The Astro Orbiter is now closed for refurbishment at Magic Kingdom and won’t reopen until sometime this summer. We made it out to Magic Kingdom this morning to take a look at the refurbishment, which has seen the arrival of a large crane for a likely rebuild of the attraction.
Crane Arrives for Astro Orbiter Refurbishment
We’ll start with a look at the crane from the ground before jumping on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover for a better look! All other attractions in Tomorrowland remain open and accessible during the Astro Orbiter refurbishment.
Astro Orbiter In Rough Shape Pre-Refurbishment
We took a spin on the Astro Orbiter earlier this month and wanted to share some photos of the state of the attraction before the refurbishment. The headline is: rust. Some of the elevator structure is rusting, the props are rusting and cracked, and the attraction mechanism is rusty and cracked. There are even plants growing up at the top of the three-story structure. It’s probably time for a rebuild. Here’s a look around.
With the ride spinning, we can get a good look at the mechanisms, which are all showing some amount of rust. Probably not uncommon given that this is exposed to the elements, but some of it looks rather concerning to the untrained eye.
For as bad as the structure and ride mechanisms looked, the rockets looked to be in pretty good shape. They’ve certainly received paint over the years.
Here’s a last ride until this summer!
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