Yester World
at Yesterland.com

Tomorrowland
Light & Power Co.


Video Arcade

(1995 – 2015)
Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Chris Bales, 2000

Power station in 2000

Welcome to the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. The main sign just reads “Video Arcade,” but if you look carefully below the large arched window, you’ll see the other name “chiseled” into the surface.


There are two ways to enter. You can walk in through one of the outside doors. Or you can ride Space Mountain and find yourself inside the arcade after your ride.

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Power station in 2007

If this is some sort of generating station, what’s it for? Perhaps to power Space Mountain next door?

Probably not. The styles of the two structures are so different that it’s hard to see any connection between the two.

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Architecture of indeterminate style and period

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Another arched window at the other end

Based on how the barrel-vaulted structure looks from the outside, you might expect a high ceiling above the video games. But that’s not the case. The ceiling consists of a series of parallel vaults leading to round windows that face the railroad track. The tall ceiling is above retail space, not above the games.

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Video game room

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Air hockey

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

All the latest games

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Air Trix

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Star Wars trilogy and more

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Claw machines

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Plenty of games with steering wheels

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

More driving games

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

And still more driving games

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Daytona USA

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Panic Park

Would you rather shop than play? There’s merchandise in the space with the vaulted ceiling. If you want a quick sugar boost while playing, drop by the candy counter.

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Retail space

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007

Candy Counter

Park guests spend a small fortune for admission to the park. The rides and shows are included in the admission. But there are always guests who choose to spend their time and money on arcade games.


Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park had a video arcade—Starcade—since May 4, 1977. But what about its Florida counterpart?

It would take Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World almost 18 years to catch up. The Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. Video Arcade and shop opened February 1, 1995. It was a late arrival for the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland makeover of 1994, which included a new look for the entire land. Timekeeper opened as the first CircleVision 360 attraction with a plot and animatronics. The Video Arcade was the only major new construction for that project.

The Video Arcade operated slightly more than 20 years—until February 9, 2015. Then Disney walled off the games and removed the sign. Space Mountain continued to route its exiting riders into the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co., but only into the retail space.

Video Arcade at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

How it looked in its final years

Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016

How it looks as just a shop

Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2015

Merchandise, but no games

Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2015

Phone covers and Disney MagicBands

Artist concept for the Tron-themed ride at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World

© 2017 Disney - Artist Concept Only

Concept art for Tron-themed Attraction

During the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek announced that Shanghai Disneyland’s most popular attraction—the Tron-themed thrill ride—was coming to Magic Kingdom Park. The concept art showed a walkway going past the former Video Arcade and under the PeopleMover track.

It seems the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. will survive—just not as a game arcade.


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Updated March 9, 2018.