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https://nerdist.com/article/disneyland-needs-new-tomorrowland/
Fans of Disney Parks are some of the most loyal and patient in all of pop culture fandom. But even our patience is wearing thin when it comes to waiting for news of Disney’s much needed update for one of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s signature lands—Tomorrowland.
With this most recent D23 Expo, rumors were swirling that we would finally get news of a new Tomorrowland coming to the U.S. theme parks, specifically to Disneyland. But just as we were in 2015 and 2017, fans were left very disappointed as nothing was revealed. Those hoping for the announcement that even just the TRON Lightcycle Power Run coaster would be coming to Anaheim were left with zilch, yet again.
Walt Disney Company
Disneyland in particular desperately needs a new Tomorrowland, one with the same thought put into it as that of the the recently opened Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. But before we get into how Tomorrowland can and must be fixed, we must explain its complicated history going back to Walt Disney’s era. Because in a way, Tomorrowland has been an issue since day one.
The History of Tomorrowland
Walt Disney Company
Tomorrowland was one of Walt Disney’s original lands when Disneyland opened in 1955. But the Tomorrowland of opening day was far different than what would appear in later years. The other lands from opening day have remained more or less the same aesthetically, as they represent the past. But Tomorrowland is meant to represent the future. And as Yoda once said “always in motion is the future.”
The 1955 Tomorrowland was mostly made up of pavilions showing off future technologies by a variety of corporate sponsors, and things like the House of the Future. By 1959, the Submarine Voyage was added, along with the Tomorrowland Monorail. But just a decade later, the land was already dated and needed an update.
The First “New Tomorrowland”
Walt Disney Company
In 1967, the new Tomorrowland opened. New innovative attractions were added like the dark ride “Journey Through Inner Space,” and the Rocket Jets were given a NASA/Apollo mission-style makeover. Going through the entire land was the People Mover, which allowed guests to wind their way through area at a leisurely pace. The entire land was given a very ’60s design aesthetic, which evoked the art of futurist artist Syd Mead. A decade later, Tomorrowland was given its signature attraction: Space Mountain. This era is considered “peak” Tomorrowland by most fans.
As the ’80s rolled around, a few key new attractions were added to the land, primarily Star Tours, and the 3D movie experience Captain EO. But in the era of Space Shuttles, the rocket jets were hopelessly dated (although still fun). So was the Submarine Voyage, and Mission to Mars. Even by that time, park guests were jokingly referring to the area as “Yesterdayland.”
Tomorrowland ’98
Walt Disney Company
In 1998, Disney decided it was finally time to give Tomorrowland a proper update. Although ambitious plans for a Tomorrowland 2055 were considered, what fans ultimately got was less than thrilling. Realizing that the land constantly becoming dated was a problem, they sought to solve this issue by evoking Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland. There, a Jules Verne-esque steampunk vision of the future was in play. This was a good idea on its surface. But instead of knocking down the old Tomorrowland and starting over with that theme, a far less innovative—and likely cheaper—idea was put forward.
Walt Disney Company
A sort of steampunk layover would happen on the existing buildings, along with a new brown and gold paint job. But it was a mismatch from the word go. All the 60s looking buildings simply didn’t go with the new retro-future looking rides like the Astro Orbiter. The old People Mover was replaced with a “high-speed” ride called the Rocket Rods. Captain EO was replaced with a new show called “Honey I Shrunk the Audience,” while the Submarine Voyage was closed, leaving a big empty lagoon. Only Space Mountain and Star Tours remained.
Within a year, there were problems. The Rocket Rods had to close down, because the old People Mover tracks weren’t built for a high speed ride and had begun to crack. Innoventions used the old Carousel of Progress building to show off new tech. But with an Apple store in every mall, this hardly drew in any crowds. And just about everyone hated the brown and gold hued Space Mountain. Tomorrowland ’98 was a cheap and ugly mish-mash, with a lack of a cohesive theme. Eventually, the old color scheme slowly crept back in, and now only a few vestiges of the ’98 re-do remain.
Yesterdayland
Walt Disney Company
Today, Tomorrowland in Disneyland is the park’s biggest eyesore. Magic Kingdom’s is better, but not by much. Tomorrowland seems totally beneath Disney’s impeccable standards of theming. The old People Mover tracks still stand there, rotting away—a constant visual reminder of when the land was thriving. Similarly, the old Rocket Jets loading area stands empty. Autopia is more outdated than ever. If kids want to experience a cool car themed ride, there’s Cars Land across the way in California Adventure. Innoventions, now Star Wars Launch Bay, feels like a huge waste of real estate. The Finding Nemo update to the Submarine Voyage was an improvement, but not a big enough one. In modern slang, it’s what one would refer to as a hot mess.
