This is a list of publicly known Disney attractions that were never built, that is, rides and shows of Disney parks that never reached the final building stage. Some of them were fully designed and not built. Others were concepts, sometimes with preliminary artwork. A few were partially constructed before the plug was pulled. Many were developed as far as it could, but funding was either reallocated, consolidated, and optimized in the "best possible" return of investment. In other major projects, signs of reuse documentation was evident in some of the parks.
Theme parks[]
Name | Development Years | Description | Reference |
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Mickey Mouse Park | 1951-1955 | A small park that would have been located right across the street from the Walt Disney Company headquarters in Burbank California. However, this plan was scrapped in favor of moving to Anaheim after Burbank's city council rejected the plans out of a desire to not have a carnival in the city, despite Walt's attempts to persuade them otherwise. While many of the ideas planned for the park would eventually be repurposed and realized as Disneyland. Others, such as a petting zoo, a duck boat ride and an Indian village, would be scrapped. | [citation needed] |
Walt Disney's Riverfront Square | 1963-1965 | An indoor theme park planned for St. Louis as Disney's second theme park. Cancelled after the mayor of St. Louis questioned why an amusement park wouldn't sell liquor, ironically costing the city billions in tourist dollars. | (June 2002) Walt Disney's Missouri: The Roots of a Creative Genius. Kansas City Star Books. ISBN 978-0-9717080-6-8. Retrieved on 11 May 2011.
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Disneyland East | 1968 - Early 1970s | A park to be built on the former grounds of the 1964 New York World's Fair in Queens, New York. It eventually became the Walt Disney World Resort. | |
VenturePort | Late 1980s | A planned second gate for Disneyland, which is unrelated to Wescot and utilizes the name for the central park. VentureePort would have included some attractions from the planned LucasPort, a Figment & Dreamfinder attraction, a Jules Verne area, and a land based on Indiana Jones. The latter two would ultimately come into fruition at Tokyo DisneySea when it opened in 2001. | |
WestCOT | 1990s | A west coast version of Walt Disney World's Epcot. | |
DisneySea | 1990-1991 | A nautical park designed to be situated in Long Beach, California within Port Disney. Cancelled due to opposition by environmentalist groups over the amount of landfill that would be needed. | [citation needed] |
Disney-MGM Studios Europe | 1992-1995 | A European copy of Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) in Florida, to have opened in 1996 at the Euro Disney Resort Paris (now Disneyland Resort Paris). It was cancelled when Imagineers were told to stop by management after the resort was failing. Eventually, the Walt Disney Studios Park opened in 2002 after the resort started to make a profit, though, was ultimately very different from the original plans for Disney-MGM Studios Europe, due to budget limitations. | |
Disney's America | 1993-1994, 1997 | A patriotic park to be located in Haymarket, Virginia. It was never built due to local opposition to the commercialization of American history and concern over the possibility it could damage Civil War battle sites, and a ride putting guests in the role of a runaway slave on the Underground Railroad. | Michael Eisner. Work in Progress. ISBN 0-7868-8507-6.
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Disney's Singapore | Late 1990s | A new indoor-theme park to be located in Singapore expected to have been the second in Asia after Japan's Tokyo Disney Resort, it reached the planning stages but failed to materialize owing to land acquisition issues and The Walt Disney Company having wished for the project to be primarily funded by the government. The Singaporean government responded that it was under its belief that a theme park should be run essentially by the private sector, not owned by the government. A few years later, Singapore was approached by Universal, who eventually built a Universal Studios in the country. | [citation needed] |
Myst Island | Late 1990s-Early 2000s | Disney approached Cyan World about constructing a theme park inspired by Myst, which included scouting an island area within Disney's Florida properties that Rand Miller felt was perfect for the Myst setting. It was also planned to be built on the former site of Discovery Island. | |
Disney Wharf at Sydney Harbor | 2007-2008 | Disney had plans to build a smaller Disneyland-style theme park in Sydney, Australia, between 2007 and 2008, with the proposed name "Disney Wharf at Sydney Harbour", but the concept was abandoned due to mixed responses in the New South Wales Government. | [citation needed] |
Disney's Israel | 2011 | In early January 2011, conflicting reports emerged regarding Disney's involvement in a proposed entertainment complex in Haifa, Israel, whose plans include a small (30,000 square meter) amusement park scheduled to open in 2013. The project was set to be partially funded by Shamrock Holdings, a Disney-affiliated investment firm. In the wake of reports from Israeli business newspaper, Globes and industry newswire Amusement Management that Disney itself would be involved in the project's development, a spokesperson for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts clarified to Fast Company that Disney did not have any plans to be involved in the building of the park. | |
Disney's Arabia | Unknown | Disney's first theme park in the Middle East and a new indoor-theme park inspired by the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin to be located in Dubailand in the UAE in the Middle East. | [citation needed] |
Properties[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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National Harbor Resort Hotel | A 500-room hotel to be located at the National Harbor, an attempt at a national convention and visitor area in Maryland. In May 2009, Disney had purchased 11 acres for the hotel for $11 million. In November 2011, they canceled the project. |
Resorts[]
Name | Development years | Description | Reference |
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Mineral King ski resort | 1960s | In the 1960s, Disney initiated a plan for a ski resort at Mineral King in California. Opposition from environmental groups led by the Sierra Club led to a temporary court injunction in 1969 and legal battles through the 1970s. The project's planning and scale changed multiple times, and in 1978, Mineral King was annexed into Sequoia National Park, ending any possibility of developing a resort there. | [citation needed] |
Disneyland Resort[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Disneyland Resort Hotel | A luxurious, 800-room complex that was to be constructed in the style of San Diego's Hotel del Coronado. It was inspired by Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Walt Disney World. | "Disney to Build Del Coronado-Inspired Hotel at Anaheim Resort". Retrieved on 2007-03-05.
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Walt Disney World[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Disney's Asian Resort | A Thai themed to be located where Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is today. The foundation actually was built, but the Energy Crisis halted construction. | "Disney's Asian Resort". Retrieved on August 4, 2006.
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Disney's Venetian Resort | An Italian themed resort to be located between the Disney's Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center. Despite land being cleared in the 1990s for the resort, the site was marshland and would have required a deep foundation. | "Disney's Venetian Resort". Retrieved on August 4, 2006.
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Disney's Persian Resort | An Iranian themed resort to be located on Bay Lake north of the Contemporary Resort. The Shah of Iran had offered to fund the resort, but the Iran Revolution killed this, and presumably, the hotel. | "Disney's Persian Resort". Retrieved on August 21, 2006.
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Disney's Mediterranean Resort | A Greek themed resort to be located on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Was to have been built on the site of the Venetian Resort. | "Disney's Mediterranean Resort". Retrieved on August 4, 2006.
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Disney's Pop Century Resort Legendary Years section | The other half of the resort, partially constructed, was abandoned following a drop in tourism due to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Legendary Years section would have been themed to the 1900s through the 1940s. The completed structures and the land that Legendary Years would have occupied were instead turned into Disney's Art of Animation Resort. | |
Reflections - A Disney Lakeside Lodge | A Disney Vacation Club resort that was to be built between Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and on the former site of Disney's River Country. The new hotel was to feature several Disney characters for each of the rooms including Bambi, Brother Bear, The Fox and the Hound, & Pocahontas among others. A lakeside restaurant featuring characters from The Princess and the Frog was also slated to open along with the new resort. It had a release date set for 2022, but, was later cancelled and removed entirely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. |
Resort attractions[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Adventure House | A walkthrough at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground that would have ended with a children's playground. |
Theme park lands[]
Disneyland[]
Name | Development Years | Description | Reference |
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Lilliputian Land | 1953–1955 | A land that was to be located north of Tomorrowland east of Fantasyland. Everything would have been constructed on a greatly reduced scale. It also would have been inspired by Gulliver's Travels. | "Disneyland and Europe: Walt Disney's First Magic Kingdom".
