On both sides of the Avenue of the Planets, the show buildings for the various attractions were re-themed to be actual businesses for this intergalactic spaceport:
The show building on the left-hand side of the Avenue of the Planets after entering Tomorrowland from the central hub was re-themed as the Interplanetary Convention Center and was home to one of the most controversial attractions in Disney history: ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Imagineers developed a backstory centered on a fictional company known as “X-S Tech,” a futuristic technology company. X-S Tech gave a marketing pitch to theme park guests advertising their teleportation services as “practically painless.” Not surprisingly, this presentation would go drastically wrong, and eventually an alien creature would escape into the audience. ExtraTERRORrestrial Alien Encounter was certainly scarier than anything else in the Magic Kingdom up to that time (hence the all caps TERROR in the name). Disney described it as “quite possibly the most frightening attraction ever created.”
The show building on the right-hand side of the Avenue of the Planets after entering Tomorrowland was re-themed as the Tomorrowland Metropolis Science Center. In this Science Center, guests could travel through time thanks to a new attraction, The Timekeeper. Signage for the attraction advertised: “TRAVEL THROUGH TIME WITH TIMEKEEPER, Amazing Time Machine Demonstrations HERE TODAY.” Guests were introduced to “Nine-Eye”, a robot that used nine cameras to transmit images back to the Timekeeper, an audio-animatronic robotic scientist voiced by famed comedian Robin Williams.
Disney Imagineers also changed the names of many existing Tomorrowland attractions in order to help convey the updated backstory and theme of the land:
The famous Star Jets attraction was renamed the Astro Orbiter. The large replica of the “real” Saturn V rocket that served as the centerpiece for Star Jets was replaced by a fanciful and imaginative launch tower that was encircled by a series of planets and moons.
In 1999, the Gran Prix Raceway was renamed the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway.
The WEDway PeopleMover was renamed the Tomorrowland Transit Authority.
Imagineers went so far as to incorporate the theme of Tomorrowland into the walkways that guests traveled upon:
Note that the paving in Tomorrowland is yet another element that adds to the design intent of the land. The new treatment, which was implemented with the 1994 New Tomorrowland update, features lines drawn from orbital paths and planetary shapes much like those found on the Astro Orbiter. The paving is also comprised of a mix of materials, such as concrete in various colors with varying degrees of sandblasting to expose the aggregate, plus embedded stones and other accent pieces. This materials palette was chosen to complement the materials that appear on the architecture in the area, while expanding the story in another direction.
—The Imagineers, The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, An Imagineer’s-Eye Tour (2005), p. 111.
Although the massive renovation work performed by Imagineers in 1993 and 1994 was evident to guests who visited Tomorrowland during the daytime hours, the land took on a completely new life at night thanks to a combination of lighting effects and kinetics. Lighting plays a significant role in the overall storytelling process for every Magic Kingdom land:
Like other interrelated show elements such as music and effects, lighting is a powerful tool used to evoke a certain mood or feeling. Light can sharply define as well as it can soften. It can whisper intimacy as well as shout surprise. Each fixture can be computer programmed to come on, fade up, ramp down or fade out where most appropriate. That is why, as the story for an attraction evolves, so too does an intricate plan for lighting it—both inside and out. Lighting design—which includes outdoor area development lighting, behind-the-scenes programmable show lighting and themed on-stage character figures—is a vital part of every project we do.
—The Imagineers, Walt Disney Imagineering, A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real (1996), p. 160.
More than any other Magic Kingdom land, Tomorrowland takes on a much different feeling at night thanks to the numerous neon lights, illuminated signs, and rotating beacons found on the buildings and towers of the land. This lighting combines with the overall kinetics of the land, which is significant given the continuous movement of the Astro Orbiter and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, to give Tomorrowland an energized life once the sun goes down.
The Infrastructure of an Interplanetary Hub
A city of the future, even a fictional one, needs a variety of civic organizations and public utility services to properly support its human, alien, monster, and robotic citizens. Thankfully, Tomorrowland has plenty of them. In years past, guests entering Tomorrowland would see a large sign from the “Tomorrowland Chamber of Commerce” that welcomed guests to Tomorrowland and included the land’s catch phrase, “The future that never was is finally here.” This sign also included a number of emblems and logos for several other Tomorrowland organizations:
The League of Planets
The Loyal Order of Little Green Beings
Galactic Association of Retired Aliens
Sleepless Knights of the Milky Way
Any major metropolitan area needs a reliable transportation system, and Tomorrowland is no exception. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover provides Tomorrowland citizens transportation on three different “lines”: Blue, Red, and Green (these lines, and the PeopleMover itself, are discussed in-depth in chapter 6).
Tomorrowland is now home to the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleportation Center, which houses the Stitch’s Great Escape attraction. This building was formerly known as the Interplanetary Convention Center and home to the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Likewise, Tomorrowland is also now home to the Tomorrowland Expo Center and the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. This building was formerly known as the Tomorrowland Metropolis Science Center and housed the Timekeeper attraction.
