The Future of Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom

[Mouse of Mystery]

Tomorrowland looks like Yesterdayland.

We had a big discussion about this a few months ago and, predictably, there were two camps: one that wants a museum, and one that wants to see evolution while remaining true to the vision. Tomorrowland, more than any other land in MK should be refreshed due to its very nature. Or at least they need to embrace the retro theme 100%.

To some extent, EPCOT is a more complete portion of the vision Walt had for Tomorrowland -- and look how sad future world looks there.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Tomorrowland looks like Yesterdayland.

We had a big discussion about this a few months ago and, predictably, there were two camps: one that wants a museum, and one that wants to see evolution while remaining true to the vision. Tomorrowland, more than any other land in MK should be refreshed due to its very nature. Or at least they need to embrace the retro theme 100%.

To some extent, EPCOT is a more complete portion of the vision Walt had for Tomorrowland -- and look how sad future world looks there.

They can go ahead and embrace the retro theme if they want. But that's no excuse for stagnant, unchanging attractions.

I'm not even sure that "retro future" has any legs. I know steampunk is (slightly) trendy right now, but in a few years, assuming they actually gave Tomorrowland a steampunk makeover, it could hit the average guest with great big "What the ... ??? !!" Ditto if you tried to lock it into a 1960s "goo goo" look and feel (think The Incredibles and Edna Mode's houses). Or if you went for a 1970s, "the Space Shuttle is coming" look.

Consider this: flying cars and space cities on the moon are still centuries away. The future as conceived in 1971 is still out there. No need to go retro, it's still the future. It's just that the details of our imaginary vision of the future have changed, due to the many small technological advances that happen every decade.

Bottom line: Stop letting attractions stagnate. There's nothing wrong with the theme or vision of Tomorrowland. But there's everything wrong with milking tired, stale attractions for cash and pretending that you're either a retro, ironic hipster or a Walt loyalist by keeping everything unchanging and stale.

 

[DDLand]

Tomorrowland looks like Yesterdayland.

We had a big discussion about this a few months ago and, predictably, there were two camps: one that wants a museum, and one that wants to see evolution while remaining true to the vision. Tomorrowland, more than any other land in MK should be refreshed due to its very nature. Or at least they need to embrace the retro theme 100%.

To some extent, EPCOT is a more complete portion of the vision Walt had for Tomorrowland -- and look how sad future world looks there.

I actually think thematically Tomorrowland of today is sufficient on that front. It's a distinctly SciFi view of the future, and I think it's one of the best Tomorrowlands globally. "Retro-Future" doesn't make sense to me, and I'm a millennial. I do agree there are some weak spots, especially towards the back, that should be upgraded and made really great. I'd actually double down on their artistic direction.

I would say the attractions inside of the land are a little bit tired. They need to be updated, fixed, and in some cases replaced. Also as this thread notes, there's definitely area for new attractions as well.

 

[adam.adbe]

Having a Tomorrow Land and a Future World so close together will always mean that one of those areas doesn't really match its name, or the two overlap badly. This'll only get worse with Star Wars land over in DHS, as a simple spaceships and spaceports overlay will conflict.

 

[dlavender]

I never understood putting the Laugh Floor there. Are Monsters our future? I prefer the Time Keeper myself. On a side note, I also miss the old Q for SM. That "larry's crazy sale" video that played was awesome. Perhaps if they updated Buzz, and changed out the Laugh Floor and Stitch they would have something.

 

[TT77]

There's been a lot of rumors and suspicious activities around Tomorrowland this past year. Cosmic Ray's got it's balcony enclosed for some reason. The new Main Street Bypass is "kinda sorta" done, but there are rumors that the Noodle Station with get a makeover. The Rocket Tower area got a new paint job this, and Space Mountain was supposed to get some upgrades a few years ago but that got put on hold. Now Johnny L. and the Suits have been spotted in Tomorrowland? Plus Tokyo Disneyland is going to be moving their "it's a small world" to where their Tomorrowland Speedway is... Seems like something could be coming to WDW's Tomorrowland too

 

[rteetz]

There's been a lot of rumors and suspicious activities around Tomorrowland this past year. Cosmic Ray's got it's balcony enclosed for some reason. The new Main Street Bypass is "kinda sorta" done, but there are rumors that the Noodle Station with get a makeover. The Rocket Tower area got a new paint job this, and Space Mountain was supposed to get some upgrades a few years ago but that got put on hold. Now Johnny L. and the Suits have been spotted in Tomorrowland? Plus Tokyo Disneyland is going to be moving their "it's a small world" to where their Tomorrowland Speedway is... Seems like something could be coming to WDW's Tomorrowland too

The Main Street bypass is done in the way it was intended.

