The Americas Pavilion: Disneyland's Never Built WESTCOT

Disneyland's Never Built Westcot

American Adventure Flag Room Epcot World Showcase Walt Disney World

Westcot was not ever meant to be a direct clone of Epcot Center to the West Coast, but rather a new interpretation for a new age, audience, and a significantly smaller plot of land. One of the ways that this would have been most obviously seen would be in the World Showcase, and how it explored areas that were in the original Epcot in Walt Disney World.

One of the areas planned for the Westcot version of World Showcase was going to be the America Pavilion, but it was not a direct clone of the original Epcot Pavilion. Instead it would combine elements from the three pavilions from Epcot (American Adventure, Mexico, Canada), and update them.

While the American Adventure attraction would have been cloned, the pavilion would be located mostly outside apart from the attractions, taking on a feel similar to other Disney areas inspired by historic America.

American Heritage Gallery American Adventure Pavilion World Showcase Walt Disney World

Beyond the section dedicated to the US, a great emphasis was to be placed on the role of Native and First Nations peoples from North and South America. A Spirit Lodge inspired by the lives and culture of Canadian First Nations people would be the main attraction representing Canada, and a tribute show to Incan and Aztec cultures would represent Mexico. A clone of the Mexico pyramid would be included, although its contents would be different.

The various elements that featured the culture of the Native Peoples of the Americas would have continued a long history of Disneyland featuring the culture of the original people to inhabit the Americas, which had started with the opening of Disneyland. While this would never be built, it is the final chapter of a long history of the Disneyland Resort attempting to present the culture of Native Americans in a (for the time) respectful and accurate way.

This pavilion would have featured a combination of cloned attractions and original new offerings, and unfortunately, none of these attractions would ever make it to any Disney Park.


Comments