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Thread: Tomorrowland Re-do

  1. #1
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    Tomorrowland Re-do

    I'd be curious to know everyone's take on Tomorrowland. It seems for the longest time that it is a land in the Park that needs a makeover or a complete rehaul. I realize that it is home for the time being for Star Wars (Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours, Jedi Training, etc) but it just seems an area of the park that needs to be re-invented. My wife doesn't even care to go there.

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  3. #2

    We were talking about that over the weekend. Best guess is star wars related attractions are opened in the new area and something new moves in the star tours building and space mountain gets a new theme

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  4. #3
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    To me Disney struggles now because the only "tomorrow" content is IP based on star wars and maybe some of Marvel. I think the company has not been able to focus on making changes in a way that lands used to be designed. Most things these days have to have a movie or show tie in.

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  5. #4

    There have been plans but got derailed over the years.

    Wish Tomorrowland had done better. Would have been a good launch for an new Tomorrowland referb.


  6. #5

    Hmmmm...

    I remember when the "new" Tomorrowland was unveiled.
    They moved the rocket jets out of the Tomorrowland Plaza and moved them closer to Main Street.
    They said, "This is the Tomorrow that never was and always will be."

    And, now, it needs another make-over?

    "It is, it is, a glorious thing, to be a Pirate King."
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  7. #6

    Star Tours will stay in Tomorrowland it would not do any good to try and move everything to Star Wars Land. Hopefully they will take a look at Tomorrowland after Star Wars land is open for a year or two and fix it up. Put space mountain back to normal, take out Launchbay/America Sings and Red Rockets for a new attraction and the Peoplemover/RocketRods track. Open Starcade back up with classic games or find done use for the room.


  8. #7

    I think first thing is figure out what to do with the people mover tracks. I'm not necessarily saying they need to put a ride on there (although that's what I would prefer)but just vacant old tracks leaves much to be desired especially in a land called tomorrowland. I know when I walk through I notice them and instantly have a oh (bummer) feeling because of remembering my childhood if that makes sense. It doesn't last long but for an instant it immediately takes away from the experience of what the land is to be about. Anyways that's my two cents.

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  9. #8

    If I had my way Toontown would be recreated before Tomorrowland

    "If you can Dream it you can Do IT." Walt Disney


  10. #9

    Toon town should move to DCA like in the movie


  11. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by sjhanksaz View Post
    If I had my way Toontown would be recreated before Tomorrowland
    Hmmmmm.
    That is an interesting suggestion.
    ToonTown has been a land which is less, uh, developed than other lands, in my opinion.

    For comparison, see the upgraded Springfield in Universal Studios Hollywood, which actually is quite charming and more fully enveloping in its environment.
    USH did it right.
    "It is, it is, a glorious thing, to be a Pirate King."
    -- Gilbert & Sullivan, "Pirates of Penzance, or, The Slave of Duty"

  12. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by potzbie View Post
    Hmmmmm.
    That is an interesting suggestion.
    ToonTown has been a land which is less, uh, developed than other lands, in my opinion.

    For comparison, see the upgraded Springfield in Universal Studios Hollywood, which actually is quite charming and more fully enveloping in its environment.
    USH did it right.
    We go into Toontown about every 8 to 10 visits. Not much there. There is some stuff that has just gone away because Disney just decided not to maintain it.

    It's the Bakersfield of Disneyland.
    "If you can Dream it you can Do IT." Walt Disney


  13. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by sjhanksaz View Post
    We go into Toontown about every 8 to 10 visits. Not much there. There is some stuff that has just gone away because Disney just decided not to maintain it.

    It's the Bakersfield of Disneyland.
    Until you have a toddler. I used to feel exactly this way until my kid got old enough to walk and run around. Now we freaking love Toon Town. She loves walking through the houses, playing on the slide in the little park area, and wandering through the post office, jail, etc. over by Roger Rabbit. She loves sitting on the trolley and playing by the fountains. I have a newfound appreciation for Toon Town after seeing it through a tiny person's eyes :-)

  14. #13
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Some may see it as "playing with the box I stead of the toy" but it doesn't matter to a small child. It's a world of adventure for them. Isn't this how TSI used to be for pre-teens?

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  15. #14
    Registered User Tinker44's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    Some may see it as "playing with the box I stead of the toy" but it doesn't matter to a small child. It's a world of adventure for them. Isn't this how TSI used to be for pre-teens?

