History
Texan with Big Dreams + Big Apple = Big Trouble
Learn how Six Flags theme park legend Angus Wynne Jr. bet big and lost big at the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR. Jim Hill explores the myths and legends that surround the story of the ill-fated Texas Pavilions.
Legend has it that they do everything big in Texas.
Well, if that’s really the case, then Angus G. Wynne Jr. must have lived a true Texas life. For Wynne was a guy who really did dream big. Amusement park fans remember Angus as the visionary who created America’s first truly successful regional theme park: SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS.
The folks around Arlington, Texas. – SIX FLAGS’ hometown – remain grateful to Angus for several reasons. One is that world-class theme park that he built right at their doorstep for the townspeople to play in. The other is the Great Southwest Industrial District, the 8,200-acre industrial park that Wynne built nearby. That park is home to over 3,000 companies, providing thousands upon thousands of jobs for the local community for over 40 years now.
Texas Pavilions at 1964 New York World’s Fair
But WORLD’S FAIR enthusiasts … Well, they have a somewhat different take on this Texan. They associate Wynne’s name with the legendary Texas Pavilions at the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR – an exhibit that’s considered somewhat infamous and mysterious these days because so few FAIR-goers ever got to see the thing.
According to press accounts of the day, it really must have been something to see. A multi-million dollar showplace featuring what many have called the greatest stage show ever produced. Yet the Texas Pavilions – which had originally been slated to be up and running for both years of the FAIR – barely managed to limp through one season. The stage show? It didn’t even last that long. It shuttered after less than 100 performances.
What exactly went wrong here? For nearly 40 years now, stories have been circulating about why the Lone Star State’s exhibition fared so poorly at the FAIR. Some blame the Texas Pavilions’ remote location for the low attendance levels. Still others suggest that anti-Texas sentiment may have played an important part in the exhibit’s tepid turnout.
A few folks hold Wynne personally responsible for the Texas state pavilion debacle. But many more suggest that FAIR President Robert Moses should shoulder most of the blame. After all, Moses was the man who kept promising that his FAIR would be different. That this international exhibition would have record levels of attendance – which prompted businessmen like Wynne to mount elaborate and expensive exhibits for crowds that never came.
These are the sorts of questions that continue to bedevil 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR fans even today: What were the Texas Pavilions really like? Just how good was this legendary stage show? And why really did the exhibit shut down after just one season?
These are questions that have gone unanswered. Until now.
Through interviews with folks who actually worked on the Texas Pavilions as well as conversations with Wynne family members, a more accurate picture of that long closed ’64 WORLD’S FAIR exhibit is now emerging. Of course, to fully understand what went on (and – more importantly – what went wrong) with the Texas Pavilions, you need to know something about the man who built them: Angus G. Wynne Jr.
Angus G. Wynne Jr
A man who learned the hard way that life’s not fair. Particularly when you’re producing a show for the FAIR.
These days, most stories written about Wynne tend to dwell on the important role he played in the creation and construction of the first three theme parks in the SIX FLAGS chain. Sure, SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS (which opened in 1961), SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA (1967) and SIX FLAGS OVER MID-AMERICA (1971) are all pretty impressive enterprises, but they really pale in comparison to everything else Angus accomplished in his lifetime.
Putting it simply, Wynne was a visionary. In the late 1950s, he looked out at that large patch of dirt that separated Dallas and Ft. Worth and saw the future. A time when these two Texas towns would quit their squabbling and grow together to form a vast metroplex. Since this spot in the middle of nowhere was roughly where the two municipalities would eventually collide, that’s where Angus and his partners in the Great Southwest Corporation decided to kick start the area’s economy by building a large industrial park.
Dallas-Fort Worth Industrial Park
It was tough going those first few years. The GSC team threw up a few buildings on spec and then tried to get area businesses to move into them. But Dallas organizations turned their noses up at the development, claiming that it was too close to Ft. Worth. Ft. Worth folks thumbed their noses at the industrial park too, thinking that it was far too close to Dallas.
As 1960 rolled around, the Great Southwest Corp. was vacillating about what to do next with this piece of property. Some members of the board were pushing for construction of another set of spec buildings, hoping that the company would eventually be able to rent these out and get some sort of return on their investment.
Building a Theme Park – Six Flags Over Texas
Wynne had another plan in mind. Noting the immense amount of money that Walt Disney was making off of DISNEYLAND in Southern California, Wynne proposed building a theme park out on that slab of land that GSC owned between Dallas and Ft. Worth. To Angus’ way of thinking, here finally was an idea that was guaranteed to generate some cash flow for the company.
This was not a popular proposition with a lot of the other members of the Great Southwest board. Wynne had to twist but a few heads and arms before he finally got their approval to go ahead with his amusement park project.
Construction began in October of 1960. It continued at a whirlwind pace for the next 10 months, as construction crews worked ’round the clock to turn a scrub covered, rattlesnake infested hillside into a spectacular family fun center.
Finally in August of 1961, the Lone Star State’s first theme park – SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS – threw open its doors. Those first few weeks, though, only a small number of folks trickled in to sample the various rides, shows and attractions that Wynne’s team had set up on the outskirts of Arlington, Texas.
Initial Success of Six Flags Over Texas
This last bit of news sort of concerned Wynne. You see, in order to secure the financing necessary to expand his $3.5 million theme park, SIX FLAGS had to get at least 400,000 paid admissions during its first year of operation. But the park’s first year of operation wasn’t even really a year. It was just a couple of weeks; August through Labor Day.
Happily, those first few folks who visited SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS during those early weeks operation must have really talked up the joint. For word of mouth built, and – by the end of the park’s first season – 500,000 people had pushed their way through the turnstiles.
Those 500,000 paid admissions gave Wynne the freedom he needed to grow his little Arlington, Texas park into a world-class operation. Over the next two years, Wynne added tons of new shows and attractions to SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS. This – in turn – inspired record numbers of people to come out and see the park. Which resulted in huge profits for the Great Southwest Corporation.
Texas at the World’s Fair
Of course, all this success quickly brought Wynne to the attention of the Texas elite. Particularly then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson and Texas Governor John Connally, who were then casting about for someone to take charge of the state’s efforts to develop an exhibit for the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR.
Being as full of Texas pride as they were, Johnson and Connally wanted the Lone Star State’s exhibit at the FAIR to be the biggest and best of the bunch. That’s why they eventually decided to try and recruit Angus.
After all, here was this innovative real estate developer who had taken a scrub-covered hillside in Arlington and turned into the Texas version of DISNEYLAND. Surely Wynne was the guy who could take a corner in Queens and turn it something that would make all Texans proud.
Wynne was – of course – flattered when Johnson and Connally personally sought him out and offered this opportunity. After a little hemming and hawing, Wynne finally agreed to step up to the plate and personally supervise the Texas state pavilion project. After taking a temporary leave of absence from Great South Corp., Angus then made a call to his old buddy, Randall Duell.
Randall Duell – MGM Art Director
And who exactly was Randall Duell? Randall was a former MGM art director (Did you ever see that studio’s 1952 release, “Singin’ in the Rain”? Thought that the sets for that film looked snazzy, didn’t you? Well, Duell designed those – along with the sets for dozens of other classic MGM productions of the 1940s and 1950s) who had done most of the design work for the shows and attractions at SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS.
Given the many sophisticated films Randall had worked on during his stint at MGM, Wynne felt certain that Duell was the guy who could come up with a show that would make all Texans proud as well as appeal to those snooty New Yorkers. The big question was: Just how do you go about whittling the great state of Texas down so that all of its rich history and culture could fit inside of some itty-bitty building?
Seven Texas-Themed Pavilions
The obvious answer here is: You can’t. Which is why Randall sold Wynne on a really wild idea: Texas’ exhibit wouldn’t be housed inside of a single building, but – rather – Wynne would stage a fitting tribute to the Lone Star State by building seven different Texas-themed pavilions that would be spread out over a three acre site.
To be honest, this concept borrowed quite a bit from SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS (the theme park was divided into six different ‘lands,’ each area themed around a nation whose flag had flown over Texas at one time or another). Which is probably why Wynne immediately warmed to the idea.
Duell’s plans called for seven separate pavilions, each celebrating a different aspect of Texas’ colorful culture and history. Among the areas that Randall wanted this exhibit to touch on was the great impact that Spanish explorers and Mexican settlers had had on the region, the territory’s Confederate heritage as well as the state’s rough-and-tumble phase – way back when Texas was just a republic.
Wild West – Frontier Palace
The Lone Star State’s wild west days would be celebrated in the Texas Pavilions’ Frontier Palace restaurant complex. Guests would enter the eatery through an exterior façade that was made up to look like an elegant prairie home circa the 1880s. Inside, they’d find a 500-seat dinner theater was designed to look like an authentic frontier saloon.
Inside this rustic looking restaurant, chuck wagon steak was the big item on the menu while can-can girls would provide the entertainment. For those who were thirsty for a little gratuitous violence, occasionally two feuding waiters would settle their differences by pulling out their pistols and firing at each other. Right over of the heads of the Frontier Palace’s patrons! (Don’t worry, though, folks. Those waiters were only using cap pistols.)
Modern Achievements – NASA & Houston/Gulf Coast
Of course, the achievements of modern Texas would also have to play an important part in the exhibits that were being presented at the state’s ’64 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR pavilions. That’s why Duell wanted to celebrate the Houston/Gulf Coast area – and its important ties to the aerospace industry – by getting NASA to agree to display its latest creation: a full scale version of the two passenger Gemini space capsule.
Oil Industry and “Wildcatters”
Randall also wanted the state’s oil industry to put together a display that highlighted the cutting edge technology that 1960s era “wildcatters” used while drilling for crude oil. As for Texas’ cattle ranchers … Well, that’s kind of an interesting story.