Cosmic Rays balcony was enclosed probably so everyone has air conditioning and Florida weather isn't the greatest.

Everything needs new paint at some point.

Space mountain changes were put on hold because MK management doesn't like rides down for long periods of time. The Pirates refurb was almost too long for them.

You can compare Tokyo because that is completely funded by an outside company not Disney.

 

[TT77]

The Main Street bypass is done in the way it was intended.

Cosmic Rays balcony was enclosed probably so everyone has air conditioning and Florida weather isn't the greatest.

Everything needs new paint at some point.

Space mountain changes were put on hold because MK management doesn't like rides down for long periods of time. The Pirates refurb was almost too long for them.

You can compare Tokyo because that is completely funded by an outside company not Disney.

Do you know there's a difference between opinions and facts

Not everything is marked with a blueprint showing up on line on-line. They moved Tinker Bell out of The Adventureland Veranda, over a year before there was any mention of the Skippers Canteen, They painted The Yankee Trader "ghostly blue" about a year before it became Memento Mori. And the fact that they have done anything in Tomorrowland in over a decade and then this year did 3 things might suggest something new is on the horizon

 

[rteetz]

Do you know there's a difference between opinions and facts

Not everything is marked with a blueprint showing up on line on-line. They moved Tinker Bell out of The Adventureland Veranda, over a year before there was any mention of the Skippers Canteen, They painted The Yankee Trader "ghostly blue" about a year before it became Memento Mori. And the fact that they have done anything in Tomorrowland in over a decade and then this year did 3 things might suggest something new is on the horizon

Yes I know there is a different I present facts everyday in the news round up thread.

Both of the things you mentioned had head starts with rumors preceding them. Currently the only rumor for tomorrowland is a new restaurant where the tomorrowland terrace is.

As for MK a frontierland expansion seems to be in the works before a tomorrowland redo. Also WDW has 3 other parks to finish before going back to work on things at MK.

 

[Eoghann]

Really? I've never heard of a contract like that. Do you have a link to a source for that information?

Marvel signed a lot of these sorts of contracts. They were desperate and going bankrupt at the time. That why Fox has X-Men and Fantastic Four movies indefinitely. All they have to do is keep something in production for the characters. Similar deal for Universal.

 

[DDLand]

Really? I've never heard of a contract like that. Do you have a link to a source for that information?

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1262449/000119312510008732/dex1057.htm

 

[mcjaco]

Right...my bad...I was thinking 20th.

The 30th was a one hour deal where they ran Marty sklar out there for a speech, poured water from countries - including arrendale - into a fountain...and had a history of display...

That did it for you?

I never said it did anything for me.

The 30th lasted a year. The ceremony, silly, but was at a least something. The retro gear and flower beds were everywhere that year as well.

Besides, how to you celebrate a park without an identity? They don't know what they have anymore, not sure they could figure out how to celebrate it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I never said it did anything for me.

The 30th lasted a year. The ceremony, silly, but was at a least something. The retro gear and flower beds were everywhere that year as well.

Besides, how to you celebrate a park without an identity? They don't know what they have anymore, not sure they could figure out how to celebrate it.

Valid point...

My point is they've made little effort to do these things in the swamp
For over 10
Years...nowhere near Disneylands level.

Why? Easy: analysis indicated there would be no appreciable uptick in revenue to justify operational cost. Pretty simple.

Had animal kingdom not struggled...would milennium have been the size it was? It's a valid question...

I would be very skeptical of anything moving forward. They will certainly print tshirt and offer some variations in 2021...but I fear they will lack depth/substance.

 

[mcjaco]

You also have to very different fan bases.

Anaheim pulls way more APs and locals. Celebrations will bring them in. WDW...it's a travel destination. I specifically traveled to WDW for Epcot's 30th, but I'd bet I'm in the small minority.

 

[rteetz]

You also have to very different fan bases.

Anaheim pulls way more APs and locals. Celebrations will bring them in. WDW...it's a travel destination. I specifically traveled to WDW for Epcot's 30th, but I'd bet I'm in the small minority.

