TOMORROWLAND |
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| (1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Budget cuts/construction deadlines caused it to be finished last with Disney reluctantly changing it into a corporate showcase featuring Crane (“Bathroom of Tomorrow,” 1956–1960), Kaiser Aluminum (“Hall of Fame,” July 17, 1955–1960), Monsanto Chemicals (“Hall of Chemistry,” July 17, 1955–September 1966), American Motors, Richfield Oil (“The World Beneath Us,” July 17, 1955–1960), American Dairy Association Dairy Bar (January 21, 1956 to September 1, 1958) and Dutch Boy Paint (July 17, 1955–1963). One cost cutting idea used sets from 1954’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” as a walk-through attraction. Tomorrowland’s showpiece was the TWA Moonliner, derived from the “Man in Space” TV shows. Autopia gave visitors a future glimpse of the National Interstate System, and the Tomorrowland Boats gave guests...well, not much, as they were quickly rethemed within a year. Circarama was a 360° film previewed before the park opened on June 27, 1955. 1957 brought Monsanto’s “House of the Future,”. In 1959, the unveiling of three major E-ticket attractions (the first ones) ALWEG Monorail, Submarine Voyage, and Matterhorn (later changed to Fantasyland) were televised as the 2nd Disneyland opening. Most photos available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. |
Tomorrowland Attraction Posters |
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1950’s |
) Concept art |
) Concept art |
) Concept art |
) Concept art |
) Rocket to the Moon Concept art |
) Construction, 1955 |
) Dr. Wernher von Braun, Willy Ley, Walt, and Dr. Heinz Haber between scenes of 1955’s "Man In Space” |
) July 18, 1955 |
) July 27, 1955 |
) July 1955 |
) July 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) Space Bar, Aug. 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) Aug. 1955 |
) December 26, 1955 |
) 1955 |
) 1955 |
) Flag of Nations, 1955 |
) 1955 |
) 1955 |
) Walt Disney posing with guests, 1956 |
) Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow exhibit |
) Richfield Oil exhibit |
) 1950s |
) The Space Bar, Aug. 1956 |
) Sept. 1956 |
) Sept. 1956 |
) Sept. 1956 |
) Russian Olympic Team, Dec. 13, 1956 |
) 1956 |
) New York Flag Pole, 1956/57 |
) 1956/57 |
) July 1957 |
) Sept. 1958 |
) Sept. 1958 |
) Walt’s special Autopia car, 1958 |
) May 9, 1959 |
) June 15, 1959 |
) June 1959 |
) June 1959 |
) June 1959 |
) Sept. 1959 |
) Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow, Nov. 1959 |
) Lunch at the Space Bar, undated |
) Lunch at the Space Bar, undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) 1959 Preview Attraction Art |
) Yacht Bar |
) Space Bar |
) Vesey Walker and Band |
) 1950s |
1960’s |
) Feb. 1960 |
) Minnie Mouse & Guests near Rocket to the Moon, April, 1960 |
) Spring 1960 |
) June 1960 |
) July 1960 |
) July 1960 |
) July 1961 |
) July 1961 |
) July 1961 |
) July 1961 |
) Hats for sale in Tomorrowland, 1960’s |
) Dec. 1961 |
) Dec. 1961 |
) Jan. 1962 |
) May 15, 1962 |
) Grad Nite, June 16, 1962 |
) July 1962 |
) Oct. 1962 |
) Annette Funicello, “Disneyland After Dark” 1962 |
) Annette Funicello & Bobby Rydell, “Disneyland After Dark” 1962 |
) Annette Funicello & Bobby Rydell, “Disneyland After Dark” 1962 |
) Dec. 1963 |
) Vikki Carr, Ray Anthony, and unknown singer, early 1960’s |
) June 1964 |
) July 1964 |
) April 1965 |
) April 1965 |
) The Avengers Four, Aug. 27, 1965 |
) The Avengers Four, Aug. 27, 1965 |
) Woody Herman at the 20K Bandstand, Aug. 27, 1965 |
) Woody Herman at the 20K Bandstand, Aug. 27, 1965 |
) Woody Herman at the 20K Bandstand, Aug. 27, 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Duke Ellington Band, August 1965 |
) Sept. 1965 |
) Oct. 1965 |
) The Yachtsmen Trio, Oct. 1965 |
) The Yachtsmen Trio, Oct. 1965 |
) The Yachtsmen Trio, Oct. 1965 |
) May 1966 |
) W.W. Hicks photo, 1960’s |
New Tomorrowland Construction: 1966 |