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Residential Street | 1955 | Was to have been located between Main Street and Tomorrowland (the present-day home of parade float storage and the Guest Flow Corridor). It and other lands in the same location (such as Edison Square and International Street) were all cancelled for unknown reasons. In Residential Street's case, signage announcing a 1958 opening actually went up. | [citation needed] |
International Street | 1955-1956 | A land to be placed on the lagoon hosting the Submarine Voyage and the other boat ride attractions. Eventually became the idea for World Showcase at EPCOT. | |
Chinatown | 1955 | A side-street expansion to Main Street, U.S.A. | |
Edison Square | 1955-1957 | A land that would have been a side-street side-street expansion to Main Street U.S.A., themed around the addition of electricity in American homes. It would have featured a statue of Thomas Edison and a show about harnessing electricity. | |
Gay Nineties Square | Mid-1950s | An alternate take on Edison Square, but, this time, themed around a town in the 1890s. | |
Liberty Street | 1956-1958 | Another land that would have been a side-street expansion to Main Street U.S.A., themed around an American town circa 1776. It would have featured shops, The Hall of Presidents, Griffin's Wharf, the Liberty Tree, and recreations of famous American landmarks. This idea would later be brought to life in the Magic Kingdom as Liberty Square. | |
Dumbo's Circus Land | Early 1970s | A sub-area of Fantasyland where Dumbo the Flying Elephant & Casey Junior Circus Train would have been relocated. The idea eventually inspired the Storybook Circus sub-area of the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom. | |
Big Town, U.S.A. | 1976 | An area where Mickey's Toontown now sits, themed around big cities like New York City and Chicago, which would have featured a big Broadway-style theater holding 3,000 guests with daily live shows, a restaurant similar to the Golden Horseshoe & a carnival fair with a ferris wheel, roller coaster and paddle boats. This idea became the inspiration for the American Waterfront at Tokyo DisneySea. | |
Discovery Bay | Late 1970s | A steampunk-style land that was to be a tribute to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Despite a model being showcased in the Preview Center for years and a pilot for a potential TV series based on the land's mythology being produced, the rise of science fiction over high adventure led to the land's eventual cancellation. Elements of the plans were later reused for Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris and Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea, with one attraction in particular evolving into Journey into Imagination at Epcot. | [citation needed] |
Land of Legends | Late 1970s | An area based around American literature, folklore, and tall-tales planned for a spot north of Bear Country (now known as Critter Country) that would have connected it to Discovery Bay. Attractions included the famous Western River Expedition project as well as dark rides based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Saga of Windwagon Smith with a Paul Bunyan restaurant. | "Passport to Dreams Old and New: All About Western River Expedition, Part Two".
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LucasPort | 1980s | In the 1980s, before Captain EO, Star Tours, & Indiana Jones Adventure, Disney Legend Tony Baxter, George Lucas, and a crew of Imagineers were re-imagining Tomorrowland that would place guests in a futuristic metropolis with environments inspired by Star Wars in a multi-level venue called LucasPort. If created, it would have revitalized Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. It was conceived as a brand-new area contained within a mixed-use glass superstructure that would include an interactive Star Wars-themed high-speed adventure, the original location for the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, shops and dining locations. The land would also have integrated existing attractions, like the Monorail and PeopleMover, into the new structure as part of Tomorrowland’s new towering skyline. Unfortunately, due to the scope and size of the project, LucasPort never made its way to Disneyland. Factors, such as the size of the Star Wars attraction building, and the cost of demolition and materials were deemed too expensive. In spite of LucasPort not being fully realized, one can appreciate the research and development that went into designing ambitious attractions never before seen at a Disney theme park. | |
Mickey's Starland | Early 1990s | An area where guests could meet Mickey Mouse & all of his pals. Even though, it wasn't built, a duplicate of this area would end up in the Magic Kingdom. It shares similarities with Mickey's Toontown. | |
Tomorrowland 2055 | 1993-1994 | An update and makeover of Tomorrowland with a more extraterrestrial theme, (2055 is the centennial of Disneyland). However, after Euro Disneyland failed, the project was abandoned due to budget cuts and replaced by the poorly-received Tomorrowland 1998 overhaul. The overhaul came so close to happening, that a full music loop was created and tested in the Space Mountain concourse (and is still playing), a mural was tested at the Tomorrowland Terrace (it, too, is still in place), and Imagineers working on the project received jackets with the Tomorrowland 2055 logo emblazoned on it. | "Answer.com: Tony Baxter".
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Hollywoodland | Late 1990s | A land to be located between Main Street, U.S.A. and Tomorrowland. The side of Space Mountain facing the land would have been converted into the hill with the Hollywood letters on it. The land was themed after Hollywood's heyday from the 1930s & 1940s. It was designed to be a smaller copy of Hollywood Boulevard seen in Disney's Hollywood Studios. A similar concept was later used for the Disney California Adventure. | |
Mythica | Unknown | A land inspired by Greek and Roman myths and legends. | "Mickey News: What Might Have Been".
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Disney California Adventure[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Carland | A land that would've been set in an imaginary Route 66 town. When the Imagineers found out about the release of Cars, Carland evolved into Cars Land. |
Walt Disney World[]
Magic Kingdom[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Harry Potter Land | In 2004, J. K. Rowling signed a letter-of-intent with Disney, with the company intending to develop a Harry Potter section within the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Ultimately, Disney pulled out of negotiations, citing that Rowling's creative influence and the terms established by Warner Bros. Eventually, a land titled The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was built at most of the Universal Studios parks with attractions based on Harry Potter. |
Epcot[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Movie Pavilion | A pavilion dedicated entirely to movies. The board found the idea so good, and with Michael Eisner wanting to compete with Universal Studios Orlando, the pavilion was expanded into a dedicated theme park, opening near Epcot in 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios. A movie area of the parking lot is the only reminder of the original plans. | [citation needed] |
Space Pavilion | This pavilion, themed to outer space, would have included a guest-operated jetpack attraction called Spacewalk, and interactive displays about space. The idea eventually evolved into Mission: SPACE. | [citation needed] |
Weather Pavilion | A pavilion that was rumored to have been located between The Living Seas and the Land Pavilion and reportedly was to be sponsored by The Weather Channel, with the pavilion being focused on teaching meteorology and weather broadcasting. While it is not clear on what happened, plans for the pavilion ultimately fell through. That said, Disney and Weather Channel would later collaborate in 2008 on the StormStruck exhibit at Innovations East. | |
PLAY! Pavilion | An interactive pavilion where guests could interact with their favorite Disney and Pixar characters. The pavilion was scheduled to contain: an Animation Academy featuring Edna Mode; Hotel Heist interactive game hosted by Nick Wilde and Judy; Arcade games, Monorail Mark X; Water Balloon Throwing game with Huey, Dewey, and Louie and character meet and greets. | "Epcot's Play Pavilion Will Include A New 'Zootopia' Attraction and More". /Film (May 6, 2019).
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Costa Rica Pavilion | A Costa Rican-themed pavilion featuring a large greenhouse with a rainforest walkthrough. | "The Neverland Files: Epcot".
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Israel Pavilion | Advertised on billboards when EPCOT opened, this would have recreated ancient Jerusalem with a courtyard stage and open-air restaurant. It remained unbuilt because of budget problems and security issues regarding the state of Israel, namely fears that the pavilion would turn EPCOT into a major target for terrorists. | "Jerusalem Post on Encyclopedia.com: Israel at Epcot".
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Spain Pavilion | Also advertised on billboards circa 1986, this pavilion would have featured a boat ride similar to the Mexico Pavilion, with a design blending elements of Barcelona and Madrid. Also planned were a film on Spain's history and a restaurant. | "Jim Hill Media: Monday Mouse Watch".
