Yesterday's Tomorrow

In the last article on this blog, we took a long look at a vintage shot from the Magic Kingdom, discovering many forgotten details. One of these was the giant waterfall pylons at the entrance to Tomorrowland. In today's 1975 shot from Daveland.com (photo used with permission), we get a better view of this classic Tomorrowland scene.

Look closely, and you can see jets of water shooting down the face of the pylons and cascading over the sky blue tile walls on either side. The water effects here didn't last and in 1983 were replaced with colorful paint on the pylons and a tile pattern on the walls, all of which lasted another decade until the launch of New Tomorrowland in 1993-94.

In this photo, you can also make out the entrance to the rose garden on the left. Here, the marquee still reads "Plaza Swan Boats." The boats operated from 1973-1983.

In the distance are the spires of Space Mountain and the spinning rocket ships of the Star Jets (where the Astro Orbiter stands today). Now, you may notice that at the beginning of this article, I referred to the photo at the top as a "classic" Tomorrowland scene. It is not, however, the original view of Tomorrowland. When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, Tomorrowland consisted of only Flight to the Moon and "America the Beautiful" in CircleVision 360, both on the main concourse, along with the Skyway to Fantasyland and Grand Prix Raceway on the outskirts of the land.

This 1972 shot from the Skyway provides a rare glimpse at this corner of the Magic Kingdom at a time when there was precious little for anyone to photograph. There's a whole series of planters and trees that no longer exist, plus the back of the white Tomorrowland ticket booth that is still there today in the form of a Disney Vacation Club kiosk.

The entire center of the land is filled with nothing more than an early (and particularly groovy) version of a Tomorrowland stage and a cluster of colorful picnic tables. The Star Jets wouldn't rise here until November 1974. They were the first link in a major expansion of Tomorrowland that also included the addition of Space Mountain (Jan '75), the General Electric Carousel of Progress (Jan '75) and the WEDway PeopleMover (July '75). Interestingly, you can see some of the support framework for the PeopleMover track even in this early photo. Perhaps it and the Star Jets were planned additions simply put on hold in the push to get the Magic Kingdom opened.

Finally, just beyond the disco orange walls of the stage facility, you can make out some obvious construction. The dirt pile on the left would later become the site of Carousel of Progress, but the work seen in this photo was most likely associated with the preparation of "If You Had Wings." This classic ride-through attraction, sponsored by the now-defunct Eastern Airlines, opened in the summer of '72. The building went through several iterations over the years, before becoming Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in 1998.

Flashback: Ticket Booths

This tiny kiosk near The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is another blast to the Fantasyland past. It's one of only two remaining ticket booths in the park.

During the first decade of operation at Walt Disney World, Guests paid one admission price to get into the Magic Kingdom, and then purchased books of tickets good for individual attractions. The tickets were labeled "A" through "E" with the "E" tickets being the most expensive. As you can see from this 1977 guidebook, Fantasyland offered the full range of attraction experiences:

Those attractions sponsored by major corporations, such as General Electric's Carousel of Progress and Eastern Airlines' "If You Had Wings," were offered to Guests for free with their general admission. When EPCOT Center opened in 1982, nearly every attraction in the park had a sponsor, so the decision was made to phase out ticket books in favor of the World Passport ticket, allowing admission to the park and all attractions and experiences.

The old ticket booths in the Magic Kingdom were converted to information kiosks and later offered film and other merchandise. At one time, there were seven of these kiosks throughout the park. Today, the only ones which remain are the booth in Fantasyland and this location in Tomorrowland, now the site of a Disney Vacation Club kiosk:

A Vibrant Community

Rockettower Plaza is the central hub of activity in the city of Tomorrowland. Just as in any community, there are businesses and services here to provide for the needs of residents, commuters and tourists alike. Whether it's dining at The Lunching Pad and Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies or shopping at Mickey's Star Traders or the exotic Merchant of Venus, there's always something to do in the heart of the city.

For cultural enrichment, pay a visit to the Metro Retro Historical Society's presentation of Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. This flying saucer-based living museum has touched down in Tomorrowland for a limited time.

Step through the portal and be transported all the way back to the 20th century for a look at mankind's progress over the years, but unlike a traditional museum display you won't just stand around looking at static displays. Here, the displays come to life and come to you!

Your Future Is Calling

While visiting the city of Tomorrowland, stay in touch by stepping into a Metrophone booth, like this one provided by the Galactic Communications Network in Rockettower Plaza. Calls on the GCN Metrophone are always toll free from anywhere in the galaxy, "bringing worlds closer together."

