What would YOU do with Tomorrowland?

[BigRedDad]

1) Space Mountain: It's an MK classic. No major changes, just update and maintain.

Doesn't this contradict the theme "Tomorrowland". If this was the purpose of the area, they should rename it Classicland.

[joonyer]

Doesn't this contradict the theme "Tomorrowland". If this was the purpose of the area, they should rename it Classicland.

OK, maybe I should have said it's a "Tomorrowland Classic". What I meant was there was nothing wrong with Space Mountain being there. Like Carousel of Progress, an attraction that predates the MK, it still has a "tomorrow" theme.

[wxsmwhrms]

Anyway, the only thing I would do is get rid of the Tomorrowland Speedway. It's awful. It's slow loading, smells bad, antiquated, and there's nothing "Tomorrolandish" about it. At the very least, it could be updated with newer technologies, such as all-electric automobiles. I've seen people state that it should be re-themed to the movie Cars and Radiator Springs. While that would be cool, that attraction would be in the wrong place, and that will never happen.

I may be in the minority, but I pretty much like Tomorrowland just the way it is. My only recommendation would be to get rid of Stitch. I loved the Lilo and Stich movies and show - but I can't stand that attraction.

[BigRedDad]

OK, maybe I should have said it's a "Tomorrowland Classic". What I meant was there was nothing wrong with Space Mountain being there. Like Carousel of Progress, an attraction that predates the MK, it still has a "tomorrow" theme.

The purpose of Tomorrowland was to show future innovation and keep technology and change as a dream. All Tomorrowland is now is nostalgia. This is one fundamental complaint I have about Disney calling it Tomorrowland. It was Tomorrowland in the 70s. Once the 80s came, it was Yesterdayland. In the 90s, it was Decadeoldland. Now, it is Classicland.

There is no innovation at WDW. While their competition continues to innovate, they keep throwing paint on junk and expect us to accept. The FLE is only being done because of Hogwarts at Universal.

[azcavalier]

There is no innovation at WDW. While their competition continues to innovate, they keep throwing paint on junk and expect us to accept. The FLE is only being done because of Hogwarts at Universal.

I disagree with this. EE is innovative. Soarin' was very innovative. As is Mission: Space. TSM is innovative. ToT was also.

Heck, read about what it took to create Animal Kingdom, and what it takes to keep it running. That whole park is innovative. It's a testament to how well they pulled it off that most people think it's just an overgrown zoo. You can't see everything they've done there.

I haven't yet seen TWWoHP at Universal yet, but have had friends who did. They all said the same thing...it was kinda cool, but very small. The theming was cool, the rides were fun, but they weren't blown away.

[BigRedDad]

I disagree with this. EE is innovative. Soarin' was very innovative. As is Mission: Space. TSM is innovative. ToT was also.

EE: This is a basic roller coaster that has been around for decades. The only thing innovative broke before it started.

Soarin: Arguably innovative. Delta's "If You Had Wings" had the motion theater. The innovative part was a raised audience.

Mission Space: It is a glorified centrifuge. The innovative part is the movie you stare into. It really is not that innovative. It took two existing, old technologies and combined them.

TSM: Yes, this is innovative. But, it is not in Tomorrowland.

[Strmchsr]

The purpose of Tomorrowland was to show future innovation and keep technology and change as a dream.

The key word is WAS. By the mid 1990s WDI realized that keeping a constantly updated and "futuristic" Tomorrowland is impossible and cost prohibitive. The choice was intentionally made to go to a nostalgic look at the future. I don't think we need to debate it's purpose. I agree with them that doing a true "Tomorrowland" is impossible and would lead to everything being closed almost continuously for updates. What we can debate is how well they've achieved their vision, which I would say is mediocre. Stitch and Buzz are okay, though Alien Encouner was MUCH better. Laugh Floor would definitely do better in DHS and doesn't belong in Tomorrowland and something needs to be done with the Speedway. So, their vision is not the problem. It's what they've done (or haven't done) with that vision.

EE: This is a basic roller coaster that has been around for decades. The only thing innovative broke before it started.

Mission Space: It is a glorified centrifuge.

Let's be honest, there's nothing truly "innovative" in terms of a ride experience. A roller coaster is a roller coaster. The innovative part always comes in the packaging, the telling of the story. Disney still usually does that very well. And, even though I've ridden everything at WDW enough to no longer call it "innovative" that doesn't mean it still isn't fun. POTC is ancient in terms of innovative technology, yet it's still a ton of fun.

[azcavalier]

EE: This is a basic roller coaster that has been around for decades. The only thing innovative broke before it started.

There has never been a roller coaster that stops, switches tracks, goes backwards, stops again, switches tracks again, and then resumes forward.

Soarin: Arguably innovative. Delta's "If You Had Wings" had the motion theater. The innovative part was a raised audience.

IMAX screens have been around for a while, but creating the ride mechanism, adding real movement to augment the IMAX screen is a stroke of genius. It is a pretty technically advanced ride.

Mission Space: It is a glorified centrifuge. The innovative part is the movie you stare into. It really is not that innovative. It took two existing, old technologies and combined them.

Again, it's the combining of technologies that is innovative.

TSM: Yes, this is innovative. But, it is not in Tomorrowland.

But your point was that there was no innovation in WDW, not just Tomorrowland. I agree with you about Tomorrowland.

[johnO]

If they got rid of speedway they could put in several new attractions or one big one.

