Well here we are, the last land on our Disneyland California adventure. Of course, we'll eventually come back and visit some rides, attractions and shows in more detail but for now, this is our final stop.
Walt Disney was notorious for thinking about the future and really wanted to keep people informed about science and technology advancements. Tomorrowland was a way of incorporating his love of all things 'future' into his dream theme park. Tomorrowland opened in 1955 and was one of the original lands of the park - however, in California, Tomorrowland is now in it's 3rd generation. The Disney Imagineers have always wanted to keep Tomorrowland from becoming dated - however with how fast technological advances are being made, it is often hard for them to keep up.
Young and old will really enjoy Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. We first came across the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland and found that the California version to be just as enjoyable. This attraction features both a ride and shooting gallery component and you receive a score. The story is that you have been recruited by Star Command and you are helping Buzz Lightyear to defeat him. The queue area is filled with colourful depictions on the wall and an oversized fully animated Buzz and a giant etch-a-sketch! The scaling of this is to make you feel as though you are 'toy' sized. You board your 2-seater ride vehicle from a moving walkway and are positioned with a laser gun in front of you. Also, in between you and your ride buddy is a joystick - your vehicle is able to spin 360 degrees! You have a dashboard that displays your score. The aim of the ride is to shoot your laser pointer at the hundreds of targets that are around the ride - different coloured and shaped targets equate to different point values! (From memory: roung targets are 100 points, square targets are 1000 points, diamond targets are 5000 points and triangle targets are 10000 points) The ride also has a feature that if the ride has to stop due to mechanical difficulties or to let a disabled passenger on, the laser guns and targets are still active enabling riders to gain 'bonus points'. This ride is one of our favourites, but it seems to be a favourite with everyone else too!! It is a fastpass attraction, however, if you are willing to ride first thing in the morning or during the night time entertainment, you will get on the ride much quicker.
The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a truly unique experience. Young and old will appreciate everything about the ride - except the queue which is always long and at my last visit did not have fastpass. The Submarine Voyage originally opened in 1959 as part of the second stage of Tomorrowland. The ride was reopened in 2005 and has been re-themed to capitalise on the success of the Finding Nemo film. Guests enter the queue area - which is referred to as the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation (NEMO) Research Centre before boarding one of the 8 yellow submarines. Guests are required to climb down a narrow spiral staircase to get into the submarine. There are 40 observation portholes on each submarine. Guests are able to view a lively underwater environment featuring coral, seaweed and one of the first characters they see is Darla, the fish-killing niece of the dentist in Finding Nemo. The story of the ride is that you are setting out to seek an active, underwater volcano. The Captain of the sub states that the vessel needs to dive in order to avoid a storm overhead. Bubbles appear over the porthole and you pass into a cavern. It is in this cavern that the majority of the ride takes place, however, I won't spoil the details for you except to say that yes, all your favourite characters from the film make an appearance and that you won't be disappointed. Eventually, you come back to the coral and vibrant colours of the reef and come to dock to disembark. Each ride takes about 15 minutes where you are enclosed in the submarine. An alternate experience is available for those with phobias or disabilities - ask about this at the Town Hall on entry into the park. Australian travellers will find some interesting points about the ride. The boarding area is meant to represent an Australian harbour, however, I have never seen one like this anywhere in my travels around our country. Also, the narration of the Captain's voice is a rather melodramatic Australian accent that you are bound to have a chuckle at!
Space Mountain is one of Disneyland's biggest draw cards. The white-domed building is famous for its unique architecture and the unique ride contained within it. The steel rollercoaster within the iconic building isn't overly fast or overly scary but provides its adrenalin rush by utilising a synchronised soundtrack and the added advantage of being a rollercoaster in the dark! Guests board the ride from the 'launch' platform. We timed the boarding of guests and noted that they can get people off the ride and boarded in 20 seconds. It worked out to be a rather large amount of guests per minute and with an average wait time of 30 minutes all day that works out to be A LOT of riders. This is a fastpass attraction and it definitely won't disappoint!
The Astro Orbitors ride is definitely a ride to take if you want a little cuddle time or if you have a child with you as two adults only JUST fit inside the rocket (wait until I am able to tell you a story about the Magic Kingdom equivalent of this ride, very funny!). Similar to the Dumbo ride in Fantasyland, you circle a central structure and control your altitude with a lever. A fun ride for all, I remember riding the older version of this ride with my Dad way back on my first visit in 1993.
Autopia is a mild but fun ride that has consistently long queues. The original version of the ride debuted in 1955 and remains today in a larger capacity. Sponsored by Chevron, guests board one of three types of car. Dusty is an off-road style car, Sparky is a sports car and Suzy is a VW Beetle style car. You drive on a 'track' and similar to bumper cars you only have the one pedal and the steering wheel. The track is a metal guard rail in the middle and it is quite a challenge to drive these cars without hitting the guard rail. Disney attempt to enforce a no-bump policy but their is always some twat who enjoys running up the back of the car in front, near the end of the ride while you wait to disembark and give you hot-rod to the next in line. I really enjoy this ride - it's a two seat per vehicle ride and it pretty relaxed. The ride lasts close to four minutes and the track has some cute scenery. If you're lucky in queue, the Disneyland Cast Member may give you a special drivers license. It's a unique souvenir that is often reserved for children but if you ask, they are more than happy to give you one!
