November 10, 2008

Discovery Bay Resurfaces

The infamous Discovery Bay was a pet project of Imagineer extraordinaire Tony Baxter. Recalling a turn of the century San Francisco Bay era, the centerpiece was to be the magnificent Island at the Top of the World attraction. It was not to be. The movie on which the key attraction was based became a relative flop at the theaters causing Disney executives to bring the project to a halt, effectively putting an end to the ambitious Disneyland addition and boat ride.

At Disney, however, as many great stories and attractions survive are as killed, but many return in another manner. A decade and half later, Baxter revived part of the project as part of Disneyland Paris' Discoveryland. A brilliant move and a beautiful and unique addition to the European masterpiece.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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