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    Absolutely! From the child's perspective, ToonTown is one of the more "magical" places they can visit because it is geared entirely to THEM! Yes, it's sad that the Treehouse slide is no longer functioning, and I remember how much fun my daughter had at Goofy's Bounce House (when it still had bounce). But finding all the interactive details in and around ToonTown Center can be a real blast. And totally non-threatening for the littles!

    And as for TSI, that is something that is sadly missed... though the Pirates Lair activities do fill some of the void. Both my husband and I have fond memories of being allowed to run amok on TSI when we were kids, exploring and climbing and having the time of our lives being active and imaginative all on our own. As an adult I completely see the need for the changes, and the drivers that have moved the parks evolution over time. That being said, it would be wise for DLR to maintain areas of the parks that allow children to be active and burn off steam without a lineup in sight. Pirate's Lair and Redwood Challenge Trail serve a very big need for littles... and I hope they stay as-is, open-air, open-concept, free-form play areas. If anything, I hope they incorporate more of them (though I know thats unlikely)
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  16. #15

    Autotopia is magical for children too but on another thread people talked about avoiding it and trying to keep thier kids from even seeing it so they don't have to get in line.

    "If you can Dream it you can Do IT." Walt Disney


  17. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by sjhanksaz View Post
    Autotopia is magical for children too but on another thread people talked about avoiding it and trying to keep thier kids from even seeing it so they don't have to get in line.
    Personally, I like the nostalgic nature of Autopia.....but I literally get nauseous when I go by there with all the fumes from the cars. I think they need to convert them to electric or something....just sayin'.
    "Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching?"

  18. #17

    I have been going to Disneyland with a lot with pals that have three little girls and Toontown used to be such a big deal but now they are just getting old enough to ride the big rollercoasters. Toontown is great but it would be nice for it to have one more anchor ride!!! How about another dark ride with Chip and Dale???? Doesn't have to be big....the Fantasyland rides are tiny in space and double back a lot. Just a quick fix up wouldn't take much. I love Toontown too...

    I hope there is a sprucer upper and new attraction at TL after SWL opens. Fingers crossed.....to infinity.....AND BEYOND!


  19. #18

    Count me in as a fan of Toontown as well. While it's appealing to adults, in a way one can argue it's not meant to be. As others here have said, going into Toontown with young children is when you see the magic of the land. It's not for us so much as for them. I'm fine with letting them keep it and with Disney saving their pennies on upgrades here to pour into upgrades into other areas of the resorts...

    ...with leads me into the OP's discussion about Tomorrowland. I want to say this topic gets brought up every few years here. Arguments I've read in the past include the fact that envisioning "tomorrow" is a much more challenging endeavor today than it was when Walt and his WED Imagineers dreamed up their ideas 62 years ago. Today, landing on the moon is past history but our future currently doesn't have a focus or even large interest in traveling to Mars. Plus civilians traveling into space seems like an opportunity only for the very wealthy. Technology isn't anything like the metal panels with big, thick buttons and blinking lights of the 50's and 60's. Today, technology is in our hands, in our smartphones, tablets and laptops. And it changes ever so quickly. I've read folks wouldn't mind seeing Tomorrowland be less about our real science projections and more about embracing the brands that Disney owns that are futuristic or space fantasy, like Star Wars and TRON. I believe the Rocket Rods/Peoplemover track had once been rumored to become a TRON-related attraction when TRON Legacy opens and before Disney bought Lucasfilm. Then, weren't there rumors about that track being used for speeder bikes and Autopia being converted into an Ewok-themed environment? Anyway, if I were to guess, I think a re-do of Tomorrowland would come after Disney adds a greater Marvel footprint in the parks, like rumored to happen in DCA soon after Star Wars Land opens. Then once that's done, with all those (hopefully) great new attractions to look forward to, I wouldn't mind Tomorrowland being closed off to be remade into something new and more worthy of being in an area named Tomorrowland. What that would be in my mind, would ideally include relocating Star Tours and perhaps to the two Pixar-themed attractions to make room for whatever new futuristic attractions WDI might think up. Ideally.

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  20. #19

    Growing up Tomorrowland was hands down my favorite land but ironically modern technology has rendered Tomorrowland's original purpose unnecessary the whole concept unconvincing. Even the latter day sci-fi themes are now going to be better represented in the upcoming Star Wars Land and Marvel Land. I just don't see any reason to even have a Tomorrowland any more. Obviously eliminating the land all together would probably be impossible. But they could shrink the land by getting rid of Nemo's Submarine Voyage, Autopia, the Disneyland Monorail and maybe even the Buzz Lightyear building and turn that space into immersive mini-lands like they've been doing at other parks -say themed to Beauty & Beast, Frozen, Aladdin, etc. To build on what GoneZDisneyland said I would turn what's left of Tomorrowland into a sort of ElecTRONic City -basically a Tron/cyber world themed land. Re-theme Space Mountain and recreate the End Up Club and Flynn's Arcade. And add a much needed large scale live performance venue .


