When Disneyland originally opened in 1955, its Tomorrowland presented a vision of the future that was both idealistic and entertaining.
Today, the concept doesn't quite resonate as it once did, and the slice of the beloved theme park now languishes a bit as an intellectual property patchwork and partial ghost town.
Nonetheless, the land sustains popularity thanks to tentpole classic attractions like Space Mountain and Star Tours, (and has always been my personal favorite).
Back when I was a kid, I loved seeing the Submarine Voyage vessels navigate the lagoon and the Autopia cars drive by while the PeopleMover, Monorail and Skyway all passed gracefully overhead.
It was a glorious world of motion, and yes, I'm referencing Walt Disney World's old-school EPCOT Center there. I didn't even mind that the former Carousel of Progress/America Sings building sat vacant for a decade of my childhood, even though it foreshadowed some of what was still to come.
By 1998, the New Tomorrowland had opened with Innoventions finally occupying the double-decker circular space. I was also excited for the new likes of the Rocket Rods replacing the then defunct PeopleMover.
But only two years after opening, it too was closed. With the eventual closure of Innoventions in 2015 as well, nearly all vestiges of Tomorrowland's high times had vanished.
Now the land suffers an identity crisis.
There remain zero traces of the former Skyway, even as the former PeopleMover/Rocket Rods track snakes all throughout, completely abandoned. The former Starcade video game facility has been emptied and walled off, and the upper level of Innoventions is similarly vacant with only the lower half occupied by Star Wars Launch Bay.
It plus Star Wars: Path of the Jedi and Star Tours mostly now exist to tide fans over until the massive new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land opens at the opposite side of the park. After its grand opening, it's expected that Disney's attention will then shift back to Tomorrowland.
My wife and I-as armchair Imagineers-have our own ideas for how to bring it back to life.
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Clearly, the notion of a future showcase no longer holds interest given that technology evolves at such a rapid pace these days. The key could be to taking a purposefully passé approach to tomorrow's timeline instead: The Jules Verne future-that-never-was has been tried already.
But what about looking to Disney's own franchises for even more creative solutions?
My wife considered "Wreck-It Ralph" and "WALL-E" while I thought of "Tron" and the upcoming "Wrinkle in Time" as potential candidates.
Other than its current Honda sponsorship populated with the auto manufacturer's ASIMO robot, Autopia seems lacking in the theming department. However, "Wreck-It Ralph" could perfectly jazz it up with a Sugar Rush race overlay that would perfectly reference not only the former Starcade but also the nearby Matterhorn Bobsleds. (An early concept for the snowy attraction was for a candy mountain instead.)
While Disney apparently plans to keep Star Tours around for the foreseeable future even beyond the opening of Galaxy's Edge, it too could use a different theme.
The motion simulator ride could tell the story of "WALL-E" with a Buy n Large store entrance referring back to Innoventions' tech showcase days before the people of earth are evacuated due to air pollution via space shuttle. Once the titular character and EVE discover plant life, passengers could all safely return after their adventure.
Meanwhile, I say the PeopleMover should return, but this time as a "Tron" version with the films' light cycles on the track. It's rumored that Rocket Rods closed down because of mechanical issues stemming from the lack of banked turns and the high-speed vehicles' constant acceleration and deceleration. If banked turns were added, this problem could be avoided.
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Lastly, the Carousel of Progress could also be brought back but as a "Wrinkle in Time" edition. The original show has a time travel component with a family living through various decades past, present and future. It stands to reason that the film could inspire a new narrative accordingly.
Of course, there would still be room to play with the existing 3D theater and old arcade spaces for a whole other attraction, and the only limit ever is one's imagination.
Luckily, as a lifelong fan of Disney, I know the company is capable of great things, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Tomorrowland.
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