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

[Disney Analyst]

I can't lie, DINOSAUR has been the only closure lately where my only reaction is "Eh, it had it's run". Everything else had a million questions attached.

I’m with you. Dinosaur was lame - always.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Dinosaur was once great—one of the best rides, in fact. They’ve let it rot into a mediocre imitation. When I said goodbye in July, i was extremely disappointed in its upkeep. Nonetheless, I treasure the fact that my niece and nephews got to ride it.

 

[EagleScout610]

I’m with you. Dinosaur was lame - always.

I don't think it was lame (Although my only attempt to ride ended in a walk out), I just think it's at the point it was probably on the chopping block even if Indy wasn't happening right now.

 

[Bocabear]

the whole Dinoland area was a victim of killing a great idea with a mediocre product... Yes, Dinosaur was a great ride...the rest of the Dino Land never materialized...THere were bigger plans, then they were dropped....and after a few years they added Chester and Hester...I imagine they were thinking that would be good for the short term...but as things go at wdw, a temporary fix lasts a generation before they decide to address it again... Dinosaur and it's land could have been amazing...but they value engineered it from the beginning...

 

[Brer Panther]

Disneyland Paris ruined everything. Not the park itself, but whoever's idea it was to build more hotels than it needed or whatever the reason it flopped was.

 

[HMF]

I’d say it was honestly due to neglect, truthfully. And adding the Dinosaur movie IP tie-in did little to nothing to improve the attraction’s situation at all, since it was the Countdown to Extinction ride itself that stuck with folks, clearly not the IP tie in. Also, by tieing it into a movie the ride had little to nothing to do with, only confused guests that were more familiar with the movie and expected a different type of ride experience, further. Countdown to Extinction made sense, as that’s what the ride literally entails, not the story or a continuation of the Dinosaur film, despite the unnecessary (and quite frankly bizarre) name change. They should’ve taken that as a sign of what was actually wrong, the unneccesary & confusing IP name change and a lack of good enough promotion & continued support for the CTE attraction in&itself through merch and the like.

If I were WDI I would merge both names into Dinosaur: Countdown To Extinction. Sounds more dramatic than either of them do on their own.

 

[HMF]

Putting in an Indy ride in 2025 (really 2026) is odd to me, since the franchise is basically dead at this point. Not that it doesn’t still have fans but it’s never going to be as popular as it once was.

Raiders is going to last forever but for the rest, you are probably right.

 

[HMF]

Disneyland Paris ruined everything. Not the park itself, but whoever's idea it was to build more hotels than it needed or whatever the reason it flopped was.

indeed!

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Disneyland Paris ruined everything. Not the park itself, but whoever's idea it was to build more hotels than it needed or whatever the reason it flopped was.

I think it was less the amount of hotels per se and moreso how much they were banking on folks book & staying at the hotels, ala Walt Disney World. Fact of the matter is though, it never would’ve gotten the same crowds Walt Disney World had.

 

[Nickm2022]

Raiders is going to last forever but for the rest, you are probably right.

if tron can have a ride built then any IP can have a ride if the ride is good enough IMO.

 

[BrianLo]

Dinosaur was great on paper, but was never executed well in any iteration (for me). The lack of soundtrack really killed it (for me). Like OG Sindbad; the tone was an absolute mess, like many Universal rides, the pace was a mess. Even with effects working it was a disorienting jostling around in the dark.

Though like Sindbad it could have been easily salvageable to something much superior.

 

[HMF]

Dinosaur was great on paper, but was never executed well in any iteration (for me). The lack of soundtrack really killed it (for me). Like OG Sindbad; the tone was an absolute mess, like many Universal rides, the pace was a mess. Even with effects working it was a disorienting jostling around in the dark.

Though like Sindbad it could have been easily salvageable to something much superior.

If i was to criticize Dinosaur in any way, My main complaint is it probably would be a better experience if Seeker did not have a ridiculous amount of dialogue throughout the attraction.

 

[JD80]

My kids always thought it was a bad ride.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I never thought dinosaur was a masterpiece but it has a mix of nostalgia and universal appeal at this point that it seems like a weird choice to completely retheme it. Spending 1/2 the Indy budget to add some more effects and AA’s and everyone is happy. Including the beloved shareholders that we are supposed to care about.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

if tron can have a ride built then any IP can have a ride if the ride is good enough IMO.

Exactly. The reason they're building an Indy ride in 2026 isn't because the IP is popular enough (though I'd argue it is - just not popular enough to sustain a $350MM tentpole) but because the OG attraction at Disneyland has such a legacy and reputation that it's essentially it can stand on it's own. That attraction has a place and heart within the general public. People will see it at DAK and think "Wow, we now have one of our own" and pounce on it, regardless of whether or not they saw Indy 5.

That's the marketing rationale behind the decision, IMO.

 

[Biff215]

Exactly. The reason they're building an Indy ride in 2026 isn't because the IP is popular enough (though I'd argue it is - just not popular enough to sustain a $350MM tentpole) but because the OG attraction at Disneyland has such a legacy and reputation that it's essentially it can stand on it's own. That attraction has a place and heart within the general public. People will see it at DAK and think "Wow, we now have one of our own" and pounce on it, regardless of whether or not they saw Indy 5.

That's the marketing rationale behind the decision, IMO.

While I agree, let’s just hope that Disney doesn’t tie this attraction exclusively to the latest Indy content hoping for synergy. As much as I want our own great Indy attraction, I’m not sure I trust WDI at this point to deliver something on the level of DL’s classic. The comparisons will be unavoidable so Disney better get this one right.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disney better get this one right.

I guess if you keep saying it, eventually it may come true?

 

[dmw]

Exactly. The reason they're building an Indy ride in 2026 isn't because the IP is popular enough (though I'd argue it is - just not popular enough to sustain a $350MM tentpole) but because the OG attraction at Disneyland has such a legacy and reputation that it's essentially it can stand on it's own. That attraction has a place and heart within the general public. People will see it at DAK and think "Wow, we now have one of our own" and pounce on it, regardless of whether or not they saw Indy 5.

That's the marketing rationale behind the decision, IMO.

so funny to hear something as new as Indi (1995) considered OG. My wife grew up in San Diego and I lived there many years (high school, college, Navy...) until we moved to Georgia in 1991. Disneyland OG to me is the Matterhorn with the skyway going through it, 20k Leagues (pre-Nemo), and still being able to buy cap guns, Davey Crockett vests and racoon-skin hats in Frontierland.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disneyland OG to me is the Matterhorn with the skyway going through it, 20k Leagues (pre-Nemo)

Neither the Matterhorn or 20k are OG.

 

[DCBaker]

Aerial video from bioreconstruct: