Disney has a long history of developing theme park experiences with legendary filmmaker George Lucas. During their partnership, they created attractions unique to Disney that redefined theme park experiences. These include the 3-D musical adventure Captain EO starring music icon Michael Jackson and Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston, the groundbreaking flight simulator ride Star Tours, and the innovative Indiana Jones Adventure

Well before the development of these attractions, Disney Legend Tony Baxter, George Lucas, and a crew of Imagineers were reimagining a Tomorrowland that would place guests in a futuristic metropolis with environments inspired by Star Wars in a multi-level venue called LucasPort. If created, it would have revitalized Disneyland’s Tomorrowland.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort

A Blend of Futurism and Science Fiction

LucasPort was conceived as a brand new area contained within a mixed-use glass superstructure that would include an interactive Star Wars-themed high-speed adventure, the original location for the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, shops and dining locations. The land would also have integrated existing attractions, like the Monorail and Peoplemover, into the new structure as part of Tomorrowland’s new towering skyline.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
C-3PO and R2-D2 interacting with guests in the conceptualized Tomorrowland.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A view of a detailed model, which includes the Submarine Voyage with a redesigned loading area, Tomorrowland Terrace, Skyway buckets and the Monorail.

A New Centerpiece: Taking Tomorrowland to New Heights

Located in the heart of Tomorrowland, LucasPort would be housed within a crystal-shaped glass superstructure where guests could take different paths through futuristic vistas and elevated walkways to new attractions.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A close-up of a model of LucasPort. The glass structure would occupy the front of the area where the Star Wars Launch Bay building currently resides. Notice the sign in the foreground that says “VenturePort.”

LucasPort would take over the America Sings venue, turning the revolving theater into a collection of portals designed to look like a futuristic space station. At the time of development, America Sings – an animatronic staged show that told the history of America through music – occupied the building that is currently the Star Wars Launch Bay, and previously housed General Electric’s Carousel of Progress

To enhance the innovative setting, the Rocket Jets would be moved into an interior location surrounded by glass walls on a second level to give “astronauts” breathtaking views high above Tomorrowland.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
To the left of LucasPort is the Submarine Lagoon, The Monorail, the Skyway to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland Stage.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
The interior would include pathways with vaulted ceilings and multiple levels for guests to explore.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Larger-than-life glass and steel architecture would bring guests to new heights high above the Monorail and Skyway.

Star Wars High-Speed Adventure

The marquee attraction would have been a ground-breaking, immersive Star Wars roller coaster that would give guests control over how the journey would unfold. 

The adventure would begin on the planet Dagobah, where Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi would lift your vehicle with the Force and position it into a unique launch system. After leaving Dagobah, guests would be approached by Stormtroopers, circle AT-AT Walkers, zoom by a fight between Darth Vader and a Jedi, escape perilous near-misses with meteorites and experience a close encounter with the destruction of the Death Star.

During the adventure, there would be three points strategically placed along the track where guests could choose to either participate in a dog fight with the Empire (which would launch guests into a looping section of the track) or flee (which would result in entering a family-friendly section).

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Guests getting ready to launch into a galaxy far, far away.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Ride vehicles on Dagobah being lifted by the Force.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Storm Troopers menacing guests
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Vehicles speeding by meteors and other celestial objects.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A close encounter with an exploding Death Star.

The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort

Very little is known about Alien Encounter during this period of development. It was originally designed for Disneyland and was also included for the proposed Tomorrowland 2055 project as part of the “Disney Decade” Michael Eisner had promised. In 1995, the attraction landed in Disney World’s recently redeveloped Tomorrowland and was installed in the space that previously housed the Mission to Mars attraction. 

Reconfiguring Tomorrowland

Due to the limited amount of space at Disneyland available for redevelopment, acquiring an area large enough to construct new show buildings would require the removal of many of the existing landmarks, as well as moving portions of the Monorail and the PeopleMover to new locations.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A great, big beautiful tomorrow integrates the kinetic movement of the present with the future.

To create enough space to fit the show building for the Star Wars attraction, the Disneyland Railroad’s path would be rerouted closer to the Submarine Lagoon before reconnecting it to the entrance of the Grand Canyon dioramas. The new area would be flanked with new rockwork and a pedestrian path around an expanded lagoon.

To give guests access from LucasPort to attraction boarding areas in the new show buildings, elevated walkways would be constructed behind the berm on multiple levels, which would be located above the Monorail’s new path and backstage areas.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A bird’s eye view of a reconfigured Tomorrowland.
LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
In this detailed model, Tomorrowland includes the Monorail’s station being moved from its current location to being placed above the Skyway’s loading area. This would include moving the Monorail beams so that the trains would circle the glass superstructure before unloading guests into the park.

The Future That Never Was

Unfortunately, due to the scope and size of the project, LucasPort never made its way to Disneyland. Factors, such as the size of the Star Wars attraction building and the cost of demolition and materials were deemed too expensive. In spite of LucasPort not being fully realized, one can appreciate the research and development that went into designing ambitious attractions never before seen at a Disney theme park.

Since that time, Tomorrowland has received several updates and new attractions that have been both celebrated and controversial.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
A pre-budget-cut version of Tomorrowland ’98 concept art. -Disney

Post LucasPort: Imagination and Beyond

In 1998, Tomorrowland received an update that was branded “Imagination and Beyond.” Inspired by the steampunk retrofuture of Disney Paris’ Discoveryland, the area would be transformed from an optimistic utopia to a land representing the vision of a future from a bygone era – a future far removed from LucasPort.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Tomorrowland ’98 concept art – Disney

Due to a very limited budget that was mandated by Paul Pressler, the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts during that time, the Imagineers were left with the daunting task of redeveloping the area on a shoestring budget. Unfortunately, the final version offered fewer attractions than its previous iteration. The area has since been restored to its original mid-century color palette of white and silver and most of the Tomorrowland ’98 attractions have since been removed or replaced. 


Opportunity Knocks! 

Special comeback rates are now available at some of your favorite Anaheim hotels and are discounted up to $100 off their regular nightly rates. 

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort

Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with your theme park shutdown concerns and rescheduling plans. We know you’re as uncertain about the future as we are. That’s why Get Away Today is offering the most flexible Disney travel options available:  

Price Protection – If a better special comes out after you have booked, you’ll get the better deal. 

Peace of Mind – Make hotel changes, reschedule dates, drop nights, change ticket vouchers and more, as many times as you’d like for a small, one-time fee.

Layaway Plan – Lock in your 2020 or 2021 Disneyland Resort vacation for just $175 down. By booking early, you secure your availability and have the flexibility to pay as you go. Make as many interest-free payments as you’d like, whenever you’d like, with final payment due just seven days prior to travel.

Give your family something to look forward to
Visit Get Away Today HERE  Or fill out a request form and they’ll call you back:  Vacation Information Request Form HERE


Let’s Hear From You!

Tomorrowland has had many different incarnations, some that made it into existence and some did not. Would you have liked to have experienced LucasPort? Would it have stood the test of time? Which version of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland over the decades stands out as the most inspired vision to you and what would you like to see for the future of the land? Let us know in the comments below.

LucasPort, The New Tomorrowland That Almost Was: LucasPort
Tomorrowland 1967

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