Disney's America
Disney through-out the 80s and 90s had many different cancelled projects. Many of them would have been the most ambitious attractions to date. They all have they're own different reasonings for why they were cancelled. Either the I.P. it was based off not doing well, money costs, or the failiure of Euro Disneyland. Disney's America always fascinated me, being based off Walt's patriotism. Disney's America was planned to be in Viginia, near Washington D.C. featuring lands and attractions that would've never been seen in a Disney park before. The reason why it wasn't made was a fight with the state of Virginia itself. Many people in that region feeling that it would draw away guests and "de-value" Washington D.C.
Today I want to try and re-work and re-build this lost park. I want to see how I would handle a new version of this park. Before I start, I want to go over a couple of rules.
1. This isn't based off a real life location. It could be in Virginia, or a 5th gate for Walt Disney World, or even all the way in Idaho. This also means that I could have free range over how I design the park, with no limitations on size or height. Even of course no disputes over the park's location.
2. This is going to be a Blue Sky plan. Meaning that it would be a complete park, I am doing this so the park doesn't have 13 rides on opening day. This also means that every part of the park is going to be planned out and built up for the ultimate experience. I am going to try and limit I.P.s, the original park plan didn't have any of them. But for a modern version I feel like I.P.s are bound to join the park. This was one of the biggest problems when coming up with this plan, modernizing it. If the park did happen, the park would mostly have rides and attractions that don't even interact with America or the celebration of it. I would try to focus on I.P.s that are either explicity set in America or have a large American presence.
3. I am by no means an imagineer, I want to try and develop my skills as a theme park designer and try to build up my skills. I have no backround as an engineer, I just want to try and make a theme park with how Imagineers would build a theme park. If you have any feed back or constructive critisim I would greatly appreciate it. I wouldn't feel the kindest towards comments that are more mean, but that's how life is. I would appreciate feedback in order to improve my skills as an "Armchair Imagineer"
4. I am by no means a patriot, I just love theme parks. So please don't attack me over anything political or if I say something that would upset people. This also goes for everyone, please just don't attack other people or try and be rude to them. Thankyou.
With that stuff out of the way, I can finally focus on the park's build-out.
Crossroads U.S.A.
If you've ever learned about Disney's America before (If you want to learn about the original park's planned layout, then check out "Defunctland". They do a deep dive into the park and explain details that I could never) then you might of heard about the Crossroads. Originally the land's hubworld, It would be based around a growing American town in the 1800s. Now I've transformed it into an early colonial village. Set around the revolution, and a lot like Liberty Square. This would be a land fully focused on life before America was considered a Country, going through that time period.
You would enter through the American Hall a building simalar to the Great Hall in EPCOT's America Pavilion. A lot like the Great Hall, live preformances, american exhibits, and etc. would all be featured. A clone of The American Adventure would be in the hall. Telling the story of the U.S.A.'s journey and history, all from the prespective of Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin.
Once exiting out the hall, you would funnel into the main village. Looking a lot like the concept art shown above. The Hall of Presidents wouldn't be a show, but the main quick service of the land. The show is interesting, but it doesn't make sense in the long run. They would keep having to make relaistic animatronics every 4 years and a large chunk of the show's runtime is taken up by them announcing the president's name. So I decided to turn it into a resutrant, the decor would feature paintings and poratraits of the preisdents (with room for future ones). The food being sold would pay homage to the presidents being some of thier favorite foods and treats. Walking down the Crossroads avenue, you would be greeted with an exhibit called the Americana Musuem, walking through the musuem, you would learn about American history, with animatronics and interactive elements. I imagine this as an interactive educational exhibit being simlar to the "Wonders of Life" and "Walt Disney Presents".