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Soviet Union Pavilion | During the projected "Phase II" expansion of EPCOT, a Russia-themed Pavilion was planned. It would have been based on the Moscow Kremlin, and dominated by a replica of St. Basil's Cathedral. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the concept was scrapped. | "Why For did Phase II of Epcot's World Showcase never get built?".
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Switzerland Pavilion | Planned primarily as an excuse to bring a Matterhorn Bobsleds-style ride to Epcot. | "Walt Dated World: Epcot: World Showcase".
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United Arab Emirates Pavilion | This pavilion would have paid tribute to the Middle East with a magic carpet ride attraction and a show focusing on how the Middle East paved the way for various ways of life and science. | "Jim Hill: Unrealized Epcot".
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Venezuela Pavilion | This pavilion would have included a waterfall, a high-rise built into a cliff, and an aerial tram ride. | |
Equatorial Africa | During the opening day telecast, Danny Kaye and Alex Haley looked at a model of the future Equatorial Africa pavilion. The pavilion would have included the Sound Safari walkthrough, two film attractions, and the Heartbeat of Africa show. Despite the model being built and both films having actually been filmed, the pavilion was scrapped because South Africa was the only nation willing to back it, and Disney did not want to become associated with Apartheid. All that came of the pavilion was the African Outpost, which is still open today. The concept was eventually revived as the Africa section of Disney's Animal Kingdom. | [citation needed] |
Denmark Pavilion | A Danish pavilion described as a miniaturized version of Tivoli Gardens. Cancelled when a planned sponsorship deal with LEGO fell through, but not before the pavilion's restrooms were built; they are part of the Norway Pavilion today. | |
Iran Pavilion | An Iranian pavilion that was in the final stages of approval but was later cancelled after the Shah of Iran was Overthrown by the Islamic Fundamentalist Regime and the Iranian Hostage Crisis which created a wave of Anti-Iranianism throughout the nation. | |
Puerto Rico Pavilion | During the projected "Phase II" expansion of Epcot, the Puerto Rico Pavilion was planned. Disney later said this speculation was false, but it was proven to be under works at one point. | |
Brazil Pavilion | A World Showcase pavilion themed around Brazil that would have been the first pavilion to represent South America. | |
Scandinavia Pavilion | A pavilion that would have been an alternate plan for Denmark. It was to have combined Denmark along with Norway and Sweden. In the end, only Norway signed up, and has its own dedicated pavilion as a result. | |
Australia/New Zealand Pavilion | A pavilion themed to both Australia & New Zealand featuring a large-scale model of the Sydney Opera House. It would have been the first pavilion to represent Oceania. | |
Holland Pavilion | A pavilion themed around Holland. | |
Taiwan Pavilion | This pavilion would have been themed around Taiwan. It would have had shops & a restaurant. | |
Poland Pavilion | A pavilion themed around Poland that would have been placed in the World Showcase. | |
South Korea Pavilion | This pavilion would have been themed to South Korea. But, there has been very little information about what was planned for it. | |
Philippines Pavilion | A pavilion themed around the Philippines. Little information about it has been mentioned. |
Disney's Hollywood Studios[]
Name | Development Years | Description | Reference |
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Mickey's Movieland | Late 1980s | An area dedicated to the old-fashioned Mickey Mouse shorts and classic movie production with a replica of Disney's original Hyperion Avenue studio. Guests would encounter hands-on exhibits demonstrating classic movie production, such as creating Foley sound effects or spinning projectors to see classic Mickey drawings animated. Elements of this land were lent to The Magic of Disney Animation and the Monster Sound Show, which later evolved into Sounds Dangerous!. | "Dateline: Walt Disney World - The Disney Decade (1990)".
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Muppet Studios | 1989-1991 | A mini-land in the Streets of America area dedicated to the Muppets. Only Muppet*Vision 3D was completed before plans were put on-hold/cancelled after the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson in 1990. Was to feature another attraction, The Great Muppet Movie Ride, and two restaurants: The Swedish Chef's Video Cooking School and The Great Gonzo's Pandemonium Pizza Parlor. A similar land, titled "Muppets Courtyard" is currently at Hollywood Studios, using areas of the former Streets of America. Currently, the only show is Muppet*Vision 3D, there are no rides and the only two restaurants are Mama Melrose Ristorante Italiano and PizzeRizzo. | |
Roger Rabbit's Hollywood | 1989-1992 | An extension of Sunset Boulevard based on the 1988 film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It would've featured a Red Car Trolley line running up the street, dropping guest off at a recreation of Maroon Studios, which would've been featured where Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is located today. The land is known to have included three attractions: Toontown Trolley, Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy, and Benny the Cab, and a recreation of the Terminal Bar. Disney and co-creator Steven Spielberg's company, Amblin, were in a legal dispute over the usage of the film/character, and future attractions not already in development were put on-hold. Some of the elements from this land, along with a proposed "Mickey's Starland" area became Mickey's Toontown. |
Disney's Animal Kingdom[]
Name | Development Years | Description | Reference |
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Beastly Kingdom | 1998-2011 | A "myths and legends"-themed land planned for Disney's Animal Kingdom. It was replaced by Camp Minnie-Mickey due to budget cuts. Much of the land designated for use by Beastly Kingdom is now used by Pandora: The World of Avatar. | "Disney Plans Wild Animal Kingdom in Florida", AP (1995-06-21). Retrieved on 25 October 2008. |
Tokyo Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Sci-Fi City | A whole new Tomorrowland designed by Eddie Sotto, DLP Main Street's show producer. It would have included "Cosmic Way" , the "Main Street" of science fiction with a theming inspired by anime, The Jetsons, Buck Rogers and the Rocketeer. Probably the best Tomorrowland theming ever done, and unfortunately never built for various reasons. | |
Mickeyville | At the end of 1990, Hani was asked by Walt Disney Imagineering to work on the creative development of a new project "Mickeyville" which was supposed to be a new land for Tokyo Disneyland. It was the first study for a "Toon Town", but much different than the one we know, as the architectural style was more "medieval". For a very good reason: this Mickeyville was supposed to be a tribute to Mickey's "medieval" cartoons, like "The Brave little tailor" or "Mickey and the Beanstalk". Hani's team was under the direction of Imagineers Yoshi Akiyama and Bob Weis (who designed the Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's America and who is now in charge of the huge placemaking of Disney's California Adventure). But, unfortunately, this medieval-styled land was cancelled forever. Eventually, Tokyo Disneyland created another version of Toontown which opened on April 15, 1996. |
Tokyo DisneySea[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Glacier Bay | A polar themed land that was planned to open with the park on September 4, 2001 | |
Scandinavia | An area located in the south of Lost River Delta that would've had Frozen in its own land. |
Disneyland Paris[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Main Street 20-30s | Instead of having a “turn of the century” theming, Imagineers had designed a Main Street set up in the 1920s-1930s, ruled by gangsters, jazz, cinema, with a totally different environment. They cancelled it since the project was deemed too violent for a Disney park. | [citation needed] |
Walt Disney Studios Park[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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A Bug's Land | A shortened version of the land would've been built in Toon Studio. | |
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge | A clone of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was originally planned for the park as part of a massive expansion for the park. For unknown reasons, the plans for the land would get quietly cancelled in 2022. |
Hong Kong Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Frontierland | A wild west land that would have been located in the park on opening day. The area would've been a combination of Disneyland Paris' Frontierland and Disney California Adventure's Grizzly Peak. | |
Toontown | A much more advanced version than its sisters in the other parks. It may have become the idea for Toon Studio at Walt Disney Studios Park. | "Disney and More: Hong Kong Disneyland: Coaster to Rescue".
