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Disney's America

Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Here are a few other threads on the topic. Hope they have some additional info that you may find interesting.

Cmdr_Crimson said:
Does anybody know if there was any pictures of the conceptual sketches of this park that never was? If anybody remembers I do believe it was to be built on part of a battlefield in Virginia or West Virginia....and it never happend.

Also Since it's fun to see what everyone would say...But Do you think that Disney's America Park would have fit in the Resort?
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ElvisMickey said:
Good morning everybody. Just wondering what your opinions are on the proposed park that was going to be built in Virginia back in the early 90's...Disney's America? Was it something you would have liked to have seen or no? Also...do you think this is something that could have or one day fit into WDW? I'm a history nut. Throw in the fact that it would have been within reasonable driving distance to NJ...I would have loved to have seen this park be built. What's interesting is that they wanted to move the Hall Of Presidents from WDW to this park. While I would still love to see this come to fruition somehow (maybe WDW), there is no way that it would happen under current management. Unless maybe there was a way to tie PIXAR and some meet and greets into it :p. Anyway...thoughts? For those of you who do not know the details...just follow the link!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_America
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jdmdisney99 said:
66394_153475868129649_1486488578_n.jpg

Disney's America project. Finally built. Right on Bay Lake. Walt Disney World's fifth gate. Michael Eisner would need a new pair of pants. ;) Discuss.
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MarkTwain

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
I'm kind of glad Disney didn't go with it, personally. Would've been interesting at first, but the park would have dealt with some very heady, serious subjects I'm not sure Disney could adequately commit to maintaining and refreshing today. Adding Frozen to the Norway pavilion is one thing, but I can't imagine the complications that would arise when Disney wants to add the Johnny Depp-as-Tonto AA to the Native American cultural village, or whatever barely-related tie-in they'd try to force in. Factor in the location next to historically sensitive colonial sites, and things would have gotten complicated.

Disney might have been able to pull of the necessary cultural sensitivity in the '90s, but I'm not sure they have the interest or ability with today's 100% branding attitude.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
MarkTwain said:
I'm kind of glad Disney didn't go with it, personally. Would've been interesting at first, but the park would have dealt with some very heady, serious subjects I'm not sure Disney could adequately commit to maintaining and refreshing today. Adding Frozen to the Norway pavilion is one thing, but I can't imagine the complications that would arise when Disney wants to add the Johnny Depp-as-Tonto AA to the Native American cultural village, or whatever barely-related tie-in they'd try to force in. Factor in the location next to historically sensitive colonial sites, and things would have gotten complicated.

Disney might have been able to pull of the necessary cultural sensitivity in the '90s, but I'm not sure they have the interest or ability with today's 100% branding attitude.
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That is a very good point. As far as I can recall, none of the attractions were tied to studio franchises. Disney's America was in total opposition to today's view that the theme parks are about established franchises.
 
FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Four Words: Enola. Gay. Smithsonian. Exhibit.

Pretty interesting case study...and highlights all the reasons Disney was better off abandoning the Disney's America park. Basically it boils down to....if you are making a historic display, there are two sides to every story. And one side is invariably going to be offended over something....but when you change it to appeal to those tastes, the other side gets butthurt about historical revisionism. In the end, everyone winds up hating everyone else.

Check out Mickey Mouse History and Other Essays on American Memory by Mike Wallace (not the news guy) for treatments of the Enola Gay controversy, history as protrayed at Walt Disney World, and the abandonment of Disney's America.
The book was published in 1996....so there is discussion on Spaceship Earth, World of Motion, and Horizons and how they've helped shape our cultural understanding of history. But be warned....he's very critical of WDW and it's corporate sponsors (GM gets scoured a bit).
 
FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
MarkTwain said:
Disney might have been able to pull of the necessary cultural sensitivity in the '90s, but I'm not sure they have the interest or ability with today's 100% branding attitude.
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They'll dust off Disney's America for another look approximately 10 years to the day after they release the Ultimate Blu-Ray Even-Peter-Jackson-Thinks-It's-Too-Big Collector's Edition of Song of the South.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
vyfxbrunowfr said:
Factor in the location next to historically sensitive colonial sites, and things would have gotten complicated.
10o.jpg
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don't let the hype fool you - this was all about anti-growth agendas in the counties in Virginia. The same Pedimont Environmental Council and others that fought Disney back then continue to fight every projects in the greater area that would bring more development.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
MarkTwain said:
I'm kind of glad Disney didn't go with it, personally. Would've been interesting at first, but the park would have dealt with some very heady, serious subjects I'm not sure Disney could adequately commit to maintaining and refreshing today. Adding Frozen to the Norway pavilion is one thing, but I can't imagine the complications that would arise when Disney wants to add the Johnny Depp-as-Tonto AA to the Native American cultural village, or whatever barely-related tie-in they'd try to force in. Factor in the location next to historically sensitive colonial sites, and things would have gotten complicated.

Disney might have been able to pull of the necessary cultural sensitivity in the '90s, but I'm not sure they have the interest or ability with today's 100% branding attitude.
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Yes, that really drives home the cultural bankruptcy of Disney theme parks. Current Disney would make a cultural Chernobyl of it, right in America.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
WondersOfLife said:
http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/revive-disneys-america-in-virginia/

^^^
It's a pretty old link, but I never knew about this! Hall of Presidents would have fit great with this park... Would've loved American Adventure there too. I wish Disney went on with this, it would be a lot closer to me!
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I know about it all too well. I lived in Arlington, VA (metropolitan Washington, DC) from 1994-2002. And let me tell you -- you haven't seen the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) syndrome until you witnessed the battle by Northern Virginia residents to keep Disney out.
 
Lucky

Lucky

Well-Known Member
flynnibus said:
don't let the hype fool you - this was all about anti-growth agendas in the counties in Virginia. The same Pedimont Environmental Council and others that fought Disney back then continue to fight every projects in the greater area that would bring more development.
Click to expand...

JohnD said:
I know about it all too well. I lived in Arlington, VA (metropolitan Washington, DC) from 1994-2002. And let me tell you -- you haven't seen the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) syndrome until you witnessed the battle by Northern Virginia residents to keep Disney out.
Click to expand...

There were three big factors: (1) anti-development groups in general, (2) Civil War battlefield preservationists, and (3) elitist condescension in this area toward all things Disney.

I could understand it if they had any hope of succeeding, but now they have all the development and congestion anyway - instead of Disney it's Walmarts and Applebees.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Lucky said:
There were three big factors: (1) anti-development groups in general, (2) Civil War battlefield preservationists, and (3) elitist condescension in this area toward all things Disney.

I could understand it if they had any hope of succeeding, but now they have all the development and congestion anyway - instead of Disney it's Walmarts and Applebees.
Click to expand...

The title alone was insulting to them, "Disney's America". Um, no it's not. It's our America! etc.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
Lucky said:
There were three big factors: (1) anti-development groups in general, (2) Civil War battlefield preservationists, and (3) elitist condescension in this area toward all things Disney.

I could understand it if they had any hope of succeeding, but now they have all the development and congestion anyway - instead of Disney it's Walmarts and Applebees.
Click to expand...

And another highway threatening the battlefield area..

It's kind of funny when you think about comparisons of Manasses and Kissimmee...
 

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