Frontierland vs. Tomorrowland: Which needs more help?

[BigThunder]

This topic has come up once or twice before in other threads but I thought it deserved a discussion of it's own.

I hope we can all agree that both Frontierland and Tomorrowland are in dire need of a fresh infusion of WDI magic. Both lands have older attractions that have gotten a little stale, and both have suffered greatly from an erosion of theme that has left each a bit of a mishmash. Neither land is nearly as effective as they used to be at transporting you to another time and place.

Recently, Tomorrowland got Buzz Lightyear and the Subs have made a near miraculous comeback with the help of a cartoon clownfish. Pixarization aside, at least these are new attractions. Plus, we've all heard rumors about Star Tours 2.0 and, dare I say it, "something" planned for those empty PeopleMover tracks.

Over in Frontierland things have been a bit more, um, static. Pirates invaded Tom Sawyer Island, effectively cutting it off thematically from the rest of the land. We can argue endlessly about wether or not this was an "improvement" (and we have), but there is no question that it further eroded the once immersive illusion of life on the American Frontier. Other than those pirates from the wrong century, Frontierland has not seen a new attraction added since the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad replaced Nature's Wonderland back in 1979. That was 30 years ago folks. I'm encouraged that Big Thunder BBQ is making a comeback of sorts, but that is a far cry from the complete thematic overhaul that this land needs.

As you may have guessed, my vote is for Frontierland.

Now, budgets being what they are, it is highly unlikely that both of these lands would get the attention that they deserve at the same time. So, my question is this: if you held the reigns of power, which land would you fix first and why? Which one, in your humble opinion, is the biggest mess? And, finally, which one deserves the greatest infusion of cash?






Whoo-hoo! This thread made the MC roundup 3/25/09!

[Ride Warrior]

Both lands need extensive surgery. It's more of a priority to revitalize Tomorrowland as arguably the public eye is more focused there in anicipation of seeing new and revamped rides and other attractions. Frontierland should come second in relationship to my "public anticipation" thoughts above ..but also the rumored plans for Frontierland would be considerably more tricky. We are talking about an actual expansion of acrage ..just as DCA is doing.

[mousechild]

They both are in bad shape while Tomorrowland needs some help with overall presentation, it has plenty of stuff going on. Frontierland actually has only two glaring problems with its theme, and they are problem that can add to Frontierland through subtraction. The pirates need to be evicted from TSI and F! needs to be packed up and shipped to any place that will have it.


Given that historically Tomorrowland's theme has always been a challenge I am going to have to say Frontierland is in the most need of help.

[BigThunder]

Originally Posted by mousechild

They both are in bad shape while Tomorrowland needs some help with overall presentation, it has plenty of stuff going on. Frontierland actually has only two glaring problems with its theme, and they are problem that can add to Frontierland through subtraction. The pirates need to be evicted from TSI and F! needs to be packed up and shipped to any place that will have it.


Given that historically Tomorrowland's theme has always been a challenge I am going to have to say Frontierland is in the most need of help.

I'm with you on F! As much as I enjoyed the show the first couple of times I saw it, I'm now hoping that DCA's World of Color show will make it redundant and give us our quiet nighttime ROA back. After all, how much animation projected on mist can people watch?

[Bruce Bergman]

It's a tie IMNSHO, but Tomorrowland is much more visible in it's suffering, and it's very obvious empty space. Frontierland you can maybe stuff a new ride in behind where Westward Ho was along the riverbank, but that space is restricted.

Tomorrowland would be where the investment is more obvious - and I know I've said this before, but...

The Rocket Rods/Peoplemover tracks really need to disappear from over the Sub Lagoon and turn into a Personal Rapid Transit system that goes to the other parks and parking lots (including the Third Theme Park site), the Ticketing Esplanande, the Puumba parking and the GardenWalk Hotels. And a run over to the Big A and the ARTIC Transit Hub.

If they aren't going to expand the Monorails, they need to do something to move people around the area quickly and efficiently. And as the 'Disney's Magical Express' buses proved in Florida, when people don't have to rent a car they tend to stay close to the property they came to...

--<< Bruce >>--

[ICe101]

I think they both need some work but Tomorrowlands is far more obvious. If you stay for 1 day trying to do everything at the park, you will notice the problems in Tomorrowland and won't really see anything wrong with Frontierland. Now the longer you stay, than Frontierland because more evident. But Tomorrowland needs the work.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

For me it's a tie.
They both need help.
But Tomorrowland seems to be more the "open wound" .. as appose to Frontierland .. which has no visible wounds .. just needs more.

