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

[Stupido]

A land is not the same thing as a hotel. Ever notice how the bathrooms at Disney’s Animal Kingdom don’t match the worn and gritty aesthetic just outside their doors? They’re brighter, smoother and better lit because that’s what reads as clean to people. Hotel rooms need to be more like bathrooms. They have to be easily readable as clean and well maintained. Dim lighting can be fun and mysterious in a land, it’s unsettling in a bathroom or hotel room. It’s why the announced but never opened Haunted Mansion rooms looked like plastic, because they needed surfaces that could be cleaned so you just ended up with a cheap toy look instead of an authentic Mansion experience.

Oh, I fully agree a Villains hotel is a much bigger gamble than a theme park land and very unlikely. I was responding to the false notion that Disney Villains being popular was a falsehood being peddled by "Disney Adults."

 

[MisterPenguin]

Rumor Thread 'Potential New Magic Kingdom Area Hotel'

May 29, 2024

Following up on the conversation from the Moana E-Ticket thread (thank you @The Mom for keeping us on track in that thread). Including some quotes from that thread.

@lentesta Was suggesting today on the podcast that this plot could become a DVC hotel with a private entrance to MK. It seems too small to be a hotel to me. Unless he was talking about another area?

Forgive my terrible graphics skills. Here's what I'm thinking. And I could be wrong, so let me know.

The background image is from the current CFTOB 2032 Comprehensive Plan. Areas in green are suitable for...

• Purduevian
• Replies: 126
• Forum: WDW Parks News, Rumors and Current Events

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"Suggesting" it *could* be a DVC is vastly different than an insider saying it's under consideration.

And "under consideration" is vastly different than drawing up plans and concept art.

Which is vastly different than budgeting it and greenlighting it.

Maybe Jim Hill has heard something which will come to fruition in 17 years.

 

[Disney Analyst]

A land is not the same thing as a hotel. Ever notice how the bathrooms at Disney’s Animal Kingdom don’t match the worn and gritty aesthetic just outside their doors? They’re brighter, smoother and better lit because that’s what reads as clean to people. Hotel rooms need to be more like bathrooms. They have to be easily readable as clean and well maintained. Dim lighting can be fun and mysterious in a land, it’s unsettling in a bathroom or hotel room. It’s why the announced but never opened Haunted Mansion rooms looked like plastic, because they needed surfaces that could be cleaned so you just ended up with a cheap toy look instead of an authentic Mansion experience.

Let’s be real for a second about what a hotel attached to Villains land would be… likely themed on the park side to match the land aesthetics, potentially themed on the non park side more subtly like a regular Disney hotel, and the inside would be modern like Fantasy Springs Hotel with subtle villains touches.

If they were considering a hotel, it would likely be very not scary …

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

The suggestion that the Disney Villains aren’t insanely popular is one of the most out of touch things I’ve ever read on this site and that’s saying a lot

 

[James Alucobond]

The suggestion that the Disney Villains aren’t insanely popular is one of the most out of touch things I’ve ever read on this site and that’s saying a lot

I think there are valid questions about who (demographically) actually cares about them, whether or not they should be treated as if they constitute a theme, and if the current fascination is faddish or enduring.

 

[Stupido]

I think there are valid questions about who (demographically) actually cares about them, whether or not they should be treated as if they constitute a theme, and if the current fascination is faddish or enduring.

When I worked as a CP in MK in 2010, there was endless cast member chatter about the "rumored" Tragic Kingdom, a full recreation of the Magic Kingdom starring the villains. The full timers at our location said it had been talked about for years and was never going to happen. I don't think it's a current fascination or faddish.

 

[mattpeto]

The suggestion that the Disney Villains aren’t insanely popular is one of the most out of touch things I’ve ever read on this site and that’s saying a lot

I think there are valid questions about who (demographically) actually cares about them, whether or not they should be treated as if they constitute a theme, and if the current fascination is faddish or enduring.

I honestly think you're both right.

 

[lazyboy97o]

When I worked as a CP in MK in 2010, there was endless cast member chatter about the "rumored" Tragic Kingdom, a full recreation of the Magic Kingdom starring the villains. The full timers at our location said it had been talked about for years and was never going to happen. I don't think it's a current fascination or faddish.

