The Tomorrow Society Podcast

A few weeks ago, Disney announced a major course correction to Disney Genie Plus, their paid line-skipping system. That service is being renamed as Lightning Lane Multipass and will allow reservations up to seven days in advance (for Disney Resort guests).… Read more... The post 236. Five Things I Like and Dislike About Disney’s New Lightning Lane Multipass Service appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

During the late ’90s and early 2000s, we saw a wave of interactive attractions that went beyond just shooting games. Along with separate destinations like DisneyQuest, a new take on interactivity arrived with Turtle Talk with Crush; Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor; and more.… Read more... The post 235. Imagineer Joe Garlington on Creating Interactive Disney Attractions appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Fire in the Hole was the first coaster at Silver Dollar City in 1972 and operated for more than 50 years. When the park finally decided to replace it, they made such an interesting choice. Also named Fire in the Hole, this updated version brings modern effects and a smoother ride to the original model.… Read more... The post 234. Fire in the Hole 2.0 Review and Silver Dollar City Trip Report appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in May and August of 2019, Star Wars fans were thrilled at the chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon, escape from the First Order, and interact with Stormtroopers on Batuu. Five years later, both lands are still popular and draw big lines for the two attractions.… Read more... The post 233. Updating Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s easy to overlook how important sound design is to the success of theme parks. Music in particular lifts our experience beyond what we see on the attractions. Composer Ron Fish worked closely at Walt Disney Imagineering for eight years on many classic rides and shows.… Read more... The post 232. Ron Fish on Creating Music for Theme Parks and Video Games appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s hard to believe it, but we’re nearing the summer season at theme parks. Last year, I had a great time visiting Kings Island and Silver Dollar City along with Disneyland and Universal Hollywood. What’s next for 2024? On this episode of the Tomorrow Society Podcast, I dive into the parks that I hope to visit this summer and beyond.… Read more... The post 231. My Theme Park Summer Plus Universal Orlando News appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

We’ve entered a new world of immersive theme park lands that just keep getting more detailed every time. It’s easy to forget that expansions on this scale basically started with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Opening in 2010 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Hogsmeade set the standard.… Read more... The post 230. Eric Baker on Designing Props for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

We’re back for Part 2 of my Walt Disney World trip report, and there’s still a lot more to cover! This episode of the Tomorrow Society Podcast finishes up my park days and then looks at other aspects of our Spring Break vacation.… Read more... The post 229. Beignets, Buses, and More: A Walt Disney World Trip Report (Part 2) appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s been about two years since I visited Walt Disney World, so a return trip was long overdue. It finally happened a few weeks ago during my daughter’s Spring Break. I expected the huge crowds we typically see this time of year, but the result was a big surprise.… Read more... The post 228. TRON, Guardians, and More: A Walt Disney World Trip Report (Part 1) appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

Horizons remains my all-time favorite attraction despite closing more than 24 years ago. It combined everything that I loved about EPCOT Center during the ’80s and ’90s. Trevor Bryant joined WED Enterprises in 1979 and quickly started on Horizons. He worked closely on this pavilion throughout its creation including at the installation in Florida.… Read more... The post 227. Trevor Bryant on Horizons, Binaural Audio, and Test Track appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

An unappreciated reason for the success of Disney’s theme parks and resorts is the brilliant architecture. It creates that feeling of reassurance and immersion that keeps us coming back every year. Imagineer Bob Holland worked closely on a wide range of projects as an architect, project manager, and executive during a period of rapid growth.… Read more... The post 226. Bob Holland on Constructing EPCOT Center, the Grand Floridian, and Disney Cruise Line appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

I’m going to Walt Disney World! It’s been two years since our last Florida trip, and we’ll be returning during Spring Break this year. I’m sure it will be packed like usual at this time of year, but we’re limited to when my daughter is out of school.… Read more... The post 225. Walt Disney World 2024 Trip Preview appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s amazing to look back at how much growth happened at Disney’s theme parks under Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. During the “Disney Decade”, they added new attractions that have become classics. Imagineer Susan Bonds worked in the middle of this exciting and busy time period.… Read more... The post 224. Susan Bonds on the Indiana Jones Adventure, Alien Encounter, and Mission: Space appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

With the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny last year, the popular franchise has concluded with Harrison Ford donning his trademark hat for the last time. This feels like the perfect time to discuss everything Indy for Disney’s theme parks.… Read more... The post 223. Spotlight on Indiana Jones with Brandon Kleyla appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

There’s so much to learn when planning a Walt Disney World trip, particularly if you’re not a frequent guest. It’s not easy to explain the complexities of that visit to people that aren’t experts. A solid resource to help is Rope Drop Radio, a weekly podcast from two guys that regularly travel to the parks.… Read more... The post 222. Rope Drop Radio’s Doug McKnight and Derek Sasman appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

When I think about which past versions of lands that I’d love to visit in Disneyland, early Tomorrowland is near the top of that list. Despite lacking the high-tech headliners, the mix of weirdness and ambitious visions of the future in the ’50s and ’60s are fascinating.… Read more... The post 221. Disneyland’s House of the Future with Author Dave Bossert appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

We’ve all marveled at audio-animatronic technology at Disney’s theme parks, particularly at the original EPCOT Center. But we rarely think about how much work it took to bring them to life. Davy Feiten was a key part of animating figures around the world for Walt Disney Imagineering.… Read more... The post 219. Davy Feiten on Animating Figures for Attractions at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and More appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

EPCOT’s major transformation is finally completed! Well, it’s mostly finished. The construction walls are finally down, and we can see Disney’s vision for Walt Disney’s World second park. How does it all look today? Tim Grassey just visited the parks in December and saw the latest nighttime spectacular, Luminous: The Symphony of Us.… Read more... The post 218. Tim Grassey on Luminous, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and What’s Next for Disney appeared first on Tomorrow Society.

It’s an interesting time in the world of theme parks as we look to 2024. Major attractions and a new Universal theme park are opening in 2025 and beyond, so it’s easy to look ahead. This feels like a transition year that will set the stage for larger projects down the road.… Read more... The post 217. What’s New for 2024 with Arthur Levine appeared first on Tomorrow Society.