You all know the great Wikipedia web site, right? Well, last week i had a big surprise when i found this "List of never built Disney attractions" page ! I don't know who had the good idea to do this list, but it's pretty well done, and there is even some projects i've never heard about before!
Here it is below, and i added some attractions that were not listed. I did also web links for some of them, if you click it will send you to previous D&M or Jim Hill articles with more pictures and infos about them. And, when available, i added concept-arts of these never built projects.
The list is divided in different sections - Theme Parks, Properties, Resorts, Theme park lands, Attractions, Restaurants and Attraction additions. Inside these sections, there is sub-sections for each park.
This list is not exhaustive and of course doesn't include the dozens of WDI secrets projects that we've never heard about !
Okay, here is this Wikipedia list, and there we go for probably the longest topic ever published on Disney and more!
THEME PARKS
Disney's America : A patriotic park to be located in Haymarket, Virginia.
Port Disney : An American version of the Tokyo DisneySea theme park to be located in Long Beach, California.
WestCOT : An Epcot park to be located where Disney's California Adventure is now.
Disneyland East : 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.
THEME PARK LANDS
Disneyland, California
International Land : 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 : A side-street expansion to Main Street USA.
Discovery Bay : A Jules Verne inspired land to be located on the far side of the Rivers of America. Ideas went to Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris.
Hollywoodland : Referred to in later development stages as "Roger Rabbit's Hollywood", a Hollywood themed land to be located between Main Street USA and Tomorrowland. The side of Space Mountain facing the land would have been converted into the hill with the Hollywood letters on it. In addition, it would have featured the Great Movie Ride from Disney's Hollywood Studios. Eventually evolved into Mickey's Toontown.
Mythia : A Greek and Roman myths and legends inspired land planned.
Tomorrowland 2055 : An update and make-over of Tomorrowland.
"Big City USA" : A New York themed area where the Fantasyland Theater sits now and was to have featured a big Broadway-style theater which was to have presented live stage show every day. Became inspiration for the American Waterfront at Tokyo Disney Sea.
Edison Square : This would have been a sidestreet expansion to Main Street USA themed around the addition of electricity into American homes. Would have featured a statue of Thomas Edison, and a show about harnessing electricity. Eventually became the basis of The Carousel of Progress.
Liberty Street : This would have been a sidestreet expansion to Main Street USA themed around an American town circa 1776. Would have featured shops, The Hall of Presidents, a beautiful bay scene, and recreations of famous American landmarks. This idea would later be brought to life in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom as Liberty Square.
Epcot World Showcase, Florida
Costa Rica Pavilion
Equatorial Africa Pavilion : Announced to be opening in 1983 on both souvenir maps and a TV special on EPCOT Center's opening. This would have mixed tribal dances and shows with African artwork in a recreation of an African village. It was never built due to budget and lack of sponsorship from African nations although many ideas for this land later appeared in Animal Kingdom.
Israel Pavilion : Advertised on billboards when EPCOT opened, this would have recreated ancient Jerusalem with a courtyard stage and open-air restaurant. Unbuilt due to both budget and security issues regarding the state of Israel.
Soviet Union Pavilion : Planned in the early 1990s, this would have been placed between China and Germany and dominated by a recreation of Red Square. The center building would have housed a sled-like ride showing the Russian landscape based on Russian folk tales. There also would have been a unique show mixing together film, Audio-Animatronics and a live actor that would showcase Russian history.
It was in the final stages of approval but was later cancelled due to the breakup of the Soviet Union and the info released by the Russian government revealing the horrors committed by the Communist regime.
Spain Pavilion : Also advertised on billboards circa 1986, this would have had a boat ride similar to Mexico with a design mixing parts of Barcelona and Madrid along with a film on Spain's lush history along with a restaurant.
Switzerland Pavilion : Planned primarily to bring a Matterhorn-style ride to Epcot.
United Arab Emirates Pavilion
Venezuela Pavilion
Iran Pavilion : 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.
Animal Kingdom, Florida
Beastly Kingdom : A myths and legends inspired land planned for Animal Kingdom, Florida. Was replaced by Camp Minnie-Mickey due to budget cuts. May be built in the distant future.
Disneyland Paris
Main Street 20-30's : Instead to have a “turn of the century” theming, imagineers had designed a main street set up at the 20’s-30’s , ruled by gangsters, jazz, cinema, with a totally different theming.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Frontierland/Wild West : Like the other Disney parks, Hong Kong Disneyland would have a frontier themed land. Scrapped for budget reasons.
Toon Town : A much more advanced version than its sisters across the globe. Would have featured a rollercoaster, animatronic show, character houses, and character meet and greets. May have become idea for Toon Studios at Walt Disney Studios park.
