Tomorrowland

**Tomorrowland** is one of the original themed, "Lands" of the Disney Parks.

## Description

Tomorrowland is themed to being a futuristic utopia of advanced technology and innovation. The plaque for Tomorrowland has the symbol of an atom on it and reads as:

> "*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*- Walt Disney"
>
>

## History

Tomorrowland was originally set in the distant future of the year 1986, intended to coincide with the return of Haley's Comet (ironically the least favourable year for sightings of the comet on record).

### Alternate versions

#### Tomorrowland (film)

In this film, Tomorrowland was an experimental futurist colony which was established by the secret-society *Plus Ultra*. Plus Ultra had been founded at the 1889 World's Fair of Paris by Jules Verne, Nikola Tesla, H.G. Wells, Gustave Eiffel and Thomas Edison with the intent on innovating society. In the early 1900s, Nikola Tesla discovered a pocket-dimension where Plus Ultra would create Tomorrowland. Walt Disney himself was a member of this group with Tomorrowland in the Disney Parks along with certain pavilions at World's Fairs having been created to indoctrinate new members while also hiding portals to the realm.

## Connections

### 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Tomorrowland in Disneyland held the original incarnation of the attraction Submarine Voyage. This attraction would go on to inspire 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage in Walt Disney World and shared several features and locations with the attraction. Both feature similar sea-life, the North Pole, Atlantis, a sea-serpent and mermaids. Other references include one of the submarines being called the *Nautilus* for Captain Nemo's ship and Ned Land's song, "Whale of a Tale" being played in the queue.

### Atlantis: The Lost Empire

In addition to featuring Atlantis as a location, Submarine Voyage was planned to be refurbished into an attraction based on the film. During its final days, Submarine Voyage was outfitted as a meet 'n' greet spot with Atlantean artifacts where guests could meet with Kida and Milo.

### Discoveryland

Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris serves as the park's analogue to Tomorrowland. Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain references Discoveryland with a screen listing one of Earth's active star-ports as being, "Discovery Landing Station" in Paris.

### Disney Springs

An airline arrival from Tomorrowland in the town of Disney Springs is referenced in Disney Springs' marketplace.

### Expedition Everest

The Forbidden Mountain of the Himalayas and the Matterhorn are both Disney Parks mountains which are home to territorial yetis. Expedition Everest contains several subtle references/homages to Matterhorn Bobsleds as a result. Notably at the end of the ride, advertisements and promotional materials utilized white-furred, blue-skinned, fanged yetis as mascots for yeti-gimmicked paraphernalia. In particular is the, "Yeti Brand Tinned Meat" which has the quote, "Hygienic, Tasty and Compact" from mountaineer Klaus Wesselhoft, a mountaineer who scaled the Matterhorn in the film Third Man on the Mountain (1959).

The Yeti of the Matterhorn however looks considerably different from its Himalayan counterpart; it around 6' tall while the Everest yeti is is 25' tall, the Matterhorn Yeti has white fur not covering its face or hands revealing blue skin while the Himalayan yeti has brown fur completely covering its body with some pink flesh being visible, and the Matterhorn yeti having red eyes while the Himalayan yeti has yellow eyes.

#### Wilderness Explorers

The depictions of the yeti in the *Wilderness Explorers Guidebook* (belonging to the Wilderness Explorers group from Up) for its section dedicated to Anandapur are modelled after the Matterhorn's yeti from the Disney attraction *Matterhorn Bobsleds* rather than the Yeti of Expedition Everest.

### Fortress Explorations

Leonardo Da Vinci was featured in the attraction The Timekeeper. In Fortress Explorations, Leonardo is identified as having been an honorary member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers whose ghost haunts their headquarters in Porto Paradiso. He also served as an influence behind Camellia Falco and her Dream Flyers.

### Journey Into Imagination

The attraction *Honey, I Shrunk the Audience* regarded the operations of the Imagination Institute and its leader Dr. Nigel Channing in Tomorrowland. Both of these entities are prominently featured in the Journey Into Imagination franchise and its attractions.

### The Rocketeer

A, "Roastie toastie" popcorn roaster is made to resemble Cliff Secord in Tomorrowland.

### Skipper Canteen

There are multiple allusions to Tomorrowland characters in the *Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen*'s library. Among the books in the library are two written by Tom Morrow, a character from Flight to the Moon who also served as Tomorrowland's mayor. One is *Mission to the Stars* by Tom Morrow which references the defunct attractions *Rocket to the Moon* and *Mission to Mars.* The other book by Morrow is *Mission to the Red Planet* which references the Mission to Mars attraction and the character of Tom Morrow who appeared in its predecessor attraction.

One book in the library is titled *Keeping Time* by Williams which references the defunct Tomorrowland attraction, the Timekeeper which featured late-actor/comedian Robin Williams as the titular character. There is also a book in the library titled *A Flight Through Dreams* and *If You Had Wings You Could Fly* by B.L.. Both are references to the defunct Tomorrowland attractions of *Delta Dreamflight* and *If you had wings*. The author is in-reference to Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story whose attraction *Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin* replaced said attractions. Buzz Lightyear also has a complex regarding his inability to fly despite his having wings in the original Toy Story (1995). Another book is *A View from Above* by S.W. Buckets which is a reference to the now defunct Skyway which once passed over Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. A book in the library is titled *Creatures from Space!* by Clench. This references the defunct attraction *ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter* which featured a character named L.C. Clench who was the chairman of the interstellar conglomerate X-S Tech.

### Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

In this attraction, signs in the alien language of Aurabesh can be seen on the city-planet of Coruscant which when translated advertise, "Tomorrowland". Additionally the Mighty Microscope from the defunct attraction Adventure Thru Inner Space can be seen on the Death Star along with a smaller version of it going through luggage with a snowflake from the attraction.

## References

1. ↑ https://vocal.media/wander/the-tomorrowland-problem-part-1
2. ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2014/10/d-tales-3-space-mountain-is-filled-with-hidden-disney-history-from-walt-disney-world-and-beyond/
3. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2017/10/gate-change.html
4. ↑ https://onthegoinmco.com/2013/10/22/roastie-toasties-disneyland