One of the sore spots with Tomorrowland comes with the attraction line-up. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is a sub-par shooter dark ride, Stitch’s Great Escape is a much-maligned retheme that now sits unused and taking up space, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor doesn’t even fit the themes of Tomorrowland. So, all three of those attractions are going away. Buzz Lightyear and Monsters Inc. will both make way to give plenty of room to a new teacups dark ride known as The Adventures of Vince Quasar, while the theater-in-the-round set-up of Stitch’s Great Escape will be repurposed for a new attraction based on a cult classic Disney IP: Flight of the Navigator. In addition, the classic Astro Orbiter is given some new life when it's converted into Jetpack Joyride.

The Adventures of Vince Quasar

(Teacups dark ride)

Dastardly scientist Dr. Cathode is making machines run amok, like the Hovercar you're riding in! Join astro-hero Vince Quasar in a thrilling sci-fi adventure with more twists and turns than a haywire robot!

Considering the major focus of “Raygun Gothic” as the thematic core for this Tomorrowland overhaul, it only makes sense to have a ride that would throw guests into the midst of a classic Raygun Gothic adventure. Where Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor had once stood, guests will now enter the Hovercars Rental Terminal. Heading in to rent a hovercar for a pleasant drive, TVs in the hallways broadcast news reports about that astro-hero Vince Quasar (A lantern-jawed man in colorful space suit, with a jetpack on his back and raygun in hand) and his recent victory in foiling the latest plot by the dastardly Dr. Cathode (a green-skinned alien with a big head, black lab coat, and red-lensed goggles). Eventually, guests will read the loading area, where they will hop inside a Hovercar (which comes in red or green).

As we leave the Hovercar garage and drive down the street, a large TV monitor suddenly bares the face of Dr. Cathode! He has returned, using a “Mechano-Scrambler” ray to make machines go haywire…like our Hovercar! We end up getting hit by a red light fired from a robot, and now our Hovercar is turning all around. Using the steering wheel in the dashboard, we’re able to turn and spin much like the iconic spinning tea cups. It lends well to the sense of anarchy and chaos as machines start running amuck, though Vince Quasar arrives to help fight off these dastardly robots. Our crazy joyride sends us spinning through the streets and crashing through buildings, before we end up in a robot factory that Dr. Cathode has taken over. We’re cornered by Dr. Cathode’s army of robots, until Vince Quasar arrives to save the day! It all leads to a manic showdown between our astro-hero and this wicked mad scientist, but it all ends happily with Dr. Cathode arrested and Vince thanking us for our help. With that, our Hovercar regains standard controls (reverting to its starting position) as it pulls into the unloading area, bringing an end to our madcap adventure.

Flight of the Navigator

(Theater-in-the-round show)

The Extraterrestial Studies Commission has been trying to unlock the mysteries of a crashed alien spacecraft, and you just might hold the key. Step inside and witness the wonder of this otherworldly ship, as you find yourself in the flight of your life.

With Stitch’s Great Escape finally cleared out, the theater-in-the-round set-up gets some new use through an attraction loosely inspired by this older Disney IP. Though it is more of a cult classic rather than a big-time IP, its plot of a crashed alien spaceship and a human connected to it offers a thematic fit among the colorful adventures in Tomorrowland. In any case, guests enter the headquarters of the Extraterrestrial Studies Commission (ESC), an organization devoted to studying alien technology. The walls are covered with star charts and signs of their research, such as theories on teleportation and Mars colonization (two playful references to Alien Encounter and Mission to Mars, which had occupied this building before).

The first preshow room has a video led by Dr. Faraday, who introduces us to the ESC and explains their work. In particular, they have a subject that they will showcase during our tour: a recovered alien spacecraft. The ESC has been trying to understand it, but to no avail. Heading onto the second preshow room (a chamber filled with computer screens and sensors about the alien ship), guests are given a scan for security measures. As the scan happens, the ship seems to activate as if sensing someone. Realizing that someone in the tour might have some connection to the ship, Dr. Faraday makes the call to allow them onboard. With that, the doors open as guests head down a hallway and turn onto the alien spacecraft.

The circular theater is done in sleek chrome, much like the ship interior in the film. A central pad features an incredible map with the ship’s position, while screens are peppered across the walls and a metallic scanner (somewhat resembling an eye on a stalk) hangs in the center of the room. Once everyone is safely seated in the theater, the scanner comes to life as the ship introduces itself as the Trimaxion Drone Ship. Revealing that it had transferred key data to a “Navigator” before it had crashed, it has sensed the Navigator among us and recaptures that key intel through a scan. Before Dr. Faraday can relay any questions to the ship, however, it takes off! Our seats rumble and shake to better simulate the quick speed and turns of the Drone Ship, while the screens show the outside world as our ship is flying all around the planet. It takes in our world with wonder, while ESC vehicles try to follow pursuit. Eventually, Dr. Faraday is able to patch through and plead to the Navigator to help get these people back home. The Drone Ship realizes that the Navigator shares the feeling, and obliges to return back to our starting point. The ship apologizes for his little joyride, but he thanks us for returning his intel. With that, the doors open as we head for the exit.

Jetpack Joyride

(Dumbo-style spinner)

Have you wanted to take to the skies in your very own jetpack? If so, then step up to the Jetpack Academy and take a test flight through the air!

With two major rides involving spaceships now in Tomorrowland, Astro Orbiter gets sent away as the classic Raygun Goth tech of the jetpack gets a spotlight with Jetpack Joyride, a spinner ride inspired by the Jet Packs attraction in Shanghai Disneyland. Signs that had once marked the elevator to the Rocket Launch Platform now point the way to the Jetpack Academy. Heading up to the second floor, guests find the familiar rockets now replaced by gold and red rocket chairs. These rocket chairs can seat two people, with shoulder restraints to help keep guests safely inside the rocket chairs and a control lever between the riders to raise or lower the rocket chair. This new ride set-up offers a slightly more thrilling feel to a traditional spinner ride.

In addition, the central spire in the attraction that makes for the “weenie” of Tomorrowland receives a slight update. Now, the central spire is topped by a stylized Art Deco statue of a man wearing a classic jetpack, appearing to fly straight up. At night, green neon rings light up in a pulsing downward pattern below the statue, completing the visual effect of him taking off among the stars.