RUMOR: Star Wars Launch Bay/Carousel Theater to Be Demolished and Replaced by Seating Area in Tomorrowland at Disneyland

Katie Francis

RUMOR: Star Wars Launch Bay/Carousel Theater to Be Demolished and Replaced by Seating Area in Tomorrowland at Disneyland

As we get closer to D23, we learn more about the major overhaul coming to Tomorrowland at Disneyland. The latest information reveals reports that Star Wars Launch Bay building is expected to be demolished and replaced by a seating area.

Disneyland DL Star Wars Launch Bay

The building went up in 1967 for the relocation of the Carousel of Progress to Disneyland. It closed in 1973 when the attraction moved to Magic Kingdom. The theater wasn’t vacant for long, as Marc Davis developed America Sings as a replacement.

America Sings closed in 1988, and its animatronics were used for Splash Mountain. After that, the theater was abandoned for 10 years, other than the section through which the PeopleMover traversed (until it closed in 1995).

In 1998, a version of Innoventions from EPCOT featuring the Innoventions Dream Home took over the theater. It featured five different areas showing how future technology could transform modern lifestyles, including high-tech interactive displays. Innoventions closed in 2015.

Disneyland Innoventions

It reopened as the Tomorrowland Expo Center later that year. The second floor held the Super Hero HQ with Marvel character meet and greets. The first floor became the Star Wars Launch Bay.

When Super Hero HQ closed in April 2016, Disney generally dropped the Expo Center name and went with the Star Wars Launch Bay branding. Disneyland closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and when the resort reopened in April 2021, Launch Bay did not reopen with it.

It has been used for special event check-in (like the Disneyland After Dark Star Wars Nite and Merriest Nites), but has not returned to regular daytime use.

Now they reportedly plan to bulldoze the theater and replace it with an outdoor seating area to help relieve the demands from those dining at both Galactic Grill and Alien Pizza Planet.

How do you feel about this development for Star Wars Launch Bay? Let us know in the comments.

Looking for more about the future of Tomorrowland at Disneyland? Check out the following articles:

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6 thoughts on “RUMOR: Star Wars Launch Bay/Carousel Theater to Be Demolished and Replaced by Seating Area in Tomorrowland at Disneyland”

  1. Horrible idea. Nothing is sacred in Disneyland. I have many memories of that building. Way before it was starwars it was cool especially how it use to rotate. There many other spots to make seating available in that same area than to knock out a piece of history. Disneyland is not what it use to be and lost lots of its family park atmosphere. Very sad thing to see

  2. This is yet another blow to what was an awesome land after Space Mountain and Star Tours we’re added. There was so much movement and energy with the music from the Coke Terrace rising stage. The area was severely damaged,
    first with the closure of the
    Carousel theater, then the poorly executed 98 renovation. The landscaping, once beautiful with hundreds of flowers was replaced with an agricultural theme that the guests never understood. It’s become a blighted area.

  3. Oh no, not launch bay gone too! Before ‘star wars land’ was even built or named, we went to launch bay to see star wars movie memorabilia, characters, art, etc., and the ‘crawl’ coming in the door. In a 7 day trip, we went there twice a day. Just felt comfortable. Stop taking all the oldies away.

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