May 15, 2015

Tomorrowland 1966 Map

This is an absolute kick! Picture if you will what Disneyland's world of the future looked like prior to the grand opening of the incredible 1967 revisioning. Tomorrowland was quite a spectacular blend of the "now" and the future that would be. The beloved and often malfunctioning Flying Saucers was found here, as was the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which flipped back and forth over the years between being in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

A closer look reveals two Autopias, the Douglas Rocket to the Moon, plus a few free exhibits. It is interesting to note that ticket designations are not found on this page. It's something they would add later, making even easier for guests to use the guidebook land by land and decide how to spend those precious coupons.

The most interesting fact of all to be noticed is that the buildings which form the basic entrance of Tomorrowland have remained in place since the opening in 1955. From Monsanto's original Hall of Chemistry on to Adventure Thru Inner Space to Star Tours v1 and v2, the building structures have endured. Same story across the way with the space moving from its early use onto America the Beautiful to the entry for Rocket Rods and now Buzz Lightyear's home. 

Count me in the group that says it's time to totally re-Imagineer the land. What would you design for it?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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