Yes, it’s been chatter among fans for years but largely driven by the fact that every two-bit Armchair Imagineer has thrown it out there as an idea. It was classic wish-casting morphing into rumor.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yes, it’s been chatter among fans for years but largely driven by the fact that every two-bit Armchair Imagineer has thrown it out there as an idea. It was classic wish-casting morphing into rumor.

So it's a... tale as old as time?

 

[Brer Panther]

Isn't it kind of funny how a lot of Disney's recent projects are long-rumored armchair imagineering ideas? This, the Monsters Inc. door coaster...

Hey, maybe we'll get an actual Beastly Kingdom next! Oh, wait, that's not attached to an IP...

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Oh, wait, that's not attached to an IP...

THERE WAS A FANTASIA BOAT RIDE!!! BEASTLY KINGDOM FOREVER!!!

Whenever I talk about Beastly Kingdom, my CAPS LOCK key accidentally gets pressed.

 

[BrianLo]

I think there are valid questions about who (demographically) actually cares about them, whether or not they should be treated as if they constitute a theme, and if the current fascination is faddish or enduring.

-Millennials and Zillenials.
-TBD if they actually do it correctly.
-I think it’s both a fad and simultaneously enduring. It’s basically the Halloween trend, with the biggest spending consumer for Halloween now being 18-34yo on themselves. At the same time it’s an anemic excuse for a New-New Fantasyland; and that’s always enduring.

The fourth question I would add is if popularity should actually dictate parks investment spending - and that’s certainly a controversial one.

 

[ManicMillennial]

The fourth question I would add is if popularity should actually dictate parks investment spending - and that’s certainly a controversial one.

As controversial as it may be it a very interesting line of thought to go down.

There is a solid business logic behind making new products and attractions around things that are popular because you know it will bring people in but the overall ROI and lasting power depends on the given popularity’s ability to endure which is impossible to predict given the fickle nature of public opinion.

 

[Bocabear]

A hit with who? Families with kids under 6, many of whom would be scared witless before setting foot into the thing? Or the Disney Adults who continue to foist the falsehood upon the masses that "Disney Villains" is some massively popular thing?

Let's be real...a Villains Hotel would never be scary...it would have subtle design touches....and with whoever is designing the hotels for Disney these days, it would be extremely subtle... not scary... Fantasy Springs hotel with some Villains portraits here and there.... Your kids would not be scared witless....and the real winner would be a hotel that opens right into the park...That is what would keep those rooms sold... Sadly with today's Disney it would look a lot like a Marriott with villains symbols woven into the carpet and printed artwork of Villan locations... Like ships and Nautical details for Hook, Background locations from Sleeping Beauty, etc...

 

[ToTBellHop]

Why would they do a villain hotel? They have very clearly moved away from highly-themed resort hotels. We’d end up with white rooms, beige bathrooms, and a Mary Blair-style painting of Maleficent above a table for two. If we were lucky, an Ursula’s Grotto splash pad for 7-year olds where statues of Flotsom and Jetsam spray recirculated diarrhea water into your kid’s mouth.

 

[Bocabear]

Why would they do a villain hotel? They have very clearly moved away from highly-themed resort hotels. We’d end up with white rooms, beige bathrooms, and a Mary Blair-style painting of Maleficent above a table for two. If we were lucky, an Ursula’s Grotto splash pad for 7-year olds where statues of Flotsom and Jetsam spray recirculated diarrhea water into your kid’s mouth.

OMG!!!!!! LOL

 

[Disney Analyst]

OMG!!!!!! LOL

Dear lord that image will forever be seared into my brain

 

[ToTBellHop]

Dear lord that image will forever be seared into my brain

 

[Disstevefan1]

Why would they do a villain hotel? They have very clearly moved away from highly-themed resort hotels. We’d end up with white rooms, beige bathrooms, and a Mary Blair-style painting of Maleficent above a table for two. If we were lucky, an Ursula’s Grotto splash pad for 7-year olds where statues of Flotsom and Jetsam spray recirculated diarrhea water into your kid’s mouth.

Oh you mean like Moana's at EPCOT.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Oh you mean like Moana's at EPCOT.

Don’t you dare call that a splash pad. It’s moist, interactive walking adventure for kids of all ages.