Discoveryland

**Discoveryland** is a, "Land" in Disneyland Paris.

## Description

Discoveryland is a steampunk utopia of innovations in science and technology. It appears to have a history which spanned from the 19th century to the early 20th. The fictitious land is believed to be located in Paris, France.

### Locations

* **Arcade Alpha & Arcade Bêta**:

* **Café Hyperion**: The Cafe Hyperion was a harbour and air-port for the Hyperion airship created by Captain Brieux. It provided early 20th century airline services until Captain Brieux's mysterious disappearance.
* **Discoveryland Lagoon**: The Discoveryland Lagoon is a waterbody found at the base of Space Mountain. It held the victorian submarine *The Nautilus* at some point following 1868.
* **Disneyland Railroad Station**:
* **Orbitron**: A giant celestial sculpture designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. This sculpture also serves as the centerpiece of the land and its main power source.
* **Space Mountain**: Space Mountain is a large structure created by the Baltimore Gun Club, an American society which intended to use 19th century rifle technology to achieve space-travel. It was equipped with a massive cannon known as the Columbiad which was used to launch bullet inspired space-ships into the atmosphere.
* **Autopia**: A testing course for small, electric-powered cars called Astrocoupes, that takes them on a trip around the nearby city of Solaria.
* **Visionarium**: One of the three *Metropolis Institue of Time Travel's* pavilions. Here, Timekeeper and 9-Eye preform daily demonstrations of Timekeeper's Time Machine.

### Inhabitants

* **9-Eyes**:
* **Captain Brieux**:
* **Giant Squid**:
* **Ned Land**:
* **The Timekeeper**: The Timekeeper is a scientist from the future who was a member of the *Metropolis Institute of Time Travel*. Inspired by the science-fiction works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, the Timekeeper created his own time-travel machinery.

#### Groups

* **Baltimore Gun Club**
* **Imagination Institute**

## History

### Development history

Discoveryland is Disneyland Paris' counterpart to Tomorrowland. While Tomorrowland was themed to be visions of innovation the future, Discoveryland decided to follow a different path due to that theming being doomed to inevitably become dated when not constantly refurbished. Instead, Discoveryland would be themed to the steampunk subgenera and science-fiction stories from the 19th and early 20th century, namely through the works of French-author Jules Verne.

## Connections

### Cherie, J'ai Retreci le Public (Honey, I Shrunk the Audience)

This attraction was set in the base of the Imagination Institute, a group heavily featured in the Journey Into Imagination franchise.

### Discovery Bay

Discoveryland was based on many unused concepts developed for Discovery Bay and was even developed by Discovery Bay creator Tony Baxter. It is unknown if they share a story/background or not.

### 20,000 Leagues under the Sea

Featured in Discoveryland is a lagoon containing the Nautilus and the attraction *Les Mysteries du Nautilus*. This attraction has guests explore the Nautilus, Captain Nemo's ghost playing the pipe-organ and even encounter a Giant Squid attack. It is unknown if this is aligned with the Discovery Bay story of Ned Land having assisted Jason Chandler in having salvaged the wreckage of the Nautilus or not.

### The Island at the Top of the World

La Cafe Hyperion features the Hyperion airship and has posters advertising flights on the vessel under Captain Brieux, a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

### Space Mountain

Disneyland Paris' Space Mountain was based on the works of Jules Verne and located over the Discoveryland Lagoon that harboured the Nautilus. 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.

### The Timekeeper

The Timekeeper attraction regarded a scientist from the future who was a member of the *Metropolis Institute of Time Travel*. Inspired by the science-fiction works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, the Timekeeper created his own time-travel machinery which he displayed in Discoveryland's Visionarium. There is a book referencing the Timekeeper in the *Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen* titled *Keeping Time* by Williams with the name of the author being in tribute to the Timekeeper's English voice-actor, the late Robin Williams. It is unclear if the content of the book or author are supposed to be related to the actual character of the Timekeeper or not. Honorary S.E.A. member Leonardo da Vinci was also featured in this attraction.

## Trivia

* From the Hyperion's inclusion is can be assumed that the setting of the land is following 1907 as that was the year when the airship was completed.

## References

1. ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2014/10/d-tales-3-space-mountain-is-filled-with-hidden-disney-history-from-walt-disney-world-and-beyond/