Where does Tomorrowland go from here?

[Phroobar]

I believe the best path for Tomorrowland has to be a version of Epcot's Futureworld but based more on space, the seas, computers, time travel and biology. It needs a Seabase Alpha with the subs as preshow transportation. The whole land could be demoed into something very futuristic. No scifi-western type stuff.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I feel like part of the issue is that your average dummy that visits Disneyland loves current Tomorrowland, and it's generating more revenue selling plastic lightsabers and Marvel crap than a non-IP EPCOT Center-esque old school Tomorrowland would. I think we're screwed.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I feel like part of the issue is that your average dummy that visits Disneyland loves current Tomorrowland, and it's generating more revenue selling plastic lightsabers and Marvel crap than a non-IP EPCOT Center-esque old school Tomorrowland would. I think we're screwed.

TL is very busy right now with the Star Wars stuff. Walking through around 9AM yesterday and Space had a 50 minute wait, Star Tours a 30 minute wait, Buzz a 15 minute wait and the walkways were jammed. Meanwhile Indy was a walk-on with cars dispatching half empty, HM was a walk-on with the stretching room only being half full, and Big Thunder was a walk-on. That side of the park didn't pick up until around 10:30.

Something is off when Buzz has a much longer wait than Indy, HM, or Big Thunder.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

These are dark times indeed.

 

[Curious Constance]

I feel like part of the issue is that your average dummy that visits Disneyland loves current Tomorrowland, and it's generating more revenue selling plastic lightsabers and Marvel crap than a non-IP EPCOT Center-esque old school Tomorrowland would. I think we're screwed.

Let me guess, if Disney decided to base Tomorrowland on Star Trek, then you'd have no problem with a huge portion of the park being devoted to a single IP, and anyone who enjoyed it would be really intelligent and smart as opposed to the idiots who like Star Wars and Marvel, right? I mean what kind of a moron likes Star Wars, right Endor Sightseer?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Don't ask me, I'm just a fan of the scores and Ewok movies.

 

[Phroobar]

 

[Curious Constance]

Don't ask me, I'm just a fan of the scores and Ewok movies.

Okay, fair enough.

But, what about Star Trek land? Would you be all for Tomorrowland being turned into Strek Trek Land even though it would be a single IP based land? Or would you picket the ticket booths wearing a sign stating "The End is Near" in protest?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Realistically, it would never happen, so I don't have to think about it. But yes.

 

[Curious Constance]

Realistically, it would never happen, so I don't have to think about it. But yes.

So you admit that you'd be all for a single IP franchise taking up an existing area of the park, as long as it's something you personally like. That's perfectly acceptable. It just makes it sound silly when you have a doom and gloom attitude regarding Star Wars, act like Disney is evil for doing so, people are dumb for wanting, it etc, etc, when it's really just the specific IP you have a problem with.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Well, no. Let me clarify. I would never do that. Restricting Tomorrowland to Star Trek attractions? If I ever let on I would actually want that to happen, I was being sarcastic. There's too much history in that junkyard known as Tomorrowland I want to see preserved. Iconic Disney experiences I want to see restored to their former glory. The Rocket Jets, PeopleMover, Space Mountain, Autopia and Submarines I would prefer to be there, and not themed to movies. I don't buy that Autopia and the Subs need to go to free up valuable real estate for expanding the park, by the way. There is still plenty of room in there.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

There is still plenty of room in there.

Where? Do you mean remove the Carousel building? Buzz Lightyear? Tomorrowland Terrace? I mean you'd have to displace something in order to revitalize the land.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Dude. Carousel Theater, for starters. Pizza Port? Used to be an attraction. Captain EO theater? Further waste of space. Combine that with the whole Space Mountain concourse area. Get rid of it. Reroute the entrance to Space and make it less of a gigantic waste of space. The Autopia does have a gigantic queue building from the redo, but that could be removed and you could actually move the entrance to Fantasyland. That frees up even more space around the Carousel Theater. You can fit like a crapload of attractions with the feetprint of gigantic perennial favorites such as Space Mountain and the Matterhorn in those spaces. You can also build up. It's Tomorrowland. We have high-rises in the future.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

The Autopia does have a gigantic queue building from the redo, but that could be removed and you could actually move the entrance to Fantasyland.

