Tomorrowland is one of the many themed lands featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled
Disney theme parks
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Inc., formerly Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and informally known as Disney Parks, is one of The Walt Disney Company's five major business segments and a subsidiary. It was founded on Apri ...
around the world owned or licensed by
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions that depict views of the future. Disneyland Park in Paris includes a similar area called Discoveryland, which shares some elements with other Tomorrowlands but emphasizes visions of the future inspired by
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
was known for his futurist views and, through his television programs, showed the American public how the world was moving into the future. Tomorrowland was the realized culmination of his views. In his own words: "Tomorrow can be a wonderful age. Our scientists today are opening the doors of the
Space Age
The Space Age is a period encompassing the activities related to the Space Race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events, beginning with the Sputnik_1#Launch_and_mission, launch of Sputnik 1 ...
to achievements that will benefit our children and generations to come. The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future."
Disneyland's Tomorrowland is now in its third generation, and the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland is in its second. The Walt Disney Company has mentioned that it wanted to keep Tomorrowland from becoming "Yesterdayland". As a self-referential joke along this line, the 2007
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...
film '' Meet the Robinsons'' (which is set mainly in the year 2037) features an amusement park called ''Todayland'', which has rides that look similar to Space Mountain and Disneyland's original
Rocket Jets
Rocket Jets was an attraction in Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. This attraction opened in 1967 with the new Tomorrowland and closed in 1997 for the New Tomorrowland update in 1998. It was the third spinning rocket att ...
.
Disneyland
History
Tomorrowland 1955–1966: The "original" Tomorrowland incarnation
The first Tomorrowland opened at
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
on July 17, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase, despite Walt Disney's reluctance.
Monsanto Company
The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup (herbicide), Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbic ...
Richfield Oil
Richfield Oil Corporation was an American petroleum company based in California from 1905 to 1966. In 1966 it merged with Atlantic Refining Company to form the Atlantic Richfield Company (later renamed ARCO).
History
The Richfield Oil Corporat ...
, and
Dutch Boy Paint
The Dutch Boy Group is a paint manufacturing company currently headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1907 by the National Lead Company, the Dutch Boy Paints brand is currently a subsidiary of the Consumer Group division of the Sherwin-Willi ...
were some of the many companies to open showcases in Tomorrowland in the first few years.
Since the park was on a strict budget, one cost-cutting idea was to reuse the sets of the ''Nautilus ''from Disney's 1954 movie ''
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne.
The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...
'' as a walkthrough attraction. This remained open until 1966. For the first four years, most of Tomorrowland was generally open space and considered to be very corporate-fueled. However, the area gained more attractions as time passed, many of which have since been removed.
When Disneyland opened, Tomorrowland represented the future in the year 1986.
Tomorrowland's showpiece was the
TWA Moonliner
From 1955 through 1962, the TWA Moonliner was part of the first futuristic exhibit located in Disneyland's Tomorrowland. It was also an early example of modern product placement advertising by TWA's Howard Hughes teaming up with Walt Disney as the ...
, derived from Disney's " Man In Space" television episodes developed in the 1950s. The Moonliner was the tallest structure in the park at the time, even taller than the park icon Sleeping Beauty Castle. The Moonliner hosted Rocket To The Moon which was a ride to the moon. The entrance showpiece was the clock of the world showing the time anywhere on earth. The north show building hosted Circarama U.S.A. which showed movies on nine screens, and space station X-1 which showed a satellite view of America. The south show building showed the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, which was a walk-through tour about chemistry. Autopia, an opening-day attraction, gave visitors a view of the National Interstate System that was to be built in the future. The attraction still remains open today, though it has been modified and rebuilt several times. This is the only attraction in Tomorrowland that has been open since opening day.
Several new attractions opened in 1955. Among them were Tomorrowland Boats, The World Beneath Us, which showed the Earth's geology, and the Aluminum Hall of Fame, sponsored by Kaiser Aluminum. The final Tomorrowland attraction to open in 1955 was The Flight Circle which demonstrated methanol-powered model planes, boats and cars.
In 1956, Tomorrowland Boats were renamed Phantom Boats, and were closed later in the year. Dutch Boy Color Gallery opened in 1956, and sponsored Dutch Boy Paint. Two major attractions opened in 1956: the Astro Jets, where guests were able to fly their own rockets, and Skyway to Fantasyland, where guests rode "Buckets" over to Fantasyland.
In 1957, the
Monsanto House of the Future
The Monsanto House of the Future was an attraction at Disneyland's Tomorrowland in Anaheim, California, USA, from 1957 to 1967. It offered a tour of a futuristic home, and was intended to demonstrate the versatility of modern plastics.
History ...
, a plastic house with four wings cantilevered from a central plinth, was built. This was similar to precursors at previous World's Fairs, though those were simply homes furnished with modern conveniences and aimed at housewives. Disneyland's attraction displayed conveniences such as picture phones and television remote controls, and it introduced many people to their first
microwave oven
A microwave oven (commonly referred to as a microwave) is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce t ...
. The Viewliner also opened where guests could ride in "the fastest miniature train in the world." It closed the next year making it the shortest lived Disney attraction ever.
In 1959, three major attractions, the park's first billed
E-ticket
An electronic ticket is a method of ticket entry, processing, and marketing for companies in the airline, railways and other transport and entertainment industries.
Airline ticket
E-tickets in the airline industry were devised in about 1994, and ...
attractions, opened at Tomorrowland. These were
Disneyland Monorail
The Disneyland Monorail System (originally named the Disneyland ALWEG Monorail System) is an attraction and transportation system at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It was the first daily operating monorail in the W ...
,
Submarine Voyage
The Submarine Voyage was an attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The attraction features vehicles designed to resemble submarines. It first opened on June 14, 1959, as one of the first rides to require an E ticket. It was part of a ma ...
