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

[SaveDinosaur]

@marni1971

What're your thoughts on the addition of Tropical Americas at DAK? Do you approve?
It's weird that this seems to be one of the few "on-theme" additions coming to any WDW park.
Your opinion is highly respected. Especially among so many bad decisions the company has been making lately.

What do you mean by 'on-theme'? How does a story about a multigenerational Colombian family who receives magical gifts from a miracle and then tries to defend their family and magic fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave? How does a story about an archaeologist who tries to defend historical artifacts fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave?

I’m sorry, but just adding a random animal to these completely different stories doesn’t make them a good fit for the park’s theme. If that’s your logic, what would be your argument against a Doctor Strange ride at Animal Kingdom where he uses the Time Stone to save endangered species? That kind of thinking is why all parks now look and feel the same—they're just Six Flags parks with no real theme...

 

[James Alucobond]

What do you mean by 'on-theme'? How does a story about a multigenerational Colombian family who receives magical gifts from a miracle and then tries to defend their family and magic fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave? How does a story about an archaeologist who tries to defend historical artifacts fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave?

Ignoring all details we’ve been given about both attractions thus far sure is convenient. The Encanto attraction takes place on the day a boy gains the ability to commune with animals and opens the door to a room filled with a rainforest. The IJ attraction involves a mythical pre-Colombian animal deity or cryptozoological creature of some sort.

 

[SaveDinosaur]

Ignoring all details we’ve been given about both attractions thus far sure is convenient. The Encanto attraction takes place on the day a boy gains the ability to commune with animals and opens the door to a room filled with a rainforest. The IJ attraction involves a mythical pre-Colombian animal deity or cryptozoological creature of some sort.

If that kind of stretch is what makes an attraction fit the theme, then they should add the rumored Endor coaster for DLP next to a Monsters, Inc. attraction where Mike and Sully travel the human world trying to find ecological solutions for new forms of clean energy!

 

[James Alucobond]

If that kind of stretch is what makes an attraction fit the theme, then they should add the rumored Endor coaster for DLP next to a Monsters, Inc. attraction where Mike and Sully travel the human world trying to find ecological solutions for new forms of clean energy!

What is a stretch if the attraction centers on animals? The plot of the source films does not necessarily determine the plot of the attractions. The Pandora attractions also do not center on the plot of the movies, nor does Dinosaur revolve around the plot of Dinosaur.

 

[SaveDinosaur]

What is a stretch if the attraction centers on animals? The plot of the source films does not necessarily determine the plot of the attractions. The Pandora attractions also do not center on the plot of the movies, nor does Dinosaur revolve around the plot of Dinosaur.

Dinosaur is not based on the movie Dinosaur, they just have the same name for marketing purposes, that's why it was called Countdown to Extinction. Splash Mountain also had its name chosen that way because of a marketing tie-in, and nobody thinks that Splash Mountain was based on the movie Splash...

 

[SaveDinosaur]

What is a stretch if the attraction centers on animals? The plot of the source films does not necessarily determine the plot of the attractions.

Just like I said earlier, making a stretch to put a random animal gimmick just to make it fit still doesn't make a good one; that's why Joe Rohde established the no Pants rule. Otherwise, the whole park will have the same fate as Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and DCA: a generic, worse Magic Kingdom park.

 

[James Alucobond]

The “no pants” rule has nothing to do with Encanto or IJ. You’re just saying random things.

If you don’t want to look at the Dinosaur example, fine. But with Pandora, they picked two scenarios out of the source film (exploring the Pandoran wilderness and flying on an ikran) and fleshed out those experiences because they fit thematically with the park. They don’t focus on Jake’s personal adventure. They’re doing similar things with Encanto and IJ; execution obviously matters, but early details are tracking correctly.

 

[Haymarket2008]

What do you mean by 'on-theme'? How does a story about a multigenerational Colombian family who receives magical gifts from a miracle and then tries to defend their family and magic fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave? How does a story about an archaeologist who tries to defend historical artifacts fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave?

I’m sorry, but just adding a random animal to these completely different stories doesn’t make them a good fit for the park’s theme. If that’s your logic, what would be your argument against a Doctor Strange ride at Animal Kingdom where he uses the Time Stone to save endangered species? That kind of thinking is why all parks now look and feel the same—they're just Six Flags parks with no real theme...

Deep breaths.

I am referring to the framing device of the LAND not the attractions.

I didn't say a single thing about the Encanto attraction, which I feel is problematic. The story treatment is a STRETCH.

Indiana Jones is different, imho, and it is possible that there can be a real connection to folklore and mythology a la Expedition Everest. The inclusion of an IP is the one thing that seperates the IJ attraction from Everest. Everest doesn't tackle conservation. It is a mystical creature from Asian mythos. There have been multiple indications that Quetzalcoatl will be featured in a big way in this attraction. I am going into this with an open mind.

The land itself? Seems like a big, thoughtful win for the park.

 

[Brer Panther]

What do you mean by 'on-theme'? How does a story about a multigenerational Colombian family who receives magical gifts from a miracle and then tries to defend their family and magic fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave? How does a story about an archaeologist who tries to defend historical artifacts fit a theme about conservation and how animals live and behave?

I’m sorry, but just adding a random animal to these completely different stories doesn’t make them a good fit for the park’s theme. If that’s your logic, what would be your argument against a Doctor Strange ride at Animal Kingdom where he uses the Time Stone to save endangered species? That kind of thinking is why all parks now look and feel the same—they're just Six Flags parks with no real theme...

