Now’s one of the best time (sing it with me) for Walt Disney World to reimagine Tomorrowland, and there’s motive to consider updates may lastly be on the horizon beginning in 2026. There are a number of sights which can be nicely previous their prime, and different initiatives Imagineering is at the moment engaged on in Magic Kingdom and past counsel that they’re laying the inspiration for redevelopment of Tomorrowland.
This isn’t a brand new downside neither is it distinctive to Walt Disney World. The Tomorrowland downside is well-documented, and we really really feel slightly responsible about advocating for an overhaul of Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World at the same time as Disneyland’s model clearly wants it extra. However who is aware of, perhaps these development partitions which were up for over 5 years across the entrance in Disneyland will lastly bear fruit someday earlier than 2055.
This isn’t to say Magic Kingdom’s imaginative and prescient of the longer term is the envy of theme park followers the world over. There’s a motive why our checklist of the Prime 10 Trip Reimaginings Wanted at Walt Disney World is dominated by Tomorrowland sights. The distinction is that this put up is not a want checklist. Moderately, it seems that Walt Disney Imagineering is on the precipice of fixing Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom. Or at the least bettering it significantly. So the titular query actually is extra about questioning whether or not the celebs have aligned and the time has lastly come…
After we first mentioned this chance of an overhaul, it appeared that Imagineering was teeing up a change of Tomorrowland as a part of the 10-year plan within the early 2030s as soon as the present 5-year plan involving Vehicles and Villains Land is completed. For the explanations mentioned under, it appeared possible that these and different initiatives would facilitate a Tomorrowland overhaul.
Now it’s wanting more and more probably that Imagineering takes a piecemeal method, and can begin to reimagine Tomorrowland earlier than then, with smaller-scale off-year initiatives undertaken to provide company a motive to go to between now and the 2030s when the Magic Kingdom growth is lastly completed.
With that in thoughts, right here’s an inventory of Tomorrowland initiatives that would introduced on the 2025 Vacation spot D23 or 2026 D23 Expo…
Sew’s Nice Reentrance
Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Sew” remake is using a field workplace wave to $772 million in worldwide ticket gross sales, rating because the second-biggest Hollywood launch of 2025 by way of solely its first three weekends. And Sew is displaying sturdy legs, placing it on a trajectory to change into the 12 months’s top-earning film and first $1 billion launch earlier than the month is over.
Explaining the sturdy efficiency for “Lilo & Sew” and its probability of breaking the billion-dollar barrier is its phrase of mouth and an distinctive response from moviegoers. The movie holds a 93% viewers rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore. Sew has a multi-generational fanbase, seeing a resurgence with youthful generations and endurance with millennials.
That is one other instance of the facility of Sew, one in all Disney’s most beloved characters and largest manufacturers based on the corporate. Past the enjoyable advertising marketing campaign, Disney has been touting the recognition of Sew and the standard of the animated movie from 2002 that has created an actual fandom–and is probably going already methods to construct on this ASAP, simply as they did again in 2002. As a result of the explanations for the remake’s recognition would additionally clarify why an attraction reboot would succeed.
Enter Sew’s Nice Reentrance, which could possibly be one other 2026 challenge introduced on the upcoming Vacation spot D23. Now for one thing controversial: Sew’s Nice Escape was underrated. This isn’t me taking part in revisionist historical past, solely lacking sights as soon as they’re extinct. I felt Sew’s Nice Escape was underrated even throughout its existence.
Underrated is a relative time period. So this isn’t to say that Sew’s Nice Escape was good (it undoubtedly wasn’t!), however that it was not as unhealthy as some followers made it out to be. Many referred to as it the worst attraction in Walt Disney World, which was just too harsh. Like so many followers my age who grew up on Walt Disney World, I had a tough time forgiving Sew’s Nice Escape for its authentic sin of changing the far superior Alien Encounter. However I nonetheless thought there have been nuggets of excellent concepts in Sew’s Nice Escape, and “good bones” on the attraction.
Sew’s Nice Escape had a strong pre-show set-up and the Audio Animatronics determine of the character was top-of-the-line created by Walt Disney Imagineering. It’s nonetheless fairly unbelievable, and alone might come near carrying a present. Greater than the rest, the issue is the writing, and Sew’s Nice Escape being a product of its time. It tried to be edgy and angsty, and that got here throughout as crude and cynical. It was off-putting.
It was virtually as if the present writers had by no means seen “Lilo & Sew,” or perhaps watched solely the primary ~half-hour and mentioned “we get the concept.” Sew’s enchantment is that he’s a lovable misfit with a giant coronary heart, and whereas his hijinks are a part of the enchantment, it’s his hotter facet that resonates. The excellent news is that the most affordable factor to repair in an attraction that doesn’t “work” is its script.
