1986 - House of the Future: Week 4

[Outbound]

I expect there will a proper "Tomorrowland" prompt later on in the reviews. We can always set aside FutureWorld ProgressCity Utopia style Tomorrowland for this prompt and keep cyberpunk sci-fi Tomorrowland for a second future-land (if that prompt shows up).

 

[PerGron]

I expect there will a proper "Tomorrowland" prompt later on in the reviews. We can always set aside FutureWorld ProgressCity Utopia style Tomorrowland for this prompt and keep cyberpunk sci-fi Tomorrowland for a second future-land (if that prompt shows up).

I think an idealized, grounded “future” utopia fits here and we can make the actual inevitable Tomorrowland prompt more akin to sci-fi pulp stuff.

This should be grounded entirely within what a real future Utopia can be.

 

[Pi on my Cake]

True, true. I guess I meant Tomorrowland has more of a "gee-whiz!" energy to it, with its pulp science fiction flair. This, on the other hand, almost feels like a small slice of Epcot (particularly old-school Epcot) placed within a castle park, but it's a slice that would work well.

Honestly, I'm really digging this idea the more I think of it.

We can always have a more sci-fi Tomorrowland as well. But an Epcot-ish, Worlds Fair-ish Small World-ish land I think is distinct enough to stand on its own even with a different Tomorrowland if we do have one.

I think this is a strong concept so far that can differentiate this from the Small World Main Street many of us were involved in back in SAVI earlier this year.

I'm also not against giant toy/craft project Small World Land kept as a small scale Toon town type thing. But that was a good point made that it might clash with the rest of the park tonally.

 

[PerGron]

I think this concept 1000% plays into the idea of It’s a Small World, but also fits tonally into our park. I mean, name one other time in imagineering when we can take a nuanced look into our actual global issues and design a land literally made to improve that? It’d be revolutionary

 

[Chaos Cat]

> Creating visual of judges reading brainstorming and seeing the possibility of the Tomorrowland section getting preempted...

> Putting aside humor, a utopian Tomorrowland this round with a si-fi Tomorrowland in another round is a sound idea.
> However, Unit would like to wait for additional input before proceeding with idea.

 

[Outbound]

I agree. Like last round, we should wait to brainstorm some other ideas before we jump right into this one.

While we're waiting for any other concepts though, does anyone have ideas for what to fill this Utopian IASW Land? I've been thinking a bit about how we might incorporate water: a running theme in our park. What if the entire land consists of small, manmade "islands" with bridges connecting? Each island could distinctly touch on a different theme of tomorrow, with transport boats always in motion.

I could imagine it looking like the "lilypad" cities (though greatly scaled down) as seen above. A very optimistic and distinctive take on Tomorrowland.

 

[D Hulk]

Done​

 

[AceAstro]

What if we cheated slightly? Instead of making the land themed to Small World or the World's Fair, we theme it to the theme / dedication of the World's Fair Small World came from: "Peace Through Understanding"/ "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe".

Gives us an overall theme that Small World easily fits since it was in the World's Fair but also give us a ton of breathing room for other attractions

 

[Pi on my Cake]

I agree. Like last round, we should wait to brainstorm some other ideas before we jump right into this one.

While we're waiting for any other concepts though, does anyone have ideas for what to fill this Utopian IASW Land? I've been thinking a bit about how we might incorporate water: a running theme in our park. What if the entire land consists of small, manmade "islands" with bridges connecting? Each island could distinctly touch on a different theme of tomorrow, with transport boats always in motion.

View attachment 504074

I could imagine it looking like the "lilypad" cities (though greatly scaled down) as seen above. A very optimistic and distinctive take on Tomorrowland.

I like that! I would say to stay away from too many Tomorrowland tropes/names since there's a good chance we will be doing an actual tomorrowland in the future. But as a Small World's Fair land I think that is a good direction.

 

[Pi on my Cake]

So, for ideas we have so far:

• Epcot/World's Fair inspired land dedicated to a Utopian Future
• A Compressed World Showcase with some storybook aesthetics
• A land made out of Oversized Crafts and Toys similar to how Small World's iconic design is meant to be paper cut outs and kid's dolls/toys. (Probably as a smaller scale land if we went this direction like our Toon Town)
• World's Fair land, but without the Utopian Future bend to it, perhaps more of a retro 50s feel.
• Copy and Paste Crossroads of the World. The Small World Main Street from Mumbai Disneyland.

