So we’ve lost the Tower of Terror as a theme to the new Guardians of the Galaxy re-skin of the Mission Breakout theme. Same ride, new packaging! For many, this change was not good news. It wasn’t about losing a ride, it was about losing the Twilight Zone theme, and it’s beautifully designed hotel that fit perfectly in the Hollywood backlot.

Sure it’s the same ride as before, but now it doesn’t even come close to fitting in the backlot. It matches literally nothing in that land. So true of course. Especially as you watch a 1920’s era red car trolley roll by right in front of the building.

But of course many have asked for patience, Fresh Baked included. Clearly Disney has bigger plans for this area, and the re-skinned hotel was just the first of many steps to come. Sure it doesn’t fit the backlot theme, but what if… that area wasn’t themed 1920’s Hollywood. What if it was themed to Marvel? Like all over? THEN maybe it does fit. It’s just a matter of time and patience.

Then more and more of the buildings new façade came in to view, and things just weren’t looking good. The exterior does not look great. It looks kind of trashy even. Confusing. Meanwhile, comments from Joe Rhode, lead imagineer on the project, were not helping.

It’s a square peg in a round hole

Now, we all love Joe Rohde, and we understand this is a project that that has been ASSIGNED to him, for lack of a better phraser. So I don’t hold him responsible in any way. But when even he’s saying stuff like “it’s a square peg in a round hole”, one has to wonder how sold he is. Then he goes on to say “There is a way in which Guardians of the Galaxy is almost an intrusion. It’s coming out of nowhere – kaboom!! – into this space”

Indeed.

So whatever sense of optimism we might have felt about a project that was already kind of weird, and definitely rushed, started to slip away. Then the Thor Ragnarok trailer came out and it has changed everything for me. Most by now have seen or heard of the theory or rumor that the Guardians of the Galaxy building, OUR old Tower of Terror building, makes an appearance in the film. Nothing confirmed or official. But, well, take a look for yourself.

Now, it’s fuzzy, agreed. But in my mind, there is NO CHANCE that this is NOT the Guardians of the Galaxy building. So let’s start first with that premise being true. That is the Mission Breakout building. Already I’m feeling better about things.

We now have a building that has Marvel cred IN THE UNIVERSE, and not just a random eyesore in DCA. This by the way is something that Marvel is proven to be exceptionally good at. They’re able to tie together all these worlds with nothing more than subtle nods and suggestions. Watch any of the series on Netflix with Daredevil or Luke Cage or Iron Fist? You forget you’re in the Marvel universe sometimes, but then someone says “the incident” and there you go. The Netflix Defenders world is connected to the Avengers world. This I think works the same way.

Never mind that fuzzy image – Sakaar is the key

But that’s just a start, and what I’ve learned since then has helped me turn the corner on how I feel about the Mission Breakout building.







So recently I did a reaction video to the Thor Ragnarok trailer. I had already heard about the building rumor, so it wasn’t a focus for me when watching it. But yeah, it’s totally our building. But after filming the video, I did some more homework to see what others were saying about the building. What I learned was so much more useful than just a discussion of is it or isn’t it.

The lead villain in Thor Ragnarok the Grandmaster. It’s his head behind which we see the Mission Breakout building. The Grandmaster is a member of the villainous group “Elders of the Universe.” Also in this group is the Collector. He of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and proprietor of our Mission breakout building. They are considered to be brothers in a way.

Thor Ragnarok also contains elements from the Planet Hulk story, where the Hulk is on a distant planet, kicking ass in a gladiator type setting. The arena in which the ass kicking takes place, is on the planet Sakaar, which apparently is lousy with wormholes.

Because of this, the planet is inhabited by many different off world species, some of them stranded. Not to mention all the space garbage that has been left behind. This could even be expected to include things like buildings maybe? Maybe Mission Breakout looking buildings?

All we need is a little imagination

So here’s the short of it. I can imagine a scenario where the Collector, visiting his brother the Grandmaster for a Hulk type battle. He sees the mission breakout building on the planet. We know he needs a new home for his collection, because, you know, it blew up in Guardians of the Galaxy. Is it reasonable to imagine then that the collector, using his cosmic abilities, wormholed that sucker to the Hollywood backlot? Is it also reasonable to say that it looks like it does because it’s someone else’s garbage?

Further, does this also not validate Joe Rohde’s comments? They sound SO MUCH more reasonable now if we get in to this story. After all, now it DID arrive with a kaboom out of nowhere! And really, why shouldn’t we? One of the things Disneyland nerds love is getting in to the story of an attraction. We want to know more. We want more depth. We want to know why and how. So here you go! We’ve got us some backstory. And maybe best of all, it’s not a story DISNEY came up with. It’s already part of Marvel lore. Not something written to make sense of why the building is there.

For me, this is a game changer. I’ve done a 180 for now at least. Not sure I could accept it long term in the backlot if they keep the current theming. But for now, while we wait for the Marvel takeover, I can be comfortable with this.

But I want to hear from you. I especially want to hear from the hardcore detractors. Do you get the same sense of relief from that I did? Can we now just look forward to the attraction and how good it’s going to be in its own right? Let me know Fresh Baked!

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