Mouse Extra

There are many things that Disney purists have moaned about in the last decade, but none more so than the subject of attraction placement.   When rumors hit that a new ride is coming to Disney World a chorus of complaints goes up.  More often than not, the complaint is that the new attraction does not “fit the theme” of the surrounding area.  Disney fans take pride in this, is it is what set Disney apart from other theme parks.  The most glaring examples can be found at Future World and Tomorrowland, where multiple attractions have set the “theme police” into action.

Think of them all.  Buzz Lightyear is a toy, how does that fit?   What does Monsters Inc. have to do with the future?  Or Stitch?  How is Test Track educational?  Or Mission Space?  What yo-yo thought this was a good spot for a High School Musical show?  And for crying out loud, NO CHARACTERS IN EPCOT!!!!   Even clownfish!

Since Walt Disney originally placed the Matterhorn in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, that area has always struggled with its identity, even in Florida .  When the Magic Kingdom opened in the early 1970’s, Tomorrowland included the not-so-futuristic Indy Speedway.  There was the old If You Had Wings that only barely seemed futuristic, and Disneyland boasted America Sings.  Futur World at Epcot was supposed to be a showplace of new technology and educate the guest on what the future holds.   Even when it opened, it wasn’t consistent.  I mean, are we going to have small flying purple dragons in our future? 

It has always been difficult to keep up with the technology, but these days it all too quickly renders attractions dated and nostalgic.   Many people long for the old attractions, like Horizons, Mission to Mars, or World of Motion, but are we keeping with the original vision by holding on to terribly outdated attractions?   If we update them, won’t we only run into the same problem in a few short years?

So to combat this, it appears as though Imagineering has bent the rules more than ever.  Of all the recent additions to either place, only Mission Space adheres to the theme completely.   To make matters more uncomfortable for the purists, there is no turning back now.  Millions upon millions of dollars have been poured into new technologies and new ride vehicles, not to mention the incredible amount of marketing that seems to accompany every new attraction.

So it is what it is.  But how do we make it better?  It seems that WDI needs to be bold.  If we are going to totally ignore the theme, then why even have it in the first place?  Why call it Future World or Tomorrowland, if eventually neither name will apply?  So let’s change the name, change the theme.  Why don’t we stop insulting everyone’s intelligence and make the area work for the future of the parks? 

So let me ask you, what do you think would work?  The idea of “Discoveryland” has always been talked about.  Will that work for Epcot?  It seems that Tomorrowland is being turned over to a sort of modern Fantasyland, especially if Cars comes to the Indy Speedway.  Let’s find a name that says that, and make it work into something immersive and exciting.  Because, honestly, this is getting a bit silly.   Every ride they have introduced, with the glaring exception of Stitch, is good, and I would not want any of them removed.  I also think it is counter to the vision of Walt Disney to go back to old attractions, so I would never suggest that.   But what we have now is jumbled and confused, and, quite frankly, it makes WDI look amateurish.  Yes, there would be a proverbial purist revolt if we ever changed these names, but the right idea could turn them around.