DAK 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

[Timothy_Q]

When Disney fixes something without adding capacity (Tropical Americas) people complain they're not adding capacity

When Disney adds capacity (Rat, Tron, Pandora) people complain they're not fixing things (SGE, Figment, WoL, etc)

 

[James Alucobond]

When Disney fixes something without adding capacity (Tropical Americas) people complain they're not adding capacity

When Disney adds capacity (Rat, Tron, Pandora) people complain they're not fixing things (SGE, Figment, WoL, etc)

Ideally, things wouldn't get to a state where either of these complaints was necessary.

 

[EagleScout610]

 

[Epcot82Guy]

View attachment 809162

It's ok. I have it on good authority he has a much better, higher profile spot where he will fit right in. He just needs to learn some Zydeco music first...

 

[BrianLo]

They announced a bunch of stuff for WDW at D23 and the only think that’s actually a straight addition is Villains.

It’s insane how many billions they waste running in place.

I’ve been talking about this the last few years, but this is the natural endpoint of a la carting the parks experience via paid lightening lanes/single passes.

I’ve been arguing there is a financial reason they have to actually invest in WDW, because they can be rapidly monetized in a meaningful way that isn’t just driving parks attendance (of course that’s the other way).

But it was going to lead towards heavily biasing investment in attractions they can monetize. Now that is good on one hand, I think many of us like the D/E tickets. It honestly also gives probably the best reason we’ve ever had for something to be done with Imagination. Maybe not the ideal fix, but there’s a huge corporate reason to throw money at Imagination now.

But on the the flip side, we’re losing the quiet experiences. Something like Muppets or even Bugs Life could no longer be monetized. It’s a major downside of our next investment cycle, if paid fast pass sticks, which it seems certain to do.

So while there isn’t a net capacity gain in terms of what we actually want and mean, there is a meaningful ‘lightening lane gain’. Even Dinosaur wasn’t really an attractive reason to buy LL, unlike Disneyland, where it remains one of the clear premium choices. DAK also indirectly contributes capacity to the resort, because I think the way it’s currently being run is not actually effectively utilizing the capacity it has to offer. With Encanto and Indy being a 1-2 punch of super desirable headliners (presumably, but I think that’s a safe assumption) - the hours re-expand and DAK actually helps more than simply tallying total attractions would suggest. It’s not a bad plan, per se.

I also think a night show in 2027 is almost a certainty. I also think DAK does not go that long without another investment cycle. Like 2030 if not something squeaks in earlier if the park still isn’t holding onto crowds.

 

[GoofGoof]

Don't forget: that was a rollercoaster just a few years ago. And you're losing the Boneyard, plus the games, which weren't massive people eaters but they were SOMETHING.

So you're not really adding any capacity at all.

This is 100% true. Loss of Spinner, Primeval Whirl, boneyard and carnival games and gain of carousel and Encanto ride plus a retheme of Dinosaur to Indy so not much of a net change in capacity. That being said, this whole project is still a huge positive for the park. Pretty much since it opened a large number of people (me included) wanted the carnival stuff to be replaced with “something better”. This is definitely something better.

So while I agree this project does little to address capacity in a park desperately in need of more capacity it is not really the problem. There are plenty of other opportunities to expand the actual park. The lion king ride rumored is one, the expansion area behind Asia another. They probably should have added more capacity first before improving an existing area. IMHO that is the real problem.

 

[WorldExplorer]

This is 100% true. Loss of Spinner, Primeval Whirl, boneyard and carnival games and gain of carousel and Encanto ride plus a retheme of Dinosaur to Indy so not much of a net change in capacity. That being said, this whole project is still a huge positive for the park. Pretty much since it opened a large number of people (me included) wanted the carnival stuff to be replaced with “something better”. This is definitely something better.

So while I agree this project does little to address capacity in a park desperately in need of more capacity it is not really the problem. There are plenty of other opportunities to expand the actual park. The lion king ride rumored is one, the expansion area behind Asia another. They probably should have added more capacity first before improving an existing area. IMHO that is the real problem.

I realize that Chester and Hester was a cheap compromise and not meant to last and so I try and put aside my bias towards it and accept it leaving. Completely reskinning all of the land, though, I think is way overkill and a waste of effort and money, especially in a park with so little to do. Dinosaur, Boneyard, and Restraunt O'saurus are fine and form a coherent area together, and they're spending a lot of money to screw with/remove them instead of building something else.

 

[cheezbat]

Indy belongs in Studios. Add the ride there.

Keep Dinosaur, the Boneyard, and Restaurantosaurus…

You can add Encanto and the Carousel. No real loss of anything there since Chester’s and Hester’s was always a mess.

Add the Lion King flume to Africa.

Add a slow moving Jungle Book ride.

Boom. Animal Kingdom is way better off, and DHS gets more capacity too.

 

[Grantwil93]

I agree with everything except the last sentence -- Restaurantosaurus was always packed, because it was the kid option for burgers and chicken fingers. I think they may have a bit of a problem moving away from that.

I think you will likely see burgers and chicken nuggets adapted into either/both Flame Tree BBQ and Pizzafari

My crackpot theory was the reason they removed the onion rings from Flame Tree to make way for the nuggets. Only so much fryer space.

Burgers I'm less sure about but I'd imagine they can figure it out. Cheeseburger pods are a fav of mine anyway

 

[Grantwil93]

I’ve been talking about this the last few years, but this is the natural endpoint of a la carting the parks experience via paid lightening lanes/single passes.

