Walt Disney World Resort: A New World of Magic Awaits…

[Half/CartoonHalf/Human]

From the Fantasyland part, I see that you made the risky decision to remove all of the 2012 New Fantasyland plans, which meant the removal of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, & the Beauty & The Beast & The Little Mermaid areas. I really love your ideas there (though as a nitpick, some IPs, especially in the London Square area, had 1 attraction, dining & shopping each), though you did reuse Snow White, B&TB & TLM just don’t have anything now. Do you have plans to relocate them to another park, like Hollywood Studios or that mysterious 5th gate of yours? Considering the fact that both are recognizable animated classics from the 90’s renaissance era.

 

[KingMickey]

From the Fantasyland part, I see that you made the risky decision to remove all of the 2012 New Fantasyland plans, which meant the removal of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, & the Beauty & The Beast & The Little Mermaid areas. I really love your ideas there (though as a nitpick, some IPs, especially in the London Square area, had 1 attraction, dining & shopping each), though you did reuse Snow White, B&TB & TLM just don’t have anything now. Do you have plans to relocate them to another park, like Hollywood Studios or that mysterious 5th gate of yours? Considering the fact that both are recognizable animated classics from the 90’s renaissance era.

Hello! Yes, I know the sudden removal of BATB and TLM is a big move, but I do have plans for them elsewhere. There I no way I’d make it through this project without giving those two films something great, I just think what was given to them in the New Fantasyland expansion is a bit subpar in the long run.

 

[KingMickey]

Our trip around the Magic Kingdom brings us to our tenth and final land of this reimagined version of the park - a land that finds itself in a different space and time in the distant future, appearing as a pulsing, electronic, sleek city of tomorrow that has appeared within a time wormhole on the outskirts of our galaxy.

This is…

A description of Tomorrowland at its simplest is a city that depicts views of what the future could be like. As one of the original lands of Disneyland, Walt had created the land with the intention of making it “avista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying Man's achievements... A step into the future, with predictions of constructed things to come. Tomorrowland offers new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals. The Atomic Age, the challenge of Outer Space and the hope for a peaceful, unified world.” The original Tomorrowland, albeit rushed and facing budget cut, was much more of a showcase for companies and was very corporate-fueled, with many attractions being built as a sort of sponsorship for affiliated companies. The opening of Tomorrowland hosted experiences like Rocket to the Moon, walkthrough exhibits about chemistry and the original Autopia, which is the only remaining attraction from Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. With that being said, I don’t believe that it is much of a surprise that Disneyland’s Tomorrowland saw recurring overhauls and additions to turn it into something more. Over time, we saw things come and go, additions like the Monorail, the House of the Future and the Submarine Voyage would be built, but around the time of the 1964 World’s Fair, Walt would turn his attention to his Florida Project. By this time, Tomorrowland was already to show its age so early on in its lifecycle. In 1967, the entire land was rebuilt with the additions of Adventure Thru Inner Space and Carousel of Progress from the World’s Fair, the land-roaming Peoplemover, a Circle-Vision experience called Flight to the Moon and years later, the iconic staple of Tomorrowland, Space Mountain.

It was around this same time where Walt Disney World opened and, just like Disneyland’s Tomorrowland before it, it was opened unfinished with only two attractions: the Grand Prix Raceway and the Skyliner. The land was noted as being very barren and sterile, flat and not themed. In the years to come, we would see a similar buildout to Disneyland. Carousel of Progress would be relocated, Flight to the Moon would open and additions like our own PeopleMover, Space Mountain and Astro Orbiter - then known as “Star Jets” would all become a part of Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. In the years to come, we would see transformations to both Tomorrowlands, with attractions coming and going more frequently than any other part of the park had seen. Disneyland introduced Star Tours and a short-lived Rocket Rods (which permanently replaced and dismantled their PeopleMover), Walt Disney World introduced Tomorrowland originals like a Circle-Vision show called The Timekeeper, a frightening audio-animatronic show named The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter and the If You Had Wings dark ride. In more recent years, both coasts have seen Tomorrowland originals replaced with IP…

…which brings me to the reasoning behind my total Tomorrowland overhaul, which I’ve commented on in the past: it’s doing too much of the wrong thing, not enough of the right and none of it captures what “Tomorrowland” was made to be or what it should be.

I see two major flaws when it comes to Tomorrowland. The first is the excessive use of IP - and I don’t hate IP being used, but use it well and make it work. In recent years, Tomorrowlands across the world have become this strange mash-up of originals like Space Mountain, PeopleMover and the Orbiter spinners, thrown in with Star Wars, Buzz Lightyear, Monsters, Inc, Stitch running around over there, Nemo swimming over here, a Marvel meet and greet placed there…it’s really become the part of the park where IP is thrown in as long as they can see the smallest thematic tie to make it work. Tomorrowland’s IP placement isn’t even about the future or “a city of tomorrow” as it stands - it’s basically just finding whatever IP has a high-tech or galactic tie-in, bonus points if it actually has a futuristic theme.

Which brings me to the second flaw, one that Tomorrowland has seen from the beginning: having a futuristic theme. Tomorrowland’s as it was built was designed off the perspective of what the future was perceived to be at the time of the 1950s. Seventy years later, we’ve come a long way, but our perspective of what a “futuristic”, otherworldly city looks like is entirely different now. I would argue that the Tomorrowlands in the U.S. parks don’t even fit the theme of futurism well based on what some of the other Disney resorts have done with their aesthetic of Tomorrowland. And that’s the problem: the second you build for what we think “tomorrow” will be today, it’s already outdated by tomorrow - which is exactly why our Tomorrowlands hold the record for most attraction replacements: we’re always trying to keep up with capturing the future as we think it will be, but by the time we do, it’s already too late. The solution? Not to design a Tomorrowland that is a future that we will see and anticipate, but to design something that is so ethereal and otherworldly, that looks so discernibly different and unusual and unlike anything that we will ever see outside of a Disney theme park in our lives.

And so, with all that history and exposition taken care of, I’d like to begin with my take on a New Tomorrowland - where there will be some odes to originals that have come and gone, reimagined classics and some interesting choices to be made. Just like my New Fantasyland in this version of the Magic Kingdom, this new Tomorrowland will also see new additions and transformations with every existing part of the land - with the exception of Tomorrowland’s latest inclusion of TRON Lightcycle Run, which I actually think works quite well for MK’s Tomorrowland. The attraction’s visibly striking “Upload Conduit” canopy with glowing lights is going to be a new architectural motif that is spread throughout the rest of Tomorrowland, adorning the land’s buildings with these curving sweeps of pulsing light waves, which will breathe new life into the land and create a sort of cohesive synergy coming from TRON and traveling throughout. As for the overall tone and aesthetic in addition to the TRON enhancements throughout, Tomorrowland is reborn as a dazzling, electronic pulsing city on the edge of space and time. The buildings are sleek and a futuristically otherworldly by day and a neon-lit metropolis at night, where every structure hums with energy and pulsing light throughout. After crossing over the bridge from the Hub and under a new, sleek Tomorrowland sign that pulses with energy, the path crosses into the land’s main thoroughfare, framed by large metropolitan-themed show buildings on the left and right. Tomorrowland’s skyline has been radically changed and is now a glowing tapestry of layered architecture. Bold, geometric lines curve across the show buildings, working in unison with the weaving, lit conduit structures spreading from TRON. Dozens of otherworldly forced-perspective city towers and skyscrapers are built atop the show buildings, really making the land feel like an expansive, lived-in metropolis beyond the areas accessible to guests. Curved metallic facades shimmer with pulsating LED grids. Kinetic sculptures move within the city’s faux skyline and new overheard archways are supported by swirling double-helix pillars that have waterfalls cascade from within, pooling into new pools of water in the main thoroughfare. The overheard arches and show buildings are adorned with overgrown, lush plants that hang and cascade down from the ledges and add a nice touch of greenery that Tomorrowland sorely lacks. In the concrete path below, energy ribbons ripple and shoot off across the land, synced to ambient soundscapes that echo throughout Tomorrowland.

On the left past the land’s entrance, now housed in a sleek pavilion with a new domed roof designed with interlocking rings that rotate and pulse with waves of cosmic light is the TOMORROWLAND GALACTIC OBSERVATORIUM, an interstellar observatory that hosts a fusion of science, spectacle and a deep dive into the lore of Tomorrowland. Projected constellations swirl across the building surface at night, making the pavilion look like a living planetarium. Inside this space formerly occupied by Stitch’s Great Escape, this new SFX show welcomes guests into Tomorrowland’s Research and Communication Control Center, a space once operated by the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Society. As guests make their way through the research center, the mission of the Society becomes clear: to unite planets, cultures and galaxies through research and understanding. Similarly to the audio-animatronic shows that came before it, this experience features two alternating chambers where the show takes place. Guests enter into the chamber, a circle in the round-style theater with tiered seating, where a raised oval platform of research computers buzzes in the center and the ceiling above is a raised observation dome used for close planetary and galactic studies. Once guests are seated, the show begins and the domed ceiling opens - a stunning projection dome observatory effect where planets orbit, nebulas swirl, stars stream across space. From the galaxies above, a beam shines down and a teleport transmission is received just as the room goes dark, save for the projected dome above. Our host, guide and entertainer, Sonny Eclipse, now seated at his iconic Astro Organ is teleported to the center of the chamber!

That’s right, with Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe removed from this Tomorrowland, I decided to give Sonny Eclipse his own attraction experience to star in, keeping the charm and sort of unusualness of having an original Tomorrowland character and utilizing them as a light-hearted host to deliver on some lore of Tomorrowland and its surrounding galaxies. It might be an odd, strange choice, but it’s something that is so fun and unique - a galactic, musical space voyage accompanied by the smooth, jazzy vocals of Tomorrowland’s own celebrity alien singer. It seems bizarre…but it’s so campy that it makes total sense, fits and is a something Disney would’ve done a few decades back. As Sonny takes us on a tour of the galaxies surrounding Tomorrowland and the dome above the guests takes them through a visual spectacle, he speaks of his home world, the planet Zork and how his Yew Nork upbringing lead him into the music being and he began touring the galaxy. Sonny takes guests through neighboring galaxies, adding facts and figures of the worlds beyond Tomorrowland - interestingly enough, some of these galaxies seem to spark and fizzle away to Sonny’s surprise - a deeper mystery awaiting in Tomorrowland’s galaxy. Meteor showers, Space Mountain rockets and other intergalactic phenomena dart through the galaxy in a fantastic cosmic display. Some of his featured hits include his title single, “My Name Is Sonny Eclipse”, “Gravity Blues”, “Yew Nork, Yew Nork”, “Planetary Boogie” and “Hello Space Angels”, a number where he is accompanied by the Space Angels, his backup singers consisting of invisible alien singers that descend from the galaxies beyond. Sonny concludes the tour of the galaxy with an original finale number, “Outta This World With You”, as guests are taken through a glittering tour of distant star clusters among the farthest reaches of the Andromeda galaxy. Sonny thanks the guests for coming to his tour of the galaxies beyond Tomorrowland, a beam of light emerges around him and in a chamber blackout, Sonny disappears and the domed observatory dims at the conclusion of the number, as guests exit the show. Guests exit into THE LUNCHING PAD, a newly relocated counter-service snack location that has been moved into the former Aunt Gravity’s Galactic Goodies and the adjacent gift shop space. The location features an indoor seating area adorned with stylized posters of the land’s attractions and sights, as well as a large map showing rocket and PeopleMover routes throughout Tomorrowland. The counter service features snack options like Jumbo Planetary Pretzels, Galactic Footlong Hot Dogs, Cosmic Churros, Nebula Nachos and a collection of flavored Starport Slushes - sort of a collection of quick, traditional, but themed snack foods to enjoy on the go. Just off of The Lunching Pad, STAR TRADERS is located at the border of Fantasyland and Progressland and offers traditional and nostalgic Tomorrowland merchandise in a setting that has murals of the city surrounding the shop, as well as floating planetary orbs that light from above.



