A never-seen WDW master plan!

PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I came across a master plan for WDW that I've never seen before! It was developed by a company called SWA Group and their website shows that their client was Walt Disney Company. You can see Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center where they should be but no Hollywood Studios, so I'm guessing this was developed in the 80's. The rest of it is anyone's guess what they were possibly thinking, but I would love to hear what you think they it is...

I'll upload it in a separate message...
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
image.jpg
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Cmdr_Crimson said:
It looks as if we wouldn't have seen many of the resorts we have also the Wide World of Sports (Not that it was even a reason to build that).
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Yeah, I noticed the WWoS also (where the EPCOT resorts are now). I also see the Contemporary, Poly, and two of the original Phase 1 never-built hotels on the MK monorail loop (one where Grand Floridian is now and the other between the Contemporary and the Poly. I think that's an early concept of AK pretty much where it is now. If you look south of the current AK site, you can see giraffes and structures. The EPCOT monorail meanders off to where the EPCOT resorts are now but I can't make out where it goes. I can see Space Mountain in the MK. I like the water concept of this! It would have been a Disney Water World! Lol
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tom said:
I have honestly never seen this illustration. I didn't think Walt's EPCOT was ever rendered alongside EPCOT, the theme park.
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I would say this is definitely '80's... Can't say early, mid, or late... I think I see Horizons, so it might be mid or late 80's...
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
marni1971 said:
Quite a funny "if only" map.

I'd guesstimate 1983-4.

Eisner and Wells greenlit MGM very fast and had Disney Center plans drawn up just after. Both of which would negate this.
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That would make sense. The new executives were out to impress with something refreshing as well. This is exactly what they wanted for making that impression with!
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Also, notice how big that circular lake is. It's bigger than the Seven Seas Lagoon! It's really hard to imagine all that water driving down World Drive. I guess, the best thing to compare it to is driving through the Keys and Seven Mile Bridge.

I see the lay-out is inspired by Plato's description of Atlantis!
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The company needs another new executive team to take over. The trigger word is team. It wasn't Eisner alone. It was Wells, Katzenberg, and so on. It was an all new team of executives and it was their turn - their careers - their chapter in company history. Their collective creative energies were motivated not by money alone, but by the opportunity to make a difference and shine. They were center stage and it was prime time to make things happen.

We've gotten into this tired pattern of business as usual. The CEO leaves and his deputy steps in. Rinse, wash, repeat.

EDIT - If Rusolo becomes CEO, there will be no future Disney to look forward to. I will become a Disney fan of nostalgia, remembering the days to be preserved in folk lore and legend.
 
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Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Tom said:
I have honestly never seen this illustration. I didn't think Walt's EPCOT was ever rendered alongside EPCOT, the theme park.
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I don't think it ever was, originally. It is a what would this look like if we were to go ahead and build the actual EPCOT Center city. This is after MK and our current Epcot was built. Someone was curious as to how it would all look if they went ahead with Walt's project.

To me this is no indication of what always was to be, but, what might be if in the mid 80's they decided to go ahead with EPCOT plans. Totally Blue Sky!
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Goofyernmost said:
I don't think it ever was, originally. It is a what would this look like if we were to go ahead and build the actual EPCOT Center city. This is after MK and our current Epcot was built. Someone was curious as to how it would all look if they went ahead with Walt's project.

To me this is no indication of what always was to be, but, what might be if in the mid 80's they decided to go ahead with EPCOT plans. Totally Blue Sky!
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I think this was when Eisner and Wells stepped in... Soon after they stepped in... They were charged to develop the Florida property. (notice: something else is where Grand Floridian is, so I'll pin this to 1984-85)

My guess is they immediately contacted this agency to develop this master plan. I don't think its a city where people live. I think its hotels, shopping centers, minor and major theme parks. Basically what we have now but laid out differently.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
PeterAlt said:
I think this was when Eisner and Wells stepped in... Soon after they stepped in... They were charged to develop the Florida property. (notice: something else is where Grand Floridian is, so I'll pin this to 1984-85)

My guess is they immediately contacted this agency to develop this master plan. I don't think its a city where people live. I think its hotels, shopping centers, minor and major theme parks. Basically what we have now but laid out differently.
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I agree with the timing, but the layout is way to much like Walt's to not have the same general thought in mind. Whatever it was, it isn't and never will be... so it's just documented historical ideas.
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Goofyernmost said:
I agree with the timing, but the layout is way to much like Walt's to not have the same general thought in mind. Whatever it was, it isn't and never will be... so it's just documented historical ideas.
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History is good... Right, Martin, if you're reading this...

I'd say it's influenced by Walt's idea, but it resembles more of Plato's description of Atlantis, with its water features, bridges, concentric circles and linear canals.
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm curious as to why Disney contracted a third party for this, instead of doing it in-house?

Also, could this be a missing link toward the evolution of what would become Celebration (with Walt's idea do EPCOT being the first in the chain)?
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
PeterAlt said:
I'm curious as to why Disney contracted a third party for this, instead of doing it in-house?

Also, could this be a missing link toward the evolution of what would become Celebration (with Walt's idea do EPCOT being the first in the chain)?
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I don't know why it would be a third party unless it was just an unsolicited concept done in an attempt to get to be part of it.

I do agree that if this was officially being looked at by Disney, it might very well have been the first link in the chain that led to the City of Celebration, Fl.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
PeterAlt said:
History is good... Right, Martin, if you're reading this...

I'd say it's influenced by Walt's idea, but it resembles more of Plato's description of Atlantis, with its water features, bridges, concentric circles and linear canals.
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I'd say its not fully official. Something doesn't ring true. It has a lot of proper info (Seven Seas expansion) and a lot of fluff too.

Either a plan that was rejected out of hand or a fanciful wish. Or even Walkers last stand.
 

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