Those Happy Places Episode 36: Autopia and Retro-Futurism
Jan 3, 2020
Delve into the nostalgic roots of retrofuturism and its impact on the vibrant world of Disneyland attractions. Discover how the iconic Autopia ride reflects both corporate influence and cultural shifts in car culture. Explore the irony of its vision against environmental concerns and the ongoing evolution of Tomorrowland. Imagine a reimagined Autopia featuring all-electric cars that fuse nostalgia with modernity, highlighting fun storytelling over moral lessons. Join the conversation about the future of technology and audience engagement!
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Tomorrowland's Original Vision
- Tomorrowland was designed as a futurist utopia showcasing wondrous ideas and scientific achievements from 1955's vision of 1986.
- It represented a step into the future with hopes for space travel, a peaceful world, and scientific frontiers.
Alice's Autopia Childhood
- As a child, Alice enjoyed steering Autopia’s car back and forth to bump the passenger.
- As she grew older, she aimed to keep the car perfectly centered to anticipate turns, imagining driving like that.
Autopia's Obsolete Futurism
- Autopia originally demonstrated the future interstate highway system before it existed.
- Today, it simply reflects the present with gas-powered cars, offering no futuristic or retrofuturistic vision.