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

[Sir_Cliff]

I’m fine with Moana. Could have natural flow from Nemo nearby, and it represents capacity that needs to be restored. But seriously, just turn that area into a merged “Oceania” section and leave Dinosaur, Restaurantosaurus, and the Boneyard alone as a small Dinosaur Alley.

I feel pretty much the same. In Australian zoos you can often walk amongst kangaroos, wallabies, and emus in an open enclosure. I'm not sure if they could do something similar at AK (emus peck!), but that could also be a nice and relatively inexpensive addition.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

But that's the same argument for replacing Haunted Mansion with a Tangled ride or Expedition: Everest with a Frozen rollercoaster because there are plenty of haunted houses and roller coasters in other places but only Disney has these particular IPs. I understand why that makes sense on some level, but I honestly think if they keep going down this path they will end up with a less appealing product that is not that different from all the movie-based attractions and lands at Universal.

Oh it definitely could be used to extend the argument that way. Although I would argue Haunted Mansion has almost become Disney Ip in and of itself and the movie is likely a further attempt To do just that. Although I would say the shear size and scope of HH would make it hard for a regional park to compete.

And i don’t want the IP to be a crutch that holds up a bad ride. But at this point if Disney is building something new, if I am designing it, I ask why are people going to come to ride this, as opposed to all the other choices they have for vacations. And I think it comes down to you giving them something they can’t get anywhere else. That basically (huge oversimplification I know) means it has to be bigger, better, or something no one else can offer. IP bases rides guarantees you the third slot, without preventing you from also delivering on 1 and 2.

 

[Kevin_W]

I guess Moana could work if the surrounding land had some exhibits of animals from the Pacific.

But Zootopia doesn’t fit. I’m down for a land based on that movie but it should be in Magic or Hollywood. Keep Animal Kingdom to real animals.

It’s crazy that they’re not just going for a South America land with an Encanto ride. You can have a theme that would keep purists happy while also having a new popular IP.

Right. Polynesia makes sense. South/Central America makes sense. Zootopia is insultingly non-sensical.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

What was the last one they even attempted? Expedition Everest?

In the US I think it might be. Internationally, probably Mystic Manor.

 

[SNS]

In the US I think it might be. Internationally, probably Mystic Manor.

Well, if we are going to count international then there were original rides after that, like Roaring Rapids in Shanghai Disneyland. But yeah it would just be Everest if we are just talking about the US parks (I admit this came as a shock to me when I thought about it a few years ago).

 

[UNCgolf]

Dinosaurs are inherently scary, and their neighbors have the only good IP in the space. I just think it's a bad fit.

Eh, are they, though? Little kids have always loved dinosaurs. If they're not attacking you, I don't think they're necessarily scary.

Plus, the JP dinosaurs aren't very similar to the current scientific consensus of actual dinosaurs.

It's a moot point anyways.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Disney could build dinosaur AAs that no local place could come close to affording. If they built an AA heavy ride that was essentially like a dinosaur zoo it would be an absolutely massive hit with kids -- dinosaurs as an overall concept are more popular than most Disney IP anyways.

They're not going to do it, but if they actually committed to it they'd have a major new attraction.

Looking at just a single ride, there isn’t anything that WDW could build that universal couldn’t. Take anything that the top imagineers could come up with in the dinosaur space….and now add in the Jurasic Park/world logo, and Blue and his pack of Velociraptors, and I don’t think it’s a thin limb to go out on that Univeral wins that “fight”. Throw in a cameo with Chris Pratt or Jeff Goldblum and I am sold. Hell just picturing dinosaur as it currently exists, but with a Jurasic world skin over almost immediately elevates the ride.

And that’s the main point. Disney can’t offer a thing “special” in the realm of Dinosaurs. It can in numerous other areas.

 

[UNCgolf]

Looking at just a single ride, there isn’t anything that WDW could build that universal couldn’t. Take anything that the top imagineers could come up with in the dinosaur space….and now add in the Jurasic Park/world logo, and Blue and his pack of Velociraptors, and I don’t think it’s a thin limb to go out on that Univeral wins that “fight”. Throw in a cameo with Chris Pratt or Jeff Goldblum and I am sold. Hell just picturing dinosaur as it currently exists, but with a Jurasic world skin over almost immediately elevates the ride.

And that’s the main point. Disney can’t offer a thing “special” in the realm of Dinosaurs. It can in numerous other areas.

The JP dinosaurs aren't really dinosaurs, though -- they're basically movie monsters. They aren't much like the current scientific consensus on what actual dinosaurs looked like. Universal could absolutely build a JP ride like what I suggested, but I don't think they have any interest in doing so because they're catering to a different market.

Again, though, it's moot because Disney isn't going to do it.

 

[danlb_2000]

Right. Polynesia makes sense. South/Central America makes sense. Zootopia is insultingly non-sensical.

I am not sure why people are expending so much brain power over what "fits" and what doesn't, Disney management surely isn't.

 

[hopemax]

Recall: Bob thinks we come to Disney parks wanting to see Disney worlds come to life. That’s why even small areas of DCA (like Pacific Wharf) are transforming into movie worlds.