Many shops and stores would be scattered across the land, providing a look at life during the Colonial ear. Feautring a blacksmith and a leather workshop. Multiple live shows and preformances would play a big part in the "Living Land", with actors playing roles of Soilders and Townsfolks. At the end of the street would be a large ampitheather, simalar to Fantasiasmic's seating at Hollywood Studios. During nighttime a large show on the river would play center stage. I imagine this as a sea battle during the American Revolution. The Battle for Freedom would be the park's Fantasmic!, being a spectactular that would even feature fireworks. Involing Battle ships, live stunts, and effects to sumulate a battle between the British and the 13 Colonies. Along the portside of the town, a permantly docked ship The Beaver would reside. Being a water play area, with water sprayers and water cannons on the ship. This would directly interact with the first ride I'm gonna talk about, The Boston Tea Party, although it isn't set in Boston. The ride would be a new flat ride variant using the Mack Twist n' Splash. I Teacups Barrel flat ride with water guns to spray at people. The docked ship would interact with the ride and crates and barrels of tea would be floating all along the ride.
On the edge of town would sit a Musical show based around the Muppets. Muppets: An American Tale would be hosted by Eagle Sam, who would narrate the story of America, being a parody of the American Adventure. Simalar to how the cancelled Muppet Movie Ride would have been a parody on the Great Movie Ride. In the show everything would be told in a Muppets story way, with everything going wrong. Hidden next to the Muppets show would be a hidden club, called Club 13, being a less secrative version of the one in Disneyland. Being simalar and having fancier foods and drinks that the rest of the land. The bar gets it's name from the 13 colonies being an obvious hidden meaning.
Continuting down the port a station for the land's main transport vessel. The Iron Clad Steamer Line would be the park's version of the "Disneyland Railroad" a lot simalar to the Steamer Line in Disney Seas. You would be able to board Iron Clad war ships used in the Civil War. They would take you around the river of the park with multiple stations, this being one of them. A skipper would accompany ever ship giving dialouge and narration of the park's lands.
This wasn't planned, but when considering rides I just kinda ended up with a Fantasyland style line-up. With a lot of the attractions being C-Ticket Fantasyland Style Dark Rides. Paul Revere's Midnight Ride would be one of these rides. Entering through the town's stable, you would join Paul Revere on his ride to warn the town about the British. Next to the stables would be a mini-land based around Sleepy Hollow, a popular American tale and what based the Disney movie. Tales from Sleepy Hollow would follow the story around the story, following Ichabod and his escape attempt from the Headless Horseman. The end of the ride would have a big explosion simulating the Headless Horseman throwing his pumkin head at you. You would exit the ride through a quick service resutrant called Ichabod's Feast selling chicken, drumsticks, and the unhealthy foods that Ichabod would eat. I could see the mini-land of Sleepy Hollow being the park's main area for Halloween themeing since I am making this during the season.
The final ride of the land would be across from Sleepy Hollow, being the center of the Crossroad's armory. This section would feature the Liberty Armory, a shooting range simalar to the Frontierland Shooting Gallery. Featuring props and effects that would be triggered once you hit the targets. Next to it, a quick service resutrant called the Washington Cantina would preside. Being themed around Colonial Mess Halls and George Washington. Speaking of him, the final ride would be based off of him. Across the Delaware would be a boat ride still keeping within the Fantasyland style dark ride. Depicting George Washington's famous crossing of the river. Ice chunks would be scattered across the trek setting the stage for the frigid climates of the Delaware.
With that ends the Crossroads, the first land of my re-building of Disney's America. Again, if you have any feedback or critism on the land, that would be greatly appreciated. I hope you would read the second part, and hopefully the whole park. Next time we are gonna focus on the time before Colonialism plagued the Americas.
Crossroads
Rides
- Iron Clad Steamer Line (Intra-park Transit)
- The Boston Tea Party (Twist n' Splash Flat Ride)
- Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (Fantasyland Style Dark Ride)
- Tales from Sleepy Hollow (Fantasyland Style Dark Ride)
- Across the Delaware (Slow-Moving Boat-Based Dark Ride)
- The American Adventure (Animatronic Show Re-telling the American Story)
- Americana Museum (Exhibit Featuring American History and Animatronics)
- The Beaver (Interactive Water Play Area)
- Liberty Armory (Shooting Gallery)
- Muppets: An American Tale (Animatronic, Interactive Show)
- Battle for Freedom (Nighttime Effects Show on the River)
- The Hall of Presidents (TS)
- Club 13 (Bar)
- Ichabod's Feast (QS)
- Washington Cantina (QS)