This phone booth in Tomorrowland, added during the area's 1994 update, was originally part of a pair (the other being located where Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin stroller parking is today). Guests standing in one booth could see and speak to Guests standing in the other booth across the plaza, creating a closed-circuit video phone. The gag never really worked as well as imagined, and ultimately the other booth was removed to help open up a crowded area of the park.

In 1999, a small enhancement project was undertaken to bring the remaining Metrophone booth to life in a way that would also add a fun, interactive element to Tomorrowland. I was fortunate enough to be part of that enhancement team as Show Writer for the project. It was one of the most enjoyable assignments I ever got. The challenge was coming up with so many one-sided telephone "conversations" (hence, the large percentage of voice mail messages). The reward was being able to add layers of richness and detail to the story of the land, along with incorporating a few nods to Tomorrowland's past.

What follows is the full script for the Metrophone show. Each time a button on the phone is pressed, the next bit plays in sequence. The voice "actors" heard included our Producer, Sound Engineer and other Imagineers who were available... what's often referred to in the halls of WDI as a "No-Dough Production."

Hello, and thank you for calling the Intergalactic Movie Line, Tomorrowland's direct link to worlds of entertainment. Now playing at the Solar System Cineplex – Attack of the 50-foot Earthling, presented in CosmoScope.

You have reached the Psychic Robots Network. We knew you'd be calling. Please deposit 25 quarks for the first minute, 15 quarks for each additional minute. They're in your left pocket. Thank you.

Hello, dear. Thanks for calling. (Distracted by noises in background) Hayley Comet! Be quiet. Can't you see I'm on the phone? (Back to conversational tone) Kids these days, they think the worlds revolve around them. You were saying…?

You've reached the Star Command Crime Watch Hotline. Be on the lookout for Rusty Rip-off, the robot robber. He was last seen at Rockettower Plaza South, wearing a hat. That is all.

Hiya, babe! It's your agent, Johnny Jupiter. You called? Anyway, I have to call you right back. I'm in a meeting with my #1 client – er, I mean #2 client, Sonny Eclipse. You're always #1 in my book, baby. You know that. Let's do launch! (CLICK)

You've reached Omega-5277. I'm either not home or just screening my calls. And if this is that spacey creep, Zigorx – STOP CALLING ME! I told you, I don't date Martians who are 300 years older than me – at least, not slimy ones like you! Anyone else, leave me a message and I'll call you right back. Love ya. Bye!

Earth Crust Pizza. We deliver anywhere in the Solar System in less than two light years or your order is free. Can you hold, please? (Hold Music: "Now is the Time" – instrumental version) Thanks for holding. I had to take that incoming call from Saturn. They hardly ever give us a ring!

Hi! This is Colleena Lunar, your friendly Rocket Realty representative. If you want space, Rocket Realty's the place! And do I have a space for you! It's a lovely two-bedroom sky-rise in the Hoverburbs, a short commute from downtown Tomorrowland. Remember, in the Hoverburbs, real estate is always looking up!

This is Tomorrowland News Network's Corona Borealis with your local time and weather. As always, it's going to be a great big beautiful tomorrow, and at the tone, the time will be – now! (BEEP)

Of course, "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and "Now Is the Time" are references to songs from the Carousel of Progress. Other bits make reference to Sonny Eclipse, the lounge lizard playing Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, as well as elements found in graphics and other details throughout Tomorrowland.

For those of you wondering, "Why an old-fashioned pay phone in futuristic Tomorrowland?" remember the design of this Tomorrowland was inspired by past visions of the future. Everything here is meant to represent advanced technology, but through the imagination of machine age visionaries. They never could have dreamed of the mobile phones we use today. Instead, they would have pictured a fancier version of the phones with which they were already familiar.

A City on the Move

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority provides for all the transportation needs of the citizens of Tomorrowland. Whether commuting from the Hoverburbs on the Green Line or heading out of town on the Red Line, it's the transportation system of choice for all human, alien and robot passengers.

The TTA Blue Line Express is the perfect solution for intra-city transport, with stops at Rockettower Plaza Station and destinations throughout this metropolis of the future. Need a trip to the beauty parlor? Just hop on one of our trains, and we'll take you there!

TTA is the delivery method of choice for popular Tomorrowland businesses like Pan Galactic and Earth Crust Pizza, too.

Looking for something educational for the kids? The Tomorrowland Metro Retro Historical Society presents a display along the TTA line of Walt Disney's 20th-century vision of the future. This so-called "Progress City" debuted as part of the Progressland pavilion at the 1964-65 World's Fair, in New York City on the planet Earth, where it was seen as part of the upper level post-show to the Carousel of Progress. Now, you can see it here as you ride by in the comfortable trains of the TTA!

Of course, the Blue Line Express route of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority is presently undergoing refurbishment. The line is expected to reopen in late August, so we'll see you again... in the future!