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Pirates Land | An area to be built next to Adventureland themed around swashbuckling pirates, but was scrapped due to the fact that having a land glorifying the activities of pirates deemed as troublesome, in Hong Kong's geographical location. The concept for this land would be revived in Shanghai Disneyland as Treasure Cove. | |
Glacier Bay | An ice/winter themed land that was planned to go behind Grizzly Gulch and next to Mystic Point for the first expansion. It would have been a clone of the land that was planned for Tokyo DisneySea, but it was replaced by Toy Story Land & the upcoming World of Frozen area. | Littaye, Alain (July 1, 2009). "Hong Kong Disneyland Expansion Plan: What happened to "Glacier Bay" ?".
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Attractions[]
Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Atlantis Expedition | A re-theming of the Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, in which guests would have been able to use a mechanical arm that extended out into the water from their submarine window to grab at gold coins & gems lining the sea floor. The box-office failure of the 2001 animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire caused this planned revamp to be scrapped. The lagoon languished as nothing more than scenery until 2005, when construction on the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage began, which opened in 2007. | [citation needed] |
Rock Candy Mountain | An addition to the Casey Jr. Train Ride in Fantasyland, it was supposed to be a mountain, that looked like it was made out of rock candy (and other various types of candy, such as licorice, lollipops, and candy canes), with a glossy, translucent appearance. The planned Rainbow Road To Oz attraction, was supposed to go underneath the mountain, and the ride would be inside it. It was cancelled due to Walt Disney being concerned about how they would be able to maintain and clean the mountain "because of all the smog" that came from around Anaheim. One rumor states that Imagineers and birds actually picked the model to pieces, and another states Walt axed it because of its "sickly appearance". A rock candy mountain model very similar to the original concept can be found in the window of Trolley Treats at Disney California Adventure. | [citation needed] |
Geyser Mountain | A Twilight Zone Tower of Terror-style ride to be built in Frontierland. Guests riding in a huge drilling machine would be caught in a massive geyser and thrown into the air. | "Geyser Mountain". The Neverland Files.
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Herbie the Love Bug ride | An attraction conceived in 1976, to be placed in Fantasyland, it would take guests through scenes from the first two Herbie the Love Bug movies, The Love Bug and Herbie Rides Again, (in mini Herbies) such as Herbie driving up the Golden Gate Bridge, or the famous scene where Herbie skips across water. At the end of the ride, the mini Herbie ride vehicle would split in half (like in the movie). It was cancelled for unknown reasons. | [citation needed] |
Fireworks Factory | An interactive shooter ride designed for Discovery Bay, housed inside a fireworks factory, where guests would shoot at skyrockets, pinwheels, and other fireworks. A much smaller version was placed in Mickey's Toontown, though this version is merely an interactive gag in the land and not a ride. | "Discovery Bay". The Neverland Files.
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The Enchanted Snow Palace | A dark ride that was planned for Fantasyland at Disneyland. Marc Davis was instrumental in its design, and it was the final ride he designed. It was designed as a boat ride on a river of melting ice, past naturalistic scenes of Arctic wildlife, beneath a display of the Northern Lights, and into the realm of the Snow Queen, a fantastical land populated by frost fairies and snow giants. Although the board really liked the idea, guests were demanding more roller coasters, and nearby Valencia-based Magic Mountain had plenty; the board reluctantly rejected the ride in favor of Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Extensive concept art still exists for this attraction. However, this attraction became the inspiration for Frozen Ever After. | Shaun Finnie (2006). The Disneylands That Never Were, page 72–73. Retrieved on 2012-12-20.
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Lightkeepers | A nighttime pageant that was planned for "Tomorrowland 2055". The show would have been about an entire race of god-like alien creatures that created light. They were alleged to come from a far-off mythical galaxy, where light was the source of everything. Created as a possible Main Street Electrical Parade replacement, the idea eventually inspired the short-lived and infamous Light Magic nighttime parade. | "Disneyland in a New Light". LA Times.
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Duck Bumps | A bumper boat ride planned for Fantasyland, to be built against International Street alongside the lagoon. | Strodder, Chris. The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, and Major Event in the Original Magic Kingdom. Santa Monica Press. ISBN 1595800689.
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The Museum of the Weird | A planned attraction that featured many strange things, such as a chair that sat up and talked. It was cancelled because it was so strange and creepy, and it kept Walt Disney from being able to sleep one night. The planned attraction, and many of its designs were taken and incorporated into the popular attraction The Haunted Mansion, such as the clock that had only one time on it (being 13:00). | [citation needed] |
Haunted House | A walkthrough haunted house featuring famous movie monsters, a murderous sea captain, dazzling special effects, a lonesome ghost, and a wedding that was torn to pieces! Ultimately became The Haunted Mansion. | |
The Old Mill | A Ferris wheel ride next to Duck Bumps which would take guests twirling around on a windmill. The concept might have been based on the 1937 Silly Symphonies cartoon The Old Mill. A similar version of this attraction was later built at Disneyland Paris. | [citation needed] |
Circus Hot Air Balloons | An attraction that would have bordered Discovery Bay and Dumbo's Circus Land. Also known as the Western Balloon Ascent, it would have been similar to the Skyway. | |
Mickey's Madhouse | A funhouse adventure featuring Mickey Mouse and their friends in a bunch into wacky antics while ragtime music plays in the background. | |
Unnamed Pinocchio attraction | A predecessor to Pinocchio's Daring Journey that would have included Stromboli's theater in the queue where guests could watch puppet performances while waiting to board. | |
Circus Disney | A new dark ride that would've feature multiple animatronic Disney characters performing different circus acts. | |
Dick Tracy's Crime-Stoppers | A dark ride planned for Hollywoodland based on the 1990 film Dick Tracy. | [citation needed] |
Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy | A dark ride, based on the Roger Rabbit short, Tummy Trouble, planned to be placed in Hollywoodland. | [citation needed] |
Toontown Transit | A Star Tours-like motion simulator attraction planned for Hollywoodland based on the 1988 box office hit, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. | |
The Great Movie Ride | A clown of this attraction was planned for Hollywoodland, although, it would have featured alternate show scenes. | |
Rainbow Road to Oz | A ride based on the classic Oz books for Fantasyland. | [citation needed] |
Space Voyage | Because of the success of the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Walt Disney wanted to make another roller coaster with four separate tracks, but due to space limitations, the idea was scrapped, though the original concept appeared on several park maps in the late 1960s as a "coming soon" attraction. The concept eventually evolved into Space Mountain. | [citation needed] |
Unnamed E-Ticket attraction | An attraction planned for Big Town, U.S.A where guests would go into an old subway station that would be a time machine that would take them through different periods of history. | |
The Hall of the Declaration of Independence | An attraction that would have been held in an auditorium holding 5,000 seats and featured three scenes inspired by iconic paintings from the time of the Revolutionary War which would have been brought to life using visual and audio effects as well as figures moving. Planned for Liberty Street. | |
Peter Pan Crocodile Aquarium | A whimsical aquarium that predated both EPCOT Center's The Living Seas and Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon where guests would've entered the exhibit by walking through the jaws of the reptile that terrorized Captain Hook. | [citation needed] |
