Tomorrowland has always been the most ever-changing land in all of Disneyland and our first Diamond really reflects how the park always tries to pay tribute to the past while always looking to the future.Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters moved into Tomorrowland in 2005 in a space that had been used as a queue for the short-lived Rocket Rods and before that, the Circle-Vision attractions. You can still see the curve of the room if you look up about halfway through the attraction, yet this Disneyland Diamond has nothing to do with any of those attractions other than being used in a shop for Buzz and Rocket Rods. No, this has to do with the old Rocket Jets attraction that sat high above Tomorrowland from 1967 to 1997. The Rocket Jets were removed to make way for the Obsevatron for the New Tomorrowland in 1998.But as we have learned, Disney never throws away anything and a few of those stylish Rocket Jets were actually reused for merchandise displays inside Little Green Men Store Command. For our most tasty Diamond, we look no further than the nearest Tomorrowland planter!In 1998 when the New Tomorrowland opened, one of the claims to fame was AgriFuture. Instead of flowers or other plants, Tomorrowland has different vegetables and fruits planted throughout the land. Next time you have a burger from Tomorrowland Terrace and need some lettuce, just take a look around.
Another “tribute to the past” Diamond comes from one of the oldest attractions in Tomorrowland, the highway of the future Autopia!
Autopia opened in Tomorrowland on July 17, 1955, and over the years has spawned the Junior Autopia (1956), Midget Autopia (1957), and Fantasyland Autopia (1959). Junior Autopia closed in 1958 and was expanded to become Fantasyland Autopia before it was connected to the Tomorrowland Autopia in 2000 to form the Autopia we know today. “But Jeremiah, what about Midget Autopia?” Well, Midget Autopia was located where the small merchandise shop behind Storybook Land Canal Boats is, which is why it was closed in 1965 to create the walkway to it’s a small world. But not to worry because Walt Disney donated the Midget Autopia to Marceline, Missouri, where he spent some of his formative childhood years. Unfortunately the attraction was unable to be maintained and fell into disrepair and closed. One of the remaining Midget Autopia cars was returned to Disneyland in 2000 as a salute to the past to be put on display along the track of the current Autopia, along with one of the original Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride cars.
Now that we have connected Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, lets continue to the happiest of all lands.