Tomorrowland visitors can stay abreast of all the news in the city by picking up a copy of the Tomorrowland Times or Galaxy Gazette from a robotic paperboy stationed near Rockettower Plaza. The robot is labeled “ROBO-NEWZ” and “PRINTED WHILE U WAIT.” The newspaper itself is labeled as the “EARTH EDITION.” The chest of the paperboy looks like the workings of an old typewriter. The newspaper displayed at the stand includes the headline “STITCH ESCAPES!”
An intergalactic spaceport filled with the universe’s highest levels of technology also needs a means with which to power that technology. As such, Imagineers constructed the Tomorrowland Light & Power Company as part of the Tomorrowland refurbishment in the mid-1990s. The building housing the power company is distinctive and includes a rounded-roof and a series of futuristic power generators that are lined along the building’s side. The power company is located at the exit of the Space Mountain attraction and formerly offered guests numerous arcade games and other general retail offerings.
A sign hanging above the front entranceway to the Tomorrowland Light & Power Company reads: “Generating a Bright New Tomorrow.” A logo for the power company consists of a retro-style image of a building that has a golden ball at the crest and a series of golden lightning bolts emitting therefrom.
Observant guests will notice a series of metal palm trees located near the Tomorrowland Light & Power Company. These palm trees actually function as solar panels that draw energy from the sun and feed that energy into the power company which, in turn, distributes the power throughout Tomorrowland. Former Disney Imagineer Shawn Slater described these “Power Palms” as follows:
The search for alternative energy sources pops up several times in the story of Tomorrowland, from harnessing the power of play at the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. Arcade to capturing human laughter from the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. These are Power Palms. When extended, their metallic fronds capture the energy of the sun and store it in the globes (like coconuts) around the trunk. When the globes are full, they light up and are ready for harvesting.
Shawn Slater, Palm Power, July 28, 2010, http://disneyshawn.blogspot.com/search/2010/07/palm-power.html
One of the Power Palms has already been harvested, as its branches have been lowered and the globes have been removed.
The Signage of Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is home to several imaginative signs that advertise various services and events in Tomorrowland. These advertisements, which are some of the best storytelling elements in all of Walt Disney World, can be found on the left and right-hand sides of the walkway after crossing into Tomorrowland from the central hub. One sign advertises a Rocket Show:
The Retro-Rocket Association Presents
The 225th Annual
ANTIQUE ROCKET SHOW
and SWOOP MEET
The Largest Collection of Antique Rocket Ships in the Universe!
SEE these WORLDS POPULAR MODELS on DISPLAY!
Marsmobile
Galaxy Whizzer
Dipper Deluxe
Zephyr 5000
Cosmic Cruiser
Moonliner
COMING SOON!
Where the Spaceways Meet in
TOMORROWLAND
Another sign advertises a futuristic home and garden show:
SPACE HOME & GARDEN SHOW
See the Latest in
Vacuum-Cleaning, Dog-Walking, Meal-Cooking Robots
“Sub-Urbia” Undersea Townhouse Communities
Hover Burbs Sky-High Luxury Living
Interplanetary Timeshare Opportunities
Instant Flower and Vegetable Gardens
Just Add Water, Inc. Meal Tablets (a banquet in your pocket!)
Entertainment by The Nutz & Boltz Boys
All-Robot Orchestra
A third sign advertises an attraction that guests can actually enjoy in Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbiter:
THE LEAGUE OF PLANETS
ASTRO ORBITER
Experience a Spin Around the Planets
on the Symbol of
Interplanetary Fellowship and Universal Harmony
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF TOMORROWLAND
at Rockettower Plaza
An intergalactic spaceport needs good entertainment options. Fortunately, Tomorrowland boasts one of the most talented musical performers in the universe, Leonard Burnedstar:
The Loyal Order of Little Green Beings is Proud to Present
Leornard Burnedstar
Conducts The Martian Pops Orchestra
PERFORMING
THE OPUS OUTER SPACE CONCERTO IN URSA MINOR
With Mars Vocalists
CARUSO UNIVERSO and MARIA PHOBOS DEIMOS
This concert includes special “guest stars” that should sound familiar to astronomers: “SIRIUS, CENTAURI and PROCYON.”
Since Tomorrowland welcomes so many new guests each year, it should come as no surprise that the land offers luxury accommodations:
WHILE IN TOMORROWLAND, STAY AT THE
TOMORROWLAND TOWERS HOVER-HOTEL
“WE’RE FAR ABOVE THE REST”
LUXURIOUS GRAVITY AND ANTIGRAVITY SUITES
EASY ACCESS TO LANDING PADS
HELPFUL ROBOT VALETS IN EVERY ROOM
JUPITER WATER MINERAL BATHS
VENUS ROCK GROTTO
AWARD WINNING AUTOMAT
FREE ON-EARTH PICTURE PHONE CALLS
Three Miles Directly Above Tomorrowland
on the Atmosphere Three Skyway Exit
“While You’re Here, Look Us Up!”