Harnessing the Lightning | A show consisting of 4 acts, showing the history of electric homes in America. It became the basis for the Carousel of Progress. | |
Critter Country 500 | A soapbox derby racing themed attraction in Critter Country. It would have had guests riding in ramshackle cars and running up against the Country Bears in a variety of wacky vehicles, with Henry serving as the race's announcer. Scrapped in favor of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. | |
Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition | A huge complex designed to house the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost as well as a mine cart roller coaster and part of the Jungle Cruise, with the Disneyland Railroad traveling through the middle. It was pared down to Indiana Jones Adventure due to post-Euro Disneyland budget cuts. | "Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition ... Found!". Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | A dark based on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad that was planned for Land of Legends. | |
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas ride | A dark ride based on The Nightmare Before Christmas was planned to be built at the character meeting place to the southeast of It's a Small World. Guests would have hopped into coffin sleds (similar to Peter Pan's Flight) and glide through scenes from the movie. This idea became the inspiration for Haunted Mansion Holiday. | |
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride roller coaster | Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was originally envisioned as a roller coaster. Walt Disney decided to change it to a dark ride because he felt the roller coaster concept would've alienated young children and the elderly. | |
Rogues Gallery | A basement walk-through wax museum beneath New Orleans Square in which Disneyland guests would have seen wax figure scenes recreating pirate history. Basement for it was dug. Was put on hold so Walt Disney and his Imagineers could work on attractions for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Concept eventually evolved into the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. | |
Pirate Wax Museum | Another version of Rogues Gallery. Would have featured famous pirates narrating wax-made scenes. Became Pirates of the Caribbean, when Walt changed the ride system from walkthrough to boat ride. | |
The Saga of Windwagon Smith | A dark ride based on the cartoon short of the same name which planned for Land of Legends. | |
Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue | An attraction that was supposed to be located where America Sings once resided. It would have been an outer-space musical-variety revue featuring a troupe of Audio-Animatronics itinerant alien musicians whose spaceship has landed in Tomorrowland. However, the idea, which was part of the original 'Tomorrowland 2055' plan, eventually was scrapped due to budget constraints. The space that would have been Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue is now home to Tomorrowland Expo Center. | |
The UFO Show | Armed with air guns, guests would have boarded cars and tried to shoot "eerie, un-human, gremlin-like targets". Would have been staged upstairs over America Sings. Eventually became the inspiration for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. | |
Nostromo | A hi-tech interactive attraction based on Ridley Scott's Alien in which visitors would have rolled through the darkened corridors of the Nostromo. Riding inside of heavily armored vehicles. Armed with laser cannons, guests would have been sent on rescue mission to find the missing members of Nostromo's crew as well as rid the spaceship of all alien intruders. | |
Young Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular | An elaborate stunt was to have been produced in collaboration with George Lucas. This action-packed live extravaganza would have thrust Young Indy into a series of thrilling adventures and misadventures, adding a new dimension to the legendary lore of one of Hollywood's greatest heroes." Part of the show would have involved Young Indy running along the top of a passing Disneyland Railroad train. The famous ghost hearse outside of The Haunted Mansion was purchased for the show, until plans were scrapped. | |
Casey Junior Circus Train roller coaster | The Casey Junior Circus Train was initially envisioned as a full-fledged roller coaster—the first in the park—before initial test runs proved that such a ride would be too cost-prohibitive to run. It was thus reduced in speed and kept as a slow-moving ride. However, Disneyland Paris did eventually get a Casey Junior themed roller-coaster. | |
The Island at the Top of the World | A zeppelin ride to a lost civilization in the Arctic designed for Discovery Bay. | |
Professor Marvel's Gallery of Illusion | A gallery of illusions hosted by Professor Marvel & his little dragon friend. For Discovery Bay. The concept evolved into Journey Into Imagination. | |
Spark Gap Electric Loop Coaster | A spiraling and dizzy ride designed for Discovery Bay, where the forces of magnetism were demonstrated for guests. It would have been the first Disney roller coaster with an inversion. | |
Adventures in Science | A history of science exhibit for Tomorrowland. In which guests would have traveled through a microscope through the history of science. Idea became used for the now-extinct Disneyland attraction, Adventure Thru Inner Space. | |
Unnamed motion simulator western adventure | A motion simulator ride for Frontierland where guests would hop on mechanical horses and watch a western adventure movie and become part of the action. | |
One Nation Under God | Another attraction for Liberty Street that would have brought the story of America's history to life. The climax would feature all 33 presidents of the United States. Ultimately, the attraction would end up in the Magic Kingdom in time for the 1971 opening. | |
Lafitte Island | A retooling of Tom Sawyer Island based around pirate Jean Lafitte. Guests would enter Lafitte's crypt in a graveyard across from the Haunted Mansion and travel through a catacomb themed tunnel under the river to the island, which would also feature shipwrecks and Lafitte's treasure vault. Would partially inspire the Pirate's Lair retool. | |
Western River Expedition | A clone of the planned attraction for Magic Kingdom that would have been placed in Land of Legends. | |
Here Come the Muppets | A clone of the show at Disney's Hollywood Studios which would have been performed in the Videopolis theater. | |
Star Wars roller coaster | This marquee attraction would have been a ground-breaking, immersive Star Wars attraction that would give guests control over how the journey would unfold: fight or flee. It was planned for LucasPort. | |
The Little Mermaid ride | A suspended dark ride based on the 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid. Similar to Peter Pan's Flight, guests would have boarded a clam shell and journeyed under the sea featuring multiple scenes from the movie with a much more grander finale, a whirlpool, and a giant Ursula. Ultimately became both The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure in 2011 & Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid in 2012. | |
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter | A theater-in-the-round attraction that was to be installed in the space that housed Mission to Mars. This attraction was planned for both LucasPort & Tomorrowland 2055. However, "Tomorrowland 2055" would be drastically scaled back and the Mission to Mars space would end up housing Redd Rockett's Pizza Port. The concept would end up moving to the Magic Kingdom for its debut. | |
The Mystery Shack | For one concept that didn't even get past the initial pitch, former Imagineer Brandon Kleyla created the idea of bringing The Mystery Shack from Gravity Falls to the former Big Thunder Ranch. The executives were baffled and quickly shut it down. |
Disney California Adventure[]
Name | Description | Reference | |
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Rock 'N' Roller Coaster starring No Doubt | An indoor roller coaster ride featuring music from the Anaheim-based rock band No Doubt. | [citation needed] | |
Grizzly Railroad | A railroad train which would have taken passengers on scenic trip around Grizzly Peak. It was likely to be similar to the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland. | [citation needed] | |
Paradise Pier water flume | A "Chute-the-Chutes"-style boat ride that would have ended with a splash into Paradise Bay. | [citation needed] | |
Villains Funhouse Rollercoaster | A villain-themed replacement of California Screamin'. The attraction's queue would have been themed to a funhouse operated by the villains. The main ride would use the same track as California Screamin', with guests passing through large tunnels themed to Jafar's snake head and Maleficent's dragon head. | "Paradise Lost ’06". Cabel Sasser.
