Iger salvó este complejo turístico del desastre 🥰
Did you know that Pop Century was supposed to have additional buildings and decades at the resort? 🏨
It was originally designed with two sections divided by Hourglass Lake: The Classic Years (1950s–1990s) which is what we have now, and The Legendary Years (1900s–1940s).
Construction on The Legendary Years was halted in 2001 due to post-9/11 tourism declines. The Classic Years did open in December 2003, but the unfinished Legendary Years area—including incomplete building shells and Legendary Hall remained abandoned for years.
In 2010, Disney repurposed the site into Disney's Art of Animation Resort, which opened in May 2012. Legendary Hall became Animation Hall, and the 1940s building shells were adapted for the Little Mermaid rooms. The Generation Gap Bridge continues to connect Pop Century and Art of Animation across the lake.
Here’s what the buildings would’ve been.
1900s: The Turn of the Century – Featuring giant Gibson Girls, early biplanes, and high-button shoes.
1910s: The Roaring Beginning – Featuring oversized Model T cars, player pianos, and early movie memorabilia.
1920s: The Jazz Age – Featuring towering Charleston dancers, massive saxophones, and vintage radio sets.
1930s: Depression & Innovation – Featuring giant Monopoly tokens, classic jukeboxes, and golden-age comic books.
1940s: The Home Front – Featuring oversized sandbox toys, massive jigsaw puzzles, and big-band music icons.