VIDEO: Hear the Return of ORAC ‘The Commuter Computer’ on Magic Kingdom PeopleMover, New Audio and Narration with TRON & More

Shannen Ace

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VIDEO: Hear the Return of ORAC ‘The Commuter Computer’ on Magic Kingdom PeopleMover, New Audio and Narration with TRON & More

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at Magic Kingdom has a new narration track, just in time for its 47th birthday today, July 1. We noted earlier this year that Disney had posted a casting call for “ORAC.” The PeopleMover narrator from 1985 to 1994 was named ORAC-1. In the casting call, ORAC was described as an “enthusiastic AI” who would take guests “on a tour of a futuristic land.”

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It seems Disney found their new ORAC and the updated narration can now be heard on the highway in the sky. Watch our video featuring the new narration and read our list of major changes below.

  • The safety announcements have also been updated. The safety announcer makes references to non-human life forms, asking guests to keep their hands, arms, feet, legs, “and other appendages” inside the vehicle.
  • The safety announcer also asks you to “please supervise younger beings.”
  • After boarding, an announcer says this is the “TTA blue line, nonstop service around Tomorrowland.” The TTA blue line is a returning reference from the 1994 version of the PeopleMover.
  • The chime noise at about 1:40 is also returning from 1994. It would play before special points of interest. It chimes throughout before the announcer points out various attractions.
  • The narrator then introduces themselves as ORAC-5 and welcomes guests to the PeopleMover “presented by Enterprise.” Enterprise became the official sponsor in late 2021, so could have been a driving force behind the updated narration.
  • Of course, references to Stitch’s Great Escape were removed a long time ago. The space is filled in with another safety announcement, saying “If you have wings, jetpacks, or gravity polarizers” to not take flight while on board. “If you have wings” is a reference to the now-defunct attraction If You Had Wings.
  • The announcer who said this is the TTA blue line pops in to reference different stations and the red and green lines. ORAC-5 assures guests their express train will keep on “rolling through the future.” Though other references to Tomorrowland being a city have been removed from the land, it seems Disney is weaving that story back into the PeopleMover.
  • When passing by the Progress City model, ORAC-5 points out the tiny PeopleMover and wonders if there is also a tiny ORAC.
  • The announcer alerts guests that they are approaching Tomorrowland Speedway and TRON Lightcycle / Run. The latter wasn’t referenced before, so it’s another good reason for Disney to update the narration.
  • ORAC-5 talks about both tracks being good for “lightspeed competition.”
  • The safety announcer asks guests to keep forward-facing tentacles clear of oncoming vehicles when passing other PeopleMover cars, a returning line from the ’94 version.
  • When passing over the exit queue of Space Mountain, guests hear an advertisement for the space hotel featured in the coaster’s exit, saying, “you H2O it to yourself to book today.”
  • Don’t worry, the full “Paging Mr. Tom Morrow” quote is still there, word-for-word. However, it now plays after exiting Space Mountain instead of when entering.
  • ORAC-5 describes the Astro Orbiter as “our celestial symbol of interplanetary harmony and fellowship,” another 1994 reference to the ride being the League of Planets Astro Orbiter monument.
  • When passing by Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Buzz no longer introduces himself with, “This is Buzz Lightyear.” He does still speak, but Disney apparently decided we all knew who he was. Note that Buzz’s voice is still a Tim Allen soundalike, not Chris Evans.
  • After Buzz speaks, ORAC says, “Affirmative! We’re on it, Buzz. You can count on us.”
  • Roz no longer chimes in when passing by Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
  • ORAC says, “Whether you have one eye or nine, take the time to see this show.” Nine-Eye was a character in The Timekeeper, which Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor replaced in 2006.
  • As the ride finishes, ORAC-5 thanks guests and says, “This is my favorite part because now is the time, now is the best time to go out and explore tomorrow today.” This is a reference to the Carousel of Progress theme song from 1974 to 1996: “The Best Time of Your Life.”
  • The safety announcer reminds guests to keep arms, antennae, and other appendages away from the doors as they open.

How do you feel about the new narration for Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover? Let us know in the comments.

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8 thoughts on “VIDEO: Hear the Return of ORAC ‘The Commuter Computer’ on Magic Kingdom PeopleMover, New Audio and Narration with TRON & More”

  1. I think you also missed the references right off the bat to “If You Had Wings” and “Take Flight”, two extinct attractions.

  2. OH MY GOD THEY BROUGHT THE CHIME BACK!!!!!! Really needed to get that off my chest, but I couldn’t be more happier about this update. With the return of the chime, ORAC, early Tomorrowland Easter eggs I think we needed this.

    My only complaint is that there’s some gaps on route that have very lack of narration specifically before entering Space Mountain. That is if they’re waiting for Tron to be completed so that they can add more. But overall, this was a pretty good update and a very nice throwback.

  3. Fantastic update! Thank you so much for posting the whole ride-through – can’t wait for next visit to WDW to experience it “live”, but this video made my day! Thank you!

  4. Huh… ORAC was the name of the sentient computer in the 1979-1981 British SF series “Blake’s 7”. I wonder if there was a connection.

  5. This is great, nice to know someone cares about the history of the parks, and the idea of Tomorrowland having a “history” sounds like a weird concet but means a lot. They also mention Tom Morrow having to page Mr Johnson about a “Flight to the Moon” as you exit Space Mountain. I know “Flight to the Moon” was the early version of “Mission to Mars” wasn’t Mr Johnson also part of that?

  6. I wish they would have left a bit of Mike Brassell (last narrator) as a nod to the previous version.

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