Prologue
Disneyland since its inception in 1955 has been the happiest place on earth and continues to evolve from Walt Disney's original dreams decades ago. Flash forward to 1995, and theme parks all over the world have attempted to embody the spirit of Disneyland, yet none can quite embrace the charm of the original. And in the minds of Walt Disney Imagineering in the mid-90s, as Michael Eisner is imploring the company to expand their Southern
California Resort, hesitation arises on budgetary concerns after the financial failure of Euro Disneyland.
With the template of a western EPCOT Center, or WestCOT, as it was called, plans for that began to balloon and skyrocket to the $3-4 Billion range, and the local Anaheim residents complained regarding the light pollution and gaudy structures a WestCOT would bring with it into their neighborhood. In particular the 300 foot tall Spacestation Earth, that would loom over all the Disneyland Resort and residential areas.
More than any other Disney resort, Disneyland is boxed in not only in terms of space, but also residential approval. Much like the great Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI, or Fenway Park in Boston, MA, the attraction and surrounding residents play a role in every decision made.
Thus Eisner, seeing his WestCOT scrapped, his Disney's America park scrapped, and reeling from the losses of Euro Disneyland, put in charge two imagineers that he trusted, MonorailRed and spacemt354, to lead the creative department in early June 1995, to come up with a vision and dream for Disneyland's 2nd theme park, which they titled, The Disney Dreamer Park.
Backstory
The Disney Dreamer Park would tie in with the story of Disneyland. Since it has been established through time that no theme park could match Disneyland's charm, the mindset was...why try to go the exact opposite direction with WestCOT or some modern California park, why not make the park a prequel of sorts to Disneyland. The first thoughts that crossed everyone's mind - what was Walt's vision for Disneyland, but the other question not yet explored, what life experiences got him to that moment where he created Disneyland? Rural Missouri, camping and hiking the Missouri Caverns, his journey out west to Hollywood and the invention of Mickey Mouse, delving into animation and film, and once Disneyland was complete, his vision for the future - an E.P.C.O.T.
The Disney Dreamer Park served as a preamble to Disneyland, as well as a home for those inspired by Walt Disney who have led Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company as a whole, beyond his touch and into the 21st Century.
This idea sparked the imagination and plans were designed to fully encompass the entire resort complex as one. Adding new greenery, walking paths, and accessibility, while also blending it into the surrounding area with more naturalistic and hospitable attractions that would be more cost effective and less ostentatious than a WestCOT.
The tallest peak of the park would be 125 feet, even smaller than the Matterhorn, and in addition to The Disney Dreamer Park, the resort would add Disney's Progress City Resort & Spa (which the Disneyland Monorail would pass through its main lobby atrium), an expansion to the Disneyland Hotel, the Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disney Plaza duel entrance, and the Disney Commons Shopping Center.
Disneyland since its inception in 1955 has been the happiest place on earth and continues to evolve from Walt Disney's original dreams decades ago. Flash forward to 1995, and theme parks all over the world have attempted to embody the spirit of Disneyland, yet none can quite embrace the charm of the original. And in the minds of Walt Disney Imagineering in the mid-90s, as Michael Eisner is imploring the company to expand their Southern
California Resort, hesitation arises on budgetary concerns after the financial failure of Euro Disneyland.
With the template of a western EPCOT Center, or WestCOT, as it was called, plans for that began to balloon and skyrocket to the $3-4 Billion range, and the local Anaheim residents complained regarding the light pollution and gaudy structures a WestCOT would bring with it into their neighborhood. In particular the 300 foot tall Spacestation Earth, that would loom over all the Disneyland Resort and residential areas.
More than any other Disney resort, Disneyland is boxed in not only in terms of space, but also residential approval. Much like the great Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI, or Fenway Park in Boston, MA, the attraction and surrounding residents play a role in every decision made.
Thus Eisner, seeing his WestCOT scrapped, his Disney's America park scrapped, and reeling from the losses of Euro Disneyland, put in charge two imagineers that he trusted, MonorailRed and spacemt354, to lead the creative department in early June 1995, to come up with a vision and dream for Disneyland's 2nd theme park, which they titled, The Disney Dreamer Park.
Backstory
The Disney Dreamer Park would tie in with the story of Disneyland. Since it has been established through time that no theme park could match Disneyland's charm, the mindset was...why try to go the exact opposite direction with WestCOT or some modern California park, why not make the park a prequel of sorts to Disneyland. The first thoughts that crossed everyone's mind - what was Walt's vision for Disneyland, but the other question not yet explored, what life experiences got him to that moment where he created Disneyland? Rural Missouri, camping and hiking the Missouri Caverns, his journey out west to Hollywood and the invention of Mickey Mouse, delving into animation and film, and once Disneyland was complete, his vision for the future - an E.P.C.O.T.
The Disney Dreamer Park served as a preamble to Disneyland, as well as a home for those inspired by Walt Disney who have led Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company as a whole, beyond his touch and into the 21st Century.
This idea sparked the imagination and plans were designed to fully encompass the entire resort complex as one. Adding new greenery, walking paths, and accessibility, while also blending it into the surrounding area with more naturalistic and hospitable attractions that would be more cost effective and less ostentatious than a WestCOT.
The tallest peak of the park would be 125 feet, even smaller than the Matterhorn, and in addition to The Disney Dreamer Park, the resort would add Disney's Progress City Resort & Spa (which the Disneyland Monorail would pass through its main lobby atrium), an expansion to the Disneyland Hotel, the Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disney Plaza duel entrance, and the Disney Commons Shopping Center.