How To Save The Future
Walt Disney Company
For Tomorrowland in Disneyland to thrive, it must let go of the past. Of course, Space Mountain is too iconic and beloved to remove. But everything else has got to go in order for a new and vibrant and actually futuristic land to take shape. Which means that yes, almost the entire land as it now has got to be bulldozed. Things like the People Mover tracks and the old Rocket Jets platform only serve to remind guests of a much greater land that is now gone.
But what to put in its place? The first obvious answer is the Anaheim version of TRON Lightcycle Power Run Coaster. This has been a huge hit in Shanghai Disneyland, and is being constructed for Walt Disney World now. It’s high time one of these was announced for Disneyland as well. Next to Space Mountain, these attractions could anchor the new land. It is a large enough ride to take over the space currently occupied by Innoventions, the Submarine Voyage and Autopia, but it’s worth it.
Walt Disney Company
And as much as I love it, Star Tours has to go, too. If needed, it could always move to Galaxy’s Edge. But both the old Adventure Through Inner Space and Circe Vision buildings from 1967 have served their purpose. Whatever takes their place has to be new and exciting. We know Walt Disney Imagineering has got it in them to create an amazing looking new Tomorrowland. The version we see know in Shanghai Disneyland is a testament to that. There is so much amazing new technology that Imagineering could incorporate to create mind-blowing attractions. And the advancements in LED lighting could make for a land that comes alive at night like never before.
Walt Disney Company
One can’t help but wonder if the 2014 Brad Bird film Tomorrowland had been a hit, if we’d be celebrating the rebirth of this land right now. But a new Tomorrowland shouldn’t depend on whether its name branded IP clicked or not. Here’s hoping that by the next D23 Expo, Disney finally gives fans what they want. And that Disneyland’s 70th anniversary is celebrated with the all-new world of the future we deserve.
Header Image: Walt Disney Company
The post Why a New Tomorrowland is Long Overdue at Disneyland appeared first on Nerdist.
Fans of Disney Parks are some of the most loyal and patient in all of pop culture fandom. But even our patience is wearing thin when it comes to waiting for news of Disney’s much needed update for one of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s signature lands—Tomorrowland.
With this most recent D23 Expo, rumors were swirling that we would finally get news of a new Tomorrowland coming to the U.S. theme parks, specifically to Disneyland. But just as we were in 2015 and 2017, fans were left very disappointed as nothing was revealed. Those hoping for the announcement that even just the TRON Lightcycle Power Run coaster would be coming to Anaheim were left with zilch, yet again.
Walt Disney Company
Disneyland in particular desperately needs a new Tomorrowland, one with the same thought put into it as that of the the recently opened Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. But before we get into how Tomorrowland can and must be fixed, we must explain its complicated history going back to Walt Disney’s era. Because in a way, Tomorrowland has been an issue since day one.
The History of Tomorrowland
Walt Disney Company
Tomorrowland was one of Walt Disney’s original lands when Disneyland opened in 1955. But the Tomorrowland of opening day was far different than what would appear in later years. The other lands from opening day have remained more or less the same aesthetically, as they represent the past. But Tomorrowland is meant to represent the future. And as Yoda once said “always in motion is the future.”
The 1955 Tomorrowland was mostly made up of pavilions showing off future technologies by a variety of corporate sponsors, and things like the House of the Future. By 1959, the Submarine Voyage was added, along with the Tomorrowland Monorail. But just a decade later, the land was already dated and needed an update.
The First “New Tomorrowland”
Walt Disney Company
In 1967, the new Tomorrowland opened. New innovative attractions were added like the dark ride “Journey Through Inner Space,” and the Rocket Jets were given a NASA/Apollo mission-style makeover. Going through the entire land was the People Mover, which allowed guests to wind their way through area at a leisurely pace. The entire land was given a very ’60s design aesthetic, which evoked the art of futurist artist Syd Mead. A decade later, Tomorrowland was given its signature attraction: Space Mountain. This era is considered “peak” Tomorrowland by most fans.
As the ’80s rolled around, a few key new attractions were added to the land, primarily Star Tours, and the 3D movie experience Captain EO. But in the era of Space Shuttles, the rocket jets were hopelessly dated (although still fun). So was the Submarine Voyage, and Mission to Mars. Even by that time, park guests were jokingly referring to the area as “Yesterdayland.”
