BACKSTORY: Completely rebuilt in 1967, Tomorrowland was christened the “New” Tomorrowland on July 2, 1967, with newattractions & scenery (shortly after Walt’s passing). The Carousel Theater, Flight to the Moon, Adventure Thru Inner Space, a new Circle-Vision building, and the PeopleMover/Rocket Jets platform gave Tomorrowland the “World on the Move” theme. On August 12, 1969, the Apollo moon landing was shown live on TV at the Tomorrowland Stage (current site of Space Mountain). Eventually, Walt’s idea of a Space Port opened as Space Mountain; Star Tours & Magic-Eye Theater opened in places of older attractions.
Realizing that time had caught up with Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, Walt Disney and his staff at WED Enterprises began research in 1964 for an entirely new Tomorrowland — a $22 million project costing $5 million more than the total initial Disneyland investment.
This complete rebuilding of Disneyland’s world of Tomorrow follows Walt Disney’s philosophy first expressed on Disneyland’s Dedication Day in 1955 when he said Tomorrowland is “A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man’s achievements…a step into the future, with predictions of constructive things to come.
“Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals: the Atomic Age, the challenge of outer space, and the hope for a peaceful and unified world.”
The Park’s new Tomorrowland is a world on the move. Its interwoven network of unique transportation systems and imaginative conveyances adds space-age excitement, exploring science and the universe of the future.
For six of America’s largest industries, WED Enterprises, Inc. — the Disney architectural engineering, research and development firm — has designed unique attractions to demonstrate that tomorrow’s world can be built now through the application fo current technology.
As an entertaining showcase for science and industry, using entirely new techniques that provide excitement and direct participation by each guest, the new area will include six major exhibit-adventures:
They are:
“America the Beautiful” in new “Circle-Vision 360” presente by the Bell System.
“Flight to the Moon” a totally new spadce adventure presented by Douglas Aircraft.
“Carousel of Progress” and “Progress City” presented by General Electric Co.
“Adventure Thru Inner Space” aboard the “Atomobile,” a presentation of the Monsanto Company.
The PeopleMover, a versatile new intermediate-speed transportation system presented by Goodyear.
And an entertainment and restaurant complex by Coca-Cola featuring a unique wall-less climate control, tentatively named “Refreshment Gardens.”
All of the new attractions and their transportation networks are combined with four existing Tomorrowland favorites, the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail, Submarine Voyage, Skyway and Autopias which combine to fill the area with action and movement.
New Tomorrowland’s $22-million cost brings Disneyland’s total investment to $92-million as compared to $17-million on opening day in July, 1955.
PeopleMover Keeps Park’s Tomorrowland on the Move
New Tomorrowland Presents Restaurant of the Future
Sure to be one of the most popular new areas in Disneyland’s just-completed Tomorrowland is Coca-Cola’s remarkable “Refreshment Gardens.” Here, dining, dancing and live entertainment in the comfortable and exciting atmosphere-of-the-future will be offered.
Featuring the latest innovation in climate-control, “Refreshment Gardens” has no exterior walls that would obstruct the view of Disneyland’s constantly-moving Tomorrowland panorama — it will always contain a comfortable atmosphere.
Centerpiece of the new restaurant/entertainment complex is an attractive garden area that rises from ground level to become a canopy for an entertainment stage. As it lifts, a Tomorrowland musical ensemble—already in place—will being the show.
BACKSTORY: In 1998, Michael Eisner’s “Disney Decade” called for a redesign loosely based on Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland and a “retro-futurist” concept which debuted on May 22, 1998.
In the Disneyland Line Newsletter from April 24, 1998:
Countdown to Blast Off!
In less than one month, our new Tomorrowland will debut to the world.
But, "Tomorrowland: Imagination and Beyond" really began in 1955 when Walt Disney first introduced t"The World of Tomorrow." More than any other Land in the Park, Tomorrowland has always been a work in progress, simply because the future becomes the present all too quickly. In response to this ever-changing world, in 1967, a new Tomorrowland was dubbed "a World on the Move" and the Imagineers introduced new attractions that pushed the future to extremes - almost a "virtual" reality that might not happen at all.
On May 22, "Tomorrowland: Imagination and Beyond" will introduce a warm, welcoming, hopeful future - a future built on the past. Quite literally. Many of the structures for our new Tomorrowland have been here since 1955. According to WDI's Executive Vice President of Creative Development, Tony Baxter, it's almost like an archeology experience looking at all of the different creative directions and seeing remnants of where people once walked in Space Station X-1 or the Richfield World Beneath Us. We're using our history to create our future.
And, what an exciting future it will be!
The Rocket Rods replaced the PeopleMover and Circle-Vision 360, Captain EO, and Mission to Mars attraction theaters were removed. The Rocket Jets were replaced by a similar attraction called the Astro Orbitor, placed at ground level in the Tomorrowland entrance. The original mechanism remained intact atop the Rocket Jets queue, converted into an unmanned show element dubbed the “Observatron.” Two EPCOT attractions were added, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!” & “Innoventions.” The land was painted in bronzes, golds, and dark browns, with emerald green trims on some attractions. Landscaping included vegetable plots being planted in some areas. The overhaul was unpopular and its flagship new attraction, Rocket Rods, closed in September 2000 for financial & mechanical reasons. Shops & restaurants opened with few new attractions in accordance with Paul Pressler & Cynthia Harriss’ policies mandating retail expansion. The Rocket Rods building was left empty, paint peeled around the land, Space Mountain was in danger of track failure, and one by one, sponsors left Innoventions. The placement of the Astro-Orbitor led to congestion problems around the entrance. The 1998 Tomorrowland Opening Day also saw the debut of Redd Rockett's Pizza Port, which is in the location of the former “Mission to Mars” location. These photos are from a Disney presskit announcing the Tomorrowland 1998 makeover.
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