Headin' West

Back in the day, Imagineer Marc Davis produced concept art for an attraction by the name of Western River Expedition. Marc Davis’ concept for this ride was a cartoonish river adventure ride through the old west. The ride had visual gags a plenty and various Indian stereotypes. The degrading images of drunken Indians with big red noses and tomahawks would eventually be this rides undoing.

Frontierland could use a new E-ticket attraction. So, I propose a more true to life educational, but exciting dark ride which takes you on a journey from the east coast all the way to the Rocky Mountains. The ride cars would be an uncovered wagon which could hold six people per car. This attraction would make use of AA’s and elaborate sets.

The first scene would take place in a small eastern town. There will be a character that comes running in to town square, just back from the west coast. He would tell tall tales of gold, never ending farmland and wild game that could feed everyone in town for a lifetime. He continues, expanding on the notion of the Wild West with gun slingers, gambling establishments and moonshine.

The next scene would start the theme song for the attraction and we would begin headin’ west. The first stop would be the great plains of the Midwest. This part of the ride would have to make utilization of a rotating stage, like the original JII. Just think of how the first scene with Dreamfinder worked and you will be able to imagine what I am thinking. This scene would show a very stormy day. Before you know it you would spot a tornado bearing down on our wagon.
The tornado would start destroying all of the props on the scene. You would feel high winds and witness pieces of wood, trees and perhaps cattle whipping past your head. This part of the ride takes a page from Twister at Universal Studios. As you narrowly escape certain catastrophe you push ahead to the next scene.

Off in the distance you see the Rocky Mountains. Before reaching your destination you happen upon an Indian village. Instead of the classic guns and arrows type of warfare or any unflattering stereotypes, the scene could show the Indians and the travelers sharing ideas, trading goods and co-existing with one another.

Finally you arrive in the Wild West. The scene would take you through a typical western town of the era complete with a gun fight, outlaws, cops, and suggestive brothels.

Once again queue the theme song as we head up in to the mountains where we would see people mining for gold. There could be a couple of guys fighting over which part of the land they claimed as their own. Women and children could be sifting through a riverbed and wiping sweat from their brow. The wagon would then take you to the unload area and drop you off in the all important Headin’ West gift shop.