Beastly Kingdom Ignorance

fizzle75

fizzle75

New Member
Original Poster
Sorry folks,I'm new around here and I keep hearing alot about Beastly Kingdom. I get the feeling that I'm beating a dead horse with this but can you guys help me understand how the news of Beastly Kingdom came to be? Is it based on an actual press release issued by Disney Imagineering at one time,some insider leak, wishful thinking? Is it supposed to be a full fledged "5th gate" or just a new addition to Animal Kingdom? Forgive my ignorance and for bringing up an apparently sore subject but I am incredibly intrigued by the idea of Beastly Kingdom,it sounds like it would be amazing. How likely is this to happen and what do we know for sure about it's possible construction? Thanks for humoring me,maybe someone can give me a link to an existing thread that will answer my questions.
 
sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
I may be mistaken, but I think it was originally going to be another land at Animal Kingdom.

As I read some of the older Disney books, I saw that AK was to have 5 lands. Right now, there are only 4 that I know of, so the 5th, I believe, was to have been Beastly Kingdom. Originally, I think there was even a river ride around the tree of life, which took you by flame breathing dragons, which were supposed to be a preview of BK. As far as I know, Disney has since scrapped the idea.

As far as it being a "sore subject", IMO, anyone who would get his undies in a bunch by the mere mention of BK, must be an over obsessed fanboy with no life and too much time on his hands. :lol:
 
Skip

Skip

Well-Known Member
Yes, Beastly Kingdom was to be another land that never came to be in the Animal Kingdom. Signs of it are still about: There's the dragon's cave on the river mentioned earlier, but also the dragon on the AK logo, napkins, etc.

My mother's friend was actually someone who worked on the land... she had all sorts of inside info, I read it once, it was a great read. I'll try to dig up the info again.

In the meantime, there were supposedly to be these attractions in Beastly Kingdom:
  • Dragon Tower - A dragon-based roller coaster where you would ride a "bat" through a castle in search of a treasure. Trouble is, a beastly dragon guards it. (This was supposedly the roots of the Dueling Dragons ride at Islands of Adventure; Imagineers working on the BK project deflected to Universal when their project was scrapped.
  • Mother Goose Shop - A delightful shop heavily themed to the Mother Goose tales. (This was what my mother's friend personally worked on.
  • Unicorn Maze - An elaborate maze featuring a unicorn among other mythical creatures. (Think Alice's Curious Labrynth in Paris, but on a grander scale.)
  • Loch Ness Terrace - A restaurant that overlooked a lake. But get this: supposedly every few minutes, a Loch Ness AA would rise from the depths to take a look around the area.
I'm pretty sure there is something I'm missing... I'll post if I can remember. In the meantime I'll try to dig up that email with all that juicy concept info...

-Skip
 
Skip

Skip

Well-Known Member
Ah yes! The Fantasia Gardens boat ride! That sounded awesome as well... thanks for the link, good read.

-Skip
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Yep - BK was an original, made public part of Wild Animal Kingdom - the Land of the Mythological beasts. In short it was as Skip described it - nothing amazing, infact it had 2 or 3 attractions and a collection of shops / eating places. What people talk about most is Dragons Tower; an inverted rollercoaster inside and outside of a castle with a huge dragon Animatronic. Believe it if you will, the story goes the designers were released from WDI and took their thoughts (not plans!) to Universal and worked on Duelling Dragons for IOA.

The closest we got to BK was the Discovery Riverboat; since closed, this boat ride went passed the lands outskirts and featured a cave where an (unseen) dragon breathed fire at the boat.

As always, the money ran out, and so Camp Minnie-Mickey was rushed into production as a Temporary placeholder to fill an obvious gap in the park.

Now, as always, some art; the Kingdomme overview, the maze overview, some maze details, the riverboat dragon (concept and realised) and also an enhanced clip of Dragons Tower - note the exterior track too.
 

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hammysammy59

hammysammy59

New Member
Ooh, I hadn't heard of the Loch Ness restaurant before, that sounds awesome. Does anybody know if Disney will ever add Beastly Kingdom to Animal Kingdom, or is it officially gone forever?
 
New2WDW

New2WDW

New Member
Great links and photos!

I must also add, Fizzle75, excellent wording on your thread question! Not just another What is Beastly Kingdom thread.
 
goofyfan13

goofyfan13

Well-Known Member
hammysammy59 said:
Ooh, I hadn't heard of the Loch Ness restaurant before, that sounds awesome. Does anybody know if Disney will ever add Beastly Kingdom to Animal Kingdom, or is it officially gone forever?
Click to expand...

An idea at Disney technically never is gone forever, it gets put up on a shelf, either to collect dust forever or to be looked at at some other time. I'm sure they have evaluated it a couple times again. But as always, it boils down to the guys with the check books.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
fizzle75

fizzle75

New Member
Original Poster
unkadug said:
If I remember correctly, Jim Hill did a pretty interesting article about it.


here it is: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2001/01/01/309.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks unkadug! I checked out jim hill media and found a 3 part series he did on the history and current status of Beastly Kingdom. One of the many things I have learned since I have been a member of WDWmagic is that many of you have less than fond feelings for jim hill but all I know is that his 3 part series is fascinating and incredibly informative regardless of what you think of his credibility. I highly recommend that anyone who is reading this thread immediately goes to jim hill media and do a search for Beastly Kingdom,you won't regret it. By the way...why does Jim Hill come across as so bitter and anti-disney? Is he a disgruntled former Disney employee? what's his story,I notice he has little blurbs in the Birnbaum guide. No need to answer the last few questions because it would take this thread in a totally different direction but if anyone can give me a link to some info on Jim Hill's history I would be very grateful. Oh,and by the way, as I read the plans for Beastley Kingdom I couldn't help but fight back tears as I mourned what could have(maybe some day still will be?)an amazing addition to our beloved "home away from home". the thought of the boatride alone gives me goose bumps(or pimples depending on where you're from).:cry:
 
fizzle75

fizzle75

New Member
Original Poster
Sorry,I need to correct something I said above...Jim Hill has blurbs in The Unofficial Guide not Birnbaum's Guide. I just thought I should clear that up before I get drawn and quartered!:o
 

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