It’s been a month since Disney announced it’s rebuilding Tomorrowland, and we’ve spent that month thinking about what it actually means for the rides you already know. Short version: we wouldn’t assume any of them are safe. That’s where we start this week.
There’s plenty after that. New construction walls have gone up in the Esplanade and across Downtown Disney. We finally tried the churro hand tart, and it’s a hit! Halloween party tickets are sold out… but there is still one way to get in. We’ve also got news you can use before your next visit, and a lot of very pretty photos from a quiet September week. But “quiet” also means cutbacks. We’ll tell you where.
Jump to a Section:
- Tomorrowland
- Disney Tightens the Belt
- Constructionland
- Happiest Haunts Guided Tour
- Refurbishment Calendar
- This & That
- Walt Disney’s Storybook Mansion
- Next MiceChat Adventure
- MiceShots
Tomorrowland
It’s been just over a month since Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum announced at D23 that Tomorrowland would finally be getting a much-needed (and long overdue) reimagination, which according to the Disney Parks blog, will include “new attractions, more open spaces, and new places for Disneyland guests to dream about the future.”
Officially, nothing has happened since. No attractions named, no timeline, no concept art beyond the artwork shown on the night of the D23 announcement. But we’ve had a month to sit with it, and the longer we sit, the less we’d assume anything in that land is safe.
A New Team For Tomorrow’s Tomorrowland!
We sat down with Emily “Emo” O’Brien before D23, and learned a bit about the goals for the new Tomorrowland. She led the Tomorrowland and Space Mountain work at Tokyo Disneyland, so she’s got experience with exactly this sort of project.
That second part is the one to pay attention to, because Tokyo didn’t simply refresh its Space Mountain. The Tokyo team tore the old ride down and rebuilt it from scratch in a new location, using modern coaster technology and giving it a look that sweeps out into the land and sets the tone for everything around it.
Space Mountain was the central image in the artwork Disney shared at the announcement, and plenty of people have read that as a sign it’s safe. We’d be careful with that assumption after what happened in Tokyo.
The Opportunity Zone
The largest parcel of land at Disneyland available for new rides and experiences is essentially the Carousel Building and the adjacent submarine lagoon and Autopia. The Autopia track sits on the rooftop of part of the Submarine ride. If Imagineering needs space, that’s where the space is.
The elephant in the room (or land as the case may be) is the former Carousel of Progress and America Sings building, AKA Star Wars Launch Bay, which takes up a lot of real estate but hasn’t been used for anything significant in several years. We expect that building will eventually be demolished. For now, the DVC lounge has been moved out of the building at least temporarily, and the fireworks viewing parties have also been put on hiatus. The question mark is what takes its place.
We Rode the Subs
We took the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage this week specifically to look at it with change… and safety issues in mind.
The lagoon is gorgeous. It’s one of the prettiest pieces of landscaping in the park and it photographs beautifully, particularly during fireworks.
The ride itself is another matter. It’s a very slow loader, there are ADA issues, and those tight, steep spiral staircases down into each sub are exactly the sort of thing that modern Disney lawyers are concerned about. In fact, it’s impossible to imagine Disney even considering ride vehicles like this today.
We watched kids jumping down the stairs, a pregnant lady trying to make her way back up again, and several guests with mobility issues struggling to navigate the tricky stairs. And all of that means that it takes forever to load and unload these subs compared to more modern ride vehicles.
None of that means the subs are doomed. But if Imagineering has to give something up to make room, this is the obvious candidate… and one that Disney legal and operations would likely be happy to be done with.
Autopia
We know California law requires Disneyland to replace the gas-powered Autopia vehicles by February 1, 2027, in order to comply with state emission regulations. With that deadline looming, Disneyland still has not formally confirmed whether the current vehicles will be replaced or whether the entire attraction will be closed as part of the new Tomorrowland.
An electric Autopia was announced a couple of years ago, and it still hasn’t been delivered. There’s probably a reason for that. All of it was decided before Tomorrowland took the Avatar land’s budget and jumped to the front of the major projects queue, and if the subs are likely to go, the Autopia track sitting on their roof is unlikely to survive on its own.