I’ve been arguing there is a financial reason they have to actually invest in WDW, because they can be rapidly monetized in a meaningful way that isn’t just driving parks attendance (of course that’s the other way).

But it was going to lead towards heavily biasing investment in attractions they can monetize. Now that is good on one hand, I think many of us like the D/E tickets. It honestly also gives probably the best reason we’ve ever had for something to be done with Imagination. Maybe not the ideal fix, but there’s a huge corporate reason to throw money at Imagination now.

But on the the flip side, we’re losing the quiet experiences. Something like Muppets or even Bugs Life could no longer be monetized. It’s a major downside of our next investment cycle, if paid fast pass sticks, which it seems certain to do.

So while there isn’t a net capacity gain in terms of what we actually want and mean, there is a meaningful ‘lightening lane gain’. Even Dinosaur wasn’t really an attractive reason to buy LL, unlike Disneyland, where it remains one of the clear premium choices. DAK also indirectly contributes capacity to the resort, because I think the way it’s currently being run is not actually effectively utilizing the capacity it has to offer. With Encanto and Indy being a 1-2 punch of super desirable headliners (presumably, but I think that’s a safe assumption) - the hours re-expand and DAK actually helps more than simply tallying total attractions would suggest. It’s not a bad plan, per se.

I also think a night show in 2027 is almost a certainty. I also think DAK does not go that long without another investment cycle. Like 2030 if not something squeaks in earlier if the park still isn’t holding onto crowds.

I'm thinking that once this new area is done, DAK will stay open till at least 8pm routinely. I hope 9pm. It'll probably not open quite as early too.

Restaurants that are dead for dinner due to 6pm closures will stay open with the park, quick services will stay open later. All rides except the Safari, train, and animal trails will be open till close. Day shows will have 1-2 more showings later in the afternoon. And like you said, a new nighttime show(hopefully drones, maybe they make barges to float the drones out from the backstage area so they could launch right in the lagoon)

It's a half day park because it's only 20 dollars less than epcot but it closes 3 hours earlier with half the park closed 2 hours before it even actually closes with no nighttime show. I'd go to epcot or studios too if I was weighing out how much I'm getting for my money

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Does AK still have capybaras?

When and where did they have capybaras!? Did I miss them!?

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Don't forget: that was a rollercoaster just a few years ago. And you're losing the Boneyard, plus the games, which weren't massive people eaters but they were SOMETHING.

So you're not really adding any capacity at all.

The capacity of the Primeval Whirls was bad, like, Really bad. Especially considering it became rare to see both sides operating and the thing was such a PoS that no one rode it.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Especially considering it became rare to see both sides operating and the thing was such a PoS that no one rode it.

People rode it. It had a Fastpass! It was also “the spin cycle” on must-dos so everyone had to do it! IYKYK

Its hourly capacity was a little more than Peter Pan.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

When Disney fixes something without adding capacity (Tropical Americas) people complain they're not adding capacity

When Disney adds capacity (Rat, Tron, Pandora) people complain they're not fixing things (SGE, Figment, WoL, etc)

I wish I could 'like' this more than once.

Also, I'd like to add to that: When Disney is adding things or fixing things people complain that there's walls and construction everywhere!

 

[FutureCEO]

If they put real life animals, it will be okay.

 

[easyrowrdw]

The fun of being in two hugely different fan communities. TBA in my mind is Metallica's 1991 release known as The Black Album.

Took me a while to figure out the context here

Now you’ve got me mixing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with Metallica songs…

The floating logs held back by the sensor fails!
Tiana’s the ride that flailed

 

[FigmentFan82]

View attachment 809162

Deadpool is fixing the yeti

 

[Grantwil93]

The capacity of the Primeval Whirls was bad, like, Really bad. Especially considering it became rare to see both sides operating and the thing was such a PoS that no one rode it.

Also, while I get the argument that Encanto=Primeval Whirl in terms of being a lateral move to capacity. Attraction number wise at least.

I just disagree.

On June 17, 2019, the ride was reduced to seasonal operation, and later in September, park officials stated that the attraction would only be operating on a seasonal basis. On July 16, 2020, officials confirmed that the attraction would not re-open after various speculation.

since 2019 this hasn't been a fully operating ride. And essentially ever since reopening for covid, it's not existed. What will end up as 6+ years without a ride being in that spot isn't a lateral move for capacity.

replacing an empty spot with, by all rumors, an omnimover? That's a huge win for capacity. DAK getting an E-Ticket(in terms of guest draw) omnimover will help that park beyond belief imo.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

When Disney fixes something without adding capacity (Tropical Americas) people complain they're not adding capacity

When Disney adds capacity (Rat, Tron, Pandora) people complain they're not fixing things (SGE, Figment, WoL, etc)

Disney can fix up attractions, while also adding new attractions that don’t replace / retheme / take over what’s already loved.

For me, I only hear people complain when there’s too many walls up at once, kinda of like Disneylands current state (space down, railroad down, splash down, etc). I can’t say I’ve ever heard mass Hysteria about new experiences that aren’t controversial takeovers, unless that new experience is just awful.

 

[SpectroMagician]

Don't forget: that was a rollercoaster just a few years ago. And you're losing the Boneyard, plus the games, which weren't massive people eaters but they were SOMETHING.

So you're not really adding any capacity at all.

Well that "roller coaster" as pretty terrible so not sad about it being gone, but your point about not adding any capacity at all is 100% true. Basically Disney has not added anything net new in years now.