Tokyo Disneyland
Sci-Fi City : A whole new Tomorrowland designed by Eddie Sotto, DLP Main Street's show producer. It would have include "Cosmic Way" , the "Main Street" of science fiction with a theming inspired by the Jetsons, Buck Rogers and Rocketeer. And brand new attractions like the "Rocket Bikes" , "Sci-Fi Zoo" an extra terrestrial zoo, "Lunar Rovers" an Autopia version "on the moon" , "Flying Saucers" , an updated version of Rocket Jets and Hyper Space Mountain, an enhanced version of Space Mountain. Probably the best Tomorrowland theming ever done, and unfortunately never built at TDL for various reasons.
Artwork below by Christian Hope.
ATTRACTIONS
Disneyland California
Atlantis Expedition : A re-theming of the Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. In which guests would actually have been able to use a mechanical arm that extended right out into the water from their sub window to grab at the gold coins & gems that lined the sea floor. The failure of the "Atlantis" animated movie put this planned revamp on hold.
Geyser Mountain : A Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror style ride to be built in the Frontierland. Digging through the mountain in a huge drilling machine, guests would have become caught in a massive geyser and thrown into the air.
Museum of the Weird : A funhouse style attraction which was later merged with, then replaced by, the Haunted Mansion. The attraction was shown by Walt Disney on Disneyland, the Disney anthology television series.
Haunted House : A walkthrough haunted house featuring famous movie monsters, a murderous sea captain, dazzling special effects, the lonesome ghosts, and a wedding that was torn to pieces! Became The Haunted Mansion.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Ride : A dark ride 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. Became the inspiration for Haunted Mansion Holiday.
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.
Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue : To have been located where America Sings once resided. For a few years, during the planned 'Disney Decade' started by Michael Eisner, a new audio-animatronic show called "Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue" was to open. 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. The space that would have been Plectu's Fantastic Intergalactic Revue is now home to Innoventions.
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 the movie 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 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.Eventually concept evolved Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Space Port : A Tomorrowland based ride, later the basis for Space Mountain.
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." The famous ghost hearse outside of The Haunted Mansion was purchased for the show, until plans were scrapped.
The Island at the Top of the World : A zeppelin ride to a lost civilization in the Arctic designed for Discovery Bay.
Fireworks Factory : An interactive shooter ride designed for Discovery Bay, set inside a fireworks factory, where guests shoot at skyrockets, pinwheels and other fireworks.
Gallery of Illusions : A gallery of illusions. For Discovery Bay.
Voyage Thru Time : A slow boat ride sailing through time which featured dinosaur encounters! For Discovery Bay.
Spark Gap Electric Loop Coaster : A spiraling and dizzy ride designed for Discovery Bay, where the forces of magnetism were demonstrated for guests ( also envisioned for Disneyland Paris ).
Enchanted Snow Palace : A dark ride planned for Fantasyland.
Lightkeepers : A night time pageant created around Tomorrowland 2055 about an entire race of god-like alien creatures that actually 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. Eventually became the inspiration for the short-lived "Light Magic" nighttime parade.
Rock Candy Mountain : This Disney mountain was planned for Disneyland Anaheim's Fantasyland, but was considered too sickly looking. The Storybookland Canal Boats would have entered and gone on a journey through the Land of Oz while a birthday party for Dorothy Gale took place.
Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition : A huge complex designed to house the Indiana Jones Adventure as well as a mine cart roller coaster and part of the Jungle Cruise, with the Disneyland Railroad going through the middle.[
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 Adventure Thru Inner Space.
Duck Bumps : A bumper boat ride to be built against International Street alongside the lagoon. Planned for Fantasyland.
Unamed Windmill Ride : A ride next to Duck Bumps which took guests twirling around on a windmill. Might have been based on The Old Mill.
Unamed 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!
Dumbo's Circusland : A sub area of Fantasyland where Dumbo and Casey Jr. would have been relocated.
Hot Air Balloon : Would have bordered Discovery Bay and Dumbo's Circusland.
Dumbo's Circus : A nutty adventure underneath the big top with Dumbo leading the way!
Mickey's Madhouse A fun house adventure which featured clowns and such.
Disney's California Adventure
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.
Rock 'N' Rollercoaster : starring No Doubt An indoor roller coaster ride featuring music from the Anaheim based band No Doubt.
Mickey's Philharmagic : A 3-D Film planned to replaced Muppet*Vision 3D, but cancelled due to theater size and space restrictions.
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.
Chocolate Factory Tour : A tour in the Pacific Wharf, featuring free samples of chocolate.
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 "Carsland".
Paradise Pier Water Flume Attraction : A "Chute-the-Chutes" style boat ride which would have ended with a splash into Paradise Bay.
Surfing Lessons : Initial concepts of DCA were to feature surfing lessons in Paradise Bay.
