Disney to announce overhaul of DL Tomorrowland at D23?

[Stevek]

By the time I was old enough to appreciate that kind of stuff it was the early 90s and the Tomorrowland from your videos was on life support. I’m ok with no skyway although I’d prefer it come back too of course. As long as they nail the entrance, move the spinner, and have the (colorful) PeopleMover vehicles moving around TL proper I’ll be happy. I’d be even happier of course if they can find proper replacements for Buzz and Nemo and bring back the Mary Blair mural.

If they are building Frozen in Fantasyland/ MotorBoat area and the northern half of Autopia I wonder if they re ok with just a smaller Autopia moving forward to keep the opening day classic around? Or if they’ll use the Southern half of Autopia, Nemo and Innoventions for something new one day. I think It gets easier to justify the space they take up when you eliminate half of Autopia and consider the novelty of the Subs and the atmosphere the lagoon provides.

Where would the PeopleMover Q go? In the 90s it was a walk on so I have no recollection of a Q. I know for the Rocket Rods they used the Buzz building but for PeopleMover I imagine it’ll just snake through the land somewhere (unless maybe launch Bay is still alive) as the ride is high capacity and should hold many people at once.

The PM queue was just like Orlando. Line up under the platform, take a speedramp (around where the churro cart is now) up to the moving walkway.

My first visit was 70, my first real memories a year or so later so I got to experience the old Tomorrowland and all it's changes...up until they screwed it up. That's the great thing about the WDW Tland, still has COP, PM, Rockets up where they belong...far outweighs the negatives of Monsters Inc Laugh Floor and an empty Stitch Attraction.

 

[D.Silentu]

The PM queue was just like Orlando. Line up under the platform, take a speedramp (around where the churro cart is now) up to the moving walkway.

Plus, you had to take an elevator to reach the Rocket Jets! Imagine a ride you could only reach that way with today's crowds!

 

[lazyboy97o]

Plus, you had to take an elevator to reach the Rocket Jets! Imagine a ride you could only reach that way with today's crowds!

They still do it at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[D.Silentu]

I had no idea! I can only imagine wait times get excruciating on peak days.

 

[Ismael Flores]

The financial success of the Minion movie was always a guarantee. Bright colors, excessive slapstick, gobbledygook speech, and familiar characters will catch kids attention over a dramatic sci-fi story. I haven't seen Lightyear and while it sounds like it's not among Pixar's greatest, I imagine that Minions isn't any better. It simply follows a proven formula where history has demonstrated prosperity.

Minions was ok, really geared for toddlers with silly plot lines and antics. You are correct to say that it was the perfect movie to attract parents with children.

Lightyear was actually not bad but story wise and tone of movie was not as attractive for the young audience.

I still believe that if hadn’t been in the middle of so much controversy with the whole kiss thing and then the whole Tim Allen was replaced because of political views thing I am sure it would have done well.
I was witness to certain church groups calling for it to be boycotted because of that kiss and the gay characters and how they were being directed at you get audience.

Found it strange because the scene is so minor but because it is Disney no one even noticed that other family movies have similar scenes or scenes with same topics.

Guess it’s ok for some parents to let their children see Gru butt naked for an extended shower scene but have issues with a 10 second kiss.

 

[Ismael Flores]

Really... Then why didn't it sink Dr Strange?

Really the problem with Lightyear was that Disney made a movie no one wanted to see.

Further, and what's ironic, is that Buzz as a character has been in the outs since Toy Story 3 most likely due to the political commentary of Tim Allen. Pixar not wanting to work with the guy because of his public politics probably played a bigger part in this movie getting made than anything else: they were trying to save the character from the negative association with Allen.

At this point though, people don't really care about Buzz and wouldn't mind if the character went away. The only people still counting themselves as fans of Buzz and Allen were turned away from the movie due to one scene.

It will probably still have a second life on Disney+ (I know I personally was going to wait to see it until then) and Disney will just keep doing Disney.

Tim Allen himself has come out and said that he was approached and had meeting with Disney but that he didn’t want to play the part because he didn’t see the character as the same one he voiced.
He even said he told them that buzz was not buzz without woody involved.

What I find interesting is that this whole Disney didn’t want to work with him because of political views is what caused the cast change was started online yet Tim Allen has said and is actually working with Disney on a couple projects Including another Santa Clause movie.

 

[Ismael Flores]

Alice was an absolute bomb for the company, and they still dedicated two attractions to the property.

TRON made an OK amount of money, but was still seen as a disappointment at the time.There are certainly more good reasons why TRON and Lightyear are incompatible though, the pandemic being one of them.

Lightyear can and probably will make the company money, in the long run. Maybe not as much as some other properties, but it's too soon to completely write it off yet. Maybe in 40 years it will get a sequel.

Tying Lightyear as a property to a successful theme park concept (like Space Mountain) could eventually boost numbers for the film, so it might still be worth it from a theme park level.

It would interesting to see how it does once it’s on Disney+
I am not sure how they determine profitability of a movie like that.
Is it determine by how many sign ups are done during its release? And/Or by how much it’s streamed?

I know a couple nephews wanted to see it and said they wish they had also streamed it as a premium because their children are still to young to stay entertained in a theater. They of course are in that group of people that got used to seeing the Pixar movies get thrown to Disney+ And enjoyed the convinience

 

[Ismael Flores]

Woah woah woah I was concerned about that post and I wasn’t even thinking about the possibility of ripping out the monorail. I doubt he would post a picture of an icon like the monorail to say” at work, getting rid of a Walt classic.” At least I hope not. I think at worst they we would reroute it, do a Fantaysland expansion there and get rid of a whole lot of trees.

