Disney's America

[KayMichigan]

(Plus a history-themed park by Disney doesn't thrill us as much since we can go see the real things around here. Now if they were to propose another theme...I'd be thrilled.)

That was one of my main gripes against the idea. There are so many sites of real historical significance in Virginia that it seemed daft to build a park full of fake history in the same area, and only a few miles from a real Civil War battlefield.

 

[Liquidice]

That was one of my main gripes against the idea. There are so many sites of real historical significance in Virginia that it seemed daft to build a park full of fake history in the same area, and only a few miles from a real Civil War battlefield.

I always assumed Disney would have a way to do it and make it really fun to learn about and interesting. I think it is a lot better now, but back then a lot of these historical places were boring and dry (at least thats what younger me remembers lol) ... not the Smithsonian museums mind you, but some of these historical locations.

Making learning about it interesting and fun at Disney would then make visiting the real sites even better imho - kindof like how having a world pavilion in Epcot helps to increase tourism to your country (at least thats the idea and it worked for some countries like Norway.

 

[warrenz1963]

If you're interested in the larger picture of Manassas battlefield preservation (not just the Disney controversy), check out Battling for Manassas by Joan Zenzen. It's listed on Amazon, but is quite expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Battling-Man...isney's+america+manassas,stripbooks,73&sr=1-1

I was able to borrow it from my local library.

 

[Jonfw2]

The idea of a park that could teach something about history while being a Disney destination is outstanding. The location was absolutely brainless.

 

[KayMichigan]

The idea of a park that could teach something about history while being a Disney destination is outstanding. The location was absolutely brainless.

Well, they need a warm weather state so the park could stay open enough months of the year to turn a profit. But studies showed that even in Virginia it would have to be closed several months a year due to winter weather, so yeah, that wasn't a good spot for it for lots of reasons!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I do remember it was to be Virginia. We are in NH, so VA would have been great for a drive rather than flight and I was disappointed it never happened. I'm guessing the fact that it snows in VA was also a factor. Goodness, it would never be built now...can you imagine the protesters?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Well, they need a warm weather state so the park could stay open enough months of the year to turn a profit. But studies showed that even in Virginia it would have to be closed several months a year due to winter weather, so yeah, that wasn't a good spot for it for lots of reasons!

Paris gets snow and is a lot further north than Virginia and it stays open all year.

 

[Leigh L]

I always assumed Disney would have a way to do it and make it really fun to learn about and interesting. I think it is a lot better now, but back then a lot of these historical places were boring and dry (at least thats what younger me remembers lol) ... not the Smithsonian museums mind you, but some of these historical locations.

Making learning about it interesting and fun at Disney would then make visiting the real sites even better imho - kindof like how having a world pavilion in Epcot helps to increase tourism to your country (at least thats the idea and it worked for some countries like Norway.

Agree, but the countries aren't really in Epcot's backyard like this park would have been?

Too close to DC I think maybe even would have been a deterrent. People can spend an entire week in DC and still catch mostly highlights. (I'm here 15+ years and visit historic places all the time, and still have a bucket list )

I think Disney could have done a history park well most likely, but too close to DC I think maybe wasn't the place for it. My initial thought was they could have explored putting it down somewhere off the I-81 corridor going south or even in central Virginia (close enough for a side excursion and isolated enough to be a primary destination). Or even another state.

 

[Liquidice]

Agree, but the countries aren't really in Epcot's backyard like this park would have been?

Too close to DC I think maybe even would have been a deterrent. People can spend an entire week in DC and still catch mostly highlights. (I'm here 15+ years and visit historic places all the time, and still have a bucket list )

I think Disney could have done a history park well most likely, but too close to DC I think maybe wasn't the place for it. My initial thought was they could have explored putting it down somewhere off the I-81 corridor going south or even in central Virginia (close enough for a side excursion and isolated enough to be a primary destination). Or even another state.

True - I guess I just read that Disney's vision is tourists coming to Washington DC would come to Disney for 1-2 days while they are already in DC checking out the museums and historical sites, so this would be like a bonus to it - you saw the actual White House, now check out the fun Disney version of it or something like that

 

[Jhoyer5150]

In retrospect its good the park wasn't constructed - particularly with the weather element, it'd have likely never been a performer $wise anywhere close to the same level as their other resorts, and that's not even considering the political ramifications and historians and protesters etc. It seemed a curious undertaking from the get go given Disney at that point had fairly recently walked away from both the ambitious and groundbreaking DisneySea project (1991) and WestCot project (1992/93) in California, both of which would have been far more spectacular and groundbreaking than the concept of Disney's America. Moreover, by 1995 Disney was knee deep in EuroDisney problems, Frank Wells had been killed, and Eisner's heart attack had sidelined him a bit. The timing, as much as anything, felled this idea.

One good result was the nascent idea of SOARIN' was first cultivated for Disney's America. It became one of the few standout attractions to materialize in the original Disney's California Adventure, which was sadly indicative of late Eisner shoestring budget theme park policy.

 

[mdguy429]

Agree, but the countries aren't really in Epcot's backyard like this park would have been?

Too close to DC I think maybe even would have been a deterrent. People can spend an entire week in DC and still catch mostly highlights. (I'm here 15+ years and visit historic places all the time, and still have a bucket list )

I think Disney could have done a history park well most likely, but too close to DC I think maybe wasn't the place for it. My initial thought was they could have explored putting it down somewhere off the I-81 corridor going south or even in central Virginia (close enough for a side excursion and isolated enough to be a primary destination). Or even another state.

IIRC, weren't there rumors of them doing a hotel at National Harbor as well?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

IIRC, weren't there rumors of them doing a hotel at National Harbor as well?

It was going to be a DVC property as I recall.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Paris gets snow and is a lot further north than Virginia and it stays open all year.

Quick Google search shows that Paris averages about 2-2.5" of snow each year. That area of VA averages over 20". Quite a big difference. Average temperatures in the winter months are also lower in that area of VA compared to Paris.

 

[Jrb1979]

Well, they need a warm weather state so the park could stay open enough months of the year to turn a profit. But studies showed that even in Virginia it would have to be closed several months a year due to winter weather, so yeah, that wasn't a good spot for it for lots of reasons!

I disagree with needing to be open year round to make a profit. The other 2 parks in Virginia do just fine and they aren't open year round.

 

[SteveAZee]

I disagree with needing to be open year round to make a profit. The other 2 parks in Virginia do just fine and they aren't open year round.

I think they worked the numbers to get a decent ROI being closed 2 months out of the year. I think part of the problem was that it ended up looking more like 3 or 4 months they'd need to be closed, and that had an impact. The other two parks in Virginia are probably set up to make an expected return that is decent, though perhaps not stellar. Disney projects seem to require a larger than normal ROI to be approved.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Quick Google search shows that Paris averages about 2-2.5" of snow each year. That area of VA averages over 20". Quite a big difference. Average temperatures in the winter months are also lower in that area of VA compared to Paris.

Wow I wouldn’t have thought it was that different.

 

[Liquidice]

I live not far from where Disney's America would have been built and it is hit or miss with snow in this area. Some years - like this past year we got 15.8" total. In 2020-2021 we got about 12" of snow total and in 2019-20 it was even less than that, around 2.9" total snowfall. But then there are years where we've gotten 52.8" and 73.2"!

But the snow tends to come in January/February sometimes March and then be done.

https://www.weather.gov/media/lwx/climate/iadsnow.pdf

When it snows any reasonable amount though - the whole area shuts down.