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Green Army Men Parachute Drop | A parachute drop attraction themed to the Green Army Men from the 1995 film "Toy Story", which would have replaced the former Maliboomer space-shot attraction. In the end, the Maliboomer was demolished, and its space became a garden area; its space is now home to Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind. | [citation needed] | |
The Walt Disney Story | A film presentation & exhibit about Walt Disney coming to California which was to be housed inside the current Cathay Circle Theater building. The attraction was cancelled when it was decided that more film based attractions were not needed for the park (one of the major problems with DCA 1.0 being too many film attractions), and the space would better serve as a restaurant to increase revenues. | [citation needed] | |
Toy Story: The Musical | A new production of the same show from the Disney Cruise Line. It would have replaced "Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular" inside the Hyperion Theater. | [citation needed] | |
Goofy's Superstar Limo | A re-theme of the ill-fated Superstar Limo that would have involved using over 100 static figures from Disney Stores across America. | ||
Miss Piggy's Superstar Limo | A rather bizarre yet clever idea, this concept would have seen Superstar Limo reopened as-is, but over the next several weeks, Muppet animatronics wearing hard hats would be installed throughout the show building, changing the attraction over to the new version while outright insulting the old version. Ultimately, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! was built instead. | ||
Armageddon Special Effects | A special effects show originally planned for Stage 17 of Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! was placed there instead. | ||
Circle of Hands | A show featuring various audio animatronics telling the history of California. Due to budget cuts, the show was canceled and replaced by Golden Dreams. | ||
The Incredibles attraction | An E-Ticket attraction featuring robot-arm technology, themed to the Disney*Pixar Movie "The Incredibles". Was put on hold in favor of "Cars Land". Robot-arm technology was replaced with a roller coaster which made the plan evolve into Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure. | ||
OdesSEA | A nighttime spectacular on Paradise Bay, themed to "The Little Mermaid". | ||
Lights, Camera, Animation! | A Parade to replaced "Eureka! A California Parade" featuring classic Disney animated characters. Was dropped in favor of "Block Party Bash". | ||
Pixar Superstar Parade | A Parade to replace "Block Party Bash" featuring Disney*Pixar characters. Was dropped in favor of "Pixar Play Parade". | ||
Paparazzi Pursuit | The original idea that eventually became the ill-fated Superstar Limo ride in Disney California Adventure; originally planned as a near-clone of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster placing guests in the seats of actors trying to make the premiere of their newest hit film at the Chinese Theatre while dodging paparazzi and freeway traffic, the ride was re-imagined at the insistence of Michael Eisner following the death of Princess Diana under eerily similar circumstances into a much slower dark ride with more of a focus on “meeting” caricatures of the era’s most popular celebrities and many inside jokes of the entertainment industry. The final version of the ride, renamed Superstar Limo was hated by both park guests and Imagineers, ultimately leading to its closure less than a year after it opened. |
Walt Disney World[]
Magic Kingdom[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Western River Expedition | A Pirates of the Caribbean-style ride through the Wild West. This was first proposed for Walt Disney's Riverfront Square. The land proposed for the ride is now used by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The ride was scrapped after guests constantly inquired about the absence of Pirates. | "Widen Your World – Thunder Mesa".
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Lewis and Clark River Expedition | An earlier incarnation of the Western River Expedition. Was planned for Walt Disney's Riverfront Square & Disney's America but scrapped with the rest of the park. | |
Snow White and Aurora's Cottages | Meet and greets that were first planned, in the same style of Enchanted Tales with Belle, for New Fantasyland, ostensibly to compete with Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. When the Princess Fairytale Hall, was planned, the concepts for the cottages where scrapped, and incorporated into the attraction. | "New Fantasy Land".
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Matterhorn Bobsleds | During construction of the Magic Kingdom, land between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland was set aside with the intention to build a clone of the Matterhorn Bobsleds. This version would have had the Walt Disney World Railroad pass through it, rather than the Skyway. The land earmarked for the mountain will now be used for the TRON Lightcycle Power Run roller coaster. | |
Fire Mountain | A roller coaster attraction which would have been based on the 2001 Disney animated film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Possible locations included Adventureland and the site of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage. There are rumors that the concept will be revived with a Moana theme, likely based around the character of Te Ka. | |
Unnamed Duck Tales attraction | A new dark ride-styled attraction planned for Mickey's Starland (now Storybook Circus) based on the Disney Afternoon television series DuckTales. Sketches seem to indicate a dark ride style attraction similar to Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. | |
Unnamed Disney Villains attraction | A Disney Villains attraction was once slated to replace 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, that would've been set in Bald Mountain. |
Epcot[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Simulated bullet train ride | A unique variation on Disney's CircleVision 360 show. Guests would have found themselves standing aboard a vibrating recreation of the passenger compartment of a Japanese bullet train. Looking out through the oversized faux windows in this passenger car, they would have been treated to a high-speed travelogue as some of Japan's most beautiful scenery whizzed by the windows. One version of the attraction involved an encounter with famed Japanese movie monster, Godzilla, which was likely scrapped as the Godzilla series was in a hiatus after Terror of MechaGodzilla bombed at the Japanese box office in 1975. The attraction was planned for the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. | |
Rhine River Cruise | A cruise down Germany's most famous rivers, including the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr, and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks would also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral. The ride entrance and part of the building that would have housed it are still visible at the Germany pavilion. | |
Time Racers | A high-tech thrill ride about fast-forwarding through history that was to replace Spaceship Earth as part of Project Gemini. | |
Jr. Autopia | The Disneyland attraction would be resurrected and added next to the new Test Track for a new Transportation pavilion as part of Project Gemini. The concept emerged in response to Test Track's high rider height requirements. | [citation needed] |
Thames River Ride | Designed as part of the United Kingdom Pavilion, this full-scale water ride would visit key London landmarks. Concept art from 1986 shows the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. | Kurtti, Jeff, and Bruce Gordon: The Art of Walt Disney World Resort, p.20. Disney Editions, 2009. |
WEDway PeopleMover | When the Communicore (now Innoventions East and West) buildings were built, they were designed with a second level and very high ceilings. This was because a PeopleMover system was destined to be installed on the second level. In the end, though, management found World Showcase to be in more need of transportation, and added a pair of double-decker buses. | [citation needed] |
Meet the World | A clone of the Tokyo Disneyland attraction was planned for the Japan Pavilion, and was so close to completion, the entire show building was constructed, until it was discovered that a miscalculation in construction caused the rotating mechanism to put too much stress on the support beams. Since this would require a complete rework, and construction of the park as a whole already being behind schedule (not to mention the show glossing over World War II, which raised fears in management that American and Japanese veterans of the war would raise a stink), it was decided to move ahead without the attraction, which ran at Tokyo Disneyland from 1983 to 2002. The show's English soundtrack can be found on YouTube. The building itself still stands and is used for rehearsals and storage. | |
Mt. Fuji roller coaster | A roller coaster modeled after the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. Planned for the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. It was rejected after protests by Eastman Kodak, sponsor of Journey Into Imagination over a ride sharing the name of their biggest competitor, Fujifilm. | |
The Energy of Brazil | An attraction that featured how Brazil uses its energy. | |
Flying Over Brazil | An aerial tram ride throughout Brazil in cable car-styled vehicles. | |
Two-Faces of Brazil | Another attraction designed for the Brazil Pavilion. | |
Unnamed gondola attraction | A boat ride planned for the Italy Pavilion. | |
The American Adventure | Imagineer Marc Davis worked on a number of concepts for this attraction. From a 1975 proposal for a dark ride that was a whimsical and musical exploration of American history and culture to more serious explorations of American folkore and historical figures during 1976. Concepts during this period grouping different figures from across American history together based on shared identities, with a piece based on American humorists putting Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin, and Will Rogers together inspiring the final show, though Davis would leave the project shortly afterwards. Continuing the idea of an animatronic stage show, Imagineering would find a way to distill the history of the United States into a half-hour show. The show's hosts, Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain, representing the 1700s and 1800s, were initially to have been joined by Will Rogers as a representative of the 20th century, but the creative team was worried that Will Rogers wasn't quite as iconic a figure to represent the modern era that could stand next to the other two hosts, reducing Rogers to a smaller role in the Great Depression scene. The show opened with the park on October 1, 1982, and beyond a technical upgrade in 1993 and occasional updates to the Golden Dream montage film, has remained mostly unchanged. | |
Roman Ruins walkthrough | A walkthrough attraction planned for the Italy Pavilion. | |
Mary Poppins attraction | An indoor teacups experience based on Mary Poppins Returns | "Mary Poppins Teacups Attraction at EPCOT?". Disney Tourist Blog.
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Disney's Hollywood Studios[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Dick Tracy's Crime-Stoppers | A ride based on the 1990 film Dick Tracy. The ride was scrapped after the movie's commercial failure. | "Dateline: Walt Disney World - The Disney Decade (1990)".
