"... an enclosed small boat harbor and intricate system of waterways will recreate the old world charm of the famed Italian "City of Canals." Shopping with be a unique experience as guests travel by gondola along "streets of water" and under ornate bridges linking various sections of the resort. The style is reminiscent of St. Mark's Square, complete with a 120-foot campanile which will toll the time. The entire lobby will be glass-topped, creating a brilliant, sunlit atrium effect indoors."

It's sort of interesting to think about how different things could be if these resorts would actually have been built.

If WDW's Venetian was completed in the 70's, would Vegas's ever have been built?

Whow, it all sounds so wonderful. Even though it's disputable if all could have been build like they envisioned it, it still sounds pretty cool. All those resorts could have made Walt Disney World into a much larger experience. Especially the Venetian sounds really exciting.

Maybe someday an Imagineer will stumble upon the original concepts of the resorts in the archives, he/she will show it to his/her boss, who will etc...... and after a long road it ends up at Iger's desk, who says, "this could be great to revive", and than construction begins after more than 30 years! Oh, how I like to dream..

The one I wish had been built is the Persian. It would be so cool to stay in a place like that! Sigh, if only.

Personally, both the inside and the outside of the Asian resort look a LOT like the Polynesian.  Something tells me that part of the reason it got scrapped was that it was too similar as well.  And, the postmodern Greek one (which to me looks like the coolest) appears to be a cross between Caribbean Beach and the Boardwalk/Yacht/Beach area.  I don't know, but like a lot of Disney's ideas, it seems we may have gotten these in one way or another.

The designs of the Phase 2 resorts are intriguing, but I have to wonder if Disney would ever pull out some of these designs for use today, even if they had the inclination to build more resorts.  For example, the Middle East might have seemed exotic and intriguing back in the early 70's, before Islamic fundamentalism and several major wars (including a couple we were involved in), but I suspect peoples' attitudes about staying in an "Arab hotel" (and yes, I know that Iranians aren't Arabs, but I think a lot of Americans lump them all together anyway) would be a lot different now. And as mentioned previously, with the Venetian in Las Vegas already in existence, Disney would probably be accused of copycatting if they built the Venetian Resort, even if their Venetian was on the drawing boards long before the Vegas version was.  

It seems to me that a lot of people think everything that was “originally” planned is always better than what ended up being built. I have to disagree. My wife and I happen to love the Grand Floridian, and I have to agree with IMFearless on the fact that the Polynesian and the Asian together would have been too redundant. Personally, I also would have zero interest in a Persian hotel… I think between the Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Floridian, the Magic Kingdom ended up with two fantastic hotels to compliment the existing two. I have heard, and maybe somebody can add to this, that there have been two idea “themes” for hotels near the Magic Kingdom over the years, the hotels from around the world, and the hotels representing the different lands in the Magic Kingdom, i.e. the Contemporary was built behind Tomorrowland, the Polynesian was for Adventureland, and Cypress Point/Wilderness Lodge is for Frontierland and if you continue that thinking, Grand Floridian can represent Main Street USA to some extent. I always thought a Castle Hotel or something to represent Fantasyland would be much better suited (or that fantastic looking Mickey Mouse hotel from way back when) for around the Magic Kingdom. The country hotels should have been saved for the Epcot area.      

I. for one, am so glad that these planned resorts were never constructed. They all, in my opinion, would just clutter up the shores of Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon. There's something to be said about seeing all of that green scenery all around you while riding the monorail.

And I detest the new DVC hotel's location. Mainly because I love the Contemporary so much, and wouldn't want to see some upstart building overshadow my favorite WDW resort. Go and build it where River Country used to be, or somwhere like that!

Way I see it, if the folks down at Disney want to build more themed resorts, they should do it far removed from the waterfront near the Magic Kingdom. And while they're at it, they should expand the monorail service to include other hotels and parks, like the supposed monorail to Disney/MGM Studios that was going to be built.

The monorail is also a huge favorite of mine. Now that something I wouldn't mind seeing a lot more of. Down with neo-gaudy resorts along Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake, and up with more monorails!

I wouldn't be surprised if Vegas' tendency for this type of theming has kept Disney from making more of these types of resorts now.

One thing that strikes me about the proposed hotels is the global theme -- featuring hotels that truly represent "the world."  Given the name of the new resort, that must have been part of the plan.  

While you still have that at WDW today -- most notably with the Animal Kingdom Lodge and, of course, the Poly -- most of the hotels are not designed to transport you to another place, but just to give you a fun experience.  

But it's interesting to see that some of the original ideas found their way into a couple of Epcot's pavillions (Morocco, Italy)...at Disney no ideas are ever completely wasted! :-)    

Interesting history. I noticed that part of the Venetian design was reused for the Italian pavillion at Epcot. It would be nice to have a great Thai restaurant at WDW even if there isn't a Thai hotel. Perhaps a Thai pavillion at Epcot.

Vegas has cornered the market on recreating locations now. Have any of you guys seen the cable special on the Venetian? Their sculptures are made of foam, painted to look real and then sprayed with a weatherproofing spray.

I agree with mouse'o'ears...we as fans always tend to think about what might have been, rather than what is.  I enjoy the Grand Floridian and I do enjoy the view that the Lagoon has now.

Remember, the persian resort would have looked very gaudy and very, very 70s.  Even if they had redone the interior, the outside wouldn't have changed so much.