A very varied collection of ideas with a lot of different possibilities. I think all of them could fit into our mature Disneyland pretty well if we tried. Even the one with oversized toys/crafts if we focused on vintage and retro aesthetics for the toys and stuff and a nostalgic longing for childhood wonder could have deep thematic ties that elevate it to the same mature level as the rest of the park.

I think today we just keep pitching ideas and developing different pitches. Unless there is like a clear overwhelming preference, I don't think we even need to try and choose until tomorrow.

 

[D Hulk]

Sobering up...

On the podcast, Old Man Tiki suggested that we use a World’s Fair theme. While everyone is thinking mid-century like 1964 NYC, how about a very different approach?

1893 Chicago World’s Fair
The World’s Columbian Exposition

The fair had a theme of communication between nations, so IASW fits thematically...and visually, thanks to the gorgeous Beaux Artes-style White City (more ornate than Blair’s minimalism, but it’s a new aesthetic we can play with). This fair was the birthplace of the Ferris Wheel. The first American midway. The first moving walkway. Buffalo Bill was there. Howard Houdini. (Also there was a serial killer.)

We could even use this as a jumping off point for a Chicago Square in the style of NOS/LS, with the World’s Fair as a major part of it. Walt Disney was born in Chicago in 1901, so we could use that too!

Back to sleep...

 

[NigelChanning]

If feel like we don’t want this to feel too serious. I feel like the land should be less realistic and more whimsical, which is why I like the paper craft toys concept mixed with a condensed world showcase. Take the settings and style of the original ride and put the guests smack dab in the middle of it. Maybe a worlds fair on the outside of the land but upon entering, guests find this paper craft world.

 

[AceAstro]

(Also there was a serial killer.)

 

[DashHaber]

Sobering up...

On the podcast, Old Man Tiki suggested that we use a World’s Fair theme. While everyone is thinking mid-century like 1964 NYC, how about a very different approach?

1893 Chicago World’s Fair
The World’s Columbian Exposition

The fair had a theme of communication between nations, so IASW fits thematically...and visually, thanks to the gorgeous Beaux Artes-style White City (more ornate than Blair’s minimalism, but it’s a new aesthetic we can play with). This fair was the birthplace of the Ferris Wheel. The first American midway. The first moving walkway. Buffalo Bill was there. Howard Houdini. (Also there was a serial killer.)

We could even use this as a jumping off point for a Chicago Square in the style of NOS/LS, with the World’s Fair as a major part of it. Walt Disney was born in Chicago in 1901, so we could use that too!

Back to sleep...

Interesting notion. That would offer a great new aesthetic we could play with.

I feel like the big thing to capture here is the core spirit of the original ride. That idea about "Peace through Understanding", showcasing the importance of communication and how it can lead to unity. If we can hone in on that as our core theme, I feel like we could make something special.

The futuristic Utopia would make for a great approach to that, though we would really have to ensure we capture a more grounded feel to differentiate it from the more traditional sci-fi of Tomorrowland. Going with a more classic World's Fair like this idea would help us in that regard, though maybe with a focus on designing this World's Fair to more reflect that theme of communication.

Honestly, even though the Utopia draws my attention most, the papercraft idea could still work. There would be a chance that it doesn't visually and thematically fit as well with the more mature tone of our castle park, but what if we framed it through the lens of a child's dream? Seeing through the headaches in the world with a longing for communication and understanding, presented through this child-like lens of paper and dolls.

 

[Outbound]

I agree, those three are the ones I'm most drawn towards.

• Papercraft Land is most fitting of IASW, but doesn't fit into the park as a whole as well as some of the others. Still, it would a very distinctive land for the park.
• Utopian Tomorrowland also falls well into IASW's themes, but does a better job fitting into the park. The downside is it would be pretty massive and could potentially lose focus on IASW and become Future World 2.0.
• Chicago Worlds Fair would make for an awesome land (with all sorts of potential for attractions, shopping, dining, etc) that could conceivably hold IASW, but it might shift the focus more to the adventure and discovery of a Worlds Fair, rather than the peace and cooperation themes of IASW. It could feel more like IASW is just an attraction there rather than the underlying land statement.

