Disney loves its mountains, see Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and the former Splash Mountain as examples. One of the lesser known “mountains” is the volcano known as Mount Prometheus at Tokyo DisneySea in Japan. For those not familiar, according to the DisneySea website it is, “The only Disney park themed to the myths and legends of the sea. Each of the eight themed ports features attractions, restaurants, shops, and more, inviting guests to a world “Where Adventure and Imagination Set Sail!” This is the 7th most attended theme park in the world and many consider it the best and most beautiful of all the Disney parks. However, did you know many of the concepts of Tokyo DisneySea came from a park called DisneySea California that was cancelled in 1991?

The only Disney park themed to the myths and legends of the sea. Each of the eight themed ports features attractions, restaurants, shops, and more, inviting guests to a world “Where Adventure and Imagination Set Sail!”

https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdr/facility/themeport.html

Disney has had many projects and parks that were announced, but never came to fruition for any number of reasons. These include whole parks like Disney’s America in Virginia, lands like Beastly Kingdom meant for Animal Kingdom or just attractions like the Mary Poppins ride announced for EPCOT. Cancelled Disney projects from the “Blue Sky” or concept phase has become quite common. This is so common that during last year’s D23 announcement presentation for Cars Land, Monsters, Inc. Land and Villains Land, Josh D”Amaro (Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products) seemed compelled to say, ““Everything we share here tonight is in active development. This isn’t Blue Sky, We’re doing all of it.”

One of these canceled Blue Sky projects that is perhaps lesser known was DisneySea California, which was cancelled back in 1991 before things like social media and the internet were as prominent in theme park news. DisneySea California was supposed to be an aquatic-themed park that was to be part of an also cancelled Port Disney resort area in Long Beach, California. The theme park was to house an aquarium, waterfront market area, but also rides and attraction. The key area was to be known as Mysterious Island built around the lost City of Atlantis with a massive volcano featuring Nemo’s Lava Cruiser ride, where guests were to “careen suspended through underground caverns.” Local opposition as well as the California Coastal Act scuttled the plans. Progress City, U.S.A. has a great overview of Port Disney as part of their Neverworlds series of articles if you want to learn even more.

Although DisneySea California was cancelled, many concepts found their way to Tokyo DisneySea which opened 10 years later (including the name with the unique spelling “DisneySea” instead of “Disney Sea”, likely for copyright purposes). Other than the name, the most obvious of these retained concepts built was a revised version of Mysterious Island, including the planned volcano that would now be known as Mount Prometheus. The name and look remained the same, but the ride concepts appear to have changed radically. Instead of Nemo’s Lava Cruiser we got Journey to the Center of the Earth, which is similar in theme, but instead of a “suspended” ride it is based on the Test Track ride platform. There’s also 20,000 League’s Under the Sea, which is similar to the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland attractions, but without going through actual water. This volcano is also “active” with bursts of fire from the top, steam from cracks in its side and water bursts from the adjacent lake. It’s also interesting to note it’s not an actual island either. It appears it was more theme-based “Blue Sky” concepts were borrowed from DisneySea California as opposed to ride mechanics, which makes it somewhat unique in the recycling of Imagineering ideas.

Projects occasionally getting cancelled by Disney or another theme park company is probably inevitable due to issues with finances, permits or just guest tastes. However, Disney generally doesn’t let Blue Sky work go to waste. Usually the ride mechanics or concepts are recycled and used elsewhere. Disney’s America in Virginia was eventually cancelled after local opposition (and a second failed attempt to acquire and convert Knott’s Berry Farm in California), but the Soarin’, Grizzly River Run and California Screamin’ at Disney’s California Adventure all came from the cancelled park. Current refurbishments can also offer examples as of this process as something like Splash Mountain uses the same ride mechanism to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom is becoming Indiana Jones. Much of the hard engineering/Imagineering is retained, but the theme overlay is changed.

It’s fun to think about what Port Disney or Disney’s America would be like if they had actually been built, but it is comforting to know we can still experience what would have been some of the signature elements of these parks in other places. With Disney a good concept is probably never dead. Rumor has it the “door” coaster announced in 2024 at D23 was in Blue Sky 15 years ago back in 2009 as the Scare Floor Door Coaster. Who knows where it went for all those years, but better late than never? So when you hear about a potentially awesome Disney Imagineering concept getting cancelled it may be disappointing, but know this concept may reemerge down the road in another place or in another way.