"New Tomorrowland" Construction
Here are two more very interesting photos taken during the construction of the New Tomorrowland. It must have been amazing to watch the old Land being demolished, and then seeing the rapid creation of an entirely new version!
I have no idea what part of Tomorrowland we're looking at; does anybody have any guesses? I am assuming that the elevated viewpoint means that both of these were taken from the Monorail. Fans of raw lumber are having a good day today.
This next one is an interesting shot of the Rocket Jets platform in its larval form. Somehow I was never really aware of the arched supports before, and yet they were there all along. The gantry/elevator is to the left while what would become the new Space Bar (beneath the arches) looks like a concrete bunker. I still find the use of vertical space nothing short of amazing, with the Peoplemover running above street level, and the Rocket Jets themselves above that.
13 comments:
What a let down! And I though this was going to be about Eisner's visionary Montana Future. Oh well. You can't have everything.
I wonder if some of the guests back in 1966 thought "WTH have they done?" when they saw the construction going on for Tomorrowland '67 before it was completed. I remember feeling apprehensive when the New Fantasyland was under construction even though I saw the plans for it. It was unsettling. Probably how I'd feel if I saw Rivers of America in person today.
Another great set today. Thanks, Major.
Major-
My vote is we're looking at the Adventures Thru Inner Space. with Main Street, USA in the background. But then again...
Thanks, Major.
I'm going to vote for the Tomorrowland Terrace for that first shot. I'm thinking if it were taken from the Monorail, or even the Skyway, then we are looking at the end of the building going up, with what looks like construction of the south TL building beyond that, and a glimpse of the DL Administration Building beyond that.
Major, those arch supports in the second pic used to be more prominent. They were partially covered over when the new Tomorrowland of 1998 was clunked down on top of this beautifully designed Tomorrowland. "Oh yeah, let's bastardize the designs of the original Imagineers because they obviously didn't know what they were doing!" Aaaargh! It makes me angry! But these pics make me happy. Thanks, Major!
Construction photos! Today's post has me salivating, although I prefer my lumber cooked (or at least kiln-dried) rather than raw.
I'm going to agree with TM! that that's the site of the Tomorrowland Terrace in the first shot (taken from the Monorail), although based on the angle (I used this 1970 Daveland image as a baseline: http://davelandweb.com/aerial/images/Aerial_8_15_70.jpg), I think the construction in the background is actually multi-layered and shows early stages of construction for the PeopleMover/Rocket Jets platform, the Tomorrowland Stage, and Flight to the Moon. I think the south TL building would be screened from our view by the completed concrete wall on the right-hand side of the photo.
I think the second photo was taken from the Skyway. If you look at the sight lines on this 1971 Daveland image (http://davelandweb.com/aerial/images/KTPBKYC__8_71_N14R.jpg), any photo taken towards that angle from the Monorail would have the Carousel of Progress and probably the Autopia and maybe the Skyway beam (depending on the date) in the foreground.
The shape of the arched supports in that second picture reminds me of the Theme Building at LAX.
Great shots. To tell you the truth, I don't remember the Rocket Jets being on such a high platform. Guess I was pretty young back then and my memory cells weren't fully functional.
Love these construction shots. Hurray for rebar and temporary structure! I hope to live long enough to see Tomorrowland go through another major overhaul. Apple's Carousel of iPhones! Monsanto's GMO house of the future!
Tom, I've given up hope for Tomorrowland going through another major overhaul in my lifetime. For some reason I get the impression that Disney is okay with Tomorrowland in its current form.
K. Martinez, I had forgotten about that “Montana” future thing. What a dumb idea. Eisner loved Montana (probably has a 30,000 acre ranch, doesn’t everybody?), and I’m sure the average person is dying to know what the future of Montana is like. No offense, Montana residents! I’m sure there were people who were dismayed to see their favorite Tomorrowland attractions getting completely destroyed!
Nanook, so hard to tell, there’s nothing to get my bearings…
TokyoMagic!, it was just my spidey senses telling me that we might be more over toward the Tomorrowland Terrace end of things, but as I said to Nanook, there were no landmarks upon which to base that opinion. Also, those old Imagineers were dopes. Name one thing they did that was good! ;-)
Chuck, how about boiled lumber? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Looking at those Daveland photos doesn’t help me a bit, but I am sure you are much smarter than me! Yes, I thought of the LAX theme building as well.
DrGoat, the Rocket Jets were the best… that upper-story location made the whole ride so much more exciting!
Tom, I have a neighbor who says “rebarb” instead of “rebar”, so I can’t help inserting that pronunciation. I like the idea of an updated Monsanto attraction, in which they sue you for the unauthorized use of their products. Just add Anna and Elsa!
K. Martinez, I with you, and won’t be holding my breath…
These are wonderful! Thanks, David!
Wow, these are nice. I love construction photos.
A little surprised that the car buffs here haven't called out the fleetside pickup in the second pic. A 66 Ford, I think, and the flatbed in the foreground is probably a 62 Chevy due to the wraparound windshield and dual headlights. Yellow one in front is also a Chevy, a couple of years newer, 65-66 I think, since the windshield is different, but the side body sheet metal is the same.
I agree, the first photo is probably the Tomorrowland Terrace area, the "raw lumber" is formwork for a cast-in-place concrete wall. The tall reinforcing steel to the left is probably for a big column, but this is all so scrambled up I can't guess for sure what it is holding up now.
Fun stuff, Major.
JG
JG - I wonder if the tall reinforcing steel you reference above will become part of the center support column for the Rocket Jets/PeopleMover tower visible inside the arched supports in the second photo? The location seems about right.
Chuck beat me to it, the first thing that went through my head was indeed the Theme Building, the VERY 60s style centerpiece at LAX. That’s what I get for being too tired to write last night when I first saw this post. The arches have a very similar line to the ones in this photo. I believe Disney had some involvement with the construction of the Theme Building as well. I’ve never eaten there, kind of makes me want to go now. Anybody know how the food is?
MCK: The food at the Theme Building is poor; at least it was in '98 after one of it's first 're-imagination' episodes when I was passing through. The building used to have a great view I'm sure, but now it's surrounded by larger-than-it Terminal buildings. It's kind of an orphan from a different (and better) time. Wow...I sound like Yoda.
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