The Disneyland Monorail currently has two stations - one inside the park, located in Tomorrowland and one outside the park located adjacent to the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. It's a fun way to see some scenery of both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure and you are seated in air-conditioned comfort. A little tip: avoid the monorail during peak times of opening, evening and lunch time. Try and ride during the afternoon parade time. Also, if you ask the attendant nicely, you may be able to ride in the often unused rear car- which is lots and lots of fun!
I was always a fan of Disney's 3D film Honey I Shrunk the Audience that used to show in the theatre in Tomorrowland. It has recently been replaced by a limited season of Captain EO starring Michael Jackson. Everything about the film makes it a must-see attraction. Captain EO was the brain-child of George Lucas and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. As well as starring the fabulous Michael Jackson, you will also see the famous faces of Anjelica Huston and Dick Shawn! The story, soundtrack, special effects, costumes and characters are so enjoyable that on every visit to a Disney park in recent years we have made sure to see it more than once! They make sure they play the soundtrack loud like they would have done when it was originally shown - and the distorted bass sound may upset some little ears! But, if you haven't seen this before and it is still being shown during your visit, make sure you go! It's a little piece of history!
Star Wars fans will not be disappointed by Star Tours, a motion simulator ride that is set in the Star Wars Universe. The ride story is that you are a space tourist taking a tour with 'Star Tours.' I haven't been to Disneyland since the new version of Star Tours has opened but I believe the new one is incredible - the old one was amazing too! In the queue, you will see various audio-animatronic figures including R2-D2 and C3PO. The queue area is one of the most detailed in the park and you won't mind waiting in the (always lengthy) queue as you will be thoroughly entertained. The new ride has various plot lines and apparently has so many combinations that you are rarely going to get the same story line twice! I can't wait to go back and ride so I can fill you all in o the details.
That's it for the rides - stay tuned for the next post when I fill you in on the shopping and non-ride attractions in Tomorrowland.
Until next time, Have a Magical Day.
Love
Michelle
xxx
Walt Disney was notorious for thinking about the future and really wanted to keep people informed about science and technology advancements. Tomorrowland was a way of incorporating his love of all things 'future' into his dream theme park. Tomorrowland opened in 1955 and was one of the original lands of the park - however, in California, Tomorrowland is now in it's 3rd generation. The Disney Imagineers have always wanted to keep Tomorrowland from becoming dated - however with how fast technological advances are being made, it is often hard for them to keep up.
 |
| In the queue for Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters |
Young and old will really enjoy Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. We first came across the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland and found that the California version to be just as enjoyable. This attraction features both a ride and shooting gallery component and you receive a score. The story is that you have been recruited by Star Command and you are helping Buzz Lightyear to defeat him. The queue area is filled with colourful depictions on the wall and an oversized fully animated Buzz and a giant etch-a-sketch! The scaling of this is to make you feel as though you are 'toy' sized. You board your 2-seater ride vehicle from a moving walkway and are positioned with a laser gun in front of you. Also, in between you and your ride buddy is a joystick - your vehicle is able to spin 360 degrees! You have a dashboard that displays your score. The aim of the ride is to shoot your laser pointer at the hundreds of targets that are around the ride - different coloured and shaped targets equate to different point values! (From memory: roung targets are 100 points, square targets are 1000 points, diamond targets are 5000 points and triangle targets are 10000 points) The ride also has a feature that if the ride has to stop due to mechanical difficulties or to let a disabled passenger on, the laser guns and targets are still active enabling riders to gain 'bonus points'. This ride is one of our favourites, but it seems to be a favourite with everyone else too!! It is a fastpass attraction, however, if you are willing to ride first thing in the morning or during the night time entertainment, you will get on the ride much quicker.
