News Zootopia and Moana Blue Sky concepts for Disney's Animal Kingdom

[rd805]

1) Dinosaur -> Indy isn't a net gain attraction wise, but certainly will be an upgraded experience and balance out crowds.

2) ITTBAB -> Zootopia with updated effects 4D show, same thing but I would argue even bigger upgraded experience and will get more crowds than the former.

3) Encanto attraction taking over for Primeval Whirl, same arguement but extreme upgrade. As a whole, the area will intrinsically be better and more even as a theme park. It will feel like a net gain attraction wise because the former had been closed for so long lol. Most certainly a meet n greet of sorts, of which a seemingly popular one?

I believe these are 3 great projects for AK to be an upgraded park, but it also is kind of stunning that they will essentially have the same attraction count haha! Good for the entire park to be much more 'even' though.

 

[doctornick]

1) Dinosaur -> Indy isn't a net gain attraction wise, but certainly will be an upgraded experience and balance out crowds.

2) ITTBAB -> Zootopia with updated effects 4D show, same thing but I would argue even bigger upgraded experience and will get more crowds than the former.

3) Encanto attraction taking over for Primeval Whirl, same arguement but extreme upgrade. As a whole, the area will intrinsically be better and more even as a theme park. It will feel like a net gain attraction wise because the former had been closed for so long lol. Most certainly a meet n greet of sorts, of which a seemingly popular one?

I believe these are 3 great projects for AK to be an upgraded park, but it also is kind of stunning that they will essentially have the same attraction count haha! Good for the entire park to be much more 'even' though.

The question for me is if the Boneyard remains. It really is an awesome playground of that sort and can fit just fine with IJ. hopefully it sticks around as they shouldn't really need that space.

 

[rd805]

The question for me is if the Boneyard remains. It really is an awesome playground of that sort and can fit just fine with IJ. hopefully it sticks around as they shouldn't really need that space.

An Indy/South American touch up could allow it to stay with the existing bones and make it a more jungly Swiss Family Treehouse. I like the idea.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

I get how maybe the Indy ties better with the Tropical America's concept vs if it would with the Moana. I just wonder what would been people's responses with D23 had they announced staying with Moana when basically next door just around the corner you have a Journey of Water and a meet and greet that took nearly over 5 years to get completed! Would anyone be excited even if this time a legit ride was in the works for 6 to 7 years wait just for more Moana!! Could it be they are holding it off for later maybe at Magic Kingdom?

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Wish we could have both, as much as I'm a fan of Encanto and it looks great fan of everything in this concept art, the Moana felt very Animal Kingdom. At the end of the day I prefer any of these two than a ZootopiaLand! Maybe The Encanto Casita Home will appear just like in the movie and you can wander and rest relax cool off similar in ways like when your in Morocco Pavilion!

Moana had one thing going for it: the possibility of dolphins.

 

[Rhinocerous]

All I will say is it's ABOUT TIME Walt Disney World has a new Land of it's kind 1st.

It hasn't had it since Toy Story Land however comparing that Land to Cars Land was kind of underwhelming so it doesn't count to me as impressive Lands. This Encanto or Moana would set on top must visit lands next to World of Arendelle and Cars Land and Fantasy Springs, Zootopia Land in Shanghai if they put full 100% heart into a disney world project for once!

I say this as gently as possible. WDW doesn’t have a new land. It has a Parks head who showed some concept art and said ‘look what we’re maybe possibly looking at considering.’ Nothing has been publicly committed to.

They did the exact same thing last year and all we’ve gotten is a year older.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

I say this as gently as possible. WDW doesn’t have a new land. It has a Parks head who showed some concept art and said ‘look what we’re maybe possibly looking at considering.’ Nothing has been publicly committed to.

They did the exact same thing last year and all we’ve gotten is a year older.

That's alright I forgotten about Pandora that was the 1st new Land unique first only to Walt Disney World. This has made me realize that the only thing that's 1st and always will be Walt Disney World's own is Epcot and Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Just an eye in the sky...

View attachment 742549

The closest distance between a track an a building fence is 50 ft. The main bridge into DAK is 33 ft across.

So, it would be tight and a dead end with nothing on it, but it's conceivable... I wonder if the move would be to change the entrance of Maharajah Jungle Trek to the new path?

 

[Bocabear]

33' would not be too tight when you look at the other walkways in comparison...but yes, a dead end...nothing that could be done about that...but so is the Thunder Mountain/Splash area and that is not a problem. As well a TOT area...

 

[MisterPenguin]

Aren't the tiger and gorilla trails dead ends? You can't use them to enter some other land and then work your way back out to the center of the park.

 

[doctornick]

33' would not be too tight when you look at the other walkways in comparison...but yes, a dead end...nothing that could be done about that...but so is the Thunder Mountain/Splash area and that is not a problem. As well a TOT area...

