DCA to become Disney's America

[Bork]

Al has a very interesting update on Mouseplanet. Could DCA's failure, combined with recent events and Eisner's supposed change finally bring us Disney's America? Could DCA become Disney's America in a few years?

It makes so much sense and would be a fairly easy redo. The timing is right. People would be very supportive of an America theme park. And with attendance being so terrible in the near future, it would be a good time to make the change.

I could see this becoming a huge success. I know this is all rumor and speculation now, but I am really excited about the possibilites.

Time for Disney's America?

 

[YoHo]

MR Lutz has obviously been reading my Posts. Lets hope mr. Eisner has as well.

 

[azlaura]

I think this is a super idea!! I was at DCA this summer and didn't stay long. There was very little for my 4year old to do! This would be a great way to support America, give people jobs and make that park truly something special!!
How do we let Disney know????
Laura

 

[toefungus]

No, this is really and AWFUL, and very stupid idea. It would be the biggest waste of money. It would cost so much money to knock things down, change the theming, and build more attractions. DCA is here to stay (like it or not), and we could see Disney's America as a 3rd park at DL, 5th park at WDW, or a new park somwhere else. No way will they ever "transform" DCA into a new park. It's just funny even at the thought of them doing this because it's so outrageous.

 

[azlaura]

Sorry-didn't know you were being sarcastic!!
I like the idea of an America themed park-though!

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

Laura, I don't think anyone was being sarcastic. It's a great "pipedream" idea. Disney would be saying that they wasted hundreds of millions of dollars and then spending hundreds more to re-theme a brand new park. Al says something similar in that article.

Before they do anything like that they need to be completely sure that there is no other way to save that park. I would expect a bunch of changes over the next couple of years before anything like is tried

Let's see what they do.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

They probly won't go thorugh with it....if you read the chapter on it in Eisner's book "Work in Progress" you'll see why. Too much bad things happened to it to be resurrected no matter how much we want it.

 

[YoHo]

I disagree Toefungus. As I've indicated before, very little would need to come down. Just a few name changes and additional rides. Get ride of the tortilla makers and such. California history is history too. its doable and relativley cheap change.

 

[lrodk]

I think the type of conversion needed to turn DCA into a historical park is unrealistic. They'd have to tear down the golden gate bridge outline, hollywood section, boardwalk, etc. Just too much money involved to pull it off. Plus, such a move would be an admission of failure on Disney's part, something they very rarely do. Wallstreet analysts would have a field day with something like that. I'm more for them building the park as originally planned at another location, preferrably on the East Coast, near New England or on another tract somewhere in Virginia. That whole area oozzes of American History.

 

[hopemax]

They wouldn't need to turn it into a "historic" park though, just change things to be from different parts of the country.

Hollywood could still be Hollywood, no changes needed.

Paradise Pier could be turned into Coney Island, and they could replace Mulholland Madness with a show building and make it something "New Yorkish."

Bountiful Valley Farm could be the farm-belt in the middle of the country

Condor Flats could easily be any Airforce base or it would fit easily with Seattle's aircraft industry (Boeing). The movie would have to be redone, the queue just needs some pictures of people not from California, but that's easily managed.

The Grizzly Peak area could easily be changed into a Rocky Mtn or Cascade Mtn. theme

The Golden Gate bridge could stay since it is a major symbol of America.

A change from a California park to an American park would only take a couple new movies, and some signage. Could it really make the park any worse than it is? (I know some people really like it, but the attendence speaks volumes about the general appeal) But it opens up so many more avenues for expansion.

 

[Another Voice]

As much as I believe that Mr. Lutz’s source are very reliable, Al may have jumped the gun on this one – but not as much as you might think. Most of California Adventure was developed outside of WDI and a lot of “spare” time in Imagineering has been spent working on fixes even before the park opened. Some of these plans even included the “repurposing” the entire park. Plans for a movie studio and for a mini-America were well developed prior to February, along with concepts for a few other overall themes. Granted, most of these plans were to soothe bruised egos and to out the creative shallowness of DCA, but the plans have existed for a long time.

On the practical side, the park was in serious shape even before the war -- (before the war… I will always feel sad writing that phrase) – and major changes are still under serious discussion. While a dramatic change would mean admitting and error, keeping the park open as it is would be foolish. And besides, Wall Street likes bold decision making; fire the right people, announce new plans and Mr. Eisner could look like a hero to the stockholders.

