Disney revealed a July 6, 2026 closing date and the scene plan for the attraction's biggest reimagining since 1994: a 2027 reopening with re-themed acts (1969 moon landing, Halloween 1985, New Year's Eve 1999, and a new future finale) plus a new opening scene featuring a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic.
Everything that changed here
across the land, newest first- 2026
The 1994 version officially closed on July 6th, 2026. Due to no wristbands being distributed, there was a bit of chaos over who got to ride in the final show. However, when the final theater exited, the crowd came together to sing "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow."
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Mobile Order launched at AstroFizz via the My Disney Experience app, with the earliest arrival-window slot opening at 9:05am.
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Officially reopened after roughly eight months, with redesigned Buzz Lightyear / Star Command 'Star Cruiser' vehicles, refreshed scenes, and an overhauled interactive shooting game.
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Replaced the fixed, vehicle-mounted laser cannons with handheld, removable blasters featuring an always-on aiming laser plus added lighting, sound, and vibration effects.
Fixed vehicle-mounted cannons→handheld removable blasters -
Added a new opening training scene with 'Buddy,' a support-bot animatronic that preps riders before launch, replacing the prior 'Astro-Accelerator' load-area scene (rangers firing at a spinning disco ball).
Astro-Accelerator scene→Buddy training scene -
Installed interactive targets that light up and change color when hit, and equipped each Star Cruiser with a video monitor displaying real-time scoring.
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Merchant of Venus signage was removed from the building, though the standing sign structure and some branding remained.
- 2025
AstroFizz snack kiosk officially opened in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, replacing the former Cool Ship Coca-Cola beverage stand after a soft opening the prior evening.
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Opening menu debuted with the signature Cherry Cola Churro at $7.49 and frozen slushies (Coca-Cola, Fanta Blue Raspberry, Fanta Orange) at $6.49.
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Disney revealed AstroFizz would replace Cool Ship, giving a first look at the menu including its signature Cherry Cola Churro rolled in cherry sugar with Coca-Cola Cherry icing and cherry popping candies.
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Disney revealed a rebuilt, Coca-Cola-sponsored replacement stand on the former Cool Ship site named AstroFizz, which opened November 2, 2025.
AstroFizz is a new build, not a reopening of Cool Ship; menu features Coca-Cola/Fanta frozen slushies, popcorn, and a Cherry Cola Churro. -
Closed for an extensive multi-month refurbishment — the attraction's first major overhaul since opening in 1998.
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As of August 2025 Tomorrowland Terrace had not operated as a regular quick-service restaurant for a couple of years, its upper level open only for morning and early-afternoon overflow seating before being blocked off for the nighttime fireworks dessert party.
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Reopened after a roughly five-month rebuild in which the attraction was completely dismantled and reconstructed off-site; the central elevator shaft was repainted from orange to silver-gray.
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A summer 2025 menu refresh added new entrees including a Truffle-French Onion Burger ($14.99, replacing the Triple-B Burger) and a Hand-dipped Fried Chicken Sandwich, and brought back the Patty Melt.
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Cool Ship was marked 'temporarily closed' on the Walt Disney World website and then demolished, ending roughly 31 years of operation.
operating snack kiosk→demolishedThe whole stand was removed, including the Cool Scanner misters and the Flight of the Navigator ship topper. -
Closed for a lengthy refurbishment during which the entire ride structure was dismantled and removed from Tomorrowland for off-site work.
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The vintage Coppertone Sun Care Center sponsorship sign, which had remained on the store's exterior for decades after the sponsorship ended, was removed from outside Star Traders.
20241 change
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A traditional standby queue opened to day guests for the first time; the ride had previously run virtual-queue-only (with paid Lightning Lane the only non-VQ option for regular hours).
virtual-queue only→standby line added
20237 changes
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Energy Bytes removed its signature Digital Dumplings (Beef & Broccoli $8.79 and Buffalo Chicken $8.49) from its menu, shifting toward frozen drinks and desserts.
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Tomorrowland Launch Depot opened April 4, 2023 as a reconcept of the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co., serving as the primary TRON Lightcycle / Run merchandise gift shop.
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TRON Lightcycle / Run opened to the public in Tomorrowland as a launched, semi-enclosed steel coaster — a clone of Shanghai Disneyland's TRON Lightcycle Power Run.
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By mid-April 2023 Space Mountain riders again exited through the shop, making Tomorrowland Launch Depot the gift shop for both Space Mountain and TRON Lightcycle / Run.