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".
Walt Disney World
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Dragon Tower : A dragon themed rollercoaster planned for Beastly Kingdom. Laid-off Imagineers took the idea to Universal becoming Dueling Dragons.
Quest for the Unicorn : A hedgemaze planned for Beastly Kingdom.
Fantasia Gardens : A boat ride designed for Beastly Kingdom featuring the mythical animals in Fantasia.
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.
The Excavator : A runaway mine car roller coaster through an abandoned dinosaur dig planned for Dinoland USA.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Dick Tracy's Crime Stoppers : A ride based on the 1990 film Dick Tracy.
Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy : A "Star Tours" style simulator 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 -- Muppet-style
Chinese Theater's Villain Ride : A 3D adventure where WDW 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. Planned for the Disney-MGM Studios and would have replaced The Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World.
Epcot
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.
Simulated Bullet Train Ride : A unique variation of Disney's CircleVision 360 show. These WDW guests would have found themselves standing on board a vibrating recreation of the passenger compartment of a Japanese bullet train. By looking out through the over-sized faux windows in this passenger car these folks would then have been treated to a high speed travelogue. As some of Japan's most beautiful scenery continually whizzed by all of the windows. Planned for the Japan Pavilion at Epcot.
Godzilla Bullet Train Ride : Similar to both the Mt. Fuji and Bullet Train ideas, though having the bullet train run afoul of Godzilla in Tokyo Bay, leading to a race against time to get to safety. Planned for the Japan Pavilion at Epcot.
Rhine River Cruise : A cruise down Germany's most famous rivers -- the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral. Planned for the Germany Pavilion at Epcot. The building that would have housed the ride is still visible at the Germany pavilion along with the ride entrance section.
Magic Kingdom
Thunder Mesa : A huge complex meant to house the Western River Expedition, Big Thunder Mountains, hiking trails and an Indian Village. Planned for Frontierland.
Western River Expedition : A Pirates of the Caribbean style ride through the Wild West. This was first proposed for Walt Disney's Riverboat Square.
Lewis and Clark River Expedition : An earlier incarnation of the Western River Expedition. Was planned for Disney's America but scrapped with the rest of the park.
Fire Mountain : A roller coaster ride through an active volcano. Planned for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Would have started like Matterhorn bobsleds but a lava spout accompanied by fissures would have sent the cars flying in the air. Intended for Adventureland or Fantasyland.
Unnamed Duck Tales Ride Planned for Mickey's Starland (currently Mickey's Toontown Fair) or possibly an unbuilt version of Mickey's Toontown for the international parks. Sketches and comments can be seen in a hidden menu on the rare special edition Duck Tales DVD set available only overseas. Sketches seem to indicate a dark ride style attraction similar to Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin.
Disneyland Paris
Main Street elevated tramway : The imaginers 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.
Ariel's Undersea Voyage : A Little Mermaid-themed dark ride.
Jungle Exploration : A jeep ride designed for the park, similar to Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.
Tarzan Coaster : The Tarzan "coaster" was envisioned to be build near Captain Hook's pirate ship and using in part the Swiss Robinson Tree structure.
Beauty and the Beast : A Tiki Room style attraction planned for Disneyland Paris.
Discovery Mountain : A huge complex designed to be the Disneyland Paris version of Space Mountain, containing the Space Mountain roller coaster, a tower launch ride, a Nautilus walk-through attraction (later moved to outside the complex) and an undersea restaurant.
Indiana Jones Adventure : A large space has been reserved for an attraction of the same size. Unknown if it may become reality, or is even for that attraction all together.
Pirates of Caribbean shooting gallery : similar to the Frontierland shooting gallery, but with a Pirate theming, it was never built.
Eventually could be part of HKD future Pirates land.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Peter Pan's Flight : A dark ride would have been placed in Fantasyland. It would be similar to the Magic Kingdom one.
Ariel's Undersea Voyage : When unbuilt at Disneyland Paris, imagineers planned to remake the attraction at Hong Kong. Again the attraction was neglected. Currently in the works for Paradise Pier at California Adventure.
Raging Spirits : A speedy roller coaster that whisked guests through a very dark jungle. May have been a copy of Raging Spirits from Tokyo DisneySea.
The Boneyard : The popular Animal Kingdom attraction would have been placed in Adventureland.
Big Thunder Mountain : A roller coaster would have been placed in Frontierland/Wild West area.
Pirates of the Caribbean : A thrill water ride would have been placed in Adventureland.
Unamed fort adventure : A dark ride based in a pioneer's settlement. Special effects would have been included.
Haunted Mansion : A haunted mansion style attraction would have been placed in Frontierland/Wild West area. If built it would have broken the tradition of placing the mansion in a different land at each park.
