Disney's Forgotten Transportation Ambitions
The Walt Disney Company had grand ambitions to revolutionize transportation systems in the mid-20th century. Their PeopleMover system, which debuted at Disneyland in Anaheim in 1967, was an instant hit with tourists. This attraction used linear induction motor technology to propel open-air train-like vehicles along a track.
Plans were initially made to integrate the PeopleMover as a transportation system within Disney's planned Orlando, Florida city of the future, EPCOT. However, after Walt Disney's passing, the project was scrapped, and EPCOT eventually became a theme park instead. The success of Disneyland's PeopleMover caught the attention of developers across the country, who expressed interest in installing similar systems at shopping malls, airports, and planned communities.
Despite these overtures, Disney resisted for years as they focused on building their Orlando resort, which opened in 1971 with another PeopleMover attraction following in 1975. However, in 1974, the company announced the formation of The Walt Disney Transportation Company, citing the numerous requests from cities and shopping centers worldwide.
The division's electric linear motor system was innovative, being pollution-free with no moving parts, it created a magnetic field that pushed vehicles along an elevated guideway. However, by the time the new division launched in 1974, the economic stagflation of the mid-1970s posed significant challenges.