“A” is for Adventure Thru Inner Space

The Adventure Thru Inner Space (aka “ATIS”) attraction opened on August 5, 1967 in the location now taken up by Star Tours.



Sponsored by Monsanto, it provided a showcase of their “technologies”…



and all the wonderful (?) uses of their delightful chemicals, including fashion.



It also provided the first use of the Omnimover system. If these little vehicles look familiar, that’s because they’re still being used on the Haunted Mansion. The benefit is that they keep the people moving and can twist & turn in the direction that Disney wants you to look. On this wacky and extremely dark ride, sometimes the guests did a little bit more than just twisting and turning. Fortunately for them, this was before closed-circuit cameras had been installed. From one of the cast members who worked the attraction:

We would see marijuana lit tips coming through, as well as many people desperately grabbing at one another. Usually all we had to do was shine the flashlight in their eyes and reprimand them for their activities, with a threat of taking them to Security to achieve the desired effect. I don't recall having to actually follow through with any action. Although ATIS didn’t have a camera system, there was one installed on the PeopleMover, covering the areas where the cars slowed down (through the ride buildings). In addition, the PeopleMover had pressure-sensitive pads placed along the catwalks in these same buildings which would automatically stop the ride should someone crawl out of the cars.”

Another Daveland reader shared this story:

Naturally this was a great ride during Grad Night—all these kids wanted a dark place to make out, but the Disney people would sometimes play games with them. On one specific grad night, a couple asked a cast member how long the ride was. He told them it was 10 minutes or something of the sort…the ride was only 3-5...so off the couple went. As the crew was watching the kids take their clothes off, the rest of the cast waited at the end the of the ride where the car came out. As the car jumped into the lighted area, the half-naked kids jumped around trying to put their clothes back on as the cast members started to applaud and dole out cat calls.



The premise was that the guest was being shrunk down to the size of an atom. Remember seeing those miniature vehicles in the test tube with guests in them? Geez…how did they do that?!?



While many view this attraction with fond memories, I just thought it was a snoozer. Chemistry bored me in school, and even with a Sherman Brothers tune playing over and over again (“Miracles from Molecules”), this one had the same effect.



At least it had some interesting space-age planters outside the building. Probably the closest to nature that Monsanto ever got.

See more Disneyland ATIS photos at my main website.

Inside The House of the Future

Let's journey back to August 1965 for an inside tour of the Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland. Our tour guide is waiting for us at the door.



These shots were taken only a few years before this large plastic behemoth was removed from the Park.



This print is pretty cool; I wonder what happened to it and who the artist was?



The sun was really streaming in and casts some interesting shadows on the living room.



While the outside looked sterile, I really do like the interiors. They feel warm and comfortable.



I can't quite make out what was playing on the TV.



Here's where the folks of the future would eat dinner.



Think you might be happy living in a home like this?

More Disneyland Monsanto House of the Future at my main website.

July 1972: Tomorrowland

Hard to believe that this first shot isn’t a professional image. The gateway to Tomorrow is perfectly framed. Over the entrance you can see the PeopleMover, a clean and efficient way to move guests around the park. Walt had hoped this transportation system would be at the heart of EPCOT. Plenty of wide open space in Tomorrowland as guests are welcomed into a land of promise, hope, and innovation.

38 years later, the entrance has an off-the-shelf type of attraction that smacks visitors as soon as they leave Central Plaza. There are no scenic vistas or glimpses of a promising future here; just faux rock formations and the Astro Orbiter.



Up above, the once promising PeopleMover is nothing but a vacant and crumbling track. To the left and to the right, guests can choose between Buzz Lightyear (a life-size immersible experience video game) or Star Tours (a simulated thrill-ride through space). Can I get a door number 3 option that is more innovative and futuristic, please?



Zoomed into the vintage shot to show the Monsanto sponsorship sign for the Adventure Thru Inner Space attraction, which now houses Star Tours:



The Seven Dwarfs seem somewhat out of place at the Tomorrowland Terrace; perhaps they missed their exit to Fantasyland from the Disneyland Railroad.



I love this Rolly Crump designed area that is just oozing 1970’s mod charm:



Today, this section of Tomorrowland still boasts some of the flavor that was born with the “New Tomorrowland” remodel of 1967, as can be seen from this contemporary view (shot from a different angle):



See more Disneyland Tomorrowland photos at my main website.

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.

Disneyland in Focus: Adventure Thru Inner Space

Although it’s been gone for over 20 years, this particular attraction truly has a cult following. I rode it many a time in my youth, and just remember it as being extremely weird, yet fun...very hard to describe. The thing that sticks out in my mind the most about this attraction was watching the "guests" in the Omnimovers who had supposedly been shrunken by the Mighty Microscope. I remember staring in wonder at the miniature vehicles and figures knowing that it couldn't be possible, but maybe...just maybe....
















See more vintage Adventure thru Inner Space photos at my regular website.

Monsanto Planters

It’s Friday, and time for a totally random set of photos. These four shots were taken for Engineering and are labeled "Monsanto Planters." Basically, they are the area just outside of Adventure Thru Inner Space, dated October 1976. And if you don’t believe me on the date, just check out the athletic socks hiked up to here!



How about this cool trio of water fountains?



The Lone Stroller:


For even more random goodness, here’s one that I believe has not been posted before: The Astro Jets, with a little Flight Circle action going on in the background, circa April 1963:



See more vintage & current Tomorrowland photos at my website.

Adventure Thru Inner Space, 1960’s

Matterhorn to the rescue again, as I was pretty much stumped by these 2 slides that I recently received. I recognized the “M” Monsanto logo, but that was about it. Both are from the Adventure Thru Inner Space ride in Tomorrowland (which is now Star Tours). The second shot is from the exit queue, where Monsanto displayed items made out of their space age man-made material. I remember when I used to ride this as a kid that I thought it was so cool that the ride could shrink you!

Any other information about these would be appreciated.



For more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos, check out my main website.