More Mouse: The Vacation Kingdom of the World: Travels in Tomorrowland

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The Vacation Kingdom of the World: Travels in Tomorrowland by Tom Richards

Engage in a discussion for an improved version of that 'Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow' known as Tomorrowland.

Read it here!

[Boundyman]

I couldn't agree more that Tomorrowland needs some change, but I still like it for what it is. When Disney changed the architecture in the mid-90's I thought it was an improvement. But now I think it needs to be improved again, possibly make it look like the architecture of the movie Tomorrowland. Carousel of Progress definitely needs an update, even though I still enjoy it. The Speed way I enjoyed as a kid, but now as an adult I wish they would make it into a go-cart ride. Being a vegetarian, I enjoy going to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Caf because it offers a vegetarian hamburger. But the Tomorrowland Terrace I think should be transformed into Pizza Planet from Toy Story.

[Tony T]

I really enjoy COP, but the theatre and especially the last scene need to be updated. Even though some of the scenes may not be PC today they are pretty accurate for the time period they are representing. Disneyland Shanghai is going to have an amazing Tomorrowland. If there was someway possible to integrate some of the attractions and ideas from that park to Magic Kingdom would go along way to improve Tomorrowland. Get rid of the Tomorrowland Speedway and build the TRON attraction on that piece of real estate and then somehow combine the buildings for Monster Inc and Stitch's Great Escape into one new amazing attraction would go along way to improving MK's Tommorowland. Of course the entrance to Tommorowland would have to be relocated but that could be done by getting rid of Tommorowland Terrace which never seems to be open 80% of the time.

[swrdfghtr]

The original Tomorrowland at both parks reflected the optimistic view of the future from the 1950s. By the 70s, that view was already failing, and especially through the 80s people weren't "looking ahead" with much optimism. By the 90s, things were changing so fast, especially around technology, that "tomorrow" was something we couldn't imagine clearly anymore. The switch to a more SciFiLand probably seemed to make good sense.

A problem with the attractions is that Tomorrowland's attractions have never been 100% about "tomorrow." Even from Disneyland's beginning when they were mainly just corporate advertising, it's been tough to show "tomorrow," and has been commented numerous times, it's even tougher to "keep up." Paris attempted to solve the problem with its Jules Verne-esque Discoveryland, but for me, that theming fell really flat. They didn't go immersive enough, and so it just comes across as cold and disinterested.

What's funny to me is that every other land in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom rely on nostalgia - but nobody seems to have taken that up for Tomorrowland. Tomorrowland is hip and contemporary. Why not let nostalgia take over Tomorrowland?

The point of the "Tomorrowland" movie was that people used to have this bright and hopeful outlook for tomorrow, but that they lost it and got caught up in the today, and in visions of an apocalyptic future. So why not take Tomorrowland (the land) back to its original view? Paint an optimistic, utopian view of tomorrow - whether it's feasible or not. Tomorrow-as-fantasy better fits the overall mission of the Magic Kingdom. Rather than reflecting current reality or even current thinking, it reflects an idealized version of "what could be" or "what could have been," in much the same way that Frontierland reflects an idealized American frontier that never really existed.

Bring back the white spires, lush-yes-structured landscaping, and attractions that are both fun and engaging, and themed around a tomorrow that might be just a dream away - even if it isn't very likely. A "Tomorrow that never was," to borrow a phrase from Discoveryland, but in an optimistic and hopeful light, rather than in Paris' mechanized, flat delivery.

[DwarfPlanet]

There is a reason for the mechanical palm trees being there, someone just wrote about it recently since I didn't know the story myself.

We don't go to Stitch's Great Escape its just flat boring. We much preferred the Extraterrorestrial (spelling?)

We do love Monster Inc. Laugh Floor and have even made multi visits on a trip.

We have eaten at the Cosmic Caf and like most fast eateries at WDW it has decent food, and it provides a stop where you can enjoy the air conditioning and just rest your legs. IMHO if it had a lot of theming etc. then it would be a lot more expensive.

