Armchair Imagineering: The Innoventions Building

[ManaByte]

Innoventions is a massive waste of space in Tomorrowland. No one who actually knows what’s inside there even bothers with it anymore. Who really cares to know how an ancient ball mouse works? Everyone should have a laser mouse now. It’s nothing more than a giant commercial break that is taking up a huge chunk of real estate in the park. But it doesn’t have to be.


What if they gutted the building, leaving only the round shell? Inside they could build a large two-story indoor carousel. To fit the futuristic theme of Tomorrowland the “horses” could instead be rocket ships, meteors, comets, stars, and even robot horses. As the ride goes around, they could use the walls to project Space Mountain-style special effects. And of course you’d have to “Plus” the ride, and they could do this with some kind of “hidden” button on the horses. When the button is pressed a full 3D computer generated and animated version of the character you’re riding will show up on the wall among the star effects.


A two-story indoor space carousel is exactly what they could use the large round Innoventions building for and the perfect thing Tomorrowland needs to help revitalize the land.

[AwesomeMan33]

theres already a plan for Innoventions

[ManaByte]

theres already a plan for Innoventions

Yes, but adding Microsoft ads isn't a "plan". It'd still be the Disneyland Prison.

[3rdshiftCM]

Why not use it as a show building for what ever they have planned for the old PM/RR track.

[nish221]

Yes, but adding Microsoft ads isn't a "plan". It'd still be the Disneyland Prison.

Actually, I've heard some rumors.... and it's not just the ads.

But IMHO, I personally would like to see the Innoventions concept moved to some plcase
else .... like Starcade!!
-----
oops, I wasn't going to write the rumors, but it's basically what 3rdShift wrote...

[patattack]

Wall-E and Microsoft will be movin in

[MrLiver]

One thing is certain. An AA show will never return to that building.

[Zeus]

They just put a ton of $$$ into a new Exhibit, I doubt they will do anything like gut the building anytime soon [unfortunately]

[3rdshiftCM]

They just put a ton of $$$ into a new Exhibit, I doubt they will do anything like gut the building anytime soon [unfortunately]

Most of those exhibits are good for about a year before they become stale, so early 09 looks good to me.

[Mr_Incredible]

Yes, but adding Microsoft ads isn't a "plan". It'd still be the Disneyland Prison.

Huh? Why would they have Microsoft sponsoring something Disney? Cause I thought I read somewhere that the Pixar deal involved Steve Jobs getting his hands on a controling share of the Disney company. And since Mr. Jobs is also the head of Apple, it would seem a bit silly to have Microsoft all over the parks. I could be wrong about all this, but if I'm right (and I'm pretty certain I am) than this is just a stupid move.

Anyways, as for the future of the Innoventions building, I do hope that they redo that next with some new big E- ticket attraction. All that I can really think of is maybe a west coast clone of Mission: Space or something using the same technology, or maybe something with the "planet factory" from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Or maybe, just maybe, a totally new idea that'll blow us all away!

[Loomis]

I've always seen the place as being a potential museum of retro visions of "Tomorrow". Historical dioramas; interactive history; bits from classic Disney films (20,000 Leagues Under the Seas; TRON; Black Hole; Treasure Planet etc), all depicting different versions of "the future" and different technologies that have been invented along the way. ASIMO would certainly keep in line with this theme, and given it is one of the drawcards there at the moment (the only drawcard), it seems fitting. This wouldn't so much be a "Carousel of Progress" redux, as Tomorrowland is about moving forward, but more of an interactive experience. Presently, the interactivity only comes from Disney Interactive and ESPN videogames.

Just a thought.

[sleepyjeff]

1st floor: Microsoft Exhibit.

2nd floor: Home of the Future omnivore ride.

3rd floor(roof): Flying Saucers

[dland_lover]

I've thought about this before, actually. I think they should block off the two levels from one another. Downstairs, would be a carousel AA show about the house of tomorrow. No, not a 'look at all this stuff that looks like it's from the future, but is actually here today' idea. Or, a re-hash of the Carousel of Progress. I mean a genuinely new guess at what the future home will be like. With the entire show being set at a fixed date in the future, just that each stage would represent a different room in the house. Not sci-fi related, either. And who cares if it turns out that 30 years from now, those past visions of the future would end up being wrong? That's the fun of it: we don't know what the future will be like, so let's make it interesting!

As far as the upstairs, turn the whole thing (ramp outside included, with enough room left for an exit) into the new station and queue for the new Peoplemover, which would be more of a ride telling about Tomorrowland's past, but leading fairly quickly to the community of tomorrow, including using the upstairs and possibly the downstairs of the Starcade, to show the various aspects of said future community. This ride would be full with AA's (not alchoholics anonymous facilities, but Audio Animatronics! ) and fully animated scenes of the community, esp. doing so in the former Starcade. I'm even for this also taking over the Magic Eye Theater to really give a huge 'insight' as to what the future will be like.

I haven't thought out much beyond that, but, what do you think?

[dland_lover]

1st floor: Microsoft Exhibit.

2nd floor: Home of the Future omnivore ride.

3rd floor(roof): Flying Saucers

Omnivore?? So we'll be riding on some sort of animal that can eat meat and plants? I thought the pack mules were too unpredictable, that being part of the reason they were removed (i think)? :

[sleepyjeff]

I haven't thought out much beyond that, but, what do you think?

So far so good but I want concept art and diagrams on my desk by 9:00 sharp!