Disneyland's Unbuilt Discovery Bay Comes to Life!

Did you know you don't have to go all the way to Disneyland Paris to see portions of Tony Baxter's unbuilt Discovery Bay? Of course, this master Imagineer slid some of the land into the French park, but as you can see, it also exists somewhere else. Above is a photograph and below is the concept art.

Ok, ok. It's AI generated. But look at what could be! Below, is an even better image to let you grieve even more about what the Walt Disney Company passed on decades ago. Imagineering can build wonders - even from original ideas- when given the chance. 

AI "reality"above, and the original Disneyland concept art below.

Doesn't it make you with the Island at the Top of the World film was a huge hit instead of a bomb? This incredible land would have nestled itself so well between Fantasyland and Frontierland with its San Francisco Barbary Coast theme! If you want to read about why this concept never made it off the boards and the jealousy that runs within the halls of Imagineering, take a look at this post.

Another Look at Disneyland's Unbuilt Discovery Bay

Every few years or so, it seems as if unseen concept art surfaces for Disneyland's unbuilt and abandoned concept Discovery Bay. Today, I present one more. Imagineer Tony Baxter (don't you wish he'd write a book?!?) worked with some of the company's best and brightest to get it just right. Here, this concept art by Harper Goff gives us a great picture of what the future should have held.

 In the area now occupied by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, this ambitious project would have hosted a variety of attractions, shops and great restaurants that would have bridged the theme between Fantasyland and Frontierland. A San Francisco of the Golden Age (think some steam punk here) would house a major E Ticket attraction based on the film Island at the Top of the World while another drew guests in featuring a little dragon friend of a blustering and lovable professor type character. Does this sound like Figment and Dreamfinder? Yes, it does- and find out more about the project here. 

I won't spill all the beans, but beyond this one article, there's many others on the blog that will help you fill in the picture. It's definitely worth your time! But be forewarned- it may make you wish that Discovery Bay was built instead! 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

New and Very Rare Discovery Bay Art for Disneyland

A brand new and exciting discovery! Here's a rarely seen piece of concept art for the long lost, never built, Discovery Bay at Disneyland. On the back of this piece is the stamp from Disney, proving its authenticity.

One of the premier attractions, Island at the Top of the World, would have certainly drawn guests. And what a large surprise they would have encountered. But the movie flopped, and all was put to rest.

Imagineer Tony Baxter never did get the permission to go ahead and lead the build out of the land originally set to be artistically wedged between Frontierland and Fantasyland, but that didn't stop him from getting bits and pieces of it into Disneyland Paris.

Island was the farthest thing from a movie box office hit.

Looks like many parts made it to Disneyland Paris!

More Disney and dinosaurs! Always a great pairing.

Where can we find them in the theme parks?

Read more here.

The late 19th Century Barbary Coast / San Francisco area provided inspiration for a variety of attractions- much more than just the two we'll find in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it premiers in a few months. Much, much more.

The unbuilt Spark Gap Coaster.

Proposed Coaster Attraction Poster. Say that fast three times!

Fireworks Factory shooting gallery with the Discovery Bay Lighthouse.

How about a new-fangled shooting gallery? The Fireworks Factory would have fit right in place in the Chinatown mini area. These kind of smaller attractions still have their place in the theme parks, bringing charm and variety, fully fleshing out the main story. They also disperse the crowds!

Did you know EPCOT Center's very famous beloved little purple dragon had a role at Disneyland long ago?

Does "Professor Marvel" and his dragon friend look a bit familiar?

They should!

Professor Marvel's incredible Gallery of Illusion.

Visitors to Discovery Bay would cruise along a classic Disney flume ride! This exciting encounter with dinosaurs would sit next to a mega dark ride on the Hyperion airship through the movie's icy environment. Nearby, Professor Marvel would host some hands on adventures and his little dragon friend. 

A very different version of the area's map.

Fully colorized map.

EPCOT Center's much adored original Journey into Imagination truly had its roots in Tony's plan for Disneyland. Nothing really ever does go to waste, does it?

The classic concept art.

One last version of the map.

Discovery Bay only exists now in our minds. As with other unbuilt masterpieces such as Western River Expedition for the Magic Kingdom and the also unrealized Atlantis Expedition for Walt's park, Tony Baxter's Discovery Bay has been relegated to the Disney fandom history.

One day, Disney may one again take another look at the concept. Once they can turn it into a successful film and Intellectual Property. Until then, we can just about forget it.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

More Discovery Bay Art- and the Connection to Figment

Steampunk is not dead. Not even at Disney. although this may just be an educated guess. (See the end of the post.) Which leads me to the iconic but never realized Discovery Bay. Maybe I'm a bit obsessed with all the never built attractions designed by those incredible Imagineers. Maybe you are as well! There's a reason. Even though these ideas may be extraordinary, and the Imagineers do what they do extremely well, sometimes, it just doesn't work out. 

It would be easy to decry the current leadership at only building attractions that come from movie box office hits, and you'd be fairly accurate in making that assumption. For theme park fans, unfortunately, that's been going on for quite awhile.

Back in 1974, the highly ambitious film Island at the Top of the World debuted to a collective thud. How did this impact the Imagineers plan for Discovery Bay at Disneyland? Well, this pet project had a major attraction based on the film. 

Disney and dinosaurs have always made a perfect match.

Where are they in the parks?

Read more here.