Cattle Ranchers and Wynnes Prize-Winning Steer
You see, back in the mid-1950s, Prince 105TT – a prize-winning steer that the Wynne family had raised at its Four Winds ranch – was named “Best in Show” at the Texas State Fair. To commemorate this great event, the family decided that Prince 105TT should get the royal treatment.
Which is why the Wynnes treated this prize-winning steer – plus a heifer and a couple of calves – to a stay at the Menger Hotel in Tyler, Texas. The family rented out the Presidential Suite and – after setting down a few bales of hay – moved Prince 105TT and his entourage in.
This must have been a really remarkable sight, for Wynne family members still talk about it even today. Angus must have mentioned it to Randall once or twice, for the designer decided to pay tribute to this odd piece of family history by replicating Prince 105TT’s stay in the Presidential Suite as a display at the Texas Pavilions.
Sure, the official 1964 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR’s guidebook describes this particular exhibit – where an enormous Brahman bull was kept corralled inside an elegant French bedroom – as being symbolic of the pampered lives that modern livestock supposedly live. But Wynne family and friends knew better and they supposedly got a real kick out of seeing this odd little moment recreated in Queens.
Friendship at the Farm
And what of theme could be used to tie together all the extremely different elements that Randall wanted to include in his Texas Pavilions design? “Friendship at the Farm.” To re-enforce this concept, Duell proposed bringing 400 bright-and-smiling young Texans up north to work at the exhibit so that those native New Yorkers would be sure to get an authentic Texas greeting from an authentic Texan the next time they moseyed back into this neck of the woods.
Texas Tourism Pavilion
Of course – with the hope that all this Texas style hospitality might inspire FAIR-goers to go visit the real thing – Randall made sure that a Texas Tourism pavilion figured prominently in the exhibit’s plans. This light, airy structure would direct potential tourists to the many wonders to be found in the Lone Star State (With a particularly large plug for Wynne’s other entertainment enterprise, SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS).
Catering to New York with a Broadway Show
But what about all those sophisticated New Yorkers? Those types of folks who were sure to look down their noses at waiters who played with cap pistols and/or bulls that were being displayed in bedrooms. What was there at the Texas pavilions to entertain the snooty set?
As a sop to the snobs, Duell proposed taking something that Wynne was already doing at his theme park – i.e. a Broadway-style musical production – and radically expanding on that idea. If Wynne really did want to win over those New York sophisticates, then why not recruit some theater professionals to produce the ultimate Broadway show – a lavish revue that celebrated the best shows that had been presented on the Great White Way over the last 100 years?
That’s just what Wynne did. Working through the offices of Compass Productions, Wynne recruited top talent to put together this proposed production. First of all, he landed veteran television and theatrical producer George Schaefer (best known as the man behind the original Broadway production of that Tony Award winner, “The Teahouse of the August Moon”) to ride herd on this Best-of-Broadway revue.
Schaefer – in turn – would turn around hire one of Broadway’s best, Morton Da Costa, to serve as director for the show that was being prepped for the Texas State pavilions. Though mostly unknown today, Da Costa was considered a major talent back in the 1950s & 1960s. These days, Morton’s probably best remembered as the man who directed both the original Broadway production as well as the movie version of Meredith Willson’s classic, “The Music Man.”
George then went about putting together a crack creative team to assemble this ambitious musical revue. That’s why he hired Tony & Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (who would go on to even greater fame in September of 1964, when their next smash hit – “Fiddler on the Roof” – opened on Broadway) to create a book for the revue. The songwriting team also contributed several specialty numbers as well as came up with a suitable title for this ambitious extravaganza.
And what title did Bock and Harnick come up for this Texas-sized revue? Predictably enough, it was “To Broadway With Love.”
“To Broadway With Love” – World’s Fair Texas Pavilion Broadway Show
So what was the show like? Well, if you’re really interested, I suggest you chase down a copy of the “To Broadway With Live” original cast album. This vinyl LP — recorded by Columbia in early 1964 — presents an accurate aural picture of the elaborate extravaganza. Just as Duell had originally suggested, the revue quickly runs through 100 years of Broadway history by presenting many famous numbers from long-forgotten shows. There’s lots of George M. Cohan in here, a big chunk of Irving Berlin, even some Rodgers and Hammerstein tossed in good measure.
UPDATE: I’ve just learned that ABC Television supposedly taped a performance of the “To Broadway With Love” show, which eventually aired on the network as a TV special in late 1964 / early 1965. Those folks who are still interested in seeing what this elaborate stage extravaganza might have looked like should consider making a trip into New York City and/or Los Angeles to visit that city’s branch of the Museum of Radio & Television. It’s very likely that this institution – which has tapes of shows on hand that go back to the 1940s – might have a copy of that particular broadcast hidden away somewhere in its extensive archives. Anyway …
As for the cast of the show, Schaefer and Da Costa assembled a very talented troupe. Unfortunately, due to the fact that “To Broadway With Love” was supposed to be presented three times daily (3:00, 7:00 & 9:30 p.m.), George and Morton were unsuccessful in their efforts to recruit a big name entertainer to serve as the headliner for the Texas Pavilions’ stage extravaganza. So the pageant ultimately became a no name show. (Though there was one member of the chorus – a young dancer named Goldie Hawn – that would eventually go on to considerable fame and fortune in Hollywood. But only after Ms. Hawn gave up her dream of becoming a Broadway hoofer and headed west to find work in television.)
Of course, a show this ambitious needs a lavish setting. That’s why Wynne pulled out the stops while creating the centerpiece of his ’64 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR exhibit, the Texas State Pavilions’ Music Hall. Truthfully, no expense was spared on this project. This 2,400-seat facility was built with a stage that was over 70 feet wide. All of the lighting rigs and stage devices used in the show were state-of-the-art (circa 1964, of course).
The Music Hall also featured an Executive Bar and Lounge area (which was allegedly supposed to serve as American Airlines Admirals Club during the run of the FAIR, giving all those tired frequent flyers a cushy place to rest their feet after spending a day exploring all the wonders to be found on Flushing Meadow). And – for those folks who desired a more elegant way to view a performance of “To Broadway With Love” – the theater had its Champagne Circle, a series of private boxes that were located on the Music Hall’s second and third levels. Inside of these elegantly appointed enclosures (the boxes’ décor was designed by noted Dallas interior decorator, William P. McFadden), patrons were free to sip cocktails while they enjoyed the show.
Supporting the Project – Wynne’s Financial Investment in the World’s Fair Texas Pavilion
Unable to control his enthusiasm for the project, Wynne poured millions from his own fortune into the construction of the Texas State Pavilions. Sure, there was some risk involved. But – given the millions of people who were expected to attend the NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR during its two year run – Wynne thought it was safe to assume that this particular investment would pay off in a big way.
After all, wasn’t FAIR President Robert Moses predicting that over 70 million people would come to Queens just to attend the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR? If even a fifth of these folks made their way back to the Texas Pavilions and took in a show, Angus would be rolling in dough.
Best of all, Wynne had built the Texas Pavilions at the urging of Lyndon Johnson and John Connally. That meant that the Vice President of the United States and the Governor of Texas now each owed Angus a favor. Those made for some pretty impressive markers for the former Texas businessman to cash in later in life.
So – in spite of his initial misgivings – Wynne went full speed ahead on this project. Ground was broken for the Texas Pavilions complex in early 1963, with Governor Connally himself showing up to help Wynne’s turn that first symbolic spade of earth.
Bobo – Brahman Bull & Texas Goodwill Ambassador
To help publicize his state’s participation in the FAIR, Connally declared Bobo – a 2,000-pound Brahman bull – an official Texas goodwill ambassador to the ’64 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR. Cowboy Jerry Cotten then climbed on Bobo’s back and rode the Brahman all the way from the Lone Star State to the Texas Pavilions site at Flushing Meadows. Reporters regularly filed stories on the unusual pair, wondering if Jerry and Bobo would be able to survive the 2,000-mile trek and/or the bull and his rider would arrive in time to enjoy the FAIR’s opening day festivities in April of 1964.
Building the Texas Pavilions
Unfortunately, Bobo wasn’t the only bull that Wynne had to deal with during the construction phase of the Texas Pavilions. Moses – ever fearful that New York’s construction unions would intentionally delay the opening of his FAIR if they didn’t get their piece of the pie – let them get away with charging ridiculous rates for all work that was done on the international exhibition’s pavilions. As a result, union carpenters who worked on building the musical were paid $23 an hour.
And that’s not the overtime rate, folks. That’s actually the flat base pay rate paid for on-site construction done at Flushing Meadow. (Minus – of course – the 50% kickback you were expected to hand over to your shop steward, the guy who actually landed you this cushy gig.)
This – plus the demands of the steelworkers union (which insisted that New York state regulations prevented them from doing any on-site steel bending while working in Queens) – resulted in tremendous cost over-runs on the Texas Pavilions. When news of this got back to Angus, he was understandably concerned about the spiraling costs of the project.
“To Broadway With Love” Reviews
But then – after he attended a dress rehearsal for “To Broadway With Love” – Wynne became convinced that his ’64 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR entry was going to be a winner. He felt certain that the Texas Pavilions’ elaborate stage revue would win over the city’s toughest audience (New York City’s theater critics), that would lead to rave reviews. Which would lead to large crowds deliberately seeking out the entertainment to be found at the Lone Star State’s exhibition. This would translate into huge food and beverage sales at the Texas Pavilions’ concession stands. Which meant that Angus’ seemingly risky NYC investment would eventually pay off in a big way.
Well, the first part of Wynne’s plan came true. The New York theater critics really did love “To Broadway With Love,” calling the Music Hall’s live stage presentation one of the very things to be seen at the FAIR.
A “Don’t Miss” attraction. Thrilled with the pageant’s critical reception, Wynne stood back and waited for the crowds to come rushing in …
But the crowds never came.