Well, depending on any setup - and assuming they were keeping the train in the current setup which is the premise we are using - they could potentially set up a walkway from the new land to Rafiki's. That way people could essentially walk to/from Rafiki's or use the train.

Of course, this is all blue sky with no plans at all. I've got to think that if that large plot of land is ever utilized, it will involve doing "something" with the train, either removing it entirely and replacing it with guest paths or expanding the train to go around the entire area (and adding another stop, etc) to service the new areas.

 

[fgmnt]

33' would not be too tight when you look at the other walkways in comparison...but yes, a dead end...nothing that could be done about that...but so is the Thunder Mountain/Splash area and that is not a problem. As well a TOT area...

in this far off hypothetical that will likely never come to fruition, they could attempt to squeeze in an outlet that bridges over the narrowest section of the rail line and dumps off in Harambe Village.

 

[discos]

I say this as gently as possible. WDW doesn’t have a new land. It has a Parks head who showed some concept art and said ‘look what we’re maybe possibly looking at considering.’ Nothing has been publicly committed to.

They did the exact same thing last year and all we’ve gotten is a year older.

Tropical Americas is the first piece of "Blue Sky" art that was publicly released in HD downloads for press/media. All others were just images shown on-screen at the Expo. With that in mind, Tropical Americas sounds pretty much set in stone and not as Blue Sky as we think. The land actually makes sense for AK

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Tropical Americas sounds pretty much set in stone and not as Blue Sky as we think. The land actually makes sense for AK

Boy that's going to be so "expensive" and years more challenging to get the Casita world to accurately bloom in aray full of roses, chrysanthemums, vines, flor de mayo (may flowers), cacti, jacarandas, strangler figs, palma de cera (wax palm), sundew, and tabebuia, that's a commitment of itself to get done most of What Else Can She Do!!"* colorful surplexity is surplus more than seven years of ice palace crystalling!*

 

[J4546]

I think this looks great but would ideally like to see the backstge harbor and cast buildings moved so that space could also be used for this expansion

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Part of what I wonder is if we're staring down a $700 Million project to once again end up with a net gain of 0 new rides in that park.

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios both managed to spend a Billion dollars and not actually solve the issue of each park needing more rides.

If Animal Kingdom does move forward with this (and that's a sizeable "if"), it's unlikely to cost as much as Star Wars or Pandora but I'd guess would cost more than Toy Story Land. Can they really still be willing to spend that much money and not actually fix the problems the parks are having? Who's in charge here?

 

[doctornick]

Part of what I wonder is if we're staring down a $700 Million project to once again end up with a net gain of 0 new rides in that park.

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios both managed to spend a Billion dollars and not actually solve the issue of each park needing more rides.

If Animal Kingdom does move forward with this (and that's a sizeable "if"), it's unlikely to cost as much as Star Wars or Pandora but I'd guess would cost more than Toy Story Land. Can they really still be willing to spend that much money and not actually fix the problems the parks are having? Who's in charge here?

Agreed. A ton of money to just tread water. They should at least be building an extra ride or two with these reimaginings so as to help overall capacity.

 

[James Alucobond]

Part of what I wonder is if we're staring down a $700 Million project to once again end up with a net gain of 0 new rides in that park.

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios both managed to spend a Billion dollars and not actually solve the issue of each park needing more rides.

If Animal Kingdom does move forward with this (and that's a sizeable "if"), it's unlikely to cost as much as Star Wars or Pandora but I'd guess would cost more than Toy Story Land. Can they really still be willing to spend that much money and not actually fix the problems the parks are having? Who's in charge here?

I at least think this change is necessary, especially given the pit that was Primeval Whirl, but this really should be joined at the very least by a third attraction in Pandora, something in Africa, and a new flat ride somewhere.

 

[doctornick]

I at least think this change is necessary, especially given the pit that was Primeval Whirl, but this really should be joined at the very least by a third attraction in Pandora, something in Africa, and a new flat ride somewhere.

How they haven't already announced, let alone built, a third attraction in Pandora is beyond me. There's space already available and the movies have been ridiculously popular and the park needs capacity. It just seems like such a no brainer.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I at least think this change is necessary, especially given the pit that was Primeval Whirl, but this really should be joined at the very least by a third attraction in Pandora, something in Africa, and a new flat ride somewhere.

Honestly, I think the shortest distance between DAK today and a functional, thriving park would be a great new Dino-themed attraction where Primeval Whirl used to be, committed placemaking to turn Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama into something new that's worthwhile, new effects in Dinosaur to amp up the attraction that currently exists, and a new attraction (or two) for Pandora.

Personally I would think that *could* be managed for less than what a total Dinoland retheme would cost. It's not like the issue is that Dinosaurs aren't cool, it's just that Dinoland USA is lacking and always has been. Give the land the rebrand it deserves, punch up what works and ditch what doesn't. There's no need to throw out the Carnotaurus with the Carnival Games.

Then get a night show going that actually works and you're really onto something.