Disney's Route 66

Back in January 2007, ThemedAttractions.com's (now defunct) Armchair Imagineering contest (the goal was to design a Disney presence in Las Vegas Nevada--NO GAMBLING!) inspired me to design this:

Disney’s Route 66

The site I chose contains quite a few smaller hotels and businesses just north of The Venetian and just south of Circus Circus.

I have no idea if this land can be purchased, but who cares right? This is just for fun. So, in my crazy world, I have set off enough TNT to blow the area to smithereens!

After the dust has settled, I’m proposing to build Disney’s Route 66, an expansive mixed-media shopping/attraction/resort hotel destination.

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I like this idea for a Downtown Disney-type area. And I think Walt would have liked it. Like Main Street and Frontierland, it combines a themed-area for families to play together, study a time in American history, and relish in nostalgia. It’s Fantasyland-type area is Radiator Springs from the movie Cars. Cars also provides the central weenie for the area—Radiator Cap.

Like a castle or geosphere or volcano, Radiator Cap can be seen from almost anywhere along Route 66. It’s situated just at the entrance to Radiator Springs. I colored the different zones to make this a little easier.

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The area known as Route 66 runs the length of the property. Guests will find restaurants, shops, and attractions along a road that is themed to the glory days of Route 66. As guests walk from one end to the other, they will encounter recreations of some of the most iconic structures you would encounter if you were to drive Route 66 from LA to Chicago.

The main entry for pedestrians on Las Vegas Boulevard is a drive-in movie theater. This instant sense of nostalgia (since there aren’t all that many left) sets the perfect mood for what’s to come.

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The road twists and turns just enough to keep guests wondering what’s around the next corner. The first main attraction is Soarin’ Over Route 66. Guests will fly the entire route—at times the journey will offer a slow-moving bird’s eye view of the architecture they see as they explore the area and sometimes the film will be speeded up as they travel to the next location.

After more shops and restaurants, guests come upon Radiator Cap, which houses the Cars Raceway. This attraction (think Test Track with different theming) will pit you against fellow drivers as you race through desert canyons.

Towards the eastern end is the last main attraction, the Route 66 Museum.

Radiator Springs doesn’t need much explanation, I’m guessing. It’s a recreation of the town from the movie. Guests can ride an Autopia-like attraction I’m calling Sarge’s SUV Boot Camp, which runs along the perimeter of the property towards Las Vegas Boulevard. Those walking along The Strip can stop and watch (hopefully, this will act as a draw to bring them in).

In the south-east corner, I’ve left lots of room for expansion. After a year or two of operation, Disney can look at the numbers and decide whether they need more attractions, more shopping, more hotels, or whatever. There’s also a parking structure in the far corner.

The north end of the property contains the resort hotels. The Santa Monica Hotel is an art-deco inspired ‘beach-front’ resort. The Hotel El Rancho is inspired by the hotel of the same name in Gallup, New Mexico.

The moderately-priced hotel, Lakeview Courts, is a kitschy family-friendly area inspired by the hotel of the same name in Oklahoma. Finally, the Will Rogers Hotel is placed near the end of Route 66 (not historically accurate—but it fits better with the Chicago skyline near the eastern edge).
I also left some room for a future water park. Honestly, I just ran out of time to design it, but there’s a spot for it anyway.