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The Lunching Pad added breakfast items to its menu, timed to the April 2023 debut of TRON Lightcycle / Run in Tomorrowland.
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Energy Bytes, a futuristic quick-service snack kiosk, opened in Tomorrowland near the TRON Lightcycle / Run entrance as the coaster began soft openings.
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New 'Tomorrowland Launch Depot' signage was installed in March 2023, officially renaming the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. gift shop.
20224 changes
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The predecessor shop Tomorrowland Light & Power Co., Space Mountain's exit gift shop, closed for construction in August 2022 to be transformed into TRON Lightcycle / Run's retail space.
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Reopened as an air-conditioned indoor seating area serving the adjacent Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies, with Tomorrowland-themed posters (Timekeeper, Sonny Eclipse easter eggs); the room had previously served as a cast member break area and storage.
Gift shop→indoor seating area -
The finale-scene audio-animatronics received new outfits packed with Disney Easter eggs (a Progress Tech sweater, a Mineral King ski top, a Food Rocks reference, and parade-reindeer slippers); costumes only, no script or animatronic changes.
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A new ORAC-5 narration voiced by Stephen Stanton debuted, restoring 1994-era destination chimes and Blue Line references, adding TRON Lightcycle/Run and Tomorrowland Speedway callouts, and introducing 'presented by Enterprise' branding.
Mike Brassell→ORAC-5 (Stephen Stanton)
20213 changes
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For Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary, The Lunching Pad ran a special ~18-month World's Most Magical Celebration menu beginning October 2021, since retired.
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Reopened after roughly 17 months dark, returning August 5 — a few days ahead of its announced August 8 date — with the live joke-line audience interaction back in operation.
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Removed from the Walt Disney World website (its page now redirected to the general Magic Kingdom shops list), signaling the shop would not return as a retail location.
20203 changes
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Disney officially confirmed Stitch's Great Escape! was permanently closed after two-plus years of dormancy.
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Went dark in mid-March 2020 with the rest of Walt Disney World for the COVID-19 closure and, unlike most attractions, stayed shuttered after Magic Kingdom reopened in July 2020; its live-voice cast was laid off that fall and the attraction was pulled from park maps in November 2020.
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Closed with the March 2020 COVID-19 shutdown and never reopened as a shop when Magic Kingdom returned in July 2020.
20192 changes
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After a September–November refurbishment, the shop was renamed from 'Mickey's Star Traders' to simply 'Star Traders,' dropping its steampunk Mickey-head logo and Stitch City mural in favor of new teal-and-white exterior signage and interior.
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Reopened after a roughly four-month closure during which the track was rerouted and shortened to clear space for the under-construction TRON Lightcycle / Run.
20182 changes
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The Stitch audio-animatronic figure and pre-show elements were dismantled and removed from the building.
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Stitch's Great Escape! operated for the last time; Disney initially classified it as merely seasonal, saying it would reopen.
20171 change
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The first pre-show room was converted into a costumed-character meet-and-greet, 'Stitch's Alien Encounter Character Greeting!'.
20164 changes
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The attraction shifted to seasonal operation, running only during peak/busy periods rather than daily.
daily operation→seasonal operation -
The café raised prices roughly $1–$2 per meal (e.g. half rotisserie chicken to $14.49) and added a space-themed Fab Five souvenir cup to kids' meals.
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Exterior repaint replaced the gears-and-cogs scheme with bold futuristic color "strikes" (orange/blue/magenta); the building also gained a new entrance sign and logo.
gears-and-cogs facade→futuristic color "strikes" -
Merchandise focus shifted toward Star Wars, with the shop billed as Tomorrowland's home for Star Wars merchandise, as Stitch's Great Escape! wound down toward dormancy.
Stitch merchandise→Star Wars merchandise
20111 change
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In November 2011 the venue dropped its Asian noodle concept for an American quick-service menu of burgers, sandwiches, and salads and was renamed the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.
20103 changes
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The word 'PeopleMover' was reinstated into the official attraction name, making it the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
Tomorrowland Transit Authority→Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover -
A new track-side musical score, marketed as 'Starry-O-Phonic Sound,' was added through roughly 60 speakers lining the track and synced to riders' movement through the ride.
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Around 2010-2011 the menu shifted to gourmet hot dogs, with the BLT, Coney Island, and Philly Cheesesteak dogs becoming its longtime signature menu items.