But, in a resort that already has an entire Cars Land… an Autopia in Tomorrowland doesn’t feel very futuristic, nor as necessary as it once might have.
PeopleMover
We’re also hoping the abandoned PeopleMover tracks will be spared the wrecking ball. The iconic attraction is still a fan favorite at Walt Disney World and could potentially return in some form with the reimagined land. But its footprint would likely need to change depending on what happens with the submarine lagoon and other buildings the track currently runs through. So its return, as popular as it would be, isn’t a slam dunk.
What We’d Expect
Having had time to soak in the news, here’s where we’ve landed:
- Expect early announcements to focus on nostalgia and fan service. We’ll likely see some Walt-focused history return to the land’s entry.
- The redo won’t happen quickly. It needs to be designed, debated, budgeted, and approved. Thankfully, there are years of projects already designed, and recent projects in other Disney parks.
- Expect the whole thing to happen in phases, over a long period of time.
- Expect some big surprises, and expect some old favorites to change or go away completely.
- Tomorrowland was never intended to become the past. But here we are. Yesterday’s future is today.
It’s worth remembering how Tomorrowland got to the front of the line. Moving it up pushed the Avatar land planned for California Adventure further back… and we hear very few people complaining about that side effect.
You can read more about the Tomorrowland announcement here:
D23 2026: BREAKING – NEW Tomorrowland announced for Disneyland!!!
Disney Tightens the Belt
Moving on from Tomorrow… to today! Halloween Time notwithstanding, it’s the off season at the Disneyland Resort. Attendance is down, and things like character shifts, merchandise hours, and entertainment are getting cut across the board. Disney is very reactive to staffing levels based on attendance, so this isn’t unusual, but if you’re trying to decide when to go (and particularly if characters are important to you), think about the pros and cons: Crowds are down, that’s the plus, but entertainment is also scaled back, and that’s the bummer.
What’s different this year is how far the trimming goes, and how much of it you can see from the walkway.
Custodial Loses Its Costumes in Avengers Campus
The “Department of Damage Control” themed custodial costumes in Avengers Campus have been swapped out for plain white ones. This may be because the same staff will now also service the new restrooms on the walkway to Cars Land, but it still feels like a step back. Custodial are front line guest service cast members. They answer questions and interact with guests in a way many cast members simply don’t have the time or the ability to do while running rides and registers. Any time theming is exchanged for generic, it’s almost never for the better. Hopefully more creative minds can step in and fix this error in judgment.
We didn’t have a good photo of the old costumes… but we have a bad one! LOL. Old costume on the left, new generic costume on the right.
Shuttered Storefronts
The Winners Circle shop at the entry to Autopia has been closing early, and that’s it below, shuttered well before fireworks on a weeknight with the park still open all around it.
Shuttered storefronts just look lazy. We understand the need to control labor, but there are ways to control cost while not making the park feel abandoned. It’s easy to remove an outdoor vending cart during slow periods, or cut back the number of staff in a venue, but permanent fixtures should remain open during operating hours. If demand is down, scale back the staffing. The entire venue shouldn’t go dark. Guests are still paying money to enter, and as long as the park is open, it should feel open.
The gift kiosk in Avengers Campus is frequently closed on weekdays for the same reason.
Broken Spell Lounge Is Dark
The relatively new Broken Spell Lounge at the Disneyland Hotel is closed. A sign at the entrance says the dining experience is currently unavailable and points guests to Palm Breeze Bar and Trader Sam’s instead. No reopening date is posted.
This closure is particularly puzzling as three special seasonal cocktails (The Dark Heart, Three Witches, and Green-Eyed Sceptre) were promoted as part of Disneyland’s Halloween food and beverage line-up and were supposed to be available through November 12.
That’s just a sample of what we found this week. We’ll keep sharing more in the weeks to come, and we’d encourage you to share what you’re finding unavailable on your own off-season visits.
The Golden Zephyr, Again
This one isn’t a budget problem, but it certainly gives us the blues. Since the earliest days of DCA there’s one ride that is closed nearly as often as it’s open. If the wind is lightly blowing, which it frequently is in Southern California, the Golden Zephyr can’t safely operate.