As people who have been to DCA can admit, the park is not one of Disney’s better examples of imagination and detail. Paradise Pier is nothing but steel rides bolted to a cement foundation, the rest of the park is made up of simple show buildings with very simple facades. The only true themed structure in the park is Grizzy Mountain.

DCA as it is today is nothing more than a collection of bits from other projects. Paradise Pier is exactly the concept that had been planned as the original Boardwalk at WDW and as an area for Port Disney. Condor Flats was lifted from America (although the attraction was downgraded from the concept for Virginia). The Hollywood Pictures Backlot is familiar to anyone who has been to WDW. The raft ride is an off-the-shelf purchase with some additional rockwork. Since these attractions were re-themed to fit “California”, it’s going to be very easy to re-do them to fit another theme.

All but the tortilla making show – that’s an attraction that must forever remain unique to California Adventure.

 

[mogley]

K this would never ever ever ever ever ever replace california adventure it just wont happen 100% not a chance. They could make it somewhere else and would be great but they will not replace the theme of one park to make another in its place. People would compare the attractions from california adventure to the new themed ones and will just be even more frustrated that it is all baslicly rehash. It would cost a **** load of money which do you honestly think disney would put in? they newest ride they have right now is a rehash DUMBO RIDE! disney is in a dark age ladys and gentelmen they seem to be putting less and less theme and thought into the attractions that it is looking like paramounts great america or another sucky amusment park! *cough*cough*can you say paridise pier? dont get me wrong its great fun.........................but its not disney its boardwalk. well im getting a tiny bit side tracked lol well basicly forget this rumor becuse even though it would be loads of fun but so would if we got mgm and animal kingdom in california but its never EVER going to happen.

 

[carterman_12]

Toefungus, you are absolutely right. It would a very stupid and expensive thing to do. Think about it...it wouldn't be a thing that they could just do while the park is open...they would have to close the park itself, which i'm sure is the last thing that DLR wants to do.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

It would be nice to see this park built some time in the future but it won't happen right away though.

 

[toefungus]

Plus if this does happen, Disney would me admitting that DCA was a failure, and that they messed up. I'm sure they wouldn't want to do that. I would really like to see Disney's American in Virginia, becuse it would be a lot closer to me that wdw.

 

[SPAGo 98]

Acutally, if they make the announcement soon, they could cover all their bases by claming that the recent events have shown them the necessity for more patriotism, and that people have shown great interest in a Disney's America. Then they could slowly rebuild it, and in 2 or so years ... what am I talking about, it's not gonna happen.

It's wishful thinking. I really would like that to happen, but I doubt it.

 

[YoHo]

Guys, Read between another voice's lines.
The project's already been worked out. there is almost no themeing to remove. some of the stuff has already been lifted from Disney's America.
Finally, the notion that they wouldn't admit a mistake is so 4 weeks ago. Fortunatly and unfortunatly, the War and everything else has FORCED Disney to change its thinking. Trust me, its as viable a plan as any other and it won't cost them much money. And I personally think that California is the perfect place for an American history park, ESPECIALLY one with lots of colonial history after all, If I'm out east, I can go to the battle sites and the monuments. If I'm out west I CAN NOT!

 

[toefungus]

I'm sorry, I can't help but laugh. This whole idea is just so crazy it's funny. There are other rumors going around that Disney-MGM STudios is going to re-done into a coaster park too!

I don't know where all these ideas of "re-doing" parks are coming from but they're all false. Once I hear it come from Big Mike himself, I will never belive it. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[YoHo]

Well, they are being confirmed (as ideas, not as concrete plans)by a poster(Another Voice) who has proven to have a finger on the pulse of Disney. I have no doubt in my mind that MGM-studios turned coaster park is an idea being floated. Just as I firmly believe that Disney's America is. Why the seemingly sudden disregard for people that seem to have an inside scoop?

Of course nothing is true till the park is built, but I'm dealing in possibilites. currently there is nothing substantive has been announced, yet we KNOW something is happening.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If the people from Disney had payed attention to those of us from Northern Virginia we would currently have a Disney Park 22 miles from where I live. The people in Prince William County, where the park was intended, would have voted with about 85% majority to have it. Unfortunately, the VERY RICH people in the next county out (Fauquier) which includes the Publisher of The Washington Post had the theory of "Nowhere near our estates", told terrible lies, and drove Disney out. Of course, Disney was unwilling to take the advise of those of us who had experience in the tactics of the people who wanted to keep Prince William County as a buffer zone from those of us in the developed Fairfax County.