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

[DisneyHead123]

Random thought - after watching The Imagineering Story and reading some of Joe Rohde’s posts on the theme of AK, it seems to me that there is kind of a cool yin yang relationship between MK and AK that just doesn’t fully carry over to Dinoland. MK as very safe and idealized place that allows guests to be unpredictable and “play”, AK as more unpredictable and wild space that showcases the environment as unpredictable and changing (and even encourages guests to constrain their behavior somewhat via conservation.) Maybe that’s why I’ve always been a bit “meh” on the land but couldn’t put my finger on why. The theme that feels present throughout the rest of AK and even ties it into the parks in general via contrast with MK doesn’t feel nearly as salient in Dinoland.

 

[YodaMan]

While I am still 98% on board with this project, a part of me is still sad that this is likely the last holiday season with the dancing Christmas lights all over the dinosaur fossils. I know we’ll never get the Osborne Lights back but the Dinoland Christmas display is the closest thing we’ve gotten in the parks to to recapturing that magic since.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Random thought - after watching The Imagineering Story and reading some of Joe Rohde’s posts on the theme of AK, it seems to me that there is kind of a cool yin yang relationship between MK and AK that just doesn’t fully carry over to Dinoland. MK as very safe and idealized place that allows guests to be unpredictable and “play”, AK as more unpredictable and wild space that showcases the environment as unpredictable and changing (and even encourages guests to constrain their behavior somewhat via conservation.) Maybe that’s why I’ve always been a bit “meh” on the land but couldn’t put my finger on why. The theme that feels present throughout the rest of AK and even ties it into the parks in general via contrast with MK doesn’t feel nearly as salient in Dinoland.

The environment changing is the biggest theme of Dinoland

 

[DisneyHead123]

The environment changing is the biggest theme of Dinoland

It speaks to change that happened in the past, but not so much in the present moment that the guest is experiencing. The dinosaurs are pretty permanently extinct.

 

[Moth]

The big problem, however, is that for dinosaurs to be most effective, they can't be scientifically accurate. I don't care that the T-Rex and the Triceratops lived at different points of time, I want to see them fight. Such contradictions to nature aren't meant for a park like DAK, unfortunately.

I don't think this is necessarily true.


I do think a land that was basically mandated to not feature The Dinosaur Ever (T.rex) was doomed from the start though.

The ideal is a North America area in the future that has a dinosaur ride/attraction.


Besides, if beasts of fantasy can end up in DAK, I believe one day, beasts of prehistory can return. Be it in the form of the T.rex or a certain acorn obsessed squirrel.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

It speaks to change that happened in the past, but not so much in the present moment that the guest is experiencing. The dinosaurs are pretty permanently extinct.

Exactly the point. Natural causes or not, extinction is forever. It’s a warning.

 

[BlakeW39]

Genuine question - if they had replaced the coaster with a cheesy Dino dark ride - think classic like Mr. Toad with Dino’s - and really made the place feel alive with extra carnival games and carnival entertainment like jugglers, etc. - how would that be seen?

#1 problem with Dinoland U.S.A. was budget. Always was. The idea of a land set in the badlands with paleontological digs and fossils everywhere, with a thrill ride that takes you back in time to witness the extinction of the dinosaurs (and thus, the origin of the all fossils in the surrounding rocks) is a good idea. It could be done well and in a way that guests could enjoy.

The problem is that for such a land to work, you need a much larger budget. Dinosaur bones aren't found in the Florida swamps (literally have never even been discovered in the state, lmao), they're found in rock formations out in the desert or the mountains. The story that is unfolding in Dinoland is one that would unfold in a place like Arizona or Utah, not Florida. As such, a land based on the story they're going for needs extensive rock work and regional placemaking on a level that Dinoland U.S.A. just does not have. So as is, it's just some cheap carnival surrounded by mostly unthemed Florida swamp land with a kitschy restaurant/gift shop. And Dinosaur which almost feels separate from the rest of the land.

 

[Brer Panther]

That being said, prehistory and dinosaurs are a core element to Animal Kingdom and I hope that they will come back in some form down the line.

Not unless Disney creates a popular dinosaur-related IP.

Be it in the form of the T.rex or a certain acorn obsessed squirrel.

...wait, they're actually considering it?

#1 problem with Dinoland U.S.A. was budget. Always was. The idea of a land set in the badlands with paleontological digs and fossils everywhere, with a thrill ride that takes you back in time to witness the extinction of the dinosaurs (and thus, the origin of the all fossils in the surrounding rocks) is a good idea. It could be done well and in a way that guests could enjoy.