Tomorrowland ’98
Walt Disney Company
In 1998, Disney decided it was finally time to give Tomorrowland a proper update. Although ambitious plans for a Tomorrowland 2055 were considered, what fans ultimately got was less than thrilling. Realizing that the land constantly becoming dated was a problem, they sought to solve this issue by evoking Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland. There, a Jules Verne-esque steampunk vision of the future was in play. This was a good idea on its surface. But instead of knocking down the old Tomorrowland and starting over with that theme, a far less innovative—and likely cheaper—idea was put forward.
Walt Disney Company
A sort of steampunk layover would happen on the existing buildings, along with a new brown and gold paint job. But it was a mismatch from the word go. All the 60s looking buildings simply didn’t go with the new retro-future looking rides like the Astro Orbiter. The old People Mover was replaced with a “high-speed” ride called the Rocket Rods. Captain EO was replaced with a new show called “Honey I Shrunk the Audience,” while the Submarine Voyage was closed, leaving a big empty lagoon. Only Space Mountain and Star Tours remained.
Within a year, there were problems. The Rocket Rods had to close down, because the old People Mover tracks weren’t built for a high speed ride and had begun to crack. Innoventions used the old Carousel of Progress building to show off new tech. But with an Apple store in every mall, this hardly drew in any crowds. And just about everyone hated the brown and gold hued Space Mountain. Tomorrowland ’98 was a cheap and ugly mish-mash, with a lack of a cohesive theme. Eventually, the old color scheme slowly crept back in, and now only a few vestiges of the ’98 re-do remain.
Yesterdayland
Walt Disney Company
Today, Tomorrowland in Disneyland is the park’s biggest eyesore. Magic Kingdom’s is better, but not by much. Tomorrowland seems totally beneath Disney’s impeccable standards of theming. The old People Mover tracks still stand there, rotting away—a constant visual reminder of when the land was thriving. Similarly, the old Rocket Jets loading area stands empty. Autopia is more outdated than ever. If kids want to experience a cool car themed ride, there’s Cars Land across the way in California Adventure. Innoventions, now Star Wars Launch Bay, feels like a huge waste of real estate. The Finding Nemo update to the Submarine Voyage was an improvement, but not a big enough one. In modern slang, it’s what one would refer to as a hot mess.
How To Save The Future
Walt Disney Company
For Tomorrowland in Disneyland to thrive, it must let go of the past. Of course, Space Mountain is too iconic and beloved to remove. But everything else has got to go in order for a new and vibrant and actually futuristic land to take shape. Which means that yes, almost the entire land as it now has got to be bulldozed. Things like the People Mover tracks and the old Rocket Jets platform only serve to remind guests of a much greater land that is now gone.
But what to put in its place? The first obvious answer is the Anaheim version of TRON Lightcycle Power Run Coaster. This has been a huge hit in Shanghai Disneyland, and is being constructed for Walt Disney World now. It’s high time one of these was announced for Disneyland as well. Next to Space Mountain, these attractions could anchor the new land. It is a large enough ride to take over the space currently occupied by Innoventions, the Submarine Voyage and Autopia, but it’s worth it.
Walt Disney Company
And as much as I love it, Star Tours has to go, too. If needed, it could always move to Galaxy’s Edge. But both the old Adventure Through Inner Space and Circe Vision buildings from 1967 have served their purpose. Whatever takes their place has to be new and exciting. We know Walt Disney Imagineering has got it in them to create an amazing looking new Tomorrowland. The version we see know in Shanghai Disneyland is a testament to that. There is so much amazing new technology that Imagineering could incorporate to create mind-blowing attractions. And the advancements in LED lighting could make for a land that comes alive at night like never before.
Walt Disney Company
One can’t help but wonder if the 2014 Brad Bird film Tomorrowland had been a hit, if we’d be celebrating the rebirth of this land right now. But a new Tomorrowland shouldn’t depend on whether its name branded IP clicked or not. Here’s hoping that by the next D23 Expo, Disney finally gives fans what they want. And that Disneyland’s 70th anniversary is celebrated with the all-new world of the future we deserve.
Header Image: Walt Disney Company
The post Why a New Tomorrowland is Long Overdue at Disneyland appeared first on Nerdist.
Although fans have been shipping characters together since the Star Trek franchise began, one popular same-sex relationship almost saw canon representation onscreen. This is the story of Julian Bashir and Elim Garak—the gay relationship on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that never was.
For more than 50 years, the Star Trek franchise has stood as a landmark for diversity when it comes to television. The Original Series saw women in a position of authority, a Japanese helmsman, a sympathetic Russian character during the red scare, and one of the first interracial kisses in television history. Later series like Deep Space Nine and Voyager respectively introduced a black man and a woman as captains—which broke even more new ground.