 |
| Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and the Monorail track |
The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a truly unique experience. Young and old will appreciate everything about the ride - except the queue which is always long and at my last visit did not have fastpass. The Submarine Voyage originally opened in 1959 as part of the second stage of Tomorrowland. The ride was reopened in 2005 and has been re-themed to capitalise on the success of the Finding Nemo film. Guests enter the queue area - which is referred to as the Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation (NEMO) Research Centre before boarding one of the 8 yellow submarines. Guests are required to climb down a narrow spiral staircase to get into the submarine. There are 40 observation portholes on each submarine. Guests are able to view a lively underwater environment featuring coral, seaweed and one of the first characters they see is Darla, the fish-killing niece of the dentist in Finding Nemo. The story of the ride is that you are setting out to seek an active, underwater volcano. The Captain of the sub states that the vessel needs to dive in order to avoid a storm overhead. Bubbles appear over the porthole and you pass into a cavern. It is in this cavern that the majority of the ride takes place, however, I won't spoil the details for you except to say that yes, all your favourite characters from the film make an appearance and that you won't be disappointed. Eventually, you come back to the coral and vibrant colours of the reef and come to dock to disembark. Each ride takes about 15 minutes where you are enclosed in the submarine. An alternate experience is available for those with phobias or disabilities - ask about this at the Town Hall on entry into the park. Australian travellers will find some interesting points about the ride. The boarding area is meant to represent an Australian harbour, however, I have never seen one like this anywhere in my travels around our country. Also, the narration of the Captain's voice is a rather melodramatic Australian accent that you are bound to have a chuckle at!
 |
| Space Mountain by Day |
Space Mountain is one of Disneyland's biggest draw cards. The white-domed building is famous for its unique architecture and the unique ride contained within it. The steel rollercoaster within the iconic building isn't overly fast or overly scary but provides its adrenalin rush by utilising a synchronised soundtrack and the added advantage of being a rollercoaster in the dark! Guests board the ride from the 'launch' platform. We timed the boarding of guests and noted that they can get people off the ride and boarded in 20 seconds. It worked out to be a rather large amount of guests per minute and with an average wait time of 30 minutes all day that works out to be A LOT of riders. This is a fastpass attraction and it definitely won't disappoint!
 |
| Space Mountain by night |
The Astro Orbitors ride is definitely a ride to take if you want a little cuddle time or if you have a child with you as two adults only JUST fit inside the rocket (wait until I am able to tell you a story about the Magic Kingdom equivalent of this ride, very funny!). Similar to the Dumbo ride in Fantasyland, you circle a central structure and control your altitude with a lever. A fun ride for all, I remember riding the older version of this ride with my Dad way back on my first visit in 1993.
 |
| The Saturn V structure is next to the Astro Orbitors |
Autopia is a mild but fun ride that has consistently long queues. The original version of the ride debuted in 1955 and remains today in a larger capacity. Sponsored by Chevron, guests board one of three types of car. Dusty is an off-road style car, Sparky is a sports car and Suzy is a VW Beetle style car. You drive on a 'track' and similar to bumper cars you only have the one pedal and the steering wheel. The track is a metal guard rail in the middle and it is quite a challenge to drive these cars without hitting the guard rail. Disney attempt to enforce a no-bump policy but their is always some twat who enjoys running up the back of the car in front, near the end of the ride while you wait to disembark and give you hot-rod to the next in line. I really enjoy this ride - it's a two seat per vehicle ride and it pretty relaxed. The ride lasts close to four minutes and the track has some cute scenery. If you're lucky in queue, the Disneyland Cast Member may give you a special drivers license. It's a unique souvenir that is often reserved for children but if you ask, they are more than happy to give you one!
The Disneyland Monorail currently has two stations - one inside the park, located in Tomorrowland and one outside the park located adjacent to the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. It's a fun way to see some scenery of both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure and you are seated in air-conditioned comfort. A little tip: avoid the monorail during peak times of opening, evening and lunch time. Try and ride during the afternoon parade time. Also, if you ask the attendant nicely, you may be able to ride in the often unused rear car- which is lots and lots of fun!
I was always a fan of Disney's 3D film Honey I Shrunk the Audience that used to show in the theatre in Tomorrowland. It has recently been replaced by a limited season of Captain EO starring Michael Jackson. Everything about the film makes it a must-see attraction. Captain EO was the brain-child of George Lucas and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. As well as starring the fabulous Michael Jackson, you will also see the famous faces of Anjelica Huston and Dick Shawn! The story, soundtrack, special effects, costumes and characters are so enjoyable that on every visit to a Disney park in recent years we have made sure to see it more than once! They make sure they play the soundtrack loud like they would have done when it was originally shown - and the distorted bass sound may upset some little ears! But, if you haven't seen this before and it is still being shown during your visit, make sure you go! It's a little piece of history!
Star Wars fans will not be disappointed by Star Tours, a motion simulator ride that is set in the Star Wars Universe. The ride story is that you are a space tourist taking a tour with 'Star Tours.' I haven't been to Disneyland since the new version of Star Tours has opened but I believe the new one is incredible - the old one was amazing too! In the queue, you will see various audio-animatronic figures including R2-D2 and C3PO. The queue area is one of the most detailed in the park and you won't mind waiting in the (always lengthy) queue as you will be thoroughly entertained. The new ride has various plot lines and apparently has so many combinations that you are rarely going to get the same story line twice! I can't wait to go back and ride so I can fill you all in o the details.
That's it for the rides - stay tuned for the next post when I fill you in on the shopping and non-ride attractions in Tomorrowland.
Until next time, Have a Magical Day.
Love
Michelle
xxx
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