Disney in Houston!!!

[CandyMandy]

Originally Posted by doconeill

Well, we did have the "original" Pleasure Island in Wakefield, called the "Disneyland of the Northeast" in it's day (closed 1969).

I guess Pleasure Island was trumped by the shorter lived but much larger Freedomland U.S.A., since the latter park (which was located in the northern reaches of the Bronx in NYC) was often called "Disneyland of the East."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpWcFZ-_LqU[]"

[doconeill]

Originally Posted by CandyMandy

I guess Pleasure Island was trumped by the larger but shorter lived Freedomland U.S.A., since the latter park (which was located in the northern reaches of the Bronx in NYC) was often called "Disneyland of the East."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpWcFZ-_LqU[]"

Built by the same guy, Cornelius Wood, who worked for Walt during the initial design and construction of Disneyland...

[Danibelle]

Originally Posted by CandyMandy

I guess Pleasure Island was trumped by the shorter lived but much larger Freedomland U.S.A., since the latter park (which was located in the northern reaches of the Bronx in NYC) was often called "Disneyland of the East."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpWcFZ-_LqU[]"

I remember visiting this park in 1963 with my aunt and uncle!

[CandyMandy]

Originally Posted by doconeill

Built by the same guy, Cornelius Wood, who worked for Walt during the initial design and construction of Disneyland...

Doc, good catch. You may also know that before he "left" Disney (more on that below) and built Freedomland, Wood built Pleasure Island up in MA and the original Magic Mountain park (which was in Colorado, not CA).

Perhaps the most interesting tangent of the Wood/Walt Disney relationship was the question of what led to Wood leaving and going out on his own as a theme park developer.

Most sources say that Walt and Wood simply had a "falling out." But some others imply the story is much darker (Wood was caught embezelling/planning to "steal" ideas, etc).

Whatever happened, the departure was definitely not amicable; to this day, Disney doesn't acknowledge Wood's deep involvement in the development of Disneyland (Wood picked the site and was a core participant in developing the park layout). Search anything Disney has every published, posted or broadcast on its legacy and you will find absolutely no mention whatsoever of Wood. He literally received the "remove his name from all temples" treatment the Pharaoh gave Moses.

But he is visible -and viewed differently - once you get outside Disney:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.V._Wood

And here is 1955 photo (from a non Disney source) of then Vice President Richard Nixon being given the key to Disneyland by Fess parker. Wood is standing to the right of Nixon.

[doconeill]

Originally Posted by CandyMandy

Doc, good catch. You may also know that before he "left" Disney (more on that below) and built Freedomland, Wood built Pleasure Island up in MA and the original Magic Mountain park (which was in Colorado, not CA).

Yup, when I wrote "built by the same guy", I meant the guy who built Pleasure Island, but then my wording wasn't good.

Although it's hard to verify the claims when no reliable info exists about his involvement with Disneyland...

[Schmeck]

Originally Posted by Planogirl

At least we're not rude.

Untrue generalization right there too! I could tell you a story about a loudmouth Texan that would curl your toes, and have you understand where the idea of the stereotypical ugly American originated

Of course, not all Texans are rude, but they are not all nice either, which can be said for every state in the union.

Could you all just hear the "our castle is bigger and better in Texas" bragging going on if Disney built in Texas

[CandyMandy]

Originally Posted by doconeill

Yup, when I wrote "built by the same guy", I meant the guy who built Pleasure Island, but then my wording wasn't good.

Although it's hard to verify the claims when no reliable info exists about his involvement with Disneyland...

Doc, here's an interesting, well researched and detailed writeup on Wood:

http://hystoracle.blogspot.com/2009/...e-be-your.html

[CandyMandy]

Wow - I just found something that shows what an innovator Wood was. Here is part of a Freedomland U.S.A. flyer from 1960, highlighting the fact the park has a single admission fee covering all attractions. That was revolutionary compared to where Disneyland was at the same time (the infamous A-E ticket books).

[RobOnDisney]

The one I always obsessively wanted, and still do, was Disney's America... Alas it never came to be!







I did a short write up a few years ago.... http://www.disneyfamilyman.com/searc...%27s%20America

[RobOnDisney]

Few other good pieces on it...

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/20...k-project.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto....html?page=all

http://samlanddisney.blogspot.com/20...-part-two.html

[CandyMandy]

Originally Posted by RobOnDisney

The one I always obsessively wanted, and still do, was Disney's America... Alas it never came to be!

True. Freedomland in New York was the closest we've ever seen (and will likely ever see) to an articulation of what Disney's America was aiming to be. Yes, Imagineers were able to employ some of their "Virgina" concepts at California Adventure, but in diluted, fragmented form (everything has to relate to what still ends up being a very uncohesive "California" theme). And an industrial revolution territory/attraction -- which could have been unique and powerful -- is completely absent.

Granted, Disney's vision for an America park was much more refined than what Wood built in 1960, but to his credit Disney in their designing had the benefit of three and a half decades of evolution in technology and its use in theme parks. That stated, it's still striking to see some of the parallels between Freedomland and America, especially the idea of using the civil war as a chance to provide a big, loud full-blown battlefield experience. The version at Freedomland was fun but somewhat cheesy. One can only imagine what Disney's would have been like (a thundering, smoky, nightmarish re-creation of the 9 and 11 inch guns on the Monitor and Merrimac relentlessly hurling tons of metal shot at each other).

[iGoofy]

Originally Posted by Akmayeli

I'm doing the happy dance over here.
http://woodlandsrealestatenews.blogs...sney-land.html

This is still the talk of the town here in The Woodlands. It was an April fools joke from last year. It resurfaced and I haven't run into one person who hasn't brought it up. As much as we wish it was true it isn't so.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

[VikingInMouseEars]

I was living in Houston in the 80s and there were rumors that Disney was buying land just north of Houston for a new theme park. The theme park part was true, but of course the Disney part wasn't. Turned how to be Hanna Barbera Land that lasted all of 2 years before it was sold and turned into a water park.

[fab5friend99]

Disney's not going to The Woodlands, it's going to Katy! About 5 years ago when I lived outside Houston near Katy, one of the guys I rode with on the van told me that Disney was coming to Katy and he was very serious. He was telling me exactly where the land had been purchased etc. I told him I hoped so but don't get your hopes up.

[HollyL]

Originally Posted by Dopey420

Texans will believe anything about Texas. Completely delusional. Texas, ugh!

Okay, that is a really rude comment. I am not a native Texan (born and raised in San Francisco), but I love my new home and am much happier here in Texas living among wonderful Texans than I would be living in crazy liberal land California. Just sayin.......

Texas would be a great place for Disney to open a park, they own a bunch of land about an hour outside of Houston. Why shouldn't Texans believe that Disney may open a park here one day, after all, didn't they just put a cruise ship here (Galveston- 45 mins. south of Houston) ?!