If that kind of stretch is what makes an attraction fit the theme, then they should add the rumored Endor coaster for DLP next to a Monsters, Inc. attraction where Mike and Sully travel the human world trying to find ecological solutions for new forms of clean energy!

Yes. This.

And just because the Encanto ride's gonna be set on the day Antonio got his power doesn't mean the whole ride's gonna focus on Antonio and animals. I wouldn't be surprised if Antonio's room was just the finale and the rest of the ride was focused on the other characters, allowing us to go inside their rooms and hear the popular songs from the movie.

 

[Haymarket2008]

The “no pants” rule has nothing to do with Encanto or IJ. You’re just saying random things.

If you don’t want to look at the Dinosaur example, fine. But with Pandora, they picked two scenarios out of the source film (exploring the Pandoran wilderness and flying on an ikran) and fleshed out those experiences because they fit thematically with the park. They don’t focus on Jake’s personal adventure. They’re doing similar things with Encanto and IJ; execution obviously matters, but early details are tracking correctly.

Correct. And Pandora was more or less viewed as the realization of the "Beastly Kingdom" idea. But with more fleshed out concepts. A fictional culture that honors and cares for its' animals and ecology. Also "dragons" lol.

 

[James Alucobond]

And just because the Encanto ride's gonna be set on the day Antonio got his power doesn't mean the whole ride's gonna focus on Antonio and animals. I wouldn't be surprised if Antonio's room was just the finale and the rest of the ride was focused on the other characters, allowing us to go inside their rooms and hear the popular songs from the movie.

Legitimate concern, as has been said an infinite number of times. But as I recall, you were originally completely unconvinced that the ride would prominently feature Antonio and his animals at all, so I'll probably just wait for information to judge the execution instead of preemptively dismissing the entire IP.

 

[Brer Panther]

Again, just because the ride takes place on the day he got his power doesn't automatically mean Antonio and his animals will be "prominently featured".

 

[James Alucobond]

Bruce Vaughn specifically said during the D23 presentation that Antonio's room, filled with his animal friends and rainforest scenery, is the ultimate destination and finale of the ride. There is still plenty of room for missteps along the way, but I'm not sure how that doesn't qualify as "prominently featured".

 

[Brer Panther]

If it's the finale of the ride, that indicates that only one room will be set there. Chances are the rest of the ride will just be exploring various rooms of the house, none of which have anything to do with animals unless you count the donkeys in Luisa's song.

 

[James Alucobond]

Possible. It's also possible the animals will pop up in other characters' rooms to enjoy Julieta's food, Pepa's weather, Isabela's flora, or the company of Luisa's donkeys. Either way, you're demonstrably wrong about Antonio being featured, but continue shifting goalposts.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yes. This.

And just because the Encanto ride's gonna be set on the day Antonio got his power doesn't mean the whole ride's gonna focus on Antonio and animals. I wouldn't be surprised if Antonio's room was just the finale and the rest of the ride was focused on the other characters, allowing us to go inside their rooms and hear the popular songs from the movie.

We had similar fears about Avatar being a war movie and the land fits seamlessly into the park. The story treatments they've publicly stated give me quite a bit of confidence in this land.

 

[Starship824]

Again, just because the ride takes place on the day he got his power doesn't automatically mean Antonio and his animals will be "prominently featured".

Yes but that's clearly what they're going for.

If it's the finale of the ride, that indicates that only one room will be set there. Chances are the rest of the ride will just be exploring various rooms of the house, none of which have anything to do with animals unless you count the donkeys in Luisa's song.

I don't think they're going to do that. They're clearing emphasizing that these rides will fit Animal Kingdom highlighting that Indy will be a new story focusing on a mythical creature and talking about Antonio specifically.

 

[sedati]

If it's the finale of the ride, that indicates that only one room will be set there. Chances are the rest of the ride will just be exploring various rooms of the house, none of which have anything to do with animals unless you count the donkeys in Luisa's song.

So, you have two that coincide with animals (one much more than the other) but what about nature?

Pepa controls the weather- which could really be used well in an attraction (Mystic Manor has both a great frost effect along with a wind-swept finale.

Oh, and let's see... ISABELLA CONTROLS PLANTS!

But I'll take it further. Delores has super hearing. Maybe she will allow us to hear distant animals, birdsong, or insect chips.

Bruno is clairvoyant. Maybe he will give us a warning about an animal we'll encounter later in the ride or even take things back to old-school Animal Kingdom and warn us about the risk of extinction for modern animals due to human behavior.

Finally, Julieta... there's no way we don't get her tied into a restaurant or cart with her healing foods. The weakest tie to a nature park, and yet, a key for any well-rounded theme park experience.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Encanto, the carousel and the village look nice. The film isn’t about animals but Moana isn’t about the cycle of water either. If I had to pick one modern day IP to add to DAK and I think Encanto would be it.

Indiana Jones is a pretty big stretch…”what if… instead of looking for the Ark of the Covenant…. He was looking for…. An animal!” - but again I’ll take it over Guardians or Simpsons or Deadpool.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Hoping the Indians Jones temple is visible from the fountain plaza as I’ve always felt Dinosaur was hurt by visibility or lack thereof. The red temple should draw the eye more at least.

This did indeed seem to be a huge issue for Dinosaur. A big percentage of park visitors just wander around randomly walking up to things that look interesting—and thus a surprising percentage don’t even realize Dinosaur exists. This was greatly exacerbated by the placement of Dino-Rama.