Before Disney Imagineers begin building new themed lands at the Anaheim theme park resort, many fans hope that Tomorrowland, a futuristic-themed land designed to allow guests to experience the innovations of tomorrow, doesn’t get left in the past.
Walt Disney once described Tomorrowland as “a vista into a world of wondrous ideas” and “a step into the future,” but, according to many Disneyland fans, present-day Tomorrowland is anything but that.
The futuristic-themed land, home to fan-favorite attractions like Space Mountain and Autopia, contains some issues, like abandoned buildings and the remains of Disneyland’s PeopleMover, which has been dormant for decades.
Disneyland’s Tomorrowland throughout the years
December 1960: The entrance to Tomorrowland at Disneyland in California. (Alan Band/Keystone Features/Getty Images) 
The People Mover and Rocket Jet rides in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. Anahiem, California. (Ted Streshinsky/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) 
Aerial view from Disneyland Skyway gondola, which transports riders between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, as it passes over ‘Submarine Voyage’ attraction at Disneyland, June 1, 1981 in Anaheim, California. (Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images) 
Exterior view of Launch Bay, located in the heart of Tomorrowland, that features Star Wars characters, video games, galleries of treasured memorabilia, authentic replicas of large-scale artifacts, during the media preview of Star Wars Season of The Force on Nov. 12, 2015 in Anaheim, California.(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) 
Guests ride inside the Monorail in the Tomorrowland area at Walt Diney Co.’s Disneyland Park, part of the Disneyland Resort, in Anaheim, California, U.S., on Friday, May 24, 2013. (Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images 
In this handout photo provided by Disneyland Resort, Guests arrive in Tomorrowland at the Disneyland Resort on April 30, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort via Getty Images) 
In this handout photo provided by Disneyland Resort, Guests watch the rides in Tomorrowland at the Disneyland Resort on April 30, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort via Getty Images)
For years, fans have urged Disney to revamp Tomorrowland. Some fans would prefer a complete overhaul, while others want more rides and entertainment added to the area. These hopeful ideas can often be misconstrued as facts within the Disney fandom.
Still, a Tomorrowland revamp may not be as far-fetched as some Disney fans think. In 2019, Disney released concept art showcasing a new entrance to the land. However, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those plans never materialized.
Following the passage of Disneyland Forward and the upcoming D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience, potential Tomorrowland revamp rumors began to circulate again, but this time, they may not be so easily dismissible.
KTLA spoke with theme park creators about the likelihood of a Tomorrowland revamp being on the horizon.
Carly Caramanna, a theme park and travel journalist, believes that the current Tomorrowland revamp rumors are somewhat viable, mostly due to Disneyland Forward’s recent approval and Disney’s announcement of the electrification of Autopia.
“Anyone that goes there (Tomorrowland) can see that so much of the infrastructure and buildings just kind of sit in plain sight, empty or underutilized,” Caramanna said.
“You know, we have the PeopleMover track still up there that you could see in plain sight, and I think now that they have announced that Autopia, which is an opening day Tomorrowland attraction, will be fully electric. It seems like they are going to invest money in the land. And I feel like that was a really good sign of, ‘Hey, maybe they are working something out.’”
Gavin Doyle, the founder of MickeyVisit.com, also believes that a Tomorrowland revamp could be on the horizon but is skeptical that Disney feels the same way.
“All the necessary pieces feel like they’re in place, meaning we know that there’s a budget approved for the parks, we know that Disneyland is focused on long-term planning. We know that they need some quick wins,” Doyle told KTLA.
“They have these bigger expansion plans for the future, but we need something in the near term to deliver, and so maybe there’s some version of a Tomorrowland review that is a quicker, or faster turnaround; I hope they do more than just an overlay… like Tiana’s Palace or San Fransokyo, which is really just a dressing up of an existing place.”
In a statement to KTLA, Disneyland officials said they don’t have any news regarding Tomorrowland, but for any news or updates coming out of D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience, folks should stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog.
