News 'Beyond Big Thunder Mountain' Blue Sky concept revealed for Magic Kingdom

[James Alucobond]

Wasn't a "land" the only thing actually mentioned as a possibility? Where did the idea of a park come from? There are several issues with a full park devoted to villains that people have pointed out on here. I honestly think a "Dark Fantasyland" is much more realistic. This could include a roller coaster or perhaps a ride using whatever system is being used for the new Peter Pan E-Ticket in Tokyo. Plus a C-ticket. That's what I could see them doing for real.

There are posts earlier in the thread that are being re-referenced with the "Dark Kingdom" post from a page or so ago wherein folks were lamenting the fact that the villain area would "only" be a land, not a complete fifth gate.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If we’re dreaming, I want ROA re-routed between Splash and Thunder so we can get something like Paris.

I like it.

You'd probably lose the Frontierland station but you could have the train angle left out of Tiana's Bayou Adventure and use water and a bridge to more distinctly separate Splash and Thunder.

 

[MadderAdder]

They'll put in a theater that just shows the "House of Villains" special from House of Mouse on repeat. "It's Our House Now!" has been stuck in my head for two decades.

How is this not on D+!!!

 

[sedati]

I like it.

You'd probably lose the Frontierland station but you could have the train angle left out of Tiana's Bayou Adventure and use water and a bridge to more distinctly separate Splash and Thunder.

Imagine the riverboat going between the two mountains.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Imagine the riverboat going between the two mountains salt dome food co-op and the mountain.

Fixed that for you

 

[Suspirian]

Idk if this has been mentioned but I kinda feel like the only reason Disney is just now showing interest in a Villains land after decades of fans asking for it is because of Universal’s upcoming Classic Monsters Land.

 

[Bocabear]

Idk if this has been mentioned but I kinda feel like the only reason Disney is just now showing interest in a Villains land after decades of fans asking for it is because of Universal’s upcoming Classic Monsters Land.

That could be a thing...though the Disney Villains brand could be a big draw...Like Fantasyland, it doesn't need to have an elaborate backstory as to why each villain is there or how they relate to each other... Just a gathering of Villains related attractions housed in beautiful evocative architecture... It could live on the backside of the Rivers Of America/ Haunted Mansion, or even a huge new land in Hollywood Studios... I would prefer Magic Kingdom though.

 

[Suspirian]

That could be a thing...though the Disney Villains brand could be a big draw...Like Fantasyland, it doesn't need to have an elaborate backstory as to why each villain is there or how they relate to each other... Just a gathering of Villains related attractions housed in beautiful evocative architecture... It could live on the backside of the Rivers Of America/ Haunted Mansion, or even a huge new land in Hollywood Studios... I would prefer Magic Kingdom though.

Oh yes it would be very cool! Thats what makes me question "why now"? This is something that people have been begging them to do for ages. I may be thinking too much into it, but I feel a lot of Disney Parks moves are reactionary ever since Potter happened. Maybe we can finally get an original attraction if Universal decides to do one first

 

[Bocabear]

It is an excellent time to show the world what they can do, especially with Epic Universe under construction...and this would be a new area, so they would not have to work in the current open portions of the park... They need to do something that is amazing... something that is not value engineered or hobbled by budget cuts...Unless they will just wait until one of the other Disney parks does it first...which would be sad.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

It is an excellent time to show the world what they can do, especially with Epic Universe under construction...and this would be a new area, so they would not have to work in the current open portions of the park... They need to do something that is amazing... something that is not value engineered or hobbled by budget cuts...Unless they will just wait until one of the other Disney parks does it first...which would be sad.

Five bucks says that DisneylandForward will have a clone of whatever they put in this spot.

 

[RobbinsDad]

That could be a thing...though the Disney Villains brand could be a big draw...Like Fantasyland, it doesn't need to have an elaborate backstory as to why each villain is there or how they relate to each other... Just a gathering of Villains related attractions housed in beautiful evocative architecture... It could live on the backside of the Rivers Of America/ Haunted Mansion, or even a huge new land in Hollywood Studios... I would prefer Magic Kingdom though.

It seems like a simple thing to add an entrance to Villain Land/Square/Whatever behind HM, and move the HM ride queue, like Toy Story Mania in Toy Story Land.

 

[Bocabear]

I think it could have a few evil villain attractions that are really suspenseful, including shows, but on the whole the park would have to be more fun and family friendly. Otherwise you end up with a highly rated park that nobody goes to.

See, and this is where I think the argument is completely wrong...a really good, well done and on the dark side Villains Land, even if it is a little too intense for smaller children, would still be a colossal hit. Having it segregated into it's own "land" would be easy to avoid with small children, Marketing could actually promote it as what it is, it would not interfere with the children-friendly rest of the park... I kind of love the idea of the alternate universe tucked around the backside of the ROA... Add some amazing set pieces along the shoreline for the Riverboat to see... It would be the first ever thing of it's type, it would pick up a HUGE audience...and it doesn't need to be grisly or too horrible... None of the Disney Villains are that frightening...but it sure could be amazing...