Isn’t it time for Disney to either figure out a way to keep this ride running, or remove it entirely? This spot could be used for more World of Color viewing, a cafe, a waterside park and seating area, or a character gazebo for meet-and-greets. With all the work now going on for the Coco attraction nearby, this seems like a good time to rethink this underused nook.
Give the Alcove to the Guests
There’s a large outdoor alcove in Downtown Disney next to Splitsville that was handed over to the bowling alley years ago, and most days it sits empty.
Meanwhile, there is very little space for guests to eat food they’ve bought from quick service locations like Tiendita or any of the food stands on the Downtown Disney bridge. Turning this alcove into general seating for all guests would be a much better use of the space.
The number of locations offering food with nowhere to eat it just keeps growing. Lack of seating is a real issue in Downtown Disney.
Constructionland
The Esplanade Spiral Comes Apart
The biggest change out front is the concrete spiral near the Porto’s construction site. This is the Wizard of Oz-esque swirl with the tall evergreens in whimsical metal cages and the floral light fixtures, and it’s now walled off, which has squeezed guest access down to a narrow passage.
You know this spot…
It’s currently walled off. And with pavement being removed and restyled in Downtown Disney and a new bridge and reworked Esplanade on the way… it’s very likely that this area is the next to be redone.
Nothing has been said about whether the light fixtures and the caged evergreens survive this, which is a shame, because they’re distinctive, they’re old, and every guest who enters the resort walks right past them. If you have a favorite photo spot in here, use it soon.
But with Porto’s construction just next door, there’s an extra tight guest walkway here.
On the other end of the Esplanade, two ticket booths have also recently been removed.
A new parking structure is going up across Harbor Blvd. with a bridge that will land guests on this side of the Esplanade.
California Adventure
The old gazebo at Paradise Gardens Park is gone, and larger restrooms are on the way. With a major attraction under construction behind this facility, more restroom capacity in this corner of the park is definitely going to be necessary.
That major attraction is Coco, and the walls behind Paradise Gardens are where it’s taking shape.
In Cars Land, Radiator Springs Curios has gone behind walls and scrim, and the interior is closed too. An exterior refurbishment normally leaves the shop open for business, the way the Adventureland Bazaar is doing right now, so shutting the whole thing suggests this is more than a cleanup. Disney hasn’t said what’s coming and we’re not ready to guess just yet.
The Little Mermaid facade is being refurbished, though the ride itself is still running.
If you’ve been wondering about the construction in the flex space nook off Buena Vista Street… it’s for Bountiful Valley Brews. The new kiosk serving light bites and brews will open later this year. But that also means that Food & Wine Festival and Oogie Boogie Bash are losing a spot for special activities.
And work continues in Avengers Campus, including the newly opened restrooms on the walkway toward Cars Land.
The two rides in the land are inching forward. From near the new restrooms you can see a new view of the construction.
The scale of the complex is massive.
Downtown Disney
At the old Earl of Sandwich cart location in Downtown Disney, the temporary building is gone and crews are jackhammering out the concrete underneath it.
Two restaurants are coming in next to each other. But like the Porto’s project, don’t expect Arthur & Sons and Pearl’s Roadside BBQ any time soon.
Over between Pandora and Sephora, scrim has gone up over the former Jamba for Bopo Go, with barricade art promising “boba and bites, at your convenience.” It says coming soon, which, as usual, doesn’t really mean anything.
The Salt & Straw and WonderGround building is getting exterior work, but both shops are still open, so this looks like a facade refresh rather than anything more dramatic.
The LEGO Store‘s new exterior sculptures remain locked behind construction walls while the glass fences around them get sorted out. We rode the Monorail to take a closer look.
From left to right: Star Wars, Avengers, and Frozen
There’s a new rideshare pick-up and drop-off on the west side of Downtown Disney now, running out of the Stitch lot (near the old ESPN Zone building and behind the Star Wars Trading Post). The area around it is being repaved, so you may not see it at first. The resort will keep rideshare locations on both the east and west sides for now, but the exact spots will move around while all this is underway. Check the app before you tell your driver where to go.