20096 changes
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Reopened after the $12.3M refurbishment with a roofed-over load area, a new dome ceiling, updated control systems, interactive queue games, an on-ride photo camera, and repainted blue-and-gray trains.
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A new narration debuted, voiced by Mike Brassell, with safety announcements by B.J. Ward (longtime narrator of Disneyland's PeopleMover, 1982-1995).
Pete Renaday→Mike Brassell -
Reopened after a roughly five-month closure (concurrent with the Space Mountain refurbishment) with new multicolored LED beamway lighting synced to the Tomorrowland music, a repainted trackway and infrastructure, and new ride-audio speakers.
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Closed for its most extensive refurbishment in a decade, an estimated $12.3 million overhaul covering track work, the queue, control systems, and the load area.
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Galaxy Palace Theater closed permanently and was demolished; the site was converted to backstage cast-member parking and later used as a Stitch meet-and-greet location.
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In 2009 Disney began hosting an up-charge Wishes fireworks dessert party at Tomorrowland Terrace, adding a reserved evening dessert offering.
20082 changes
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It was reported (Jim Hill Media, Oct 2008) that the theater would be razed for backstage cast-member parking; a final 2008 holiday season of performances was allowed, after which band, cheer and dance groups were relocated to Disney's Hollywood Studios' Backlot Theater.
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Indianapolis Motor Speedway sponsorship ended and 'Indy' was dropped from the name, giving the attraction its present name, Tomorrowland Speedway.
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway→Tomorrowland Speedway
20071 change
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Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor opened in Tomorrowland as a real-time interactive animated comedy show — on-screen monsters hosted by Mike Wazowski reacted live to the audience via digital puppetry — taking over the theater vacated by The Timekeeper.
The Timekeeper→Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
20061 change
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Permanently closed (final show December 31, 2005), the last of the three global Timekeeper/Visionarium installations to shut down; the building was reused for Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, which opened April 2, 2007.
The Timekeeper→Monsters, Inc. Laugh FloorTokyo Disneyland's version closed September 1, 2002 and Disneyland Paris's 'Le Visionarium' September 5, 2004, leaving WDW the last to operate. Removed unverifiable Disney Fandom source (HTTP 402).
20053 changes
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The attraction's closing/ending video was modified a few months after opening (swapped in March 2005).
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Closed in early 2005 after roughly three decades of little-changed operation; the building was retained and reworked for a new dining concept.
Year 2005 supported by three independent sources (Mickey Wiki, WDW Expert, WDWMAGIC forum: Plaza Pavilion closed ~January 2005). Wikipedia is the lone outlier dating the replacement to 2004. Exact close month disputed, so year-only. -
The former Plaza Pavilion space reopened (spring 2005) as the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station, a seasonal Asian-inspired counter-service restaurant; it was rethemed and renamed Tomorrowland Terrace in November 2011.
Plaza Pavilion (burgers/pizza)→Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station (Asian-inspired)
20043 changes
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Stitch's Great Escape! opened in Tomorrowland, a theater-in-the-round Lilo & Stitch prequel reusing the former Alien Encounter's technology and set pieces.
The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter→Stitch's Great Escape!Preceded by Annual Passholder previews and late-October 2004 soft openings; grand opening included a Cinderella Castle celebration. -
Rethemed toward Stitch, gaining Stitch merchandise and faux-window murals of Lilo & Stitch aliens taking over Tomorrowland, timed to the opening of Stitch's Great Escape! (which the shop served as an exit store).
Stitch's Great Escape! opened November 2004; Merchant of Venus functioned as one of its exit gift shops. -
The current Tomorrowland Terrace opened in 2004 as the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station, a counter-service eatery serving an Asian-inspired noodle menu, replacing the former Plaza Pavilion building.
20032 changes
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Permanently closed after eight years, widely reported as too intense for the family-friendly Magic Kingdom; the building was reused for Stitch's Great Escape! (opened November 16, 2004).
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Disney announced a Lilo & Stitch-themed attraction would replace the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter; the predecessor closed to guests October 12, 2003.
20013 changes
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Following the post-9/11 attendance drop, the show closed in October 2001 and shifted to seasonal operation, returning to a near-daily Magic Kingdom schedule by 2003.
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Following the September 11 attacks, the film's New York skyline footage featuring the World Trade Center was altered so the on-screen clock registered the year 2000, removing references to the towers.