Well .. we've all heard the rumors top imagineer Tony Baxter working on a new Tomorrowland ... So, it's a matter of when they plan on sharing this information with the fans .. and implement it.

Someone commented on the "spaghetti bowl" corner of Monorail, Peoplemover, and Autopia tracks all intertwined with each other.

I don't sense they would take out one track or the other.
Either they go in with whole-sale demolition .. and leaving only the subs showbuilding intact .. or they leave it all ..... and just do a restoration to the Peoplemover track .. for whatever they have in mind for those tracks.

But with the economy ...
whatever Tony does have in mind for Tomorrowland ...
My intuition tells me .. the focus is on the "city" section of the land.

"Spaghetti Bowl"-Tomorrowland area will most likey stay the way it is.

What I like about the Peoplemover was it was a fairly extensive track. It took us around quite a large area. That was wonderful.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

The former "Festival of Fools" arena .. and that whole area south/west of it - boarding the Rivers of America is huge. Perhaps 2 attractions? An "E" and a "C"? I don't know.
But for years .... seems the only attraction to Frontierland is the river craft and Big Thunder. That's it!

And I think there's a way to make room for new attractions without spoiling the views of the river while on Mark Twain or Columbia.

I would like to see Cascade Peek rebuilt .. and have a new attraction incorporated into it.

[WJNM]

I , too, view at as a tie. Both lands have considerable amount of unused space ... depending on how what you feel Frontierland should be, that could be a good or a bad thing.

I think the Tomorrowland problems are more obvious to your average visiting guests; Frontierland is only really obvious to those of us familiar with the park. With the exception of Festival Arena, it's much easier to excuse empty areas full of lush trees and greens than empty buildings/tracks and massive, static, concrete plazas.

[MrLiver]

Tomorrowland doesn't really need any help at all. Nemo is pretty popular, and Space is probably the most popular ride in the whole park. There's plenty to do in Tomorrowland.

I would say Frontierland needs more help than tomorrowland, but it's pretty clear that the frontier in general, as a theme, is pretty much a dead concept. The true stories of the frontier are wrought with too much controversy to be depicted as anything other than comical and fanciful cartoon representations.

Maybe they could build a sheriff woody ride. Otherwise I wouldn't suspect they could do a whole lot with the theme. America has killed all their western heroes. Ironic too considering that I'm pretty sure that it was Disney's version of the Alamo that killed them off for good.

[Uncle Bob]

TL is definitely the priority for me. TL seems broken, FL just needs a little attention and a couple of attractions but the framework is fine and I don't at all think it needs a change in theme as the OP suggests. TL has abandoned structures and a mix of conceptual ideas that do not work together, it definitely needs more help. WDI clearly agrees, TL will be fixed, but I wouldn't be surprized if not much may happened to FL for another 30 years.

[vccharisma]

I'm stuck on both lands. I love Frontierland, and it could go for a bit of a face lift and maybe a new ride. I love the old American West Frontier and all the history that goes with it. The land is dying a bit, I just really hoe they keep the concept the same.

As far as Tomorrowland goes, it could use more of a revamp than FL. It is my least favourite land, aside from Space Mountain. It needs to live up to it's name-- TOMORROWland, things could be a bit more...futuristic, no? :/

[OldSchoolMickey]

I vote for TL. It's a higher profile part of the Park.

And besides, I want the Peoplemover's back!

FL could sure use some help, but it doesn't draw in the guests, I mean the money, like TL does.

After all, the money is the bottom line...

[BigThunder]

^ I certainly did not mean to suggest that Frontierland needs a change in theme. What I suggested was a "thematic overhaul" to bring it back to the original them it was meant to represent.

[BigThunder]

Originally Posted by MrLiver

I would say Frontierland needs more help than tomorrowland, but it's pretty clear that the frontier in general, as a theme, is pretty much a dead concept. The true stories of the frontier are wrought with too much controversy to be depicted as anything other than comical and fanciful cartoon representations.

Maybe they could build a sheriff woody ride. Otherwise I wouldn't suspect they could do a whole lot with the theme. America has killed all their western heroes. Ironic too considering that I'm pretty sure that it was Disney's version of the Alamo that killed them off for good.

Until a few years ago the conventional wisdom said that Pirate movies and high seas adventure films were a dead concept. See how wrong we can all be?