jaydude
Five Thousand Club
Reference to an old British children's show called Thunderbirds. Video might have made it make more sense. The launch sequences for their machines always involved hatches in the ceiling that opened, pools sliding aside, false walls that became exit doors, etc. Since they were puppets, they had absurdly elaborate ways to get to their vehicles without walking, like hilariously long slides, or a system that took the couch from the living room and loaded it into the cockpit of the rocket.
I'm fairly certain watching Thunderbirds as a kid is at least half the reason I love Evangelion.
Oh yeah, I remember Thunderbirds. Had no idea that was the reason for all the slides and stuff though.