Both sources describe the WTC footage being edited after the attacks. -
Moved to seasonal-only operation, running only during peak periods alongside Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.
daily operation→seasonal only
19991 change
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Disney partnered with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to add Indy-themed dressing, including a Yard of Bricks, a scoring pylon, Gasoline Alley signage and the wheel-and-wing logo.
19983 changes
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Officially opened as an interactive Toy Story shooting dark ride, built into the former If You Had Wings / Take Flight building and reusing its 1972 Arrow ride system; original blasters were vehicle-mounted and fixed.
Take Flight (Delta Dreamflight)→Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin -
Take Flight permanently closed; its Tomorrowland space was rebuilt for Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.
Take Flight→Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger SpinSuccessor opened soft on Oct 7, 1998 and officially on Nov 3, 1998. -
Galaxy Search, the venue's signature 'interconstellational' talent-competition show (a Star Search parody hosted by Disney characters), ended its run.
19964 changes
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Reopened as Take Flight; all remaining Delta references were removed and the attraction's theme songs were re-recorded.
Dreamflight→Take FlightDebut of the 'Take Flight' name; the ride system and scene layout were retained. Wikipedia: 'On June 5, 1996, it reopened as Take Flight.' -
Delta Air Lines discontinued its sponsorship (partly citing costs of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics); Delta branding was stripped and the attraction was renamed Dreamflight, then Take Flight on June 5, 1996, ending the Delta Dreamflight identity.
Delta Dreamflight→Dreamflight / Take FlightThe physical ride continued as Take Flight until it closed permanently on January 5, 1998, later replaced by Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (opened Oct 1998) on the same Omnimover track. -
Delta Air Lines sponsorship ended and the attraction was renamed simply Dreamflight.
Delta Dreamflight→DreamflightDelta declined to renew, a decision attributed in part to the cost of sponsoring the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Ran as Dreamflight Jan 1 – Jun 4, 1996. -
Disneymania! debuted at the theater, a musical revue featuring Disney characters and the Kids of the Kingdom (ran through 2001).
19954 changes
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Officially opened as part of the New Tomorrowland renovation, using binaural sound, over-the-shoulder restraints, and total darkness in a theater-in-the-round.
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Pulled from previews by order of CEO Michael Eisner, who felt it was not intense enough; Disney spent an additional roughly $10 million reworking the pre-shows and main show to a darker, more consistent tone.
comedic preview version→darker, retooled show -
The audio-animatronic lounge singer Sonny Eclipse — an alien from the planet Zork voiced by Kal David — debuted at the café in 1995 and became its signature entertainment.
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About six months after opening, the theater was rebranded from 'Transportarium' to 'Tomorrowland Metropolis Science Center' and the show became commonly known as The Timekeeper.
Transportarium→Tomorrowland Metropolis Science Center
199421 changes
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Opened for previews on the site of the former Mission to Mars, but immediately drew criticism over its tone and comedic elements.
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Galaxy Palace Theater opened in Tomorrowland as part of the New Tomorrowland renovation, replacing the Tomorrowland Stage (1980-1994) on the same site as a roughly 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater.
Tomorrowland Stage→Galaxy Palace Theater -
Tomorrowland Terrace closed in September 1994 and reopened December 9, 1994 (per D23), reconcepted and renamed as Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café for the New Tomorrowland expansion.
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Reopened as "Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress" with a new voice cast (Jean Shepherd as the father/narrator), re-recorded scenes, a redesigned "House of 2000" Christmas finale, and a return to the original theme song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow."
"The Best Time of Your Life"→"There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" -
Opened in Tomorrowland's Circle-Vision theater (branded the 'Transportarium') as part of the New Tomorrowland expansion, replacing American Journeys with a plot-driven Circle-Vision 360 time-travel film hosted by Audio-Animatronic Timekeeper (Robin Williams) and 9-Eye (Rhea Perlman).
American Journeys→The Timekeeper -
Tomorrowland Stage closed as part of the New Tomorrowland redevelopment; it was rebuilt and reopened December 15, 1994 as the Galaxy Palace Theater.
Tomorrowland Stage→Galaxy Palace Theater -
Closed in September 1994 as part of the New Tomorrowland overhaul; the building was rethemed and reopened that December as Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café.
Tomorrowland Terrace→Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café -
Rethemed with the New Tomorrowland renovation: renamed Tomorrowland Transit Authority, the white Googie trackway rebuilt as boldly colored metallic structures, and a new spiel narrated by Pete Renaday debuted.
