So here’s an interesting piece of business that someone posted on the web – a look at the uncompleted “Legendary Years” section of Walt Disney World’s Pop Century Resort. For those of you fortunate to miss out on this regrettable portion of Disney theme park history, the first phase of Pop Century was originally announced to open in December 2001 with completion of the second phase to come in 2003. The opening was soon pushed back to early 2002, and when tourism plummeted in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks it was delayed indefinitely. The first phase, called the “Classic Years” and allegedly depicting the years from 1950-2000, finally limped to execution in December of 2003. The second phase, themed to the “Legendary Years” of 1900-1950, remain unfinished.
What’s interesting, though, is that Disney just didn’t not build these buildings, they started to build them – and then one day just packed up and got out of Dodge. The “Legendary Years” sit half-finished, falling apart in the Florida sun. They’re completely untended and unmaintained, and as weeds take over the buildings the general effect is quite bizarre. Take a look:
Kinda creepy, huh? Especially all the materials and stuff just sitting around – like they all just fled at lunchtime one day and never came back. Maybe it was built on some ancient Seminole burial ground; maybe there was a vampire attack, who knows? While the “dust bowl” theme might seem perfect for a resort themed to the 1930’s, they could have at least plussed it with a recreation of Tom Joad’s truck. There have been rumors in recent years that Disney intends to finish the resort as an all-suite affair, but I have a feeling they aren’t going to be too happy when they have to get back to work – all those rusty fixtures and cracked, weeded concrete is probably going to be pricier to replace than to just put in new. So for now we’re stuck with “Disney’s Logan’s Run Resort” and for my money, I’d rather have the place continue to look like a hobo encampment in Yucca Flats than have more of this.
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