Astro Orbitor

Is it worth it?

It's worth riding if you have little kids, first-timers or anyone who loves classic Disneyland. It's an easy, low-stakes spin with a great view over the Tomorrowland entrance, and it's a direct descendant of the park's original 1956 rocket ride. Skip it if your list is full of headliners. It's short and simple, and you won't get much from it that Dumbo-style spinners don't already give you. The catch is its location. Because it sits on the main path into Tomorrowland, the area around it bottlenecks, and the line can look much longer than the ride is worth.

About Astro Orbitor

Astro Orbitor is Tomorrowland's rocket spinner at Disneyland Park: you pilot a small rocket around a central brass-and-planets tower, using the control in your vehicle to raise or lower it as you circle. It sits at ground level right at the entrance to Tomorrowland, so it's the first thing you pass when you walk in from the Main Street hub.

Insider tips

• Use the height control. When you raise your rocket all the way up, you get the best of the ride: a clear look across the hub toward Sleeping Beauty Castle and down into Tomorrowland. If you leave it low, you mostly see the queue.
• Notice the name. Disneyland spells it "Orbitor," while Magic Kingdom's version is the "Astro Orbiter." The ride's design was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's drawings, so take a look at the central tower while you wait.
• Know the history. It started in 1956 as the Astro Jets and became the Rocket Jets in 1967, when it sat up high in the middle of Tomorrowland. It moved to its current ground-level spot at the land's entrance and reopened as Astro Orbitor in 1998.
• Avoid the choke point. If you're coming from Fantasyland, take the walkway behind the castle on the Tomorrowland side, past Snow White's Wishing Well. It drops you near the ride and skips most of the Main Street and Tomorrowland crush.
• Pick a slow moment. A spinner like this loads only a few riders per cycle, so the line moves slowly when it gets long. Check the posted wait in the Disneyland app and ride when it's short, often during a parade or late in the evening, rather than walking up at a busy time.
• Lightning Lane: As of November 2026, Astro Orbitor isn't on Disneyland.com's list of Lightning Lane Multi Pass attractions, so plan to use the standby line.
• Rider Switch: Rider Switch is available at most Disneyland Resort attractions. Ask a Cast Member at the entrance if part of your group won't be riding.

Who can ride

Check the posted height requirement at the entrance or Disney's current listing before you get in line. This is a gentle ride: there are no drops or inversions, and you control how high your rocket goes. You keep spinning in circles the whole time, though, so riders who get dizzy on carousels or Dumbo-style rides may feel queasy. Keeping the rocket low and looking at the horizon can help. Very young kids are usually fine, but the height can bother kids who are nervous about heights. Let them handle the control so they can stay low.

Nearby

• Star Tours - The Adventures Continue — steps away
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters — steps away
• Mickey's Mix Magic with Fireworks — about 1 min walk
• Plaza Inn — steps away
• Little Red Wagon — about 1 min walk
• Galactic Grill — about 1 min walk

Quick answers

Is Astro Orbitor worth it?

It's worth riding if you have little kids, first-timers or anyone who loves classic Disneyland. It's an easy, low-stakes spin with a great view over the Tomorrowland entrance, and it's a direct descendant of the park's original 1956 rocket ride.