Disneyland That Never Was: Plectu’s Fantastic Galactic Revue

What if… those of you who have read my articles over the years know that the wonderful world of Disney is filled with things that almost (but didn’t) happen. One of those things helps explain why the Carousel building in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland sat empty for a decade. 

When America Sings closed for good in 1988, Disney put up a picture of Mickey as Sorcerer on a sign that read: “Sorry, we’re closed to Imagineer a Brand New Attraction”. The sign stayed up for over a decade until Innoventions opened in 1998. 

But despite the sign, it didn’t really take Imagineering over a decade to think up a new concept for the Carousel Building. They came up with quite a few, the most promising being Plectu’s Fantastic Galactic Revue. 

The show would feature the carousel once again spinning around the stages, but this time the show would be quite different: host P.T. Quantum would showcase musical performers from around the galaxy including a swamp monster with several mouths that would perform in harmony with itself. This and other performers’ maquettes actually graced the first Disneyland Gallery, upstairs in New Orleans Square, where the Dream Suite was later located, along with artwork for the show.

The show was announced to the public as coming in 1994. Unfortunately, when it was presented to then CEO Michael Eisner (in several different formats), he shot them down by comparing audio-animatronics shows to Chuck E. Cheese animatronics. So Plectu’s Fantastic Galactic Revue never saw the light of day, nor did many of the other interesting ideas for Tomorrowland. Filed away in that mystical cabinet of the Disneyland That Never Was. 

And what became of all the old animatronics from the intricate America Sings show? Well, Legendary Imagineer Tony Baxter had most of them reskinned and reprogrammed for his new epic attraction called Splash Mountain on the other side of the park.  

Here’s a video I found on YouTube of the America Sings show. You’ll spot the ones that really stick out on Splash Mountain. But can you also just imagine singing aliens on those stages? 

Let’s Hear From You 

Plectu’s Fantastic Galactic Revue sounds like a great idea at first glance. Anything’s got to be better than an empty stage?! But was Michael Eisner actually right? Are animatronic shows passé? Carousel of Progress opened in 1967 and closed less than a decade later in 1973. America Sings ran only a tad longer from 1974-1988. Could Plectu have run at least a decade? And with the building once again closed, what would you like to ultimately see happen to the now ancient Carousel building? Another show? Removed to make way for something entirely new? Are you holding out for a TRON coaster… me too… but with singing aliens.