Walt Disney World A journey to the past and
the future
In Walt Disney World there’s truly a Magic Kingdom to be found. A kingdom full of fantasy, imagination, adventure and... time travel? Yes, time travel. In my eyes there are two lands in the Magic Kingdom that give you the feeling like you are travelling back and forth in time. In this journey I’ll tell about my findings of these magical worlds.
Frontierland. A land where guests can celebrate the past of America and explore a new frontier from the 19th century. Tomorrowland. The future that never was. Guests get to explore new frontiers here as well. New frontiers from outer space. Humans, aliens, monsters and robots live together in this land that’s really out of this world!
Big idea Tomorrowland
The big idea of Tomorrowland is the future that never was. Disney gives their guests a look in the future how Walt saw it and gives them a taste of worlds far away from ours. Walt was always on the lookout for new ideas and innovations, and in Tomorrowland the first concept of Epcot can be found, a whole future world that Walt was trying to create. That never happened, but in Tomorrowland you get to see more things about the future from yesterday. Even though some people claim that Tomorrowland has changed into “Yesterdayland”, Disney tries to give guests an idea of the future to let them meet and interact with creatures from other worlds. Go on a trip in space in the Space Mountain, visit the past and future in the Carrousel of Progress, meet aliens and monsters and visit planets from outer space. Disney makes sure the land of tomorrow is appealing to vi visitors young and old by combining futuristic elements and childhood favourites together. Rides and shows for all ages and friendly creatures can be found in this land. Tomorrowland will always be on the lookout for future related things, because there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.
Big idea higlights Tomorrowland Beings
Human beings from the future live together with Aliens and Experiments from outer space. Monsters from Monstropolis found a place to live in Tomorrowland as well. Buzz Lightyear and the green Aliens found a home in Tomorrowland too. Robots who work for human beings to make life easier are species who can be found in Tomorrowland as well.
Structures
The buildings all have this modern looking, “plain” looking structure. The least details of all the lands in the Magic Kingdom. The buildings are mostly painted in a primary colour, with a metallic vibe. The big white “mountain” where the Space Mountain is placed in, is the eye catcher of Tomorrowland, together with the highest ride of the Magic Kingdom, the Astro Orbiter. There’s a spaceship crashed in the land, where Stitch landed on earth. That spaceship doubles as Outdoor Beverage Vending. In Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, one of the biggest Quick service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, you can find Sonny Starlight. The DJ/comic relief Alien who entertains the guests.
Big idea higlights Tomorrowland Transportation & Movement
Even though there is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, there is not really a transportation that gets you from Point A to B. The TTA just brings you around Tomorrowland and back.
Culture
The culture and traditions of Tomorrowland go as far as the population of the land is. It’s a mixture of all the different creatures who live there and make the land their own.
Expressive Culture
Tomorrowland tells different types of stories. The story about the Monsters who want human laughter, the story about how an alien escape, Buzz Lightyear who wants the Guests help in a battle against the Evil Emperor Zurck. The flight to space from Space Mountain and the flight through our solar system from the Astro. Tomorrowland tells the story of the future that never was.
For more ‘Big idea’ take a look at the apendices, everything is written out in there.
Big idea Frontierland
The big idea for Frontierland is to celebrate America’s past and the guests really get to experience the story. This is all made possibly be the perfectly build buildings in a real western style. The wood, porches, old fashioned lanterns and names of the shops and restaurants. The Castmembers provide to this story by wearing themed costumes and speak in themed language. The merchandise available in the stores are also themed to the wild west and cowboys. You won’t find something Star Wars related in a Frontierland store, but you can get cowboy heads and Toy Story related merchandise! The stories of the rides provide a big part of the theming for Frontierland as well. The ghost train of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad takes guests on the wildest ride in the wilderness. Everything is perfectly themed and no details are left out. From the waiting line, to the ride itself and the exit, you really feel like a miner on a ride in a ghost train. Splash Mountain takes his guests on a journey to a land filled with animals and friends. The characters and places are all worked out beautiful and it sucks the guests into the story and ends with a big splash into the Briar Patch. The visit to Tom Sawyers island begins like it should be with a little raft-ride to his island. The little shooting range and the outdoor vending post Big Al’s all fit into the theme perfectly.
Greeted with a “Howdy y’all!” Guests really get to experience the wild west of the 19th century
Big idea Highlights Frontierland Place
The American old-west from the 19th century.
Beings
Cowboys, pioneers from America, The Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob can be found there for the musical parts. The Country from Country Bear Jamboree, Woody and Jessy and the creatures from Splash Mountain, like Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Fox.