Disneyland
The Adventureland Bazaar is getting an exterior refurbishment while the interior stays open. This one seems to be taking quite some time.
Indiana Jones Adventure remains down for refurbishment with no announced return date.
In Tomorrowland, work continues along the monorail walkway.
But the ride remains open in spite of the look.
The Hotels
Good news at the Disneyland Hotel, where the fountains have returned with fresh tile and new stones underneath instead of foliage.
There’s a major exterior project underway at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. All of the tiki torches that ring the complex, covering both Trader Sam’s and Tangaroa Terrace, are being replaced.
To make up for some loss of seating on the patio, the nearby firepit is now for those with reservations only.
Happiest Haunts Guided Tour
The frightfully fun 2-hour Happiest Haunts Guided Tour is back, featuring Halloween history and Disney-inspired tales, as well as Lightning Lane entry to Haunted Mansion Holiday, access to a reserved viewing area for the Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular, a special Happiest Haunts treat, and a commemorative Disney’s Happiest Haunts Guided Tour key.
Tours are offered daily through October 31 at 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. A park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date are required and are not included in the tour price.
The cost is $130 + tax per person ages 3 and over (kids 2 and under are free). Disney Visa Card Members pay a discounted rate of $110.50 + tax per person.
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar (updated 9/20/26)
The only new items on the list this week are the “it’s a small world” Holiday installation, which starts just before Halloween, and a Redwood Creek Challenge Trail closure, which is most likely the changeover from Halloween to the holidays.
Currently Under Refurbishment
- Indiana Jones Adventure: September 8 – TBA
- Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace: September 8 – Late Fall 2026
- Mad Tea Party: September 14 – TBA
- Sailing Ship Columbia: September 21 – 24
Upcoming Refurbishments
- “it’s a small world” Holiday Installation: October 30 – November 12
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: November 1 – TBA
This & That
Live @ Five
This week, Dusty was live from Knott’s Berry Farm as Knott’s Scary Farm gets underway for the 2026 season.
And, earlier in the week, we got to ride Universal Hollywood’s new Fast and Furious coaster… and it terrified poor Dusty. Here’s front and rear video, as well as a conversation with Dusty and Eric:
Mickey Pumpkin Display at the Disneyland Hotel
The confectionery Mickey pumpkin display is up at the Disneyland Hotel, and it’s worth a detour if you’re staying on property or just passing through.
It’s sooo good you could eat it… 😉
Oogie Boogie Ticket Tracker
All 33 regular party dates are sold out, but there are still tickets available for D23 Night at Oogie Boogie Bash on September 27. You must be a D23 member to purchase tickets, but not everyone in your party has to be a member (although it’s free to join). So, if you want to attend Oogie Boogie Bash and don’t already have tickets, your best bet is to sign up for a D23 membership or ask a member to join you.
Monsters After Dark
Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark is running again on Oogie Boogie Bash nights, and the queue starts forming around 2 p.m. on party days. It opens not too long after that, whenever the team is ready, and there’s no posted time. But with the opening time getting earlier and earlier every year, wouldn’t it just make sense for the scary mode on this attraction to just run all day throughout the season so guests don’t have to wait for it to switch over mid-day?
Madame Leota Visits Club 33
If you spotted scrims on the Club 33 balcony in New Orleans Square and assumed refurbishment, it’s actually something much more exciting for those who have access. The scrims are hiding special-effects rigging for a special event for Club members called Madame Leota’s Spirits Beyond, an immersive dining experience held on select nights throughout the Halloween season.
Coven Academy in Hollywood Land
The back corner of Hollywood Land (which looks like it belongs on Sesame Street) is carrying promotion for Coven Academy, a new Freeform series that premieres October 1, with episodes hitting Disney+ and Hulu the next day.
Disneyland and Knott’s aren’t the only celebrations going on this spooky season. Read our guide to find out more about the major theme park events PLUS smaller SoCal Halloween events:
Southern California Theme Park Halloween Events – From Mild to Wild!
