The Original Park Map for EuroDisney / Disneyland Paris. There Was Much More Planned Than What Was Built!

Here is one of the original park maps showing what Imagineering had planned for EuroDisney aka EuroDisneyland aka Disneyland Paris. For a park that has remained relatively stagnant for decades- which may be a good thing given Disney's lousy track record with newer projects that seemed half-baked- the original park's plans were rich with ideas and variety. Just look at what was fleshed out besides what was originally built! You might be amazed. I won't give any secrets away, but you can enlarge this map to see it for yourself.

Walt Disney Studios Paris was an instant bust and a drain on the resort's finances. It took years and lots of cash to re-emerge as Disney Adventure World. Maybe, just maybe, some of these ideas for the world's most beautiful castle park will come to fruition now.

This is one of many park maps on the site. I know there's many others for Paris' park too. Enjoy!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Very First Walt Disney World Resort Map

Ever heard of Blackbeard's Island? Yes sir, it is there to be found on the very first report map of Walt Disney World back in 1971. There's a few other unique features as well depicted by the artwork: the original and great 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage attraction in Fantasyland and the Gulf Car Care Center. You could even surf on the Seven Seas Lagoon back in the day. The whole thing just fills the senses with its retro / vintage goodness!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
 

Imagineer Eddie Sotto Reveals Disneyland Paris' Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain at Disneyland Paris? It's been rumored for years. Of course, now that Disney leadership has flipped the attraction into the seemingly less reliable Tiana's Bayou Adventure, it is probably never going to happen. But former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reveals the truth.
 

Look at these images that show the proposed plan for the French park. There it is, plain as day: Zip A Dee River Run aka Splash Mountain. Rights next to the Cowboy Cookout restaurant in the real frontier of Frontierland, just below the thematic crossover into Adventureland.

Want to see Imagineering's concept art for it? I happen to have it here.

You'd think this would be my favorite reveal of Mr. Sotto's. But check out this amazing story (with concept art) by the man as he reveals a plan for New Orleans Square at Disneyland. an unbuilt project that still has a remnant of what was planned in Walt's park today.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Monday Morning at Disneyland, 1959.

 

Walt Disney's newest experiment, Disneyland, was a beloved success! Since its opening in 1955 millions of guests entered the gates, drawn in by television and the honest to goodness fact that Walt Disney's company produced high quality work regardless of the media they used. (Note to Robert Iger and company: Quality work results in long term profits.)

The land of tomorrow might have been shortchanged at opening with attractions that were mostly corporate exhibits, but by 1959, that was changed for good. The impact of adding the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Submarine Voyage, and the Monorail cannot be understated. Guest numbers were at one million for 1955, but by this expansion, the park was now running at 5 million. Not too shabby for something critics thought would fail.

Tomorrowland was now a destination unto itself- and a much more beautiful one with a shimmering lagoon and a snow covered mountain.

Beginning a day at Disneyland with a leisurely stroll down Main Street U.S.A., guests now had to decide whether to head straight to the beloved Jungle Cruise on one side of the park or head to the other and experience the newest and most compelling to date attractions. 

Perhaps the best plan was to go to Frontierland and explore the Old West before the crowds hit. The East vs. West debate continues to this day.  Maybe the best plan is straight through the castle to ride Peter Pan's Flight or the equally beloved Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. 

From Daveland.

As you can see in the rendering above, Tomorrowland now had a wide variety of choices with attractions to suit just about anyone. Thrill ride? Check. Outer space adventure? Yes. Liquid space journey? A long time favorite. You could drive a car even if you were underage. Visit the House of the Future. Ride in a Rocket Jet. And hop aboard the transportation of the future. 

What a beautiful world Tomorrowland was! At least for another 15 or so years. Until it wasn't. But for now, just imagine a glorious day in the Land of the Future in 1959. It's all there waiting for you!

Design Detail: Shanghai Disneyland's Treasure Cove

Design detail is what used to make the Disney parks unique. It's not exclusive to them anymore as Universal Creative has made huge strides to transform old spaces into highly detailed ones as well as create modern day theme park masterpieces. Their Diagon Alley at Islands of Adventure is the best single Intellectual Property themed land ever. (Proof is here.) But that is not to say Disney Imagineering has given up on delivering lands rich in artistry and hidden design gems to discover.

In spite of how large the park is and how this creates a lack of charm, Shanghai Disneyland holds a fair amount of design detail. When the lands feel sterile (surprisingly, Fantasyland for example), it's really bad. But when it's good, it's really good.

When it comes to Mainland China's Disney park - let's be clear here, it is not the other way around- it seems everyone is focusing on Zootopia right now. That's expected as it is brand new, but I'd like to look at a different area instead. The pirate themed Treasure Cove is also an example of great design. 

Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure excels in this area. From entrance to queue to the incredible attraction itself, Imagineering hit a grand slam! 