, and Matterhorn Bobsleds (which later became part of Fantasyland). These additions were collectively so large in scope that they were televised as the second opening of Disneyland. New attractions came and some went as
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
focused his efforts on the 1964–65 New York World's Fair. After the Fair closed, he turned his attention to a new Tomorrowland and the
Florida Project
The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or EPCOT, or E.P.C.O.T., is an unfinished concept for a planned community, intended to sit on a massive swath of undeveloped land near Orlando, Florida, that was developed by Walt Disney in co ...
, which would later become
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
.
Tomorrowland 1967–1997: "New Tomorrowland"
By 1966, Tomorrowland was becoming quickly outdated. Most of its attractions were only there as advertisements for various sponsors, such as Monsanto, despite the 1959 Tomorrowland expansion. In 1967, the area was completely rebuilt with new attractions and scenery. The original layout was demolished, with a few exceptions, and a new set of buildings were erected. The addition of the Carousel of Progress,
Adventure Thru Inner Space
Adventure Thru Inner Space was an attraction in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, presented by Monsanto Company. It was the first attraction to utilize Disney's Omnimover system. The ride simulated shrinking guests to the size smaller than an atom (th ...
, an improved and larger Circle-Vision auditorium, Flight to the Moon, and the PeopleMover helped give Tomorrowland its "World on the Move" theme.
In 1973, "The World On The Move" began to change. General Electric decided to close Carousel of Progress, which later reopened at a new home in Walt Disney World in 1975 as part of its expansion. In 1974, with the American Bicentennial approaching, Disney designers seized the opportunity of the vacant carousel theater to present a large musical extravaganza called America Sings, which featured 114 Audio Animatronics. The following year, Flight to the Moon was updated into Mission to Mars, as actual flights to the moon had become a reality since the former's construction.
In 1975, construction began on Walt Disney's proposed 1965 "Space Port". In May 1977, this project opened to the public as Space Mountain. The same year, the Super Speed Tunnel was added as part of the Peoplemover experience, as the Epcot model that was formerly in the building moved to Florida.
In 1984, Circle-Vision 360 received a brand new travelogue of the United States, to replace the aging "America The Beautiful" film – American Journeys.
In 1986, two new attractions found homes in Tomorrowland:
Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful ''Star Wars'' film series created by George Lucas. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, ...
and
Captain EO
''Captain EO'' is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name ...
. Captain EO replaced the Space Stage in September 1986, and Star Tours replaced Adventure Thru Inner Space in January 1987. Aside from the Skyway closing in 1994, Tomorrowland remained largely unchanged for much of the following decade until it was redesigned in 1998.
In 1993, The Walt Disney Company planned a major refurbishment, "Tomorrowland 2055". This Tomorrowland was planned to have more of an extraterrestrial theme, and was going to replace Mission to Mars with
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (often abbreviated Alien Encounter) was a "theater-in-the-round" attraction located in the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. A co-production between Walt Disne ...
. In 1994, however, this plan was scrapped due to the poor initial financial performance of Euro Disneyland.
Tomorrowland 1995–1998: "Tomorrowland in Decline"
From 1995 to 1998 several Tomorrowland attractions were slated to be closed or remodeled. The Peoplemover, The Rocket Jets, Mission to Mars, Circle-Vision 360, Captain EO, and the Starcade were all permanently closed or planned for renovation. At this time, most of these attractions were left vacant or walled off from the public.
In 1995, the cost of an adult day pass at Disneyland was $34.00, and a Disneyland Annual Pass was $99.00. There was only one type of annual pass—as opposed to the current tiered system—and many Southern California locals had passes. Tomorrowland quickly became a local hangout for many local junior high and high school teenagers residing in Southern California. Teenagers congregated near the Tomorrowland Terrace, which featured a live band every night.
Tomorrowland became so synonymous with Southern California teenagers at that time, popular bands began to reference the local scene in their music. Local Anaheim-area
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
-rock group
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, they ...
named their 1995 breakthrough third album “ Tragic Kingdom”, in which the final track (also entitled ''Tragic Kingdom'') begins with the ambient sounds of faint music and park guests boarding
Snow White's Scary Adventures
Snow White's Enchanted Wish is a dark ride at the Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks, and formerly at the Magic Kingdom. Located in Fantasyland, it is one of the few remaining attractions that was operational on Disney ...
, and an ominous, pre-recorded male voice announces ''"Remain seated please; permanecer sentados por favor..."'' Just as the song begins, the iconic scream of the Wicked Witch falling to her death (as in the Disney film ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
'') can be heard. The first verse of the song says ''"Once was a magical place; over time it was lost. Price increased the cost, and now the fortune of the kingdom is locked up in its dungeon vaults."'' In reference to Disneyland's
Main Street Electrical Parade
The ''Main Street Electrical Parade'' is a nighttime parade, created by Robert Jani and project director Ron Miziker. It features floats and live performers covered in over 600,000 electronically controlled LED lights, and uses a synchronized ...
, another section laments ''"The parade that's electrical, it serves no real purpose; Just takes up a lot of juice, just to impress us."''
Ska band Jeffries Fan Club (1997) wrote a song called "12" about a high school boy who meets a 12-year-old girl at Disneyland, and Pop-Punk band the Ataris’ (1998) " San Dimas High School Football Rules" was about the lead singer going to Disneyland with a girl he met and getting on all the rides.
This influx of teenagers did cause some negative consequences to the park. Disneyland had to employ more security because many of the teenagers were not respectful to the families visiting the park. To combat the issue of mischievous locals, Disneyland made minor changes, including an increase to both one-day and annual passes. Tomorrowland officially began its renovation in 1995. The three-year makeover started only two years after the park's last major project: the construction of
Mickey's Toontown
Mickey's Toontown is a themed land at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, two theme parks operated by Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and The Oriental Land Company respectively. At Tokyo Disneyland, this land is named Toontown. A similar land existed ...
