WDW’s Galaxy Palace Theater to be replaced with … Cast Member parking ?!

Jim Hill

16 years ago

“Don’t it always seem to go,
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
and put up a parking lot.”

— Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi“

I doubt that anyone — not the choirs or the cheerleaders or all of the Cast Members that have performed here over the years — would ever think of the Galaxy Palace Theater as paradise. Just one look under this Magic Kingdom stage at all of the piano crates that are used to help prop up this Tomorrowland venue makes it clear that this probably isn’t the safest performance space on the planet.

So it should come as no surprise that the Galaxy Palace Theater is going to be torn down shortly. Though the actual start date of this demolition project seems somewhat vague as of this moment (Some WDW insiders are telling me that this Tomorrowland performance space will be left in place ’til January 2009 so that the Magic Kingdom can then squeeze in one more holiday season of the “Mickey’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” show. While other folks are saying that the Palace Theater will be flattened before Thanksgiving), what is known is what’s going to replace the Galaxy Palace Theater. And that’s a Cast Member parking lot.

I’m serious, people. A parking lot.

Now — to be fair — this is only supposed to be a temporary Cast Member parking lot. Specifically for those folks who now work in the Admin offices that are located on Main Street U.S.A.’s second floor.

More to the point, a few years from now, once the economy recovers (More importantly, once the Imagineers finally get serious about revamping the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. This long-in-the-planning project reportedly includes a rather large “E” Ticket. An attraction that’s supposedly so big that it would then have to be housed in a show building that would swallow up all of the space that the Galaxy Palace Theater, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress and the old Tomorrowland Skyway Station currently occupies), then Disney will make far better use of this valuable piece of real estate. I hope.

I say “I hope” because the Disney Theme Parks are filled with rides, shows and attractions that were only supposed to be temporary. Take — for example — Mickey’s Birthdayland. Which was only supposed to be in operation for one year, from 1988 to 1989. Now renamed Mickey’s Toontown Fair, this strictly temporary new “land” celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Magic Kingdom back in June.

So please forgive me if — when I hear that the Galaxy Palace Theater is temporarily being replaced by a parking area — I think that Disney World Cast Members will then be parking here (to borrow a phrase from this theater’s next door neighbor, Buzz Lightyear) “To Infinity and Beyond !”

Anyway … As for all of the performing troupes that used to appear on this Tomorrowland stage, I’m told that these groups are now being sent over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Where all of these dancers, cheerleaders and high school bands will then be performing inside of the recently enclosed Backlot Theater.

Speaking of which … There’s got to be some JHM readers out there who once appeared at the Galaxy Palace Theater. Do any of you have any memories that you’d like to share about the somewhat rickety Rockettower Plaza stage?

Your thoughts?