But on the smaller side of the scale, take a look at the top photo of the almost hidden prison cel just above the waterline of the bay that straddles both Treasure Cove and Adventure Isle. There's a skeleton of the last prisoner peering out from behind the bars. You can only see if from the canoes, but it is something that they did not have to add. These thoughtful touches bring something to the park that most guests probably can't put their finger on, but when found all over, they add a depth and richness to the entire park.  Storytelling at its finest.

Here's one more to be found in Treasure Cove...

There's more design detail posts on the blog as these are part of what make great theme parks compelling. At least to me. And probably to you as well if you've read this far!

(Photographer unknown.)

Find Any Disneyland Map Here

Looking for that special era map of Disneyland? Maybe you want to see how Disney California Adventure was laid out at opening. Check out when individual attractions made their debut and when they disappeared. (How long was Superstar Limo around?) Perhaps you want to know what the whole Disneyland Resort is made up of. Then take a look at this little website: DLRMaps.com. It's a treasure trove of goodness!

A EuroDisneyland Map Without Space Mountain: De la Terre a la Lune

EuroDisney, Euro Disneyland, or Disneyland Paris? Whichever name you prefer, there's no denying it is one gorgeous park! Here's an 1992 opening day guide map that's quite a beautiful piece. You can see there's no Space Mountain yet (or Space Mountain: De la Terre a la Lune- "From the Earth to the Moon") in Discoveryland. The Jules Verne themed adventure would open a few years later, saving the park from a devastating closure due to dismal hotel bookings. 

Will this incredible original Parisian park ever seen a worthy addition? Who knows. The suits and Imagineers are well into planning for the dismal Walt Disney Studios second gate- still the worst park ever created by Disney. It's the French theme park equivalent of Disney's Hollywood Studios but without the charm or attraction line up. For now. Stay tuned.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The New Orleans Square You've Never Seen

It's no secret that the Disney Imagineers always have something brewing, some tricks up their sleeve, or some special unannounced project that they are working on. That is true today, and it was true in the days of Walt Disney as well. Take a closer look at this 1958 map of Disneyland. Do you see what I see?  Yes, the elegant New Orleans Square is clearly on the map, but the positioning of the attractions, buildings and streets is very different than the end result.

The once planned Pirates of the Caribbean themed Wax Museum walk through is there as is a Haunted House aka Haunted Mansion. 

Disneyland map circa 1958- More detail up close.

By the time the land opened in 1966 and Pirates opened in Spring of 1967, the finalization of all the efforts brought something different than what we know today. 

The original entrance to perhaps Imagineering's most perfect attraction.

Hidden behind this understated but beautiful facade, lies one of the most unique, atmospheric, and thrilling attractions ever to be created by Walt Disney and his team at Imagineering.

The much shorter interior queue had enough space for everyone as this high capacity ride looks hoards of guests by the boatload into the bayou and beyond. And they came by the thousands every day! 

A classic attraction poster for a groundbreaking attraction.

In the years when there were few additions to the park but crowds continued to come, the line spilled into the nearby area. Guests were routed next to the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Eventually, Fast Pass meant standby lines became unbearable. There was always a mob making it impossible to move easily. Those in charge of Walt's park decided to build a bridge between Adventureland and New Orleans Square to let the line for Pirates snake under it. 

New Orleans Square today.

The move was a design blunder that removed the classic feel of the area. Yet, you can't blame them for attempting to improve crowd flow and guest satisfaction. No one likes to be part of gridlock. There's enough of that on Southern California's freeways!

Want a closer look at the history of this swashbuckling attraction? You can find a mega-post here and take a look at Pirates of the Caribbean as it's found at the Magic Kingdom in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and even in the Jack Sparrow inspired adventure in Shanghai Disneyland. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The World Map Project

After spending yesterday painting my old tired office the perfect shade of blue/green, (Thank you Joanna Gaines), it's now time to find the perfect world map. What a chore! There's seemingly hundreds of them. 

What's a guy to do when his job means traveling to many different places and the need to get creative designing itineraries with often unique connecting routes? I go to the map and look for ideas.

Plus, having a world map in my office has been a tradition since my oldest son gifted me with one. (Truth be told, I unintentionally tore that one taking it down.) Let the search continue...

Full Color Disneyland Map of 1963

The year is 1963, and Walt Disney's pet project Disneyland is on the cusp of some pretty spectacular attractions. The Enchanted Tiki Room had just debuted to stunning reviews. How could it not? It was an Audio-Animatronic stage show full of tiki culture, charm, and terrific music. Adventureland would never be the same.

Main Street U.S.A. would soon be home to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, a brand New Tomorrowland was on the park's horizon, and in between the park's first new land New Orleans Square would arrive with   the attraction that would once again raise the bar for all theme parks: Pirates of the Caribbean. 

This map is worth blowing up and checking out what Walt's park looked like in the early years. So much is gone, but so much remains almost 60 years later. The last two decades of the Disneyland's additions have been a mixed bag, but I certainly wish there would be someone at the helm of the company who had one single once of Walt's creativity- and his desire to give park guests the best experience possible for the high prices charged to get into the park. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)