Across from the Tomorrowland Galactic Observatorium and in the former location of Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is TIME KEEPERS, a Circle-Vision experience where guests find themselves in a race against time itself! Guests enter into a sleek time-travel rotunda, which showcases holographic displays that recount the legendary exploits of The Timekeeper - the eccentric chrono-navigator who once guided curious travelers through the centuries of the past. The Timekeeper has disappeared across the layered fabric of time itself, passing his work on to a new generation of Timekeepers that now work to protect the fragile web of time and uphold his work… and today, guests are enlisted on their most critical mission yet. Prior to entering the circular time travel chamber where the experience takes place, guests are loaded into the Time Control Center, a holding room filled with buzzing equipment fuzed with clockwork and large computer screens. One of the computer screens blinks on and the guests are introduced to Timekeeper Nova, a spirited, fast-talking robo-host with a shimmering chrono-metallic form. Nova welcomes the guests and briefs them on why they’re here today: an ancient time anomaly, known only as “The Null” to the Timekeepers, has awakened - a chaotic force that consumes worlds with unstable timelines. It has slowly been consuming Tomorrowland’s neighboring galaxies - perhaps we saw a glimpse of this with Sonny Eclipse in the Tomorrowland Galactic Observatorium. The Null has been slowly zeroing in on Tomorrowland, drawn by its constant flux of innovation and change, wiping away galaxies that exist in its path. If it reaches the present, Tomorrowland as we know it could be erased from existence. Nova and her assisting team of Timekeepers are going to put an end to the Null’s chaotic rampage and attempt to force the anomaly out of this world - trapping it in a time-locked black hole at the farthest reaches of the galaxies, space and time.

Guests leave the Time Control Center and enter into the large 360* Circle-Vision chamber, where the surrounding “screens” are “closed” and made to look like you’re on the inside of a metal vessel, with the churning smoking of vibrating engines. Nova’s voice comes over an intercom system, addressing the guests to step into the middle of the room and the experience begins. The surrounding vessel “windows” open into the Timekeepers vessel bay, where Nova is aboard a Chrono-Circuit - an experimental temporal vessel that the Timekeepers use to traverse through points in the future. She connects her Chrono-Circuit to the guests circular “vessel” and with a powerful launch, the screens pulse with energy as Nova propels guests forward in time, the screens around them becoming an electrified display, showing the outside galaxies streaming past at light speed. Nova uses her vessel to summon the energy to create a time transport tunnel that she and the guests blast off into - but instead of launching into the past like the Timekeeper’s original exploits, we take off into the distant future. On the other end, we arrive in the Year 2125, in the time period known as The Floating Renaissance, where metropolis cities lay adrift, hovering in float above oceans, bustling with flying aerial trams and gardens that grow upwards. Propelled forward by Nova, the guests blast down another time tunnel, arriving in the Year 2525, known as the Intergalactic Revolution, where humanity thrives alongside alien civilizations in peace and prosperity, as the guests dart through a massive orbiting marketplace. Nova remarks that these future points in time have been untouched by The Null, but the more frequent and farther they travel through time, the more she can sense the anomaly’s growing presence. The guests are once again blasted into a new point in time, arriving in the Year 3000, known as the New World - something both strange and ethereal, looking both ancient and otherworldly all at once, as floating monoliths of ancient-stored knowledge float around the guests, chronicling every even of history’s past, present and the future to come.

But midway through the experience, the Chrono-Circuit glitches - timelines stutter and collapse in on themselves. A dark fissure crackles across the screens as Nova reverses course. Now, the guests race backwards through fractured versions of the timelines they just witnessed - scenes morph, distort, and crumble as The Null’s black void creeps across the periphery of the screens, a sweeping mass of dark cosmic energy that arrives, pulsing with purple electricity that flash glances of wiring, metal and cogs beneath The Null’s sweeping mass. As the ride hurtles backwards through collapsing futures, Nova’s voice grows strained and begs us to “hold the future together”… but just as she calls out, she and the guests are both consumed by the Null’s endless void, lost into nothingness like all of the timelines and galaxies before us. We find ourselves floating through the great darkness with Nova, feeling as though we’ve started to fade away from existence…until a flicker of light from Nova’s Chrono-Circuit reveals ashadowed form from with The Null’s vast darkness - humanoid with faint glimmers of mechanical gears and optics - just like Nova - beneath the swirling void of dark energy. Nova has a sudden revelation when she sees the true form within this destructive mass, the very being that is creating such upheaval across galaxies and timelines - a form she knows all too well.

…The Null is the original Timekeeper!

Nova pieces together the chilling truth: The Timekeeper, famed for his voyages through time, had become a prisoner of time itself. Pushing beyond the limits of time travel, his very being unraveled, controlled by the time paradoxes he once sought out with his existence tied to different points in time throughout the future. His form turned into an ever-growing anomaly of time itself, until his original form transformed, the future timelines he’d become latched to all collapsed and he’d re-emerged as The Null - a being that could only exist to consume the galaxies and futures.

“Too many trips through time…too many futures seen and forgotten. He lost himself and now he’s trying to erase everything, including us.”

Instead of trying to destroy or trap the indestructible force. Nova reaches out with empathy to the shrouded form - activating a core memory of the Timekeeper’s original purpose: to use time travel to inspire and dream of a land of tomorrow that is both wondrous and innovative. When the Timekeeper realizes that his original purpose inspired Nova and a new generation of Timekeepers to continue his pursuit of inspiring to create and protect the future, the chamber surges with a radiant burst of imagery from Tomorrowland’s past, present and future, as the once-consumed galaxies and timelines are restored, dotting their way across space and time itself. For a fleeting moment, The Null’s dark form dissolves into shimmering light, leaving the Timekeeper’s figure to be seen for just a moment, giving Nova a thankful nod, before disappearing into the fabric of time.



Nova’s heartfelt line closes the moment, “Even the greatest explorers need someone to remind them why they began the journey. Tomorrowland is saved - not by force, but by remembering its heart. The screens settle on a serene vision of Tomorrowland - glowing, pulsing with renewed energy, alive in its timeless state beyond space and time. Nova concludes, “Well, that was close. Good thing you’re all honorary Time Keepers now.” The doors open to Tomorrowland’s neon streets, as a musical motif of the original Timekeeper score “From Time to Time” swells in the background a a final homage to the past, future, and the ever-changing spirit of Tomorrowland. On the opposite side of the building’s entrance, a path circumnavigates the southern border of Tomorrowland and connects back to Main Street U.S.A. near Walt’s - An American Restaurant. This area was formerly where the Tomorrowland Terrace was, which in recent years, its primary purpose was to serve as the location for expensive up-charged dessert party events. In this version of the park, much of this landing had been modified with the Main Street-side of it being used as space for Walt’s, while the seating landing over the water leading towards Tomorrowland remains. There’s no quick service or attached dining to the area, it’s just a nice shaded seating area that Magic Kingdom could use more of and acts as a nice futuristic-themed bypass between Main Street and Tomorrowland, while offering great views of the Hub and Cinderella Castle.

 

[KingMickey]

Continuing down the main avenue of Tomorrowland, while staying on the right block of the street past Time Keepers and replacing Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, we arrive at our next attraction, an action-shooter omni-mover dark ride that pays homage to another Tomorrowland original from decades past. ALIEN ENCOUNTER! brings guests into Tomorrowland’s Defense & Command Center, a futuristic fortress buzzing with surveillance monitors, scanners and patrol-bots that keep a watchful eye on the city. As guests make their way through the Defense & Command Center and observe the number of patrol screens and safety monitors, it becomes clear:

Just when we thought messing with timelines and our imminent eradication was the pinnacle of our problems, Tomorrowland is now under siege by an altogether different threat. A mysterious interdimensional rift has opened from our time travels with Nova - and from it, waves of wild, uncontrollable alien creatures have begun pouring into Tomorrowland, leaving chaos and destruction in their path. Aliens are swarming infrastructure, attacking the Observatorium, throwing Spaceport 75 rockets off course and hijacking the different colored transportation lines that travel throughout the city. The Tomorrowland Defense & Command Center are scrambling to assemble its first-ever Citizen Defense Squad and you are now a volunteer recruit. Guests board their Defense Squad Shuttles, each equipped with state-of-the-art laser cannon blasters, a joystick to control the shuttle’s direction and a digitized scoreboard that racks up points for every alien hit. In this attraction, every shot counts and the higher the score, the more powerful your laser blasts become to be able to take down more powerful alien enemies - an important factor when the alien targets now require several precise blasts in order to be “defeated”. Guests board their vehicles amidst the sounding alarms and emergency drills of the Defense & Command Center and set off.

The vehicles turn into a crescent-shaped Command Headquarters, where a series of buzzing screens turn on to show a briefing mission from Commander Grath, a gruff alien defector who’s been appointed Tomorrowland’s prime Captain of Defense. He warns that these invasions are not a random coincidence - something has targeted Tomorrowland and intentionally brought these aliens here. We must scour the city, find the source of this alien invasion and put a stop to it! The Defense Squad Shuttles burst into the city’s central power grid, now overrun with uncontrolled alien pests of all shapes, types and sizes. The creatures crawl, fly and splatter across the walls, as they attempt to short-circuit the power from the city. Sparks fly and lights shutter as the guests blast the aliens with their laser cannons. The room occasionally turns dark from the alien’s chaotic rampage, as they short-circuit the entire city, their glowing eyes and targets illuminating the room, before they retaliate with static bursts of blinding strobes and roars.

The Shuttles leave the Power Grid Center behind and move into a semi-weightless environment, where debris and aliens float freely across a chaotic Tomorrowland Avenue. A small mock up of the Orbitron hangs from the ceiling, acting as a carousel of shooting alien targets that have hitched a ride. A small Space Mountain structure looms in the back of the large expanse, where aliens occasionally pop up in rockets, offering high points if accurately aimed and shot at. Riders use their joystick to spin and face enemies emerging from all angles: above, below, even behind mirrored building panels that open up as aliens attack! A massive alien behemoth, known as the Slug-X roars above the track - only precise teamwork within the vehicle and those around you stuns it long enough to make an escape. The guests leave the avenue behind and enter into one of the many transportation tunnels that travel throughout Tomorrowland. In this room, the Shuttles pass by the different colored transit lines of the Tomorrowland Peoplemover. The public transport Red and Green Lines sputter and shake in place, as aliens have taken over the carts and are causing havoc. On the opposite side of the transportation tunnel, a large alien creature known as the Insectoid sprawls its claws and legs out, appearing as one large robotic spider with each appendage not only offering a variety of targets, but also precariously upheaving a Blue Line Peoplemover cart from them! Guest blast out of the transportation tunnel and race through an energy vortex rippling with a strange power. Laser blasts ripple through the tunnel like tracer beams and it seems like the Shuttles are pulled forward by an incredibly powerful force. Ahead, a rift pulses with ominous red energy. The Shuttles enter a dark, pulsing underground chamber of smoking pipes and electrified wiring. Suddenly, the chamber erupts into chaos as the guests are thrust into a “boss fight” against their final opponent: the source of what brought on this alien invasion to Tomorrowland - the original strikingly-fearful alien creature from The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, now back with a vengeance!

