Will Walt Disney Imagineering ever revisit the “Pluto’s Playland” project ?

Jim Hill

17 years ago

For over 50 years now, the Walt Disney Company has been going to the dogs. Particularly when Mickey was looking for strong story material to build new motion pictures around.

Think about it. Ever since “Lady and the Tramp” first bounded into theaters back in June of 1955, the Mouse Factory has turned out a steady stream of feature films that have either starred and/or prominently featured heroic canines. We’ve had “Old Yeller,” “Savage Sam,” “Gregfriars Bobby,” “Big Red,” “The Incredible Journey,” “The Ugly Dachshund” and “The Shaggy Dog.” Not to mention Disney’s dog-related animated features like “101 Dalmatians,” “The Fox and the Hound” and “Oliver and Company.”

So given this studio’s history, is it really such a surprise that Walt Disney Pictures is getting ready to put on the dog once more? Releasing a brand-new live-action version of that animated television series from the 1960s, “Underdog.” Which opens at a theater near you tomorrow.

But given all of the canine-related cartoons and feature films that Disney has produced over the years, it’s kind of surprising to see how little of this material has actually made it into the theme parks. I mean, sure. You’ve got “Tony’s Town Square” eatery at WDW‘s Magic Kingdom. As well as the Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wise Acre Farm. But beyond that … With the exception of a few canine walk-around characters that you’ll see in the Disney theme parks, the Anaheim & Orlando resorts are virtually dog-free zones.

Which is kind of ironic. Given that — in the early 1990s — the Imagineers actually explored the idea of building a Disneyland for dogs: “Pluto’s Playland.”

Strange but true, folks. You see, back then, Disney executives were actively looking for new worlds for the company to conquer. Which is why we saw Mickey aggressively moving into new stand-alone projects like DisneyQuest, Club Disney, Mickey’s Kitchen and ESPN Zone.

And about this same time, Mouse House officials came across an interesting piece of research. Which showed that — out of the 54 million Americans who then owned dogs — these folks (on average) spent $55 per year on treats and $35 on toys for their pets. Which suggested that consumers were willing to spend quite a bit of money to entertain their canines.

And after watching the growing popularity of dog parks in Southern California, several forward-looking execs asked the Imagineers to come up with some concepts for a stand-alone project that would (in theory) appeal to pet owners. Sooo … Using Disneyland as their template, the guys from WDI then designed a decidedly low-tech 20-acre park where Fido & his human family could go have fun together.

From a distance, Pluto’s Playland would look sort of like your standard Disney theme park. Given that it seemed to have a fairy tale castle as its “wienie.” It was only after you got up close to this 70-foot-tall structure that you then began to realize that this was no castle. But — rather — a giant pile of meat rising out of an enormous version of Pluto’s dog food dish.

As for the rest of this proposed park … Well, it would have been doggie heaven. There would have been fields set up for competitive Frisbee flinging, complete grooming facilities for those who wanted to pamper their pooches. And did I mention the numerous snack bars?

Each of which would have featured a canine-friendly serving counter …

… as well as a seating area where your family & the family dog could have enjoyed a healthy snack together.

And let’s not forget about the doggy stunt show. Or the carousel for canines. Or the outdoor theater that would have perpetually screened Disney dog-themed movies like “Lady and the Tramp” and “101 Dalmatians.”

I know, I know. This all sounds like a very nutty idea. One that perhaps tries too hard to appeal to a fairly narrow demographic (i.e. People with lots of disposable income who love to pamper their pets). Which is why “Pluto’s Playland” never actually made it beyond the design phase.

But here’s the thing. Since this project was initially proposed back in the early 1990s, pet-related spending in the U.S. has more than doubled. Going from $17 billion in 1994 to an estimated $38.4 billion in 2006. And Disney Company executives have clearly noticed this trend. Otherwise, how would you explain the Mouse’s decision last year to aggressively move into the pet care field? Doing everything from allowing Kroger to start selling an “Old Yeller” -themed brand of dog food at its 2500 stores to convincing Walmart to start stocking Disney-themed pet apparel.

So what with the Mouse getting all gung-ho these days for pet-related product, is it possible that the Imagineers could someday revisit the “Pluto’s Playland” project? Perhaps pull all of these plans out of a drawer and see if conditions are now right for reviving this project? Maybe on a much less ambitious scale?

Well, you know WDI. It’s the place where supposedly no good idea ever dies. And given that every dog has its day … Who knows? If the Walt Disney Company genuinely believes that it can get a significant ROI on a project like this, maybe “Pluto’s Playland” will eventually make it off the drawing board.

But what do you folks think? Is this elaborately themed dog park really the sort of place that you’d take the family pet to? Or was “Pluto’s Playland” just one dog of an idea?

Your thoughts?