An endless parade of new convertibles will carry visitors through a major attraction in the Ford Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair, opening next April.
The cars - a mixture of Ford brands - won’t have engines or drivers. Instead, they’ll move continuously at two to four m.p.h. on rubber-headed, electric-powered wheels set in two half-mile tracks. On the ride, passengers will pass through a Walt Disney fantasy of animated figures and stereophonic sound, then go through a transparent air-conditioned tube overlooking the grounds from two stories up.
For more than a year, a small version of the Magic Skyway has undergone trials for safety and reliability in Glendale, Calif. The system was designed by Disney's WED Enterprises, which also created the animated attraction for the pavilion.
The test track is only 500 feet long, but it duplicates the curves and the 10-percent grades of the full-length twin tracks now being built in New York.
