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

[Chester&Hester Enthusiast]

Since I’m being cantankerous over in the Animation redo thread, I’ll just reiterate that I’m excited and hopeful for this project even though I think Dinoland was the most misunderstood and under appreciated land Disney has ever built in Florida.

Based on many of the posts in this thread, there seems to be a weird consensus that Dinoland USA consisted of Dinorama! and absolutely nothing else. It is legitimately all critics of the land bring up, despite occupying a relatively small portion of the actual land's overall footprint.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Based on the many of the posts in this thread, there seems to be a weird consensus that Dinoland USA consisted of Dinorama! and absolutely nothing else. It is legitimately all critics of the land bring up, despite occupying a relatively small portion of the actual land's overall footprint.

And I’ll even defend Dinorama!!! It was integral to the land’s satire.

 

[Chester&Hester Enthusiast]

And I’ll even defend Dinorama!!! It was integral to the land’s satire.

I grew up around carnival culture with a deep respect and appreciation for weird roadside Americana, so it (and the corresponding service station especially) was genuinely always my family's favorite part of the land. I think most people didn't understand it or (seemingly) refused to see it as part of a whole.

 

[Incomudro]

Since I’m being cantankerous over in the Animation redo thread, I’ll just reiterate that I’m excited and hopeful for this project even though I think Dinoland was the most misunderstood and under appreciated land Disney has ever built in Florida.

I'm pleased with the fact that though I didn't want them to do this, they seem intent on doing it right, and it should be up to the level of the rest of AK.

 

[HMF]

Just wanted to add, we can debate Encanto and Indy, but regardless of those IP's getting a Topical Americas land is still a massive improvement from the version of a dinoland we had

Partially.

 

[HMF]

I'm pleased with the fact that though I didn't want them to do this, they seem intent on doing it right, and it should be up to the level of the rest of AK.

Quality-wise maybe but it still has nothing to do with animals and that is supposedly the theme of the park. Unless we are debating whether theme actually matters in a THEME PARK.

 

[Mike S]

Let’s both say Happy Monday to everyone at WDW Comms who’s actively reading this thread with us.

Hey Disney spies, let’s cut to the chase. You probably know who I am. I’m expecting Sue’s skull to arrive in my driveway soon.

Thanks!!!

 

[James Alucobond]

... but it still has nothing to do with animals ...

That is demonstrably false. We know animals are a part of each ride. The question is whether the attractions present animals in a way that harmonizes with the overall message of the park and whether the IP serves to enhance or diminish their ability to do so.

 

[Jedi14]

Quality-wise maybe but it still has nothing to do with animals and that is supposedly the theme of the park. Unless we are debating whether theme actually matters in a THEME PARK.

We know both rides will involve animals.

 

[Brer Panther]

We know both rides will involve animals.

But I thought Animal Kingdom wasn't really about animals! It was about NATURE and our connection with it!

 

[Tha Realest]

Quality-wise maybe but it still has nothing to do with animals and that is supposedly the theme of the park. Unless we are debating whether theme actually matters in a THEME PARK.

I don’t think anyone contests it does. I think k the debate has shifted to how much Disney adheres to the core thematic of a given park given the push and necessity to incorporate IPs.

DHS, Epcot, and now DAK’s original overarching themes have changed over time. DHS was meant to be a hybrid theme park and working production studio environment; little of that conceit remains. EPCOT shifted from edutainment to more thrill rides to pace the constant festivals. DAK’s thematic history is an interesting one, because if were being honest Dinoland was the worst land/section in terms of fitting with the Rodhe formulation of the park’s theme (which was stretched to its limits in rationalizing the Pandora expansion). And I liked Dinoland!

In sum- I don’t think they’re no longer theme parks, or that theme isn’t important. I just think the themes or thematic guardrails for respective parks change over time (evolve suggests they improve, and I’m not fully there) to give a permission structure for IP infusion.

 

[Jedi14]

But I thought Animal Kingdom wasn't really about animals! It was about NATURE and our connection with it!

Indy is about a supernatural animal where we intrude on its grounds, like Everest. Encanto will have us exploring Antonio’s rainforest room and the animals that inhabit it.

 

[Nickm2022]

View attachment 908980
Indy is about a supernatural animal where we intrude on its grounds, like Everest. Encanto will have us exploring Antonio’s rainforest room and the animals that inhabit it.

agree, plus ill take this then the moana zootopia BS they suggested a while back, plus ill take this compared to Bluey or Zootopia which I strongly feel both belong in HS. Maybe EP for Bluey if done right

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

But I thought Animal Kingdom wasn't really about animals! It was about NATURE and our connection with it!

Why are those different themes in your mind? They are both elements of a larger idea. It is a park about animals, the natural world, and mankind's relationship to all of the above. It is all of those at once.

Some parts of the park focus specifically on animals, their habitats, their lifestyles, and their care. Other parts of the park focus more on the relationship that people have with the natural world, either through exploring:

1. Conservation efforts (or lack thereof)
2. The way in which the natural kingdoms have impacted human culture via religion or storytelling and even food
3. Mankind's history of curiosity in regards to the natural kingdoms of the past

It is possible for AK to be both things at once, and it in fact has been both things at once for the vast majority of it's lifetime. I think it is quite clear that from the very beginning Disney intended for AK to be seen as something more than just an animal park considering they bent over backwards to promote it in it's opening years as definitively not a zoo. There is absolutely more to it than just animals period.