Two Tomorrowland signs advertise events coming to the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center (even though it technically no longer exists). The first sign reads:
COMING…to the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center
The World’s Renowned
SPACE COLLECTIBLES CONVENTION
This convention offers “A Universe of Treasure all in One Planetary Location!” The sign advertises a number of unique offerings at the Convention:
“RARE Memorabilia from the Galaxy M31 Multi-World’s Fair”
“CLASSIC Marswood Furniture”
“FANTASTIC” Far Away Fossils”
“THE LATEST” Galaxy M27 Sports Equipment”
“ONE of a KIND Mercury Marble Sculptures”
“AMAZING Asteroid Art”
The convention also boasts offerings that will tempt numerous senses:
“See EXOTIC Off-World Plants”
“Meet FAMOUS Celebrity Aliens”
“Taste TANTALIZING Intergalactic Food”
Guests are encouraged to “COME EARLY” so they can register for a chance to win a trip “aboard the Martian Princess Space Yacht.”
A second advertisement for the Interplanetary Convention Center reads:
Coming Soon to The Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center
R. U. LAUNCHING ATTRACTIONS Presents
RECREATIONAL ROCKET VEHICLE SHOW
Featuring the Latest in
“Touch Down and Camp” Family Wagons
All-Atmosphere Portable Habitats
Low Gravity, ATV Hover-Cycles
Cryogen-Rated Backpacking Gear
L-5 Cosmic Condo Timeshares
Hot and Cold Meteor Showers
Solar Sail Catamarans
This Recreational Rocket Vehicle Show offers guests the opportunity to enjoy many unique experiences and products:
“Preview Outer-Planet Vacation Spots in our Holo-Torium”
“Zero Gravity, High Impact Asteroid Seminars”
“Ammonia Surfing Virtual Simulators”
“Hand-Tooled Asteroid Belts”
“Cope with ‘Warp-Lag’ and Have a Fun Vacation”…by Lecture-Botics, Inc.
Aside from being entertaining and funny, these posters help to serve a much larger purpose in the overall theming of Tomorrowland. They show guests that this land is much bigger than a few attractions, restaurants, and shops. Instead, Tomorrowland is a living, breathing city full of characters and places much broader than that which the guests can actually reach out and touch.
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a theatre show that takes guests on a journey through technological development and advancement as seen from the perspective of an audio-animatronic family from the turn of the 20th century to the turn of the 21st century. As a whole the attraction is warm and comforting, and exudes a sense of hope, innocence, and optimism about what the future will bring. But Carousel of Progress is so much more than that. The attraction is one of the most significant and impactful attractions ever created by Disney and is one that is closely connected to Walt Disney himself.
Edison Square
The story behind Carousel of Progress begins in the late 1950s when General Electric approached Walt Disney about sponsoring an attraction at Disneyland. General Electric wanted an attraction that highlighted how electricity improved the day-to-day life for Americans that would also provide advertising opportunities for GE products. The Disney company was intrigued by this proposal and, in turn, proposed an entirely new sub-land for Disneyland known as Edison Square. Named for the inventor Thomas Edison, this new land would have focused on technological development and innovation that was closely tied to the advent of electricity.
The main attraction for Edison Square would have been “Harnessing the Lighting,” a walk-through theatre show that featured four separate theatres. An early marketing advertisement for the attraction read:
GENERAL ELECTRIC
PRESENTS
EDISON SQUARE
DISNEYLAND, U.S.A.
AN ASTONISHING DRAMATIZATION
“HARNESSING the LIGHTING”
A Story of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
A FEAST FOR EYE AND EAR
in 4 GREAT ACTS
with PROLOGUE & EPILOGUE
with
MR. WILBUR K. WATT
THE INCREDIBLE ELECTRIC MAN
SUPPORTED BY A MOST AMAZING
CAST of 50
; MARVELOUS ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PERSONALITIES
THAT SING, DANCE AND TALK
Rather than a seated stage show, guests would have remained standing during the attraction and would walk from theatre-to-theatre to see dioramas that depicted the advancement of electricity in different time periods. Each diorama would have included “electro-mechanical figures” that demonstrated the newest electrical innovations of the time. One such electro-mechanical character, “Wilbur K. Watt,” would have hosted the attraction. The “K” stood for “Kilo.”
Walt’s vision for Edison Square and Harnessing the Lighting demanded life-like audio-animatronics. Unfortunately, audio-animatronics technology during the late 1950s was rudimentary and nowhere near the level that guests see in the parks today. This lack of technological capabilities and the substantial funds needed to address that problem were both substantial roadblocks that Walt and his team of Imagineers needed to overcome. Although the Edison Square project never came to be, Wald did find the answer to his technological roadblocks in the form of the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair.
The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, Disneyland, and the Magic Kingdom
Disney was heavily involved with the 1964-1965 New Your World’s Fair and contributed to four different pavilions:
Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland Page 13