Astro Orbiter Refurb is Complete!

We’re happy to say Astro Orbiter, closed for refurbishment since mid-January, has finally reopened and we got to ride today!

Astro Orbiter is located in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom next to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. It’s a spinning rocket ride that is as close to a carnival ride as Disney gets. Each rocket can seat two guests, with the smaller of the two toward the front of the rocket. There is one lap belt that needs to loop around both guests. That means little folks will be in the front of the rocket and will control the height at which you spin. Is it any wonder the smallest TouringPlans pals rate this ride the highest of any age group?

You can find ratings like this for every single ride in Walt Disney World on the TouringPlans Lines App. I have petitioned to add a Gen-X, Elder Millennial warning on the Lines App for this and other rides akin to “Bruh. Your inner ear and sciatica cannot handle this AND Space Mountain in one day. Pick one and child swap the other,” but I keep getting shot down. The good news? The refurbishment really did make this ride a better experience.

Smooth Moves

If you have taken a few whirls on the Astro Orbiter rockets in the last few years before this update, you too have likely been offended by the jerking and hulking movements the rockets made as they both whizzed and shook up and down as you gained altitude. It was uncomfortable and felt like a remark on the Casey’s Corn Dogs we didn’t need but certainly did eat. Rude. The excellent news is our flight today was the smoothest the ride has ever been in recent memory. No jerky movements, no bouncing with lever adjustments. The magnitude of the push or force as the rockets lower at the end of the ride is just as intense as it always was, just smoother than it has been in many moons.

Other than the totally rejuvenated bolts and bits, the rockets themselves have that new rocket smell we all love, as well as new lap belts and some very snazzy new paint. The outdoor queue, the sterile elevator ride, and loading process are all still the same.

Keep in mind that you don’t bound off of the elevator and into a rocket. While the majority of the queue is outside and on the ground level, you may still have to wait three ride cycles once you’ve taken the elevator to the platform. Check the TouringPlans Lines App for Posted and Expected Wait Times before you decide to hop in line.

Looking for more information on Astro Orbiter? Check out Five Things to Know About Astro Orbiter.

Are you an Astro Orbiter fan? Day or night? Let us know in the comments!