WEDway PeopleMover→Tomorrowland Transit Authority -
As part of Tomorrowland's 1994 reconcept, the original Lunching Pad closed January 9, 1994 (its space becoming Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies) and reopened in June 1994 beneath Rockettower Plaza Station in the former Space Bar location.
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Opened as Merchant of Venus, a Tomorrowland gift shop, replacing The Space Port.
The Space Port→Merchant of Venus -
Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies opened in Tomorrowland in June 1994 as part of Magic Kingdom's "New Tomorrowland" reimagining, serving soft-serve ice cream and other galactic treats.
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Closed and reskinned during the New Tomorrowland redesign, reopening in June 1994 as the Merchant of Venus.
The Space Port→Merchant of VenusD23 dates the Merchant of Venus opening to June 1994, 'replacing the Space Port'; the successor name is a pun on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. -
Closed as the Skyway Station Shop and reskinned into Ursa's Major Minor Mart during the New Tomorrowland retheme.
Skyway Station Shop→Ursa's Major Minor MartWaltDatedWorld: it "sold Disney souvenirs until May of 1994" and "was later known as Ursa's Major Minor Mart." Coincided with the 1994 New Tomorrowland overhaul. -
Rethemed from Star Jets to Astro Orbiter as part of the New Tomorrowland; the central Saturn rocket was replaced with a stylized iron-work tower ringed by orbiting planets.
Star Jets→Astro Orbiter -
American Journeys closed permanently; the Circle-Vision Theater sat dark until The Timekeeper opened November 21, 1994.
American Journeys→(theater dark) -
The stand reconcepted the site of The Lunching Pad, a Tomorrowland eatery open since the park's 1971 debut that closed January 9, 1994 to become Auntie Gravity's (the Lunching Pad name later returned in a new spot under Rockettower Plaza Station).
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Closed permanently; the location was rethemed into Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies, which opened in June 1994.
The Lunching Pad→Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies -
Ursa's Major Minor Mart originated as the successor to the Skyway Station Shop, which sold Disney souvenirs near Tomorrowland's Skyway station until May 1994 before the location was reconcepted under its current name.
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As part of the New Tomorrowland overhaul, sponsorship shifted to FedEx with an intergalactic-shipping storyline.
RCA sponsorship→FedEx sponsorship -
Cool Ship opened in Tomorrowland as part of the New Tomorrowland 1994 overhaul, a snack-and-drink kiosk styled as a pulp sci-fi spacecraft that had landed near Space Mountain.
Topped by a red spaceship prop reused from the 1986 film Flight of the Navigator; the paired Cool Scanner offered a cooling mist for guests. -
Closed and reskinned as The Lunching Pad at Rockettower Plaza during the New Tomorrowland overhaul, reopening in June 1994 in the same space beneath the (now) Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover station.
Space Bar→The Lunching Pad at Rockettower Plaza
19934 changes
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Mission to Mars closed permanently after more than 18 years; the Tomorrowland theater was later reworked into The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which opened June 20, 1995.
Mission to Mars→The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter -
Closed for a major refurbishment as part of the "New Tomorrowland" overhaul.
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Announced as the replacement for Mission to Mars, developed by Walt Disney Imagineering with George Lucas/Lucasfilm after an earlier Alien-film-based concept ('Nostromo', using the R-rated franchise's Xenomorph) was dropped in favor of an original story and the fictional X-S Tech company.
Original R-rated Alien tie-in rejected for a Disney-appropriate original story. -
Closed permanently after roughly eight years of operation; the Tomorrowland retail footprint was later given over to a Disney Vacation Club information kiosk.
Space Place shop→vacated (later DVC kiosk)Single-source (fan timeline) closing year; no press-dated closure notice found. No independent contradiction surfaced.
19911 change
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Mickey's Star Traders opened in Tomorrowland as a Coppertone-sponsored souvenir and sun-care shop, reconcepting the earlier Mickey's Mart that had occupied the site since the 1970s.
19894 changes
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Opened in Tomorrowland as Delta Dreamflight, a Delta Air Lines-sponsored Omnimover dark ride tracing the history of flight in a pop-up-book style; it reused the building and ride system of the departed If You Could Fly.
If You Could Fly→Delta DreamflightD23 and WaltDatedWorld give June 26, 1989; Wikipedia lists June 23, 1989. -
Opened as Delta Dreamflight in Tomorrowland, replacing If You Could Fly; an Omnimover dark ride tracing the history and dream of flight, sponsored by Delta Air Lines.