Grizzly River Run : The ever popular California Adventure river raft ride would have been an opening day thrill. Unknown if the design of the mountain would change.
Soarin' : A soarin' style attraction would have been placed in Tomorrowland
Star Tours : A theater would have been in Tomorrowland.
Tokyo Disneyland
UFO Encounter : One of the most secret WDI project for Tokyo Disneyland where guests become prisoners of an alien - a big audio-animatronic - inside his space ship, a kind of huge flying saucer.
ATTRACTION ADDITIONS
Disneyland
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 ghost within the mansion such as a ghostly orchestra in the Grand Hall, ghost showgirls, a drunk sea captain, and other hitch hiking ghosts, were all never realized.
A Christmas Carol Overlay for The Haunted Mansion : A Christmas Carol was a considered overlay for the mansion but the imagineers thought it would be boring and not attractive to visitors.
The Magic Kingdom
Pirates of the Caribbean : A pirate captain that looked up at guests and slowly turned into a skeleton. 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 Winter Terrorland : A holiday overlay for Disney World based on the popular Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay in California. The park declined for the attraction, and all the props made for it was transferred to Tokyo Disneyland for Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare.
Disneyland Paris
Indiana Jones and the temple of péril : A second temple with another coaster was envisioned by WDI in the late 90's, but never built.
Tokyo Disneyland
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 ala Corridor of Doors style. Ideas were made by then retired Disney legend, Marc Davis.
PROPERTIES
Mineral King Ski Resort : A Disney-themed ski resort.
Walt Disney's Riverboat Square : An indoor theme park planned for St. Louis.
Disneyland Bowl : A 5,000 seat outdoor amphitheatre suitable for concerts and other live events. Would have been located along Harbor Blvd. in Anaheim. Planned for Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Center : A retail, dining and entertainment area with buildings modeled after memorable Californian landmarks such as Catalina's Avalon Ballroom, Venice Beach's Boardwalk and San Diego's Coronado Hotel along a six-acre lake. The design of which would eventually evolve into Downtown Disney.
Lava Lagoon : A Polynesian themed indoor waterpark planned for Disneyland Paris, with a huge volcano built under a glass dome.
RESORTS
Disney's Asian Resort : To be located where Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa was eventually built in Walt Disney World, Florida.
Disney's Venetian Resort : To be located between the Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center in Walt Disney World, Florida.
Disney's Persian Resort : To be located adjacent to the Seven Seas Lagoon in Walt Disney World, Florida.
Cypress Point Lodge : A rustic-themed resort that was to have resembled Yellowstone Lodge.To be located were Disney's Wilderness Lodge is located now.
Fort Wilderness Junction : A highly themed, moderately priced 600-room resort in the style of Disneyland Paris' Cheyenne Hotel complex.
Disney's Mediterranean Resort : A Greek themed resort to be located on the Seven Seas Lagoon in Walt Disney World, Florida.
Magic Kingdom Hotel : A hotel bearing passing resemblance to the historic Santa Barbara Mission. Would have been located near Downtown Disney. Planned for the Disneyland Resort.
WestCOT Lake Resort : A 1,800 room hotel which would have been built in a horseshoe design curving built in the style of the Beverly Hills Hotel and would been along a six-acre lake.
Disneyland Resort Hotel : A 800 room luxurious complex which was to be constructed in the style of San Diego's world famous Hotel del Coronado : Inspired by Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Walt Disney World.
Indian Hotel Hotel modeled after India's Taj Mahal and would been located in WestCOT's Asia area.
European Hotel : Hotel with European style landmarks such as the domes of St Basil's Cathedral. It would been located in WestCOT's Europe area.
Egyptian Hotel : Hotel with an Egyptian theme, to have been located in WestCOT's Africa area.
RESTAURANTS
Disneyland California
Chinese Restaurant : Was to feature the first human Audio-Animatronic, a recreation of Confucius.
The Enchanted Tiki Room Restaurant : Enchanted Tiki Room was originally meant to house a sit-down restaurant. The show building still houses toilets adjoining the Enchanted Tiki Room theatre.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Copperfield Magic Underground Based around David Copperfield, the famous stage magician Also considered for Downtown Disney.
Gonzo's Pandemonium Pizza Parlor Muppet-themed resturant, The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat's version of a pizza parlor.
Disneyland Paris
Main Street Art-deco restaurant : A luxurious and art-deco restaurant , a kind of private“club 33” located behind the Main Street Transportation Co. building, would have give you the feeling you’re dining on a train.
Vulcania and Nautilus Restaurant : A Disneyland Paris restaurant to be built inside Discovery Mountain, with an entire wall looking out the lagoon beneath Discovery Mountain.
All pictures and artwork: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc.
Original text from Wikipedia.org
