Rich T
Well-Known Member
I respect your opinion. But….First of all, Space Mountain in WDW is no more dated than Matterhorn is, and it's the only one like it in existence, whereas the DL one has been copied elsewhere (granted the Tokyo one is gone now, but it also exists in Hong Kong).
Star Tours exists in DHS, and has a much nicer facade (it's an AT-AT Walker that periodically shoots, very cool. Then you go through the forest scene from Endor if the line is out the door; during the day, it plays Star Wars music, and at night, you hear Ewoks). Not to mention with the blessing of size, it's got two additional speeders and I believe there's an additional row in each speeder, so it generally has pretty short waits. I don't wait if I see it's posted more than 20 minutes.
I'm not the biggest fan of the submarines (I'm sorry!) They take forever to load, and for me, they make me feel claustrophobic. Packed like sardines in a can.
The monorail at DL is very much an attraction. At WDW, it's very much a mode of transportation. It's still fun to ride, but we're using it to get someplace. Bonus: if you don't have park tickets, you can ride the monorail or the Skyliner.
But now, back to the original discussion: Aesthetically, MK's Tomorrowland is much better. In spite of the former Stitch area not being actively used, there's very little dead space. Unless you know that SGE was there, you wouldn't know anything is supposed to be there. They use it mostly for stroller parking, and I've also seen them use it for meet and greets and as a thunderstorm shelter. There's very little they can do with that space because it's small and backs up to the kitchen at Cosmic Ray's. On the same note, they can't do a lot with the Laugh Floor space because it backs up to the Tomorrowland Terrace space.
Speaking of Cosmic Ray's, we can't skip talking about Sonny Eclipse. He's been a mainstay of the place for years. They need to improve the food, but Sonny Eclipse makes that place.
Back to little dead space, Astro Orbitor is at the center (where it belongs). Underneath it is the Peoplemover entrance. Underneath that is the Lunching Pad, which includes additional seating.
Over near Tron is an additional place selling frozen drinks. There's also a churro/popcorn stand, as well as my favorite, Joffrey's. The fact that Joffrey's barely exists at DL is a topic for another time.
MK's Tomorrowland has also been better maintained. DL's Tomorrowland is the only place in the park that looks worn. MK's got a refresh along with the addition of Tron.
The only thing I'll say is that Buzz really, really needs a refurb. They also could probably take out the speedway and do something else with that space. They are limited in how far they can expand out because, well, swamp.
I think both TLs are equally bad, each in their own way, and I’ve visited both many, many times. Here’s my issues with MK TL:
1) Monsters Inc. in Tomorrowland.
2) Tomorrowland Speedway is just possibly the worst, ugliest thing in any U.S. Disney park, and takes up so much space! Autopia, at least, is actually fun AND hidden away.
3) In my opinion, WDW TL is a hodgepodge of things that don’t gel together. It doesn’t feel futuristic. It doesn’t feel inspiring. It feels like confusion. So does DL’s; each has its own version of the confusion vibe.
4) I find Tron to be a short, mediocre ride and I think the whole plaza around it feels cold and weirdly like a huge urban bus station.
5) I love CoP, but it has malfunctioned every time I’ve ridden it over the past 2 years.
6) While Sonny Eclipse is a good bit of fun, Ray’s Starlight Cafe itself is, for me, the opposite of magical. In fact, if you wanted to take a photo of WDW at its worst, I’d pick a panoramic interior shot of Ray’s during lunch or dinner.
Ok, now things I like about Florida TL:
1) Peoplemover still existing. The layout is weird; for me it starts out strong and kind of fizzles after Space Mtn., but it’s better than the rotting unused tracks at DL. And the narration is just about the only thing in TL making a sincere attempt to tie the land together… but it feels like one lone voice above the sea of unconnected ideas below it.
2) I love MK Space Mountain for what it is. What a wild, insane ride! I still prefer DL’s, but when they eventually replace/rebuild the WDW track, I hope they keep the 2 layouts exactly as they are.
3)Although the Railroad’s not technically part of TL, it’s narration gag with the Conductor and the secret of interstellar travel is possibly the funniest joke in all of WDW.
And… eh, yeah, that’s it. The way I see it, both Tomorrowlands are equally in need of help and both are saved by the non-IP genius of Space Mountain.
(Edit)
P.S. I don’t like the taste of Joffrey’s coffee. I’ve tried, but it’s not for me. The employees there have always been fantastic, though.
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