Sometimes you can see a picture a dozen times and miss a very crucial detail. I recently watched the 1987 Disney Channel special, Backstage Disney: The American Adventure; I’ve seen this show several times since its debut oh so long ago, but somehow every time I did, I seemed to miss a very important detail.
Near the start of the show, the camera lovingly takes in the large Imagineering model of Epcot Center that we’ve seen countless times in print and film. But… there are a few important details.
Do you see what I see?
Yes, that’s the Epcot Center model but there are a couple of major additions depicted that have sadly never been brought to life in the real world. Long-time fans might know that during the “Disney Decade” of the 1990s, plans were announced to build a replica of Japan’s Mount Fuji in World Showcase, as well as a new Switzerland Pavilion featuring the Matterhorn. But while some artwork was released at the time, and in subsequent years, I have never seen an image of the park model with both attractions in place. It’s a stunning thing to see with your own eyes, and really does convey just how much these attractions would have changed the park’s landscape.
Randy Bright and an unknown second Imagineer examine the American Adventure while flanked by models of the Matterhorn and Mount Fuji.
Aside from the mountains, you might also note that the model of the Italy Pavilion features some of the once-planned expansions for that area.
It’s somewhat surprising to see these mountains on the World Showcase horizon at this early date; they weren’t announced to the public until 1990. And while Switzerland had long been anticipated as a future part of Epcot Center since its 1982 opening, most early plans for expanding the Japan Pavilion centered on the Meet the World theater attraction.
One concept for an Epcot Center Switzerland Pavilion
The Japan Pavilion, with Mount Fuji towering in the background
At the very least, these mountains might have blocked out some of the visual intrusions from the Swan and Dolphin hotels.
Planned for the Matterhorn was a slightly more elaborate version of Disneyland’s original bobsled rollercoaster. Mount Fuji, too, was intended to house a thrill ride, with bullet trains instead of bobsleds as the coaster vehicles. It seems strange that Imagineers considered adding two steel coaster rides at the same time, on either side of American Adventure, and yet that is what was announced for the Disney Decade in 1990.
Obviously, the plan never went through. These attractions, as well as an announced Russia Pavilion, had not appeared by the end of the decade. Mount Fuji fell prey to a few factors; funding was one, of course, as well as the fact that Fujifilm was the prime rival of existing Epcot Center sponsor Kodak. Deals to fund Switzerland fell through, too, but the idea continued to be revisited until at least the end of the 1990s. World Showcase has not been expanded since; its most recent addition was the Norway Pavilion in 1988.
Still, it’s exciting to get a rare glimpse at what could have been. It just goes to show that you really need to pay attention when a camera pans across the room at Imagineering.
Fascinating info here. The possibilities were (are?) really exciting. Imagining how things might have developed differently…
Plans for Japan Pavillions new Mount Fuji were in progress in 1985-86 at the now called WDI Imagineering, and were then put on hold.
Actually 3 Disney Mountains were in design at the same time during 1985 to 1987. Besides Japan Pavillions Mount Fuji on paper, Tokyo Disneyland’s Big Thunder was being designed and created as well as Disneyland’s Splash Mountain. Discovery Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain were also just sprouting roots for Euro Disneyland. The last 4 Mountains can be attributed to Disney’s Mr. Tony Baxter. How many Vice Presidents at WED and WDI Imagineering have been responsible for creating so many Mountains.
Wow, I knew about this, but seeing it… It’s a shame it never got built. It looks like the atmosphere would have been a lot different if these things existed.
I feel like EPCOT consistently gets the short end of the stick with new attractions. The foundation is so good that new additions always seem to get cut. Seeing these images just puts a visual on the idea that Disney was really wanting to do this. I wonder what the park would be like if one of those had happened. Maybe someday they’ll really focus on making EPCOT a great place again in terms of attractions.
What a thought and logistical genius to draw all of the guests to the back of the park for a more evenly distributed crowd.
And what a draw for people to visit Epcot.
Please let this happen one day!
Having spent years in Japan, I thought it was interesting they wanted to bring the Ginza to the back of the Japan Pavilion where Mt Fuji would have gone. PD