Sunday Special: Disneyland's Tomorrowland 1998

Just to remind the Disney suits as they plan out what to do with Star Wars, Marvel, Avatar, and Frozen...What could have been and should have been incredible- but what instead happens when the budgeteers get their way: Disneyland's Tomorrowland 1998.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disneyland Paris Influences Disneyland California II

Last week, I shared a piece of concept art that displayed the influence of Disneyland Paris' Discoveryland on the remodel of Disneyland's dated Tomorrowland. Here's the California side of the design equation.

The Imagineering team working on the Anaheim project under the direction of master Imagineer Tony Baxter was tasked by Michael Eisner with a fairly minimal budget (which became the derailment of the short lived Peoplemover replacement Rocket Rods) as well as an odd concept of an "agricultural futuristic" view for the land. When tossed in with attractions with seemingly no connection in theme (Star Wars to the old America Sings / Carousel of Progress),  it seemed to be an impossible task. The Autopia (above) would get a quick remodel of the buildings to fit in as best as possible. The kid favorite would not be on the chopping block for various reasons. 

By comparing this piece with the one for Discoveryland, it's easy to see where one strongly influenced the other. If you view images of the copper tinged Space Mountain of Disneyland circa 1998 with the beautiful Jules Verne styled one in Paris, the similarities are even more noticeable.

Count me in as one who would like to see a total start over for the Land of the Future. Scrap it all and build new. But if Mickey's Toontown really does become the rumored location for Star Wars Land, two lands themed to outer space (one strongly, one vaguely) may be too much.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disneyland Paris Influences the Original Magic Kingdom

At Disney Imagineering, no concept ever seems to truly go to waste. The piece of art above is an interesting one indeed. In many ways, it is clearly a look at the Autopia at Disneyland Paris. Nestled within the beautiful, Jules Verne styled Discoveryland, the neon rings glow clearly on the often grey and cloudy skies of Paris.

On the other hand, there are certainly elements of this piece that strongly remind me of Tony Baxter's redesign for Tomorrowland '98 at Disneyland. That redo, the first one done to Tomorrowland since the epic 1967 version, included the infamous and short-lived Rocket Rods. The California Autopia remained a perennial favorite and was also scheduled for a revamping in look. The Chevron oil sponsored attraction there includes a building that has very similar flourishes in style to what was found on opening day in the Paris park in 1992.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tomorrowland 1998

Just kind of perusing my Disney stuff, and I found this now decade old Tomorrowland poster. Hopefully in a time to come, another poster will come out- and this one with a new PeopleMover type vehicle pictured with the Rocket Jets back where they belong- front and center! Attraction posters!/ Gotta love them!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)