Attendance Issues at 1964 New York World’s Fair
To be honest, attendance was a problem at the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR almost from Day One. Moses had told the press and FAIR participants that he expected his international exhibition to have many “quarter million days.” Meaning that Robert thought that – during the course of the FAIR – there would be numerous days where at least 250,000 people would push through the turnstiles at Flushing Meadow.
The trouble is that – at least during the FAIR’s crucial first few weeks of operation — those “quarter million days” never came. During the months of April and May, there were times that only 40,000 – 50,000 folks made the trip out to Queens. This meant that the FAIR wasn’t even coming close to meeting Moses’ attendance projections.
This was bad news for most FAIR participants. But truly disastrous news for Angus Wynne Jr. He kept hoping that his Texas Pavilions experience would be a duplicate of the early days of SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS. Where – for those first few weeks – only a handful of people came. Once word of mouth spread, the crowds would eventually come rushing in.
But that never happened. For most of the Spring of 1964, the crowds never really came out for the 1964 / 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR.
Even when a moderate sized crowd of 100,000 – 150,000 entered the Fairgrounds at Flushing, very few of these folks ever seemed to make their way back to the Texas State Pavilions complex. Why for? Well, some people have theorized that Lone Star State’s lack-of-traffic problems simply boiled down to the No. 1 rule of real estate: Location, location, location.
Location of Texas Pavilions
Putting it bluntly, Wynne’s Texas Pavilions seem to have been built in the most remote location to be found at FAIR. A Guest arriving at the ’64 NYWF main entrance who wanted to catch a performance of “To Broadway With Love” would first have to hike down New York Avenue. He’d then have to cross the Court of States, go around the Unisphere, down the Court of Nations before he reached Harry Truman Promenade. Then the poor slob had to find the pedestrian footbridge that would allow him to cross over the Long Island Expressway, which would eventually lead him into the Lake Amusement Area. That’s where – in the uppermost corner of this far-off region that bordered on Meadow Lake – the exhausted visitor would finally find Angus’ Texas Pavilions.
Of course, in order for your typical tourist to follow this path (the most direct route to the Lake Amusement Area as well as the Texas Pavilions), they would have to walk by dozens upon dozens of other tempting attractions. Other enormous pavilions whose sponsors weren’t asking Guests to fork over $2 – $4.80 (the going rate of a seat to most performances of “To Broadway With Love”) to see their presentations. These give-it-away-for-free shows really made life rough for the FAIR’s pay-to-view attractions like Wynne’s Music Hall show.
Anti-Texas?
It’s also been suggested that other unfortunate, unforeseen circumstances (beyond the Texas Pavilions’ seemingly remote location) may have played a large part in the lack of attendance seen at the Lone Star State’s exhibits. After all, just six months prior to the opening of the FAIR, President John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas.
Could the small number of folks who turned out to see Wynne’s assortment of attractions seriously be interpreted as some sort of anti-Texas backlash? Personally, I find this idea kind of far fetched. But Luther Clark – a longtime Wynne associate who actually rode herd on the construction of the ’64 NYWF Texas Pavilions – insists that anti-Texas sentiment really did play a huge part in the failure of Angus’ NYC attractions.
“Back then, the people of New York just hated Texas because we were the guy who’d killed the President,” Clark explained. “Those folks wanted nothing to do with Texas. Which was why all of our attractions for the Fair only ran for one year.”
Canceled Shows & Exhibits
Mind you, some of the Texas Pavilions’ shows and exhibits didn’t even last that long. In spite of its great reviews and ample publicity (The 1964 Emmy Awards even managed to work in a sizable plug for Wynne’s theatrical revue. Though the majority of that year’s ceremony was being broadcast from the Hollywood Palladium, a good portion of that night’s program was presented – via live remote feed – right from the stage of the Texas Pavilions’ Music Hall), “To Broadway With Love” shuttered after only 97 performances.
Everyone who actually saw the show back in the Spring of ’64 thought that “To Broadway With Love” was a wonderful piece of entertainment, something well worth going out of your way to see. But since so few FAIR-goers seemed willing to make the trek out to the Texas Pavilions (during a typical performance of “To Broadway With Love,” Wynne considered himself fortunate if he was able to fill even a tenth of the cavernous Music Hall’s 2400 seats), Wynne really had no choice but to shut the show down.
The end came pretty quickly after that. Once “To Broadway With Love” closed, the Texas Pavilions lost the attraction that had served as the primary focus of the exhibit’s ad campaign. So – without that show to serve as the carrot that tempted people to take that long walk all the way out the Lake Amusement Area – those small crowds got even smaller.
Partially as a face-saving gesture (but mostly as a courtesy to the 400 young Texans who had relocated to the Big Apple to help operate his attractions), Angus tried to keep the other pieces of the Texas Pavilions up and running throughout the rest of the FAIR’s 1964 season. However, in order to do this, Wynne had to accept loans from the FAIR Corporation itself.
Bankrupt and Heading Back to Texas
The trouble is, there was just no way that Wynne was ever going to be able to repay the FAIR Corp. Wynne had blown through much of his own personal fortune during the initial construction phase of the Texas Pavilions. So the Fair Corp. finally came calling, looking to get its loans repaid, Angus had no money to give them. In the end, Wynne was forced to declare bankruptcy. Which was why – when the FAIR’s books were finally audited in December 1965 (by then NYC comptroller and eventual NYC mayor Abe Beame) – Angus Wynne, Jr. still owed the FAIR Corp. $1,348.276.57.
When the FAIR ended its first season in October 1964, the few remaining exhibits at the Texas Pavilions closed for good. The following year, FAIR officials tried to boost attendance by setting up some carnival rides on the 3-acre lot that used to play host the Lone Star State’s exhibits. But this meager assortment of new attractions still wasn’t enough to get people to hike all the way back to the Lake Amusement area.
Wynne’s return home to Texas after the FAIR left the man with a lot of mixed emotions. Wynne was obviously embarrassed at having had to declare bankruptcy (though his friends – in an effort to soften the blow – threw him a bankruptcy party where they all came dressed as bums). Wynne was also extremely angry with Robert Moses, and would remain so for the rest of his life. He felt that the way that the FAIR President had oversold the event – projecting record attendance levels that the ’64 NYWF never even came close to achieving – had played a huge part in the failure of his Texas Pavilions.
But – mostly – Wynne was anxious to get back to work; to take up the reins of the Great Southwest Corporation again. Under Wynne’s command, GSC grew to be of the nation’s biggest real estate development companies. During the late 1960s, Angus’ company built hundreds of apartment buildings, dozens of industrial parks and – of course – two great new theme parks: SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA (1967) and SIX FLAGS OVER MID-AMERICA (1971).
Though the Great Southwest Corp. would eventually sell off all of its theme park holdings in 1972, the folks at SIX FLAGS never forgot Wynne’s contribution to their company. Which is why – in the Confederate section of SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA – there’s a memorial plaque that reads “Dedicated to the memory of Angus G. Wynne, Jr. Innovator and friend. Founder of SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA. We dedicate ourselves to providing the wholesome blend of family entertainment which was Angus G. Wynne, Jr.’s dream come true.”
Angus G. Wynne, Jr (1914 – 1979)
Memorial Plaque?! Yep. Did I forget to mention that Wynne died back in 1979? This much respected businessman may have passed on, but the cities of Grand Prairie and Arlington, Texas still think fondly of old Angus and all the fun and prosperity he provided for the Lone Star State. Which is why – a few years back – family friends and local officials, working with the Texas Department of Transportation, decided to honor Wynne’s memory by renaming busy Texas Highway 360 the Angus Wynne Jr. Freeway.
It is – rather fittingly – the major highway that you have to ride on if you’re taking a trip out to SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS. More pointedly, there isn’t a single exit ramp off of the Wynne that will take you anywhere near New York City.
Which is just the way Angus would like it, I’m betting.
Special thanks to Luther Clark, Mike Pender, David Wynne and Bill Young for their generous contributions during the research phase of this article, (and to AmusementPark.com for giving us back this article.)
This article is an adaptation of an original Jim Hill Media Three Part Series “Is DAK’s Beastly Kingdom DOA? (December 2000).
You can park your car in the “Unicorn” parking lot.
You can buy your admission ticket at a ticket booth with a huge dragon’s head on it.
And — for a while there — you could even catch a glimpse of a fire-breathing monster as you took a cruise along Discovery River.
So how how come it’s more likely that we will see real unicorns or dragons before the we ever see a “Beastly Kingdom”?
What happened? Why did Walt Disney World decide to scrub its years-in-the-making plans for expansion of its animal theme park? Why table what would seem to be a sure-fire addition to Disney’s Florida resort?
The Price Tag on Building a New Land
Those who have been following the Walt Disney Company’s over the years will not be be surprised to learn that the projected high price tag for building “Beastly Kingdom” factored heavily in upper management’s recent decision to postpone indefinitely any major expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After all, if times are so tough for the Mouse that they have to lay off the Magic Kingdom’s marching band as well as Epcot’s fife-and-drum corp, what are the chances the company would be willing to spend $200 to $300 million to add a new land to DAK? Slim to none.
Mind you, Mickey was perfectly willing to pony up the $100 million necessary to build the Animal Kingdom Lodge . But that’s different. That’s a hotel. That 1307 room resort starts making money for the Walt Disney Company the moment it opens.
But “Beastly Kingdom?” Exit surveys suggested that — even if Disney went forward with the construction of Beastly Kingdom, Walt Disney World wouldn’t see a large enough increase in attendance at WDW’s fourth theme park to justify the cost of actually building “Beastly Kingdom.”
Guests Wanted to See Unicorns and Dragons at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The real irony here is that one of the only reasons Disney’s Animal Kingdom ever got built was that way back in 1993, guests who were surveyed about ideas for a fourth WDW theme park responded strongly to the notion of having a place in Florida where they could see unicorns and dragons.
