Dispatch From Disneyland
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Disney’s Tomorrowland Adventure
By Indigo

One of the most frequent complaints levied at Disney's California Adventure is how lightly themed it is. After all, isn't Paradise Pier mostly out of the box attractions and pre-fab buildings with some cheap-o games thrown in. Why would the Disney company sink to that level? Aren't they worried about how history will treat them and their big folly.

Those of you who are students of Disneyland's early history will know where I'm going with this. When Disneyland was under construction it was known in the press as Walt's Folly. It was attacked from all sides, and even from within the company, by forces who couldn't see Walt's vision. So with all the complaints launched at it, DCA must be doing something right, right?

Now, I'm not going to claim that Michael Eisner and Barry Braverman's vision of DCA comes close to matching Walt's vision of Disneyland. Disneyland was something new and untested; DCA comes after 46 years of experience in themepark construction. So where do I see parallels? -- in Tomorrowland.

If you think DCA looks generic you should have seen Tomorrowland in 1955. Here's a land that wasn't seriously worked on until 6 months before opening day. With 6 months to go they had already brought in the dirt movers and cleared out the space. So there was no way getting around the huge vacant space sitting to the right of the castle. (Side note: Imagineers have gotten better at hiding un-built lands. At Animal Kingdom and DCA, you wouldn't even know a whole land was missing unless someone told you.)

Walt decided he'd better have something over there or the show would seem incomplete (and show was everything to Walt). So they quickly bought a few pre-fabricated buildings. Then ran out and got some corporate sponsors to bring in their own exhibits. This led to such exciting attractions as the Kaiser Hall of Aluminum Fame (With Kip the aluminum pig Disneyland's first non Disney character), the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, and Space Station X-1 -- a satellite view of America as it would appear from space, that is if America was painted by some former animators and set designers.

Tomorrowland did have some interesting features, heck you could always tell what time it was anywhere in the world just by walking in the entrance and checking the World Clock. There was the Autopia and the 1955 model year cars on pedestals. Almost made one look around for a salesmen with a lease to sign. There was also a popular movie set recreation in the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea walk-through; including a climatic squid attack. Yes, those were the mighty days of Disneyland.

On those famous strolls through the park I can just imagine Walt wanting to change every aspect of Tomorrowland every time he passed through. 

Eventually Walt added Cir-Car-Rama - a “tour of the west” filmed from the top of a car (get it?) in full circle vision, the trouble plagued Phantom Boats, Rocket Jets, and Rocket to the Moon. Those weren't small expenses for Disneyland, but the park was pulling in more people than predicted, so they needed attractions, food, and stores to occupy the time of guests.

So what inspired Walt to create this vision of the future. Cars, Model Airplanes, movie set walk-through (okay, so that one was cool)? Well, Walt always had one eye on the present, and one eye on the future. I think he dreamed of a time when everything would be clean and bright (like the Bathroom of Tomorrow and House of the Future) -- when technology would help us overcome class distinctions, blowing poverty out of the water, inspiring everyone to dream.

Most biographies state Walt learned to be a self made man from his father, who never gave up; even when business venture after business venture failed and left him near broke. But Walt also learned the lesson of not losing hope for the future from his families trials.

Perhaps a little hope comes from his admiration of Charlie Chaplin and Abraham Lincoln. I like to think of Walt and his big brother Roy sitting in the Marceline cinema watching Chaplin’s Little Tramp conquer all the obstacles laid out in front of him. There’s even a picture of Walt dressed up as the Little Tramp in the recent redo of the Walt Disney Story featuring Great Moments with Mister Lincoln.

So with hope for the future Tomorrowland was improved every year leading up to a major expansion in 1959. Then work began again during Walt’s last years leading up to the 1967 redo. Walt also came up with his amazing vision of EPCOT during that time.

I think the current regime at the helm of Disney’s California Adventure should look back at those years of change in Tomorrowland. There they might find some lessons about not giving up hope, and realize that if some daring choices are made now, changes on the scale of 1959 and 1967, then perhaps DCA can be turned around.

•  •  •

Finally, today is the 2nd anniversary of LaughingPlace.com’s launch. I wanted to say congratulations to the team of staff members that has made it all possible. I also want to acknowledge the long hours, tireless effort, and vision of the site’s owners, Doobie and Rebekah Moseley. I remember the days of brain storming in between Billy Hill performances and even before that when it was just a dream a small group of friends shared. How far we’ve come.

In a manner of speaking, LaughingPlace.com began with a mouse. A mouse used by the first guest who clicked onto the web site via some link Doobie posted on a newsgroup. Without you, the guests who visit and participate in this little community, LaughingPlace.com would be nothing. My thanks go out to each and every one of you as well.

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-- Indigo

-- Posted August 1, 2001