{"id":3230,"date":"2013-09-13T11:29:57","date_gmt":"2013-09-13T17:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/?page_id=3230"},"modified":"2026-02-20T17:03:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T00:03:04","slug":"moonraker","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/attractions\/moonraker\/","title":{"rendered":"Moonraker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Opened: Apr 1983
Location: Kiddieland<\/a>
Manufactured By: Zamperla – Altavilla Vicentina, Italy
Ride Model: Mini Enterprise De Luxe\u00b9
Max Height: 15 ft
Number Of Gondolas: 8 (4 robot speeders, 4 space pods)
Ride Capacity: 28 (4 per robot speeder, 3 per space pod)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Lagoon ads called Moonraker “a space adventure for kids”. Typically, a moonraker refers to a sail near the top of a ship. But with this ride’s space theme, the name was more likely derived from the James Bond film by that name which was released a few years before and involves a space shuttle named Moonraker. Oddly enough, newspaper ads in 1983 described them as “Star Wars space vehicles”, perhaps hoping to feed off the hype of Return Of The Jedi<\/em>, which was released in theaters that spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moonraker in August 1983. Photo: N. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ride is somewhat similar in operation to Turn Of The Century. Riders spin clockwise around the extended tower in one of two different types of vehicles. Soon the spinning wheel tilts to an angle of about 30 degrees, providing a very mild sensation of rising and diving through the air. There’s a button in each vehicle that makes a “space blaster” kind of noise, but they’re not always working or used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Moonraker,
Moonraker with the old Swimming Pool in the background in 1984. Photo: Curtis Tuckfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While neighboring rides have been moved to several different places in Kiddieland over the decades, Moonraker has only been in two locations. It was first installed where the Kiddie Coaster had been. When Puff The Little Fire Dragon opened there, Moonraker was moved to the spot where it still stands today. Bulgy The Whale used to be to the south of Moonraker until 2004 when Speedway, Jr.’s track layout was altered and Kontiki and The Dragonfly were shoehorned in. Sky Fighter had been on the north side of Moonraker until 2006 when Ladybug Bop and Dinosaur Drop were added. Moonraker ride was completely repainted in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GALLERY<\/h5>\n\n\n