. The land was not completely closed off the entire time, but major sections were blocked off to guests, and the entrance was finally walled up in 1997. As construction continued, rumors about possible new attractions went rampant. Guests wondered if Tomorrowland would start to phase out transportation and space travel attractions (its second main focus after home technologies in the 50s) in favor of a brand new theme. By the first months of 1998, New Tomorrowland was at the forefront of every Disneyland fan's mind, and the springtime opening drew major crowds. When Tomorrowland re-opened Disneyland had raised prices and many of the locals either moved on or aged out of using Tomorrowland as a hangout.
Tomorrowland 1998–2004: The "New-New Tomorrowland" incarnation
Tomorrowland reopened on May 22, 1998, at the cost of a mere $100 million, as the land was hit with budget cuts from Disneyland's president at the time, Paul Pressler. It is loosely based on the retro-futurist concepts of Jules Verne that Disneyland Paris's Discoveryland featured. The entire land was painted in bronzes, golds, and dark browns, with occasional green highlights. New landscaping featured apparent vegetable plots and made reference to "neo-agrarian" concepts. The flagship attraction of the makeover was the
Rocket Rods
Rocket Rods was a high-speed thrill attraction in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The ride, meant to evoke a futuristic rapid transit system, opened in 1998 on the existing PeopleMover infrastructure as part of the New Tomorrow ...
, which attempted to run a fast-paced ride on the former slow-paced PeopleMover track; the ride closed two years later due to intractable mechanical problems.
Many of the attractions remained fundamentally the same, but Circle-Vision, Captain EO, and Mission to Mars were all removed. The space formerly occupied by Circle-Vision was partly used for the queue of the Rocket Rods, while Captain EO was replaced by
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'' (known as ''MicroAdventure!'' in Tokyo Disneyland) was a 4D film spin-off of the ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' film series that was shown at several Disney theme parks. The audience wore 3D glasses, and the gimba ...
and Mission To Mars was replaced by a restaurant called
Redd Rockett's Pizza Port
Alien Pizza Planet is a restaurant located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland! in Anaheim, California in the United States. The Atomic Age-style restaurant opened as Redd Rockett's Pizza Port on May 22, 1998, the same day as Astro Orbitor, Honey, I S ...
. The Rocket Jets attraction was redressed as a moving sculpture called the Observatron, while a similar attraction called the Astro Orbiter was placed at ground level in the entrance of Tomorrowland where the World Clock once stood. The former America Sings theater became Innoventions, a technology showcase based on the Walt Disney World: EPCOT original. The famous Tomorrowland attraction Space Mountain, which had been a gleaming white color for more than twenty years, was re-painted a copperish-brown color to go along with the redesign of Tomorrowland.
Following the opening of the New Tomorrowland for the summer of 1998, the Submarine Voyage was closed in September.
In late 2003,
Matt Ouimet
Matt Ouimet is executive chairman of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded company that owns 12 amusement parks in the United States and Canada.
Early life
Born in 1958 in Cooperstown, New York and raised in Unadilla NY. His first ...
became president of the Disneyland Resort and sought to change some of the cost-cutting trends that had become the ''status quo'' there. Space Mountain was closed for two full years while the ride was refurbished and repainted white, the original color of the attraction, and the track was completely replaced by a new track with the same track plan. The former Rocket Rods queue building was converted into
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (also known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at California, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast at Paris and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue at Shanghai) is an interactive shooting dark ride attractio ...
for a 2005 opening.
Tomorrowland 2005–2016: Disneyland's Happiest Homecoming and Diamond Anniversary
In February 2005, Walt Disney Imagineering approved a repaint of Tomorrowland for the " Happiest Homecoming on Earth" 50th anniversary celebration. This new paint scheme resembled the 1967 Tomorrowland with predominantly white, blue, and silver, although some of the former gold and bronze colors were kept. The largest remainder from the 1998 color scheme was the Astro Orbitor until mid-2009, when it was repainted to match the rest of the land, and mechanisms that once caused its top to rotate properly were repaired.
In 2007, as part of the Year of a Million Dreams, the Submarine Voyage reopened as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, with the submarines fully refurbished and repowered with batteries rather than diesel engines and the theme based on the 2003
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
Finding Nemo
''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton with co-direction by Lee Unkrich, the screenplay was writ ...
''.
Also in 2007, the Disneyland Monorail began phasing out its Mark V fleet of monorails in order to reverse engineer and upgrade the Mark V's to the new Mark VII models. The new Mark VII's were phased in one at a time, beginning with Red and Blue in 2008 and Orange in 2009; Purple was confirmed not to undergo an upgrade and was scrapped. These new monorails were to pay homage to the original Mark I, II, and III monorails while retaining a modern, futuristic look. The previous
Mark V monorail
The Disneyland Monorail System (originally named the Disneyland ALWEG Monorail System) is an attraction and transportation system at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It was the first daily operating monorail in the ...
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'' (known as ''MicroAdventure!'' in Tokyo Disneyland) was a 4D film spin-off of the ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' film series that was shown at several Disney theme parks. The audience wore 3D glasses, and the gimba ...
'' closed to make way for a revived ''
Captain EO
''Captain EO'' is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name ...
'', which "re-opened" due to the large public backing the 3D film had received upon
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
in June 2009. It was a limited engagement (albeit with no set closing date), and eventually closed in July 2014 to use the theatre to present a preview of
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, LLC (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Studios produces the Mar ...
' '' Guardians of the Galaxy''. Later, starting on 26 September 2014, the Magic Eye theatre was used to present a preview of
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...
' '' Big Hero 6'', set to have ended on 21 November 2014.
In July 2010, Disneyland's ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
''-themed motion simulator attraction
Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful ''Star Wars'' film series created by George Lucas. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, ...
was closed to make way for
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...
. The ride, which featured other ''Star Wars'' destinations in 3-D, opened on June 3, 2011.
On March 21, 2015 Innoventions closed to become transformed into the Tomorrowland Expo Center. The building was closed and converted which reopened to guests on November 16, 2015. The first floor of the building hosts the
Star Wars Launch Bay
''Star Wars'' Launch Bay is an interactive walkthrough attraction based on ''Star Wars'' franchise at Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, and formerly at Shanghai Disneyland Park.