Churro Hand Tart
Have you heard? A new Churro Hand Tart is available for $6.49 at Market House on Main Street (aka Starbucks).
The limited-time treat is a pastry tart filled with spiced cake and topped with cinnamon and sugar. PRO TIP: Ask for it to be warmed up!
It’s truly delicious. So good that Dusty and Eric ate one at the park and then bought a cold one to take home.
Market House is also carrying a seasonal Mickey Bat shortbread cookie.
The Oogie Boogie Cookie Is Very Good
The Double Chocolate Oogie Boogie Cookie at the outdoor vending carts is excellent. We asked if it was yet another iced shortbread cookie, but we were delighted to hear it was a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips. We gave it a try, and we’d happily order it again.
National Beignet Day
National Beignet Day has come and gone, but every day is beignet day as far as we’re concerned. Beignets Expressed in Downtown Disney, the quick service window on the side of Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen that operates separately from the restaurant, marked the occasion with special flavors. But you can get a fun sampler of current flavors any day.
Wednesday is Movie Night
This week’s Downtown Disney Movie Nights feature is “Maleficent,” starring Angelina Jolie. The movie starts at 7 p.m. on September 23 at the Downtown Disney Live! Stage.
Remaining Downtown Disney Movie Nights dates are September 30 and October 7, 14, 21, and 28. Follow Downtown Disney on Instagram to find out each week’s movie title.
Play Disney App Rides Into The Sunset
The Play Disney App has officially been shut down (including games, trivia, and Batuu Bounty Hunters in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge).
What Does The Shutdown Mean?
- App Removal: The app no longer works, log-ins are disabled, and it has been removed from app stores.
- Lost Progress: Saved data, digital achievements, and in-queue trivia games are gone.
- Star Wars Datapad: This feature in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has retired completely with no direct replacement.
- Batuu Bounty Hunters: You can still play this game using a MagicBand+ and physical tracking screens in the park, but the app part is gone.
Will you miss it?
The Executive Shuffle
In the ongoing “streamlining” of leadership at The Walt Disney Company, Adam Smith and Joe Earley (previously Co-Presidents of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer branch of Disney Entertainment), both have new titles: Adam will be Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Earley will be President of Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy.
In his new role, Adam will be responsible for the company’s global entertainment Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) business, including overseeing product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships, and data & analytics for Disney+ and Hulu. Joe will lead the development of franchises across Disney Entertainment Television, overseeing content and production for international originals, production, labor relations, and creative talent development.
This latest executive shuffle will likely not change much for Disney fans, but it’s a sign that the company-wide reorganization—and resulting layoffs—are far from over.
RELATED READING:
- Blockbusters, Bombs & a Shrinking Payroll: Disney Asks Its Veteran Executives to Retire
- DISNEY NEWS: New CEO Josh D’Amaro Plans 1,000 Job Cuts
- Disney CEO Shake-Up: Bob Iger Steps Down & Josh D’Amaro Takes Over—What to Know From the Shareholders Meeting
The History & Mystery of Walt Disney’s Storybook Mansion
If you’ve ever wondered what Walt Disney’s life looked like before Disneyland, MiceChat’s Dusty Sage offers you a rare opportunity to step inside one of the places where much of that story unfolded.
Daytime History Tours
High in the Hollywood Hills sits the storybook-style home Walt Disney built in 1932, during one of the most important periods of his life and career. Walt and Lillian raised their daughters here, entertained friends and colleagues, and watched the Disney studio grow from an ambitious little operation into something much bigger.
The house is privately owned and rarely open to the public, which makes these tours a particularly unusual chance to explore Walt’s world beyond the parks and studio.
The approximately 90-minute guided tour includes both the interior and exterior of Walt’s former home, including his private screening room and the tiny Seven Dwarfs Cottage, the backyard playhouse Walt gave his daughters in 1937.
It’s one thing to read about this chapter of Walt’s life. It’s another to stand in the rooms where some of it actually happened.
You can find dates and reserve Storybook Mansion History Tour tickets HERE.
Storybook Mansion Ghost Tours
And because this is Halloween season, there’s also a darker way to experience the house.
