3. It would have been rooted firmly in history rather than fantasy
Disneyland and most of the Disney parks that have followed are primarily focused on ideas and concepts we don’t see in our daily lives. Epcot is one potential exception, but even that has Figment from Journey into Imagination and, soon, a Frozen attraction. By and large, Disney hasn’t succeeded nearly as often when they’re making parks and attractions celebrating history over adventure. Little nods like Main Street, U.S.A. are nice, but people visit the Disney parks largely to escape the real world, not get immersed in the past.
A lot of readers probably know the story of what led to underground tunnels at Disney parks. As the story goes, Walt Disney saw a Frontierland cowboy walking through Tomorrowland and was angry that it ruined the mystique of Disneyland, and the tunnels came out of his desire for that never to happen again. Considering Walt’s dedication to keeping mundane things like that from the eyes of guests, it’s somewhat surprising that he believed a park based in large part on Missouri culture would succeed. Sentimentalism may have blinded him somewhat.
The Walt Disney Company would even repeat the same mistake after Walt passed with Disney’s America, another parks that was developed by Disney but failed to get made. So Riverfront Square would have been the only park rooted so deeply in history, which may be a reason why it failed.
4. It would have served beer and liquor
Image: Disney
Urban legend goes that booze was what made the Riverfront Square deal fall apart. The Disney History Institute blog reports how many believe a feud between Walt Disney and an influential St. Louis man named August Busch halted production, based on something said by Admiral Joe Fowler, a man involved in both the construction of Disneyland and preliminary planning for Riverfront Square. He told others that Busch insulted Walt by insisting that his park couldn’t be successful if he didn’t sell liquor. That was when, according to Fowler, Walt lost interest in the project.
The Disney History Institute blog also goes on to dispute that urban legend somewhat, but it paints an interesting picture of Walt’s limited interest in serving liquor at Disney parks. Since he wanted a trip to Disneyland to be a family affair, Walt didn’t think it suited the Anaheim park. However, to make Riverfront Square happen he was willing to compromise on that front with an observation floor that would have contained a restaurant, banquet space and a cocktail lounge where alcohol could be sold. So, if Riverfront Square was made, it would be the first Disney park to have a public place to drink alcohol. That’s yet another thing that would have made the Midwestern Disneyland unique from all the other Disney parks.
As we all know, Riverfront Square never came to be. What do you think about that decision? It would have definitely been unique, but would it have been a positive contribution to Walt Disney’s legacy and the legacy of Disney theme parks? Share your thoughts on Theme Park Tourist’s Facebook page and in the comments below!
Add new comment