Hi ...
, a new Star Wars exhibit with character meet and greets, displays featuring movie props and various sneak peeks behind the scenes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the two other future Star Wars films. The second floor formerly hosted the "Super Hero HQ", featuring meet and greets with Marvel characters Iron Man, Thor and Spider-Man with several displays from Innoventions remaining, but redressed to display Marvel's various television series and comic strips.
Tomorrowland 2016–present: The "Season of the Force" Tomorrowland incarnation
At the 2015 D23 Expo, Disney announced that on November 16, 2015, Tomorrowland would launch a ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
''-themed "Season of the Force", in celebration of '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. Among the changes launched as part of the event were the attraction ''Star Wars'' Launch Bay—an exhibition showcasing artwork and other materials related to the franchise, a '' Star Wars Rebels''-themed update of Jedi Training Academy known as Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, the addition of ''The Force Awakens''-related content to
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...
, and a ''The Force Awakens''-themed Space Mountain overlay known as Hyperspace Mountain. Autopia also closed for a short period of time, but reopened in early 2016, with a new blue and silver color scheme to better fit current day Tomorrowland and a new sponsorship with
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
. In 2019, Disneyland began to remove the 1998-era Tomorrowland sign and rockwork popularly known as the " French fry rocks" in order to widen walkways and improve crowd flow as part of its ongoing Project Stardust beautification and improvement project.
Attractions and entertainment
*
Astro Orbiter
The Astro Orbiter is a "rocket-spinner", aerial carousel-type attraction featured at five Disneyland-style parks and Walt Disney Resorts around the world, except for Tokyo Disneyland). Although each ride may have a slightly different name, all ...
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (also known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at California, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast at Paris and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue at Shanghai) is an interactive shooting dark ride attractio ...
(2005–present)
*
Disneyland Monorail
The Disneyland Monorail System (originally named the Disneyland ALWEG Monorail System) is an attraction and transportation system at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It was the first daily operating monorail in the W ...
Star Wars Launch Bay
''Star Wars'' Launch Bay is an interactive walkthrough attraction based on ''Star Wars'' franchise at Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, and formerly at Shanghai Disneyland Park.
Hi ...
(2015–present)
Former attractions and entertainment
* Court of Honor (1955–1956)
* Phantom Boats (1955–1956)
* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Exhibit (1955–1966)
* A Tour of the West (1955–1960)
* Hall of Aluminum Fame (1955–1960)
* Space Station X-1 (1955–1960)
* The World Beneath Us (1955–1960)
*
Art Corner
Art Corner was a retail store that operated at Disneyland amusement park in Anaheim, California, from 1955 until 1966. The store was located in the ''Tomorrowland'' area of the park.
History
When Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, on July 1 ...
(1955–1966)
* Clock of the World (1955–1966)
* Flight Circle (1955–1966)
* Hobbyland (1955–1966)
* Monsanto Hall of Chemistry (1955–1966)
* Rocket to the Moon (1955–1966)
* Circle-Vision 360° (1955–1997, re-themed as Rocket Rods Queue)
* American Dairy Association Exhibit (1956–1958)
* Bathroom of Tomorrow (1956–1960)
* Our Future in Colors (1956–1963)
* Astro Jets (1956–1964)
* Avenue of the Flags (1956–1966)
* Skyway to Fantasyland (1956–1994)
*
Viewliner Train of Tomorrow
The Viewliner Train of Tomorrow was a Narrow-gauge railway, narrow-gauge, Ridable miniature railway, miniature train that once operated alongside portions of the Disneyland Railroad main line.
The attraction commenced operation on June 10, 1957 ...
(1957–1958)
* Midget Autopia (1957–1966)
*
Monsanto House of the Future
The Monsanto House of the Future was an attraction at Disneyland's Tomorrowland in Anaheim, California, USA, from 1957 to 1967. It offered a tour of a futuristic home, and was intended to demonstrate the versatility of modern plastics.
History ...
(1957–1967)
* Mermaids (1959; 1965–1967)
*
Submarine Voyage
The Submarine Voyage was an attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The attraction features vehicles designed to resemble submarines. It first opened on June 14, 1959, as one of the first rides to require an E ticket. It was part of a ma ...
(1959–1998)
* The Art of Animation (1960–1966)
* Bell Telephone Systems Phone Exhibits (1960–1984)
* America The Beautiful (1960–1984, 1996–1997)
*
Flying Saucers
A flying saucer (also referred to as "a flying disc") is a descriptive term for a type of flying craft having a disc or saucer-shaped body, commonly used generically to refer to an anomalous flying object. The term was coined in 1947 but has g ...
(1961–1966)
* New York World's Fair Exhibit (1963–1964)
* Fashions & Fabrics Through the Ages (1965)
* Carousel of Progress (1967–1973)
* Flight to the Moon (1967–1975)
*
Adventure Thru Inner Space
Adventure Thru Inner Space was an attraction in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, presented by Monsanto Company. It was the first attraction to utilize Disney's Omnimover system. The ride simulated shrinking guests to the size smaller than an atom (th ...
Rocket Jets
Rocket Jets was an attraction in Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. This attraction opened in 1967 with the new Tomorrowland and closed in 1997 for the New Tomorrowland update in 1998. It was the third spinning rocket att ...
Halyx
Halyx (pronounced ''HAY-licks'') was a short-lived science fiction themed rock band developed by Disneyland Records that performed at Tomorrowland in Disneyland in 1981 at the Space Stage. They played only for one summer before the event was clos ...
(1981)
*
Magic Journeys
Magic Journeys was a 3D film created by WED Enterprises for presentation at Disney theme parks. It was featured at four different parks over the course of its 11-year run.
History
On October 1, 1982, ''Magic Journeys'' premiered as one of the o ...