Want to hear what folks were told about “Beastly Kingdom” back then? What follows is an excerpt from an exact transcript of an early marketing presentation on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It describes in great detail the fun that would have been had in this part of the proposed park:
Beastly Kingdom Marketing Presentation (1993)
Beastly Kingdom is the realm of make believe animals, animals that don’t really exist, out of legends, out of fairy tales, out of storybooks. Like our legends and fair tales about imaginary animals, this land is divided into realms of good and realms of evil.
The evil side is dominated by DRAGON’S TOWER, a burned, wrecked castle inhabited by a greedy, fire breathing dragon. He hordes a fabulous treasure in his tower chamber. The castle is also inhabited by bats who speak to us from their upside down perches. The bats have a plan. They enlist our help trying to rob the dragon and fly us off on a wild chase. At last, we meet the fire-breathing dragon himself and barely escape un-barbecued.
The good side of this land is ruled by QUEST OF THE UNICORN. An adventure which sends us through a maze of medieval mythological creatures to seek the hidden grotto where the unicorn lives. There is also FANTASIA GARDENS. A gentle musical boat ride through the animals from Disney’s animated classic, “Fantasia.” Both the crocodiles and hippos from ” Dance of the Hours” and the Pegasus, fauns and centaurs from Beethoven’s “Pastoral” are found here.
Sounds pretty impressive, yes? Those WDW guests surveyed back in 1993 thought so. They identified “Beastly Kingdom” — with its mix of roller coasters and imaginary animals — as the number one reason that they’d want to visit this proposed fourth theme park.
Opening Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Real Animals
So why wasn’t “Beastly Kingdom” part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom when the park opened on April 22, 1998?
Again, cost played a big part in delaying construction of this highly anticipated land.
But DAK’s future planning had to be factored in too.
After all, it took the Walt Disney Company three years and $800 million just to get “Phase One” of DAK open. And — since the park’s name actually had the word “animal” in it — the Imagineers felt that opening day guests would want to see some actual live animals. So the majority of DAK’s capitalization was poured into building the Africa and Asian safari areas.
After that … well, someone had to make a decision. Disney’s Animal Kingdom was supposed to celebrate all animals: the live ones, the extinct ones, as well as the imaginary. The African and Asian enclosures would take care of the live animals.
But — in doing that — Disney blew through most of DAK’s initial budget. There was only enough money left to build one more land.
Which should the Mouse go for? Dragons or dinosaurs?
“Dinosaur”, Frustrated Imagineers, and Roller Coasters
In the end, the deciding factor here was the money the Disney Company had already blown on the soon-to-be-released computer animated film, “Dinosaur.” Even back in 1995, the Mouse had already invested upwards of $30 million into production of this movie. (Current estimates suggest that Disney may have spent as much as $150 million to finish this film, making “Dinosaur” even more expensive than James Cameron’s infamously over-budget 1997 epic, “Titanic.” ) Eisner wanted to make sure that Disney’s “Dinosaur” movie made a return on that investment, so he insisted that DAK feature an attraction that heavily hyped the forthcoming film.
That decision angered Joe Rohde and the other Imagineers on the Disney’s Animal Kingdom project. After all, one of the real reasons that DAK was being built was to keep WDW guests from leaving property to go visit Busch Gardens – Tampa Bay.
And what was Anheuser Busch’s Florida theme park best known for? Its animal displays and its killer roller coasters. With African and Asia, Disney had all the animals it needed. But where were the coasters?
“Dragon’s Tower” at Beastly Kingdom
According to Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s original plans, “Dragon’s Tower” was to have been this park’s signature attraction. That’s why the dragon was featured dead center in DAK’s logo. After guests visited WDW’s fourth theme park, this was going to be the ride they raved about the folks back home about.
What was so special about “Dragon’s Tower?” This high tech thrill ride would have been the Walt Disney Company’s first in-park use of an inverted roller coaster. This attraction would have also featured the largest AA figure ever built for a Disney theme park. The angry jewel encrusted dragon found in the ride’s finale — belching fire and smoke at your car as you zoomed on by — would have easily dwarfed any of the dinos found in “Countdown to Extinction” (AKA the “Dinosaur” ride).
But Eisner insisted that it was more important that DAK feature an area that synergized with the upcoming “Dinosaur” film.
“Beastly Kingdom” would have to wait ’til DAK’s “Phase Two” … which, back then, was to have been completed no later than Spring 2003.
Phase One – “Beastly Kingdom” Easter Eggs
So — with this understanding that “Beastly Kingdom” hadn’t been cancelled, but merely postponed — WDI agreed to scale back their initial plans for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But, even as they mapped out plans for the “Phase One” version of DAK, the Imagineers deliberately put in some pretty broad hints of the fun yet to come when “Beastly Kingdom” finally opened. That’s why you can park your car in the “Unicorn” lot as well as buy your tickets at the dragon headed ticket booth.
Dragon on Discovery River
As for that fire-breathing dragon found in the cave down along Discovery River … before cost over-runs in other areas of DAK severely cut in the proposed budget for this part of the park, that make-believe monster was just one of many fantastical show elements that would have been found along this part of the river. That whole stretch of Discovery River was supposed to be one big coming attraction for “Beastly Kingdom.”
Had the Imagineers gotten all the money they were originally supposed to get, here’s what you would have experienced after your boat pulled away from the dock and began its cruise around Discovery River:
As you passed under the main bridge leading into Safari Village, you would have seen that the water ahead was littered with the shattered lances and crumpled armor of a great many fallen knights. But what horrible fate could have befallen all of these brave adventurers? A roar from the nearby cave offers a clue.
As your boat floated past the opening of the cave, you would have seen a duplicate of the dragon found in the cavern under Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant at Disneyland – Paris. Only WDW’s version would have been a lot more active than France’s sleepy monster. This dragon would have craned his neck out of the cave, roared at the guests and then breathed fire their way, before once again settling back down to sleep.
At this point, your boat driver would have started to get nervous. He would explain that he was worried that the dragon’s roaring would awaken the Kracken, a mythical Greek sea monster that was known to lurk along this stretch of Discovery River. Sure enough, the water around the boat begins to bubble ominously.
Off to one side, the huge fin of the Kracken suddenly cuts through the water. As the boat begins rocking back and forth, you’re certain you’re headed for a watery grave. Just then, your captain pulls out a lyre and begins plucking an odd tune. As the boat stops rocking and the water stops bubbling, the captain explains that music puts the Kracken back to sleep. Once that it’s safe to move on, the boat continues to head up river.
Just as you round the bend, your captain points off excitedly to your left. There on the shore, you catch a glimpse of a unicorn. The beautiful white creature — shrouded in mist as it stands in a picturesque grove of trees — paws the earth lightly with one hoof and nods its golden horn our way. The unicorn’s only visible for just an instant, but it truly is a beautiful sight.
As your boat pulls up to the dock in Harambe, you and your fellow guests would still be buzzing about the wonders you would have glimpsed on this leg of your adventure of Disney’s Animal Kingdom …
But of course … this didn’t happen. As DAK’s opening day grew nearer and it became obvious that the whole project was going over budget, great show elements like the Kracken and the Unicorn got cut from the “Phase One” version of the park. In the end, there was only enough money left in the budget for put one creature along the entire length of Discovery River.
Again — because Eisner insisted that “Dinosaur” be heavily synergized at DAK — the Imagineers decided to build a full-scale version of Aladar, the heroic iguanadon from the forthcoming film. That’s the AA dinosaur guests glimpsed roaring and splashing at water’s edge as their Discovery River boat floated past Dinoland USA.
Unfortunately, this decision left the other leg of the Discovery River boat cruise a five minute cruise past nothing. So Joe Rohde begged, pleaded and wheedled … and eventually got Eisner to kick in another couple of thousand dollars. With this tiny chunk of change, Joe was able to get the rock dragon that spews water along this part of the river built, as well as a very stripped down version of the park’s fire breathing dragon.
But don’t go looking for an Americanized version of Disneyland – Paris’s majestic AA dragon to be found along this part of Discovery River. Rohde’s Imagineers did the best they could with zero cash. All you’ll find here now is a somewhat dinky cave at water’s edge. As the boats went by, a ferocious roar would echo out of the cave, followed by a burst of flaming propane. These effects hinted that there was a dragon somewhere deep back inside that cave … but guests never really got a glimpse of the thing.
Discovery River Disappointments
As you might imagine, WDW visitors were pretty unimpressed with what they saw along Discovery River once DAK opened. In fact, this was the ride that guests singled out — right from Opening Day — as the worst attraction in all of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After waiting in line for over an hour to board the boats, they were furious to find that there was virtually nothing to see along the water during their five minute journey to Harambe.
The Imagineers were obviously embarrassed by this situation. It was particularly frustrating to WDI because they knew that they had a solution to the Discovery River problem, ready to go. But Disney management was too cheap to put up the money to make the fixes.
But that had been typical of Disney management’s handling of the whole DAK project. Given the choice between doing things the right way and the inexpensive way, the Mouse always opted to go cheap.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opening Day Capacity Problems – “Camp Minnie-Mickey”
Take — for instance — how the Mouse handled the park’s capacity problems. When it became obvious that Asia was not going to ready in time for Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s April 1998 opening, the Imagineers began warning Disney management that DAK would not have a full day’s worth of shows and attractions. After having paid full price for admission, guests were sure to complain if they only got a half day’s worth of entertainment.
Eisner’s solution? Slap in a temporary land, similar to the “Mickey’s Birthdayland” area that the company had created for WDW’s Magic Kingdom way back in April 1988. From its first conceptual drawing right through to the first guest walking into Mickey’s house, “Mickey’s Birthdayland” had only taken 90 days to install.
Rohde and his Imagineers was appalled at Eisner’s suggestion. But — rather than tell the boss that his idea was terrible and that they wanted nothing to do with it — the DAK design team insisted that they were far too busy supervising construction in the rest of the park to work up any new temporary lands.