The massive, frightening creature descends from above - intense, grotesque, with a piercing shriek that echoes through the dome. In the climax of the attraction, the laser cannons send off large blasts upwards towards the frightening creature, who attacks with bursts of steam, electrical pulses and screeches that send shockwaves out. Only with a barrage of team hits can the creature be subdued and thwarted - and even then, it’s a frightening and intense battle! In the last target room of the attraction, a finale Alien Encounter creature animatronic is seen, surrounded by other alien types to offer a last few high score points to track up. A blinding flash of light hits and a large explosion rings out: the frightening alien and the invasion that it wrought are no more. The Shuttles move back into the Defense and Command Center, where amidst a backdrop of surveillance cameras that now show a peace-restored city, an audio-animatronic of Commander Grath turns his attention towards the passing guests, thanks them for their service and honors them as Tomorrowland’s Citizen Defense Squad. From there, the vehicles move to the unload conveyor belt where they exit the attraction through the X-S TECH gift shop, a location that sells both Alien Encounter and nostalgic Tomorrowland merchandise.

Just off of the exit to Alien Encounter and built between it and the former Carousel of Progress location, a new quick service location is built and expands into the backstage parking area behind Tomorrowland/Main Street U.S.A., bringing a new counter service location to the land now that Cosmic Ray’s has been converted to the Wonderland quick service. NEBULA RAY’S CONSTELLATION CAFÉ is a sleek, multi-level quick service dining venue that embodies the neon-lit, intergalactic city vibe of the new Tomorrowland. This eatery pulses with a cool cosmic energy - glassy observation windows that look over the land, shifting constellation projections on the walls and overhead neon star maps that illuminate throughout the restaurant. Taking inspiration from both the original Cosmic Ray’s and Plazma Ray’s restaurants in WDW and Tokyo, respectively, Nebula Ray is a distant cousin to Cosmic and Plazma and she opened this café as a spot for fellow travelers, cosmic cartographers and curious visitors to fuel up before their next interstellar adventure. The menu serves entree items such as Meteorite Melt Burgers with cosmic sauce, Orbit Fried Chicken Sandwiches with stellar slaw, Star Cluster Potato Bites with nebula cheese drizzle and Cosmo Shakes swirled with edible stardust.

Next we arrive at the central beacon of Tomorrowland, Rocket Tower Plaza, where two more attractions. The first is the iconic TOMORROWLAND PEOPLEMOVER, the iconic elevated tour of Tomorrowland aboard the city’s blue line transit system. Originally opening in Disneyland in July 1967, the term “people mover” had been given to describe forms of mass automated public transport. While Disneyland’s attraction closed in the mid-1990s, the second iteration opened at Walt Disney World in July 1975. With the removal and relocation of the Lunching Pad at the former core beneath the PeopleMover’s circular loading platform, the former speed-ramp belts used to take up to the second floor of Rocket Tower Plaza are no more. Instead, in their plaza are spiraling double-helix entry and exit ramps that curve upwards to the attraction’s loading area. The attraction that we know and love keeps the same charm and purpose: a relaxing trip around Tomorrowland with small glances into vignette scenes of some of the land’s attractions. This version takes much of the narration from the TTA Central Announcer’s narration from 1994-2009 but now updates it to showcase the new elements of Tomorrowland and puts an updated spin on it.

In addition to the updated narration throughout the ride, some changes are made to the ride experience itself based on some of the new installments to the land. Previously, the track left the station, took a left turn to circumnavigate the main plaza and then took a right turn into an indoor tunnel segment where it passed by a model of Progress City. With that model being moved into the new Autopia: Roads of Progress attraction in Progressland, this tunnel is now occupied by a vignette of sparkling galaxies, meteorites and asteroids that orbit around the scene. As the cart passes through the scene, a 3-D projected image of Nova appears from out of a time hole on her Chrono-Circuit, acknowledges the passerby’s, before blasting off into another time tunnel, a nice moment that works to tie both the Tomorrowland Galactic Observatorium and the Time Keepers attractions together. From there, the PeopleMover passes by a window looking into Star Traders and then crossed over a long straight runway track segment that passes over Progressland near the Moonliner restaurant and Adventure Thru Inner Space. From there, the PeopleMover then passes by TRON Lightcycle Run before turning into Starport 75, the home of Space Mountain. While we will get into the brunt of Space Mountain’s total overhaul shortly, the PeopleMover passes through the interior of the attraction, traveling through a sparkling star tunnel where the stars seems to orbit around the traveling carts to the tune of Space Mountain’s nostalgic “Star Tunnel” music. From there, the PeopleMover moves into the attraction’s main coaster show building, where it catches glimpses of spiraling comets, waves of cascading stars, supernova bursts and sparkling galaxies, all hidden away within the darkness of Space Mountain. From there, the PeopleMover exits and continues back down the runaway path, circling around Rocket Tower Plaza and entering into the Alien Encounter/Time Keepers show building block. Inside this tunnel, a computer screen inside one of the control towers of the Tomorrowland Defense & Command Center flashes on and commander Grath calls the attention of the traveling passengers, informing them that the threat of an alien invasion has descended down on Tomorrowland and he needs their help in eradicating the growing threat. After, the PeopleMover carts pass by open windows where they look down into the inside of Alien Encounter, with views into the show scene of aliens infiltrating the Tomorrowland main thoroughfare avenue. Afterwards, the PeopleMover exits the tunnel, curves around the perimeter of the building, offering great views of Cinderella Castle and the Hub, before returning to the main plaza where it returns to the circular platform of Rocket Tower Plaza and the guests exit their vehicle.

On top of the PeopleMover and marking the peak of Rocket Tower Plaza, a new attraction is located. As previously mentioned, Astro Orbiter is no longer atop the PeopleMover what with the nearby similar Rocket Jets attraction being added to Progressland. Instead, the JET PACK ORBITRON offers an altogether different and more thrilling experience. Albeit similar in spirit to being an aerial spinner like Astro Orbiter, this attraction is inspired from Shanghai’s Tomorrowland and offers a much more intense ride experience. Guests board two-person ride vehicles and spin around a large central metallic sphere. Guests are able to control how high they spin with joystick controls at the side of their jet pack vehicle. The higher the guests decide to go up, the more their vehicle will rotate forward and with the ride vehicles being floor less with riders feet dangling, it furthers the sensation of flying in a jet pack. At the center of the attraction, a large energy sphere spins faster as the ride progresses. Should guests decide to raise their jet pack to the highest apex, it unlocks the feature for the riders to use their momentum to further tilt their jet packs forward, making it possible to do a complete aerial roll as they are spinning, should they desire to. While the Magic Kingdom has always had its share of aerial spinners, this one includes an added thrill and height that makes it a fun and different inclusion, while also adding a new focal point to Tomorrowland’s core that fits in well with the new surrounding aesthetic of the land.



Continuing ahead just off of Rocket Tower Plaza is another new attraction that replaces the relocated Carousel of Progress space and adds a new bit of life to this intergalactic corner of Tomorrowland. SGT. SIR’S SPACE SAUCERS is a new take on the classic “flying saucers” attraction and adds an interesting, well-themed, fitting flat ride to the land. As the story goes, the original “flying saucers” were located in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland in the early 1960s, where guests rode on personal flying saucers that were cushions of air, moving like the way an air hockey puck would glide, frequently leading to guests engaging in games of bumper cars by ramming their saucers into each other. Guests would try to direct their weight to help steer the saucer in the direction they wanted to go, but with the combination of air pressure faults, high operational expenses and user error, the attraction saw a short lifespan and would never make it to Disneyland’s New Tomorrowland. In 2012, a similar attraction would open in Disney California Adventure’s Cars Land as Luigi’s Flying Tires using a similar ride system and concept, but similarly, the same issues persisted and the attraction would have an even shorter lifespan than its initial Disneyland run.

In Magic Kingdom’s New Tomorrowland, we take the concept of the attraction and work it out to be something a little more palatable for a long-term, long-running attraction and less of a ‘bumper cars that trusts guests to engage properly’. Now housed under a large metal flying saucer shuttle, guests still board a circular disc and enter into their flying saucer vehicles that can sit two or three individuals, but now, the vehicles move, spin and dance on automated, trackless technology - think of a combination between DisneySEA’s Aquatopia and DCA’s Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. It’s essentially taking the original concept of a “flying saucers” attraction, but optimizes it with a more reliable trackless ride system. In addition, the attraction also works to serve a rather tongue-in-cheek reference to Tomorrowland attractions of yesteryear - both The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter and Stitch’s Great Escape. SGT. comes from the pre-show robot in Stitch’s Great Escape, and SIR, or rather, the Simulated Intelligence Robot, was the same figure during the show’s tenure as The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, with both versions of the character serving to snow briefing sessions on how intergalactic teleportation works. In this version of the attraction, SGT. SIR now sits as an audio-animatronic in the center of the flat ride disc and “conducts” the moving and dancing of the space saucers as they swirl around the circular space laden with teleportation tubes and buzzing wiring. For a bit of an extra special touch, as the guests spin across the disc in their saucers and come close to the teleportation tubes, they might see a surprising alien creature appear inside - Skippy, Stitch, the Little Green Men - before disappearing as the flying saucer turns away. It’s a subtle way to throw in some IP in a very subtle way that doesn’t base or “make” the attraction all about it, but still finds a way to pay homage to several attractions of Tomorrowland history.

 

[KingMickey]

Finally, we make it to the final section of our New Tomorrowland - the Tomorrowland Launch Depot - where our last two attractions are found, the first being the crown jewel of Tomorrowland: SPACE MOUNTAIN, the space coaster that has become a classic icon within the castle parks and is one of Disney’s most famous, world-renowned attractions to have ever been created. The original Space Mountain coaster opened in the Magic Kingdom in 1975, hence the attraction’s rocket launch station, Starport 75. It opened with two tracks - Alpha and Omega - which nearly mirrored each other and offered the same ride experience. There’s a certain kind of dangerous, neck-breaking charm that exists for just MK’s Space Mountain, the same sort of charm that exists for Disneyland’s Matterhorn. In the years that followed Space Mountains arrival in the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong would all construct their own Space Mountains, most which followed Disneyland’s fantastic blueprint of the attraction, with the exception of Disneyland Paris, which included a launched takeoff, sudden inversions and the most intense version of the attraction. Currently, Tokyo’s Space Mountains is seeing a massive overhaul - no, an entire literal reconstruction from the ground up, which is practically unfathomable that it’s actually a reality since it’s such a “Blue Sky” thing to have happen.