  21. #20
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    I , for one, don't need any more live performance venues. The whole concert/ dance party/ hang out concept is a cheaper cop out for developing true attractions. Yes there is a group that loves it - but the goal I think should be focused on the largest denominator of guests. I can see where some attractions will go away on the re-do. However, I am a fan of the independent land focused on a vision of a possible future. So much is focused on the individual attractions instead of the combination of immersive place and rides. It's both that have provided that unique Disney experience. Otherwise you might as well tear off the plaques on the entrance bridges and Walt's speech in Town Square.

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  22. #21

    Miceage's David Koenig had an interesting article today about what lands are next up for rebuild after Star Wars Land. Hint - it ain't Tomorrowland!

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  23. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    Miceage's David Koenig had an interesting article today about what lands are next up for rebuild after Star Wars Land. Hint - it ain't Tomorrowland!
    Yeah I saw this. They have Fantasyland at the top, then Marvel Land, and Tomorowland at the bottom. They said it's all up in the air still and no money has been designated for anything. I do hope they continue the plussing of the dark rides rather than remove any of them.

    My biggest concern with Tomorrowland is that it is too crowded at the main entrance. We like the attractions for the most part (I'm not crazy about Autopia). Space Mountain is my favorite and Star Tours and Buzz are each worth a few rides with the Subs being a once during a trip kind of ride. I guess the next concern is all the wasted space. But I also feel there is a lot of bare space in Fantasyland between Matterhorn and Small World.

  24. #23
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    Miceage's David Koenig had an interesting article today about what lands are next up for rebuild after Star Wars Land. Hint - it ain't Tomorrowland!
    Quote Originally Posted by bumblebeeonarose View Post
    Yeah I saw this. They have Fantasyland at the top, then Marvel Land, and Tomorowland at the bottom. They said it's all up in the air still and no money has been designated for anything. I do hope they continue the plussing of the dark rides rather than remove any of them.

    My biggest concern with Tomorrowland is that it is too crowded at the main entrance. We like the attractions for the most part (I'm not crazy about Autopia). Space Mountain is my favorite and Star Tours and Buzz are each worth a few rides with the Subs being a once during a trip kind of ride. I guess the next concern is all the wasted space. But I also feel there is a lot of bare space in Fantasyland between Matterhorn and Small World.
    To me - it seems like Tomorrowland is like that big thing in your house that needs fixing (remodel the leaking shower, fix the fence, etc) that seem to be such a large project with moving parts and lots of spend that you keep putting it off and take care of other nicer things. That's Tomorrowland. There will need to be SO much work done (like maybe moving the Orbiter back to its locale- I can dream can't I?) it may seem daunting. It would take the whole land to be closed for a while like in 1998.

    As far as bumblebeeonarose comments - interesting you say Tomorrowland is too crowded in one place and then wasted space in another. Frankly I think the area around the Marble is quite crowded these days as well. The park IMO can't have every square inch devoted to attractions. And spreading out needs to be more than 10 feet between buildings.

    I know the head of Park/Resorts globally wants more Marvel in the parks (he was in retail, so he wonders why Disney has not done more to push the brand in the parks). And Fantasyland, as Koenig points out, would have a longer sustaining power with investments than Tomorrowland might. Its been so crowded for years that its popular. The big question is, as always, can the park be shut down in some parts for a long period - for so many years. Over and Over again.

    Its becoming like Caltrans - in California the freeways are constantly under construction it seems - adding to crowding and delays. Feels like that at Disneyland sometimes too.
    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  25. #24

    I like toon town but wouldnt mind upgrading or adding too it. Tommortowland needs help its crowded and once starwars land opens all the starwars stuff in tommorrowland will be overkill. I wish they would do that before tinkering with dca more. I read somewhere they might turn bugsland and hollywood into a marvel land theme. Not down for this they keep eliminating stuff for little kids.


  26. #25

    I really liked the theme of Tomorrowland/Discoveryland of Euro Disney when I went years ago. It had a Jules Verne, HG Wells, almost steampunk feel. Retro science fiction. The beauty of that is that you'd never have to worry about real science and technology making it obsolete because it's science that never was.


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