rock!

Major Pepperidge said...

WOW, I didn't expect a "part 2" of ATIS, which is even better than part 1 (and 1 is pretty fabulous)! I have a crazy dream that one day they might recreate this attraction, only they might use newer lighting technology and updated effects (but they'd have to keep Paul Frees!).

Thanks for the Indian update, I'm glad to know he's still there. I was just talking to someone who mentioned that the Frontierland and Main Street versions had different colored capes (green and red), but here's one that's blue.

And by the way, I haven't been to the park for almost 2 years!

CoxPilot said...

Thanks for the immortality Dave. That first picture of me with the indian in the stupid hat was in July 1955, only a couple of weeks after the Park opened.

TokyoMagic! said...

Dave, I have a question about that second to the last ATIS photo. I have seen photos taken from this angle before and they confuse me. I recognize the unloading area on the right and the "corrugated" wall which later had attraction posters on the left, but where is the exit? I only remember ATIS after the removal of the "flattened" World Clock....you would exit into that little side area of The Character Shop. In all the photos I've seen with the clock, it looks like the room dead ends in that corner.

By the way, great photos! This was my second favorite attraction next to Carousel of Progress! We ALWAYS went on both of them during every visit to the park....and both of them were free back then!

Daveland said...

Tokyomagic - My feeble memory cannot answer your question...I barely remember the attraction, let alone the exit. Hopefully someone else here can help!

Thufer said...

love it. from top to bottom - a wonderful post.