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Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy | A Fantasyland-style dark ride based on Baby Herman, a character from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. | |
Toontown Trolley | A madcap adventure that would have flight simulators surrounded by animated screens to take guests on a "hare-raising" trolley ride through a zany cartoon world with Roger Rabbit at the helm. | |
The Great Muppet Movie Ride | A "misguided" tour through movie history, given Muppet-style. The ride could be part of a planned Disney's The Muppets themed area called Muppet Studios, along with Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D. | |
The Great Disney Movie Villain Ride | A 3D adventure where visitors would have been menaced by three-dimensional recreations of Disney's most famous fiends before the forces of good finally came to their rescue. The ride was planned for Disney-MGM Studios and would have replaced The Great Movie Ride. | |
Roller Coaster Rabbit | A roller coaster attraction based on the short of the same name. | |
Benny the Cab | An attraction in which guests would go on an adventure with Benny the Cab. This idea evolved into Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, which would open at Disneyland in 1994 & Tokyo Disneyland in 1996. | |
Creatures' Choice Awards | A comedic animatronic show taking the form of an Awards Show for classic movie monsters, hosted by Eddie Murphy (as "Eddie FrankenMurphy") and featuring Elvira, Mistress of the Dark as one of the presenters. The main subplot of the show would follow Godzilla, the guest of honor and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award, on his journey from Japan to Walt Disney World, which would regularly be shown on the main screen before literally bringing down the house in the finale. | |
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring The Rolling Stones | Disney initially sought out The Rolling Stones to be the band featured in Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but while the band was enthusiastic about the idea, their asking price was too high for Disney's liking. | |
The Great Movie Ride | Originally, much more of The Great Movie Ride would have been based around The Wizard of Oz — riders would be "swept away" by the tornado to Munchkinland, and the final room would be the Wizard's chamber, in which he introduced the closing Montage of great film moments. Because Ted Turner (the movie's rights-holder) stipulated that only so much time could be given over to Oz scenes, the tornado was replaced by a Fantasia segment, and the final room became nondescript. | |
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring KISS | Another attempt at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster attraction but with the heavy metal rock band KISS. | |
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring U2 | The final attempt at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster attraction with U2. But, the group wasn't interested at all. In the end, Disney chose Aerosmith for the attraction which ultimately became Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. | |
Unnamed thrill attraction | Once, Disney tried to acquire properties like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Night of the Living Dead, and various Stephen King properties for a thrill ride. But, the concept was quickly scrapped the idea due to it sounding too scary for a Disney park. | |
Hotel Mel | A comedic monster mash ride inside an abandoned hotel. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror evolved from this concept, retaining the hotel setting. | |
Monsters, Inc. roller coaster | An indoor roller-coaster attraction themed to doors from the film Monsters, Inc. It was scrapped after budget cuts. | "Jim Shull Twitter".
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Disney's Animal Kingdom[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Quest for the Unicorn | A hedge maze planned for Beastly Kingdom that invites guests on a journey to find a magical unicorn. | |
Fantasia Gardens | A boat ride designed for Beastly Kingdom featuring the mythical creatures from Fantasia. The current Fantasia Gardens is a miniature golf course located near the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resorts. | |
Dragon's Tower | A dragon-themed suspended coaster planned for Beastly Kingdom. It would have featured the largest Audio-Animatronic, a fire-breathing dragon. Laid-off Imagineers took the idea to Universal, where it became Dueling Dragons. | |
Enhanced DINOSAUR | DINOSAUR was originally planned to have Ankylosaurus-shaped vehicles that would have traveled through prehistoric swamps and jungles. Additional scenes would feature feasting Tyrannosaurs, volcanic eruptions, high speeds, deinonychus attacks, and more. | [citation needed] |
Tarzan roller coaster | A Tarzan-themed inverted coaster that would be informative about the rainforest and all plants and animals that inhabit it. | [citation needed] |
The Excavator | A wooden runaway mine car roller coaster through an abandoned dinosaur dig, planned for DinoLand USA, but due to Budget cuts, it was replaced by Primeval Whirl. | |
Dino-Rama Meteor dark ride | A dark ride regarded as a junior version of DINOSAUR, planned for Dinorama. Conceptually replaced by Primeval Whirl. | [citation needed] |
The Tree of Life Carousel | Instead of the Tree of Life, this triple-decker Carousel would have been the park's iconic symbol. The first level would have featured aquatic animals gently gliding along a pool, the second level would have been a conventional carousel with multiple animals in addition to horses, and the third level would have been a Dumbo-style spinner with birds. | [citation needed] |
Tokyo Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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UFO Encounter | One of the most secret WDI project for Tokyo Disneyland where guests would have became prisoners of an alien - a big audio-animatronic inside his spaceship, a kind of huge flying saucer. | "Eddie Sotto Interview: Disney's Worlds of Tomorrow - Part One".
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Lunar Rovers | A new version of the classic Autopia attraction, but it would have taken place on the moon. | |
Rocket Bikes | An attraction that involved racing around Sci-Fi City on futuristic motorcycles. Evolved into the troubled Rocket Rods attraction at Disneyland. | |
CyberMid | A roller coaster thrill ride that would have had guests be seen as a virus and are forced to escape. | |
Sci-Fi Zoo | A walk-through attraction that was planned to feature animatronic aliens and other galactic creatures. | |
Rocket Jets | An updated version of the classic attraction with UFOs. | |
HyperSpace Mountain | An enhanced version of Space Mountain. | |
Matterhorn Bobsleds | A clone of the Disneyland attraction was intended for the park at one point, but ultimately never came to be. |
Tokyo DisneySea[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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The Jungle Book audio-animatronic show | A Jungle Book-themed show that would have been situated next to Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull in Lost River Delta. | [citation needed] |
The Undersea Voyage of the Little Mermaid | Imagineers designed an attraction duplicate for Tokyo DisneySea. Two variants of it are currently operating Paradise Gardens Park at Disney California Adventure and in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. | [citation needed] |
North Mountain | A new mountain attraction that is themed to the 2013 Disney film, Frozen that was announced for Tokyo DisneySea by the Oriental Land Company. It would've been placed in a Scandinavian-themed port. Cancelled due to expansion plans for Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland next door. |
Disneyland Paris[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Main Street elevated tramway | The Imagineers envisioned an elevated tramway going all along main street and inside the arcades. | |
Discovery Arcade Automats Museum | A walk-through concept that would have been dedicated to automats - early mechanical figures, full of real antiques. | |
The Undersea Voyage of the Little Mermaid | While it remains unbuilt at Tokyo DisneySea, a Little Mermaid-themed dark ride, was to open on the hillside facing Pizzeria Bella Notte, so that it would fit the "Mediterranean" look of this part of Fantasyland. However, since then, Disney California Adventure and Magic Kingdom have built this ride. | [citation needed] |
Matterhorn Bobsleds | An updated replica of the popular ride from Disneyland which would have been placed behind Fantasyland Station. A still existing tunnel was created below the station so that the ride could have been accessible from both the Toad Hall area and from Le Pays des Contes de Fées. | [citation needed] |
Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost | Since 1995, the large "Jungle Exploration" space behind Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril has been reserved for an attraction of the size of Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. It is unknown if it may become reality or whether the space is entirely for that attraction, with one report saying there was to be a "Jungle Expedition" jeep dark ride to compensate for the lack of a Jungle Cruise. | [citation needed] |
Jungle Expedition | A jeep ride designed for the park, similar to Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye | |
Splash Mountain | Since Splash Mountain and Disneyland Paris were built at the same time, the ride was not part of the original design. However, Imagineers intended to have it built in the Cottonwood Creek area of Frontierland in the following years. They designed Frontierland Depot so that the station can be easily removed and relocated elsewhere. They decided against it due to cold weather in Paris and for budgetary reasons. | [citation needed] |
