Have you ever come up with an idea before disney?...

Crazy Harry

Crazy Harry

Active Member
Original Poster
There have been a few times where I have had ideas for Disney attractions and Disney reportedly developed the same concept or actually built the attraction.

For example, I had the idea for a ride that simulated actual space flight in high school, and I think they built m:s about 6 years later. Of course, my concept was not nearly as complicated or sophisticated as what disney designed. Also, at the time I didn't realize that previous concepts of the same idea were developed by Disney, but this still counts.

Also, I thought of the 7 dwarves mine ride before it was popular, but I bet many of us had that thought before.

So, is there anyone else?
 
S

spock

Well-Known Member
Crazy Harry said:
There have been a few times where I have had ideas for Disney attractions and Disney reportedly developed the same concept or actually built the attraction.

For example, I had the idea for a ride that simulated actual space flight in high school, and I think they built m:s about 6 years later. Of course, my concept was not nearly as complicated or sophisticated as what disney designed. Also, at the time I didn't realize that previous concepts of the same idea were developed by Disney, but this still counts.

Also, I thought of the 7 dwarves mine ride before it was popular, but I bet many of us had that thought before.

So, is there anyone else?
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Yes. When I was a kid I thought of an idea for a log flume ride to go in Bear Country at Disneyland. I even made a drawing of it and sent it to WDI with a letter. Years later, Splash Mountain was built. Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that I gave Disney the idea to build a log ride. Especially since the concept was very different as far as the theme (mine had a theme that was based on bears). Still, it was a weird coincidence that that's the land they ended up building it in (and of course changed the name to Critter Country).
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Yes, I've had a few ride ideas that they've later used, although I never submitted those ideas to them...

Back in about 1991-92 I was just starting high school and had several ideas, including one for building your own flight simulator, similar to what became CyberSpace Mountain at DisneyQuest, also having a flight simulator that's a smooth ride overlooking different parts of the world that most people young or old could ride...like Soarin'
 
rct247

rct247

Well-Known Member
It's natural to think of a "great idea" that may cover a broad spectrum to be also thought of by someone else.

Rides about space flight or comic book hero X or a wild western expedition are sure to be common ideas. Think of when you saw the movie Monster's Inc. How many people who watched that movie thought that the doors scene would make an awesome ride? Nearly everyone saw the similarities, especially us Disney fanatics.

I had an idea for a storm themed ride when I was younger. It was going to be a log flume through an actual recreation of a tornado at night complete with pockets of rain throughout the ride. The ending would take you through a destroyed community.

I obviously got the inspiration from my interest in natural disasters as a kid and from watching Twister. I went to Universal Studios Orlando in 1997 and found that "Twister: Ride it Out" was coming soon. The general idea and theme has been done all over the world in various forms. There was even a hurricane walk-through simulation at Ripley's Believe it or Not in San Antonio.

My final comment to add is that even if you send Disney an idea through mail, it will not get to them. From what I have learned, they have mail sorters that go through mail. Any that look to be fan mail that just contain ideas for their parks, resorts, movies, television shows, or merchandise, they toss. It's to avoid lawsuit issues. Even if Disney liked an idea pitched to them through their devoted fans, Disney would have to negotiate terms with you which could include payment. The end result would be "fans" creating grand ideas that Disney would have to pay loads of money to use or worse Disney takes a glance at an idea, the idea sparks another idea, but the idea creator sues Disney over it.

Naturally, Disney draws upon other ideas as inspiration, but to avoid as many legal issues as possible, they don't even read through the ideas that people send in.
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
spock said:
Actually, you're incorrect. Mine got a response, directly from Tom Fitzgerald.
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Saying thanks for your interest in our company, blah blah blah.

More than likely they never looked at your concept. There is too much potential for lawsuits if they consider outsider's ideas.
 
rkelly42

rkelly42

Well-Known Member
I wish they would take my idea of a TS restaurant on Tom Sawyers Island and put it in the fort. A good place to have real southern bbq. MK could really use another TS restaurant in my opinion.
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
rkelly42 said:
I wish they would take my idea of a TS restaurant on Tom Sawyers Island and put it in the fort. A good place to have real southern bbq. MK could really use another TS restaurant in my opinion.
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I agree, but the limited access to the island could pose a problem.
 
S

spock

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
Saying thanks for your interest in our company, blah blah blah.

More than likely they never looked at your concept. There is too much potential for lawsuits if they consider outsider's ideas.
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No actually it was very personalized. He said that he enjoyed the drawing and that the idea for a log flume was a very interesting one.

Again, I'm not in any way implying that I gave them the idea to build Splash Mountain. I was just responding to the OP's question.
 
rct247

rct247

Well-Known Member
spock said:
No actually it was very personalized. He said that he enjoyed the drawing and that the idea for a log flume was a very interesting one.

Again, I'm not in any way implying that I gave them the idea to build Splash Mountain. I was just responding to the OP's question.
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Oh ok. This was back in thr 90s right? Maybe then it was very plausible and things could have since changed. If not, I'm surprised and you have proved me wrong.
 
S

spock

Well-Known Member
rct247 said:
Oh ok. This was back in thr 90s right? Maybe then it was very plausible and things could have since changed. If not, I'm surprised and you have proved me wrong.
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More like the 80's. Remember it was before Splash Mountain was built. It was pre-Michael Eisner.
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
spock said:
No actually it was very personalized. He said that he enjoyed the drawing and that the idea for a log flume was a very interesting one.

Again, I'm not in any way implying that I gave them the idea to build Splash Mountain. I was just responding to the OP's question.
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Pics or it didn't happen

;)
 
S

spock

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
Interesting... (maybe you got a lawsuit on your hands!:lol:)
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Nah, like I said, the drawing and idea I sent them was quite different from what ended up getting built. It was a log ride and I envisioned it being located in Bear Country, but that's where the similarities end.
 
S

spock

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
You still have the artwork you did by any chance?

That could be a lot of fun.
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That I might still have somewhere. Not sure. I haven't seen it in years, so I'm guessing no. What's funny is I can still "see" it in my mind though. It didn't look anything like Splash Mountain. Actually it looked more like Mount Shasta, but without the snow and a more defined peak. I had the log flume spend a lot more time outside than Splash Mountain does. It was more like the Matterhorn in how it goes in and out of the mountain. Also, at the time I came up with it, I remember being really impressed with how Space Mountain at Disneyland is more of a "complex" than just a ride, in that it had a restaurant, gift shop, stage area, etc attached to it. So my idea was sort of inspired by that. I had a counter service restaurant built into the "mountain" that housed the attraction. Then the eating area for the restaurant was outdoors among the trees and there were parts where the log flume would go past those guests really close (if that makes sense).
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Sure that makes sense...

so you stole an idea from Disney, reworked it, then tried to sell it back to Disney? :lol: You were just a budding entrepreneur !!



(just playing :wave:)
 

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