Tomorrow is Dead at the Disney Parks

Adventures in Science for Disneyland by Imagineer Herb Ryman. I know, if you're like me, you thought the only Science and Technology attraction Disney ever considered was for EPCOT Center in the 80s. And we'd be wrong. 

This little seen piece of concept art shows the Rocket to the Moon long before it was a set piece in Tomorrowland. (Here's another.) This is all back when it wasn't redo or vintage but a real estimation in art form of what the future should hold.  I miss that part of the Disney theme parks! I loved the forward looking, thinking man's approach to Future World and Tomorrowland. 

For decades now, these theme park lands have been toon infested in one way or the other. The upcoming announcements will only make it official- "Tomorrow is dead at the Disney Parks".

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tomorrow, Science, and the Future at Disneyland

While I am taking my dear sweet time finishing up my series on Disneyland Attraction Posters and the last ones, (a look at the posters for Tomorrowland),  I thought I'd give you a little taste of the future circa the 1960s.

Above is a wonderful piece of Imagineering artwork for a new attraction, Adventures in Science. Pretty cool, huh? What's every bit as cool- and certainly equally retro in approach- is the attraction's proposed entrance, seen below. (Sorry for the minute size.)

Perhaps fittingly, the concept never really appeared as originally planned, and instead transformed into the beloved Adventure Thru Inner Space, where guests were miniaturized. (Your spelling may vary!)

(Artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Adventures in Science Leads to Inner Space

Adventures in Science. Sounds pretty intriguing, doesn't it? Well, back in the day, he said partially tongue in cheek, the Imagineers at Disneyland worked hard to make sure Tomorrowland was really about...tomorrow. It was not a character filled romp with Nemo, Buzz Lightyear or even R2D2, but a place where guests of all ages could really discover, think, and yes, imagine.

This piece of concept art for the Adventures in Science attraction shows the Mighty Microscope- a centerpiece to the simple but brilliant and much loved ride eventually known as Adventure Thru Inner Space. For approximately 15 years, this Omnimover cruise into an atom thrilled guests and astounding the youngest park visitors as they shrunk to the size of a molecule.

Come 1987, Star Tours took up residence in the space occupied by Space, and Tomorrowland would never be the same.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Toonless in Tomorrowland

From the Imagineering book: Tomorrowland's Adventures in Science- Not much is known about this attraction, what's inside, who was the primary Imagineer or who the corporate sponsorship belongs to. Although so much is uncertain, one thing is for sure- this is when Disney Imagineers and the Walt Disney Company took the concept of Tomorrowland to mean new technologies, explorations in sciences of all types and predictions for the future. Not a toon to be found, and Disneyland was better for it.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disney's Pre-Westcot Chinatown

Rummaging through my stuff to complete Tuesday's Animal Kingdom piece and happened upon this admittedly small but rare concept for Disneyland's abandoned Chinatown, an offshoot from Main Street U.S.A. 

This image comes from a larger guidebook page with concept art for the "Haunted House" (sic) and "Adventures in Science". Enjoy!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)