 

[Rich Brownn]

See, and this is where I think the argument is completely wrong...a really good, well done and on the dark side Villains Land, even if it is a little too intense for smaller children, would still be a colossal hit. Having it segregated into it's own "land" would be easy to avoid with small children, Marketing could actually promote it as what it is, it would not interfere with the children-friendly rest of the park... I kind of love the idea of the alternate universe tucked around the backside of the ROA... Add some amazing set pieces along the shoreline for the Riverboat to see... It would be the first ever thing of it's type, it would pick up a HUGE audience...and it doesn't need to be grisly or too horrible... None of the Disney Villains are that frightening...but it sure could be amazing...

For better or worse, our Magic Kingdom gained the reputation of being more or less a "kiddie" park (or at least kiddie-friendly). It's why Alien Encounter didn't survive. AE would have done OK in literally any other park - even Disneyland - but not here.

 

[WowFactor]

See, and this is where I think the argument is completely wrong...a really good, well done and on the dark side Villains Land, even if it is a little too intense for smaller children, would still be a colossal hit. Having it segregated into it's own "land" would be easy to avoid with small children, Marketing could actually promote it as what it is, it would not interfere with the children-friendly rest of the park... I kind of love the idea of the alternate universe tucked around the backside of the ROA... Add some amazing set pieces along the shoreline for the Riverboat to see... It would be the first ever thing of it's type, it would pick up a HUGE audience...and it doesn't need to be grisly or too horrible... None of the Disney Villains are that frightening...but it sure could be amazing...

I think the same way! I even developed a project to illustrate this, the Villains Village.

If you're curious, check the project presentation here:
https://docs.google.com/presentatio...CQxRqRBYKYVLzZWQa0oRGsokt4/present?slide=id.p

Or some single pictures on this thread:
https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/villains-village-by-wow-factor-blue-sky-project.973372/

I'd love to hear your thoughts about it.
Wow

 

[SteveAZee]

I asked both Bard and ChatGPT to pitch (as an Imagineer) a villains land. ChatGPT's was better, but not all that interesting.

 

[FigmentFan82]

@The Visionary Soul any solid info on this one? Updates? Etc?

 

[MrPromey]

See, and this is where I think the argument is completely wrong...a really good, well done and on the dark side Villains Land, even if it is a little too intense for smaller children, would still be a colossal hit. Having it segregated into it's own "land" would be easy to avoid with small children, Marketing could actually promote it as what it is, it would not interfere with the children-friendly rest of the park... I kind of love the idea of the alternate universe tucked around the backside of the ROA... Add some amazing set pieces along the shoreline for the Riverboat to see... It would be the first ever thing of it's type, it would pick up a HUGE audience...and it doesn't need to be grisly or too horrible... None of the Disney Villains are that frightening...but it sure could be amazing...

Why a land?

Why not a fifth gate?

Hollywood Studios used to sort of be Disney's answer to the teen/young adult demographic that other places have done a better job appealing to.

There are enough ideas IPs for them to more than fill a whole park and provide room to grow.

It could even have it's own castle - take your pick but Maleficent's would probably be my choice.

Instead of adding to the problem of too many people choosing MK over the other parks, I think it would easily become the second most popular park not just in WDW but in central Florida.

Height restrictions could run with abandon.

... and the hint would be a lot stronger, starting from the parking toll booths that this might not be the park to take the youngest ones to.

I feel like there would be a lot of business benefits to making this a complete park (cough, cough - more alcohol sales, more after-hours party/event opportunities to better compete with down the road - they could have a grown-up halloween party event there while still running MNSSHP at MK and capture both audiences or double-dip with the same crowd that are there for multiple days, just as a single example) without dancing around it like they do at the MK) with future room to grow... but of course, that's not happening.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Why a land?

Why not a fifth gate?

It's not a good financial decision, building a fifth park right now would be cost-prohibitive. The infrastructure and cast needed for a whole new park wouldn't bring in enough additional guests, it would just shift hopping or guests from one park to another.

 

[MrPromey]

I think it could have a few evil villain attractions that are really suspenseful, including shows, but on the whole the park would have to be more fun and family friendly. Otherwise you end up with a highly rated park that nobody goes to.

I disagree, completely.

It would serve a huge audience that Disney has largely forfeited to their local competition.

One of the biggest problems with Universal is there isn't really enough for younger children.

One of the biggest problems for MK is too many 20-somethings are making the lines for Peter Pan unbearable for families with young children.

If Disney built the Hot Topic version of the MK, that group would swarm it (as would people... um... my age)

 

[MrPromey]

It's not a good financial decision, building a fifth park right now would be cost-prohibitive. The infrastructure and cast needed for a whole new park wouldn't bring in enough additional guests, it would just shift hopping or guests from one park to another.

Well, this is a blue sky concept that isn't happening right now either so

Anyway, I agree there is a lot to fix in three of the four parks before a fifth gate is considered but expanding the one park that really isn't in need of anything with more lands/mini-lands to drive more people to it instead seems no wiser of a decision to me.

They really should be trying to "shift guests" where that infrastructure and cast is underutilized today, shouldn't they, instead of adding even more to the one that's already over-burdened?