On select Saturday nights in September and October (and Sunday, November 1st), Dusty Sage leads candlelight ghost tours through the mansion in partnership with Haunted OC. The evening tours explore the home’s history, its Hollywood connections, and the scary stories that have accumulated around the property over the decades.
For dates and tickets, visit Haunted OC Ghost Tours.
Next MiceChat Adventure: Pacific Coast & Alaska Back-to-Back
Ready for another MiceChat adventure? In May 2027, we’re heading north aboard the Disney Wonder for two cruises that can be booked separately or combined into one rather spectacular back-to-back trip.
The first leg sails from San Diego to Vancouver May 6 – 10, 2027. Then, without changing ships, the Wonder heads into Alaska from May 10 – 17, visiting the Stikine Icecap, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before returning to Vancouver.
Do one cruise or do both. Many of us are booking the same stateroom for the full 11-night journey, which means no packing up between sailings.
If you’ve never sailed Alaska, this is a very different Disney cruise experience. The scenery is the main attraction, with mountains, glaciers, wildlife, and historic port towns unfolding right outside the ship.
And traveling with MiceChat adds another layer to the trip. We’ll have our own group activities, plenty of familiar Disney fans to explore with, and a good chance that whoever ends up at your dinner table already understands why you have strong opinions about Pirates of the Caribbean.
Bookings for the MiceChat group are being handled by Teresa Cory at [email protected]. Booking through Teresa is required to receive the group rates and participate in the MiceChat activities.
Come sail north with us!
MiceShots
And now for a favorite section, shots from around the Disneyland Resort…
As we ponder a new Tomorrowland… let’s also be inspired by its creative history. Remember being shrunk to the size of an atom? Most of you weren’t even alive yet when this one was shuttered.
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Let’s Hear From You!
We walked past a lot of closed doors in Tomorrowland this week with lots of questions about its future. And, as quiet as the parks have been, it does come with some drawbacks. Do you enjoy an off-season visit, or do you prefer to visit when the resort is firing on all cylinders? Tell us below.
While remaking tomorrow land why not move star tours over to star wars land. This will give the land another attraction and also give more room for the tomorrow land remodel
I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll repurpose Star Tours into a budget conscious “Avatar Experience” when they bulldoze and completely remake Tomorrowland into something inspired by the more nature-forward Tokyo version.
It pains me to admit it, but it’s time for Autopia and Submarine Voyage to be retired. The trick is to replace them with something better.
The subs lagoon could perhaps become an underwater walk-through queue for a state of the art dry-for-wet underwater adventure ala Tokyo DisneySeas “20,000 Leagues”.
The huge footprint that Autopia occupies could potentially hold multiple new attractions. Or if they wanted to stick with a driving theme, modern collision-detection and self-steering technology, coupled with electric cars and a futuristic environment, could make for a very exciting reboot.
I’d love for PeopleMover to come back in some form, but the existing track is doomed (too old, too damaged, too integrated into the buildings they’ll be bulldozing). I’m no engineer but I still can’t believe it never occurred to Darth Pressler that putting high-speed coasters (Rocket Rods) on a track designed for a slow-moving tram wasn’t going to work.
The fun of Autopia is to drive oneself, especially for a child. Otherwise, what you are basically describing is an updated Peoplemover.
No, I was thinking about a ride vehicle that actually gives you some degree of real control to accelerate, brake and steer, maybe even let you choose left or right branches, using common place modern-day technology to keep you from ramming into barriers and bumping other cars. It’s 2026, time for Tomorrowland to level up from cars guided by a physical beam running down the middle of the road.
I like this idea. As it is, Autopia is a kids ride. I would probably only ride it again if I had a kid with me that was excited about it.
I assumed you were talking about a B-O-R-I-N-G Waymo type vehicle.
Dusty and the Mice Chat team – love the blue sky thinking on Tomorrowland. Would love if you could put on your Imagineer hat and make a proposal or two about what you would do with the land if you were holding the pen. How would you use the space? What would stay, what would go? What kind of experiences would you add?
