Is the Peoplemover the only futuristic thing in Tomorrowland?

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I mean, come on.

You've got silly cartoon rides. What do Monsters Inc., Lilo and Stitch or Buzz Lightyear have to do with Tomorrowland? Nothing. In Buzz, you're at war shooting a gun. So much for that peaceful future, eh Walt?

A huge amount of real estate is dedicated to an antique car ride polluting the environment that never made any sense here.

The lovely and charming Carousel of Progress? Rooted in the past. Not entirely irrelevant, though.

Space Mountain may have been futuristic in the space age. These days, this aging attraction is just a dinky roller coaster in the dark. And it is showing its age. It hasn't even been brought up to the standards of Disneyland's and that one was upgraded like a decade ago.

Yet, there's the Peoplemover. There's something that somehow has never been dated. It perfectly exemplifies what Walt was going for with his Tomorrowland at Disneyland. It is the essence of what Tomorrowland and even EPCOT Center Future World are supposed to be about.

 

[Mickey81]

Pretty sure that dance parties are the future of WDW.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Who knows if alien types like Stitch or "monsters" aren't part of the future. From the words in the song... Hey, it could happen! Space Mountain could be considered future travel, I'd think. Even the Tomorrowland Raceway is the future for the kids that love to ride them. It's there first taste of driving and driving will probably be their future.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is it really futuristic or just a concept the wider public gave up on? Continuously moving transit was demonstrated at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. The WEDway PeopleMove itself was first demonstrated in 1967 and one in use at Walt Disney World is not as capable as the original, being unable to handle the grade changes of the original. Then again, EPCOT was based on a then sixty year old idea as well that still remains mostly ignored.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

You didn't mention Astro Orbitor.

 

[Bob]

Those Dyson Airblade hand dryers in the restroom are pretty futuristic looking.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Churros are the sugary cinimony snack of the future.

 

[DManRightHere]

The best thing about Tommorrowland is is the architecture, especially at night. Space Mountain is still pretty good to me, not as good as it used to be though...

 

[The Mighty Tim]

The People Mover isn't really that futuristic. There's one at MCO for starters!

 

[Matt_Black]

Monsters Inc Laugh Floor is about a society embracing an alternative energy source and using their new prosperity to engage in a positive dialogue with a different culture. If that's not fitting in the theme of a futuristic utopia, then Legion of Super-Heroes stories have LIED TO ME.

 

[marni1971]

The People Mover isn't really that futuristic. There's one at MCO for starters!

Totally different system.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

It's shirts like this that make me dissapointed how they are presenting Tomorrowland

 

[JohnD]

It's not a fair question. When first built in 1971 they tried for a real vision of the future. But the future caught up and it looked dated. So it was redesigned in the 90s as a vision of the future from the likes of Jules Verne.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The first people mover that I ever rode on was at Expo 67 in Montreal. It was completely functional in that it transported people from one area of the fairgrounds to another. It also went right through the middle of the United States Pavilion. Very much like around the edge of Space Mountain, except you could actually see the pavilion. If I remember correctly, and I might not be, it was a long time ago, it stopped at different stations along the way, not a continuous run with a circular load and unload. I'm really not sure about that one, just that I seem to remember that happening.

 

[Matt_Black]

It's not a fair question. When first built in 1971 they tried for a real vision of the future. But the future caught up and it looked dated. So it was redesigned in the 90s as a vision of the future from the likes of Jules Verne.

I'd say there's a bit more American pulp, a la Flash Gordon, than Jules Verne, at least for WDW's version of Tomorrowland.

 

[JohnD]

I'd say there's a bit more American pulp, a la Flash Gordon, than Jules Verne, at least for WDW's version of Tomorrowland.

Yeah, something like that. Couldn't put my finger on it. It's now a fictionalized vision of the future.

 

[Bairstow]

I'd say there's a bit more American pulp, a la Flash Gordon, than Jules Verne, at least for WDW's version of Tomorrowland.

...or at least a healthy dose of "Sonic the Hedgehog"

 

[Wikkler]

Is it really futuristic or just a concept the wider public gave up on?

Well, optimism is also a concept the wider public has given up on.

 

[Minthorne]

dippin' dots - the ice cream of the future!

 

[copcarguyp71]

Those Dyson Airblade hand dryers in the restroom are pretty futuristic looking.

oh....hand dryers...my mistake