Which is exactly why I’m taking a page out of Tokyo’s Imagineering handbook and giving WDW’s Space Mountain the massive reconstruction that it deserves - and frankly, it’s an overhaul that has been rumored to be in the works for the past two decades. Maybe reconstruction is the wrong word since I won’t be tearing down the mountain exterior to be rebuilt - it’s too iconic, too good. Sure, Tokyo’s new mountain concept looks incredible and phenomenal, but there’s something just too classic and perfect about the U.S. parks design for Space Mountain’s exterior to part ways with and rebuild as something else. The interior on the other hand? Now *that* is where this massive reconstruction is happening. The queue setup, the convoluted in and out of the structure, the load and unload, the entire dual tracks - all of it is gone and being recreated to make the Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain an absolute spectacle with charm, thrills and excitement.

At the base of Space Mountain, guests enter Starport 75, Tomorrowland’s bustling space hub, stepping into sleek, angular corridors pulsing with data streams and navigation charts of known and unknown galaxies. Monitors flicker with star charts, planetary routes and cryptic interstellar broadcasts. Subtle hums, synthesized communication bursts and flickering monitors create a living terminal atmosphere. Passing spacecraft blueprints and swirling galaxy maps, the queue builds anticipation until guests reach the boarding concourse: a gleaming launch bay overlooking a panoramic “window” into deep space. Suspended above, a large spacecraft prepares for launch, its engines rumbling with building energy. Riders board streamlined rockets, now seating six rows of two in brand new vehicles on a new, smooth track that is twice as long as before, creating a four minute coaster experience! With restraints secured, the space journey begins.

The rockets curve away from the Starport 75 boarding concourse and ascend a short lift hill, as a dramatic new score accompanies the galactic space journey. The walls glow with rippling blue energy fields as the rocket prepares for launch. At the crest of the hill, the rocket curves into a hyperspace acceleration tunnel - the classic ‘blue light tunnel’ in variations of the attraction - shimmering with blue and white light pulses that stream past the rockets in sequence and simulated increasing speed. The rockets then reach a second larger lift hill and begin their ascent, climbing up the hill as a swirling vortex projection wraps around the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, a distant swirling galaxy grows larger, drawing the train forward and dissipating before the rockets crest into the vast dome. Now inside the dome, the rocket curves and offers a view into the star-laden outer space. The structure within Space Mountain is massive and features new, advanced projectors of stars that flood the room. The rockets proceed up one last small lift hill, rising up towards a star-strewn abyss, before the rocket sets off! The rockets curve and twist through the darkness for several moments, as seas of stars swirl past the riders and the coaster twists and turns through the darkness of the galaxy. The rockets bob and weave through a meteor shower, taken a sudden dip under a glowing asteroid and zips into a spiral along Saturn’s rings. The coaster dips and accelerates through the galaxy, clouded galaxy auras projected on the walls next to the track as the coaster blasts through. The vehicle does a banked turn around the planet Venus, before plunging into a mirrored star field, where bright stars blink and flash, converging and closing in on the track.

The train then comes to a slower pace as it reaches a surprising second main lift hill within the coaster section of the attraction. As the rockets lift up the second lift hill, a cosmic anomaly begins to form projected on the ceiling above, pulling the rockets in and upwards through space. The surrounding stars begins to dim and a swirling supernova begins to form and build overhead. The lift builds tension with its slow rise as the supernova pulses brighter until The light builds and grows until it erupts in a brilliant cosmic explosion, sending the rocket on a downward curve and into the ride’s final, most exhilarating act. The coaster surges forward through spiraling asteroid tunnels, banks around the massive form of Jupiter, then dips into the open tunnel of a swirling black hole. Inside, the coaster spins through the complete darkness, electric energy projections firing across the tunnel like bolts of interstellar lightning. Just when it seems the rockets will be lost to the void, they burst out the other side into a spectacular starfield. The speed accelerates as the rockets whip through consecutive banked downward curves, going faster and faster until curving into a final luminous tunnel where streaks of hyperspeed light surround the vehicle and a blinding bright flash concludes the experience as all fades to darkness. The rocket coasts back into Starport 75’s unloading bay, a separate station adorned space station equipment and beeping computers, where the guests exit. As mentioned, the entire interior of Space Mountain is getting redone to accommodate the larger physical track and the longer singular-tracked ride experience, so guests no longer walk through a convolutedly long ex-conveyor belt hallway to exit the attraction with the new unload placed closer to the attraction’s entrance. From there, the guests exit up a ramped exit hall of outerspace charts and rocket blueprints before exiting into the TOMORROWLAND LAUNCH DEPOT, an intergalactic store that sells Space Mountain, Tomorrowland and Tron Lightcycle / Run merchandise, with the latter providing an experience where guests can digitize themselves into their very own action figure character that they can take home straight from The Grid.

We now arrive at the final section of Tomorrowland, which of course is TRON LIGHTCYCLE / RUN, the latest addition to Tomorrowland in the form of a launch coaster that takes digitized guests aboard their light cycles and into the digital world of TRON. I know that there’s a bit of criticism for having the Space Mountain and TRON attractions, two thrilling coaster experiences, placed next to each other, but I’ve never seen it as a negative. They’re two completely different coaster experiences that offer different types of thrills. My main concern when it came to overhauling Space Mountain was to not make it a clone of the high-intense TRON launch coaster next door because the two can and should exist as separate entities, with different thrills, feels and tones of how the theme of “futurism” is utilized within the attractions. I also quite like TRON as the type of coaster experience it is with the fun lightcycle vehicles that adds an entirely different feel to riding a coaster. Sure, I think the coaster could be about 20-30 seconds longer and I think length is its biggest shortcoming, but I do think it adds a good bit of life and edge to Tomorrowland, which is why I wanted the entire exterior sweeping canopy to become a new aesthetic motif used throughout all of this New Tomorrowland.

As guests pass up the sleek, curved ramps to the attraction’s entrance, they pass by ENERGY BYTES, a counter-service snack stand in a sleek structure, serving items like Beef or Chicken Digital Dumplings, Strawberry Ice0form Mochi Ice Cream and different fruit drink refreshers. Guests make their way up the paths that proceed under the upward curved outdoor ride track beneath the lit Upload Conduit canopy, which leads them into the queue of the attraction. Guests proceed down a corridor lined with blue circuitry patterns, before entering a pre-show room where the guests are “digitized” via a digital projection screen at the front of the room, which turns transparent to reveal the Lightcycle coaster launching after the guests have been transported to the digital world. Guests proceed through the remainder of the queue, which shows different teams and Top Users, Team Red, Team Yellow, Team Orange and finally, Team Blue - the team that the guests join. As guests prepare to face their opponents on the Grid, monitors above explain the boarding procedures and that guests will be competing against Team Orange to capture eight Energy Gates. Guests proceed down a ramp and into the loading area where they board their Lightcycle bike-like coaster vehicles.

The guests are dispatched on their Lightcycle coaster and make a turn into the lengthy launch tunnel that is illuminated with undulating blue and white lights, as the faint hum of the launch builds. “Initiate in 3…2…1…” The Lightcycle coaster blasts off, reaching a maximum speed of 60 mph and soars upwards along the Upload Conduit, which glows brighter as the guests speed by, before the coaster soars upwards, then diving into a mysterious digital world of lights, flashing circuits, the pulsating energy of the Grid. As the coaster soars through the digital world, it passes through the Energy Gates at high-speeds. For a brief moment, Team Blue has a brief encounter soaring through the Grid alongside Team Orange, before splitting ways and delving into the next Energy Gate. The coaster does a wide turn, weaving through the pulsating energy of the Grid. In the final moments of the attraction, it becomes a race between Team Blue and Team Orange to reach the last Energy Gate, but in the end, Team Blue passes through, Team Orange is expelled from the Grid in a loud and flashy burst and with their victory, Team Blue is un-digitized from the Grid via a tunnel of pulsating circuit lights. The guests on their Lightcycle return to the unload area and exit the attraction.

One final addition to Tomorrowland comes in the form of the Walt Disney World Railroad. Where we last left off, the Railroad left Progressland’s station, entered into a time portal and proceeded through a new Primeval World diorama of different dinosaur scenes hidden away in the show buildings beyond Tomorrowland (coinciding with the new Space Mountain construction). The journey through this prehistoric world ended with the trains entering through another time portal, which takes us to our new addition. The railroad passes by a brief, but stellar model of the city of Tomorrowland at night, buzzing with energy and power. The model captures miniature version of Space Mountain and TRON Lightcycle / Run, the Orbitron, as well as a colorful array of galaxies and intergalactic spectacles like time tunnels and meteor showers projected onto the back of the diorama. For a brief moment, guests might even see Stitch blast past on his red rocket ship, laughing off into the galactic night as he soars away. At last, the train proceeds through a final time portal, where it transports it and its passengers to none other than turn-of-the-century Main Street U.S.A., where guests can disembark or board the Walt Disney World Railroad.

And that’s a wrap on Tomorrowland - and really, the Magic Kingdom’s layout as a whole. I hope you enjoyed this new version of Tomorrowland. It’s something futuristic and otherworldly, shouldn’t have a problem with feeling outdated, has a bit of a darker tone that fits the mystery and intrigue of the future, introduces some original characters into the landscape and its attractions and does its due diligence at paying homage to some Tomorrowland attractions of yesteryear. Let me know what you think, I really enjoyed creating this final land of the Magic Kingdom.

_______________

-TOMORROWLAND-
ATTRACTIONS
1) Tomorrowland Galactic Observstorium
2) Time Keepers
3) Alien Encounter!
4) Tomorrowland PeopleMover
5) Jet Pack Orbitron
6) SGT. SIR’s Space Saucers
7) Space Mountain
8) TRON Lightcycle / Run

DINING
1) The Lunching Pad
2) Nebula Ray’s Constellation Café
3) Energy Bytes

SHOPPING
1) Star Traders
2) X-S Tech
3) Tomorrowland Launch Depot

Although this is the end of the “tour” of the Magic Kingdom, there is still one more post to be made - and that’s Entertainment! For the Magic Kingdom, I’m planning an all-new daytime parade that replaces Festival of Fantasy, a new nighttime parade that uses the Starlight name but is mostly a different parade and finally, a new nighttime fireworks spectacle that would one day supersede Happily Ever After, with all the bells, whistles, nostalgia, magic and wonder that a Disney nighttime fireworks spectacular should be.

We have one final post in the Magic Kingdom before we move on to our next park, EPCOT. Thanks for reading!

 

[KingMickey]

Our next and final segment for the Magic Kingdom is all about the Entertainment offerings - specifically a new daytime parade that replaces Festival of Fantasy, a new nighttime parade that uses the “Starlight” name but is a different iteration of the parade and finally, a new nighttime fireworks spectacular that falls in the same vein as Happily Ever After, Disneyland Forever and Wondrous Journeys.

Let’s get started with our new daytime parade, DISNEY’S WORLD OF WISHES PARADE.

The sound of a train whistle chimes as a swirling crescendo of music builds, kicking off the start of the parade. Disney’s World of Wishes Parade is a radiant celebration of beloved characters, wondrous worlds and the timeless tales that Disney has created. Each unit is a living diorama of magic and movement, crafted with enchanting details with the intention to dazzle. The parade sweeps through the park starting in Frontierland and ending in Main Street U.S.A., all while utilizing a re-tooled orchestral and vocal rendition of the classic, nostalgic theme from Magic Kingdom’s previous fireworks spectacular, “Wishes”. The parade is full of unforgettable magical moments, kinetic floats, whimsical choreography and iconic music that all ties the enchanting procession together. Here are the following units of the parade.