Here’s hoping they upgrade our Space Mountain, too. The subs can definitely go–in these days of covid, it’s no fun to be closed into that tiny space with someone who’s coughing. Autopia rules for little kids, I hope they keep some form of it.
I also hope they don’t go the way of adding a Tron coaster.
I also hope star tours gets moved to SWLand. You dont need a huge building just have 2 simulators. Tear out the Magic Eye theater and the platform above it and make the entrance to Space Mtn at the back of this new alcove and make it exciting! Thats whats mising – Tommorowland itself just isnt exciting.
When the Tomorrowland announcement came at D23, the image of Space Mountain and the Monorail that was up on screen also contained this phrase: “Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today“. I can’t help but wonder if that means they are looking at previous Tomorrowland iterations and maybe planning to take inspiration from them. I’m thinking specifically of the 1967 New Tomorrowland, which I think was the most successful comprehensive re-do of Tomorrowland. What does everyone else think?
I think/hope that former Imagineer Jim Shull has the right idea explained in his latest video: rebuild/update Space Mountain into the CoP building location, lined up beautifully with Tomorrowland corridor (I’d say in the classic 70s style, not necessarily swirly like Tokyo’s new version). That probably means removing Autopia and Subs, but can keep a big lagoon.
One huge advantage to this plan is that original SM can keep running while the new one is built; when it’s done, then remove it with the rest of that side of TL.
Here’s my leap – looking at the Avatar model…it exists within a curve of the Monorail track. To me it looks like the radius is that of the one enveloping TL, not DCA. Now imagine moving all those backstage buildings out of the way behind TL, and the otherworldly look of Pandora fits nicely INSIDE Tomorrowland, on the OG Space Mountain spot. Still looking at the recent model, it requires water in front of it…a lagoon that ties everything together throughout the land perhaps. Since Avatar is apparently contractually required, this plan makes most sense to me.
Just speaking for myself, I think Avatar has had its day. The James Cameron obsession with human destruction of nice things is a little old and worn out.
Same here. And by the time it’s built, even more tired and worn out.
If they were to bring over a copy of Tokyo Disneyland’s SM def build it in the autopia subs location. I’m also fine with losing the monorail if we get some skyway action built to connect everything like hotels and garages. I def think Star tours will be reskinned and named as a new attraction.
Now the OG plan for liberty square (or an expansion and off shoot of Main Street) could go where existing SM is. They could put a beautiful plaza with outdoor seating and a new attraction for Main Street like a dark ride that would be super unique to our park.
T was saddened but the report of the loss of the Disney Play app. It provided so many things to do that were actually all about the parks. The things I didn’t see listed are the lamp with Tinkerbelle and free fortunes from Red and esmerelda. Combined with the ability to make the environment in Galaxy’s Edge react to being “sliced” or listened to and even the translations of various signs to be translated like the rules at Oga’s. No for warnings just an abrupt cut off the service. Did free fortunes and a website cost that much? my whole question is why would you do that Disney? Children and adults enjoyed the interaction and it really was fun for both kids and patents alike, I can’t count the times I saw a childs face light up when Mom or Dad make tinkerbell appear.
When I used to visit Disneyland more often, I loved the off-season. Now that I only go every two years or so, I like being there when fewer refurbishments are happening. In the future, I will avoid any Spring break weeks. Way too crowded. Regarding Tomorrowland, I would like to see them take some inspiration from the past. Shrunk to the size of an atom and Mission to Mars could be great. And, like a lot of people, I would like to have the people mover again. Thanks for the interesting update. That coaster at Universal looks fun. Maybe it isn’t noticeable when you are on the moving ride but all I kept seeing was dirt and no theming. What a missed opportunity. Great photos of the fireworks. Where were you when you took the photos? Is it a good spot (less crowded) to view the fireworks?
I hate the idea of completely losing the subs. What made Tomorrowland work was all the motion everywhere. It was a masterclass in kinetic design, functioning as a “world on the move.” Certainly the vehicles and adventure could be re-imagined in a way that preserves the intent while making it more accessible?