(1984–1986)
* Wonders of China (1984–1994)
*
Captain EO
''Captain EO'' is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name ...
(1986–1997)
* Magic Eye Theater (1986–2015)
*
Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful ''Star Wars'' film series created by George Lucas. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, ...
(1987–2010)
* Toy Story Funhouse (January 27, 1996 – May 27, 1996)
**Hamm's Theater with "Hamm's All-Doll Revue"
*
Rocket Rods
Rocket Rods was a high-speed thrill attraction in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The ride, meant to evoke a futuristic rapid transit system, opened in 1998 on the existing PeopleMover infrastructure as part of the New Tomorrow ...
(1998–2001)
* Cosmic Waves (1998–2002)
* American Space Experience (1998–2003)
*
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'' (known as ''MicroAdventure!'' in Tokyo Disneyland) was a 4D film spin-off of the ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' film series that was shown at several Disney theme parks. The audience wore 3D glasses, and the gimba ...
Redd Rockett's Pizza Port
Alien Pizza Planet is a restaurant located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland! in Anaheim, California in the United States. The Atomic Age-style restaurant opened as Redd Rockett's Pizza Port on May 22, 1998, the same day as Astro Orbitor, Honey, I S ...
*The Spirit of Refreshment
*
Tomorrowland Terrace
Tomorrowland Terrace is a restaurant located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California that is notable for its unique concert stage, which hydraulically rises out of the ground. It opened with the new Tomorrowland in 1967. Magic Kingdo ...
(currently themed as Galactic Grill)
Former restaurants and refreshments
* Space Bar (1955–1966)
* Yacht Club (1955–1966)
* Space Place (1977–1996)
* Lunching Pad (1977–1998)
Shops
* Autopia's Winner Circle
* Little Green Men Store Command
* The Star Trader
* Tomorrowlanding
Former shops
* The MOD Hatter (1958–2006)
* Fun Fotos (1960–1966)
* Premiere Shop (1963–2005)
* Character Shop (1967–1986)
Magic Kingdom
History
Second Tomorrowland: 1971–1994
The second Tomorrowland opened on October 1, 1971, at the
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park, previously known as Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by The W ...
in the
Walt Disney World Resort
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake, Florida, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, and, like at Disneyland, was opened unfinished. On opening day, only two attractions opened: the Grand Prix Raceway, and the Skyway to Fantasyland.
Tomorrowland was noted for being very barren and sterile at this time, due to the land being very flat and undetailed. A large orange wall was located past the two large show buildings, and blocked guests from walking further than the Skyway building. The wall had a small stage built into it, and a large outdoor food court sat adjacent to it to compensate for a lack of food venues at the time. It was removed within two years and the Carousel of Progress took its place.
The largest counter service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom was the Tomorrowland Terrace. America the Beautiful opened in November, and Flight to the Moon opened late on Christmas Eve, 1971, due to technical problems. The south show building received an expansion in 1972, which housed If You Had Wings. The south building was further expanded in 1973, opening the Plaza Pavilion, which was an open-air restaurant, and served as a convenient way of getting from Main Street to Tomorrowland quickly.
In 1973, the plans for Tomorrowland were finalized; and for about two years, construction was a common sight. In 1974, Star Jets, a spinner attraction sat on the WEDWay Peoplemover station. It resembled a Saturn V Rocket like its Disneyland cousin, the Rocket Jets. The ride vehicles between the two had some differences. The Disneyland Rockets were more narrow and resembled the central Saturn V rocket more, while the Magic Kingdom's vehicles look more like jets, hence the name "Star Jets".The Space Bar, another restaurant opened below the Peoplemover station.
The next year, Space Mountain and The Carousel of Progress opened on January 15. This was the first Space Mountain to open. It was the first totally indoor roller coaster in Florida and was the first roller coaster to have computer aided designs and use zoning to have 8 trains on the track at a time. Another Railroad station was planned to be built next to the entrance and exit to Space Mountain, but due to crowds in this area, it was never built. Carousel of Progress opened on the same day, and was similar to Disneyland's version except it rotated in the opposite direction. It also had a different song: Instead of "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow", the song was "The Best Time of Your Life." In June, the second version of the WEDWay Peoplemover opened. This Peoplemover bore resemblance to Disneyland's, but was different, in that it used linear induction motors. This means that guests could not get stuck to the tracks as they could at Disneyland if they happened to fall out of the vehicle. The only moving parts of the vehicles were the wheels and the sliding doors. The track was similar but instead of it being open air and the vehicles having roofs, the opposite is true here. Unlike Disneyland's, the Peoplemover here never changed height.
This Tomorrowland somewhat resembled Disneyland's Tomorrowland at the time, with large white buildings and clean geometric shapes. The triangular buildings at Disneyland were fully realized, and the opening of the Tomorrowland here had two enormous pylons which cascaded water down into the castle moat. Complementing the Pylons were two large blue triangular walls which also released water into the moat. These waterfalls were often shut off as the slightest change of wind could spray water all over guests. In the early 80's the Waterfalls were turned off for good, and a large mosaic was painted on the blue walls, and some blue stripes were painted on the two pylons.
The colors of Tomorrowland were mainly whites complemented with ocher on the outside. The interior of the buildings were accented with reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. In Old Tomorrowland's later years, the outside colors were changed to pinks, and blues around the Peoplemover tracks.
New Tomorrowland: 1994–present
Tomorrowland went through a drastic change in 1994. It now resembles Tomorrowland from Disneyland in California slightly, but with more color. Many of the attractions changed. Some classic Tomorrowland attractions that have closed in Disneyland still live on at the Magic Kingdom, including the
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
The PeopleMover is an urban mass transit PeopleMover system attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida just outside of Orlando, Florida. Designed as an urban mass-transit system of th ...
Epcot
Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unreal ...
, is also used as a display visible only from the
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
The PeopleMover is an urban mass transit PeopleMover system attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida just outside of Orlando, Florida. Designed as an urban mass-transit system of th ...