So Eisner ordered WDW’s entertainment office to take over the project. Using “Mickey’s Birthdayland” as their template, the entertainment staff came up with the concept for “Camp Minnie-Mickey.” Since there was no money available for even the cheapest of off-the-shelf rides, the WDW team opted to build “Camp Minnie-Mickey” around two low budget stage shows and several no budget character encounter areas.
How quickly and cheaply was “Camp Minnie-Mickey” thrown together? Do the float units the characters perform on in “Festival of the Lion King ” look familiar? They should. They’re the exact same parade floats that Disneyland ran up and down Main Street USA during the three year run of its “Lion King Celebration” parade.
Hope for Joe Rohde and Imagineers in Phase Two
Having this rapidly slapped together area sitting alongside lands that they’d spent years designing really irked the Imagineers. But Rohde advised his team to be patient and hold their tongues. After all, once Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on April 22, 1998 and proved to be a huge success, then WDI would finally get the time and the money necessary to fix all the stuff that was wrong with the park.
Then the Imagineers could get the chance to put back all the stuff that was cut out of Discovery River. Then they could quietly pull the plug on that monstrosity, “Camp Minnie-Mickey.” Then WDI could finally get around to DAK’s “Phase Two” and build Beastly Kingdom.
Well, April 22, 1998 arrived and Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened …
But — after that — things didn’t quite go according to plan.
Eisner’s Expectations for Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Okay, kids — before we get back to the story of how “Beastly Kingdom” ended up on Disney Animal Kingdom’s (DAK) endangered species list — you need to understand what the Mouse’s original expectations were for its fourth Walt Disney World (WDW) theme park.
Here’s what Disney CEO Michael Eisner had hoped would happen when DAK opened on April 1998:
- Attendance levels would go through the roof at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Disney-MGM Studios, as a record number of visitors rushed down to Florida to check out WDW’s fourth theme park.
- Guests who had previously stayed on property at Walt Disney World hotels for four days would now book five day vacation packages — just to be sure that they didn’t miss any of the new shows and attractions that had recently been added to the resort.
- All this extra guest traffic would result in increased revenues for WDW’s hotels, shops and restaurants — which would have an immediate positive impact on the Walt Disney Company’s bottom line.
- Eisner and his staff would bask in the glow of the unparalleled success of Disney’s Animal Kingdom for a moment … then get right back to work, brain-storming ideas for WDW’s fifth theme park.
That’s what Uncle Michael had hoped would happen, anyway.
Reality proved to be infinitely harsher.
Walt Disney World Attendance in 1998
In spite of the Mouse’s rosy projections, Disney’s Animal Kingdom — in its first year of operation:
Actually drove down attendance levels at the other three WDW theme parks in 1998.
- 8% fewer guests visited the Magic Kingdom
- 9% fewer went to the Disney-MGM Studios
- Epcot’s attendance levels dipped a startling 11%
What happened? In a word — cannibalism.
How Does Opening a New Theme Park Affect the Other Theme Parks?
“Cannibalism” is the term Disney Company executives use to describe what happens when a brand new theme park opens and begins eating into the attendance levels of the older, more established parks at the same resort.
Epcot Opening
In 1982, when Epcot opened, that park initially cut significantly into the number of guests that annually visited the Magic Kingdom. However — over time — attendance levels at Magic Kingdom bounced back to what they once were after the newness of Epcot had worn off. Meanwhile, Epcot Center began drawing guests all on its own to WDW. In the end, it all worked out just fine.
Disney-MGM Studio Opening
A similar thing happened in May 1989, when the Disney-MGM Studio theme park threw open its gates. For almost a year, attendance levels at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot slumped while guests opted to go to the new WDW theme park rather than visiting their old favorites. But — once again, over time — the situation sorted itself out. Attendance levels at the older WDW parks slowly rose back up to where they once were, as the Disney-MGM Studios began luring millions of new tourists to come see Disney’s Florida resort.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opening
The Mouse had been anticipating that — when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened — that it too would initially bleed guests away from the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Disney-MGM Studios. That’s why Eisner had had the Imagineers add new attractions and/or complete major rehabs to each of the older WDW parks in the 18 months prior to DAK’s opening.
This was Uncle Michael’s brilliant scheme. He honestly believed that — if the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Disney-MGM Studios each had new rides and shows for visitors to see — guests who had come down to WDW just to see Disney’s Animal Kingdom during its first year of operation would still end up of staying on property an extra day or so just to check out all the new stuff at the other parks.
On paper, that really did seem like a brilliant plan. Too bad reality got in the way.
Eisner’s Attendance Plan Doesn’t Go as Planned
What happened to ruin Eisner’s plan? For starters, Epcot’s heavily hyped new thrill ride — GM Test Track — was beset with horrible technical problems and ended up opening a full 18 months behind schedule. So that park really had nothing new to offer to returning WDW guests the year DAK opened.
Over at the Disney-MGM Studios, a much anticipated addition to the park — “David Copperfield’s Magic Underground” restaurant — never made it off the drawing board because the magician’s outside financing for the project disappeared. It would now be months after DAK’s opening before the studio theme park’s next big attraction — an East Coast version of Disneyland’s “Fantasmic” — would be ready to start entertaining WDW visitors.
As for the Magic Kingdom … truth be told, very little thought was put into to adding new shows and attractions to WDW’s first theme park. The Magic Kingdom had always been the favorite with Disney World visitors. Eisner and WDI felt that — what with the recent “Mickey’s Toontown Faire” redo as well as the 25th anniversary parade that was still running daily at the park — there was still plenty of semi-new stuff to entice people into making a return trip to the Magic Kingdom.
So — given all the money the Walt Disney Company had pumped into the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Disney-MGM Studios to counter-act the effects of DAK’s opening — Eisner had anticipated that the attendance levels at WDW’s older parks would only dip by 5% in 1998. He was said to be furious when — almost across the board — attendance fell by almost twice that amount at all three of the other WDW theme parks.
This news immediately put WDW’s management team into crisis mode. The big boys in Burbank wanted attendance levels at each of the older WDW parks driven back up immediately. The managers of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Disney-MGM Studios reminded Eisner and Company that — in order to do that — they’d need money fast for new shows, parades and attractions. Eisner immediately agreed to free up some funds for the Florida park.
And where did Eisner get the money to create these new WDW shows? You guessed it. He snagged the funds that had been previously earmarked for expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Specifically, the money that would have been set aside for construction of “Beastly Kingdom.”
“Beastly Kingdom” Defunded – Problems at Animal Kingdom
Rohde and his Imagineers began complaining about the short-sightedness of Disney management’s fiscal planning. With that money gone, it would now be five years or more before there’d be any money in the budget to create any new significant attractions for DAK.
WDW managers admitted that this was true. But — given all the problems that Disney’s Animal Kingdom was having during its initial year of operation — it didn’t seem too wise right now to complain about the park’s future. Unless these problems got resolved quickly, it didn’t look like DAK would have much of a future.
What sort of problems was Disney’s Animal Kingdom having back then? You name it, the park was having problems with it.
Guests Getting Lost at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Due to the twisty, turny nature of the park’s walkways as well as all the lush vegetation, guests were constantly getting lost as they walked through the park. Disney had to spend thousands on new, bigger signage for the theme park to help guests find their way around the place.
Guests Leaving Disney’s Animal Kingdom Early – Busy in the AM
Then there was all the troubles with DAK’s shops and restaurants. Particularly during the first eight months Disney’s Animal Kingdom was open (when only the African safari adventure was up and running), the Mouse had an awful time getting guests to stay inside the theme park past 4 p.m.
What was the problem? Due to the horrible heat in Florida, most of the animals along the African safari route would go lie down in the shade — disappearing entirely from view — by about 10 a.m. each morning. Once DAK management learned that its African menagerie had begun dropping from sight most days before noon, it quickly put the word out to WDW’s hotels to encourage their guests to visit DAK as early in the day as possible.
This resulted in a completely unworkable traffic flow situation at DAK. By 7:30 a.m. most mornings during that first summer of operation, the park would already be full. By 8 a.m., there’d be a two hour long line in the queue for the African safari ride as well as guests waiting for over an hour to get in to see “It’s Tough to Be a Bug.” Given that so few of Disney Animal Kingdom’s restaurants had been designed to serve breakfast, there were never enough places open at that hour to handle all those sleepy, cranky people looking for food. That first summer at DAK was a complete disaster.
But — as bad as the early morning hours at DAK were — the late afternoon was even worse. Why for? Because the crowds — having blown through Disney’s Animal Kingdom minimal number of shows and attractions in just a few hours — had already left the park for the day. By 4 p.m. most afternoons, you could have fired a cannon down the middle of the street in Safari Village and not have wounded a single soul.
Poor Merchandise and Restaurant Sales
Having the park virtually empty by late afternoon played hell with DAK’s projections for food and merchandise sales. All the managers of the park’s stores and restaurants were begging WDW management for help in turning around their depressed sales. (The folks running the giant “Rainforest Cafe” at the entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom were particularly desperate. They had paid big bucks for the right to build this branch of their restaurant chain right outside the entrance to WDW’s newest theme park. But most evenings, barely a third of the cavernous cafe had any guests in it.)
Fixing Disney’s Animal Kingdom with Night-Time Entertainment
WDW management tried to come up with a solution to DAK’s traffic flow problems. But it quickly became obvious that there’d be no quick fixes for this situation. After all, it wasn’t like Disney could do here what they did at Epcot and the Disney-MGM Studios to keep guests in the park at night. Since the lights in the skies and all the noise was sure to frighten the animals, a nightly fireworks display was out of the question.
There was also some talk of creating a special night-time parade to roll through the streets of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and entertain guests after dark. For a time, WDW management even considered bringing Disneyland’s much maligned “Light Magic” streetacular to Florida to provide after-hours entertainment at DAK.