[disneymom2000]

I would make a ride similar to Soarin' but where it would take you into space and see planets, stars, nebula's, feel the warmth of the sun and the cold of the shadow of pluto and then end by flying through a meteor shower into a black hole. It is about as close as I would ever come to actually getting to take a ride into outer space.

[kemps@wdw]

I don't think Tomorrowland was supposed to be a "vision" of the future as much as simply having attractions with a futuristic theme, ie...Space Mt, Astro Orbiters, etc... COP seems a little out of place there (except for the family in the future segment which is not really so futuristic any more), so does Buzz Lightyear, the musical stage, and ET Stitch, obviously something to fill the space. When entering TL via the bridge from Main St, the overall entry has a a techno-feel to it, but most of the attractions don't reflect the intent. The Speedway DEFINNITELY needs a new "do". Something w/a TRON theme I think. This would most certainy have to be an enclosed attraction, so a MAJOR refurb would be necessary, but very well worth it! (IMHO). And I'll probably be accused of blasphemy, but maybe a name change for that part of the park is in order. :

[TheVBs]

I love Tomorrowland and it's funky retro space look!

I think a makeover on the Speedway would be nice, but I would be sad if it disappeared altogether.

[BellesRose]

I don't get the Laugh Floor. What does that have to do with anything? Plus, I went when they were still testing it and I've never been back. Nobody laughed - not even the little kids.
I don't like Tomorrowland in general, but the Laugh Factory is just horrible.

[Jared]

I actually like the retro-future idea behind Tomorrowland. It distinguishes it from Future World in Epcot and ensures the theme will consistently remain viable.

The problem now is a few of the attractions. As others have said, the Speedway needs to be redone or demolished. It's an embarrassment, especially because the cars run on gasoline! Some future.

I don't mind the "Pixarification" of everything as much as others, but I agree that Stitch's Great Escape is a bit of a joke. If we're looking for inspiration from a Pixar film, why not craft something themed to "WALL-E?" At least it takes place in future and in space.

[BellesRose]

I don't mind the "Pixarification" of everything as much as others, but I agree that Stitch's Great Escape is a bit of a joke. If we're looking for inspiration from a Pixar film, why not craft something themed to "WALL-E?" At least it takes place in future and in space.

That's a great idea! WALL-E would fit much better, and would probably be better than Stitch.

[azcavalier]

I don't get the Laugh Floor. What does that have to do with anything? Plus, I went when they were still testing it and I've never been back. Nobody laughed - not even the little kids.
I don't like Tomorrowland in general, but the Laugh Factory is just horrible.

While I agree that it doesn't really fit within the Tomorrowland theme, if you haven't been back since testing, how can you say it's horrible? I'm sure they changed a lot from that point to the present-day attraction.

We went once, laughed a *lot* (as did everyone else in the audience), and figured that it didn't have much repeatability. But we went back this last spring, and laughed our butts off, again. When we go back in three weeks, I think it will be a lot of fun to take our family to the Laugh Floor.

[Strmchsr]

We went once, laughed a *lot* (as did everyone else in the audience), and figured that it didn't have much repeatability. But we went back this last spring, and laughed our butts off, again. When we go back in three weeks, I think it will be a lot of fun to take our family to the Laugh Floor.

We laugh every time we go. I agree that it's not really TL material (better in DHS as I mentioned above), but it's WAY improved over testing. I have a couple of CM friends who do the acting and they are improv masters, which is what makes every show different.

[TheVBs]

I would LOVE to see WALL-E in Tomorrowland! Or, anywhere really.

[btharvey]

We laugh every time we go. I agree that it's not really TL material (better in DHS as I mentioned above), but it's WAY improved over testing. I have a couple of CM friends who do the acting and they are improv masters, which is what makes every show different.

While I agree that it doesn't really fit within the Tomorrowland theme, if you haven't been back since testing, how can you say it's horrible? I'm sure they changed a lot from that point to the present-day attraction.

We went once, laughed a *lot* (as did everyone else in the audience), and figured that it didn't have much repeatability. But we went back this last spring, and laughed our butts off, again. When we go back in three weeks, I think it will be a lot of fun to take our family to the Laugh Floor.

I don't get the Laugh Floor. What does that have to do with anything? Plus, I went when they were still testing it and I've never been back. Nobody laughed - not even the little kids.
I don't like Tomorrowland in general, but the Laugh Factory is just horrible.

I think they discovered they really had something when they did the 'Turtle Talk' at the newly-opened 'Nemo' (rather than 'Seas') pavilion at EPCOT ... the technology is just too good to let slip by. And probably the non-laughing during the testing phase was just them using a puppeteer that wasn't a comedian. And I'm certain they've captured all the lines that 'got laughs' and now use them as much as possible, trying to mix it up as much as possible. We've been a couple of times, and it's been pretty funny and tends to rely on audience reaction more nowadays, which gets things going.

[Jared]

We laugh every time we go. I agree that it's not really TL material (better in DHS as I mentioned above), but it's WAY improved over testing. I have a couple of CM friends who do the acting and they are improv masters, which is what makes every show different.

I agree with you, Chris. I think the Laugh Floor deserves multiple visits! The show changes every time. Sure, some of the basic jokes repeat, and the automated Mike Wazowski-Roz storyline grows wearisome, but I appreciate the voice actors who work hard to create new laughs each time!

All that said, I can't justify its placement in Tomorrowland. It belongs at the Studios, which honestly can use anything to spruce it up.