ANAHEIM, Calif. — Millions of Disneyland visitors will soon get to retrace the thoughts of others who lined up 50 years ago to see a home packed with mind-blowing gadgets expected in the future.

Disneyland's original "House of the Future," a pod-shaped, all-plastic dwelling, seemed quaint and closed its doors after a decade, in 1967. Its oddities included hands-free phones, wall-sized televisions and electric razors.

But Disney announced last week that it will soon open a new dwelling in Tomorrowland — this time in partnership with 21st century technology giants.

The 5,000-square-foot home, scheduled to open in May, will look like a suburban tract home outside. Inside it will feature hardware, software and touch-screen systems that could simplify everyday living.

Lights and thermostats will automatically adjust when people walk into a room. Closets will help pick out the right dress for a party. Countertops will be able to identify groceries set on them and make menu suggestions.

The $15 million Innoventions Dream Home is a collaboration of The Walt Disney Co., Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., software maker LifeWare and home builder Taylor Morrison.

Visitors will experience the look of tomorrow by watching Disney actors playing a family of four preparing for a trip to China.

"It's much different than a spiel that you would get at a trade show," said Dave Miller, director of alliance development for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "We won't get into the bits and the bytes. It will be about the digital lifestyle and how that lifestyle can help you."

The actors will be in a flurry of cooking, packing and picture-taking designed to emphasize features in the home's two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room, study and backyard.

The project fits with Walt Disney's dedication to invention and entrepreneurship and the original purpose of Tomorrowland, said Cynthia King, director of California State University, Fullerton's Center for Entertainment and Tourism.

"He considered himself a futuristic person and he supported innovation and he wanted to make it available to the public," she said. "What everything (at Disneyland) has in common is this idea of imagination, whether it's creating a whole fantasy world, or creating the future."

Much of the project will showcase a network that makes the house "smart" and tracks family members from room to room — even adjusting artwork to preset personal preferences.

When a resident clicks a TV remote, for example, lights will dim, music will shut off and the shades will draw as the network realizes a movie is about to start.

The system will allow residents to transfer digital photos, videos and music among televisions and computers in different rooms at the click of a button. Other applications still in development could include touch-screen technology built into appliances, furniture and countertops, said Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's vice president for entertainment services.

In the kitchen, for example, touchpad software on the countertop would be able to identify groceries and produce recipes and meal suggestions. Similar programs could turn a desktop into a computer screen, allowing residents to load photos, music or e-mail onto a cell phone by placing it on the desk.

Mirrors and closets could identify clothes and suggest matching outfits, complementary colors or track what's at the cleaners or in the wash.

The idea behind the house isn't new for Microsoft — and some of the touchpad technology has already been displayed at trade shows and other venues, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst for the research group Directions on Microsoft.

Microsoft has a similar high-tech home on its campus, as well as one at Hewlett-Packard's headquarters, he said.

Neither are open to the public, however, and Microsoft has struggled to find a way to excite consumers about upcoming products without retail stores.

"I don't think Microsoft wants to get directly into retail but it looks like these types of demonstrations are a way for it to get its brand in front of the public," he said.

"It's an audience that's there to be entertained and specifically coming to see these kinds of things."