And I love a prior suggestion of using “intelligent” vehicles for Autopia to give drivers a “feeling” of freedom without losing safety. Of course, it needs to be robust and not easily prone to breakdowns. Disney has such solid “trackless” technology at this point that it seems like it would be doable? It’s a ride that “children of all ages” love… and I think killing it would be a mistake.
Looking at the real estate consumed by the America Sings building (yes, I called it that) PLUS Space Mountain/the theater PLUS Star Tours (yes, move that to the dedicated Star Wars land), you have lots of real estate. It’s roughly 90,000 square feet by my math.
Why not give us both Space Mountain (Tokyo track at roughly 60,000 square feet) AND then give us a version of Crush’s Coaster from Paris, but re-themed for WALL-E? That’s about 30,000 square feet. Naturally I would love something like TRON or a ride based on the Guardians coaster from Florida, but the requisite show buildings are simply way too big to fit in the available space.
As for the PeopleMover… as I understand it… it’s just absolutely DOA in its current form. Rocket Rods created microfractures in the concrete that mean, structurally, the concrete would have to be redone entirely for safety purposes. And because the thing has been closed so long, it’s no longer grandfathered. Which means you would have to update the entire experience to meet current safety/ADA rules.
So if you end up rebuilding Tomorrowland from the ground up with the experiences I mentioned, then it becomes much easier to give permission to go ahead and redo the PeopleMover from the ground up too. That alone would give the land massive human-swallowing capacity and give a big boost to that kinetic feeling.
Of course it would be nice if we could really “imagine” the potential of what a PeopleMover could accomplish today. Don’t just recreate the old thing. Make it truly feel “tomorrow” oriented. Zoox is essentially a trackless PeopleMover. So what would Disney’s version of that idea look like?
With regards to the Submarine ride and it’s non-ADA compliance, we should remember that the average male and female’s height and weight statistics have changed markedly since 1955. Then the average male was 5′-8.5″ tall and weighed 166 pounds and a female was 5′-3″ tall and weighed 140 pounds. Today the male’s height has only increased by ~0.5″ but the weight has climbed to 200 pounds, or a 20% increase with barely any height increase. For females back in 1955 the average height was 5′-3″ and weighed 140 pounds whereas today height has only increased to by 0.5″ but the weight has gone to 171 pounds for over a 22% increase with the same small increase in height. Plus, with advances in medicine, even some disabled are more mobile. I would venture to say that there are quite a few more very obese individuals today than there were in the 1950s. Historic pictures of Disneyland can attest to that claim. This isn’t body shaming, this is reality.
Ha! See also the tight-fit caves of Tom Sawyer’s Island, clearly designed for a different generation of human form. You make another solid argument for retiring or replacing the submarines in their current form.
Note that “fast food” took off in the mid 1950’s. And note that wherever it goes in foreign countries obesity rates are quick to follow. You aren’t wrong about “sizing” challenges. It’s not body shaming to state a fact. I’m 6’3″ and hardly obese but I still feel “trapped” in the submarines. (Loved it as a kid.) Sadly Disney’s past behavior has been to just “fill in” water. (Loss of subs in Disney world, loss of Rivers of America in Disney world.) Sadly subs and Autopia occupy something like 300,000 square feet of space. It may simply be too tempting for Disney to “demolish” and build from a clean slate.
There’s an awful lot of Matterhorn photos/artwork accompanying the Tomorrowland overhaul section of this post — three to start and one at the end. Is this a tell?
I know it’s not technically in Tomorrowland, but it’s very TL-adjacent. And from what I’ve heard, it’s expensive to maintain and staff, and only seems to be getting rougher as the years go by. Could we see a Disneyland landmark come down? I think it’s also on the table.
When the Matterhorn first opened it was listed in Tomorrowland. I think it changed in 1972 to Fantasyland.
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Redo the PeopleMover and make more than just a way to cool your heels for a few minutes: Make go counterclockwise around the park berm, dipping into the Disney Forward areas and having stops at Galaxy’s Edge, NOS, and Main Street (or the park entrance). Have the vehicles programmable and parked (with ADA accessibility) and programmed vehicles bypassing stations to head to other stops. It would be the future that would never grow stale (just like the steam trains).