The wndows and doors that have black film on them in the Space Mountain queue just before you turn to go inside?
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What is THAT Building?
- Thread starter 5thGenTexan
- Start date
ght
Well-Known Member
It has been a while since I have been but I am guessing Starcade.
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
Yes, I believe you're referring to the Starcade, which has been shuttered for years. Just another example of wasted real estate in one of the most popular and profitable theme parks in the world!
So, I did a search on "Starcade" and it looks like it used to be in the store that now sells Star Wars stuff. One pic of an escalator going to the second where I think I am talking about. Is that correct?
D
Deleted member 107043
Sort of. The gift shop was part of TL before the Space Mountain complex was built in 1977, which included the Starcade and a fantastic live stage venue where the Magic Eye Theater is now. IMO the design of the area was destroyed when Captain Eo was added in the late 80s. Here is how "Space Mountain Plaza" looked when it first opened.
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Sort of. The gift shop was part of TL before the Space Mountain complex was built in 1977, which included the Starcade and a fantastic live stage venue when the Magic Eye Theater is now. IMO the design of the area was destroyed when Captain Eo was added in the late 80s. Here is how "Space Mountain Plaza" looked when it first opened.
That looks a lot different. I am guessing the escalator was part of the Space Mountain queue?
We used the restrooms several times near the Space Mountain exit. With the ride exist, the restrooms and the gift shop it seemed like a really poorly planned area.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it's a disaster. The closed off area has a really cool mural visible from the concourse.
D
Deleted member 107043
Yep.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Yup.
The Starcade was added in 1977 as part of the Space Mountain complex. It was an ultra-mod two level video game arcade that really came into its own in the early 1980's when video games got much better and became the rage. The two speedramps were in use until five or ten years ago. By the 2000's it had become a rather sad combo of tacky gift shop and dying video game arcade.
By 2010 it needed to be put out of its misery, but the space is rather large and maddingly under-utilized. Like @GiveMeTheMusic said, the current mothballed and walled off area that used to house the Starcade is the biggest waste of empty space in the most popular, over-crowded and wildly succesful theme park on the planet.
But such is the way of Disneyland management in the mid 2010's. Hey, Michael Colglazier, you may have an MBA from Harvard (which means nothing, really) but you still make some really stupid operational decisions.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
The Starcade should become a two level queue for Space Mountain. Imagine a preshow environment for Space Mountain were we look outside and see ships, planets and asteroids flying by. They could use some of the effects from the Armageddon show at WDS.
That frees up space to restore the outdoor stage and put the Space Port restaurant back in. I hear the kitchen room is still back there but it was converted into Cynthia Harris's private torture chamber back in the 90's.
That frees up space to restore the outdoor stage and put the Space Port restaurant back in. I hear the kitchen room is still back there but it was converted into Cynthia Harris's private torture chamber back in the 90's.
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D
Deleted member 107043
I wonder how difficult it would be to convert the entire complex back to its former glory? They're going to need a theater venue when the Fantasyland Theater is finally removed, and 3D theaters aren't the big thing that they used to be.
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How much unused space is there in Tomorrowland? As a first time visitor trying to navigate the crowds it was hard to just look around too much.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
This is a small piece of the mural. I spent many hours playing air hockey up there.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
Starcade is the biggest chunk, but now half of Innoventions is sitting empty as well and that's a giant building. Some may argue that Innoventions has been a waste of space since 1998, and still is with Launch Bay, and I'd agree.
D
Deleted member 107043
It's all being used, but very very poorly.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
They're making great use of the Tomorrowland train station, now a designated smoking area!
So no train to look at there?
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
No train and they still haven't repainted it to the new blue and white color scheme. It is the last thing that hasn't been updated to the new color scheme.