Buffalo Junction: Disney’s Forgotten Frontier Resort (Ep. 520)

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill, joined by former Imagineer Jim Shull, dive into the fascinating history of Buffalo Junction, the resort Disney almost built between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. Inspired by Disneyland Paris, this Wild West-themed destination was set to include a working railroad, frontier town-style hotel, and a live Buffalo Bill Wild West show—so what happened?

• Buffalo Junction: The Resort That Never Was – Disney’s ambitious plan for an Old West town complete with a steam train and dinner show.
• How Disneyland Paris Inspired This Resort – The success of Frontierland and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show nearly brought the idea stateside.
• The End of the Fort Wilderness Railroad – Why Disney abandoned steam trains at Fort Wilderness and how they almost made a comeback.
• Universal’s Year-Round Halloween Horror Nights – Details on Universal Horror Unleashed, opening in Las Vegas this summer.
• Virtual Queues Ending at Disney Parks – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind drop their virtual queues—what it means for guests.

Join Len, Jim, and Jim Shull for a deep dive into Disney’s lost resort projects, Fort Wilderness expansion plans, and how theme park design continues to evolve.

SHOW NOTES 

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