To many fans, one of the major draws of Star Trek has always been its willingness to champion diversity and boldly go where other shows cowered away. However, in terms of diversity and representation, there is one glaring area in which, until very recently, Star Trek has lacked: sexuality.
Fans have been vocal about the distinct lack of LGBTQ+ representation in Star Trek since as early as The Next Generation. One episode, which would act as an allegory to the AIDS crisis, was notoriously scrapped after producer Rick Berman opposed the concept—not wanting to touch on such a “risqué” idea that could offend the sensibilities of viewing audiences. But it didn’t end there. In fact, it wasn’t until 2017—51 years after Star Trek first began—that Star Trek introduced a canonical romantic relationship between two characters of the same sex.
However, in another world, this might not have been the case.
It all began with the introduction of Elim Garak who, by all accounts, was supposed to be a one-off character. A mysterious Cardassian tailor living aboard Deep Space Nine, Garak was supposed to show up; make conversation with the station’s doctor, Julian Bashir, to help move the plot along; and then bow out—never to be seen again. But when the writers of Deep Space Nine saw actor Andrew Robinson bringing Garak to life, they knew they had the makings of a great character on their hands.
So, thankfully, they decided to keep him around. Over the course of Deep Space Nine’s run, Garak made thirty-three appearances and is generally regarded as one of the most interesting and complex characters that Star Trek has ever produced. However, fans weren’t just drawn to Garak because of his charismatic personality—many viewers seemed to have picked up on a certain chemistry between Garak and the aforementioned Doctor Bashir.
Bashir, the other half of the relationship, was initially planned to be the show’s “ladies’ man.” Constantly chasing after a different woman every week, Bashir was a young, handsome, intelligent doctor with a passion for his work and an inability to understand when he was being rejected. So, when the writers decided to give Bashir the expositional scenes with Garak, I can’t imagine that they could have predicted what would happen next.
Almost immediately, fans picked up on the sparks that flew between Bashir and Garak during their introduction. In Andrew Robinson’s own words, when Garak first sees Bashir, he describes the look on his face as “wanting to eat him.” The tension is palpable. Garak is knowing, mysterious, and seems to be playing with the young doctor. Bashir looks flustered and innocent—unsure of how to respond to the thinly veiled advances from this mysterious Cardassian.
However, the scene ends, and the plot moves forward. But for Garak and Bashir, the story doesn’t end there. The duo begins having daily lunches together, engaging in frequent arguments over literature. To those unfamiliar with Deep Space Nine, this might seem like friendly banter, if not for the fact that a few seasons later, the show goes to the effort of explicitly explaining that for Cardassians, arguing is akin to mating behavior.
Episode after episode of lunch dates and playful banter finally came to a head in the season two episode “The Wire.” In it, Bashir supports Garak through a painful withdrawal and helps him cure a crippling addiction to painkillers. The entirety of the episode is dedicated to the relationship between the two of them, and Bashir spends hours at Garak’s bedside, standing vigil even when Garak is unconscious.
For fans of the relationship, it seemed like things couldn’t get any better. After all, such an emotionally charged episode could only naturally progress into the duo solidifying their relationship, right? Wrong. Mysteriously, after “The Wire” aired, the two began to have fewer and fewer scenes together. Out of the blue, a beautiful young Cardassian woman named Ziyal was written in as a love interest for Garak, and Bashir suddenly struck up a close friendship with Chief Engineer Miles O’Brien.
To some viewers, the characters seemed to have just drifted apart, but over the years, the cast and crew of the show have made it clear that this wasn’t the case. Interviews over the years at various cons have brought to light the fact that executive producer Rick Berman (the same producer who canned the TNG AIDS episode) told Deep Space Nine’s writers to stop giving Garak and Bashir scenes together. Andrew Robinson was reportedly told to “tone down” his portrayal.
In Robinson’s own words during an Amazon.com interview, “I started out playing Garak as someone who doesn’t have a defined sexuality. He’s not gay, he’s not straight, it’s a non-issue for him. Basically, his sexuality is inclusive. But—it’s Star Trek and there were a couple of things working against that. Originally … I loved the man’s absolute fearlessness about presenting himself to an attractive Human being. The fact that the attractive Human being is a man (Bashir) doesn’t make any difference to him. For the most part, the writers supported the character beautifully, but in that area, they just made a choice they didn’t want to go there, and if they don’t want to go there I can’t, because the writing doesn’t support it.”
