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Canceled theme park

Disney's America was a proposed Disney theme park in the early 1990s. A site was selected in Haymarket, Virginia, approximately 5 mile (8 km) from Manassas National Battlefield Park and 35 mile (56 km) west of Washington, D. C., accessible from Interstate 66. Disney's America would have consisted of nine distinctly themed areas spanning , and it would have featured hotels, housing, a golf course, and nearly of retail and commercial development. The $650 million project (equivalent to $ in ) was announced on November 11, 1993. Its theme would have been dedicated to the history of the United States, and it was scheduled to open in 1998. The project had initial support from various politicians and local officials, but it soon faced opposition from citizen's groups and historians who objected to Disney's planned portrayal of historical events, as well as the potential impact on nearby historic sites. It was cancelled in September 1994 following disappointing early results for Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris), the death of Frank Wells, rising costs, and the prospect of reduced profits with the park being closed for four months each year. When Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, went on sale in 1997, discussions to buy the park and retheme it revived the concept. However, the Knott family refused to sell to Disney, citing concerns over Disney's plans, and the project failed to take off. Several of the proposed elements of Disney's America were incorporated into Disney's California Adventure, which opened in 2001.

Then Disney CEO Michael Eisner stated the genesis for Disney's America was sparked by a visit taken by him and other Disney executives to Colonial Williamsburg three to four years before the 1993 announcement. After coming up with the concept, Disney spent two years scouting potential sites near Washington, D. C. After concept plans for Disney's America were drawn up for the history based attraction in 1993, it became Eisner's pet project. Eisner obtained the support of outgoing Governor L. Douglas Wilder (D) and incoming Gov. George Allen (R), Wilder said he was "pleased that you [Disney] have come to us," and Allen promised to "kick down any hurdles" that would hold up the park. As originally proposed, Disney's America would have created 1,900 jobs and generated $50 million annually in tax revenue. This is not a Pollyanna view of America. We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the underground railroad.|Bob Weis, Disney Senior Vice President (November 1993)

Peter Rummell, president of Disney Design & Development, stated the park was designed to be a one day experience, and the goal was to make history "real but also make it fun." Rummell acknowledged that creating entertainment around historical events such as slavery and the Civil War could be controversial, but he elaborated that "an intelligent story, properly told, shouldn't offend anybody But we won't worry about being politically correct." Allen proposed in State of Virginia spending, one of the costliest incentive packages offered to date, to improve roads at the proposed Disney site, defray relocation costs, and promote tourism in the area. In addition, Prince William County had requested in loans from Virginia to improve water and sewer lines. with Disney advancing the subsidy proposal on the last possible day and threatening to abandon the project if it was not passed.

