When Neil Patrick Harris and Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum took the stage for the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase and announced that Disneyland‘s Tomorrowland would be reimagined around the theme “Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today,” there was, and still is, a lot to be excited about.
But if you’ve been following Disney long enough, you know a new land refurbishment announcement is only the beginning. The real question is whether Disney can turn Tomorrowland into something cohesive, exciting and worthy of its history.
There are a few things I think Disney will need to get right for fans to look back on this reimagining and say, Yeah, they nailed it.
Bring Back the PeopleMover
For me, this is easily the biggest one. If Disney announced that the Tomorrowland transformation included nothing more than bringing back the PeopleMover, I think a lot of fans would consider the project a success.
The PeopleMover was one of Tomorrowland’s defining attractions. Its Walt Disney World counterpart remains one of the most beloved experiences in the Magic Kingdom, which makes the loss of Disneyland’s original version all the more frustrating. Disneyland’s PeopleMover also had what many consider to be an even more interesting track layout.
Taking it away was one thing. Never replacing it with anything remotely comparable is another. If Disney announces a major Tomorrowland refurbishment and the PeopleMover isn’t part of the plan, it could be one of the biggest missed opportunities in Disneyland history.
Give Star Tours a New Home
There was a time when Star Tours felt like a perfect fit for Tomorrowland. When it opened, it was innovative and exciting and felt like it belonged in a land dedicated to the future.
But the Disneyland of today is very different.
With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge occupying a massive chunk of the park, having another Star Wars attraction just across the park in Tomorrowland doesn’t make quite as much sense as it once did.
That doesn’t mean the ride system needs to disappear. Star Tours could potentially be given a completely new identity without requiring Disney to start from scratch. Ideally, though, I’d love to see Disney use the opportunity to create something entirely new, an attraction that embraces Tomorrowland’s optimistic vision of the future rather than simply swapping one IP for another.
Do Something Great With the Submarine Lagoon and Autopia
The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and Autopia occupy roughly 302,580 square feet combined. That’s not quite the footprint of Disney’s entire Toy Story Land, but it gives Imagineering an enormous amount of real estate to work with.
Of course, not every square foot would necessarily become available. The Disneyland Monorail runs through the area, and hopefully a revived PeopleMover would use at least some of that space as well.
But there’s another thing I’d hate to see Disney do: flatten what makes this part of Tomorrowland beautiful in the first place.
The lagoon, trees and greenery provide a welcome contrast to the more concrete-heavy portions of Tomorrowland. I don’t want to see Imagineering simply bulldoze the area and replace it with another collection of buildings. Instead, this could be an opportunity to create something that uses the existing landscape as part of the experience.
One idea I’ve thought could work is a family coaster (similar in thrill to Slinky Dog Dash) themed around WALL-E and his mission to restore Earth. Imagine starting in a more industrial, futuristic environment near the existing Autopia load area, with riders boarding vehicles designed to look like WALL-E-inspired robots.
Then, as the ride progresses, you could transition from that more sterile environment into a lush, green landscape as the “robots” work to reseed and restore the planet. That would give Disneyland a new family attraction while reinforcing the optimistic environmental message that has always been a natural fit for Tomorrowland, and a good fit for the lush section of the park.
And that’s ultimately what I think this reimagining needs to accomplish. Tomorrowland shouldn’t just look new. It should feel like a vision of tomorrow again.
