I have had fun using Google Maps and MS Paint for this one. Bear with me as I employ multiple posts to get this across.
So, we know Disney has cancelled it's DC plans. There are a number of good reasons for this. But it really is unfortunate.
People often discuss a Disney Park in Texas, and I understand their frustration. Orlando and Anaheim are so far away - and isn't Texas warm enough for a year-round park?
Well what about the Northeast. It's pretty far from Florida, but is very wealthy. They're more willing to fly to Disney, but less willing to do it very often. So why not build a park in the Northeast? And DC is already a huge tourist destination and is fairly temperate most of the year.
But it does get cold.
I was looking at a map, and realized that Disney could build a park right in the middle of DC! It would be perfect for the city and for Disney.
In order to explain, I'll need to show you this map:
Downtown DC
Okay, so you can plainly see the 'touristy' areas of Downtown DC. They include the capitol and supreme court on the far right, and the Lincoln Memorial on the far left. The White House is the box going up. All the museums and memorials are in there too.
In between the White House and the Capitol are the museums you pay for (Newseum, Spy Museum, Crime Museum), and Chinatown and the Basketball arena.
South of the Capitol, on the river, is the Ball Park where the Nationals play. This is a very undeveloped part of town - not real dangerous - but not where you want to be late at night.
Now that your attention is there, notice the 'undeveloped waterfront'. One of the saddest things about DC is its under use of its waterfront. It could almost be an American Venice given the abundant waterways, the proximity to extensive boating in the Chesapeake Bay, and all the beautiful parkland and monuments along the water. One reason it has failed to realize its potential is seen on the map where I've labelled 'bad neighborhood'. The implications are pretty obvious. That's pretty much the most dangerous part of DC.
Where I've labelled Rich Neighborhoods is safe and quite wealthy. The 'Bad-ish' neighborhoods have historically had a lot of crime, but a lot of young professionals have moved there in the past two decades.
Notice the box that says "The Park". That's a part of town - East of the Capitol - that's not really a bad neighborhood - but is just across the river from a very bad one, and isn't a wealthy as other parts of DC.
The white circle by the river is the RFK stadium where the old Redskins used to play.
I think you could build a park here, for reasons I'll continue to elaborate on, but for now I would imagine Disney purchasing the land and homes of many here, and creating a vast development. This would revitalize the neighborhood, and inject life into the undeveloped waterfront.
The thing about DC is that it's very government focused. I'd love to see DC become almost a resort town as the gov jobs wind down over time. You'd preserve the monuments, but develop that underbelly - where it says 'Ball Park' - into a happening commercial and urban district for the very rich to live. Maybe open a new university or two.
Sort of like a Boston of the South, but with more and better tourist destinations.
Continue to the next post to learn a bit more about DC, then to hear my plan.
So, we know Disney has cancelled it's DC plans. There are a number of good reasons for this. But it really is unfortunate.
People often discuss a Disney Park in Texas, and I understand their frustration. Orlando and Anaheim are so far away - and isn't Texas warm enough for a year-round park?
Well what about the Northeast. It's pretty far from Florida, but is very wealthy. They're more willing to fly to Disney, but less willing to do it very often. So why not build a park in the Northeast? And DC is already a huge tourist destination and is fairly temperate most of the year.
But it does get cold.
I was looking at a map, and realized that Disney could build a park right in the middle of DC! It would be perfect for the city and for Disney.
In order to explain, I'll need to show you this map:
Downtown DC
Okay, so you can plainly see the 'touristy' areas of Downtown DC. They include the capitol and supreme court on the far right, and the Lincoln Memorial on the far left. The White House is the box going up. All the museums and memorials are in there too.
In between the White House and the Capitol are the museums you pay for (Newseum, Spy Museum, Crime Museum), and Chinatown and the Basketball arena.
South of the Capitol, on the river, is the Ball Park where the Nationals play. This is a very undeveloped part of town - not real dangerous - but not where you want to be late at night.
Now that your attention is there, notice the 'undeveloped waterfront'. One of the saddest things about DC is its under use of its waterfront. It could almost be an American Venice given the abundant waterways, the proximity to extensive boating in the Chesapeake Bay, and all the beautiful parkland and monuments along the water. One reason it has failed to realize its potential is seen on the map where I've labelled 'bad neighborhood'. The implications are pretty obvious. That's pretty much the most dangerous part of DC.
Where I've labelled Rich Neighborhoods is safe and quite wealthy. The 'Bad-ish' neighborhoods have historically had a lot of crime, but a lot of young professionals have moved there in the past two decades.
Notice the box that says "The Park". That's a part of town - East of the Capitol - that's not really a bad neighborhood - but is just across the river from a very bad one, and isn't a wealthy as other parts of DC.
The white circle by the river is the RFK stadium where the old Redskins used to play.
I think you could build a park here, for reasons I'll continue to elaborate on, but for now I would imagine Disney purchasing the land and homes of many here, and creating a vast development. This would revitalize the neighborhood, and inject life into the undeveloped waterfront.
The thing about DC is that it's very government focused. I'd love to see DC become almost a resort town as the gov jobs wind down over time. You'd preserve the monuments, but develop that underbelly - where it says 'Ball Park' - into a happening commercial and urban district for the very rich to live. Maybe open a new university or two.
Sort of like a Boston of the South, but with more and better tourist destinations.
Continue to the next post to learn a bit more about DC, then to hear my plan.
