Tomorrowland Mess-Up

WDWNT Author on May 29, 2008

The final article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be an overview of all the changes made, not involving an entirely new attraction or exhibit. This one’s going to be quite big, so let’s get straight to it:


A look at the 1998 Tomorrowland sign (the Disneyland logo has since been removed)


The out-of-place, yet beautiful Astro Orbitor


Walt Disney’s Dedication of Tomorrowland


Star Tours received new decorations on its sign…


… And exterior. But that’s about it for Star Tours


All the Star Trader got was a gold trim


The Starcade remained pretty much the same (the upper floor has since been walled off to guest use)


The 1998 Tomorrowland Terrace Stage


In 2000, it was changed to Club Buzz, & then returned to the original Tomorrowland Terrace design in 2006


Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port replaced Mission to Mars (in the right-hand corner, you can see the 98 Space Mountain sign)


A look inside the restaurant


A new version of the Moonliner adorns the entrance to Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port


Cosmic Waves, the run-around water playground…


The spraying water was removed due to the seats in Honey, I Shrunk the Audience getting slightly damaged after wet visitors coming in


Space Mountain got a rather ugly new color scheme


The Autopia got a temporary new sign, before it was completely re-done into the version we have today in 2000


The Tomorrowland Train Station also got a new design

I truly hope you enjoyed the past week’s series on the New Tomorrowland of 1998. We’ll definitely be doing something like this again the next time a big anniversary comes around!

A Great Big World of Innoventions

WDWNT Author on May 28, 2008

The next article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be about Innoventions. Again, this article will be a pictorial article. So, let’s get to it:


A look at the construction of Innoventions in March of 1998


Innoventions on opening day, May 22nd 1998


The Innoventions sign


The amazing Tom Morrow animatronic (or should I say Timkeeper?), too bad he’s gone now!


General Motor’s Sparky


The Tree of Tomorrow (really imaginative *sarcasm*)


Innoventions with the 2005 color scheme… It’s much nicer now!

Tomorrow, the last of our New Tomorrowland articles, on the overall New Tomorrowland of 1998!

Honey, I Replaced Captain EO!

WDWNT Author on May 26, 2008

The next article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be about Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Again, this article will be a pictorial article, as Yesterland already has a wonderful article up dealing with the history of this attraction!

Of course, there’s not much to be shared about the film itself, seeing as it’s in 3D, & pictures are strictly forbidden on attractions like this one. But, let’s get to it:


Captain EO was the original film in this spot. Previously it was an outdoor stage


Honey, I Shrunk the Audience opened with the rest of the New Tomorrowland on May 22nd, 1998


This promotional picture greatly over-exaggerates the Dog’s presence in the attraction


A look inside the theater


These 3 posters are featured in the outdoor waiting area (this picture is actually from Journey into Imagination with Figment in Epcot, but the the posters are the same at both attractions)


Soon, the Disneyland logo from the top of the attraction’s sign was removed


For the Happiest Homecoming on Earth, one of 50 “Hidden 50s” was placed on the sign


A look at the attraction’s entrance with the 2005 Tomorrowland color scheme

Tomorrow, a look at Innoventions!

Mural Wars!

WDWNT Author on May 24, 2008

The next article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be about the mural on the American Space Experience/Rocket Rods queue building. Let’s get to it:


Here’s the original mural that called this building home, one of the lovely works of Mary Blair


A look at the removal of the Mary Blair mural


And this is the 1998 mural, which surprisingly or not is my favorite!


The inscription bellow the mural reads: “BEYOND THE GREATEST STAR OF ALL LIES OUR FUTURE”


In preparation for Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters in 2005, the mural was once again changed

I advise everyone to check out Yesterland‘s articles on both the 1998 Tomorrowland Mural, & the Mary Blair Murals. We won’t have an article on the New Tomorrowland tomorrow, but we will have this week’s podcast with tons of audio from the re-do. We’ll be back on Memorial Day with a look at Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!

Celebrating 40 Years of Nasa (or something like that)!

WDWNT Author on May 24, 2008

The next article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be about the American Space Experience. Again, this article will be a pictorial article, as Yesterland has a wonderful article up dealing with the history of this exhibit!

There’s not much to be said or shown about the American Space Experience, but there still are a few pictures to share! Let’s get to it:


The exhibit’s marque


A look at a few of the exhibits in the “experience”


The American Space Experience is now the Fastpass Distribution area for Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters

And surprisingly or not, that’s all for this pictorial! Tomorrow, a look at the 1998 mural that was above the entrance to the American Space Experience!

The Road to No-Where!

WDWNT Author on May 23, 2008

Our first article dealing with the New Tomorrowland of 1998 is going to be about the Rocket Rods. This article is going to be a pictorial article, as Yesterland already has a wonderful article up dealing with the attraction.

Now, let’s get to it:


The entrance to the Rocket Rods


The other side of the entrance didn’t receive the logo due to budget issues… Big surprise!


The queue featured a re-painted, neon version of the Mark III Monorail…


… As well as a neon PeopleMover vehicle


The loading & blast off area, as well as the Observatron


The attraction vehicle… Very weird in my opinion!


The only vehicle that had neon features added to it


The Rocket Rods closed in April 2001


Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters replaced at the Rocket Rods queue building in 2005… The track is empty

Tomorrow, a look at the American Space Experience!

The Future Has Arrived

WDWNT Author on May 22, 2008

Exactly 10 years ago today, the New Tomorrowland of 1998 officially opened to the public. While it’s not one of the best times in Disneyland’s history, it is a moment I’d like to look at. So we will be celebrating it in various ways for the next week.

Each day, a special article of sorts will be put up taking a look at each of the various attractions part of this re-do (the first one will be up tomorrow). And on this week’s edition of the Disneyland News Today Podcast, we’ll have a special audio tribute segment, featuring music from Rocket Rods, Space Mountain, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, & more!

So stay tuned, & remember… “BEYOND THE GREATEST STAR OF ALL LIES OUR FUTURE!”