MK Villains Land Announced for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

[Mike S]

It’s possible that we may be able to find a compromise that satisfies the “Let’s cram every villain in the land” and the “none of these characters would actually work with (or even know) each other” schools of thought:

What if the expansion is more or less just more Fantasyland, with individual IPs in charge of their individual ride/shop/restaurant. But the big Maleficent boat ride COULD involve a ‘summoning of sorcery’.

Maleficent all by herself is not that interesting. Maleficent with Capt. Hook, Cruella DeVille, Sir Hiss & Prince John, Gaston, Ratigan and Tomatoa is stupid.

BUT, a measured, thoughtful retcon that pulls together the wicked witches and sorcerers that all have the same vibe … maybe all study the same book of dark magic… that might work.

Again, this idea is for a single attraction where action commences, climaxes and ends, not for the whole land.

Gaston and Clayton running a bar/safari themed restaurant quick service works for me lol

 

[bmr1591]

The Disney parks should not be thrill coasters parks. The idea that a land based on Disney animated films should have a thrill coasters is silly.

After reading all your comments over the past few pages, I've decided that you must be one of those people who just hates roller coasters and wants them nowhere near a Disney park. You're mad because you like Muppets and now they're on a roller coaster you won't step near. I'm not sure if it's just a disdain or a hatred of them, but the moment you hear that something is upping the thrill, you shut down. That's the only thing that makes sense with how you've responded to anyone who's said that shifting to a more family-focused approach is a bad idea.

It's okay to have a thrill coaster in Magic Kingdom, especially in a location tucked away in the back of the park. As someone else said, if you're designing a Villains Land but you aren't putting any tension into it whatsoever, you're designing a land for no one. Kids aren't going to want to wander back there if they're scared of villains and adults aren't going to want to wander back there if it's just a plussed Fantasyland made to appeal to eight year olds.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah, that isn’t very reassuring on the quality.

This story, even just limited to what Len has said, is full of red flags. But also, the process of coming up with a basic experience menu is not inherently a long process.

 

[britain]

This story, even just limited to what Len has said, is full of red flags. But also, the process of coming up with a basic experience menu is not inherently a long process.

It feels like the article is written by someone who doesn’t really understand the process (not just the menu process, but everything) but the source information might still make logical sense.

 

[Chi84]

If they stick a highly-themed bar that only serves overpriced alcohol into the land, will that make it “mature” enough?

That’s not a bad idea. It could satisfy the people wanting a darker, spookier experience.

 

[monothingie]

The biggest tragedy here is that it's now going to be close to 10 years before the WDWRR can make a full trip around the MK.

 

[Chi84]

Hades dining and not part of a ride. There goes the biggest interesting thing they could’ve done in a ride out the window for me outside the Maleficent Dragon.

Disney really doesn’t want my money anymore.

It wants mine . . .

 

[britain]

The biggest tragedy here is that it's now going to be close to 10 years before the WDWRR can make a full trip around the MK.

Tron, Tiana, now this. They really want to scrub the train from the nostalgia memory banks of the next generation, don’t they?

 

[Epcotfan21]

All of the great movies/villains Disney has to choose from, they pick to theme a ride off Emperors New Groove (which was labeled a box office bust btw)?

Take a lap, Imagineers.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Appealing to kids is really important. But I don't think appealing to kids is what drives the kind of LL revenue that's needed to pay for all this. Kids are only kids, at the park, in a cognizant way, for about 6 years (age 5 to 11, say). After that, for the rest of their lives, they are essentially adults. With money.

My stance is that Disney needs to pick a lane. Do something that’s truly family friendly or accept that the version of Villains that would be wildly popular with adults is going to be too spooky for some kids, maybe even most very young kids. I’m ok with either. But don’t make a hybrid that misses both audiences. What’s the point? If they want something for little kids there’s plenty of IP specifically for little kids.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

They pivoted from years of work and development on WestCOT to Disney’s California Adventure in a weekend.

WHAT?!?!?

Man, I would love to hear that story. If there's a lot to that story: Is there a link to a thread or post on here you can send my way on that development?

 

[Mike S]

He does not. He states that Walt become fascinated with the mountain and also made the movie. It was two projects that came from the same fascination, part of a bigger interest in winter sports.

But even then, Disneyland: Inside Story also repeats the color blind bulldozer operator story (that Marty Sklar made up) and the heels sinking into asphalt story.

Is the story of Walt sending a postcard with the Matterhorn on it back to WED with the only thing written on it being “BUILD THIS!” true?

 

[_caleb]

If I wanted to adjust the expectations of adult fans who expected Villains Land to be scary, I'd leak a story like this (which is careful to include mention of @lentesta's Feb 14th post about plans being "scrapped") to a website like The Wrap, let the fandom take it from there.

 

[DrStarlander]

My stance is that Disney needs to pick a lane. Do something that’s truly family friendly or accept that the version of Villains that would be wildly popular with adults is going to be too spooky for some kids, maybe even most very young kids. I’m ok with either. But don’t make a hybrid that misses both audiences. What’s the point? If they want something for little kids there’s plenty of IP specifically for little kids.

The way Kylo Ren is depicted in Rise is perfect I think, and yes it's too intense for the youngest kids, which is absolutely fine. That ride is wildly popular and makes money. Calibrating the tonality of this land or attractions does not seem difficult at all. I'm bewildered at all the hand-wringing about how to handle this.

 

[_caleb]

I see kids dress up as Maleficent and Cruella every Halloween. There are definitely kids who vibe with these characters.

Ah, the Halloween Costume Quotient!
This is how @TP2000 gauges the quality of a Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, or Pixar movie

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Is anyone really upset about building a mega e ticket boat ride vs a roller coaster? Seriously? Who cares about a roller coaster. Disney is all about the dark rides.

 

[Pizza Moon]

I think the Yzma coaster idea is too perfect for Disney to actually consider. Villains land can't all be the scariest villains in Disney movie history. Maleficent ride is a no-brainer, but this coaster is 1) something tied to the actual movie, like the Door coaster, 2) from an overlooked but beloved cult classic, and 3) adds an element of whimsy to the land instead of just all-gothic, all the time. Put simply, I love it. Which is probably why it's just a rumor.

It’s a horrible idea compared to the alternative.

It’s literally an either or, if we’d get both I’d be down.

Never ever getting a truly thrilling villains ride is as bad as Star Wars not getting one.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If I wanted to adjust the expectations of adult fans who expected Villains Land to be scary, I'd leak a story like this (which is careful to include mention of @lentesta's Feb 14th post about plans being "scrapped") to a website like The Wrap, let the fandom take it from there.

The author of the article is a person who does another podcast with Jim Hill.

 

[RobbinsDad]

It’s a horrible idea compared to the alternative.

It’s literally an either or, if we’d get both I’d be down.

Never ever getting a truly thrilling villains ride is as bad as Star Wars not getting one.

Where does it say the Maleficent ride won't be thrilling?

 

[Pizza Moon]

Where does it say the Maleficent ride won't be thrilling?

They need an actual serious coaster.

Maleficent, Chenabog, even a Cave of Wonders Jafar coaster.

We do not need a Cosmic Rewind fun ride for the land.

They’ll finally kiss the mark in favor of appealing to toddlers.