Walt Disney was the creative genius behind a full length animated film ,and a family theme park. What about his other ideas that weren’t realized?
Progress City
Walt Disney was a futurist. If you thought Disneyland was ambitious just wait until you hear what Progress City entailed. Instead of creating a vacation destination. Walt set out to create a city of tomorrow. This would be the first city to test out and then it would roll out in other areas across the world. Progress City would feature a 30 story hotel, playgrounds, schools, and houses. People would commute by PeopleMover. A airport would connect Progress City to the real world. Walt wanted to have laboratories and factories that were open to visitors in his city.
It’s a shame that the company never followed his plans for a futuristic community. Although the company would of faced challenges while building it. A city that has a PeopleMover and a Monorail sounds appealing for most and hopefully one day should be built. Ideas that Walt dreamed up for Progress City were implemented into EPCOT Center. Walt’s perfect futuristic, utopian society will have to wait.
Walt Disney may of had Disneyland but Walt Disney World and Progress City was going to be his greatest achievement. Walt loved the idea of Progress City so much he talked about it with Roy on his death bed.
Walt Disney’s Boyhood Farm
Before Walt Disney’s death he was planning a project in his hometown of Marceline, MO. Although Walt lived in many places his happiest period was living on the farm. Walt Disney’s Boyhood Farm wasn’t going to be a resort of another version of Disneyland. Instead, it would have been a working farm, visitors would be able to learn about agriculture, and the origins of the food on their plates, as well as enjoying the simple pleasures of country living. Seems very similar to Living with the Land. This same concept would be brought up by the company in the nineties for Disney’s America theme park. That project similar to this one would not happen. When Walt died, the idea for the Boyhood Farm did not happen. As his brother Roy began to focus only on the opening of Walt Disney World.
Marceline, MO does have a Walt Disney inspired attraction. It is the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. Although it isn’t the Boyhood Farm they still got an attraction based off of their most famous citizen.
Disney’s Mineral King Ski Resort
Walt Disney was thinking of ways on how to make the Disney Vacation Club membership stretch its value. Before the Disney Vacation Club existed. Disney was planning a ski resort that would attract 2.5 million visitors per year. The expected cost for the resort was $35 million.
The resort would feature restaurants, shops, a chapel, and an ice rink. More restaurants would be scattered through the valley and on mountain tops. There would be a total of 14 ski lifts. In the months leading up to Walt’s death progress was made. The state of California granted the project $3 million, and groups were seeking more funding for the project. Unlike, the first two dreams I mentioned. The company actually sticked with the Mineral King project. Seeing the overall value in having another resort property. Many feared that the construction and roads would ruin the nearby National Parks and its natural beauty.
The project was eventually dropped. Country Bears Jamboree was a element of Mineral King that was later incorporated into the Magic Kingdom.
It’s shocking like I mentioned earlier that the Disney Vacation Club hasn’t tried to develop a ski resort property. Many skiers would love to stay at a Disney resort. Even non-skiers would love to stay at a property and get away. Disney could offer activities that didn’t involve skiing and it would become popular. Maybe, Disney doesn’t want to get involved with that market or maybe they are still developing it. Who knows but either way it would be cool to get a new Disney property outside of the normal Parks and Resorts. Similar to Aulani. A stand alone Disney property that sells itself. That’s what a Mineral King would be.
Reflecting back on three of Walt Disney’s dreams I have realized that the man probably even had more dreams that weren’t even discussed. These were just the dreams that were discussed.
What about all the dreams he talked about to his family? I wonder if we will ever learn more about some of Walt Disney’s brilliant ideas. I also titled the article Some of Walt Disney’s Dreams That Haven’t Been Realized Yet for a clear reason. I still believe in these ideas. Mostly Progress City and Mineral King Ski Resort but a Boyhood Farm could still do. You can never have enough attractions dedicated to the life of Walt Disney.
I believe someday that Progress City will come true. Maybe it’s not from the Walt Disney Company. It could be a different developer but I believe Walt’s ideas would be implemented. It wouldn’t be a utopian society. As long as there is people, there will never be a utopian society. At least Progress City would be futuristic and could change lives.
Mineral King Ski Resort easily could become a Disney Vacation Club property at a different location. With Walt Disney Imagineering designing the property it would instantly become a Disney must-do. Both ideas live up to today’s standards.
So all three of Walt’s ideas could happen still. Will they happen though? That’s a difficult question to answer but coming from a fan I sure hope so.
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief at the Boardwalk Times.