It's so sad, because when I would describe "old" Disney, it would be "The world is interesting, let us show you in our unique way." But Bobs' Disney is "the world is scary, stay safe in our bubble. Old Disney was about opening doors of inspiration, and new Disney is about closing and locking them so you don't accidently discover there are cool things out there beside Disney.

I've always hated DinoRama with a passion of a thousand suns, so I'll drive the bulldozers tomorrow if it would help. But I want Animal Kingdom to be about the real animals, not anthropomorphized ones. So while Moana as ambassador to Oceania is tolerable, Zootopia is a death blow to the spirit of Animal Kingdom (Avatar was already a significant wounding). I agree with @egg who mentioned Ice Age. More extinct animals in that section would at least be in tune with the original intent. It would take some getting used to, but at least dinosaurs and mastodons and sabre tooth tigers have something in common.

 

[Captain Neo]

I am not sure why people are expending so much brain power over what "fits" and what doesn't, Disney management surely isn't.

Because that was an important part of Disney's design philosophy for 70 years?

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

What was the last one they even attempted? Expedition Everest?

Why would you?

Why would anyone? When you have a significant IP component to leverage?

It’s not like universal has gone that route. They increased market share by leveraging Ip disney couldn’t match (Harry Potter, Jurassic World). Hell they built what I understand was a great medium thrill level smooth metal coaster as their latest big ride. There is a reason they marketed it as Velocicoaster and placed Jurasic World IP all over it. Would the ride be just as smooth/exciting without it and called it some generic coaster name like Kingda Ka? Sure, but universal knows it has an up edge that no one else can use, so they use it.

The big new gate that univeral is building…Are the rumors about new generic rides? Or are they about the new gate being build around established Ip like Nintendo, and another HP ride?

 

[danlb_2000]

Because that was an important part of Disney's design philosophy for 70 years?

But it isn't anymore.

 

[Ismael Flores]

These blue skies reeked of “we arent giving florida anything?” “Go out then and just show some stuff we arent going to do, stress its blue sky”

I think it’s more of a fill in for scrapping any announcement they had for Disneyland tomorrowland.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Eh, are they, though? Little kids have always loved dinosaurs. If they're not attacking you, I don't think they're necessarily scary.

Plus, the JP dinosaurs aren't very similar to the current scientific consensus of actual dinosaurs.

It's a moot point anyways.

I agree. As a kid my favourite dinosaur was the brontosaurus and they always seemed very nice!

 

[Captain Neo]

I'm gonna be fair and say Dinoland U.S.A. was always bad. I understand what Rhode was going for with the tourist trap-y tacky dinosaur themed areas you can find in the southwest but it looked awful and was a bad choice. DinoRAMA that cheap carnival eisner set up was even worse. Animal Kingdom should have always been classy and prestigious. On top of that the Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur ride ended up being a lame clone of indy and squandered its potential and im someone that LOVES dinosaurs. I wont be sad to see that whole area bulldozed IF/WHEN something happens.

A shame it couldnt be replaced with a new dinosaur section that veers more closely to the aesthetic of Jurassic park and fits animal kingdoms overall look better.

 

[Kevin_W]

I am not sure why people are expending so much brain power over what "fits" and what doesn't, Disney management surely isn't.

Yeah, but that's what made us Disney fans in the first place decades ago.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Eh, are they, though? Little kids have always loved dinosaurs. If they're not attacking you, I don't think they're necessarily scary.

Plus, the JP dinosaurs aren't very similar to the current scientific consensus of actual dinosaurs.

It's a moot point anyways.

When I was little, I would say that I wanted to be a Paleontologist when I grew up. I saw JP1 about 6 times in theaters lol. We have a friend's kid (6), and she loves dinosaurs. Disney can easily make compelling Dinoland rides/attractions that aren't scary. There are parks around here with fake dinosaurs that kids can get close to, or those shows that go to stadiums with "living dinosaurs." Plus Marvel has Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I’m fine with Moana. Could have natural flow from Nemo nearby, and it represents capacity that needs to be restored. But seriously, just turn that area into a merged “Oceania” section and leave Dinosaur, Restaurantosaurus, and the Boneyard alone as a small Dinosaur Alley.

It almost does look like a Dinosaur Alley given that the Dinosaur Treasures building looks mostly intact (albeit missing the exterior decor) on the right of that image and Moana otherwise seems to be leaning more on the Dinorama/Theater of the Wild side of things. The real question is how far back Zootopia is being placed.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'm gonna be fair and say Dinoland U.S.A. was always bad. I understand what Rhode was going for with the tourist trap-y tacky dinosaur themed areas you can find in the southwest but it looked awful and was a bad choice. DinoRAMA that cheap carnival eisner set up was even worse. Animal Kingdom should have always been classy and prestigious. On top of that the Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur ride ended up being a lame clone of indy and squandered its potential and im someone that LOVES dinosaurs. I wont be sad to see that whole area bulldozed IF/WHEN something happens.

It’s never been my favorite but…Zootopia?

They can erect a fence tomorrow and start building Moana Splash, though. If they hurry, it can open before Tiana’s Bastardized Adventure.