But Rohde and his team of WDI designers quickly killed any talk about night-time streetaculars at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They pointed out that the park’s streets and trails were just too tight and narrow to allow even the smallest floats easy passage. The Imagineers reminded WDW management how much trouble DAK’s small day-time parade — “The March of the Art-imals” — was having making its way around the park in broad daylight. Imagine how much trouble a similar parade would have making its way around DAK in the dark.
Fix Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Problem with Attractions – Build “Beastly Kingdom”
Rohde’s team insisted that the solution to the traffic flow problems at Disney’s Animal Kingdom was obvious: beef up the parts of the park that didn’t rely on real animals. That meant adding new shows to Dinoland USA as well as finally building Beastly Kingdom. By adding these additional shows and attractions, WDW management would give guests a real reason to stay at DAK after dark — rather than trying to trick visitors into staying with a lame after-hours parade and/or a smallish fireworks display.
Privately, officials in WDW management agreed with the Imagineers that this was the logical, reasonable way to fix Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The trouble was that the folks back in Burbank weren’t acting reasonably or logically right now. Disney Company management had panicked when they had seen the drastic dip in attendance at WDW’s three other theme parks. Now they were running scared.
And Eisner had already okayed WDW management’s decision to grab the money that had been earmarked for DAK expansion and use it for bolstering sagging attendance at the other three WDW theme parks. That meant that Imagineering had next to no money left to fix all the glaring problems at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. More ominously, it now looked like it would be five years — or more — before WDI could afford to add any significant new attractions to DAK.
It was a very depressing time for the Disney’s Animal Kingdom design team. But — again — Rohde told his Imagineers not to lose heart. He told them that DAK — in particular “Beastly Kingdom” — might still be saved yet.
Competition for Disney – Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure
For Joe knew that Seagrams / MCA was spending two billion dollars to expand its Universal Studios Florida theme park complex — which was just down the road from WDW. And the centerpiece to this ambitious expansion project was a brand new theme park: Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure.
Rumors were flying around the theme park community that Seagrams / MCA was spending hundreds of millions of dollars on their new Florida park because they were out to top Disney. Universal wanted “Islands of Adventure” to have such amazing state-of-the-art attractions that this park would top any ride that could be found at Walt Disney World.
Secretly, Rohde and his Imagineers were hoping that Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure would be a huge success. Why for? Because the Walt Disney Company would then be embarrassed that it didn’t have the best rides in Florida anymore. And then maybe the Mouse would get worried that they were starting to lose guests to the new Universal park.
If that happened … well, then Eisner would finally have to open up his wallet then, wouldn’t he? Just as a matter of pride, he’d have to insist that WDI install the greatest rides that they could come up with at each of the WDW parks. For Disney’s Animal Kingdom, that could only mean that the Imagineers would finally get the chance to build “Beastly Kingdom.”
That was how Joe Rohde hoped things would play out, anyway.
Buzz Around Islands of Adventure Opening
Well, in the spring of 1999, Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure did finally open up. Unfortunately, it was not quite the roaring success Joe had hoped for.
Worse still, some of the attractions to be found in the new park looked awfully familiar …
December 1998. Everyone at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is abuzz with news about Universal Studios expansion plans for its Florida property.
“I’ve heard that — on opening day — they’re going to have three mega-coasters up and running.”
“Well, I’ve heard that their ‘Spiderman’ attraction is going to blow the doors off ‘Star Tours’ and ‘Body Wars.'”
“That — plus ‘Jurassic Park – The Ride,’ that ‘Dudley Do-Right’ flume thing as well as the ‘Popeye’ raft ride. This new Universal park sound better than anything we’ve got in Florida.”
Were these Imagineers frightened at the thought of all these great attractions being built in a theme park just down the street from WDW?
Hell no. The folks at WDI were thrilled that Seagrams was spending a reported $2 billion to remake their Universal Studios Florida theme park into a Disney quality resort. Why? Because that meant that the Mouse would finally have some serious competition in Orlando.
You see, Disney CEO Michael Eisner is a very competitive guy. He hates to lose — at anything.
If attendance at WDW started to noticeably slip due to the Mouse losing customers to Universal’s new theme park, Michael would have to do something. Eisner’s enormous ego just wouldn’t be able to handle the idea of Disney being No. 2 in the Orlando market.
So he’d turn to the Imagineers and say: “Make the best attractions you can.”
Not “Make the best attraction you can on a limited budget.” (i.e.: WDI’s controversial rehab of Epcot’s “Journey into Imagination” ride. During its three months of operation, the revamped version of that Future World attraction racked up more guest complaints than most shows produce in a year.)
Not “Make the best attraction you can with minimal changes to the pre-existing ride building.” (i.e.: The Magic Kingdom’s “Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin” actually runs its ride vehicles along the very same track and layout the building’s previous tenants — Delta’s “Dreamflight” and the unsponsored “Take Flight” — used.)
Not “Make the best attraction that reflects the sponsor’s agenda” (i.e.: Any exhibit you’ll find inside either version of “Innoventions.”)
Just “Make the best attractions you can.” Period.
And WDI would absolutely love to hear Michael Eisner say this.
The Imagineers Finally Able to Build Attractions
For years now, the Disney Imagineers been developing ideas for absolutely killer theme park attractions, only to be told by Disney Company senior management that ” Gee, we’d love to build that … but it’d be too expensive” or “No one else in the industry is doing that” or — worst of all — “We don’t have to try that hard.”
So now — for the first time ever — it appeared that Walt Disney World was going to have some real competition in Florida. And the top guys at the Mouse Works must have been taking Universal’s Islands of Adventure seriously, for — in January 1999 — they ordered WDI to work up a WDW contingency plan.
The purpose of the plan was this: Should Universal’s Islands of Adventure actually begin to seriously nibble away at Disney World attendance levels in 1999, the Mouse wanted a way to quickly recapture those wandering visitors. WDI felt that the easiest way to get folks excited about going back to WDW again was to add a huge new E ticket attraction for each of the four Florida parks. More importantly, they wanted to have each of these rides up and running in time for the kick-off of Walt Disney World’s 30th anniversary celebration in October 2001.
“Fire Mountain” at Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom was to have gotten “Fire Mountain,” a state-of-the-art roller coaster themed around story elements from Walt Disney Pictures’ Summer 2001 animated release, “Atlantis.” What would have truly been intriguing about “Fire Mountain” is that it was to have been the world’s first morphing coaster. Visitors would start their ride seated securely in their ride vehicle. At the midway point in the attraction — as “Fire Mountain” erupted — the bottom would have dropped away from their ride vehicle, leaving the riders dangling from above as they zoomed through the rest of the ride.
“Villain Ride” at Disney-MGM Studios
Over at the Disney-MGM Studios, that park’s signature attraction — “The Great Movie Ride” — would have gotten a massive makeover. In its place, visitors would have been asked to put on 3D glasses before taking a trip through the Chinese Theater’s “Villain Ride.” Here, 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.
“Mission: Space” at Epcot
Epcot would have had its dated Future World “Horizons” pavilion pulled down to make way for the new “Mission: Space” attraction. This cutting-edge ride would use centrifugal force to give visitors the sensation of being blasted out into space. They would also feel tremendous G-forces pressing them down into their seats as well as a brief moment of weightlessness before their ride vehicle made re-entry.
“Beastly Kingdom” at DAK
As for Disney’s Animal Kingdom … well, since it was the least developed of all four of the WDW theme parks, adding just one new attraction wouldn’t have given visitors enough incentive to return to DAK. So the Imagineers opted to go for broke here. They suggested adding a whole new land to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Which land? You guessed it, kids. “Beastly Kingdom.”
Disney’s Plan to Counter-Act Universal’s Island of Adventure
Disney Management reviewed WDI’s plan in March of 1999 and agreed to put it into action if … and this is a really big “if” here, folks … it could be proven that Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure was having a significant detrimental effect of WDW’s attendance levels.
So — for the first time in the history of the Walt Disney Company — the Imagineers actually hoped and prayed for a competitor’s theme park to succeed. For — if Islands of Adventure really had an impact on WDW’s attendance — all of their great new proposed attractions would actually make it off the drawing board.
After two months of soft openings, Universal finally did officially open Islands of Adventure (IOA) on May 28, 1999. Just as the Imagineers had hoped, IOA had it all. Three huge roller coasters. Their state-of-the-art “Spiderman” attraction. Three water-based rides (“Jurassic Park – The Ride,” “Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls,” and “Popeye’s Bilge Rat Barges”). Everything a modern theme park needs to succeed.
Well … almost everything.
What was missing?
Crowds.
Was Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure a Flop?
To this day, no one knows quite what went wrong with the launch of Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure. Some blame the marketing of the new park and resort, which somehow lead the public to believe that IOA wasn’t a whole new theme park, but rather just a new land that had been added to Universal Studios Florida (USF). (This certainly was a popular explanation within the boardroom at Seagrams. They asked for — and received — the resignations of most of USF’s marketing staff.)
Whatever the reason, the crowds just did not come out for IOA during its first year of operation. Universal’s new theme park under-performed in a spectacular manner, drawing less than half the projected number of bodies Seagrams had said would visit its revamped resort in 1999. Worse still, the limited number of visitors IOA got seems to have all been bodies that the new park lured away from its older Florida theme park. Unconfirmed reports suggest that attendance at Universal Studios Florida may have fallen off by as much as 30% during IOA’s first few months of operation.
But worst of all — at least from the Imagineers’ point of view — is that IOA was having virtually no impact on WDW’s theme parks. As the months went by, it became obvious that — in spite of the $2 billion Seagrams had spent — their revamped resort was having little or no effect on Disney World attendance levels.