I also thought maybe he was just confirming the peoplemover rumors.

I am actually surprised, or maybe they have, of why the inner “8” loop of the monorail hasn’t been considered for removal.

In my mind if they really wanted to take advantage of limited property at Disneyland they would do a couple things.

1) To expand tomorrowland, tear out as many buildings as possible as they could on the southern side and eastern side of the land. Clearing out everything except the space mountain, star tours and buzz Lightyear structures.
This includes tearing out the Autopia loading mess.
Now you have a huge area to develop using the property more efficiently.
Confine Autopia to the northern side with the load area relocated to where the old motorboat cruise and IASW mall/ viewing area is.

This would save the Autopia that can be rethemed to an Animated property. And once again have a fantasyland Autopia.

Or

2). Tear down everything as I mentioned before and then during the rebuild add a new track that was elevated and that also has an upper level access point and queue for a new Autopia style ride.

Then remove the inner monorail track that creates the “8” loop and just leave the outer monorail loop. are
Icing that inner “8” along with all the old peoplemOver track over the old motorboat waterway would give them a huge piece of property with no air space obstacles.

This new property can now be a home for an expansion of fantasyland or even a new Avatar area if that what makes them happy. A show building can easily be hidden with rockwork as a background to the sub lagoon.
Problem is that it would have to be partially be built below ground if not the Matterhorn would look like a ant hill

 

[mickEblu]

What if it’s just a restaurant going into the old Motorboat area?

 

[Stevek]

Plus, you had to take an elevator to reach the Rocket Jets! Imagine a ride you could only reach that way with today's crowds!

Still the only way to reach them in Orlando and the crowds are just as bad there, if not worse. Lucky for us, the line was short the week after Thanksgiving last year.

 

[Stevek]

What if it’s just a restaurant going into the old Motorboat area?

That would kinda blow

 

[mickEblu]

That would kinda blow

Haha it would. I don't think you hype up a restaurant like that right? A restaurant would just be the kind of thing you reveal at D23 and then maybe its a pleasant surprise for people because they weren't expecting it. Not something you have one of your lead imagineers hyping up with a post months/ years before. Then it can only be a let down. But I could be reading too much into it.

 

[Phroobar]

I like the demolition ideas that @Ismael Flores has. That could given them the ability to put in a modern autopia like the one Mario Kart should have been. It could be the replacement for the People Mover on elevated track. The cars could look like hover cars with some LED lighting on the ground for a Tron-type look.

​

 

[mickEblu]

I am actually surprised, or maybe they have, of why the inner “8” loop of the monorail hasn’t been considered for removal.

In my mind if they really wanted to take advantage of limited property at Disneyland they would do a couple things.

1) To expand tomorrowland, tear out as many buildings as possible as they could on the southern side and eastern side of the land. Clearing out everything except the space mountain, star tours and buzz Lightyear structures.
This includes tearing out the Autopia loading mess.
Now you have a huge area to develop using the property more efficiently.
Confine Autopia to the northern side with the load area relocated to where the old motorboat cruise and IASW mall/ viewing area is.

This would save the Autopia that can be rethemed to an Animated property. And once again have a fantasyland Autopia.

Or

2). Tear down everything as I mentioned before and then during the rebuild add a new track that was elevated and that also has an upper level access point and queue for a new Autopia style ride.

Then remove the inner monorail track that creates the “8” loop and just leave the outer monorail loop. are
Icing that inner “8” along with all the old peoplemOver track over the old motorboat waterway would give them a huge piece of property with no air space obstacles.

This new property can now be a home for an expansion of fantasyland or even a new Avatar area of that what makes them happy. A show building can easily be hidden with rockwork as a background to the sun lagoon.
Problem is that it would have to be partially be built below ground if not the Matterhorn would look like a ant hill

I don’t mind the idea # 1 particularly if the lagoon stays. All of these projects intrigue me and scare me at the same time.

The thought of turning the Matterhorn into a molehill is a non starter but I’d doubt they do that. It looks like they re doing idea # 2 lite. Perhaps removing the inner 8 and building a new ride in Motorboat area and part of Autopia.

 

[J4546]

they could also relocate the monorail maintenence building when/if they ever built the eastern gateway parking structure and then use the spot where it was for showbuildings for new rides

 

[Phroobar]

Too bad the monorail doesn't go to both the eastern gateway parking structure and the M&F parking structure.

 

[Supreme Leader]

they could also relocate the monorail maintenence building when/if they ever built the eastern gateway parking structure and then use the spot where it was for showbuildings for new rides

The monorail maintenance building is also the Railroad's maintenance building so that move would be unlikely.

 

[britain]

What if it’s just a restaurant going into the old Motorboat area?

Or maybe Matterhorn 2.0.

 

[mickEblu]

Or maybe Matterhorn 2.0.

I hope not. I hope that the healthy competition with Universal is pushing them to build more new rides. If something is going to be built in those areas (which I’m not 100% convinced I want) than I prefer it to be something new. They’ve done enough Retheme’s lately especially at DCA. Not to mention Tiana on the way. Granted Matterhorn 2.0 wouldn’t be a retheme but it would be a ReDo and one I really don’t want them to mess with unless it’s 100% necessary.

 

[mickEblu]

Or maybe Matterhorn 2.0.

But it is an interesting thought. If the rumors are true that Matterhorn would need to be rebuilt in the not so distant future, would they really want to build a new ride in the Motorboat cruise area? Maybe we’re giving them too much credit? Maybe their would be enough room over the rest of Autopia? Maybe the rumor that the Matterhorn needs to be rebuilt isn’t true?