LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (Railfanning.org New Wire) — The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover has long been one of Magic Kingdom’s most quietly fascinating attractions.
Envisioned as a future urban mass-transit system, the ride opened as the WEDway PeopleMover on July 1, 1975. The roughly mile-long elevated ride opened with 160 vehicles, operating in 32 five-car trains.
The attraction is rooted in a system Disney developed for the 1964-65 World’s Fair and later operated at Disneyland in California. The Walt Disney World iteration was considered Disney’s third-generation peoplemover system.
The attraction was popular from the start, carrying more than 4.6 million people in 1976.
Today, the attraction offers guests a leisurely ride around Tomorrowland. Weaving through buildings, the system provided a sneak peek at several attractions, including the Tomorrowland Speedway and Space Mountain.
One of the most interesting sections of the PeopleMover’s design is its connection to Space Mountain, the Magic Kingdom’s venerable roller coaster. For guests riding the PeopleMover while Space Mountain is stopped, it’s also a great way to see Space Mountain with its lights.
Before entering Space Mountain, trains pass over an electromechanical switch that sends a spur track to the left into the storage and maintenance area along Space Mountain’s exterior. Routine maintenance can be performed on-site, while more significant rehabilitation can be conducted in an off-line maintenance facility.
The main line then turns to the right and enters the darkened show building.
Inside the show building, the track passes through a darkened tunnel, giving riders a glimpse of the roller coaster’s main lift. Over the years, cast members have recommended that guests worried about riding Space Mountain ride the PeopleMover first for a better feel for the roller coaster.
Just before exiting the building, there’s also what appears to be a now-out-of-service return track. It appears that the original design would have allowed vehicles to rejoin the mainline seamlessly, a setup that would have made cycling cars on and off the loop more efficient and reduced operational disruptions.
While the system never caught on as an urban mass-transit system, a version of the PeopleMover opened in 1981 at Houston Intercontinental Airport.
At Walt Disney World, the PeopleMover has been relatively mishap-free throughout its history.
However, on Jan. 8, 1987, a small fire broke out in a tunnel, briefly closing part of Tomorrowland for about 90 minutes. No one was injured, and the mishap was blamed on an overheated electromechanical coil.
“It’s just a characteristic of an electronic system,” the Reedy Creek Improvement District fire chief told The Orlando Sentinel at the time. “Things like that will happen. This is the first problem they’ve had in the 10-plus years that system’s been operating.”
The attraction reopened after safety inspections and repairs.
Today, the PeopleMover, a tangible example of Walt Disney’s vision for the future, remains a popular attraction among guests. It offers a peaceful respite, and guests often hop on during a rainstorm or when they need a few moments to sit.
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