Structures
The main buildings in Frontierland resemble those from the wild west. A lot of wood and rustic material is used to make them and there are a lot of bridges, breezeways and porches. If you walk a bit more into Frontierland you see the big mountains from Splash Mountain and Big Thunder. Next to the Splash Mountain is the briar patch located, both a store and a prop for the ride. The Walt Disney World Railroad has a departure and arrival station located in Frontierland as well, this is also themed after the first railroads in America.
Big idea Highlights Frontierland Transportation & Movement
The Walt Disney World Railroad has a stop in Frontierland to move further to Fantasyland and Main Street USA. The Liberty Bell boat sails on the Rivers of America and passes Tom Sawyers island. Little rafts also sail straight to Tom Sawyers island, for Guests to pay a visit there.
Belief & Worldview
It’s the story of America’s past, it’s a tribute to the faith, courage and ingenuity of the hearty pioneers. (Walt E. Disney, July 17, 1955)
Culture
The traditions and values are those from the wild west in the 19th century. The two major rides of the land have interesting stories behind them. The story how Bre’r Rabbit escaped his two capturers from Splash Mountain and the ghost mine train for Big Thunder Mountain. The key aspects from Frontierland are those from the century the land takes place in and you get to see out throughout every single detail in the land.
Storytelling Tomorrowland The storytelling in Tomorrowland is done by really telling a story, it’s about fictional and real-life events that brings excitement to the guests. It also has a few hints of a fairy tale in it, since it’s about a fantasy future and it involves creatures and beings not from this world. (Types of Stories, Lukas, 2013)
Storytelling
Storytelling
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland
The Tomorrowland as we all know it now, it’s the “new Tomorrowland”, opened in 1995. There has been a shift from ‘the future that never was’ to a more ‘science-fiction’ kind of land. (Christopher Hunt, Coordinator Tomorrowland, 2015) Tomorrowland now resembles a galactic spaceport, offering the guests a journey into a world away from our own. One of the most remarkable story-elements in Tomorrowland is the one from an experimental alien who came to Walt Disney World in 2003, Stitch. Experiment 626 crashed down into Tomorrowland in 2003, leaving his ship not-so-neatly parked into the land. This ship is now used as the “Cool Ship” an outdoor Beverage vending. (Marilyn Johnson, trainer Tomorrowland since 2001, 2015). After Stitch also the Monsters of Monstroplis found a home in Tomorrowland. Since they got the news that laughter is a better way for energy than screams they need the guests help. Mike Wazowksi and friends opened a comedy club where they collect laughter from the guests. These two aspects of Tomorrowland are the first things you see when you enter the land via the main entrance of Tomorrowland. This immediately shows the new theming of the land.
Not quite a future world anymore, but more a scientific fantasy future where monsters, aliens and humans all live together. The other part of the story is where Tomorrowland offers the guests a travel to outer space. The Astro Orbitor and Space Mountain are both ways for guests to go on a journey into space. Flying rockets and spaceships to roam around the galaxy is one of the original aspects of the story of Tomorrowland and it’s still is one of the most important ones. The idea of a ‘future that never was’, is still to be seen in a few of the rides and theming of the land. One of the oldest rides in Tomorrowland is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover (TTA). If there’s one ride who explains the true story of Tomorrowland, it’s the TTA. This ride gives the guests a tour through Tomorrowland and some of the other rides. It also shows one of the early concepts of EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. This was the way Walt Disney envisioned his new park Epcot. He wanted to make a community of the future that would never be finished. (David Horvath, professor Disney Heritage, 2015) This is also a way how Walt Disney envisioned Tomorrowland, like a future that never was. A few other views in the TTA are Sttich’s Great Escape, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Space Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway. Speedway was another way of showing guests the imaginary future. Throughout the ride in the Peoplemover guests see different kind of views of the future, a robot lady who gets her hair done by a robot and a futuristic train station. One of the other original rides from Tomorrowland is the Carrousel of Progress, a moving theatre intentionally used for the New York World Fair. This show was originally created by Walt Disney himself and gives you a view of the past and future. All the elements of Tomorrowland together really give them the idea that they walk through a science-fiction fantasy future were robots, aliens, monsters and humans can live together. They will always remember that there’s a great big, beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.