“DAY IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM” MICKEY & FRIENDS UNIT

The parade begins with a nostalgic tribute to the Magic Kingdom. Mickey and Minnie wave joyfully from atop a charming Walt Disney World Railroad locomotive float, steam puffing and bells ringing as it rolls down Main Street U.S.A. to the grand orchestration of ‘Wishes’. The back of the float is flanked by a miniature structure of the Main Street Railroad Station with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on the left and Space Mountain on the right, both with miniature vehicles that pass around. Behind the Railroad float, Goofy and Pluto glide past in a Jungle Cruise boat vehicle that curves down the street. Next, Donald and Daisy are behind the Jungle Cruise boat, self-piloting Rocket Jets down the street and engaging with the crowd. Finally, Chip and Dale spin gleefully in large, colorful Tea Cups, zipping past guests in circle formations, which segues into our next unit.

“MAD TEA PARTY” ALICE IN WONDERLAND/“BLUSTERY DAY” WINNIE THE POOH UNIT

This float is preluded by an army of Marching Cards lined in rows with a choreographed dance. This unit features the topsy-turvy charm of Wonderland on one side of a split float, where a long tea party table is surrounded by smoking teapots and cups spilling over with the middle of the table retrofitted with a trampoline where two of the Queen of Hearts cards bounce up and down with choreography. Alice and the Mad Hatter are seen running around the table, with the Door Mouse occasionally lifting his head from a large teapot. The White Rabbit is seen opposite of the teapot, sitting on a large pocket watch suspended off the side of the table. Instrumentals of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘In the Golden Afternoon’ play as the float passes. Tea party lanterns hang overhead and Wonderland hedges adore the back of the scene, splitting the float into a front and back segment. On the opposite side, the float features the 100 Acre Woods where a massive tree grounds the float, Pooh’s House. Surrounding the house, Pooh sits with a hunny pot, as a figure of Piglet moves from a kite near a tree branch, caught in a very blustery day. Nearby the tree, Eeyore sadly waves to the guest next to his fragile house made of carefully-placed sticks on the brink of falling apart. Roaming behind the float, Tigger and Rabbit travel after in oversized Heffalump and Woozle “balloon” vehicles. The moment is underscored by the classic ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ theme.

“ZERO TO HERO” HERCULES UNIT

Soaring above the float of the town of Thebes, the mighty Hercules rides astride Pegasus, whose wings are outstretched in the air. Beneath Hercules and Pegasus, Megara sits on a perch in a garden with Olympian statues on either side of her. The float is framed by clouds and golden marble architecture. Coming out of the top of the Thebes buildings at the center of the float, an awe-inspiring animatronic puppet of several Hydra heads snake and write their way through the air. Thankfully, Hercules is nearby with sword in hand on the back of Pegasus, recreating the legendary battle from the film. The back of the float, behind the mighty towering buildings of Thebes, Philoctetes is seen waving at guests, surrounded by vases depicting other gods, legends and heroes of Olympian lore. A lower platform at the back of the float features the five Muses, who put on a high energy performance that combines ‘Zero to Hero’ and ‘A Star Is Born’ mixed in with the ‘Wishes’ theme.

“RAPUNZEL’S TOWER” TANGLED/“ELSA’S ICE PALACE” FROZEN UNIT

In this dual fairytale unit, Rapunzel’s tower rises above a flowering forest with rock work built as its backdrop. From the tower window, Rapunzel’s long, golden hair streams down, which Rapunzel swings from across the forest floor as Flynn Rider stands nearby, satchel in hand. On one side of the tower, Pascal sits on a rock and on the other side, Maximus spies on Flynn from behind the stone tower wall. A few WANTED Flynn Rider posters are scattered amongst the backdrop foliage and rocks, as the tunes of ‘When Will My Life Begin?’ and ‘I’ve Got a Dream’ play out. The rockwork in the mid-section of the float shifts to the glittering snowcaps of the North Mountain on the backside of the float, where crystalline structures come together to form Elsa’s ice place. On a crystal palace balcony, Elsa stands in her shimmering ice queen dress, using her powers to send snow flurries down into the street. Below the palace balcony, Anna and Kristoff are seated in a wooden sleigh being pulled by a puppet of Sven. A animatronic figure of Olaf is at the back of the sleigh, making witty remarks to both Anna and Kristoff. The tunes of ‘For the First Time in Forever’ and ‘Let It Go’ play as the float moves on and Elsa casts her ice magic, leaving a trail of falling snow behind her as the float moves down Main Street.

“FLIGHT OVER NEVERLAND” PETER PAN UNIT

Leading this next float in is a minute floral float of flowers sparkling with pixie dust with Tinker Bell at the center. Surrounding the smaller float are a series of winged-fairy dancers that move to the music. Following the fairies, soaring above a front-facing Neverland float that is complete with miniatures of Mermaid Lagoon, Skull Rock and a Native American Campground, Peter Pan and Wendy are seen flying over the Neverland set, suspended from an ornate moon that acts as the centerpiece of the float. The tunes of ‘Second Star to the Right’ and ‘You Can Fly!’ mix with encompassing ‘Wishes’ theme of the whole parade. The front of the float features the bow of the Jolly Roger, where Captain Hook and Smee are found, nervously pointing out the moving Crocodile figure that wraps around the front of the float. Beyond the moon at the center, the back of the float is adorned with buildings of the London skyline with the Big Ben clocktower as the centerpiece of them all. Following behind the London skyline, Mary Poppins and Bert ride past on self-drive carousel horses that glide down Main Street.

“KING OF PRIDE ROCK” LION KING/“JUNGLE JAM” JUNGLE BOOK UNIT

The next float is a third and final dual-sided float that brings the rhythms and adventures of the jungle to life. The float is precluded by rhythmic dancers, not all too different from those found in the Festival of the Lion King show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, dancing to the combined rhythms of ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’, ‘Circle of Life’ and ‘King of Pride Rock’. The front of the float features the majestic Pride Rock, where Simba stands at the helm, letting out a roar as a majestic sun glows behind Pride Rock. At the base of the rock, puppets of Nala, Timon and Pumbaa interact with the guests as they pass. Behind Pride Rock, a large leafless baobab tree separates the front from the back of the float, where Rafiki is found with his self-drawn image of Simba as a king cub. The float then transitions into a jungle thicket in the back half, as Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and a puppet of Bagheera are seen in the ruins of a jungle temple, the rhythms of ‘Bear Necessities’ ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ filling the air. A looming, moving figure of Kaa wraps around the entire jungle temple setting and following monkey dancers move to the rhythmic jungle beat.

“UNDER THE SEA CELEBRATION” THE LITTLE MERMAID UNIT

A collection of coral reef dancers welcomes in in the next float: an undersea celebration brought to life, where Ariel sits on a luminous seashell throne perched atop a winding tower of coral and seaweed. The center features carousels of colorful fish that dance around the center tower, creating an undersea garden celebration to the tunes of ‘Under the Sea’ and ‘Part of Your World’. Flounder circles around the tower with the schools of dancing fishes, bubbles blow through the air to the tropical music and a Sebastian animatronic figure sits within a seahorse-drawn clamshell chariot that leads the float. Following close behind the undersea celebration, an Ursula figure saunters down the street, scroll in hand as she tries to strike deals with the guests she passes. Trailing behind her are her sinister eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, who stealthy curl down the street as elaborate figures that are handled by coral-disguised puppeteers. Ursula’s arrival to the tune of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” acts as the perfect segue to our next float unit…

“NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN” DISNEY VILLAINS UNIT

A towering float built from the jagged peaks of Bald Mountain looms down the street, pulsing with flickering lantern lights and swirling mist. At the peak of the mountain, a Chernabog figure unfurls his wings in dramatic, dark fashion as fiery smoke erupts from the peak of Bald Mountain, masking the dark demon in a smoking, fiery inferno. Surrounding the mountain are some of the most dastardly evil villains of Disney lore. At the front of the mountain, Maleficent, Jafar and the Evil Queen stand in what looks like the remnants of a diabolical sorcery lab, complete with churning potion beakers, a bubbling cauldron and smoking vials. On the back of the mountain, Hades and Dr. Facilier are found in a dark Underworld-styled lair with flickering torches and jagged stone. There is even a puppeteered Scar figure amidst the scene that lets out a mighty roar when Bald Mountain erupts. Following the Bald Mountain float, Cruella de Ville actually drives down the street in her infamous black and white Panther de Ville vehicle, making for both an iconic entrance and exit as she road rages her way down Main Street in search of the puppies that have evaded her.

“FESTIVAL FUN” DISNEY FRIENDS UNIT

This float is reutilized from Festival of Fantasy and was the penultimate float of the parade, a 90-foot-long magical caravan of characters in a carnival-style procession. Leading the float are some of Disney’s most famous friends and companions - the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio and Geppetto and Merlin and Arthur. The front of the float features Monstro the Whale looking surprisingly jovial, as the float stretches back to include a Pleasure Island-inspired moving Ferris wheel and rollercoaster track, adorned with Ostriches, Alligators, Hippos and Elephant figures from Fantasia’s ‘Dance of the Hours’ segment. In addition to these wonderfully kinetic figures, a few more Disney friends are featured at the top of the float. Figures of Bambi, Thumper and Flower now also sit on top of the float alongside the preexisting Dumbo figure which already sits and moves in unison to the music. The float also now features an assortment of Dalmatian puppies who happily wag their tails and move their heads to the upbeat parade music. It’s a colorful, whimsical cavalcade of Disney friends set in a wonderful carnival setting and makes for a great penultimate float to the parade.

“WISHES COME TRUE” DISNEY PRINCESSES UNIT

At last, the grand finale is an opulent float that is inspired by none other than Cinderella Castle itself. For years, the famous - or perhaps infamous - silver “mirror castle” float seemed to be a parade unit that never was done away with, being used for the “Dream Come True” Parades and was a frequent float at special events, but was deemed outdated, if not a bit tacky in appearance. While this new float certainly pays tribute to that previous float, it has been redone. This float is now an ornate piece, Cinderella Castle designed with gold and white arches, turrets and balconies. At various balconies and towers alongside the golden castle, various royal Disney couples wave to the crowd. The rotation of Disney couples include Snow White and her Prince, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Prince Phillip, Belle and the Beast, Aladdin and Jasmine and Tiana and Naveen, each with gold and white royal costumes to match. At the tallest tower at the back of the float, the Fairy Godmother stands on the landing, wand in hand as she talks about the power of a wish. With a wave of her wand and a ‘Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!’ enchantment, the castle sparkles with shimmering, sparkling lights. The music swells into a triumphant finale chorus of the ‘Wishes’ theme once more, as the golden shimmering castle makes its way down Main Street. A perfect open and close to a Magic Kingdom parade, opening with the Main Street Station and its Railroad and closing with Cinderella Castle, with a celebration of Disney’s stories, characters and the power of ‘Wishes’ in-between.

