Disney’s Tomorrowland will stay stuck in the past.
A planned revamp of the longtime Disneyland attraction has been abandoned after executives determined the upgrade wouldn’t do much to bring in more crowds, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The first Tomorrowland update in 1967 brought in the Carousel of Progress, Adventure Thru Inner Space and the PeopleMover, while the second in 1998 added Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, Innoventions and the short-lived Rocket Rods.
Fans had looked forward to the “New New New Tomorrowland,” which was originally supposed to be finished in 2020.
But Disney leaders decided a third major overhaul of one of the theme park’s oldest areas “wouldn’t do enough to increase attendance” to justify the cost, despite some within the company pushing for the update, according to the Journal.
This decision shows how financial concerns now shape creative work at Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs Disney’s theme park attractions and other experiences.
Instead, the company is investing in projects it believes will drive greater growth, such as expanding popular franchises, launching new cruise ships and developing global park ventures, to the tune of over $60 billion.
The company has turned its attention to expanding and upgrading all six of its global resorts. This includes new Marvel attractions in Anaheim, a ride based on “Encanto” in Orlando and a “Lion King” land in Paris. The company is also designing a new park in Abu Dhabi and growing its cruise fleet from seven to 13 ships.
“This is by far the most ambitious period” in Imagineering’s history, Walt Disney Imagineering President Bruce Vaughn told the Journal.
“We’re going to ramp up and reignite Imagineering culturally, and we’ve got a tremendous amount of investment coming through.”
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