Storytelling Frontierland Frontierland. It is here that we experience the story of our country's past. The colour, romance and drama of frontier America as it developed from wilderness trails to roads, riverboats, railroads and civilization. A tribute to the faith, courage and ingenuity of our hearty pioneers who blaze the trails and made this progress possible. (Walt Disney, 1955)
The storytelling of Frontierland is really a combination of different types of storytelling. Splash Mountain really has a lot of characteristics of a fable, while Big Thunder Mountain is more an Urban Legend, since the story goes that there’s a legend about the mountain. This makes it kind of a story inside of a story, since it’s all fictional. The whole story of the little Frontierland town is history, while it tells the story of the wild west, frontier America in the 19th century.
Storytelling Frontierland Frontierland really tells a story about how the pioneers and cowboys of the 19th century lived. The simplicity and calm atmosphere of this little town really provides the charm of it. Even though all the rides provide their own story, it still has this global vibe around it. Guests usually enter this town through Liberty Square, the 18th century historical American village. The Rivers of America are located next to Frontierland and provide as a ride for the Liberty Belle boat and the rafts to Tom Sawyers Island. Guests get the impression that they really are in a 19th century town as soon as they walk in. The shops, overall look of the buildings and little details. Guests can start their journey through the wild west by shopping for their cowboy gear in the Frontierland Trading Post and Big Al’s. as soon as they look sharply dressed with a hat and a sheriff pin, guests can go shooting in the Shootin’ Arcade, right next to the shop. The music relief in the town is often provided by the Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob. For a real show, going back to the very beginning of Walt Disney World, guests can go to the Country Bear Jamboree. This stage show uses audio-animatronic bears who sing short country songs. The most famous one of them all has to Big Al, he appears as a character in Fron Frontierland on a regular basis. Together with Wendell and ‘Shaker’ (this is the way the Frontierland castmembers call this bear) he also appears in the hoedown. The hoedown is a fun dance show in the middle of Frontierland. It comes as a surprise for the guests and they are always encouraged to dance along with the characters and castmembers.
Storytelling Frontierland
Storytelling Frontierland
When the guests of Frontierland get hungry or they need some renewed energy they can go to the Prairie Outpost & Supply for a sweet snack, or to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café for some good cowboy-worthy food. To continue the adventure in the frontier of America you have the choice to walk on the wooden porches of the shops or to relax in one of the big rocking chairs. Guests get also the choice to walk alongside the river on the wooden bridge. If they follow this way, they will soon find a where they can take a raft to Tom Sawyers Island. On this island guests can explore nature and roam around through big trees and guests can escape the hectic times of the park for a little bit. As soon as they get back on the bridge two big mountains await them. Guests can choose to either have a ‘zip-a-dee-do-dah’ day in Splash Mountain or become miners in the Wildest ride of the wilderness in Big Thunder Mountain.
To become real miners from the 19th century, guests can go to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The guests feel like real miners from the moment they step in the waiting line. Old props from mineworkers are found over the whole queue and it get more and more into detail the higher the guests climb. As soon as they enter their mine trains, the story evolves. “It’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!” The voice says right before the guests’ departure in what’s truly the wildest ride in the wilderness. According to old stories the legend goes that the Thunder Mountain was very protective of the gold that was inside of it, it wouldn’t allow the miners to go on it. As ‘revenge’ the mine train was haunted and would take anybody who dared to go to Big Thunder Mountain on a wild ride. During the wild ride guests get to see remaining’s of an old village and all this makes the story feel even more real.
Splash Mountain invites the guests to join in the story of Br’er Rabbit on his way to adventure. The story of the ride is a mash-up from different tales from Song of the South, a movie now banned by Disney
Lastly, an important part of the whole of Walt Disney World is the Walt Disney World Railroad. Walt Disney loved trains and every Disney park has one. Obviously the railroad has a stop in Frontierland, since the real America in that time period were the pioneers of the railroad. Guests can hop on and hop off at the station to go further to Fantasyland and Main Street USA.
due to some racist issues. This is also the reason there is no merchandise to be found of the movie, only a little book with the tales from Uncle Remus. (Jonathan-Barry Hooks, Coordinator Frontierland Merchandise, 2015). The story follows Br’er Rabbit who leaves his home the Briar Patch (also a merchandise store in Frontierland, on the foot of Splash Mountain) to go on adventure. Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear see this as an opportunity to catch Br’er Rabbit, but he seems to outsmart them every time. In his search for the Laughing Place the fox and bear catch him in a beehive. It all seems to go downhill for Br’er Rabbit from here (yes, that pun was intended). He uses his reversed psychology on Br ‘er Fox and says “Please don’t throw me in that briar patch!” (Splash Mountain audio-animatronic). Br’er Fox obviously does this and they drop together with the guests from the big mountain into the briar patch. This makes sure that Br’er Rabbit gets home and in the grand finally you see all the animals celebrating the return of Br’er Rabbit with the catchy theme song ‘zippy-di-do-dah’.