 

[KingMickey]

Next, we move onto our next parade, our traditional nighttime ‘light’ parade: DISNEY STARLIGHT. As I previously said, this nighttime parade keeps the ‘Starlight’ name (I think it’s quite good!), but presents a different parade altogether with some similarities and quite a few differences. For what it’s worth, I think Starlight as it actually is now is a good parade - but I won’t let the fact that Magic has been without a nighttime parade for almost a decade blind me with rose-colored glasses - it could be better. My ideas for a night parade were jotted down before Starlight premiered, so the next section isn’t about trying to “improve” Starlight, it should just be considered an alternate night parade altogether. With that bit of exposition out of the way, let’s dive into our new nighttime parade, DISNEY STARLIGHT.

Night has fallen over the Magic Kingdom. The Hub buzzes with excitement and anticipation. The trees twinkle with sparkling lights that surround the center of the park, as Cinderella Castle sits in pristine grandeur as the backdrop of all of Main Street U.S.A.

With the beginning swells of a triumphant orchestra, the experience begins as Jiminy Cricket welcomes us as our host in traditional Magic Kingdom nighttime spectacular style. “Welcome to the splendor, the spectacle, the sparkling sensation, where the comedy and thrill of Disney fantasies come to life. And now, the Magic Kingdom proudly presents, in a million points of musical light, the magic worlds of Disney...in Disney Starlight!"

The lights on Main Street all go out at once, as a newly-created, uptempo but grand and royal orchestration of the SpectroMagic score returns to the Magic Kingdom for this parade, but then also remixes it with the further uptempo beat of Baroque Hoedown from the Main Street Electrical Parade. The music pays homage to the Magic Kingdom nighttime parades that came before it and remasters them in a fun, energetic display, meant to match the tone of this new parade - its energetic, whimsical, but also grand and majestic in a way that Magic Kingdom’s night parades have the ability to be. The entire parade is a wonderful performance of twinkling lights, Disney stories, a grand score that ties it all together - and all which stem from none other than the Blue Fairy.

“STARLIGHT AWAKENS” THE BLUE FAIRY & MAGICAL FRIENDS UNIT

The parade begins with a classic start of the Blue Fairy, her dress flowing down and billowing behind her, sparkling with hundreds of glittering lights. Her wings glow with shimmering silver light, contrasted against the radiant blues that cascade down her dress and trail behind her. With a wave of her wand, the Blue Fairy leaves a glittering trail of magical starlight in the air trailing behind her - the star light magic of the parade is all cast by her, a magical display of shimmering stars coming together to tell these Disney stories. The Blue Fairy’s dress expands behind her, magical wisps and swirls curling through the air. On the “dress” float, we spot Peter Pan standing amidst glowing clouds, Merlin casting a spectacle of sparkling spells and the Fairy Godmother appearing amidst the glow of magical blue shimmers. At the end of the float, the Blue Fairy’s dress curves upwards into a crescent moon-like shape and from it, a figure of Jiminy Cricket floats down with his umbrella in hand. Following the Blue Fairy’s float, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather glide down the street, each with sparkling dresses in their respective colors and each with wands that actually cast shimmering magical dust out into the streets, flicking the sparkles into the air and creating a magical spectacle.

“WISH UPON A STARLIT NIGHT” PINOCCHIO/SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARVES UNIT

This next unit begins with marionette dancers that move down the street. This next float’s front half features a large moving, illuminated windmill set piece and beneath it, a focal balcony where Pinocchio and Geppetto stand. Surrounding the balcony and windmill are illuminated flower that glow to the tune of ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ and ‘Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee’. Behind the windmill, a scaled down set piece of Pleasure Island is featured, with a lit coaster track, a moving ferris wheel and hot air balloons. On the opposite side of the float, the flowers give way to a wooded, glowing glade, where Snow White stands by a tall glowing tree, surrounding by illuminated forest friends like deer and rabbits. She twirls to the tune of ‘Whistle While You Work’ as the forest glows with radiant light. Following the float, the Seven Dwarves march their way down Main Street, pick-axes in hand, as they sing ‘Heigh-Ho’ and march on. Dopey concludes the unit by riding past in a curving train of mine carts, each sparkling with glistening mine gems.

“A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF LIGHT” ALADDIN UNIT

The float’s base is shaped like a sprawling desert oasis with swirling golden dunes made with LED-illuminated sand patterns that shimmer. At the back of the float, a miniature of the Sultan’s Palace in Agrabah illuminates with light. In the center of the float, Aladdin and Jasmine sit on the Flying Carpet as ‘A Whole New World’ plays. The Flying Carpet is suspended from an “arm mechanism’ within the float masked by layers of lit fog that spreads down across the float, making it appear as though the Flying Carpet is floating along a series of clouds. Behind the couple, a transparent curving LED screen shows clouds and moonbeams streaming past, but the screen suddenly bursts with color and sparkling magic as the image of the Genie appears in swirling blue clouds. As he does so, the float suddenly comes alive with bursts of color and magic to the tune of ‘Friend Like Me’.

“WATERS OF LIGHT” MOANA/THE LITTLE MERMAID UNIT

A brilliant glowing ocean of waves glides down the parade route, fiber optic blue waters undulating within. A beautifully-lit sparkling manta ray leads the float, gliding through the air and leaving an array of shimmering watery light in its path. Moana stands on her boat floating above the sparkling waters, the heart of Te Fiti glowing in her hand. As she raises the stone, the glittering waves come alive as “How Far I’ll Go” and “We Know the Way” sounds out. The shimmering waters sparkle in curling waves and glittering streams, transitioning into a glowing lagoon with weeping willows, dangling vines with fiber optic fireflies and lily pads rippling with sparkling waters, as Ariel and Eric sit in a rowboat illuminated by the glowing light. From the reeds before the boat, a Sebastian figure is found, singing ‘Kiss the Girl’ along with Flounder and the ducks, frogs and fish that are featured from the film, all surrounding the glittering lagoon. Even a figure or Scuttle sits from one of the willow trees, adding his noisy rendition of the song, as the aquatic creatures circle around the couple.

“CASITA’S MAGIC LIGHT” ENCANTO UNIT

The next unit starts with dancers with puppeteered glowing golden butterflies that they swirl across the streets The glowing Casita from Encanto sparkles to life, and from the center of the sparkling LED house, a large recreation of the Miracle Candle from the film sparkles with light; showing the different characters from the Family Madrigal on its surface. Under an arch of golden butterflies, Mirabel stands with her colorful dress, twirling and waving to the audience. The entire float’s base is made up of golden, glowing butterflies and beautiful illuminated flowers. On one side of the candle, Isabella sits on a flower swing suspended from an arch of beautiful, shining carnations that she created herself. On the other side, Luisa stands atop a stone boulder and even has a large stone in her strong arms. At the back of the float, Bruno is located on a Casita balcony, the shimmering sparkles of the float turning green to match Bruno’s notable, illusory color palette from the film. It’s a beautiful display of color and characters from Encanto to the tunes of “The Family Madrigal” and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”.

“CITY LIGHTS” BIG HERO 6/ZOOTOPIA UNIT

The glow of San Fransokyo lights the night with an ultra-modern, neon-lit float made out of a cityscape. An armored Baymax flies above the float as Hiro rides on his back. The entire float pulses with electronic energy to the film’s ‘Immortals’ track, each city skyscraper beating with light and life. Animated light lines streak behind them like high-speed trails. On the opposite side of the float, the city transitions to the skyline of Zootopia. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde sit in a swerving police cruiser, while characters like Flash and Clawhauser pop up on rotating LED panels on the Scott skyline. The soundtrack pulses with high-tech rhythm and city beats to ‘Try Everything’ from the film, as Gazelle and her backup tiger dancers occasionally illuminate the city skyline LEDs and dance.

“BRIDGE OF LIGHT” COCO UNIT

This next float is led in by a group of Mexican dancers in traditional wear that dance to the music. A bridge of sparkling marigold petals of glowing orange and gold leads into the vibrant world of the Land of the Dead. The float is layered with warm candlelight. Miguel stands with Hector and plays his glowing guitar to the tune of ‘Un Poco Loco’ and ‘Proud Corazón’, and with each string that he strums, it sends a vibrant glow throughout the Land of the Dead buildings and the glowing marigolds. The sky above the buildings are illuminated by an array of sparkling LED fireworks that light up the sky above the float. Soaring above the buildings of the Land of the Dead is the winged alebrije, Pepita, a moving figure that spreads its wings and flies above the float. The float with its buildings is a spectacle of light, fireworks and a beautiful recreation of the colorful buildings from the Land of the Dead from Coco.

“TALES OF LIGHT AND LOVE” DISNEY PRINCESSES UNIT

This unit is brought in by duos of royal dancers, each with grand attire as they dance to a medley of Princess classics. The following float is train of four distinct circular platform Princess segments. The first features large, ornate bronze arches on a circular platform that come together to form an abstract pumpkin shape, where Cinderella and Prince Charming dance within. Next, Belle and the Beast dance on an ornate gold platform, an arch framing a stained glass window of the enchanted rose behind them. The second segment is a circular bayou marsh platform that is lit with sparkling fireflies. Tiana and Naveen stand in the middle of the platform, surrounded by circling green aura waves. Finally, the last segment of this unit features Rapunzel and Flynn sitting on their gondola boat surrounded by illuminated waves at the base. Around the boat, a series of shining, floating lanterns hang in the air around the boat and leave a small trail flowing through the air behind it.

“THE LIGHT WITHIN” FROZEN UNIT

An icy wind blows and introduces this next segment, as the tall ice towers of Ahtohallan move down the street with Elsa at the center of the float, adorned in her ‘Fifth Spirit’ outfit. The ice towers sparkle and glow with light, showing images of Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven and Anna and Elsa’s parents, serving as a canvass to portray images and memories from Frozen 2. As Elsa moves her hands, the float comes alive with LED light effects to appear like her ice and snow magic is emanating from her to the tune of “Into the Unknown”. Frosty lights and snowflake patterns come to life with brilliant light across the float. As the orchestral music builds and becomes more powerful, the lights of the ice towers and Elsa’s magic become brighter, until all are illuminated in radiant light to the triumphant score of “Show Yourself”.

“TRAIN OF LIGHT” DISNEY FRIENDS UNIT

This penultimate unit of the parade is a sparkling, shimmering train, very similar to the types of floats that have been in several previous light parades. The train connects to several carts behind it, each containing a duo or trio of Disney friends. In the engineer’s seat, Goofy waves from the train as steam pumps from the locomotive. Pluto waves from the back of train’s engine. Behind him, Donald and Daisy sit in the following train car. Next, Chip and Dale are in the following train car seat. Finally, Minnie brings up the rear of the float, remarking on the wonderful light and color from the starlight magic. On this float, the light seems to stream past the train, almost as if being drawn and absorbed into the finale unit of the parade…

“SORCERER MICKEY LIGHTS THE NIGHT” FINALE UNIT

This spectacular finale unit concludes with none other than Mickey Mouse himself, dressed in his illuminated, light-studded Sorcerer outfit, the whole costume surging with magic. Mickey stands on a raised platform that stands at the top of a large LED Sorcerer’s hat that twinkles with starlight. The float twinkles with light, the combined stories and magic from all the previous floats coming together, as Mickey moves his hands in turn with the swirling magic. The combined lights and magic are all drawn to a finale set piece behind Mickey: a swirling, kinetic helix with mirrored lights that swirl around it, creating a kaleidoscope of color, magic and light from all the gathered starlight. It’s a perfect magical finale to a night parade. At the back of the float, DISNEY STARLIGHT shimmers in starlit magic as the parade concludes on Main Street.