If You Could Fly→Delta DreamflightLineage origin of the ride later renamed Take Flight. Featured a Delta Boeing 767 nose replica ('The Spirit of Delta'). D23 and Attractions Magazine give June 26, 1989; the Wikipedia infobox reads June 23, 1989. -
Closed permanently after about 19 months to make way for a fully re-themed successor; Delta Air Lines took over the ride system and it reopened as Delta Dreamflight in June 1989.
If You Could Fly→Delta DreamflightDelta reused the same Omnimover system and floor layout with all-new scenery and music. -
New ride vehicles replaced the original trains, reconfigured to three single-file rows of one rider each with lap-bar restraints.
8 riders per train→6 riders per train
19873 changes
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Reopened as "If You Could Fly," an unsponsored reskin of Eastern Air Lines' "If You Had Wings" (closed June 1, 1987) with all Eastern branding removed; the original sets and film scenes were retained.
If You Had Wings (Eastern Air Lines)→If You Could Fly (unsponsored)Debuted five days after the Eastern-sponsored version closed; served as a transitional placeholder on the same Omnimover ride system. -
Replaced Buddy Baker's original theme song ("If You Had Wings") with a new generic ambient soundtrack when Eastern-branded audio was removed.
Buddy Baker theme song→generic ambient soundtrackFans widely lamented the loss of the original tune, which had been a signature of the ride. -
Closed as 'If You Had Wings' after Eastern Air Lines withdrew its Walt Disney World sponsorship amid financial troubles; the attraction reopened days later (June 6, 1987) as the reskin 'If You Could Fly' with all Eastern references removed and new theme music, retaining the original sets and films.
If You Had Wings (Eastern Air Lines)→If You Could Fly (unsponsored)
19853 changes
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Jack Wagner's original narration was replaced by the ORAC One 'Commuter Computer' character, voiced by Ronnie Schell.
Jack Wagner→ORAC One -
General Electric's sponsorship contract expired and was not renewed; the attraction subsequently closed to strip out GE product and branding references.
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Opened as a small Tomorrowland shop selling cameras, film and photo accessories, candy, and Florida T-shirts and sweatshirts, in a footprint that had previously been an Information and Ticket Booth.
Merchandise mix confirmed by two independent sources (waltdatedworld, WDWMousing); the 1985 open date and the prior Information & Ticket Booth (1972-1981) rest on a single fan timeline. Corrects the seed's unverified 1971 approximation.
19845 changes
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American Journeys opened as a Circle-Vision 360° film in Tomorrowland's Circle-Vision Theater, replacing the prior Circle-Vision film Magic Carpet 'Round the World.
Magic Carpet 'Round the World→American JourneysNew nine-camera Circle-Vision 360° film aiming to be less formal and more inclusive than the earlier America the Beautiful. extinctdisney explicitly names Magic Carpet 'Round the World as the film it replaced. -
Closed permanently; the theatre reopened the next day with the new Circle-Vision film American Journeys.
Magic Carpet 'Round the World→American JourneysClose date confirmed by wdwradio (September 14, 1984) and by American Journeys opening September 15, 1984. -
America the Beautiful's final Magic Kingdom run ended; the returning Magic Carpet 'Round the World reclaimed the Circle-Vision theater, running until September 14, 1984, when American Journeys opened.
America the Beautiful→Magic Carpet 'Round the World (1979-1984)Corroborated by ExtinctDisney ("1979 to 1984, before being replaced by American Journeys"), WaltDatedWorld ("played until 1979, when Magic Carpet 'Round the World returned"), and WDW Radio (second run "September 1979 until September 14, 1984"). D23's A-to-Z entry instead compresses the run to a single close on September 9, 1984, omitting the 1979-1984 Magic Carpet second run; hence medium confidence and year-level precision only. -
Black & Decker served as the attraction's corporate sponsor at Magic Kingdom during its run.
All three sources confirm Black & Decker sponsorship but give no start/end dates (waltdatedworld: 'at one point'); date shown is the opening year, not a documented sponsorship-start date. -
Sponsorship passed from Monsanto to Black & Decker during the film's later run.
Monsanto→Black & DeckerSource conflict: waltdatedworld/extinctdisney describe a Black & Decker takeover; wdwradio/skyway imply Monsanto throughout.