Without proof that IOA was impacting WDW’s attendance levels, WDI’s ambitious plans for adding a brand new E-Ticket attraction to each of the Disney Company’s Florida theme parks by October 2001 seemed doomed to failure. Sure enough, Walt Disney Imagineering president Paul Pressler called a meeting at WDW’s WDI headquarters earlier this year to announce a radical rethink of the Florida property’s expansion plans.
Did Walt Disney World Respond to Islands of Adventure?
At this meeting, Pressler said that — since IOA had obviously proven to be a non-threat to WDW attendance levels — there was no reason to go forward with the previously announced aggressive building program. In its place, Paul proposed a significantly spread out schedule as to which Florida Disney theme park got new attractions and when.
Pressler believed that it was now time to prioritize. WDW attraction construction money would be allocated first to whichever Disney theme park in Florida most needed a boost in attendance. That was obviously Epcot, which perpetually had problems drawing visitors back in for return visits. That’s why the Walt Disney Company opted to stage its 15 month-long Millennium celebration inside this Florida park.
Under the new schedule, the first new WDW E-ticket would be built inside on Epcot. “Mission: Space” would still rocket visitors off into the cosmos. Only now these visitors would have to wait ’til 2003 before they got the chance to board Disney’s shuttle simulator.
Next up would be the Disney-MGM Studios’ E-Ticket. However, construction on the “Villain Ride” wouldn’t even begin ’til 2003. Pressler’s plan was to have the “Villain Ride” up and running by May 2004 — just in time for the studio theme park’s 15th anniversary celebration.
After that, “Fire Mountain” would rise up over at the Magic Kingdom in 2006. This volcano-based Adventureland attraction would serve as the centerpiece of WDW’s 35th anniversary celebration.
Then in 2008, Disney’s Animal Kingdom would finally get its new E-Ticket. Just in time for that park’s 10th anniversary, “Beastly Kingdom” would throw open its doors. Visitors would then get to sample the thrills of “Dragon’s Tower” and wander the leafy green maze over at “Quest for the Unicorn.”
Obviously, Imagineer Joe Rohde and his DAK design team were tremendously disappointed with this last bit of news. But Rohde — ever the optimist — tried to stress the positive in this tough situation. “Okay, so it’s going to open 10 years late,” Joe said. “But at least ‘Beastly Kingdom’ will finally be part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”
At least, that was the plan … until Eisner got around to visiting Universal Studio’s Islands of Adventure in January 2000.
Eisner Visits Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure
Eisner and a small entourage quietly toured the park that day, riding most of the major attractions as well as scoping out a lot of the shops and restaurants. After Michael got back to California, he told the Imagineers that he thought that — while IOA wasn’t quite up to Disney standard — the place still looked pretty good.
There was a pause. Then Michael added “But a few of those attractions looked awfully familiar.”
This is where one of the scummier secrets of the theme park industry gets revealed: theme parks regularly steal attraction ideas from one another. Just like in the computer world or the auto industry, industrial espionage is just one of the many ways that theme park companies like Disney, Universal, Six Flags, and the Cedar Fair Corporation try to stay ahead of the competition.
Of course, Disney didn’t help matters by laying off hundreds of Imagineers following the disastrous opening of Euro Disney. Many of these disgruntled former Imagineers walked out the door, carrying with them the plans for the proposed attractions they had been working on when the Mouse let them go.
“Dragon’s Tower” at Islands of Adventure – Disney Imagineer Layoffs Create “Lost Continent”
Among these folks were several Imagineers who had been working on the “Dragon’s Tower” attraction for DAK’s “Beastly Kingdom.” After a few months, these former WDI employees got hired by Universal to work on their proposed second theme park for Florida. They ended up being assigned to work on that park’s “Lost Continent” area.
“You guys got any ideas for attractions for this part of the park?,” their Universal bosses asked.
Indeed they did.
“Borrowed” Ideas for Disney Attractions
Now, before you get all indignant about the idea of Universal stealing ride ideas from Disney, please keep in mind that the Mouse has also been doing it for years. For example: how do you suppose the Skyway and Monorail ended up in Disneyland? Walt saw similar attractions while touring amusement parks in Europe in the 1950s. He decided to “borrow” the concepts of these rides from those European venues for installation at his Anaheim park.
And — while Tony Baxter is universally recognized as a modern master of Imagineering, having come up with the concepts for such classic Disney theme park attractions as “Big Thunder Mountain Railway” and “Splash Mountain” — employees of Knotts Berry Farm are all too willing to point out the similarities between those attractions and Knotts’ “Calico Mine Train” and “Log Ride.” Given that Baxter has admitted to spending a lot of his free time back in the 1960s when he was a Disneyland employee prowling around Knotts, is it possible that Tony could have — just like his hero, Walt — “borrowed” the concepts for these Knotts attractions to use as the basis for “Big Thunder” and “Splash Mountain?”
Anything’s possible, kids.
“Dragon’s Tower” becomes “Dueling Dragons”
Anywho, back to Islands of Adventure … is “Dueling Dragons” an obvious rip-off of “Beastly Kingdom”‘s proposed “Dragon’s Tower” ride? Perhaps. But how can you rip off something that hasn’t actually been built yet?
Some might argue that Universal — being the first theme park company to build a mega-coaster that featured a dragon storyline with a queue area that was themed around a decrepit castle — must now get credit for creating that attraction. Which means Universal effectively owns that ride idea. That would mean that — should Disney ever go forward with their “Dragon’s Tower” attraction idea — the Mouse would now appear to be copying ride ideas from Universal, rather than the other way around.
Never mind that Disney came up with the original idea for a dragon-based coaster. Never mind that Universal may have acquired the concept for their dragon coaster attraction under somewhat questionable circumstances. In the end, all that matters is: Who built the ride first? Since Universal was the first to build a dragon-based coaster, that ride concept now belongs to them.
“Beastly Kingdom” Loses Its Icon – Land Cancelled
And — since Eisner didn’t want it to appear as if Disney was stealing ride ideas from Universal — he asked the Imagineers to remove the “Dragon’s Tower” ride from all future plans for “Beastly Kingdom.” But — without the tumble-down burned-out castle (that would have served as “Dragon’s Tower”‘s show building) to serve as the centerpiece for this proposed addition to WDW’s fourth theme park — “Beastly Kingdom” was left without a “weenie,” a strong visual element that would lure people down into this side of the park. Without “Dragon’s Tower,” “Beastly Kingdom” now seemed kind of pointless.
Dinoland USA Expansion
As painful as it might be, Joe Rohde and his Imagineering team now had to face facts. “Beastly Kingdom” — as they had originally planned it — was dead. WDI would now have to abandon all the witty plans they’d come up with for this part of the park and dream up some new attractions for DAK’s east side.
Mind you, there was no time to mourn “Beastly Kingdom”‘s demise. Rohde and his team were too busy fighting with Disney management over their bargain basement expansion plans for DAK’s Dinoland USA. Assuming that — when Disney’s “Dinosaur” movie opens in theaters later this month — this side of the park will see a huge surge of new traffic, Eisner ordered that several lightly themed off-the-shelf carnival-style rides be added to Dinoland USA to increase capacity.
Rohde was said to be furious when he learned of this plan, particularly since WDI had already put together an elegant expansion plan for DAK’s dino area. He’s reportedly particularly enraged that the name that his Imagineering team came up with for a runaway-mine-car-through-an-abandoned-dinosaur-dig ride — the Excavator — for Dinoland USA’s “Phase II” will now be used for a smallish kiddie coaster Eisner is quickly tossing into the area.
Adding to Rohde’s aggravation: DAK’s ‘temporary’ area — Camp Minnie-Mickey — was becoming all the more permanent as each day went by. Exit polls showed that this area’s “Festival of the Lion King” show was the most popular attraction in all of Animal Kingdom. So popular that Disney had to add additional seats to DAK’s “Lion King” theater to increase the show’s capacity. And — with “Lion King III,” another direct-to-video sequel to the original 1994 film, currently in the works — it could now be years before the “Lion King” phenomenon finally fades … leaving all the land around that once-thought-to-be-temporary theater available again for development.
As you can see, Rohde and his Imagineers didn’t have time to moan over “Beastly Kingdom”‘s loss. They’re too busy fighting with Disney Company management, trying to keep Eisner and Co. from ruining the park with their bone-headed cost-cutting maneuvers.
Editor’s Note: This article is an adaptation of the original three-part series from Jim Hill Media, “Is DAK’s Beastly Kingdom DOA?” (December 2000). Pandora – The World of Avatar officially opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 27, 2017, in the area originally proposed for Beastly Kingdom.
Will There Ever Be a “Beastly Kingdom” at Walt Disney World?
But is “Beastly Kingdom” really dead? At least for the immediate future, it would seem so. Any ambitious plans the Mouse may have had for expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom are now completely on hold.
Why for? Because there’s so much other stuff at DAK that’s currently in urgent need of repair. For example: Conservation Station is thought to be a complete disaster. Visitors repeatedly name that area as their least favorite part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. So the Imagineers are frantically searching for ways to fix up that facility.
And then there’s Kali River Rapids. Though only a year old, the centerpiece attraction for DAK’s Asia area is already falling apart. There are currently so few of that attraction’s original rafts in working condition that visitors often have to wait as much as an hour in line before there’s a raft available for them to board.
But all those Disney unicorn and dragon lovers out there shouldn’t completely lose heart. Long-time Disney theme park observers know it’s wise never to consider a really great concept for a theme park show or attraction completely dead. For the Imagineers have this awful tendency to recycle abandoned ideas.
Consider Disneyland’s long proposed Discovery Bay. Though Tony Baxter hatched the concept for this Jules Verne-meets-Gold Rush-era-San-Francisco Frontierland expansion back in 1977, it wasn’t until 1992 that elements of this proposed Disneyland addition finally turned up in a Disney theme park. Unfortunately for all those US-based Discovery Bay fans, the park that got the land (DiscoveryLand, to be exact) that was inspired by Tony’s concept art was Disneyland – Paris. But some of Discovery Bay did finally make it off the drawing board.