, until it change the name into PeopleMover in 2022.
For most of its history, Tomorrowland's color scheme was predominantly white with soft blues, creating a retro-modernist landscape. Huge monolithic towers, spires, and clean lines completed the futuristic look. In 1994, using inspiration from
Discoveryland
Tomorrowland is one of the many themed lands featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled Disney theme parks around the world owned or licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions t ...
at Disneyland Paris, Tomorrowland was completely re-built and altered to resemble a galactic spaceport as it would have been envisioned by the science-fiction comic strips of the early 20th century, like
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' adve ...
and Buck Rogers. Tomorrowland has since been given a much more metallic look, along with new darker blues and purples, especially along its main concourse leading from the central hub.
A spaceship atop the Cool Scanner misting station is actually a prop from the 1986 film '' Flight of the Navigator''.
On July 9, 2019, the old entrance sign was removed.
On September 17, 2019, a new entrance sign was built.
On October 27, 2020, Since Walt Disney World reopened, after being temporarily closed during the ongoing
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
pandemic, Walt Disney World announced that all recent entertainment shows are laid off, such as Citizens of Hollywood at Disney's Hollywood Studios, due to dispute between the
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a boo ...
and Walt Disney World.
In 2021, following Walt Disney World's reopening, Magic Kingdom announced that a new Halloween live show entitled DJ Dance Party will premiere at Rockettower Plaza Stage during ''Disney After Hours: BOO Bash'' in time for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration.
Attractions and entertainment
*
Astro Orbiter
The Astro Orbiter is a "rocket-spinner", aerial carousel-type attraction featured at five Disneyland-style parks and Walt Disney Resorts around the world, except for Tokyo Disneyland). Although each ride may have a slightly different name, all ...
(1994–present)
*
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (also known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at California, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast at Paris and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue at Shanghai) is an interactive shooting dark ride attractio ...
Tomorrowland Speedway
Autopia is a race car track Disneyland attraction, in which patrons steer specially designed cars through an enclosed track. Versions of Autopia exist at Anaheim, California and Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. There was also a ...
American Journeys
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
(1984–1994)
*
The Timekeeper
''The Timekeeper'' (also known as ''From Time to Time'' and ''Un Voyage à Travers le Temps'') was a 1992 Circle-Vision 360° film that was presented at three Disney parks around the world. It was the first Circle-Vision show that was arranged ...
Delta Dreamflight
Delta Dreamflight, renamed Dreamflight and then Take Flight during its final two years of operation, was an attraction located in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom inside the Walt Disney World Resort, and was sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Dreamfl ...
(1989–1998)
*
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (often abbreviated Alien Encounter) was a "theater-in-the-round" attraction located in the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. A co-production between Walt Disne ...
(1995–2003)
*
Push the Talking Trash Can
Push the Talking Trash Can was a radio-controlled robot which made daily rounds throughout Tomorrowland at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, Hong Kong Disneyland park, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland in Japan and formerly the Mag ...
(1995–2014)
* Tomorrowland Power & Light Co Video Arcade (1995–2015)
* Incredible Tomorrowland Expo (2013–2017, 2018)
* iCan Robot (2017–2018)
* Stitch's Alien Encounter Character Greeting! (2018–2020)
*
Stitch's Great Escape!
Stitch's Great Escape! was a " theater-in-the-round" attraction based on Disney's ''Lilo & Stitch'' franchise. A non-canon prequel to the original 2002 film that detailed Stitch's "first" prison escape, it was located in the Tomorrowland area ...
(2004–2018)
Restaurants and refreshments
* Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies
* Cool Ship
* Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café
* The Lunching Pad at Rockettower Plaza
* Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe
Former restaurants and refreshments
* The Lunching Pad (Different Location) (1971–1994)
* Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe (Different Location) (1971–1994)
* Plaza Pavilion (1973–1994)
* Space Bar (1974–1994)
Shops
* Buzz Lightyear Shop
* Star Traders (Mickey's Star Traders)
* Space Mountain Shop (Tomorrowland Power & Light) - Temporarily Closed
Former shops
* Merchant of Venus
Tokyo Disneyland
History
Tokyo Disneyland
(local nickname ''TDL'') is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be ...
's Tomorrowland was designed as a loose copy of Disney World's original Tomorrowland, particularly the main entryway which features nearly identical waterfalls and blue spires flanking the walkway. As is the case with other areas of Tokyo Disneyland, Tomorrowland has fewer attractions and more open spaces than its American counterparts, a move designed to facilitate a larger number of park guests. Notably missing is a PeopleMover-type attraction, whose tracks and ride vehicles have been conspicuous features of other Tomorrowland landscapes.
Although Walt Disney originally intended Tomorrowland to be a "living blueprint" of the future, Tokyo Disneyland's Tomorrowland never directly showcased future technology, instead opting for a science fiction fantasy theme. Prominent attractions supporting this theme include Space Mountain as well as the Pan Galactic Pizza Port, a restaurant that features a large
audio-animatronic
Audio-Animatronics (also known as simply Animatronics, and sometimes shortened to AAs) is the registered trademark for a form of robotics animation created by Walt Disney Imagineering for shows and attractions at Disney theme parks, and subsequent ...
pizza-making machine operated by a whimsical alien creature named Tony Solaroni. In recent years, older attractions have been replaced with newer ones that feature movie tie-ins: Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters and Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek are two examples.
In October 2014 the Oriental Land Company announced a Beauty and the Beast-themed area to be located on the site of the now-closed Grand Circuit Raceway, making Tomorrowland's size significantly smaller. In April of 2022,
the Oriental Land Company
is a Japanese leisure and tourism corporation headquartered in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan where it also owns and operates the Tokyo Disney Resort. The company operates in three segments, divided as theme parks, hotels, and other business.
Oriental ...
announced that Space Mountain would be completely remodeled and feature a newly added Tomorrowland Square courtyard area with space themed gardens celebrating Earth's unique place in the universe.
