The CircleVision theater, located in the current location of Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, was unique in that it completely surrounded the audience with moving images and gave a tremendous sense of realism. The Circarama, which opened in 1955, was the predecessor of the CircleVision theater that re-opened in 1967 and featured a new film,  titled "America The Beautiful", which included many sites of the United States. Shot in 16mm film, and updated again in 1975, played into the early 80's, to be replaced by  two new films; now shot in 35mm and a new process,  "Wonders of China" and "American Journeys". All films were filmed in 360 degrees, using a camera specially developed by WDI and Kodak. 

     American Journeys  surrounded the audience with beautiful images of such places as the The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite, The Rockies, scenes from New England and New Orleans. 

     The second film, "Wonders of China", was a beautiful collection of moving images from China. Such landmarks as the Great Wall of China were featured. For several  shots for these two films, a special camera rig was loaded onto a helicopter. Soarin' Over California at Disney's California Adventure, while capturing some of these moments and doing it in an innovative way, did not compare with the full immersion and wonderful soundtracks of these two films.    
A Visit to CircleVison 360

Before you entered the main theater, a short  film presentation was shown in the foyer. CircleVision 360 has had several sponsors throughout it's existence including Bell Labs and Delta airlines. (Delta presented flight attendant uniforms, for instance, while Bell Labs demonstrated their new "video phones"  and fully enclosed telephone booths where an entire family could take part in a speaker-phone conversation). Inside the theater, the audience stands, and lean rails were provided to help with the stronger sensations of the film, but nothing in the theater actually moved.

The CircleVision theatre was closed during the construction of New Tomorrowland in 1997, and subsequently became the Rocket Rods queue. The Rocket Rods closed in early 2001. The lobby was then used for restoration of the King Arthur Carousel in Fantasyland, and construction for Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters began in 2003 and will open Summer, 2005.

  America the Beautiful  (Video)

TOMORROWLAND
Space Mountain - Astro Orbiter - Honey, I Shrunk the Audience - Star Tours
Buzz Lightyear - Innoventions - Disneyland Monorail - Finding Nemo: Submarine Voyage - Autopia
Tomorrowland Shopping - Tomorrowland Dining - Tomorrowland Entertainment - The Disneyland Railroad

Tomorrowland History