Star Wars Attractions Coming To Tomorrowland!

[TP2000]

Al Lutz and his Miceage crew have an incredible update today. Get past all the drama about the new DAS program, and there's some mind blowing info towards the end about what Imagineering has planned for Tomorrowland.

Miceage has been talking about the Star Wars redo for Tomorrowland for most of this year, and like their scoop on Monstropolis at DCA the other "insiders" out there have been playing catch up. But now there's some juicy details as the Star Wars Land concept firms up...

• Rocket Jets moved up to the Space Mountain Concourse?!? (What's the spinning view like up there, I wonder?)
• Autopia goes away to be turned into the forest moon of Endor and an Ewok village
• Innoventions becomes loading zone for Speeder Bike thrill ride through Endor forests
• Tomorrowland Terrace becomes rowdy interactive Cantina restaurant and show
• PeopleMover tower becomes landing pad for Millennium Falcon walk-thru exhibit

http://micechat.com/44830-disneyland-das/

The full scoop is at the Miceage update today, but whaddya guys think?

I'm amazed they are really going at this in a big way. This would seem to be a massive project and overhaul of the land's theme. And what parts of this make the trek out to DHS at WDW, I wonder?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think it's BS. As I said on MiceChat, these rumors sound so fanboi-ish and they sound like they came from Screamscape. As usual, I don't believe anything until there's an official announcement.

If these rumor are true, I will be very, very, VERY upset. Why is Disney so hellbent on turning Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land? Makes no sense, there's already a Star Wars attraction in Tomorrowland. Why do we need several more? I'm quite displeased with these rumors, to say the least. BS.

 

[G00fyDad]

If it is true, and I highly doubt that it is, then I hope it stays in CA. But that's a moot point because I think this smells like BS too.

 

[TP2000]

I think it's BS. As I said on MiceChat, these rumors sound so fanboi-ish and they sound like they came from Screamscape. As usual, I don't believe anything until there's an official announcement.

If these rumor are true, I will be very, very, VERY upset. Why is Disney so hellbent on turning Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land? Makes no sense, there's already a Star Wars attraction in Tomorrowland. Why do we need several more? I'm quite displeased with these rumors, to say the least. BS.

I'm looking forward to this actually, but I always love your passion raven24!

Tomorrowland is a mess. And it's been a mess for 15 years. 15 years! Even when Rocket Rods were running for the 18 months or so they actually operated in the late 1990's, the place was still a mess. This photo from the Miceage update sums it up....

Tomorrowland: Dead, Dull, and Decaying... Since 1998

I would love it if they returned to a 1960's vision with a 21st century aesthetic. Get big companies to sponsor rides and shows again, with elaborate post-show exhibits touting the latest corporate wares. Get pretty hostesses with perfect diction and wearing tailored suits to tell you about the wonders of the corporate world. The Bell System is gone and Monsanto only makes seeds now, but get Boeing and Apple and Ford and General Electric to sponsor splashy stuff to see and do. Make the place shine, make it move, and at night get a great band playing for dancing.

But that won't happen, for many reasons. It's not 1967 any more.

So get a new concept in there instead. I would pay big money to be able to walk through the Millennium Falcon and get my picture taken with Chewbacca inside! The Speeder Bike ride sounds great, too.

Although, I would miss Autopia. That is understandably a big loss. Overall though, I think this is really the only direction Tomorrowland can take in the early 21st century. The land is just a complete mess now.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm looking forward to this actually, but I always love your passion raven24!

Tomorrowland is a mess. And it's been a mess for 15 years. 15 years! Even when Rocket Rods were running for the 18 months or so they actually operated in the late 1990's, the place was still a mess. This photo from the Miceage update sums it up....

Tomorrowland: Dead, Dull, and Decaying... Since 1998

I would love it if they returned to a 1960's vision with a 21st century aesthetic. Get big companies to sponsor rides and shows again, with elaborate post-show exhibits touting the latest corporate wares. Get pretty hostesses with perfect diction and wearing tailored suits to tell you about the wonders of the corporate world. The Bell System is gone and Monsanto only makes seeds now, but get Boeing and Apple and Ford and General Electric to sponsor splashy stuff to see and do. Make the place shine, make it move, and at night get a great band playing for dancing.

But that won't happen, for many reasons. It's not 1967 any more.

So get a new concept in there instead. I would pay big money to be able to walk through the Millennium Falcon and get my picture taken with Chewbacca inside! The Speeder Bike ride sounds great, too.

Although, I would miss Autopia. That is understandably a big loss. Overall though, I think this is really the only direction Tomorrowland can take in the early 21st century. The land is just a complete mess now.

Why thank you, TP! I love your passion as well!

Without a doubt, Tomorrowland is, by far, the worst land in the entire park. I get so sad every time I walk through it.

I'll admit, these additions would certainly make Tomorrowland at least look better. I think the attractions in Tomorrowland are solid, for the most part. The aesthetics are absolutely terrible, though. I want the 60s version as well, but I have to accept it's not going to happen.

If Autopia goes away, I will cry. I love that attraction so much and I would be greatly devastated to see it go.