19831 change
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The revue "Show Biz Is" opened at the Tomorrowland Stage.
WaltDatedWorld: July 12, 1983 to September 27, 1985.
19812 changes
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The stage show "Disney World Is Your World," performed by The Kids of the Kingdom, began its run at the Tomorrowland Stage.
WaltDatedWorld: ran October 2, 1981 until September 17, 1994, the stage's final day. -
The final act was reworked into a "New Year's Eve in the Home of the 1980s" scene, updating the show's future segment; the attraction closed briefly to install it.
19801 change
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Tomorrowland Stage opened as an outdoor amphitheater in Tomorrowland, sited between Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress and the If You Had Wings pavilion.
Metadata listed 1971; the stage as a named venue dates to 1980 per D23 ("from 1980 until December 1994") and WaltDatedWorld ("Opening: 1980").
19792 changes
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Hosted touring concerts on its rising stage; The Police played the Tomorrowland Terrace on October 27, 1979 during their Reggatta de Blanc tour, one of many live acts (also including Hank Williams Jr.) staged there over the venue's two decades.
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Returned to the Tomorrowland Circle-Vision Theatre for a second, longer engagement.
Some sources place the return in September 1979; most give year only.
19771 change
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Aerospace firm McDonnell Douglas took on sponsorship of the attraction, the only time Mission to Mars carried a sponsor at Walt Disney World; its logo lingered on the building facade after the deal ended.
waltdatedworld states 'the late 1970s' only, calling it the sole WDW sponsorship; extinctdisney confirms the logo remained on the facade after sponsorship ended. Year shown is approximate.
19762 changes
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The in-flight 'Mad Martian Myths' segment depicting fanciful Martian lifeforms was dropped after NASA's Viking probes transmitted images of a barren Martian surface.
waltdatedworld ties the removal to the 1976 Viking 1/Viking 2 landings ('most likely led to film being deleted'); exact date unconfirmed. Wikipedia source removed here because that page does not mention the segment. -
Michael Iceberg and the Iceberg Machine began a resident electronic-music act on the Tomorrowland Terrace stage, performing there from 1976 until the mid-1980s.
19757 changes
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Opened as the WEDway PeopleMover, a continuous-loop Grand Circle tour of Tomorrowland powered by linear induction motors, with narration by Jack Wagner (the 'voice of Disneyland') and sponsorship by the Edison Electric Institute.
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Mission to Mars opened in Tomorrowland, a NASA-cooperative reskin of Flight to the Moon that swapped the lunar destination for a simulated round-trip voyage to the red planet.
Flight to the Moon→Mission to MarsPredecessor Flight to the Moon closed April 15, 1975 as public interest in the moon missions waned; the same theater reopened with the updated Mars storyline. -
Closed permanently after about three and a half years; the concept felt dated once the real 1969 moon landing had happened, and the theater was re-themed into Mission to Mars, which opened June 7, 1975.
Flight to the Moon→Mission to MarsSame building and ride system reused. D23 and Walt Dated World give the closing date as April 15, 1975 (final flight #92); Extinct Disney corroborates 'Spring 1975'; Wikipedia dates the Mission to Mars debut to June 7, 1975. McDonnell Douglas was not the sponsor of the Florida Flight to the Moon; it became the WDW sponsor only with the successor Mission to Mars. -
Re-premiered in a Bicentennial edition adding new footage of Philadelphia and other American Revolution-era landmarks.
original 1971 cut→Bicentennial edition with Philadelphia / Revolution footageExtinctDisney confirms it reopened March 15, 1975 with Philadelphia / Revolution-era footage. -
Ended its first engagement so America the Beautiful could return to the theatre for the U.S. Bicentennial.
Magic Carpet 'Round the World→America the Beautiful (Bicentennial re-edit)Temporary closure, not permanent; the film returned in 1979. -
Opened in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland (relocated from Disneyland) in a new rotating-theater pavilion, debuting the new theme song "The Best Time of Your Life" under a 10-year General Electric sponsorship.
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Space Mountain opened in Tomorrowland as the first Space Mountain at any Disney park and an early computer-controlled roller coaster, sponsored by RCA.
19744 changes
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Opened as Star Jets during the major Tomorrowland expansion, with twelve guest-controlled rocket vehicles spinning atop the PeopleMover platform around a central Saturn rocket.
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Opened as the second Circle-Vision 360 film in the Tomorrowland Circle-Vision Theatre, a 21-minute journey through more than 20 countries, sponsored by Monsanto.
