Flying Saucers, Flying Tires, and Hoverboards: The Evolution of Disney's Failed Concept
It’s the 1960s. Futuristic themes are incorporated into the American lifestyle, with advancements in technology, and the thought of what tomorrow will bring. Shows like The Jetsons (1962) as well as many others are bringing forward the idea of “Space Age.” There are also countless cheesy horror B-movies being released across the country and shown in drive-ins to countless Americans. Sci-fi themes such as UFOs and other space monsters become popular topics. One attraction explored by Walt Disney was that of a hovercraft style vehicle. A German salesman had delivered a hovercraft to him, complete with rotating fans and the ability to levitate above the ground. This idea was actually considered for a ride system at one point to replace the problematic Phantom Boats in Tomorrowland. However, the hovercrafts were very noisy, and it was viewed as too dangerous to have guests sitting near high speed rotating blades. Another possibility was explored with a bumper boat system. A known tech...
