An Alternate Collaborative History of Disney World: Walt Lives!

[KingMickey13]

Hello everyone! This is an idea I’ve had for a little while, exploring the idea of what if Walt Disney stops smoking in the 1930s, and thus doesn’t die in 1966. This collaborative timeline will be centered around the theme parks, but it a film comes out that could affect the parks, that can be mentioned too. Nothing changes up to 1966…

Anyways, I’ll start:

December 15, 1966: A new television episode is released discussing tentative ideas for the Magic Kingdom, Disney World’s first theme park. Walt Disney himself presents this.

 

[spacemt354]

Hello everyone! This is an idea I’ve had for a little while, exploring the idea of what if Walt Disney stops smoking in the 1930s, and thus doesn’t die in 1966. This collaborative timeline will be centered around the theme parks, but it a film comes out that could affect the parks, that can be mentioned too. Nothing changes up to 1966…

Anyways, I’ll start:

December 15, 1966: A new television episode is released discussing tentative ideas for the Magic Kingdom, Disney World’s first theme park. Walt Disney himself presents this.

Welcome to the imagineer forum!

 

[KingMickey13]

Welcome to the imagineer forum!

Thank you very much! Feel free to contribute!

 

[spacemt354]

Thank you very much! Feel free to contribute!

There was a thread a while ago by @Sam Magic that tackled this concept as well.

Walt Lives: An Alternate History of the Walt Disney Company

In the summer of 2015, I began writing an alternate history timeline for not only Walt Disney World, but for the Disney Company as a whole. This thread is dedicated to illustrating and detailing that timeline. It starts in 1966 and ends in 2020 (The in-universe 50th Anniversary of Disney World)...

forums.wdwmagic.com

I don't have much to contribute at the moment other than I feel like we would have gotten more 'longer' dark rides like Haunted Mansion or Pirates as the years went on.

 

[KingMickey13]

There was a thread a while ago by @Sam Magic that tackled this concept as well.

Walt Lives: An Alternate History of the Walt Disney Company

In the summer of 2015, I began writing an alternate history timeline for not only Walt Disney World, but for the Disney Company as a whole. This thread is dedicated to illustrating and detailing that timeline. It starts in 1966 and ends in 2020 (The in-universe 50th Anniversary of Disney World)...

forums.wdwmagic.com

I don't have much to contribute at the moment other than I feel like we would have gotten more 'longer' dark rides like Haunted Mansion or Pirates as the years went on.

That is certainly a good idea! Thanks for the link.

 

[MickeyMouse10]

Great idea, it would be interesting to see other alternate histories as well. Like "What if Eisner stayed the president?", "What if Disney World was built elsewhere?" and "What if Disney Bought D.C. Comics instead of Marvel?"

 

[KingMickey13]

1967: Plans are finalized for the Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. Phase one will be the Magic Kingdom, and three resorts: the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Asian. Phase two will include EPCOT, the Venetian, and Persian Resorts. There are also plans for a shopping center and water park to open in between. Many Imagineers, Board Members, and the Floridian government dislike the idea of the city and instead have demonstrated a second theme park, combining the futuristic city and a world showcase of nations. Plans are rough and Walt is hesitant. In Disneyland, new Tomorrowland opens with attractions such as Adventure Thru Inner Space.

 

[itsy bitsy spider]

Hopefully Walt living somehow stops Moana from being put in Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

 

[KingMickey13]

Hopefully Walt living somehow stops Moana from being put in Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

If Moana is even made here.

 

[Evilgidgit]

1967: Plans are finalized for the Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. Phase one will be the Magic Kingdom, and three resorts: the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Asian. Phase two will include EPCOT, the Venetian, and Persian Resorts. There are also plans for a shopping center and water park to open in between. Many Imagineers, Board Members, and the Floridian government dislike the idea of the city and instead have demonstrated a second theme park, combining the futuristic city and a world showcase of nations. Plans are rough and Walt is hesitant. In Disneyland, new Tomorrowland opens with attractions such as Adventure Thru Inner Space.

Considering that the original Epcot could have bankrupted the company, I think Walt would likely be persuaded to go ahead with the Epcot we know, and perhaps either shelf his original plans, or put them elsewhere.