Can't remember the last time we went on the Orbiter.

We always take a spin on the Transit for relaxing ride.

Last year was the first year we did not go in the Carousal of Progress, and it has been one of my favorites since I rode it in Disneyland. I think your comment about it being worn makes me want to remember it the way it used to seem to me.

We do ride Buzz but it's not as fun as the one at Disneyland.

Again on our visit last year my son and I debated on going onto Space Mountain, we heard it was smoother so decided to give it another shot. After we got off we then decided that that was the last time we ride it for it seemed to beat the begeezus out of both of us. It is no where near as smooth and fun as the Disneyland version.

We rode Autotopia and for some of us who participated in the days of racing its a fun little ride.

But your correct that a lot of the rides or theming needs to be changed if it truly is to be a Tomorrowland.

[DisneyGator]

Boy, this is brutal, which I don't think it quite merits. After visiting DL the last few years, I miss the size and feel of the MK's version. First, do you even realize how important TTA is to Tomorrowland? You can't until you get to DL and realize all that's left is a track. I do wish that MK had Star Tours in their Tomorrowland, as it's a good fit at DL, but since it's over at MGM/DHS/whaterver it is these days, it can't be in two places.

Cosmic Ray's is a lot like Pecos Bill with food selection, which isn't that bad with a good fixens bar. And my kids have always liked listening to the alien sing.

I'll agree that it could use some extra umph, but it seems all the new cool stuff has gone to all the other parks the last decade or so. I think a Big Hero 6 attraction would be fitting as it's set in a fictitious future.

[safmouse]

The main problem with WDW's Tomorrowland compared to DL's (which also needs refurbishing) is that there's not much there. DL has ST (which makes way more sense in Tomorrowland), the sub ride, plus Innoventions and Cap EO (which need to be changed ASAP into something good--the Iron Man ride would be nice).

Stitch is a Great Mistake. I liked Laugh Floor, though it doesn't fit in Tomorrowland. Carousel is outdated. And you have the DL equivalents, of which Buzz and Back Spasm Mountain--oops I mean Space Mountain--are inferior.

It's really puzzling that the rumored funds for WDW are supposedly targeted to improving Frontierland (which to me is perfectly fine) and not Tomorrowland...

[SimbaOne]

"...soaring through the cool darkness aboard a smoothly gliding rocket."

You're referring to DL version, naturally. Otherwise, it should be "painfully bumping around through the cool, not-very-dark building aboard an old, rickety rocket."

[gointowdw]

Recognizing that the Speedway is a favorite among the younger set, its continued presence is puzzling:

1. It never really "fit" the Tomorrowland theme, which is even more pronounced in 2015. The attempt to include the overlay of space-themed races is ill-conceived. However, I've been able to overlook these things as it is somewhat set aside from Tomorrowland proper.
2. It takes up a lot of precious real estate in the Magic Kingdom.
3. Most importantly, let's view the attraction for what it is: slow-moving, gasoline powered vehicles. For a company that prides itself on green initiatives, this attraction really stands out as anomaly.

[TulaBelle]

I think it's safe to say everyone has at least one favorite in Tomorrowland, but yeah, it does need some love. By love I mean a serious influx of money, time, and Imagineering to make it what it should be. A place we want to hang out, not just get through to get to where we really want to be. Tom is right in that the attractions are kind of all over the place and not really cohesive. We need sponsors! It all starts with a checkbook. Let's hit up some of these big corporations, and small ones too, would it hurt to have two companies in the same field (gasp!) partner up on a sponsorship? Maybe a complete overhaul of the race track into a spaceship race? The cars could be refitted with lightweight rocket bodies that run on an alternative fuel - the WDW buses run on french used fry oil, why not this attraction? There's probably stacks of ideas for Tomorrowland sitting in a file somewhere, just waiting for the green light and funds.