Imagineering might write circles across the outdated Sew’s Nice Escape, and inject contemporary life into this attraction in the same approach to what was accomplished with Nation Bear Musical Jamboree and the Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey. Whereas a completely new attraction on this house can be optimum, a fast reimagining using present belongings is probably the most environment friendly choice.
Sew’s Nice Escape 2.0 wouldn’t be a world-class attraction, nevertheless it might at the least understand a few of its potential and be high quality noon filler. It’s definitely higher than the established order of utilizing this house as a storage and break room. Walt Disney World wants some “singles and doubles” earlier than all the massive growth comes on-line, and this may be an enormous win on that entrance–respiratory new life into present house and restoring misplaced capability to Magic Kingdom. And it might theoretically debut in 2026 even when introduced at Vacation spot D23!
Area Mountain
There are rumors that Area Mountain is subsequent up for a monitor alternative in 2026 after Large Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens. To be clear, I’ve not heard these rumors from any credible sources. However with the Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin reimagining now official, it’s completely believable that Area Mountain could possibly be subsequent up in a phased overhaul of Tomorrowland.
Magic Kingdom has a number of medium-term initiatives to be completed earlier than 2030. Re-tracking of Area Mountain could possibly be amongst them. The explanations for this needs to be fairly easy to anybody who has ridden Area Mountain within the final decade or two.
Area Mountain was as soon as slated for a complete overhaul in 2009, however that as a substitute ended up being a multi-month challenge that concerned TLC however was largely beauty and thematic in nature. Over 15 years later, it’s protected to imagine the trip wants a re-tracking extra now than it does then. From what I perceive, curler coasters don’t age like wine.
Personally, I’m nonetheless skeptical that Area Mountain can be subsequent up in 2026. However I do assume a re-tracking is inevitable in some unspecified time in the future within the subsequent decade, and it’ll happen versus a demolition and rebuild a la Tokyo Disneyland. There merely isn’t sufficient house backstage for that, and it’s exhausting to fathom Walt Disney World desirous to spend that sum of money.
It actually turns into a query of when, not if, and making this a fully-fledged reimagining–versus only a re-tracking–to tie into a much bigger image Tomorrowland overhaul is smart. When paired with the aforementioned Sew’s Nice Escape and Buzz under, this could possibly be for a trifecta of Tomorrowland bulletins on the 2025 Vacation spot D23.
Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin
This one has already been formally introduced, so technically, we’ll hear new particulars about this challenge on the 2025 Vacation spot D23, which can be held mere weeks after the trip closes for its prolonged overhaul. (See Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin will shut for reimagining beginning in Fall 2025 and reopen someday in 2026.)
What we all know to date is that Imagineers are taking the bones of Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin and modernizing the attraction with improved gameplay, new handheld blasters, up to date trip automobiles, and quite a lot of enhancements together with a brand new present scene and Audio Animatronics character.
I really like the concept of this attraction as a shooter trip that makes use of bodily present scenes to make it partaking for company who need to benefit from the attraction passively. A few of the staging, props, and Audio Animatronics are actually cool. The interactivity is enjoyable, and Walt Disney World might use extra sights like this. These updates will breathe new life into Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin, doubtlessly making it one of the best incarnation of the ‘blasters’ trip on the earth.
When beforehand discussing a possible reimagining to this attraction, we identified that Tokyo Disneyland closed its newer, higher, and meticulously-maintained model of Astro Blasters. A few of its belongings could possibly be shipped to Walt Disney World and reused–there’s probably a treasure trove of props and figures that would improve the Magic Kingdom model.
Tomorrowland Speedway
Disney introduced a brand new Vehicles space in Magic Kingdom that can substitute the Rivers of America, leading to everlasting closures of Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat. This nonetheless may appear unrelated to Tomorrowland. It’s not.
There are a few pretty main connections. The Piston Peak space will characteristic two rides, each of which (shockingly) deal with Vehicles. One is a rally race that places company behind the wheel (type of) in a car that simulates the thrill of driving on numerous terrain.
We’ve referred to as this Tomorrowland Speedway on steroids–consider it as iterating on that attraction in a considerably related approach to what Avatar Flight of Passage does with Soarin. The distinction is that each of these sights are newer, extra common, and in numerous parks. There was no need for one to interchange the opposite.
In contrast, Tomorrowland Speedway sits on a big and invaluable plot of actual property in a park that Disney would very very similar to to develop with out constructing past the berm. Releasing up that house can be massively helpful, permitting for growth of Tomorrowland or Fantasyland.
This is able to be much like how the closure of the Grand Circuit Raceway at Tokyo Disneyland paved the way in which for Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast, The Joyful Trip with Baymax, and extra. There’s not sufficient room for all of that as a result of TRON, however there may be sufficient house for a consequential attraction.