 

[coachwnh]

One of our favorite DL moments happened on autopia! I wouldn't want that to leave! Nothing beats pushing a stalled car down the last long hill at 11 pm and watching it bounce off the center rail as the driver yells "I have no control. I have no control."

 

[awoogala]

yeah, I don't see it. Doesn't fit at all. If anything, I would think this new Tomorrowland movie has a chance of reinspiring the Tomorrowland area more than Star wars.
If they want a full land of Star Wars, they need to throw Avatar in the toilet, and go with a Star Wars land instead. Would be a MUCH better use of resources, and have a MUCH better draw.

 

[Travel Junkie]

Great post TP. I agree completely. It is really sad because they could really do some great with how technology is enhancing our lives. It is really a golden age for tech. Autopia could turn into the Google self driving car ride, Innoventions could actually be something with revolving exhibits on future tech, with some of them transferred over from conventions like the Consumer Electronics show. The new boom in private space companies like Virgin Galactic and Space X could sponsor attractions. There is an optimistic view of the future out there.

I have heard a few interviews over the years with Tony Baxter and one thing I always take is to get anything done nowadays is you have to tie it to a franchise. They had to resurrect the subs with a Nemo theme. The Tree house was in danger of closing for good until they were able to turn into a Tarzan themed attraction. Perhaps the only way to save Tommorrowland was to re-theme it to a hot property and Star Wars is the ticket. It allows WDI to re-energize the land even if it is not ideal.

To the specifics of the report I like the speeder bike and it makes sense to go where it is. If the subs are staying, they can't put a huge show building on the Autopia space, so putting an outdoor track through a forest makes sense and sounds fun.

Not sure about where the Millennium Falcon is going. I like the idea but not sure about the placement. It could look tacky and throw everything else around it out of scale or it could look fine. I would prefer it to maybe go inside the Innoventions building with the Speeder Bike queue or Pizza Port and have the outside look like a hanger. The walk thru and meet and greet happens inside the hanger while Chewy is servicing the craft.

I really do not like the Astro Orbitor going up top on the Space Mountain Concourse. I hate it where it is now, but putting it on the concourse would ruin the view of the iconic Space Mountain.

 

[Figments Friend]

I think it's BS. As I said on MiceChat, these rumors sound so fanboi-ish and they sound like they came from Screamscape. As usual, I don't believe anything until there's an official announcement.

If these rumor are true, I will be very, very, VERY upset. Why is Disney so hellbent on turning Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land? Makes no sense, there's already a Star Wars attraction in Tomorrowland. Why do we need several more? I'm quite displeased with these rumors, to say the least. BS.

Thank you for this.
I thought i was the only one not overly keen on all this Star Wars talk related to TL.

*Hellbent* ...perfect term.

I think Disney is looking at it as a synergy exercise.
*Yeah, we own Star Wars now...so let*s flaunt it....and make us a few bucks on the side...*

I don*t think this is the answer to refreshing TL. It reeks of blatant *product placement* to me.

Star Tours is great...leave it at that. It is supposed to be *Tomorrowland* folks...not *Star Wars Land*....

 

[Figments Friend]

I'm looking forward to this actually, but I always love your passion raven24!

Tomorrowland is a mess. And it's been a mess for 15 years. 15 years! Even when Rocket Rods were running for the 18 months or so they actually operated in the late 1990's, the place was still a mess. This photo from the Miceage update sums it up....

Tomorrowland: Dead, Dull, and Decaying... Since 1998

I actually found this structure rather fascinating when i last visited DL about a month ago.
The Observatron....used to move and play music once, i have read.

Not sure why i was so fasinated with it...but the most photographed item in the Park this visit was THIS, believe it or not.

I think it held a strange aura over me because of it simply being there...unused...and obviously so.
Seeing a non-working PeopleMover platform and track is strange to a WDW regular...so maybe that is why it held such visual sway.

 

[Figments Friend]

I have heard a few interviews over the years with Tony Baxter and one thing I always take is to get anything done nowadays is you have to tie it to a franchise. They had to resurrect the subs with a Nemo theme. The Tree house was in danger of closing for good until they were able to turn into a Tarzan themed attraction. Perhaps the only way to save Tommorrowland was to re-theme it to a hot property and Star Wars is the ticket. It allows WDI to re-energize the land even if it is not ideal.

This is indeed true....for several years now it has been very challanging to get funding or a decent budget allotted for a project that is not based on whatever the currant popular marketable franchise/IP is.
Those two examples given were both projects that were slated to be closed for good.
The only way they were saved was by convincing the purse holders that they could be converted into inexpensive, contemporary updated versions that promoted a popular film property. I say *inexpensive* compared to building and designing a entirely new attraction.
Both the Subs and Treehouse have Tony to thank for still existing today.

I can understand the desire for Disney to want to create a attraction, or themed area, based on a hot popular property like Star Wars. It makes sense as far as business goes...but at what cost in the long run?

