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)
