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

[IMDREW]

Paging @marni1971

 

[bmr1591]

It's bitten them every time they've tried it.

Edgy doesn't belong at the MK. It's also the realization that you really can't make anything edgy when at most Disney Villains are PG rated.

I think it's the weird fantasy of some Disney Adults hoping that they can experience a "Dark" Disney that in reality never existed throughout their story telling.

I don't think anyone is naive enough to think Disney wants to go *dark*, but I do think they can gear some rides toward teenagers and not children. It's okay for the premier ride of Villains Land to be intense. It doesn't have to be Velocicoaster, but it can be a thrill that doesn't chase a seven year old's affection. They have an entire park to do that in. IMO, it should be on the level of Fantasmic in 'scaryness'. Little kids get scared and cry at Fantasmic all the time because their imaginations run wild (ironic), but that doesn't mean it's necessarily scary to the average person.

 

[marni1971]

Paging @marni1971

Hi

 

[monothingie]

I do not believe this report at all. First of all, it's way too specific and second, there's no way Disney would let this news that they've been hyping up for years get out through a third party news report.

There's a lot of stuff that has leaked out on this recently, like what @lentesta shared with us.

There appears to be many differing ideas on where this land needs to go within the company.

The scary part is that they don't have a script for the movie and they're already filming it, which means that it's going to be a total cluster. and/or this expansion is many many years away from coming online.

 

[Andrew C]

I think some of us are selling them a little short on that boat ride.

This roster is more balanced than the original proposal. At the end of the day, they seem to have decided Tron is the most intense they’ll go with here.

And to be fair, Berk is more popular than Dark Universe.

My only lineup critique is: go with a different flat ride. There are many options.

I am good if they are aiming to match the scale of Berk. Berk is awesome. I am just a bit worried that the overall appeal will be more limited. Don't waste villains....

 

[ToTBellHop]

There's a lot of stuff that has leaked out on this recently, like what @lentesta shared with us.

There appears to be many differing ideas on where this land needs to go within the company.

The scary part is that they don't have a script for the movie and they're already filming it, which means that it's going to be a total cluster. and/or this expansion is many many years away from coming online.

They are trial ballooning. Controlled leaks.

 

[IMDREW]

Hi

Oh boy, does this line up with what you've been hearing?

 

[monothingie]

They are trial ballooning.

For sure. The whole concept of beyond Big Thunder was ambiguous at best when Josh announced it however many years ago, the fact that they've reverted back to this means they are around a decade away from this coming online and their extremely concerned about getting this right after previous missteps.

 

[marni1971]

Oh boy, does this line up with what you've been hearing?

I’m very tippy toey around this at the moment but I wouldn’t argue against it.

I would add from a comment I read earlier in the thread that the anchor attraction was never “full” of villains.

 

[lentesta]

I do not believe this report at all. First of all, it's way too specific and second, there's no way Disney would let this news that they've been hyping up for years get out through a third party news report.

A just and merciful God would ensure we're all wrong.

 

[Gusey]

I do think we're getting a rollercoaster, a dark ride (maybe using a boat ride system) a flat ride, and a pre-fixe table service restaurant, I'm just not sure about those themes. Maleficent doesn't make much sense for a boat ride on her own as there isn't much water in Sleeping Beauty. The Ursula Octopus style spinner has been rumoured so many times for DLP and DCA that I'm not sure if it'll ever be a real thing (and the only way to make it truly themed is to set it inside so Ursula is picking guests up) A Yzma coaster makes sense for an indoor coaster, but I also think the article downplays rollercoaster types and it will be more thrilling than Seven Dwarfs which is a family friendly coaster, but not a kiddie coaster like they described. A Hades table service makes kind of sense, but feels like it's a rehash of the old Villains Tonight show on DCL
The article does suggest that this is just one suggestion for the updated plans and they're not due for another couple of weeks, so sounds like an imagineer trying to float ideas and get some public reception early.

According to one source, these updated plans for Villains Land are due in the next couple of weeks. Then D’Amaro will take the proposal to the board, which will decide whether or not to proceed with the more elaborate and, really, more fun version of the land.

 

[marni1971]

I do think we're getting a rollercoaster, a dark ride (maybe using a boat ride system) a flat ride, and a pre-fixe table service restaurant, I'm just not sure about those themes.

I’d be happy with the themes I’ve heard. But that’s just me.

 

[monothingie]

A just and merciful God would ensure we're all wrong.

Meanwhile at WDI....

 

[IMDREW]

Someone should burn that Ursula spinner concept. We don't need a big fiber glass Ursula spinning inside an A class theme park thank you. The one at Art of Animation is enough of that.

 

[monothingie]

I’d be happy with the themes I’ve heard. But that’s just me.

100% Kronk

 

[Andrew C]

100% Kronk

haha. I do love that movie...just a weird/interesting choice.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Interesting report. As awesome as Emperor's is, it's hard to see Disney building an anchor attraction to it in 2026. Something finally using the Shanghai boat tech would be welcome. And then the spinner? Pass. MK has basic spinners more than covered already.

 

[ToTBellHop]

haha. I do love that movie...just a weird/interesting choice.

Could actually be really fun. Hopefully better execution than SDD.

 

[IMDREW]

I’d be happy with the themes I’ve heard. But that’s just me.

I'd be very happy with a Maleficent E-ticket too, the isle of berk comment makes me worry though.

Been dreaming of an Emperors new groove coaster, it's just gonna change the whole vibe of the land. Although that is what they're going for apparently. I should know better than to fall in love with early concept art...

 

[JustInTime]

I actually don’t hate these plans.