| 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. Eventually, Walt’s idea of a Space Port opened as Space Mountain; Star Tours & Magic-Eye Theater opened in places of older attractions. |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) Dec. 1966 |
) April 1967 |
) April 26, 1967 |
1967–1969 |
) July 1967 |
) May 1968 |
) June 1968 |
) June 1968 |
) June 1968 |
June 1968 |
) Mary Blair Murals, July, 1968 |
) Mary Blair Murals and People Mover, July, 1968 |
) Oct. 1968 |
) Mary Blair Tile Murals, Oct. 1968 |
) Dec. 1968 |
) Dec. 1968 |
) Dec. 1968 |
) 1968 |
) 1968 |
) 1968 |
) 1968 |
) Jan. 1969 |
) Undated |
) June 1969 |
) June 1969 |
) June 1969 |
) Mary Blair Mural and People Mover, Sept. 1969 |
) Matterhorn, Autopia, and Monorail, Sept. 1969 |
) Sept. 1969 |
) Undated |
1970’s |
) October 1970 |
) October 1970 |
) October 1970 |
) October 1970 |
) Oct. 1970 |
) November 1970 |
) November 1970 |
) November 1970 |
) Sept. 1971 |
) July 1972 |
) July 1972 |
) July 1972 |
) July 1972 |
) Aug. 1972 |
) Aug. 1972 |
) Aug. 1972 |
) Aug. 1972 |
) Aug. 1974 |
) Aug. 1974 |
) Aug. 1974 |
) March 1976 |
) August 1976 |
) Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau & DL Ambassador Susan Donald, April 1977 |
) July 1977 |
) June 1979 |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
1980’s |
) Dec. 1980 |
) Cast Members, 1980 |
) 1980 |
) 1980 |
) 1980 |
) August 1982 |
) August 1982 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) August 1986 |
) Ear Force One Balloon, Dec. 1988 |
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) Sept. 1956 |
) 1957 |
) 1957 |
) Spaceman outside Crane, Sept. 1958 |
) Spaceman, date unknown |
) Spaceman in Tomorrowland, date unknown |
) 1950's |
) Space People in Tomorrowland, date unknown |
) August 1961 |
) August 1961 |
) Space People in Tomorrowland, 1960’s |
) Spaceman in Tomorrowland, some time between 1956-1962 |
) 1960’s |
) July 1965 |
Captain EO: 1986 |
| In 1986, Michael Jackson, Francis Coppola, and George Lucas collaborated on The Walt Disney Company’s “Captain EO,” a unique three dimensional narrative musical film presented by Kodak, which premiered September 19th at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. A musical space fantasy starring Michael Jackson with original songs written, produced, and sung by Jackson, “Captain EO” was directed by Coppola, executive produced by Lucas, and produced by Rusty Lemorande. “Captain EO” returned to Disneyland on February 23, 2010. |
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) Jackson, Coppola, and Lucas |
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New Tomorrowland: 1998 |
| 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. 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 Sept. 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. |
) Concept art |
) Concept art |
) Astro Orbiter |
) Astro Orbiter |
) Astro Orbiter |
) Honey I Shrunk the Audience |
) Redd Rockett's Pizza Port |
) Rocket Rods |
) Rocket Rods |
2000+ |
| Matt Ouimet became Disneyland Resort president late 2003 and things began to improve: Space Mountain closed for a two year refurbishment and the empty Rocket Rods queue/old Circle-Vision theater was converted into “Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.” Imagineering also approved a new color scheme in Feb. 2005: blue, white, and silver while keeping touches of gold & bronze. |
) Scot Bruce as Elvis, April 2006 |
) April 2006 |
) April 2006 |
) April 2006 |
) April 2006 |
) April 2006 |
) May 2006 |
) Tomorrowland Sign, October 2006 |
) Tomorrowland and former People Mover Track, Dec. 2006 |
) Jan. 2007 |
) Redd Rockett’s Pizza, May 2007 |
) May 2007 |
) Oct. 2007 |
) Oct. 2007 |
) Oct. 2007 |
) Oct. 2007 |
) Dec. 2007 |
) Redd Rocket’s Pizza, Oct. 2008 |
) Redd Rockett’s Pizza, Oct. 2008 |
) Redd Rockett’s Pizza, Oct. 2008 |
) Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, Oct. 2008 |
) Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, Oct. 2008 |
) Jan. 2009 |
) Jan. 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) June 2009 |
) Nov. 2009 |
) Nov. 2009 |
) Dec. 2009 |
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