 

[CoastalElite64]

Why are those different themes in your mind? They are both elements of a larger idea. It is a park about animals, the natural world, and mankind's relationship to all of the above. It is all of those at once.

Some parts of the park focus specifically on animals, their habitats, their lifestyles, and their care. Other parts of the park focus more on the relationship that people have with the natural world, either through exploring:

1. Conservation efforts (or lack thereof)
2. The way in which the natural kingdoms have impacted human culture via religion or storytelling and even food
3. Mankind's history of curiosity in regards to the natural kingdoms of the past

It is possible for AK to be both things at once, and it in fact has been both things at once for the vast majority of it's lifetime. I think it is quite clear that from the very beginning Disney intended for AK to be seen as something more than just an animal park considering they bent over backwards to promote it in it's opening years as definitively not a zoo. There is absolutely more to it than just animals period.

Agreed. A good comparison would be National Geographic.

 

[Brer Panther]

View attachment 908980
Indy is about a supernatural animal where we intrude on its grounds, like Everest. Encanto will have us exploring Antonio’s rainforest room and the animals that inhabit it.

And that wasn't a rebuttal. When I say that Moana wouldn't fit in Animal Kingdom, people say that it does because Animal Kingdom isn't actually about animals, it's about NATURE and our relationship with it and blah-blah-blah. When I say Indiana Jones and Encanto don't fit, people say that they're gonna have the rides focus on animals, ergo it fits.

And I'm still not convinced that the Encanto ride will be entirely about Antonio's rainforest room. I highly doubt anyone who watched Encanto and wanted a ride at Disney World was thinking "You know what the ride should be like? A tour of the room of this minor character and nothing else!". More likely they want a tour of the Casita and a focus on the human characters who actually factor into the plot, and Disney knows it.

 

[James Alucobond]

And that wasn't a rebuttal. When I say that Moana wouldn't fit in Animal Kingdom, people say that it does because Animal Kingdom isn't actually about animals, it's about NATURE and our relationship with it and blah-blah-blah. When I say Indiana Jones and Encanto don't fit, people say that they're gonna have the rides focus on animals, ergo it fits.

You're mixing everything everyone says to you together whether it is a good rebuttal or a poor one to support your impression that all rebuttals to you are poor.

And I'm still not convinced that the Encanto ride will be entirely about Antonio's rainforest room. I highly doubt anyone who watched Encanto and wanted a ride at Disney World was thinking "You know what the ride should be like? A tour of the room of this minor character and nothing else!". More likely they want a tour of the Casita and a focus on the human characters who actually factor into the plot, and Disney knows it.

It isn't entirely about his rainforest room. No one tried to convince you of that. It is entirely set during the day Antonio gets his powers and will likely culminate in a visit to his room, but it is known that we will travel all around Casita.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

That is demonstrably false. We know animals are a part of each ride. The question is whether the attractions present animals in a way that harmonizes with the overall message of the park and whether the IP serves to enhance or diminish their ability to do so.

They will reinforce the message of AK to the extent Cosmic Rewind does for EPCOT's (past and present)

Which is likely, not much. They can still be rides people like, but I doubt they will have any deeper meaning

I think at this point it's disingenuous and naive to suggest Disney still cares substantively about such things

The primary goal is to showcase Disney IP...everything else is a very distant second.

If I'm proven wrong, that would be a nice surprise.

 

[Incomudro]

I just went to YouTube and watched the scene of Antonio's room.
I tried to watch Encanto a couple of years ago, but couldn't make it through the movie and stopped watching before this scene.
The scene is very pretty, and yes - I do believe it'll lend itself to the ride very well.
I have hopes that WDW does a better job with this than they did with Tiana's ride.
PatF was a film I liked quite a bit, but as most of you know I was severely let down by how it was applied to the ride.
It seems from what we are hearing that Tropical America's and this Encanto attraction is getting an effort more in line with how I believe things should go.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

Why are those different themes in your mind? They are both elements of a larger idea. It is a park about animals, the natural world, and mankind's relationship to all of the above. It is all of those at once.

Some parts of the park focus specifically on animals, their habitats, their lifestyles, and their care. Other parts of the park focus more on the relationship that people have with the natural world, either through exploring:

1. Conservation efforts (or lack thereof)
2. The way in which the natural kingdoms have impacted human culture via religion or storytelling and even food
3. Mankind's history of curiosity in regards to the natural kingdoms of the past

It is possible for AK to be both things at once, and it in fact has been both things at once for the vast majority of it's lifetime. I think it is quite clear that from the very beginning Disney intended for AK to be seen as something more than just an animal park considering they bent over backwards to promote it in it's opening years as definitively not a zoo. There is absolutely more to it than just animals period.

There's no point in explaining it to this person for the millionth time. They don't care. I would be surprised if they don't understand it by now. All their comments, at this point, are just bait.