 

[KingMickey]

At the conclusion of the parade, we draw ourselves into The Hub for the last bit of magic in our day at the Magic Kingdom: a new nighttime fireworks spectacular, DISNEY’S KINGDOM OF DREAMS. As mentioned, this fireworks show is very much in the same vein as Happily Ever After and Wondrous Journeys, a grand scoring of Disney themes to beautiful pyrotechnics, laser and light effects throughout the Hub and digital projection-mapping effects across Cinderella Castle and down Main Street U.S.A.’s buildings. In many ways, this show is just an alternate version of Happily Ever After or Wondrous Journeys, they both follow a very similar act setup.

For my park, I also wouldn’t necessarily replace HAPPILY EVER AFTER, I just thought it would be fun to include a new, but similar nighttime fireworks show, so with that said, I’m going to treat this show almost as if it’s interchangeable with HEA. This show will feature a new signature theme piece, which for the sake of this blue sky show, I’ll aptly name it ‘Where Dreams Come True’, something that connects it to both the Kingdom of Dreams name, as well as the overall encompassing slogan of Disney Parks. For the sake of conveying the *vibes* for the song and show, I’d say that this song would be comparable to a song like ‘Step into the Magic’ from Disneyland 60th’s fireworks spectacle, Disneyland Forever. It’s a song that could feature an uptempo beat and grand scale orchestration throughout the show, but then also be utilized as a scaled-back ballad send-off that is nostalgic and heartfelt as guests disperse throughout the park at the conclusion of the show. With that, let’s begin our segmented run-through of Disney’s Kingdom of Dreams!

ACT ONE: A CASTLE OF DREAMS

Disney’s Kingdom of Dreams opens with a grand, regal overture of the show’s theme, before the voice of Cinderella herself rings out across the Hub, acting as the introduction and narrator to the show. Bathed in deep twilight blues, Cinderella Castle begins to come alive as Cinderella sings ‘A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes’ as golden fireworks bloom behind the castle. After the brief segue into the show, we are taken into a proper introduction where an uptempo version of the ‘Dreams Come True’ theme song plays, as the sky becomes illuminated with colorful fireworks that match the spirit and tempo of the song. At the conclusion of the song, a starry sky is projected onto the castle, the stars forming into constellational patterns of dozen of beloved Disney characters that spread across the castle. A shooting star arcs across the sky, leaving a golden trail that swirls around the castle. As it wraps the towers, it transforms into the bright evening star over a deep blue night. Tiana’s voice gently sings out across the Hub - “The evening star is shining bright, so make a wish and hold on tight, there’s magic in the air tonight, and anything can happen.” A brilliant array of fireworks fans out behind the castle, as a glowing star at the highest turret shines brightly. A grand, yet calming orchestration of ‘The Second Star to the Right’ plays with the fireworks, as we are seemingly drawn into the magic of the star above, as it takes us into magical worlds beyond. I think that the introduction with Cinderella’s ‘A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes’ opening segueing into the show’s theme, Tiana’s interlude and then “The Second Star to the Right” creates a very dreamlike segment that sort of lets the grandeur of Cinderella Castle and the fireworks be the focal point without any projections. It’s designed to feel very Wishes-like with its simplicity and nostalgia and the charm and magic of Cinderella Castle at night.

ACT TWO: WORLDS OF WONDER

Sweeping instrumentals of ‘A Whole New World’, ‘Colors of the Wind’ and ‘Part of Your World’ fill the air as the castle becomes a living map of some of the most breathtaking landscapes and worlds from Disney films: we soar above the rooftops of London, past Big Ben and onward towards Neverland, we fly across the deserts of Agrabah, the shimmering oceans of Atlantica, the rolling hills and valleys of Encanto, a firefly-lit bayou near Tiana’s Palace, the craggy mountain of the Pride Lands, the many forests, lands and kingdom seen across many different films, as the music carries us through these fantastical realms and more, all with the backdrop of beautiful fireworks. The music turns triumphant as Quasimodo’s voice soars with ‘Out There,’ with the castle showing the rounded stained glass windows of Notre Dame shining brightly in the sunlight. The segment ends in an array of beautiful sunset-colored fireworks as the cap-off to a segment that reminds us that the world is vast and waiting to be explored.

ACT THREE: FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Sparking lights begin to flicker across the castle in rhythm with a jazzy, upbeat rendition of ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me,’ and the energy shifts to joy and laughter. Buzz and Woody fly high across the castle as scenes of iconic Disney friendships burst into life. Timon and Pumbaa sway with Simba across a log bridge to ‘Hakuna Matata’. Mike and Sully use projected doors on the castle to quickly jump from spot to spot during an abridged instrumental of ‘If I Didn’t Have You’. The doors they leave open show vignettes of famous Disney friendships: Lightning McQueen and Mater driving across Radiator Springs, Hiro, Baymax and the Big Hero 6 crew coming together, Marlin and Dory swimming across the open ocean, Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope racing past the Sugar Rush race track and Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in hot pursuit across Zootopia. The segment turns into a laser and firework spectacle as the Genie appears for a show-stopping rendition of ‘Friend Like Me’ that concludes with the castle shirt-circuiting. When the genie returns the power to The Hub, the mood grows tender with ‘Remember Me’ playing and golden marigolds bloom across the castle, as images of Miguel and his family, Simba and Mufasa, Bambi and his mother, Moana and her grandmother, Anna and Elsa and their parents, Tiana and her father, all flash across the castle with fireworks as the backdrop. Next, ‘Dos Oruguitas’ plays as the castle becomes aglow with the flickering candlelight from Abuela’s magic candle, evoking memories of family and the bonds that shape who we are. First, images of the Madrigal family appear across the castle to the guitar tune, followed by vignettes of Pinocchio and Geppetto, Tarzan and Kala, Belle and Maurice, and other mentionable Disney family bonds. The scene honors the people who support us and reminds us that it’s the friends and family we have around us that help us make our dreams a reality.

ACT FOUR: LOVE

The music transitions into the beginning soft piano chords of ‘So Close’ from Enchanted. Silhouettes of Disney’s greatest couples begin to dance across the castle, their love stories unfolding to the bittersweet tune that acts to remind that all of these love stories were not without challenges, overcoming distance, darkness and life itself to reunite and find their happily ever after in the end. The tune of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ swells and the castle glows a brilliant gold to match the fireworks behind it, as each of the famous dancing couples becomes emblazoned on Cinderella Castle in stained glass. Then, Rapunzel and Flynn appear in their gondola boat at the base of the castle, as thousands of glowing lanterns begin to rise across the backdrop as they sing ‘I See the Light,’ casting a wistful, romantic glow over the audience. Bright fireworks shoot up into the sky in the grandeur of the moment and the entirety of Main Street comes to life with floating lanterns that travel across the buildings, creating a beautifully majestic sight to behold. The couple sing the final refrain of the song and the last few lanterns float up the tallest spire of the castle, until they vanish into dark, swirling clouds. Lightning cracks.

ACT FIVE: NIGHTMARES

The castle turns a sickly green. Shadows twist along its walls as a haunting instrumental of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ slithers around The Hub. Hypnotic swirls and hazes cover the castle, as the sky lights up with glowing spirals of ominous green fireworks. Suddenly the sides of the castle erupt in streams of flames, as an electro-rock rendition of ‘Be Prepared” blasts out, the sky filling with bursts of fiery pyrotechnics. The smoke thickens as blasts of pyrotechnics blast off from the parapets of the castle until flames erupt across the towers. ‘Hellfire’ ignites the sky in bursts of pyrotechnics, as villains appear from out of the flames and smoke - Maleficent, Hades, the Evil Queen, Jafar, Ursula, Facilier - their laughs echoing across the kingdom, as they thwart our heroes dreams and turn them into nightmares. At the conclusion of the segment, red fireworks fill the sky and a huge fireball is emitted from Cinderella Castle. When the fire and smoke disperse, all turns quiet as the castle appears shattered and broken. Cracks snake their way up the castle stone, towers have fallen, the clear constellations of characters has been masked by a dark sky.

ACT SIX: WHO YOU ARE

From the ashes of the destruction, embers fall from the castle and smoke bleeds out into The Hub. In the silence that follows, rain begins to fall and the flames die out. Then from the quiet, the tune of ‘Reflection’ begins to play as the castle remains broken in the aftermath of the destruction. A glimmer of light stirs from within the castle. An instrumental of ‘I Am Moana’ follows, building the strength and momentum of the moment. A beam of light shoots upwards into the sky from Cinderella Castle. The combined melodies of the two precious songs come together until it reaches a triumphant turning point, leading into the climax of ‘Show Yourself’, where the entire Hub now surges with glowing light within the ground, the trees, the fountains, all sparkling and blinking towards the castle - as if the power of the dreams of the guests in the park are powering this magical surge throughout the park. Fireworks streak skyward in luminous arcs, as a golden glow shines across the castle - restoring it to its former glory. And just as it does so, ‘Go the Distance’ triumphantly ignites a powerful finale, as hundreds of beams of light placed all across the lands of the park shoot upwards into the sky just as an array of gold and white fireworks bring us to the finale of the show and sends us off with a powerful penultimate segment. The castle is restored, now more brilliant than ever, transformed by resilience, strength, hope and courage.

ACT SEVEN: KINGDOM OF DREAMS

The final act is a celebration of all the dreamers of the kingdom and the unlocked magic within them that restored it - a message that even in the darkest of times, hope remains to see your dreams through, as Cinderella tell us. There is a grand return of the “Where Dreams Come True” song for the finale, and just as the castle glows with a golden light from the fireworks above, Tinker Bell descends for her flight above the Magic Kingdom in an awe-inspiring moment. The finale is a dazzling spectacle of light and color, as the sky illuminates with beautiful fireworks and the castle is a canvas of Disney characters come to life, as a medley of a ‘A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes’, ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ and ‘Where Dreams Come True’ sends off a powerful, memorable finale. And just as the show end, there’s one last moment of silence, before Cinderella concludes…

“…a Kingdom of dreams come true…”

The entire Hub sparkles, the beams of light shoot upwards towards the sky, the castle glows with radiant magic and a flood of beautiful fireworks burst in the sky, bursting with with final, grand swell of music. Although the show concludes, the message is clear: the magic lives on within us.

And at the very end of the evening, as the night has settled in, the Hub sparkles with trees of twinkling lights and the last guests are making their way out of the park after a long day at the Magic Kingdom, there is just one last touch of magic that returns to conclude the day: the Cinderella Castle kiss goodnight.