 

[spacemt354]

 

[D Hulk]

I agree, those three are the ones I'm most drawn towards.

• Papercraft Land is most fitting of IASW, but doesn't fit into the park as a whole as well as some of the others. Still, it would a very distinctive land for the park.
• Utopian Tomorrowland also falls well into IASW's themes, but does a better job fitting into the park. The downside is it would be pretty massive and could potentially lose focus on IASW and become Future World 2.0.
• Chicago Worlds Fair would make for an awesome land (with all sorts of potential for attractions, shopping, dining, etc) that could conceivably hold IASW, but it might shift the focus more to the adventure and discovery of a Worlds Fair, rather than the peace and cooperation themes of IASW. It could feel more like IASW is just an attraction there rather than the underlying land statement.

We have at least three good approaches at the moment.

I am of course partial to the Chicago World’s Fair approach. I can see this period-set land as our Liberty Square or New Orleans Square, which could be set between Fantasyland and a potential Frontierland. IASW is intentionally reduced in importance to a major attraction here so it isn’t the land’s defining aesthetic (I like having that option because IASW can be limiting), a bit like Mansion in LS, Pirates in NOS, or Toy Story Mania in DisneySea’s American Waterfront if we want to make the World’s Fair section part of a larger 1893-1901 Chicago land. (Note again Chicago is Walt’s birthplace.) Possible attractions can include a Ferris Wheel, a dancing fountain show, walkthrough exhibits including a version of the Walt Disney Family Museum (a Tiki fave), a Chicago El Train roller coaster maybe. Of course we’ll craft the Fair’s idealistic message to fit IASW like a glove, so additional features around it will feel complementary.

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I like the Papercraft Land concept a lot. It would work best as a smaller scale kiddie land like Toontown or TDS’s Mermaid Lagoon. Best to set much of this indoors where we can perfectly control the lighting and shrinking effect etc. Aside from IASW, focus on smaller kiddie rides...a playground...maybe a live singalong show. Flat ride based on the clock facade? Spinner ride outside based on the Tower of the Four Winds? Another spinner around the watery globe fountain?

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Utopian concerns me a little. It’s always a very abstract concept which is hard to define as a real, concrete space, especially if we want to both avoid Epcot comparisons while also keeping it distinct from nearby Tomorrowland. Would like to see some more concrete proposals of this concept from someone.

 

[spacemt354]

I know I'm no longer in this but since I do still have a vesting interest in the park as a whole I figured I'd throw this out. In connection with the 'World's Fair' theme - why not recreate the '64 World's Fair attractions all in one land? Ford Magic Skyway, small world, CoP, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

It would keep the historical themes in play as well as another timepiece land ala Harbortown but in 1960s Flushing Meadows, NY. It could be isolated from the park like Galaxy's Edge and be a permanent fixture in what ended up being one of the most significant achievements of Walt Disney

 

[D Hulk]

As for the IASW ride itself...

Whatever concept we go with, the ride remains somewhat the same. We’ll want to “plus” the original ride without losing its core message. Improve the ride system! Since we used the Shanghai Pirates boats in Fantasyland, how about...Trackless Aquatopia boats in an enclosed dark ride setting. Trackless gives us the ability to synch the whole ride to a single amazing composition of the IASW song. Trackless dancing in unity as a climax I think fits the IASW tone very nicely.

 

[DashHaber]

I like the Papercraft Land concept a lot. It would work best as a smaller scale kiddie land like Toontown or TDS’s Mermaid Lagoon. Best to set much of this indoors where we can perfectly control the lighting and shrinking effect etc. Aside from IASW, focus on smaller kiddie rides...a playground...maybe a live singalong show. Flat ride based on the clock facade? Spinner ride outside based on the Tower of the Four Winds? Another spinner around the watery globe fountain?

I like the idea of incorporating the Tower of the Four Winds for a spinner ride. Perhaps the live sing-along show could feature folk songs from around the world?