Stitch Encounter
Stitch Encounter is an interactive show located in Walt Disney Studios Park (under the name Stitch Live!), and in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland Park. The first edition of the show at Hong Kong Disneyland was closed on M ...
(2015–present)
* Tony Solaroni Show
* The Happy Ride With Baymax (2020–present)
* Showbase (1988–present)
** Club Mouse Beat
Former attractions and entertainment
* Eternal Seas (1983–1984)
*
Magic Journeys
Magic Journeys was a 3D film created by WED Enterprises for presentation at Disney theme parks. It was featured at four different parks over the course of its 11-year run.
History
On October 1, 1982, ''Magic Journeys'' premiered as one of the o ...
The Timekeeper
''The Timekeeper'' (also known as ''From Time to Time'' and ''Un Voyage à Travers le Temps'') was a 1992 Circle-Vision 360° film that was presented at three Disney parks around the world. It was the first Circle-Vision show that was arranged ...
(1993–2002)
*
Meet the World
was an attraction at Tomorrowland in Tokyo Disneyland that operated from 1983 until 2002. It was a show that explored the history of Japan over the course of 19 minutes, focusing specifically on the history of Japan's engagement with the outsid ...
Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful ''Star Wars'' film series created by George Lucas. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, ...
(1989–2012)
*
Captain EO
''Captain EO'' is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name ...
* Pan Galactic Pizza Port
* Plazma Ray's Diner
* Soft Landing
* The Popping Pod
* The Big Pop
*
Tomorrowland Terrace
Tomorrowland Terrace is a restaurant located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California that is notable for its unique concert stage, which hydraulically rises out of the ground. It opened with the new Tomorrowland in 1967. Magic Kingdo ...
Former restaurants and refreshments
* Space Place FoodPort
* Lite Bite Satellite
Shops
* Planet M
* Monsters, Inc. Company Store
* Cosmic Encounter
* Stargazer Supplies
* Treasure Comet
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
has a Tomorrowland with an entirely different concept, Discoveryland. European culture was used distinctively in the park and Discoveryland uses the ideas of famed European thinkers and explorers such as
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
featured most prominently. This land was heavily inspired by the abandoned Disneyland concept ''Discovery Bay'', which would have sat at the north end of the park's Rivers of America. An example of an attraction is HyperSpace Mountain, an enclosed outer space themed roller coaster with a tongue, which is a 2 inversion element, a corkscrew and objects made to look like spaceships and asteroids.
Architecturally designed using Jules Verne's vision of the future as inspiration, the land is laid out very differently from its predecessors. Many Tomorrowland classics are featured in Discoveryland, such as Autopia and
Orbitron
The Orbitron is a custom car built by Ed Roth and feared lost until its rediscovery in Mexico in 2007.
Construction
Built in 1964, the vehicle was powered by a 1955 or 1956 Chevrolet Small-Block engine, Chevrolet V8 and was backed by a Powerglide ...
, some in an altered way, but Space Mountain is changed the most. Its theme is
Steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
/
Clockpunk
Since the advent of the cyberpunk genre, a number of derivatives of cyberpunk have become recognized in their own right as distinct subgenres in speculative fiction, especially in science fiction.
Rather than necessarily sharing the digitally and ...
Originally conceived as Discovery Mountain, it was originally proposed to hold more than one attraction, including an improved version of Horizons from
Epcot
Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unreal ...
, a larger Nautilus walk-through complete with a restaurant and a free-fall ride based on '' Journey to the Center of the Earth''. But due to budget cuts, it opened in 1995 as ''Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune'' (From the Earth to the Moon). Beside the Space Mountain show building is the Nautilus Lagoon, with a walk-through recreation of the Nautilus submarine from ''
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne.
The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...
''.
The showcase attraction on opening day was a Circle-Vision 360 film, titled '' Le Visionarium''. The attraction featured an eccentric time-traveling robot and his robotic assistant, who take
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
into the world of today, which is pictured as the future he dreamed of. The attraction was later exported to both the
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park, previously known as Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by The W ...
and to
Tokyo Disneyland
(local nickname ''TDL'') is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be ...
.
Space Mountain was completely refurbished in 2005 for the Happiest Celebration on Earth, with a new soundtrack and special effects. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast opened April 8, 2006, in the former building of Le Visionarium, which closed in September 2004.
Les Mystères du Nautilus
Les Mystères du Nautilus (French for ''"The Mysteries of the Nautilus"'') is a walkthrough attraction at Disneyland Paris in France. It is an updated version of the ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' walkthrough attraction that was at Disneyland ...
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
''Honey, I Shrunk the Audience'' (known as ''MicroAdventure!'' in Tokyo Disneyland) was a 4D film spin-off of the ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' film series that was shown at several Disney theme parks. The audience wore 3D glasses, and the gimba ...
(1999–2010)
*
Captain EO
''Captain EO'' is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1998. The movie stars Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name ...
(1992–1998; 2010–2015)
*
Star Tours
Star Tours was a motion simulator attraction at several Disney theme parks, based on the successful ''Star Wars'' film series created by George Lucas. Set in the ''Star Wars'' universe, the attraction sent guests on an excursion trip to Endor, ...
(1992–2016)
* Space Mountain Mission 2 (2005–2017)
* Le Café des Visionnaires
* Arcade Beta and Omega
Restaurants and refreshments
* Café Hyperion
* Cool Station
* Rocket Café
Former restaurants and refreshments
* Buzz Lightyear's Pizza Planet Restaurant
Shops
* Constellations
* Star Command Photographs
* Light Speed Photography
* Star Traders
Hong Kong Disneyland
Like the newer generations of the American Tomorrowlands, Hong Kong's version features an emphasis on metallic trim, with many blue and purple hues. In August 2014, UFO Zone was suspended in preparation for "Tomorrowland Party Zone", a stage as part of "Disney's Haunted Halloween".