I'm sure you still could get a good amount of people to come down specifically for a 50th celebration depending on how it's executed.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

You also have to very different fan bases.

Anaheim pulls way more APs and locals. Celebrations will bring them in. WDW...it's a travel destination. I specifically traveled to WDW for Epcot's 30th, but I'd bet I'm in the small minority.

I agree ...and that is what makes the "what are they doing for ____ anniversary" posts so silly.

Very different management approach than the previous...some things better for the customers...some worse.

I'm willing to bet the amount of people who SPECIFICALLY went for Epcot 30 could be counted in one medium sized room.

Unless you're talking about Florida residents and frequent offenders who are there every 3 months no matter what.

That isn't what 25 and 2000 were targeting.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

I think most people would agree that 50 is bigger than 25 or 30 or most of these other numbers. Only 100 would be bigger (well keep adding zeros). Now I also agree with the financial view point here. What can adding celebrations do to adding attendance. But I think it can. They are not sold out, they can always draw more people, and something for as big as a 50th that could pull people in (although I still have nightmares about that pink cake). And they could use that celebration to also draw in during the "lesser" crowds of the year. I think it does make financial sense to do things...but what it is we can only wait to find out. And whatever we guess is sure to be wrong (unless a Disney exec reads an idea and decides "that's not so bad" ha)

 

[adam.adbe]

I'm sure you still could get a good amount of people to come down specifically for a 50th celebration depending on how it's executed.

Certainly it's an easy way to goose off-season attendance. I'd actually argue though that it's more of a unique merchandising opportunity. If Disney promote the anniversary, and release merch to go with that, I'd imagine a lot of Disney fans would soak that stuff up, but equally I suspect regular visitors (those that would be there anyway) might be more inclined to take home more branded items, since they weren't just at Disney World, they were at Disney World for the jubilee. Sure their neighbors went the year before, but you know, that was just like, a Disney vacation.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Marvel signed a lot of these sorts of contracts. They were desperate and going bankrupt at the time. That why Fox has X-Men and Fantastic Four movies indefinitely. All they have to do is keep something in production for the characters. Similar deal for Universal.

Never say never. Disney has been wheeling and dealing to get some of the Marvel characters back (for example Iron Man from Paramount, and they are going into a joint development deal with Sony on Spider Man). They have also been building up some of Marvels less known IP such as Guardians of the galaxy.

Also the deal signed with Universal has an expansion and shrinkage clause that basically says Universal has to continuously pump in money or the exclusivity shrinks. It's a no-win for Universal. They can maintain the Marvel Universe using only the characters they are allowed to - but at a price of paying Disney (their competitor) more and more money. Plus some of those clauses already ran out - I think Marvel reverted back to Disney West of the Mississippi since Universal didn't develop that within the permitted time frame. So technically Disney could use the marvel characters in DisneyLand as a pilot with expansion to the world down the line. Also I believe international rights reverted (I don't think Universal opened a Marvel park outside of the US?).

So it's something of a complicated mess, but suffice it to say that Disney has 'wiggle' room, and you can bet they are wiggling.

 

[rteetz]

Never say never. Disney has been wheeling and dealing to get some of the Marvel characters back (for example Iron Man from Paramount, and they are going into a joint development deal with Sony on Spider Man). They have also been building up some of Marvels less known IP such as Guardians of the galaxy.

Also the deal signed with Universal has an expansion and shrinkage clause that basically says Universal has to continuously pump in money or the exclusivity shrinks. It's a no-win for Universal. They can maintain the Marvel Universe using only the characters they are allowed to - but at a price of paying Disney (their competitor) more and more money. Plus some of those clauses already ran out - I think Marvel reverted back to Disney West of the Mississippi since Universal didn't develop that within the permitted time frame. So technically Disney could use the marvel characters in DisneyLand as a pilot with expansion to the world down the line. Also I believe international rights reverted (I don't think Universal opened a Marvel park outside of the US?).

So it's something of a complicated mess, but suffice it to say that Disney has 'wiggle' room, and you can bet they are wiggling.

I am going to say it at least isn't happening in the next 10 years probably 20. Universal is very happy with their marvel characters and Disney is very happy just receiving money from them for it. Universal owns the rights to some of the most popular marvel characters. The contract specifically states East of the Mississippi is where universal owns the rights. Disney does already use marvel characters in Disneyland and will continue when their marvel mini land finally gets announced. Universal Japan has marvel rights as well but that is a separate contract that has an expiration date.