PROJECT FUTURE
The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World
Chad Denver Emerson
185 pages
$14.95
ProjectFutureBook.com
I purchased this book online at Amazon.
For those who have a deep interest in the early history of Walt Disney World or EPCOT, Walt’s vision of the City of Tomorrow, then this book will become a valuable addition to your library. Chad Emerson tells the often glossed over story of how Disney secretly bought enough land in central Florida so that they could fit in Manhattan – twice! Then secure the land use rights in such a manner that gives the Company more control over their property than most Counties in the United States.
Steve Mannheim’s Walt Disney and the Quest for Community was the first book to really dig into the details about the EPCOT’s feasibility. Chad Emerson’s book really fills in the blanks and creates a strong narrative on how Walt’s dream become partially a reality in 1971 where the book ends.
The book starts with a flight over central Florida where Walt and other Disney executives first saw Bay Lake. Somehow, Walt knew that he found what he had been looking for. That day was November 22, 1963.
Walt was able to use the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair to test his Circarama projection system. The 1964 New York World’s Fair gave him the resources to invent new entertainment technologies. It wasn’t long after Disneyland opened that Walt started to look eastward. Of course, he was being courted by cities all across America. But only a few of those opportunities got a serious look.
The book highlights some of the potential Disneyland East locations such as the Meadowland in New Jersey, a Niagara Falls project with the Seagram family, and an indoor facility along the St. Louis waterfront.
One of the book’s strengths is Mr. Emerson goes beyond the often told story of why the St. Louis project never made it off the drawing boards. Usually the story suggests Walt killed the idea after being offended by local beer interests that his park would fail unless it sold alcohol. In fact, the project continued to move forward quite far along in the design phased before two issues would put it aside. Those issues include who was going to pay for the infrastructure – the City or Disney and more importantly, Walt’s lack of interest as Project Future in Florida was starting to move into high gear.
Other potential Disneyland East locations included Signboard Hill in Kansas City Missouri with an early version of the World Showcase, Walt’s hometown Marceline Missouri, and Palm Beach, Florida.
The 1959 Palm Beach project would have been a partnership with the NBC television network. This was the first time the “community of Tomorrow” was mentioned and included a 400-acre theme park and a town center serving a population of 70,000.
In order to keep the price of the land acquisition down, an elaborate scheme of dummy corporations and hidden identities were put together to buy the necessary parcels. Mostly wetlands, farming and grazing land, there was very little development in the area. A few very large parcels, one more than 12,000-acres formed the core of the project.
The 1959 Palm Beach project would have been a partnership with the NBC television network. This was the first time the “community of Tomorrow” was mentioned and included a 400-acre theme park and a town center serving a population of 70,000.
In order to keep the price of the land acquisition down, an elaborate scheme of dummy corporations and hidden identities were put together to buy the necessary parcels. Mostly wetlands, farming and grazing land, there was very little development in the area. A few very large parcels, one more than 12,000-acres formed the core of the project.
As an Urban Planner, I was mostly engaged with the story of how the Reedy Creek Improvement District was formed. The unique form of government has proven to be a success for more than 40 years. In most parts of the country, the basic infrastructure systems are managed by Special Districts. These quasi-public/private Special Districts are an efficient way to maintain water and sewer systems, flood control facilities, and other public uses. The original idea for Disney was simply to create a special district to deal with drainage issues. Throughout the years, the level of authority had grown tremendously with the District covering virtually everything but schools.
Today, the Reedy Creek Improvement District services two counties, two cities, and thousands of acres of protected wetlands. The voting rights are restricted to landowners and all of the chosen Disney personnel who live on property lease their homes. Plans to sell homes was considered part of the project all the way up to a 1971 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that went against Disney’s interests.
Master planning for the project started in the summer of 1966 with Marvin Davis picked as the lead master planner. By February of 1967, Disney had announced that Phase 2 of the project would be a city under a 50-acre dome with a 30-story hotel at its center. Then on May 5, 1967, the Florida legislature approved the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Project Future could move forward.
The book reviews economic impact reports from 1967 and 1983 and there is a listing of key player and a timeline that will become essentials for researchers. This is a well-written book, very readable, and will give you a new appreciation of how Walt Disney World only exists because a small group of people implemented one man’s dream.
Today, the Reedy Creek Improvement District services two counties, two cities, and thousands of acres of protected wetlands. The voting rights are restricted to landowners and all of the chosen Disney personnel who live on property lease their homes. Plans to sell homes was considered part of the project all the way up to a 1971 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that went against Disney’s interests.
Master planning for the project started in the summer of 1966 with Marvin Davis picked as the lead master planner. By February of 1967, Disney had announced that Phase 2 of the project would be a city under a 50-acre dome with a 30-story hotel at its center. Then on May 5, 1967, the Florida legislature approved the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Project Future could move forward.
The book reviews economic impact reports from 1967 and 1983 and there is a listing of key player and a timeline that will become essentials for researchers. This is a well-written book, very readable, and will give you a new appreciation of how Walt Disney World only exists because a small group of people implemented one man’s dream.
0 Yorumlar