_______________

And that is a wrap of the Magic Kingdom. With this reimagining of the park, we see the following:

• An optimized Main Street U.S.A. that restores charm, improves guest flow, packs tons of nostalgia and acts as an ode to Walt Disney himself.
• A cohesive Adventureland with intertwining attractions that work together to tell a S.E.A. storyline across the whole land.
• A new Pirates Cove area featuring a seaside town, lagoon, stunt show and a fantastic, new rendition of Pirates of the Caribbean in the Magic Kingdom.
• A tidied-up Frontierland that puts American folklore, tall tales, cowboy legends, the gold rush and Wild West adventures at the forefront.
• A Liberty Square which sees minimal changes, but works to include new additions showcasing our country’s presidential and historical past.
• The addition of the family-friendly area, The Friendly Forest, with new adventures alongside Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Robin Hood and more.
• The addition of Discovery Bay and the attractions found inside its steampunk-inspired town, Captain Nemo’s harbor and the peaks of Mount Prometheus.
• A fantastically reimagined Fantasyland with a courtyard based on classic fairytales, then Wonderland, Arendelle, Neverland and London sub-areas.
• The addition of the retro-futuristic Progressland, which acts to reintroduce classics from yesteryear and those that debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair.
• A reimagined, electronic cyber cityscape Tomorrowland that remains timeless and unusual, with all the otherworldly adventures held within.

-MAIN STREET U.S.A.-

ATTRACTIONS
1) The Walt Disney World Railroad (Steam-powered train transportation around the park.)
2) Walt Disney: The Man Behind the Magic (Walkthrough exhibit and film.)
3) Main Street Vehicles (Transportation by car, trolley or omnibus.)
4) Main Street Cinema (Mickey Mouse short cartoons.)
5) Main Street Arcades (Walkthrough exhibits.)

DINING
1) 1901 (Table-Service)
2) Cafe Lillian (Table-Service)
3) Main Street Bakery (Quick-Service)
4) The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (Snack)
5) Casey’s Corner (Quick-Service)
6) The Crystal Palace (Table-Service/Quick-Service)
7) Walt’s (Signature Table-Service)
8) Club 33 (Exclusive)

SHOPPING AND GUEST SERVICES
1) Newsstands
2) The Chamber of Commerce
3) City Hall
4) Walt Disney Co. Collectibles
5) The Emporium
6) The Main Street Confectionary
7) Uptown Jewelers
8) Harmony Barber Shop
9) Crystal Arts
10) Disney Clothiers
11) Chapeau Hats
12) First Aid
13) Baby Care Center

-ADVENTURELAND-

ATTRACTIONS
1) S.E.A. Exploration Campsite (Ropes, bridges and zip-line adventure zone.)
2) Tropical Hideaway Treehouse (Explorable tree walkthrough exhibit.)
3) Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (Classic audio-animatronic musical show.)
4) Trader Sam’s Tiki Twist (Mack Twist and Splash teacup-style flat ride.)
5) Jungle Cruise (Riverboat cruise with joke-cracking host skipper.)
6) Falls Expedition: Temple of the Tiger (Temple coaster with elevator-style lift.)

DINING
1) Bwana Bob’s Barbecue (Quick-Service)
2) Aloha Isle (Snack)
3) The Adventurer’s Club (Table-Service)
4) Shiriki’s Juice Bar (Bar/Lounge)
5) Sunshine Tree Terrace (Snack)

SHOPPING
1) S.E.A. Imports
2) Adventureland Bazaar
3) Tigris Tokens

-PIRATES COVE-

ATTRACTIONS
1) Pirates of the Caribbean (Classic boat ride through coves and towns under siege.)
2) Shipwreck Shore (Interactive water play zone.)
3) Dead Man’s Grotto (Cove explore zone.)
4) Eye of the Storm (Pirate stunt show.)

DINING
1) El Pirata y El Perico (Quick-Service)
2) Calypso Cantina (Bar/Lounge)
3) Blue Lagoon (Signature Table-Service)

SHOPPING
1) Port Royal Provisions
2) Avast, a Mast!
3) The Parrot’s Perch

-FRONTIERLAND-

ATTRACTIONS
1) The Country Bear Musical Jamboree (Classic audio-animatronic musical show.)
2) Tall Tale Island (American folklore explore zone.)
3) Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (Self-rowing hosted river canoes.)
4) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Runaway mine train coaster around mining mountain.)
5) Lil Thunder Mountain Mine Carts (Kid-friendly mine cart coaster through mines.)
6) The Great Western River Expedition (Mild thrills boat ride through the Wild West.)

DINING
1) The Diamond Horseshoe (Table-Service)
2) Stage Coach Saloon (Quick-Service/Bar)
3) Fuente del Oro Restaurant (Quick-Service)
4) Johnny Appleseed’s Inn & Orchard (Quick-Service)

SHOPPING
1) Frontier Trading Post
2) Tumbleweed Treats & Supply
3) Red Rock Mercantile
4) Western River Depot

-THE FRIENDLY FOREST-

ATTRACTIONS
1) Bambi’s Frolicking Flowers (Whirling water ride.)
2) Robin Hood’s Sherwood Swings (Wave swinger flat ride.)
3) Todd & Copper’s Forest Chase (Spinning turntables flat ride.)
4) Merlin’s Magical Express (Mini-train ride around Merlin’s house.)
5) Pooh’s Storybook Search (Suspended dark ride alongside Winnie the Pooh.)

DINING
1) Thumper’s Tree Treats (Snack)
2) Wizard-Brewed Potions (Snack)
3) Rabbit’s Garden Grill (Quick-Service)

SHOPPING
1) Nottingham’s Merry Merchants
2) Tales With Tails
3) Pooh Corner

-DISCOVERY BAY-

ATTRACTIONS
1) Professor Marvel’s Gallery of Wonders (Audio-animatronic SFX show in a revolving theater.)
2) Around the World in 80 Days (Simulated hot air balloon ride.)
3) The Fireworks Factory (Interactive explore zone.)
4) Aquatopia (Trackless water hovercraft ride.)
5) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Simulated undersea submarine dark ride.)
6) Voyage to the Mysterious Island (Suspended aerial airship dark ride.)
7) Journey to the Center of the Earth (Fast slot car dark ride through the earth’s core.)

DINING
1) Inventor’s Inn (Snack)
2) Clockworks (Quick-Service)
3) Captain Nemo’s Nautilus Galley (Signature Table-Service)

SHOPPING
1) Wonder Workshop
2) The Merchant of Venice
3) Nautilus Treasures
4) Bon Voyage! Traders

-LIBERTY SQUARE-

ATTRACTIONS
1) Our Founding Fathers: Stories Told by America’s Leaders (Audio-animatronic show.)
2) Great Moments in American History (Dark ride through pivotal moments in America.)
3) Liberty Belle Riverboat (Steam-powered riverboat ride.)
4) The Haunted Mansion (Omnimover ride-through tour of a haunted house.)

DINING
1) Sleepy Hollow Inn & Refreshments (Quick-Service)
2) Liberty Tree Tavern (Table-Service)
3) Liberty Square Market (Snack)
4) Columbia Harbour House (Quick-Service.)

SHOPPING
1) Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe
2) Olde World Antiques
3) Memento Mori

-FANTASYLAND-

-ATTRACTIONS-
1) Cinderella Castle (The icon itself.)
2) The Story of Cinderella Walkthrough (Walkthrough tour of vignettes that retell the classic fairytale.)
3) Princess Royal Reception (Princess meet and greet location.)
4) Cinderella’s Regal Carousel (Classic carousel flat ride attraction.)
5) Snow White’s Fairest Adventures (Classic dark ride through the story of Snow White.)
6) The Spell of Sleeping Beauty (Classic dark ride through the story of Sleeping Beauty.)
7) Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Aerial-carousel flat ride attraction.)
8) Pinocchio’s Daring Journey (Classic dark ride through the story of Pinocchio.)
9) Flynn Rider’s Tangled Tale (Boat/dark ride through the story of Tangled.)
10) Alice in Wonderland (Dark ride retelling Alice’s adventures in Wonderland.)
11) Mad Tea Party (Spinning teacups flat ride.)
12) Arendelle Royal Greetings (Anna and Elsa meet and greet.)
13) Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey (Musical dark/shoot the chute boat ride.)
14) Neverland Trails (Island explore zones.)
15) Tinker Bell’s Pixie Hollow (Interactive play zone/Tinker Bell meet and greet.)
16) The Jolly Roger (Interactive explore zone/Captain Hook meet and greet.)
17) Peter Pan’s Flight (Suspended pirate ship dark ride above London and Neverland.)
18) 101 Dalmatians (Classic dark ride through the story of 101 Dalmatians.)
19) Mary Poppins’ Jolly Holiday (Unique splitting carousel dark ride alongside Mary Poppins.)
20) Mr. Toad’s Wild Motor Coaster (LSM coaster with multiple launches.)

-DINING-
1) Cinderella’s Royal Table (Table-Service)
2) The Woodland Hearth (Quick-Service)
3) Storybook Treats (Snack)
4) The Snuggly Duckling (Quick-Service)
5) Cheshire Cafe (Snack)
6) Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall (Quick-Service)
7) The Gold Crocus Inn (Quick-Service)
8) Lost Boys Lookout Cookout (Quick-Service)
9) Crown & Hound Tavern (Quick-Service)
10) The Green Dragon Pub (Bar/Lounge)

-SHOPPING-
1) Sir Mickey’s
2) Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
3) Geppetto’s Workshop
4) Rapunzel’s Found Treasures
5) Curiouser & Curiouser Curiosities
6) Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post
7) Crocodile Creek Shop
8) The Canine’s Crest
9) Spoonful of Sugar
10) The Carriage House

-PROGRESSLAND-
ATTRACTIONS
1) Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress (Classic audio-animatronic show in a revolving theater.)
2) Autopia: Roads of Progress (Simulated futuristic driving experience.)
3) Rocket Jets (Aerial carousel spinner.)
4) Adventure Thru Inner Space (Scientific, experimental dark ride.)
5) it’s a small world (Classic boat ride.)

DINING
1) Starliner Diner (Table-Service)
2) World’s Fare Cafe (Quick-Service)

SHOPPING
1) Progress Podium
2) Miracles from Molecules
3) Small World Gifts

-TOMORROWLAND-
ATTRACTIONS
1) Tomorrowland Galactic Observstorium (Audio-Animatronic musical SFX planetarium show.)
2) Time Keepers (360* CircleVision show.)
3) Alien Encounter! (Action-shooter dark ride.)
4) Tomorrowland PeopleMover (Automated guideway transit system.)
5) Jet Pack Orbitron (Sci-fi aerial carousel.)
6) SGT. SIR’s Space Saucers (Trackless roaming saucers flat ride.)
7) Space Mountain (Indoor galactic coaster.)
8) TRON Lightcycle / Run (High-speed launch coaster.)

DINING
1) The Lunching Pad (Snack)
2) Nebula Ray’s Constellation Café (Quick-Service)
3) Energy Bytes (Snack)

SHOPPING
1) Star Traders
2) X-S Tech
3) Tomorrowland Launch Depot

-ENTERTAINMENT-
1) The Dapper Dans
2) Main Street Trolley Show
3) The Appleseed Acoustic Band
4) The Sword in the Stone Ceremony
5) Tower of the Four Winds Stage
6) Main Street Philharmonic Orchestra
7) Mickey’s Fantasy Faire
8) Disney’s Worlds of Wishes Parade
9) Disney’s Starlight Parade
10) Disney’s Kingdom of Dreams Nighttime Spectacular

I think this version of the Magic Kingdom does a lot to improve what stands today and puts quality at the forefront, while maximizing all the space the park has available to it in a way that feels purposeful and valuable. Let me know what you all think, I hope you enjoyed it. I may take a little break again before I dive into EPCOT, because that park will see some massive changes within it and starting a whole new park can be a daunting task, but stick around and let’s see what becomes of it.