New Tomorrowland @ Disneyland? Is this the year it finally gets announced? No, and that’s OK

[Disgruntled Walt]

You know I was looking at the COP building yesterday. I’m not sure I want it demolished. It’s such a cool looking and historic building. I’d be ok with some beatification and spit/polish. I’d rather see them bring back the rotating theatre in a meaningful way. Besides it’s not enough space for any E ticket unless you completely demolish/ alter/ shrink Autopia and the Subs. Nah, I’m good. With that said I would be ok with it being the show building housing a proper finale or show scenes for the People Mover or something similar.

Does anybody know, is the machinery for rotation just rusting underneath the building still?

 

[mickEblu]

Does anybody know, is the machinery for rotation just rusting underneath the building still?

I honestly have no idea.

 

[Agent H]

Does anybody know, is the machinery for rotation just rusting underneath the building still?

I think it was cemented in when they changed it to the Star Wars launch bay.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Interesting video going over one of the main factors that could be making a Tomorrowland redo even more difficult.

 

[D.Silentu]

Thank you for bringing this up! I've always wondered what became of the Rocket Rods tunnel.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I'd really like to know if there is anything in there today that still remains from when it was the queue for Rocket Rods.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I'd really like to know if there is anything in there today that still remains from when it was the queue for Rocket Rods.

I found some photos on Flickr from 2009, looks like it was pretty empty even 16 years ago. I’d be surprised if anything remains now.



Crazy to think that this space has sat unused for nearly 25 years in one of the busiest theme parks in the world.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I wonder how much of Rocket Rods' budget went into building those tunnels?

 

[Disney Irish]

I wonder how much of Rocket Rods' budget went into building those tunnels?

If you watch the video up above from Brickey, it appears those tunnels have been there since they redo of TL in 67, if I'm understanding him correctly.

So other than some retrofitting them to make it guest accessible I doubt much of the budget went to them.

 

[yeti]

If you watch the video up above from Brickey, it appears those tunnels have been there since they redo of TL in 67, if I'm understanding him correctly.

So other than some retrofitting them to make it guest accessible I doubt much of the budget went to them.

He's incorrect about the RR tunnels. Those were built with the ride in 1997.

 

[Disney Irish]

He's incorrect about the RR tunnels. Those were built with the ride in 1997.

Ok, not that I don’t doubt you but do we have any evidence of this? Because at least in the video he has pictures and video evidence of them building the tunnels in the 67 TL redo.

 

[CoastalElite64]

Interesting video going over one of the main factors that could be making a Tomorrowland redo even more difficult.

So they need to tear it all down. If they do that no point in rebuilding Star Tours or subs in their current form.

 

[Misted Compass]

Ok, not that I don’t doubt you but do we have any evidence of this? Because at least in the video he has pictures and video evidence of them building the tunnels in the 67 TL redo.

They're two different tunnels. The '67 tunnel goes from the Carousel Theater to Tomorrowland Terrace and Buzz/CircleVision (to serve the rising stage) and the '98 tunnel obviously connected the Rocket Rods queue and station.

You can see the former being dug in these construction photos:

As well as a blueprint showing its layout:

 

[Disney Irish]

They're two different tunnels. The '67 tunnel goes from the Carousel Theater to Tomorrowland Terrace and Buzz/CircleVision (to serve the rising stage) and the '98 tunnel obviously connected the Rocket Rods queue and station.

You can see the former being dug in these construction photos:
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As well as a blueprint showing its layout:
View attachment 876702

Again do we have any information to confirm there really was an additional tunnel (rather than an improvement on the original tunnel to make it guest accessible) dug out in 1998? Because from the information you provide here and what was provided in the video (similar information) it seems like this "new" guest area was really "carved out" from the existing tunnel and retrofitted to make it accessible to guests rather than a brand new tunnel being dug out. Which is exactly what the video is saying.

This is now curiosity more than anything.

 

[britain]

The rise in the pathway towards Galactic Grill that is on the north side of the Peoplemover tower was not there before TL 98. Both sides of the tower used to be level. This leads me to believe that at least that portion was a new 98 tunnel.

 

[Disney Irish]

The rise in the pathway towards Galactic Grill that is on the north side of the Peoplemover tower was not there before TL 98. Both sides of the tower used to be level. This leads me to believe that at least that portion was a new 98 tunnel.

Ok, and I'm disputing that is the case. But does anyone have any actual "evidence" of this besides some anecdotal "well this wasn't there before" situation? Like any actual plans, video, pictures, anything?

I mean its nice to take someones word for it, but it makes it better when dealing with actual fact based evidence for these discussions.

 

[chadwpalm]

Ok, and I'm disputing that is the case. But does anyone have any actual "evidence" of this besides some anecdotal "well this wasn't there before" situation? Like any actual plans, video, pictures, anything?

I mean its nice to take someones word for it, but it makes it better when dealing with actual fact based evidence for these discussions.

Plans for the '67 tunnel were posted above. I enlarged them and colored in the tunnel. I didn't highlight it, but there's a boxed out area indicated by dotted lines under the stage.

I don't remember where I read the information from, but the northwest end of the tunnel can be accessed by one of these doors:

It's not really relevant to the discussion, but thought it was a fun factoid.

This isn't an official blueprint, but gives the idea of where the '98 Rocket Rods queue tunnel was located:

Here is a real-world approximation (red is Rocket Rods, yellow is '67 utility tunnel)

This can be somewhat corroborated in this video:

It looks like after watching the movie on the old circlevision screens, they went to that southeast corner to go underground. They also emerge back above ground under the RR/PM loading platform.

As I was researching this, I saw on a message board that someone said the current entrance is still in the back corner of the Little Green Men store. This shot is in the direction of the old stairway and it's probably accessed through one of these doors:

Take it or leave it, but it's probably the most "evidence" you'll find on the internet. I'll say that is is possible the underground area under the Tomorrowland Terrace was connected to the Rocket Rods tunnel, but all things seem to point toward the RR tunnel being purpose-built in '98 based on the location of the '67 tunnel and its lack of being on the '67 blueprint.

 

[britain]

Ok, and I'm disputing that is the case. But does anyone have any actual "evidence" of this besides some anecdotal "well this wasn't there before" situation? Like any actual plans, video, pictures, anything?

I mean its nice to take someones word for it, but it makes it better when dealing with actual fact based evidence for these discussions.

A fine challenge, I accept.

First stop, the Wonderful World of Disney "From Pirates of the Caribbean, to the World of Tomorrow". This shot of the model is inconclusive... I better keep going...

 

[britain]

Here's the spot we're interested in. Looks pretty flat, but I'll grant that this model is not as good a a photograph of the actual location. Moving on...

 

[britain]

"A little higher, just a little higher!"