Design, theming & experience tomorrowland If we’re looking at the way Tomorrowland is designed, we can look at a few different aspects of it. Tomorrowland used to have really basic, primary colours, but after the renovation to New Tomorrowland that changed. It now has a lot bluer, purple and metallic tones. This give the whole place a more science-fiction, cartoon-y look.
are another important aspect in creating a world. In Tomorrowland, in the overall look there are a lot of round buildings and round rides to be found. Combined with sharp looking, futuristic themes. The Carrousel of Progress, The Astro Orbitor and the Space Mountain are all circular shaped or at least give a round feeling. The Peoplemover moves around Tomorrowland in a circular way and even Stitch’s Great Escape is set in a circular way. This gives the guests a unique experience, one they can memorize.
Shapes
may seem like a not-so-important feature of a theme park, but it actually helps creating a unique experience for the guests. In Tomorrowland everything has a smooth texture, to ensure the space feeling. Texture
All the design elements combined really make a holistic experience for the guests. Tomorrowland gives the guests a science-fiction cartoon-y feeling by using bright colours, large buildings and wide spaces. Even though all the rides, shops and décor pieces are very close together, it all seems neatly placed and wide. Just like a future world should look. For a more in-debt look at the design, take a look at the appendice.
Design, theming & experience Frontierland Frontierland has a very outstanding look around itself. Everything blends perfectly into each other and has a very clear way of design. The colours scheme used in this land are earthy tones with a lot of brown tints from the wood. This is all used to create a western atmosphere from the 19th century. The large shaped buildings are very square and broad, to get the most out of the space they have. What’s common for this time period are the wooden porches outside of buildings, and all of the buildings in Frontierland have this trait. The two mountains in the back of Frontierland are the two centrepieces of the land. Due to their big shape and height they can be seen from all over the land, even when you’re all the way in the back of Liberty Square. The textures of Frontierland was mostly wood and broad textures. This is used to show the guests the roughness of the land and the rustic influences. Another important point are the windows of the shops. To make this a holistic world and tell a real story, every detail has to fall into place. The windows of the most important shops are all perfectly detailed with props from the time area and to match the theme of the shop. The Briar Patch is one of the best examples for that. The inside of the shop is shaped after a real Briar Patch, but also as the home of Br’er Rabbit. Walking around in Frontierland really gives the guests a feeling that they walk around in an old wild west village. Feel like a real cowboy and explore the frontiers of ye olden times. For a more in-debt look at design, take a look at the appendices.
Tomorrowland
& Frontierland Overall Conclusion
Overall Conclusion When guests enters Frontierland they are immediately sucked back into time to visit the 19th century of America. They get to explore the American frontiers as the pioneers in old times. The wild west welcomes them and guests get to experience life of a cowboy and invites them to celebrate the country’s history. All the components together, like how the story folds out while you walk through the little town, the way the town is designed and all the little details like scenery music and materials used make this a whole holistic world. The characters in the land, the rides, shops and restaurants all are a part of the story.The whole town is made more believable for guests of every age by using fantasy-like story elements that suck guests into the story even more. The same goes for Tomorrowland. In Tomorrowland guests are exploring a new-new world, just like the pioneers of America in Frontierland. Instead of exploring a new frontier, guests can now explore outer space and a new future. The frontier of space and the future, if you may? This is the similarity between the lands. In Tomorrowland the story is told the same as in Frontierland, even though both of them have a whole different type of theming. The décor, props, music, rides, characters and overall look of the land gives the guests a feeling they are truly in a future, science-fiction world. Meeting and seeing characters from a land not known to us, travelling into time and space and eating food together with aliens. We can conclude that important factors to create immersive, holistic worlds are things like the way a world or land is set up. It has to have a concrete story to it, and that story has to be explained and told by not only words, but by the buildings, the atmosphere, music, décor, castmembers and all the little aspects the guests can see or not see. Most of the details to a story world are not immediately seen by guests, but without them the story and the world wouldn’t be complete. It’s just all the things Disney does that make guests want to come back and experience the stories every single time again and again. For a more in-debt conclusion, take a look at the appendices.
Conceptbook Internship Walt Disney world 18-01-2016 Gianna Balzano