Where has the creativity gone...?
TL is the perfect spot to create something truly unique but it seems either there are no ideas the purse holders like, or there is a lack of vision or desire to do something truly innovative and exciting.
It is frustrating, because awesome plans exsist...but the gate keepers will not let them come out to play and the purse holders only want IP based projects.

This means that instead of coming up with something on there own , they are instead taking the *easy way out* by once again just relying on a popular franchise.
This is primarily the suits driving this...the creatives have all sorts of things stored on the shelf but the business end of the company wants a sure thing...and these days nobody seems to want to take a chance.

This will turn TL into the next Hollywood Studios/DCA....in my opinion.

I like Star Wars...i do....but i just don*t see this being a good fit thematically for DL.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I don't mind the plans overall, but like @raven24 , it sounds like a fanboy wishlist. I don't see them spending big money on a Millennium Falcon for a walkthrough and a wookie M&G. I especially don't see them putting the Orbiter on the SM concourse. The Captain EO theater is directly underneath that open space up on the second floor... I don't think they overengineered that building enough to throw a giant whirling machine up there on the roof without major changes underneath. Also, do SM and the Orbiter share the queue walkway? How do you get people up there? Aaaaaand... being up on the second floor of that complex while in line for SM already makes the dome of the mountain look unimpressively small; what will it look like when you are 20 (30?) ft higher on the Orbiter?

 

[lego606]

I have heard a few interviews over the years with Tony Baxter and one thing I always take is to get anything done nowadays is you have to tie it to a franchise. They had to resurrect the subs with a Nemo theme. The Tree house was in danger of closing for good until they were able to turn into a Tarzan themed attraction. Perhaps the only way to save Tommorrowland was to re-theme it to a hot property and Star Wars is the ticket. It allows WDI to re-energize the land even if it is not ideal.

 

[SirLink]

I think it's BS. As I said on MiceChat, these rumors sound so fanboi-ish and they sound like they came from Screamscape. As usual, I don't believe anything until there's an official announcement.

If these rumor are true, I will be very, very, VERY upset. Why is Disney so hellbent on turning Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land? Makes no sense, there's already a Star Wars attraction in Tomorrowland. Why do we need several more? I'm quite displeased with these rumors, to say the least. BS.

Star Wars is a fantasy adventure set in the future - perfect for Tomorrowland more so than cartoon clown fish for instance.

What I'm more depressed is that both coasts will be getting a carbon copy why not give each coast something different in terms of Star Wars.

 

[fractal]

Star Wars is a fantasy adventure set in the future - perfect for Tomorrowland more so than cartoon clown fish for instance.

What I'm more depressed is that both coasts will be getting a carbon copy why not give each coast something different in terms of Star Wars.

Actually, Star Wars is set in the past. A long time ago...

I am a SW nerd but I don't think it belongs in TL. I want to see a TL that gives us an optimistic view of the future, filled with wonderful sights, sounds and ideas of a world we can hope for.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Star Wars is a fantasy adventure set in the future - perfect for Tomorrowland more so than cartoon clown fish for instance.

What I'm more depressed is that both coasts will be getting a carbon copy why not give each coast something different in terms of Star Wars.

As Fractal has already stated, Star Wars is set in the past.

Even if it was set in the future, which it's not, it shouldn't be taking up the majority of Tomorrowland.

 

[SirLink]

Actually, Star Wars is set in the past. A long long time ago...

I am a SW nerd but I don't think it belongs in TL. I want to see a TL that gives us an optimistic view of the future, filled with wonderful sights, sounds and ideas of a world we can hope for.

Star Wars isn't set in the past the use of that poor argument is the one in which - GL used it because its easier to tell a fantasy tale set in the past, i.e. events that have happened, than what is to come. Ergo until you can say what time the title scroll is set in you can't claim the story itself is set in the past. Fluidity of time.

What you want TL to be is what Epcot was in the mid 90s, before it got invaded by Toons.

 

[SirLink]

As Fractal has already stated, Star Wars is set in the past.

Even if it was set in the future, which it's not, it shouldn't be taking up the majority of Tomorrowland.

Fluidity of time. Its not set in the past just saying. The time taken to reach the Star Wars galaxy is so great that by the time an Earthling got there it would be the future.

Why not makes more sense than having a present day action toy and a cartoon fish.

 

[NYwdwfan]

Star Wars isn't set in the past the use of that poor argument is the one in which - GL used it because its easier to tell a fantasy tale set in the past, i.e. events that have happened, than what is to come. Ergo until you can say what time the title scroll is set in you can't claim the story itself is set in the past. Fluidity of time.

What you want TL to be is what Epcot was in the mid 90s, before it got invaded by Toons.

Um...yes it is.

 

[SirLink]

Um...yes it is.

Its not. Fluidity of time. If I invent a time machine go back in time. kill Pythagoras and invent "Sir Links Theory" in its place about triangles. Does that make me, myself, an ancient scholar. Nope.

The fact is the distance to the galaxy would be huge thus by the time we arrived we would be in the future from when we set out in Earth time. So if we left tomorrow and could maintain a constant at the speed of light. We would be at the "Galaxy" hundreds of years in the future. So technically it is set in the future.