The problem is that for such a land to work, you need a much larger budget. Dinosaur bones aren't found in the Florida swamps (literally have never even been discovered in the state, lmao), they're found in rock formations out in the desert or the mountains. The story that is unfolding in Dinoland is one that would unfold in a place like Arizona or Utah, not Florida. As such, a land based on the story they're going for needs extensive rock work and regional placemaking on a level that Dinoland U.S.A. just does not have. So as is, it's just some cheap carnival surrounded by mostly unthemed Florida swamp land with a kitschy restaurant/gift shop. And Dinosaur which almost feels separate from the rest of the land.

Thanks a lot, Disneyland Paris.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Exactly the point. Natural causes or not, extinction is forever. It’s a warning.

Ok but in the case of Dinoland the element of change / the unpredictable is an abstract notion, not a park goers actual experience. At least to my mind.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

The fact that Carnotaurus fossils were only ever found in Argentina makes this transformation all the more tragic, considering they are making it into a Tropical Americas land. It would still work!

 

[EagleScout610]

Ultimate question- Will Disney use the name "Adventure" in either the Indy or Encanto attraction?

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Ok but in the case of Dinoland the element of change / the unpredictable is an abstract notion, not a park goers actual experience. At least to my mind.

Mass extinction is the central conflict on Dinosaur

 

[MisterPenguin]

Mass extinction is the central conflict on Dinosaur

I thought the main conflict was between Seeker and his boss, and whether we can survive his scheme to steal a dinosaur and create a Jurassic world scenario.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Mass extinction is the central conflict on Dinosaur

Yes but it's still a ride. Where, by definition, everything is going to go the exact same way each time. Unless the ride breaks down or something goes wrong, like an unruly guest causing problems.

I'm probably not doing a good job describing what I mean by "unpredictable". Rohdes describes it better by leaps and bounds - if I could find the Instagram post I'm thinking of I would post it but I don't have great WiFi at the moment and scrolling through all those posts would take a million years. I think it was around July 2021 though.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

I really like Dinosaur, but the Indy and overall retheme makes a lot of sense. Dinoland doesn't really fit in with the rest of the park (which is my favorite designed of all WDW parks).

I would love in the future to have a big budget dinosaur land back in AK, but that likely requires a successful Disney-owned IP tie-in to make happen.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Genuine question - if they had replaced the coaster with a cheesy Dino dark ride - think classic like Mr. Toad with Dino’s - and really made the place feel alive with extra carnival games and carnival entertainment like jugglers, etc. - how would that be seen?

I think the dark ride thought, might have had some promise to the area. But I just don't know if the overall Carnival theme would work.

Personal opinion only, but when we first brought our kids to AK (it wasn't there when I was going as a kid) with so much that WDW offers, we just weren't going to spend alot of time playing around with carnival games/area simply because they are available locally. I mean your average town/church fair has many of the carny type games showcased in the carnival area, and the smaller zipper/spinner type traveling rides that go along with them. Sure Disney might have done some of them slightly better, but no family had to spend hundreds/thousands of dollars to get into their local carnival to use them. That's not to say you couldn't go for younger child non/ride focused area. I think the glorified splash pad/fire truck in fantasy land does that really well, but a whole section built around acarnivall type setting that you can do at home, I just don't know if enough people would look at it as being "worth" it.

 

[KDM31091]

Ultimate question- Will Disney use the name "Adventure" in either the Indy or Encanto attraction?

I can almost guarantee it. It’s their favorite word

 

[BlakeW39]

I think Dinosaur was great attraction for a very long time, but the version that exists today has embarassingly poor show quality. The increased lighting, neon paint on the dinosaurs, reduced thrills, the asteroid being replaced with a static Carnotaurus head, and on and on. It's honestly depressing to me how bad the ride has gotten and I'd rather see it close than keep operating in its current state.

 

[Horizons '83]

I think Dinosaur was great attraction for a very long time, but the version that exists today has embarassingly poor show quality. The increased lighting, neon paint on the dinosaurs, reduced thrills, the asteroid being replaced with a static Carnotaurus head, and on and on. It's honestly depressing to me how bad the ride has gotten and I'd rather see it close than keep operating in its current state.

In its heyday, wow what an attraction it was. I'm in the camp you're in as well, shutter it before it becomes even more embarrassing.

 

[MR.Dis]

In its heyday, wow what an attraction it was. I'm in the camp you're in as well, shutter it before it becomes even more embarrassing.

Disney has known for a long time they were replacing this attraction, so they stopped putting money into upkeep. The same was true with Splash Mountain before it became Tiana.