September 5, 2022

Will Time Stand Still in Tomorrowland?

So many rumors abound that D23 will announce an total and much needed revamp to Disneyland's tired Tomorrowland. It's not that Imagineering's Tony Baxter and team didn't create something with potential. It's that even the fun but short-lived Rocket Rods was budget engineered. Bargain Basement Imagineering, actually. Much like Disney's California Adventure was at the time. (That's an entirely different multi-part story I've already told here. Just search for it. But let's not even talk about Tokyo Disneysea which opened the same year as the disaster that was DCA!)

But look at what Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom got in the 90s! A brand new sparkling Tomorrowland with the epic Alien Encounter, the Timekeeper, which also debuted at Euro Disney/ Disneyland Paris, and a whole slew of beautiful design pieces. Like this sweet entrance marquee. The fanciful approach to the land stayed fresh for years.

Unfortunately, we can't say that at Disneyland!  With the corpse of the Peoplemover there for over 20 years now and acres of unused space, the place is a thematic mess. Walt would be rightfully embarrassed. Is MiceChat correct? Is a new Tomorrowland on the way? We shall see.

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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