In the recent Deep Space Nine documentary What We Left Behind, showrunner/executive producer Ira Steven Behr admitted that he felt that Deep Space Nine should have pursued Garak and Bashir’s relationship after “The Wire” and let their narrative run its course. While the pair may not be Star Trek’s first canonical gay relationship, they will always be remembered as the romance that could have been.
(image: CBS)
Lauren Coates is a film and Chicago-based student with a weakness for junk food, a passion for film & television, and a constant yearning to be at Disney World. You can find her on Twitter @laurenjcoates and read more of her work on Culturess.
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“I am a project manager. I am a mentor. I am an entrepreneur. And as a person with a mental illness, I can say that I tend to live my life in duality. On one hand, I wake up, get dressed, go to work, mentor and am very sociable. But on the other hand, something happens to trigger an emotion and causes me to withdraw. Whether I am alone or in public, I am alone in my thoughts. And in those moments, all I want to do is stay isolated. Now, for those that don’t understand these feelings, one cannot explain why one feels bad, it’s just there; menial tasks become much harder and can be a mission for us.”
Dr. Whitley, Principal Investigator of the Social Psychiatry Research and Interest Group, and his graduate student, Marie Eve-Boucher, conducted a series of interviews with individuals with a range of mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder. The purpose of their research was to learn more about the dating and romantic experiences of individuals living with mental illness.
The study revealed that only 15 percent of participants were currently involved in a romantic relationship. The rest almost unanimously stated that they strongly desired a satisfying and rewarding romantic relationship.
Will shared insight into the trials of living with a mental health diagnosis and maintaining his love life.
“The hardest and yet rewarding part of being in a mental illness is trying to maintain your own mental health while trying to be in a relationship. It can serve to be difficult because of several reasons. For me, what has made it difficult is trying to gauge how your partner will react when you 1) inform them you have a mental illness and 2) have a mood swing or a depressive bout. Not only is it difficult, you possess a fear of even sharing or being vulnerable BECAUSE of what you perceive to be their reaction based on the story in your head. You have the feeling that you already have to face others that don’t know you well and are misunderstood about mental illnesses and you don’t want to have to face that with someone that you are trying to build with. When I was trying to find a partner, I have tried being completely open about my mental illness. For most, that was where the conversation ended. For some, they were willing to deal with it, only to realize that they didn’t know what dealing with it meant, which caused the relationship to end or become toxic.”
What’s the biggest barrier to dating? The pervasive stigma around mental health in the black community. I have been working as a social worker for 7 years, and all of my clients diagnosed with a mental illness are overwhelmingly Black and Latino. Still, the shame of seeking out help and talking about our suffering as a community is still a struggle. I’ve done extensive work serving mentally ill adults in the NYC area, and the sentiment surrounding dating and relationships has been the same. Humans are meant to have a companion, regardless of their brain chemistry. Breaking down the stigma and creating more dialogue around mental health will help all of us as a community to support each other, and in some cases, find love.
Will discusses finding love and the benefits of having a supportive partner.
“Currently, I have been in my current relationship for over two years. I have learned to take the mistakes of my past and use them as a learning experience. But learning has been two-fold. Relating to someone you love who has a mental illness can be difficult and frustrating, but there are strategies you can use to improve your communication with them. There may be a lot you don’t know about how your lover sees things when they’re symptomatic. My girlfriend has learned, although not easy, what it means to deal with someone with a mental illness, and what steps to take so that it is a bearable experience. Most important, she has learned to love the whole me and vice versa. She has learned to love my flaws as I have learned to love hers but still help me see opportunities for improvement. She has taught me that a shared joy is a double joy and a shared sorrow is a half sorrow. When I hurt, she does and vice versa. Every diamond has imperfections and it takes a special person to see the beauty within it.”
Dr. Whitley remarks that “romance and dating are an integral part of our culture, as witnessed by the ever-expanding array of dating apps. But people with mental illness often report considerable discrimination in the dating market.”
Will offers some advice for those hesitant to date due to a mental health diagnosis.
“For those in relationships or seeking a relationship, I implore you to be vulnerable. I implore to seek therapy. It is okay to not be okay. Those that will stay, are worth staying with. Mental illnesses are just as real an illness as diabetes or heart disease. It must be treated with care, because there can be serious side effects. Depression and other mental illnesses don’t have a ‘look’. It isn’t always suicide notes, pills and therapy. Sometimes, it’s all smiles and fake laughter as a façade to hide the pain. Depression is like an onion. Allow yourself to have someone peel each layer away and you will learn a lot about yourself. Sometimes people can’t just pick themselves up — they need patience, communication, love and most of all understanding.”