By the co-author of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020, the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series ever.

Available on Amazon here.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)





A Friday Visit with Jim Korkis: Tomorrowland and Stitch



By Dave Shute

Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians and author of Jim’s Gems in The easy Guide, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

STITCH IN TOMORROWLAND

By Jim Korkis

The problem with Tomorrowland at the Disney theme parks was that the future always came much quicker than expected making the land look quaint rather than innovative no matter how often it changed.

In 1994 for the Disney Imagineers the solution was to make Tomorrowland “the future that never was.” It would be the future that resembled the one predicted in all the science fiction magazines and movies of the early Twentieth Century. It would be a timeless future that would never be out of date.

Entering Tomorrowland, guests are not just in the future but in a hometown community like Main Street U.S.A. that serves as a galactic space port.

In keeping with the theme that this is a city of the future, at the entrance is a huge sign from the Tomorrowland Chamber of Commerce that welcomes guests with its motto: “The Future That Never Was Is Finally Here”.

This is a metropolis where humans intermingle with aliens and robots and is the headquarters for the League of Planets. This main street of the future is officially known as the Avenue of the Planets. However, unlike in many cities, there are no shields at the entrance of Lions Club or Kiwanis organizations.

Instead, there are colorful emblem logos representing The League of Planets, The Loyal Order of Little Green Beings, the Galactic Association of Retired Aliens and the Sleepless Knights of the Milky Way.

All of these clever details exist to suggest that there is a much larger community than what guests will be able to see and experience during their visit. At one time there was even a poster for “Lunar Disneyland—The Happiest Place Off Earth”.

In 1995, the attraction building to the left of the entrance became the InterPlanetary Convention Center with additional advertising inside about upcoming community events and a demonstration of the latest in teleportation technology from X-S Tech.

The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was a frightening interactive experience of what happens when people trust in untested technology.

In 2004, the building was converted into the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleportation Center to handle “undesirables”. Using the same teleportation equipment as X-S Tech, guests see a demonstration of how convicted prisoners are teleported away from this city of tomorrow.

(c) Disney

(c) Disney

Inside is the infamous and mischievous Stitch from the Disney animated feature Lilo and Stitch (2002) that was made by Disney Feature Animation Florida. Of course, something goes horribly wrong and Stitch escapes but that comes as no surprise since the attraction is named Stitch’s Great Escape.

Not only has Stitch escaped to plague the guests in their seats but he has burst through the ceiling of the nearby merchandise shop, The Merchant of Venus, and the ceiling is covered with his distinctive footprints.

Along the sides of the shop walls are “faux” windows revealing Tomorrowland overflowing with Stitch’s many cousins, introduced to audiences in the Disney Channel television series and made-for-video sequels based on the original film.

The Merchant of Venus (a pun on Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice”) is laced with blue cable coils from the ceiling that connect to collection orbs atop the fixtures so quality goods from throughout the universe can materialize in these mini teleport chambers.

Stitch has even invaded Mickey’s Star Traders just down the block. A huge mural with seven hidden Mickeys encircles the ceiling. It details the escape from the city of a screaming Stitch as well as Jumba and Pleakley’s ship in hot pursuit besides some other surprises.

The Merchant of Venus and Mickey’s Star Traders merchandise shops theme into the concept that any community, even one in the future, would need a variety of businesses and services like shops and dining options for the residents and visitors.

*  *  *  *  *

Thanks, Jim!

Here’s the review of Stitch’s Great Escape from The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2017:

Stitch's Great Escape from The easy Guide

There are rumors that Stitch’s great Escape might be replaced with a Wreck-It-Ralph attraction…

Come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.
The 2017 easy Guide

Kelly B Can Help You Book Your Trip

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

RELATED STUFF

0 comments

Have a thought or a question?...

Comment by typing in the form below.

Leave a Comment | Ask a Question | Note a Problem

My response to questions and comments will be on the same page as the original comment, likely within 24-36 hours . . . I reserve the right to edit and delete comments as I choose . . . All rights reserved. Copyright 2008-2024 . . . Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by me--even the ones in focus--except for half a dozen from my niecelets . . . This site is entirely unofficial and not authorized by any organizations written about in it . . . All references to Disney and other copyrighted characters, trademarks, marks, etc., are made solely for editorial purposes. The author makes no commercial claim to their use . . . Nobody's perfect, so follow any advice here at your own risk.