Autopia in Fantasyland? Yes, I'm well aware that Fantasyland had its own Autopia, but Disney "fixed" that in the '98 redo. Seems like moving it there would be a step backwards, no? Seriously, is the Autopia really so important that it can't just be done away with at this point?

You can also build up. It's Tomorrowland. We have high-rises in the future.

We're in agreement about demolishing the Carousel building, but how could they build above the current building heights in any meaningful way without ruining the scale of the existing structures between Space Mountain and the Matterhorn? I'm also assuming that you'd want the Astro Orbiter on the pedestal above the Peoplemover too, so there's that.

Although it's unlikely, TL really needs to be cleared down to the ground and given a complete reboot without any references to what is there now or was there before.

 

[Stevek]

Don't ask me, I'm just a fan of the scores and Ewok movies.

Seriously, you're just trolling now. Ewok movies? Up there with the holiday special as the worst Star Wars things committed to film.

 

[Stevek]

Dude. Carousel Theater, for starters. Pizza Port? Used to be an attraction. Captain EO theater? Further waste of space. Combine that with the whole Space Mountain concourse area. Get rid of it. Reroute the entrance to Space and make it less of a gigantic waste of space. The Autopia does have a gigantic queue building from the redo, but that could be removed and you could actually move the entrance to Fantasyland. That frees up even more space around the Carousel Theater. You can fit like a crapload of attractions with the feetprint of gigantic perennial favorites such as Space Mountain and the Matterhorn in those spaces. You can also build up. It's Tomorrowland. We have high-rises in the future.

You probably need more than one dining area in TL based on the crowds. Remember, Pizza port served as a replacement for the previous walk up dining windows where the Space FP machines are now. That being said, I agree with some of what you said. Remove the carousel theater, remove EO theater, remove the PM tracks (if there is zero hope of them coming back) and move the rockets back to where they used to be...but likely on the ground since I sincerely doubt they'll build another gantry. Autopia queue isn't going anywhere but the Theater alone would provide enough space for a quality attraction.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Seriously, you're just trolling now. Ewok movies? Up there with the holiday special as the worst Star Wars things committed to film.

No, I really do love them, especially the second one. I had it taped off the Disney Channel free preview weekend as a kid and watched it all the time along with the trilogy. I just considered them part of the series! I used to have dreams of a Fantasyland dark ride at DL based on the second movie.

 

[Phroobar]

No, I really do love them, especially the second one. I had it taped off the Disney Channel free preview weekend as a kid and watched it all the time along with the trilogy. I just considered them part of the series! I used to have dreams of a Fantasyland dark ride at DL based on the second movie.

I always thought Disneyland needed an AA of Wilford Brimley.

 

[dweezil78]

I don't buy that Autopia and the Subs need to go to free up valuable real estate for expanding the park, by the way. There is still plenty of room in there.

You're not wrong, I just don't think either really scream 'Tomorrowland' these days. If there were ways to utilize those spaces and themes and make them compelling and futuristic though, I'd be all for it. Obviously would be a bummer to lose one of DL's very few substantial bodies of water (MK has us beat with their waterways big time) so I'd hate to see it go. I'd be totally fine with keeping the water, but ditching the subs as I'm just not sure a slow moving submarine ride really cuts it these days, even with the all the nostalgia baked in.

Matterhorn, on the other hand -- even with the severe pain it brings me on each ride -- I couldn't imagine ever being without!!

 

[ForeverAnna]

Scraping the Matterhorn would be almost on the level of scraping the Castle.