Monsters, Inc. Snicker Flooring
Disney has additionally introduced the Monsters, Inc. Doorways Coaster and Monstropolis lastly coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As well as that coaster, there may also be a brand new present in Monstro Theater, which is proven within the idea artwork as taking on the house that previously housed MuppetVision 3D.
With that, the Monsters, Inc. Snicker Flooring in Tomorrowland turns into redundant. It’s not utterly clear whether or not Snicker Flooring goes to be relocated to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, however we doubt it. Even within the absence of this Monstropolis growth, Snicker Flooring is displaying its age and would in all probability be due for alternative within the subsequent 5 years.
Regardless, Walt Disney World doesn’t want two separate Monsters, Inc. exhibits in two separate parks. Monstropolis is one other medium-term transfer on the board that frees up house in an overhaul of Tomorrowland.
Carousel of Progress & PeopleMover
Inside the previous couple of years, Carousel of Progress and the TTA PeopleMover obtained minor updates to freshen them up. These weren’t blockbuster modifications, however have been incremental upgrades that have been additionally clearly ardour initiatives that demonstrated there are Imagineers engaged on to enhance Tomorrowland who “get it” and care.
Personally, I’ve combined emotions about extra formidable updates to each Carousel of Progress and the PeopleMover. If another person made this checklist, each could be on the prime of it. And I’m not suggesting that they don’t have room for enchancment–they completely do! I’d like to see new vignettes alongside the TTA, and I personally wouldn’t thoughts a ‘new’ model of Carousel of Progress that presents the attraction as a historic presentation of how the longer term was envisioned within the final century, versus the idiot’s errand of attempting to maintain in present.
On the identical time, I even have a “watch out what you would like for” voice in the back of my head, questioning if it’s higher that Disney leaves each nicely sufficient alone at this level. There isn’t as a lot draw back danger to the PeopleMover, however I worry a fully-funded Carousel of Progress overhaul might essentially alter the attraction, giving it a pointless IP integration to spice issues up (much like the deserted Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story). Perhaps this is the place Sew really finally ends up, with the mischief-maker added to that ‘ohana. He wouldn’t be so loveable if that occurred.
Tomorrowland ’55
Tomorrowland not has a definite visible id. There are remnants of the Area Age thrives and Googie structure of the unique Tomorrowland within the core buildings, a few of which have been introduced again to the fore throughout current streamlining. There’s nonetheless a melange of Streamline Moderne, Manufacturing facility Pomo and industrial design, which is what’s being peeled again. There’s additionally a hodgepodge of varied different stuff due to additions and partial removals.
There’s additionally TRON Lightcycle Energy Run with its swooping natural design and biomimicry options. This type of structure is in contrast to something at the moment present in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland, which is smart on condition that the trip was cloned from Shanghai Disneyland, the place it matches alongside that park’s distinctive Tomorrowland and metropolis itself. Walt Disney World will not be going to make the remainder of Tomorrowland resemble TRON, so there’s at all times going to be a level of discord. That’s completely effective.
The perfect case situation might be additional stripping away the hodgepodge to disclose the mid-century or streamline type beneath and including new thematic components harking back to Googie or Area Age design. That’s not the identical because the natural design of TRON Lightcycle Energy Run, however each share ultramodern bloodlines.
Personally, I believe that might work. Googie is tough to outline, however I believe it’s at the least adjoining to each the swooping traces of the PeopleMover monitor and the cover of TRON Lightcycle Run. Issues just like the Palms of Tomorrow are in all probability post-modern, but in addition can coexist peacefully alongside the biomimicry of TRON. There are kernels of concepts and thematic components that may exist in concord, and there’s nothing flawed with mixing types–not like all futuristic cities have a singular architectural id.
I additionally wouldn’t thoughts Walt Disney World absolutely leaning into nostalgia and restoring the unique entrance to Tomorrowland. There’s a motive that is the one factor Tokyo Disneyland isn’t touching in its Tomorrowland, and why Disneyland introduced a reimagined entrance that evokes this look. As a result of it holds up.
My private want checklist apart, all eyes needs to be on what occurs in the course of the Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin reimagining. The attraction will virtually definitely get a brand new facade and marquee–the prevailing exterior appears prefer it was thrown up as a part of an in a single day overlay, Spirit Halloween type. It was a product of the time and Imagineering might accomplish that a lot better immediately, which might additional enhance the look of Tomorrowland. I don’t doubt it’ll be higher, I’m extra interested by what type it’ll be in. As a result of that can probably set the tone for the initiatives to come back, and we’ll see related types used on inevitable initiatives across the Avenue of the Planets.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom? Suppose the land can be overhauled within the 2030s given the longer term redundancy of Tomorrowland Speedway and Monsters Snicker Flooring? Or do you assume we might get a Tomorrowland trifecta in 2026 with Area Mountain and Sew’s Nice Escape becoming a member of the Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin reimagining? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
