Homage to the
House of the Future

Yesterland

Tastes change. What had been futuristic and cool in 1957 was considered dated and old-fashioned a decade later. Disneyland’s Monsanto House of the Future welcomed guests from 1957 to 1967. Then it was demolished.

Yes, tastes change. Now, a half century after it was built, the House of the Future seems so cool and stylish. It captures the imagination of Disney guests and Imagineers—even those who were not yet born back when there was an amazing plastic house where Pixie Hollow is today.

Homage to House of the Future keeps popping up—not just at Disneyland but even at Walt Disney World.

Photo of House of the Future in Club Buzz
Club Buzz in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, December 2001

The Club Buzz stage was part of the “retro-future” Tomorrowland of 1998. The former Coca Cola Tomorrowland Terrace Stage was dressed up and painted wild colors. What could be more “retro-futuristic” than the Monsanto House of the Future, especially if it were painted purple?

Club Buzz is gone—it once again became Tomorrowland Terrace in 2006. It’s unlikely that there will be homage to Club Buzz at Disneyland four decades from now.

Photo of House of the Future in mural
Detail on the 1998 Tomorrowland Mural, Disneyland, July 2000

The 1998 Tomorrowland redo had another homage to the House of the Future. Although the 1998 Tomorrowland Mural was primarily about things that move (or that used to move) in Tomorrowland, the House of the Future was on it too. The mural is now gone.

Photo of House of the Future on banner in 2005
Banner on Innoventions at Disneyland, July 2005

For Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2005 and 2006, several huge banners appeared on Disneyland’s Innoventions building. The banners honored iconic Tomorrowland attractions of the past—the Flying Saucers, the Carousel of Progress, Adventures Thru Inner Space, and, of course, the House of the Future.

There were no banners for the Bathroom of Tomorrow, Fashions and Fabrics Through the Ages, or the Hall of Aluminum Fame.

Photo of House of the Future on banner in 2009
Banner on Innoventions at Disneyland, September 2009

In 2009, long after Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration, the banner celebrating the House of the Future was still there.

Photo of House of the Future on Innoventions exterior mural
Mural on exterior of Innoventions at Disneyland

Depending of the rotation of the building, guests waiting to enter Innoventions may see the House of the Future on the exterior mural.

Photo of House of the Future table
Inside Innoventions at Disneyland, August 2004

You expect to find a living room in a house. But at Disneyland’s Innoventions, you could find a house in a living room.

A stylish room deserves a stylish table—and here an homage to the House of the Future is incorporated in the table.

Photo of House of the Future tablen in 2008
The House of the Future table now has a new function.

The Innoventions attraction is frequently updated. But good things tend to be reused. By 2008, the House of the Future table had become a stand for a display terminal.

Photo of House of the Future on timeline
Disney timeline on wall at Innoventions East, Epcot, January 2007

Moving from Innoventions at Disneyland to Innoventions at Epcot, the House of the Future is prominently featured on a timeline of Disney milestones by year. This timeline covers a wall in Innoventions East, just around the corner from the House of Innoventions guided tour attraction.

Photo of House of the Future at “Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream”
The House makes an appearance in Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream is a terrific exhibit and movie at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The attraction opened for Walt Disney World’s “100 Years of Magic” celebration, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the December 5, 1901, birth of Walt Disney. And what would an exhibit about Walt Disney be without a nod to the House of the Future?

Photo of House of the Future at 50’s Prime Time Café
Table-side TV at the 50’s Prime Time Café, Disney’s Hollywood Studio

The 50’s Prime Time Café at Disney’ Hollywood Studio has a retro-style TV at each table. Dining guests can watch clips of old shows like I Married Joan, Make Room for Daddy, and Father Knows Best. There are also Disney clips, including the Mickey Mouse Club and—you guessed it—a clip about the House of the Future from the old ABC TV series, Disneyland.

Photo of House of the Future model
Online shopping at DisneyShopping.com, January 2007

Would you like your very own House of the Future? You can’t live in it because it’s only 5¼" high by 11½" wide by 9½" deep.

According to DisneyShopping.com, “Own a glowing piece of Disney’s ‘future past’ with our illuminated scale-model replica of the 1957 all-plastic House of the Future. Constructed completely of plastic, it wowed visitors with its look at the future for ten memorable years. Now Disney artist Jody Daily has recreated this Tomorrowland favorite attraction with remarkable detail. Requires 2 AA batteries, included.”

If you want one of these in your living room, you’re too late. It was a limited edition of 1000, and it’s now sold out.

Screen capture from Virtual Magic Kingdom showing House of the Future
Screen capture from Virtual Magic Kingdom showing the House of the Future

Disney operated Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), a multiplayer online game, from May 23, 2005, until May 21, 2008. VMK offered its users a fanciful virtual world inspired by Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. VMK’s Autopia Off Road on Mars showed what houses will look like on Mars.

Some people look for Hidden Mickeys. I guess that I look for hidden House of the Futures—or would that be hidden Houses of the Future?


Yesterland has three other House of the Future articles. Please take a look.

Monsanto House of the Future
 
“The Future Won’t Wait” from Monsanto Magazine in 1960
 
The Dymaxion House: a “house of the future” that you can visit today

The Future Won’t Wait
General Electric Publicity Photos
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© 2007-2010 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks

Updated January 19, 2010.

Photo of the House of the Future at Club Buzz: 2001 by Allen Huffman.
Photo of the House of the Future on 1998 Mural: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photo of the House of the Future Banner: 2005 by Allen Huffman.
Photo of the House of the Future Banner closeup: 2009 by Werner Weiss.
Photo of the House of the Future on Innoventons exterior mural: 2008 by Allen Huffman.
Photo of the House of the Future table inside Innoventions: 2004 by Werner Weiss.
Photo of the House of the Future display stand inside Innoventions: 2008 by Allen Huffman.
Photo of House of the Future in Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream: 2006 by Werner Weiss.
Photo of House of the Future on Disney timeline at Epcot: 2007 by Werner Weiss.
Photo of House of the Future at 50’s Prime Time Café: 2006 and 2007 by Werner Weiss, with digital editing by Karen Weiss.
Screen capture of the House of the Future at DisneyShopping.com: 2007 © Disney.
Screen capture of Virtual Magic Kingdom showing House of the Future: 2007 © Disney.