America the Beautiful→Magic Carpet 'Round the WorldPremiered one day after America the Beautiful closed; edited from over 37 hours of footage shown on nine synchronized projectors. -
Pulled from the theater for an American Bicentennial revision; Magic Carpet 'Round the World took over the Circle-Vision theater in the interim.
America the Beautiful→Magic Carpet 'Round the World (interim)ExtinctDisney: America the Beautiful closed March 15, 1974 for Bicentennial updates. Magic Carpet 'Round the World premiered March 16, 1974. -
Opened as a Tomorrowland counter-service snack window beneath the PeopleMover station (later Rockettower Plaza, under Astro Orbiter), serving specialty sandwiches, punch, desserts, and snacks.
At one time sponsored by Wise Foods. Opening year per WDWMousing; the WEDway PeopleMover station above it opened July 1, 1975, so the debut year is slightly uncertain.
19731 change
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Opened as an open-air, covered-terrace quick-service restaurant on the Main Street, U.S.A.-Tomorrowland border, serving hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and chicken and doubling as a sheltered walkway between the two lands.
Exact opening month disputed (WDW Expert says January 7, 1973; other sources say July 1973); kept year-only. Widen Your World research page was 403-blocked.
19721 change
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Opened in Tomorrowland as a two-person Omnimover dark ride sponsored by Eastern Air Lines, carrying riders past film-and-set scenes of Caribbean and travel destinations served by Eastern, finishing in a surround-projection 'Speed Room'; free with park admission during the ticket-book era.
197110 changes
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Opened in Tomorrowland on Christmas Eve, roughly three months after Magic Kingdom's October 1 debut; a clone of Disneyland's McDonnell Douglas-sponsored flight simulator that took guests on a simulated voyage to the moon (the Florida version itself was unsponsored).
Guests met Audio-Animatronic flight director 'Mr. Tom Morrow' (voiced by George Walsh) in a Mission Control preshow, then entered a circular launch theater with floor and ceiling viewscreens and seats that shifted to simulate zero gravity. -
America the Beautiful opened in Tomorrowland's Circle-Vision theater as the first Circle-Vision 360 film at Walt Disney World, a nine-camera surround film sponsored by Monsanto.
Debut at Magic Kingdom; the film itself dated from the 1958/1960 Disneyland Circarama presentation. WaltDatedWorld gives the exact opening day of November 25, 1971. -
Opened with Magic Kingdom on opening day as the Grand Prix Raceway, sponsored by Goodyear; gas-powered cars steered along a center guide rail.
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The site opened on Magic Kingdom's first day, October 1, 1971, as the Coca-Cola-sponsored Tomorrowland Terrace — the largest fast-food operation at Walt Disney World at the time and the predecessor Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café would later replace.
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Opened with Magic Kingdom on opening day as a Tomorrowland walk-up snack counter, on the site now occupied by Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies.
Distinct from today's 'The Lunching Pad,' which took the name at the former Space Bar in Rockettower Plaza in 1994. -
Opened with the Magic Kingdom as Tomorrowland Terrace, a Coca-Cola-sponsored quick-service restaurant billed as the largest fast-food operation at Walt Disney World; a fully enclosed building (unlike Disneyland's open-air original) whose signature elevated stage rose from the utilidors below to reveal live entertainment.
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The Lunching Pad opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971 as a Tomorrowland quick-service snack stand, at an original location different from its current spot beneath Rockettower Plaza Station.
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The Tomorrowland Terrace name debuted at Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971 on a different Tomorrowland building, which closed in September 1994 and reopened that December as Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe before the name was later revived for the current corner venue.
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Skyway Station Shop opened at the base of Tomorrowland's Skyway station, selling Disney souvenirs to guests near the Skyway to Fantasyland boarding area.
Exact shop opening day not sourced; dated to the 1971 park/Skyway station opening (Skyway opened October 1, 1971 per Wikipedia). WaltDatedWorld documents the shop existing at the base of the Skyway station. -
Opened as The Space Port, a space-themed merchandise shop in Tomorrowland, with the debut of Magic Kingdom.
WDWMousing states the shop 'had originally been called the Space Port' when Magic Kingdom opened in 1971; exact opening-day date not specified, so recorded year-only.
That's every change on the record in Tomorrowland since 1971.
The spotters in our Discord catch the next one first — and the record only grows when someone notices.