Tarzan coaster | The Tarzan "coaster" was envisioned to be built near Captain Hook's pirate ship and using in part the Swiss Robinson Tree structure | |
Geyser Mountain | While it remained unbuilt at Disneyland, they tried to make a second one at Disneyland Paris. | [citation needed] |
Discovery Mountain | A large showcase attraction including a Nautilus-themed restaurant along with a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea exhibit, a clone of Epcot's Horizons, Space Mountain, a Journey to the Center of the Earth free-fall ride, among other things. The complex was a victim of budget cuts, but came so close to fruition, that construction actually did begin. Eventually, only Space Mountain and a Nautilus walkthrough were built, with many remnants of Discovery Mountain left behind, mainly in the form of signage. Elements of Discovery Mountain were eventually worked into other parks. | |
Beauty and the Beast | A Tiki Room-style attraction planned for Fantasyland. | |
Pirates of the Caribbean Shooting Gallery | An attraction that was originally planned to be similar to the Frontierland Shootin' Gallery, but with a pirate theming, it was never built. | |
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter | A clone of the former Magic Kingdom attraction was intended for Discoveryland. |
Walt Disney Studios Park[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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The Great Movie Ride | While it remains unbuilt at Disneyland, a duplicate was planned for Walt Disney Studios Park, but never made it past the building stage. | |
Doc Hudson's Desert School of Driving | A land-based version of Aquatopia at Tokyo DisneySea. |
Hong Kong Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
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Peter Pan's Flight | A dark ride that would have been placed in Fantasyland. It would have been similar to the Magic Kingdom one. | [citation needed] |
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure | An attraction that was mentioned in the project fact sheet in 1999. A variant of it is currently operating at Paradise Gardens Park at Disney's California Adventure and in the Enchanted Forest sub-area at the Magic Kingdom. | [citation needed] |
Raging Spirits | A speedy roller coaster that would whisk guests through a very dark jungle. This ride would have been placed in Adventureland. The ride would have shared its name with a ride at Tokyo DisneySea. | [citation needed] |
The Boneyard | The popular Animal Kingdom attraction would have been recreated in Adventureland. | [citation needed] |
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | Another version of the roller coaster that would have been placed in Frontierland on opening day. | |
Unnamed fort adventure | A dark ride based in a pioneer's settlement. Special effects would have been included. | |
The Haunted Mansion | A Haunted Mansion-style attraction would have been located in Frontierland. If built, it would have broken the tradition of placing the mansion in a different land at each park. It was replaced with Mystic Manor due to ghosts being a big taboo in Chinese culture. | |
Grizzly River Run | A version of the California Adventure river raft ride was originally planned as an opening day thrill. It is unknown if the design of the mountain would have changed. | [citation needed] |
It's Tough to Be a Bug! | A 3-D film that would've been planned for Frontierland. | |
Pirates of the Caribbean | A Splash Mountain-style water ride that would have been placed in Pirate Land. It was themed around the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The final drop of this attraction would have guests soaring down a waterfall out of a skull-shaped rock, crashing into a capsized boat. | [citation needed] |
Soarin' | A Soarin'-style attraction that was to have been placed in Tomorrowland. | |
Star Tours | A motion simulator attraction that would have been in Tomorrowland. | |
Unnamed audio-animatronic show | An attraction that was planned to be in Toontown for the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. | |
Unnamed roller coaster | A roller coaster that was planned for Toontown. It's unknwon if it would've been a clone of Gadget's Go Coaster or an original attraction. | |
Toontown character houses & meet-and-greets | Similar to Disneyland & Tokyo Disneyland, there would've been character houses & meet-and greets where you can meet your favorite characters. The concepts for these were scrapped altogether. | |
Fantasmic! | A new version of the nighttime spectacular was rumored to be performed in Pirate Land, solving the problem of Hong Kong Disneyland needing more land, allowing guests to cool down in the large flume ride. | |
Unnamed jet ski attraction | An attraction that was planned for Glacier Bay which had guests jet ski around an iceberg-filled glacier lake | |
Unnamed sled attraction | A sled attraction which was planned for Glacier Bay in which guests can slide down a massive snow hill. | |
Unnamed icy roller coaster | A roller coaster for Glacier Bay that lets guests venture deep into the interior massive icy cavern of Glacier Peak - a research based for studying glacial formations and life forms where they are treated to a variety of interactive game and show experiences. | |
Unnamed Dinosaur-themed thrill ride | A thrill attraction themed to Dinosaur that would have been placed in Adventureland. |
Additions[]
Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Pirates of the Caribbean | Several ideas including drunken pirates in a rowboat overflowing with rum were scrapped. Guard crocodiles and a marooned salesman were also planned for the Treasure Room. | |
The Haunted Mansion | Many changing and stretching portraits including a man bursting into flames, were drawn but not made. Several other ghosts within the old mansion such as a ghostly orchestra in the grand hall, ghost showgirls, a drunk sea captain, and other hitchhiking ghosts, were all never realized. | |
The Haunted Mansion's Christmas Carol overlay | The first idea for Haunted Mansion Holiday was to be based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. The Imagineers liked the idea, but then they turned it down due to the attraction set in New Orleans Square. | |
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin | A second story would have been placed in in the attraction, making it look like the cabs are heading outside on some of the buildings within Toontown. But, sadly, it was scrapped after finding out that the ride vehicles couldn't climb the ramps necessary to make it to a second floor. |
Magic Kingdom[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Pirates of the Caribbean | A pirate captain that looked up at guests and slowly turned into a skeleton (similar to the changing portrait of Master Gracey in the Haunted Mansion). An entire Island of Lost Souls was planned for Adventureland, but scrapped. | |
Splash Mountain | Critters rolling around in a cart full of jewels in the Laughin' Place as well as waterfalls reflecting the laughing faces of critters. | |
Haunted Mansion Holiday | Another Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay was planned for Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion. But the park declined for the attraction, and all the props made for it were transferred to the Haunted Mansion in Tokyo Disneyland. |
Disney's Hollywood Studios[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
The Great Movie Ride | Additional scenes in the ride would have a silent film sequence dedicated to the works of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton as well as scenes from Ghostbusters and Young Frankenstein. | |
Studio Backlot Tour | An additional scene was Journey to the Center of the Earth. It would have had guests venturing through an icy caverns that led to a lava-filled cave and the lost city of Atlantis before coming face-to-face with a giant & vicious magma worm who lives in a volcano in the climax. |
Tokyo Disneyland[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Haunted Mansion | A new load area was planned when the park was feared too similar to other parks. A new exit crypt was planned as well featuring the crypts of infamous monsters trying to break free in Corridor of Doors style. Ideas were made by then retired Disney legend, Marc Davis. | |
Enchanted Tiki Room | A planned overlay that involved vacationing penguins. | |
Pooh's Hunny Hunt | The original idea for the unique attraction was to have guests ride in umbrellas riding on simulated water. Ultimately, they changed the ride vehicles to honey pots. |
Disneyland Paris[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril | A second temple with another coaster was envisioned by WDI in the late 90's, but never built |
Restaurants[]
Disney's Hollywood Studios[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Copperfield Magic Underground | Based around David Copperfield, the famous stage magician. It was also considered for Downtown Disney. One of these restaurants actually opened in Time Square in 1996, but didn't last long. | "Copperfield's Magic Underground".
|
The Swedish Chef's Video Cooking School | A new restaurant themed around the Swedish Chef to be built in Muppet Studios. | |
The Great Gonzo's Pandemonium Pizza Parlor | Another Muppet-themed restaurant planned for Muppet Studios; the Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat's version of a pizza parlor with animatronic rats. It would later be revived into PizzeRizzo. | "You will believe that a Pig can fly. (Frogs too!)".
|
Disneyland Paris[]
Name | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|
Nautilus Restaurant | An undersea restaurant designed for the Nautilus walkthrough inside Discovery Mountain. | [citation needed] |