CWTrust Disneys America

[Norman Dasinger Jr]

Today, I have been reflecting of Disneys 1993 proposal to build a theme park in Price William Co, VA. I remember opposing the development back then but could the money made from the park have saved historic sites all over the US? I know they totally botched the slavery issue with some of the early comments made by one of the leaders of Disney. But, as a unifying force that considered all aspects of history, could the now out of balance perception of our modern historians and general public have been altered - for the better? What if money generated could have been used for ____________ (fill in the blank).

I have been reading old articles about the project and watching old TV new reports off and on all day. And it made me think about some 'what ifs'

 

[Fairfield]

If ends did justify means, then perhaps you might regret your opposition. But we can't do the wrong thing in expectation of a positive ending. That's an old belief: Biblical (Romans 3:8.), philosophical and in animal welfare. It's that simple.

Your initial instincts were spot on. Would the municipal authority that gained this money have shared it with historical sites elsewhere? Of course not: the authority has--by law--prioritized its own municipality. Would Disney (or some other commercial venture) have actually eased up on its attempts to utilize historic sites for profit? Not likely: corporations have obligations to their shareholders--and not to heritage preservation.

 

[Story]

Disney does what's good for Disney.
It would behoove all to remember that.​

 

[bayonet]

Disney does what's good for Disney.
It would behoove all to remember that.​

Disney is a money making machine. Mickey took quite a bit of my money many years ago due to my Daughters in Cheerleading. Their team being way too good, so every year for several years we'd go there for the National Championships. This past November we went again (I was dragged there) and the prices were outrageous. I was shocked at the packed crowds, Covid whats that! One park 4 of the rides broke down. I would not trust Disney near any historical landmark period! It's just big business and can't be trusted to preserve heritage.

 

[jackt62]

I would not trust Disney near any historical landmark period! It's just big business and can't be trusted to preserve heritage.

Agreed. Leave historic preservation to those groups that were established for that purpose.

 

[Tony Z]

Not much different than the casino proposal at Gettysburg. Municipal infrastructure inadequate to support the development would quickly eat up any funds available from the FOR PROFIT developers. Both areas would have also suffered horribly from the road systems.

 

[Zack]

nm

 

[Norman Dasinger Jr]

I wrote this yesterday---------------------

Disney's America

29 years later



By Norman Dasinger, Jr

November 11, 1993, the Walt Disney Company announced a planned theme park near Haymarket, Virginia and five miles from the Manassas National Battlefield. It would have consisted of nine distinctly themed areas. It was scheduled to open in 1998 with a $650 million budget (over 1 billion today). Then CEO Michael Eisner stated the genesis for Disney's America was sparked by a visit taken by him and others to Colonial Williamsburg. Disney's America became Eisner's pet project. He obtained support from outgoing Governor Douglas Wilder and incoming Governor George Allen. Allen promised to 'kick down any hurdles that would hold up the park'. The head of the Haymarket Historical Commission supported the project, as well.

Bob Weis, Disney Senior Vice-President said, "We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the Underground Railroad." It would be "an ideal complement to visiting Washington Museums, monuments and national treasures." Eisner added, "We believe that every person, particularly children, who can touch history and sense the emotions of a time or event, will be impelled to learn more. This is the vision and purpose of Disney's America."

Peter Rummell, president of Disney Design & Development, declared, "the park was designed to be a one-day experience and the goal was to make history real but also make it fun . . . an intelligent story properly told shouldn't offend anybody . . . we won't worry about being politically correct."

The 9 themed areas included:

Crossroads USA- a pre Civil war village that would have served as the hub of the park and included steam trains.

Native America- A recreation of a Native American village

Presidents' Square- A celebration of the birth of Democracy and those who fought to preserve it

Civil War Fort- To include an adjacent replica battlefield where re-enactments would be conducted and a manmade lake where water battles between the Monitor and Merrimac would have been staged.

Enterprise- A mock factory town where guests could have ridden a roller coaster through a 19th​ century industrial factory

We the People- A replica of Ellis Island with music, restaurants and live shows

Family Farm- Guests would have had the opportunity to see different types of food production and hands on experiences

State Fair- A Midwest style carnival with live baseball games and Coney Island themed rides including a 60 foot Ferris wheel

Victory Field – Guests would have experienced what America's soldiers faced in WWII battles. It would have been set up as a large air field with virtual reality rides including one named 'Dogfighter'.

Also included were resort hotels, an RV park, a 27 hole golf course and two million square feet of retail space.

Public opposition to the theme park and associated development was stronger than Disney expected, especially from a prominent group of historians. David McCullough, who had just narrated Ken Burns' 1990 PBS series The Civil War, described the proposal as a 'potential commercial blitzkrieg'. Arthur Schlesinger said "I just think it's tremendously important to protect American history from developers." Other national historians that aligned against Disney included: C. Vann Woodward, James M McPherson, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Shelby Foote. In the fall of 1994, Ralph Nader led a crowd of 3,000 protesters on a march in Washington DC opposing Disney. Soon after, it was announced that the park would not be built. Disney put the 600 acres of land up for sale. It was purchased by William B Snyder who began to sell off portions to residential home developers. Since that time, the former Disney property has been used to build thousands of houses with the exception of a tract donated to the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts, who used the land to create Camp Snyder.