This is a concept drawn by Dan Goozee. Splash Mnt. is a ride based on the story and movie, Song of the South, featuring my favorite Disney characters, Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, and Brer Fox. This idea was first sprouted in 1983 by Imagineer Tony Baxter. He was thinking how, then Bear Country needed a major ride, since all it had was the Country Bear Hoedown. So he thought of using Song of the South. They closed down America Sings, a tribute to the Bicentennial, which was 10 years before, and used the Audio-Animatronics for the ride. It was finally finished in 1989, and opened in June of 89.
Here are some concept drawings of a new part of Main Street, it would be China Town. These were drawn by Herb Ryman. There would be authentic Chinese restaraunts, shops and a new show, featuring Confucius. The show was written by the comic Wally Boag, he played for a long time in Frontierland. It would be a funny show, with some cool special effects. Like there would be a big dragon on the wall when you walk in, and when the show started, it would come to life and introduce Confucius. This area would be on a cross street of Main Street, where the lockers are now. It was put on hold, since they had planned Liberty Street or Edison Square, much like Liberty Square at Walt Disney World. But then both plans were dumped.
This is a picture of an early concept for the Snow White vehicles. They would each be a different dwarf, like today, but they would actually have a statue of the dwarf on the front of the car. This one is of Dopey, my favorite dwarf.
This is another concept of the ride vehicles, but for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. This is actually almost identical to the ones that are there, but on the fron they say "Toady" or "Weasel" or one of the names of the other character's from Wind in the Willows.
Here is a pic of the original idea for the Dumbo ride. It would be Pink Elephants. I wonder what the Mothers Against Drunk Driving would of done ;) Anyways, this is just like the original Dumbo ride, except for the Elephants were actually "Dumboes" , and when they first opened, they didn't have Timothy the Mouse on top, because of the tight budget. So Timothy had to wait a while before they got him. In 1982 when they redid Fantasyland, they also redid Dumbo. It was a last minute decision to totally redo it, because the original broke. So, they had the Dumbo ride for Disneyland Paris flown in, since DLP still had a while before opening, so they could build another, but Disneyland's Fantasyland was opening soon. Now Dumbo soars over a fountain, covered with real gold. It's actually very beautiful.
Discovery Bay was an idea for the Rivers of America and Frontierland from the 1970s. It was supposed to be 19th century barbarry coast San Francisco with a heacy Mark Twain, Jules Verne influence. Here is an original sketch by Tony Baxter of all of Discovery Bay. There has been rumors of them bringing this plan back in the near future.
The Mine Train Thru nature's Wonderland was actually a major enhancement to the Rainbow Cavern Mine Train. The Rainbows Cavern Mine Train mostly went through the Painted Desert, and through Rainbow Caverns. Once it was the Mine Train Thru nature's Wonderland, they added a large area, including the forest, rivers, creeks, bridges and Cascade Peak. This is of the Mine Train's size relative of a person and the trestle bridge.
This wax museum was planned for what is now the Pirates of the Caribbean. You will notice the lobby area, and each scene you would view through glass. This would be pretty cool, though I'd much rather have Pirates of the Caribbean. If they had both, that would be cool.
Some of the best concept art is of the castle. This is one of the original, most beautiful concepts. There is actually a few watches you can buy with this on it. As soon as I can I will scan a pic of the concept of the castle how it is today,so you can compare what was changed, by the drawings.
© 1997 pawsha@aol.com
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