As part of "Star Wars: Tomorrowland Takeover" event since June 2016, the first three expansion attractions were all closed. On April 5, UFO Zone has been closed in preparation for Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple that premiered on June 25. On May 2,
Stitch Encounter
Stitch Encounter is an interactive show located in Walt Disney Studios Park (under the name Stitch Live!), and in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland Park. The first edition of the show at Hong Kong Disneyland was closed on M ...
was closed and re-themed to "Star Wars: Command Post". On June 11, when the event started, Autopia was closed.
Starting in 2017, with the opening of Stark Expo and the
Iron Man Experience
Iron Man Experience (Traditional Chinese: 鐵甲奇俠飛行之旅) is a 3-D motion simulator attraction in Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened on 11 January 2017. The attraction is based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe charac ...
, the first Disney attraction to be based on a Marvel property, part of Tomorrowland will transform in phases to become Stark Expo, as part of
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland () (local nickname ''HKDL''; also known as HK Disneyland) is a theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and it is owned and managed by Hong Ko ...
's huge expansion plan (2017–2023). The second phase will see the opening of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Nano Battle! in March 2019, taking over the former
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (also known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at California, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast at Paris and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue at Shanghai) is an interactive shooting dark ride attractio ...
building which will be transformed into the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science and Technology Pavilion. The third and last phase will be unveiled in 2023 with the completion of the Marvel area and the opening of the planned
E-Ticket
An electronic ticket is a method of ticket entry, processing, and marketing for companies in the airline, railways and other transport and entertainment industries.
Airline ticket
E-tickets in the airline industry were devised in about 1994, and ...
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
Quinjet, taking over the spot of the former Autopia circuit.
Iron Man Experience
Iron Man Experience (Traditional Chinese: 鐵甲奇俠飛行之旅) is a 3-D motion simulator attraction in Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened on 11 January 2017. The attraction is based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe charac ...
(as redesigned to "Stark Expo") (2017–present)
* Iron Man Tech Showcase – Presented by Stark Industries (as redesigned to "Stark Expo")
*
Orbitron
The Orbitron is a custom car built by Ed Roth and feared lost until its rediscovery in Mexico in 2007.
Construction
Built in 1964, the vehicle was powered by a 1955 or 1956 Chevrolet Small-Block engine, Chevrolet V8 and was backed by a Powerglide ...
(2005–present)
* Tomorrowland Stage
Future attractions and entertainment
* Avengers Quinjet Experience (2023) (also parts of "Stark Expo")
Muppet Mobile Lab
Muppet Mobile Lab is a free-roving, audio-animatronic entertainment attraction designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, that has been tested at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and at ...
Stitch Encounter
Stitch Encounter is an interactive show located in Walt Disney Studios Park (under the name Stitch Live!), and in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland Park. The first edition of the show at Hong Kong Disneyland was closed on M ...
(2006–2016)
* UFO Zone (2006–2016)
*
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (also known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at California, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast at Paris and Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue at Shanghai) is an interactive shooting dark ride attractio ...
Shanghai Disneyland's Tomorrowland is the newest, opening with the resort on June 16, 2016. Unlike the other 5 Tomorrowlands around the world, this one is on the left side of the park instead of being on the right side. Also this Tomorrowland does not feature Space Mountain, and instead features the TRON Lightcycle Power Run. Instead of a classic spinning rockets attraction, Shanghai's park includes a spinning Jet Packs ride. There is a new version of Disney's popular Buzz Lightyear dark ride called Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue, utilizing new technology different from that of the versions of the ride located at other Disney parks. TRON Realm opened on September 20, 2016 to make it the first expansion for the park.
Attractions and entertainment
*
Avengers Training Initiative
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Ma ...
Jet Packs
Jet Packs is a sci-fi themed aerial carousel attraction in Tomorrowland in Shanghai Disneyland, and opened along with the rest of the park on June 16, 2016.
Ride experience
Similar to other aerial carousels, such as the Astro Orbiter
The ...
(2016–present)
*
Stitch Encounter
Stitch Encounter is an interactive show located in Walt Disney Studios Park (under the name Stitch Live!), and in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland Park. The first edition of the show at Hong Kong Disneyland was closed on M ...
(2016–present)
* TRON Lightcycle Power Run (2016–present)
* TRON Realm
* Tomorrowland Pavilion
** Avatar: Explore Pandora (2022-present)
Former attractions and entertainment
* Tomorrowland Pavilion
**
Star Wars Launch Bay
''Star Wars'' Launch Bay is an interactive walkthrough attraction based on ''Star Wars'' franchise at Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, and formerly at Shanghai Disneyland Park.
Hi ...
(2016–2019)
Restaurants and refreshments
* Spiral Snacks
* Stargazer Grill
Shops
* Intergalactic Imports
* The Light Stuff
* Tomorrowland Pavilion Shop
* Power Supplies
Former shops
* Imperial Trading Station
In media
* The 2010 video game '' Epic Mickey'' features a Tomorrowland-esque area named Tomorrow City, which uses elements from the ''Tron'' franchise.
* The fourth season ''Mad Men'' episode " Tomorrowland", which premiered in October 2010, is partially set at
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
Megan Calvet
This is a list of fictional characters in the television series ''Mad Men'', all of whom have appeared in multiple episodes.
Overview
;Cast notes:
* Maxwell Huckabee and Aaron Hart have split the role of Bobby Draper in the first season, whil ...
plot out the Disneyland attractions they will take Draper's children to visit, including
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a theme park attraction and dark ride at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. It is loosely based on Disney's adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's ''The Wind in the Willows'' (1908), one of two segments comprising the anima ...
Brad Bird
Phillip Bradley Bird (born September 24, 1957) is an American film director, animator, screenwriter, producer, and voice actor. He has had a career spanning forty years in both animation and live-action.
Bird was born in Montana and grew up in ...
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
, features a place in another dimension called Tomorrowland that is patterned after the theme park as an eponymous location and plot point.