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

[Marc Davis Fan]

The spinner claim makes me concerned. If they're aiming for a truly transportive, believable environment a la Pandora, Galaxy's Edge, Dragon Alley, etc., a spinner can break the whole thing (e.g., Magic Carpets in Adventureland).

 

[monothingie]

100% Furrytopia

You'll be coughing up fur balls by the time you leave.

 

[DrStarlander]

I can see why Berk would be a better model than Dark Universe for Disney in general. But Berk is focused on one theme/IP and hits it from different angles, consistently. What's described in this article is more Fantasyland with different amenities based in different IPs, and whether Disney can pull that off (and whether guests will embrace it) in 2030 versus when Disneyland/Magic Kingdom opened, who knows.

Fantasy Springs is the most recent example and it seems to get mixed reviews. Do guests really feel like they've gone to a place while there? Or is more endistanced, like browsing a streaming service with different "content" fifty yards here or fifty yards there? Pixar Pier is an example of how bad and un-immersive a modern compendium land can be.

A land that is a punchlist of "cute and clever ideas" is going to feel like a step backward I fear. And designing a new, world-class compendium land in a competitive market is fraught with likely failure. Doing this quickly does not sound promising. They should stop a take a breather, and not rush this.

 

[Brer Oswald]

If this is true…yikes. New Fantasyland 2.0 anyone?

 

[monothingie]

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

Eartha Kitt was a damn national treasure.

 

[KDM31091]

Of course the dark ride "has" to be able to support single LL pass purchases. You could just, you know, not have these upcharges instead of purposely creating problems that need to be "solved" with LL. If it's a huge capacity darkride like Pirates it honestly doesn't need lightning lane anyway.

 

[Surferboy567]

I’m gonna call bull on the Yzma coaster. While it’s not a terrible idea, she’s admittedly a weird choice. I kinda want an anchor villain ride for the land.

A maleficent water ride is also strange I actually would flip it and make her the coaster. I have no issue with a Hades show.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I am at least heartened to see an incoming CEO considering attractions based upon classic characters. Iger’s obsession with his purchased properties was exhausting and such attractions don’t age well. Less eye-rolling at Maleficent than what’s-his-name from those Star Wars movies from 10 years ago.

And while Kronk and Yzma may be out-there picks, fans still love them after all this time. It’s a bit of a cult classic now. Teens wear Emperor’s New Groove merch.

Not wild about a spinner in this particular park, but a flat ride makes sense. We always want A- and B-tickets til they announce one. Just not sexy. But necessary. And it’s a bonus ride for the land.

 

[Touchdown]

If they could somehow make the song Snuff out the Light central to the roller coaster (maybe have the coaster be her attempt to do that) that would also be amazing.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Everything in this report sounds so iffy

The "original" plans having a bayou themed Madame Medusa restaurant... of all the popular villains to choose from, this would make zero sense, not to mention another bayou experience after TBA but not adjacent to it?

I don't buy it

 

[Brer Oswald]

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.

Complete and utter waste of potential. Can’t wait for the 3 animatronics.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Eartha Kitt was a damn national treasure.

Maybe they have some extra recorded audio from the film they could use? “Pull the lever, Kronk” is available regardless!

If you look around, you’ll see Disney has actually been putting out feelers on New Groove recently.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

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

I understand that, but then if you're Disney, don't even attempt to make a land based on bad guys if you're going to just make it not feel like a land for bad guys lol.

Whatever type of genre HTTYD falls into is not what I would think villains would fall into.
Whatever type of genre DU falls into is a lot more close to what villains would, and if Disney is not willing to make something like that land, then just don't do it.

I guess my point is: If they want their own version of a HTTYD land, because it's more popular than a eery/spooky land based on monsters, then they have plenty of things they can base a land off that fits that vibe more. This just feels like they are missing the point entirely. I was never expecting something extremely scary or anywhere close to the level of Halloween Horror Nights, for example, but based on the concept art and what Villains entails- I definelty wasn't expecting bright and colorful Isle of Berk with very little intensity.

Maybe I'll love it, maybe I won't.... at the end of the day, I hope it brings joy to many, even if it ends up not being exactly what I envisioned or wanted, I guess.

 

[KDM31091]

I think a spinner is fine in MK. The filler attractions are something that the other parks desperately need. Of course all this redesigning will mean this likely is 2029 or even further out at this point.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

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.

That comment would be from me. I am actually happy you have basically confirmed that because now I can start getting that out of my head so I won't be disapointed lol.

 

[Dwebble]

In the abstract, an Emperor's New Groove coaster makes intuitive sense in precisely the same way that the Monsters Inc Door Coaster does - you see that sequence in the movie and you want to ride it yourself.

I also suspect that, in a Disney World context, that'll be something that actually appeals to an older crowd far more than a self-consciously dark and scary Villains Land - millennials love The Emperor's New Groove.

I scoffed when I first read it, but it actually makes quite a bit more intuitive sense than I first gave it credit for.

 

[Gremlin Gus]

Maybe I am coping here, but I really hope this isn't the list of rides for Villainsland ngl... I want there to be more villains than just those listed in that article, a part of me is telling me this is fake because this sorta sounds overly detailed at this stage assuming they went back to the drawing board with Villainsland

 

[Goofyernmost]

Just a quick personal thought about Villains Land. Speaking for myself and myself only, I wouldn't cross a narrow street to see Villains Land. That said, however, for all of you that love that francize, I hope all your dreams come true. I am old enough to remember a time when being a villain was something that was hated as it represented all that was bad and were all rendered a loser by those that represented good. Why would we want to make Villains into Hero's.

So that leads to the question... will Villains Land stories be able to maintain the feeling of Villains being bad or will it glorify them. I know this will not land positively on the fans, but I did want to express what and why I don't have any excitement for it. The last time Disney attempted anything dealing with a villainous character that was when the star of the show was in Alien Encounter. That didn't end well as I recall. I guess it is possible that society has changed enough to not have a negative reaction to adrenalin teasing. (i.e. scaring the crap out of everyone, children included)

 

[Brer Oswald]

I think a spinner is fine in MK. The filler attractions are something that the other parks desperately need. Of course all this redesigning will mean this likely is 2029 or even further out at this point.

This will be our 4th (technically 5th) spinner in this park. How much different can you make it?

I agree that MK needs filler attractions, but they don’t all have to be glorified carny rides. How about a classic busbar dark ride? Disney used to make a bunch of these and they were fantastic. Now MK has only one.

 

[DisneyFan18]

Apparently this is a hot take, but I do like the current plans. A Boat Ride on the level of Shanghai’s POTC as the anchor attraction sounds great. And for the Yzma Coaster, I LOVE Yzma and Kronk, so I am extremely biased towards that idea.