Public opposition to the theme park and associated development was stronger than Disney expected, especially from a vocal group of prominent historians named Protect Historic America. Other members of Protect Historic America included C. Vann Woodward, John Hope Franklin, James M. McPherson, Barbara J. Fields, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Shelby Foote, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., William Styron, Tom Wicker, Richard Moe and Roger Wilkins. McPherson warned that sprawl "would desecrate the ground over which men fought and died." These opponents advocated for the protection of some of land in order to prevent any large developments like Disney's America. Disney also faced opposition from groups concerned that historical events such as the Civil War and slavery could be trivialized by teaching history through entertainment and possibly selling "little souvenir slave ships." By August 1994, novelist William Styron penned an opinion that any exhibit that would allow visitors to "experience" slavery would be inadequate and soon afterward, Disney announced the proposed slavery exhibit had been shelved. but faced opposition from nearby towns who echoed McCullough's prediction: "following [the theme park] will be all the things people want, gas stations, motels and, God help us, the fast food strips." A national farm conservation group, the American Farmland Trust, voiced its opposition to the project, saying it threatened up to 50% of the state's orchards and 15% of its farmland. Proponents of the theme park project alleged Protect Historic America was merely a front to advance the interests of wealthy landowners who owned land close to the planned development. Disney projected up to 35,000 automobiles per day, which raised traffic and pollution concerns amongst local residents. Virginia Transportation Secretary Robert E. Martinez announced the state would seek a full federal review of the planned freeway improvements, which would delay the approval of road construction funds. Operators of other area attractions, including Colonial Williamsburg, feared that Disney's America would siphon away tourist time and spending instead of adding another attraction for the Washington, D. C., area. Disney Vice President John Dreyer dismissed these protesters as stereotypical NIMBY citizens, saying "I think it's very similar to the arguments you've heard about a dozen projects around the country—which is, 'I'm here, I don't want anyone else to come.' " saying he was "not opposed to Disney or the park, as long as the project is built in another location." Andrews was joined in support by Reps. Tim Roemer (D IN) and Robert Torricelli (D NJ), with Torricelli adding that Civil War history should "not [be taught] by Minnie and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck." On June 22, 1994, a Senate subcommittee hearing was held in regards to the validity of the proposed development of Disney's America. Elected officials and Disney executives testified in support of the project, while historians testified in opposition. Sens. John Warner (R VA), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D CO), and other officials argued that Congress had no business intervening in what was a state project. The same day, a Prince William County judge dismissed a lawsuit that had been brought by Disney's America opponents on the grounds that the proposed park violated local zoning ordinances. Eisner rebuked protesters and detractors, especially the historian members of Protect Historic America, saying in a June 1994 interview with The Washington Post that "I sat through many history classes where I read some of their stuff, and I didn't learn anything. It was pretty boring. I guess I can say that I object to some of their stuff." Eisner was surprised by the opposition, stating that he had "expected to be taken around on people's shoulders" for both the economic stimulus of 19,000 new jobs and the entertainment value that would allow visitors "to get high on history." In order to try to convince historians who were opposed to the project, Eisner brought a group of historians to Epcot to see The American Adventure. However, the historians reacted negatively to the exhibition, and Eisner later said that the historians probably had the impression that "Disney couldn’t be trusted to depict American history in ways that were sufficiently complex, subtle and inclusive". The group also went to see The Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom, which received generally positive acclaim from the historians. despite the political backing of numerous officials. By the time Disney withdrew the project from Haymarket, the New York Times reported that Disney felt they could gain official but not public approval, resulting in unacceptable delays. The land slated for the proposed park has instead since been used to build tens of thousands of single and multi family homesites in the Dominion Valley and Piedmont housing developments and Camp William B. Snyder for the Boy Scouts of America. At the same time they announced they were abandoning the Haymarket site, Disney announced they still intended to build the theme park at a "less controversial" site in either Virginia or Maryland. within a theme park serving up to 30,000 visitors per day. Crossroads USA, 1800–1850 – A pre Civil War era village that would have served as the hub of Disney's America. Guests would enter under an 1840s train trestle, which would have featured antique steam trains circling the park. Native America, 1600–1810 – A recreation of a Native American village that would have reflected the tribes that were known in that part of the country. Guests would have also enjoyed interactive experiences, exhibits, and arts and crafts, as well as a whitewater river raft ride that would have traveled throughout the area, based on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. from Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, would have been replicated or relocated in this section of Disney's America. Civil War Fort, 1850–1870 – A Civil War fort would have plunged guests into a more turbulent time of American history; with an adjacent replica battlefield where Civil War re enactments would be staged and an adjacent man made Freedom Bay, where water battles between the Monitor and the Merrimac would have been staged as a "thrilling nighttime spectacular".

A conversion of Knott's Berry Farm (in Buena Park, California, near Disneyland) into Disney's America was drafted shortly after the Knott family announced that they would take bids for its property. The idea for the conversion reportedly came from the exact replica of Independence Hall, which sits in the parking lot of Knott's Berry Farm.

Soarin' from Epcot and Disney's California Adventure evolved from some of the rides planned for Victory Field. Other concepts originally intended for Disney's America were slightly re themed and re worked as elements of Disney California Adventure, including the Bountiful Valley Farm (Family Farm), Grizzly River Run (Lewis and Clark Expedition raft ride), California Screamin' (State Fair roller coaster ride) as well as Condor Flats (Victory Field).

In 1995, English musician Graham Parker released a song about the planned park on his album 12 Haunted Episodes. The song was well received and considered, "the best of his latest batch," according to Mike Boehm of the Los Angeles Times. The song was considered a critique of "soulless commercialism."