When the film bombed, it created less of an interest in what would have been a stunningly incredible addition to Disneyland, successfully bridging Frontierland to Fantasyland by adding a late 19th Century Barbary Coast / San Francisco area chock full of attractions. 

The Spark Gap Coaster.

Proposed Coaster Poster.

What kind of attractions, you ask? Besides the chance to dine inside the Nautilus submarine and shop in unique stores, there would be an electric "Spark Gap" coaster.

Fireworks Factory and Discovery Bay's Lighthouse.

A new high tech shooting gallery would have been a fine diversion for guests of all ages. Befitting the Chinatown section of the new steampunk looking area, the Fireworks Factory was sure to be a hit!

Does Professor Marvel and his dragon friend look familiar?

Professor Marvel's Gallery of Illusion.

Guests would also enjoy a classic Disney flume ride to an exciting encounter with dinosaurs, an iconic traditional but mega dark ride via the Hyperion airship through the movie's icy environment, and a fun-house / exhibit type attraction with Professor Marvel and his little dragon friend. Sound familiar?

A different version of the area's map.

Colorized map.

Yes, EPCOT Center's beloved Journey into Imagination- not the newer bastardized versions of the original- had its roots in a never built Disneyland attraction. Figment changed his pigment, but other than that, his look is intact. 

The classic concept art.

As park fans know all too well, this extremely ambitious and stylized Disneyland expansion never materialized, and Discovery Bay never made it past the drawing boards. Along with Western River Expedition for the Florida Magic Kingdom and the unrealized Atlantis Expedition for the first California park, Tony Baxter's Discovery Bay has been relegated to the history books with pieces found particularly in Paris. For now.

With the revived interest in Steampunk as evidenced by The Edison restaurant / bar/ entertainment palace, Disney may one again consider something as elegant and timeless as Discovery Bay.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Unbuilt Discovery Bay in Depth

A very pleasant find for a Saturday morning read with a cup of coffee: Theme Park Tourist's great five page article on why Imagineer Tony Baxter's Discovery Bay was never built. It's a bit more complicated than first thought, but how pieces of the attraction made it into other Disney parks is pure genius. Definitely worth a read! Go here.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tony Baxter's Discovery Bay

Long lost Imagineering projects always fascinate me- and this incredible piece of concept art for the never-built Discovery Bay is darn near top of the list when it comes to abandoned attractions for Disneyland. 

Soon to be Disney Legend Tony Baxter created this land to showcase a variety of thrilling new adventures. Island at the Top of the World was the newest film from Disney at the time. It was ambitious and flawed, a complete flop. Guess where this left Tony's pet project? 

Now relegated to the heap of artwork left behind- and right into the annals of projects that would never come to pass in their original form. Pieces would find its way into Disneyland Paris, however. Take a closer look by clicking on the top image.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disneyland's Discovery Bay: A Tale of Extinction

Long ago in a company far, far, away, there lived an incredibly talented Imagineer who had much respect and success in the Magic Kingdom. The people adored him, his mountains were beloved, and his work brought in the crowds. The rulers of the kingdom grew bitterly jealous, banishing this artist to small projects that only enhanced what was already built. Yet, the artist also became a beloved knight, protecting the legacy of King Walt to the cheering people.

In place of real rich attractions full of elaborate sets, charming characters, and special effects, there was a new emphasis: build it cheap, build it fast, and replace the art of the kingdom with a sea of television screens and cartoon characters. Besides, it would just be too embarrassing to the ruler if the subjects of the kingdom dared to compare the newer, less successful and artistic attractions to those a true Imagineer could design.

Eventually, a new king appeared on the horizon, riding the throne of the infamous King Walt, promising to reinstate the artist who trained under the masters of old. Alas, the new king also broke his promise, and the talented Imagineer was once again banished, banished until his time came to leave the kingdom he so respected, understood, and treasured.

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Such is the current state of Imagineer Tony Baxter within the Walt Disney Company.

Yes, his projects demanded the accountants break loose and release the cash, but the end results were usually stunning and worth the risk. However, this is a new Disney. Tony's great projects are bound for extinction, and sadly, so is he. He is now relegated to small but noticeable projects, remaking Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk through, and numerous other little things to keep him busy.

One creation of great interest remains unrealized in its original form, but pieces can be found in a kingdom far away from California.

The unbuilt Discovery Bay land for Disneyland was the pet project of this Imagineer extraordinaire. Designed to recall a turn of the century San Francisco Bay era, the centerpiece was to be the magnificent Island at the Top of the World attraction. Like too many ideas before and after, Discovery Bay was not to be. The movie on which the key attraction was based died at the theaters. As this was the new criteria for attractions even back then, Disney executives brought the project to a halt, effectively putting an end to the ambitious Disneyland addition and boat ride.

At Disney, many great stories and attractions are killed off, but many return in another manner- and a sneaky little game is played, inserting long lost and never realized scenes into other attractions. This was done with pieces of Marc Davis' Western River Expedition. Pieces of it found its way into Epcot's World of Motion as well as Spaceship Earth, and in a sense, even Disneyland Paris.

A decade and half later after the project was first shelved, Baxter revived part of his Discovery Bay project, incorporating its heart and soul into Disneyland Paris' Discoveryland. A brilliant move and a beautiful and unique addition to the already stunning European masterpiece.

Perhaps even later, the above concept had minds at Imagineering stirring as they viewed old ideas for a possible fit into Dinoland U.S.A. at Disney's Animal Kingdom. That tale hasn't come to light but is still within the realm of possibility.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)