So who knows? Maybe in ten years or so, some Imagineer may come with a clever way to rework the “Dragon’s Tower” storyline. Perhaps that long rumored South American Disney theme park will have a Sleeping Beauty’s castle with a thrill ride — rather than a walking tour — as its main attraction? Maybe this thrill ride will feature a huge AA version of the Maleficent dragon, snarling and breathing fire at riders as they whiz through the attraction’s finale? Stranger things have happened, kids.
Here’s hoping that — some day, in some way — dragons and unicorns turn up in a Disney theme park.
After all, there’s always room for a little more magic in the Magic Kingdom.
Want more behind-the-scenes Disney stories? Dive deeper into the magic with The Disney Dish podcast, where Jim Hill and Len Testa explore Disney news and park history. Listen now at The Disney Dish on Apple Podcasts. For exclusive bonus episodes and even more insider content, check out Disney Unpacked on Patreon.
One of the highlights of the Super Bowl isn’t just the game itself—it’s the moment when the winning quarterback turns to the camera and exclaims, “I’m going to Disney World!” This now-iconic phrase has been a staple of post-game celebrations for decades. But where did this tradition begin? Surprisingly, it didn’t originate in a stadium but at a dinner table in 1987, in a conversation involving Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.
The Unlikely Beginning of a Marketing Sensation
To understand the origins of this campaign, we have to go back to December 1986, when the Rutan Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. Pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the nine-day journey on December 23, 1986, flying over 26,000 miles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Their historic achievement earned them national recognition, and just days later, President Ronald Reagan awarded them the Presidential Citizen Medal at the White House.
Meanwhile, Disney was gearing up for the grand opening of Star Tours at Disneyland, set for January 12, 1987. Following its usual playbook of associating major theme park attractions with real-world pioneers, Disney’s PR team invited astronauts Gordon Cooper and Deke Slayton to the launch event. But in a twist, they also invited Rutan and Yeager, who were still making headlines.
A Dinner Conversation That Changed Advertising Forever
After the Star Tours opening ceremony, a private dinner was held with Disney CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Eisner’s wife, Jane. During the meal, Eisner asked Rutan and Yeager, “You just made history. You traveled non-stop around the planet on a plane without ever refueling. How are you ever going to top that, career-wise? What are you two gonna do next?”
Without hesitation, Jeana Yeager replied, “Well, after being cramped inside that tiny plane for nine days, I’m just glad to be anywhere else. And even though you folks were nice enough to fly us here, invite us to your party… Well, as soon as we finish eating, I’m gonna go over to the Park and ride some rides. I’m going to Disneyland.”
Jane Eisner immediately recognized the power of Yeager’s statement. On the car ride home, she turned to Michael and said, “That’s a great slogan. I think you should use that to promote the theme parks.” Like many husbands, Michael initially dismissed the idea, but Jane persisted. Eventually, Eisner relented and pitched it to his team.
The Super Bowl Connection
With Super Bowl XXI just around the corner, Disney’s PR team saw an opportunity. The game was set for January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—just miles from Disney Studios. What if they convinced the winning quarterback to say, “I’m going to Disneyland” live on-air?
Disney quickly struck a deal with both quarterbacks—Phil Simms of the New York Giants and John Elway of the Denver Broncos—offering each $75,000 to deliver the line if their team won. Simms led the Giants to victory, making history as the first athlete to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” on national television.
A Marketing Triumph
That year’s Super Bowl had the second-highest viewership in television history, with 87 million people watching Simms say the famous line. The next day, Disney turned the clip into a national commercial, cementing the phrase as a marketing goldmine.
Since then, “I’m going to Disneyland” (or Disney World, depending on the commercial) has been a staple of championship celebrations, spanning the NFL, NBA, and even the Olympics. What started as a casual remark at dinner became one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.
A Lasting Legacy
Jane Eisner’s keen instinct and Disney’s ability to act quickly on a great idea created a tradition that continues to captivate audiences. The “I’m going to Disneyland” campaign remains a testament to the power of spontaneous inspiration and smart marketing, proving that sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.
To learn more about Disney’s ties to the world of sports, check out I Want That Too: A Disney History and Consumer Product Podcast.
Disneyland in Anaheim, California, holds a special place in the hearts of Disney fans worldwide, I mean heck, it’s where the magic began after all. Over the years it’s become a place that people visit in search of memorable experiences. One fan favorite area of the park is Mickey’s Toontown, a unique land that lets guests step right into the colorful, “Toony” world of Disney animation. With the recent reimagining of the land and the introduction of Micky and Minnies Runaway Railway, have you ever wondered how this land came to be?
There is a fascinating backstory of how Mickey’s Toontown came into existence. It’s a tale of strategic vision, the influence of Disney executives, and a commitment to meeting the needs of Disney’s valued guests.
The Beginning: Mickey’s Birthdayland
The story of Mickey’s Toontown starts with Mickey’s Birthdayland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Opened in 1988 to celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 60th birthday, this temporary attraction was met with such overwhelming popularity that it inspired Disney executives to think bigger. The idea was to create a permanent, immersive land where guests could step into the animated world of Mickey Mouse and his friends.
In the early ’90s, Disneyland was in need of a refresh. Michael Eisner, the visionary leader of The Walt Disney Company at the time, had an audacious idea: create a brand-new land in Disneyland that would celebrate Disney characters in a whole new way. This was the birth of Mickey’s Toontown.
Initially, Disney’s creative minds toyed with various concepts, including the idea of crafting a 100-Acre Woods or a land inspired by the Muppets. However, the turning point came when they considered the success of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” This film’s popularity and the desire to capitalize on contemporary trends set the stage for Toontown’s creation.
From Concept to Reality: The Birth of Toontown
In 1993, Mickey’s Toontown opened its gates at Disneyland, marking the first time in Disney Park history where guests could experience a fully realized, three-dimensional world of animation. This new land was not just a collection of attractions but a living, breathing community where Disney characters “lived,” worked, and played.
Building Challenges: Innovative Solutions
The design of Mickey’s Toontown broke new ground in theme park aesthetics. Imagineers were tasked with bringing the two-dimensional world of cartoons into a three-dimensional space. This led to the creation of over 2000 custom-built props and structures that embodied the ‘squash and stretch’ principle of animation, giving Toontown its distinctiveness.
And then there was also the challenge of hiding the Team Disney Anaheim building, which bore a striking resemblance to a giant hotdog. The Imagineers had to think creatively, using balloon tests and imaginative landscaping to seamlessly integrate Toontown into the larger park.
Key Attractions: Bringing Animation to Life
Mickey’s Toontown featured several groundbreaking attractions. “Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin,” inspired by the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” became a staple of Toontown, offering an innovative ride experience. Gadget’s Go-Coaster, though initially conceived as a Rescue Rangers-themed ride, became a hit with younger visitors, proving that innovative design could create memorable experiences for all ages.
Another crown jewel of Toontown is Mickey’s House, a walkthrough attraction that allowed guests to explore the home of Mickey Mouse himself. This attraction was more than just a house; it was a carefully crafted piece of Disney lore. The house was designed in the American Craftsman style, reflecting the era when Mickey would have theoretically purchased his first home in Hollywood. The attention to detail was meticulous, with over 2000 hand-crafted, custom-built props, ensuring that every corner of the house was brimming with character and charm. Interestingly, the design of Mickey’s House was inspired by a real home in Wichita Falls, making it a unique blend of real-world inspiration and Disney magic.
Mickey’s House also showcased Disney’s commitment to creating interactive and engaging experiences. Guests could make themselves at home, sitting in Mickey’s chair, listening to the radio, and exploring the many mementos and references to Mickey’s animated adventures throughout the years. This approach to attraction design – where storytelling and interactivity merged seamlessly – was a defining characteristic of ToonTown’s success.
Executive Decisions: Shaping ToonTown’s Unique Attractions
The development of Mickey’s Toontown wasn’t just about creative imagination; it was significantly influenced by strategic decisions from Disney executives. One notable input came from Jeffrey Katzenberg, who suggested incorporating a Rescue Rangers-themed ride. This idea was a reflection of the broader Disney strategy to integrate popular contemporary characters and themes into the park, ensuring that the attractions remained relevant and engaging for visitors.
In addition to Katzenberg’s influence, Frank Wells, the then-President of The Walt Disney Company, played a key role in the strategic launch of Toontown’s attractions. His decision to delay the opening of “Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin” until a year after Toontown’s debut was a calculated move. It was designed to maintain public interest in the park by offering new experiences over time, thereby giving guests more reasons to return to Disneyland.
These executive decisions highlight the careful planning and foresight that went into making Toontown a dynamic and continuously appealing part of Disneyland. By integrating current trends and strategically planning the rollout of attractions, Disney executives ensured that Toontown would not only capture the hearts of visitors upon its opening but would continue to draw them back for new experiences in the years to follow.
Global Influence: Toontown’s Worldwide Appeal
The concept of Mickey’s Toontown resonated so strongly that it was replicated at Tokyo Disneyland and influenced elements in Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. Each park’s version of Toontown maintained the core essence of the original while adapting to its cultural and logistical environment.
Evolution and Reimagining: Toontown Today
As we approach the present day, Mickey’s Toontown has recently undergone a significant reimagining to welcome “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” in 2023. This refurbishment aimed to enhance the land’s interactivity and appeal to a new generation of Disney fans, all while retaining the charm that has made ToonTown a beloved destination for nearly three decades.
Dive Deeper into ToonTown’s Story
Want to know more about Mickey’s Toontown and hear some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, then check out the latest episode of Disney Unpacked on Patreon @JimHillMedia. In this episode, the main Imagineer who worked on the Toontown project shares lots of interesting stories and details that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s full of great information and fun facts, so be sure to give it a listen!
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