Hello, Space Rangers and those still waiting for a flying car of your own, and welcome to tomorrow! Or, more accurately, Tomorrowland. It's here that Walt Disney wanted to show the world how much better it could be someday - with technology, knowledge, and innovation, the future doesn't have to look like Blade Runner or The Terminator. Why, it could be more like Star Trek, only without any starfleet captains chasing green chicks.

Did you know that when Tomorrowland opened in 1955, the futuristic year that the land was based on was the far-off distant...1986? Oooh. While we didn't luck out and get flying cars or robotic housemaids by '86, we did end up with parachute pants, Valley girls, and the Geo Storm. Does that make up for it?

Anyway, here the beans stop by to check out one of Tomorrowland's newest attractions, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. The goal of this ride is to shoot down evil Emperor Zurg with the provided light rays as you ride through the land of the Little Green Men. Aim well enough and Buzz himself will declare you a champion starfighter. Miss, and well...if you end up having to babysit Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head's little spuds, you'll know why.

The beans want you to know that their final score on the ride was nine gazillion and one - they're nothing if they're not a sharpshooter. But while the frijoles cherish their titanium Deputy Space Ranger badge, they're twice as thrilled that Zurg doesn't shoot back.

Just across the hall from Buzz is his intergalactic cousins, R2D2 and C3PO. It's Star Tours, the first Disney/Lucas thrill ride to premiere in Disneyland. (There's also Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom over in Adventureland, too.) Star Tours is a flight simulator-style attraction that attempts to take you to the moon of Endor, until your pilot Rex takes a wrong turn at Albuquerque and you find yourself in the middle of a battle with the Empire. But never fear - everything works out okay, and as the fine print on your boarding ticket says, No Refunds.

The beans are huge Star Wars fans - well, at least for parts IV through VI - and find themselves relating with R2D2 in several ways - they're both tin, they're both blue in patches, and they've both been major sidekicks in life, although R2 got to hang out with Jedis and the beans spent their free time with showgirls. You tell me who get the better deal.

Another really cool Tomorrowland attraction is Space Mountain - THE roller coaster in the dark. Space Mountain has been part of Disneyland's landscape since 1977, and except for a few years of bad decision making and ugly gold/green paint, has shined as a bright white icon for this part of the park ever since. But Space Mountain is best known for being practically dark inside - just a few stars, a little black light, and the occasional asteroid/chocolate chip cookie projected on the ceiling. It's kind of freaky to be plunging on a roller coaster where you can't see the track ahead of you, no matter how much you try, and the beans make it double-redundant by tightly closing their eyes on every ride.

And feeling a little nostalgic, the beans also stopped by to see Disney's rocket ship, which back in the 1950's - 70's regularly took guests to check out the moon, and then Mars later on. Back then space travel was a novelty, not like today where rockets and shuttles and satellites seem to take off just about every afternoon. So the Rocket Ship to the Moon and/or Mars became outdated, and the interplanetary trips turned to the land of Ewoks (see Star Tours above). Still, the beans appreciate the classics, and want to go find one of those giant fish tank-like space helmets to wear over their brim.

Speaking of rides from the past, the beans went by to pay their respects to Disney's classic Submarine Voyage, which was recently refurbished, refilled, and restocked with Nemo and his undersea pals. Disneyland's original sub trip in 1959 was centered about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, where Captain Nemo and Ned Land led you under the Arctic Circle for a date with a giant sea serpent and one nasty, hungry squid. But these days Capt. Nemo has made room for his namesake - the little orange clownfish version - and the subs are once again proudly circling their lagoon.

The beans have always wanted to be a submarine captain - they'd be sure to lead the crew in loud, boisterous sing-alongs, and they'd only use the torpedoes in times of conflict - or to impress babes, whichever comes first.

As we mentioned, the subs have been retrofitted to tell the story of the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo, and one of the highlights of the film and the attraction are the pack of seagulls who know only one word - "Mine". Selfishness and greed aside, the seagulls added a huge chum bucket of comic relief to the movie, and they're proudly now part of the ride and its queue.

The beans wanted to swim out to meet the gulls in person, but they figured with their egocentric, self-centered ways, there might be a battle over who gets to meet them first. And since their can doesn't exactly want to be divided among a flock of hungry birds, it was probably best to admire them from afar.

Finally, the beans went over to check out "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience", a 3D action movie based upon the popular movies. They pass out these stylish shades at the door, which make the whole "3D" thing that much more interesting.

The beans really enjoyed the 3D movie (although they still miss "Captain Eo", but that's another story), and now they're going to go trade these cool oversized shades with one of the Olsen twins - maybe they'll get a Lexus out of the deal.

Anyway, the beans had a great time exploring tomorrow, and hope you can drag yourself down here today.