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

[Centauri Space Station]

Considering WDI's recent track record within five years no one over 12 will want to go near the parks.

Complete lie

 

[Professortango1]

They are different characters. In one scenario you get to see and interact with Darth Vader. In the other, you are interacting with a derivative character that is essentially culturally irrelevant. I understand you and some people you know perhaps can't tell them apart but many (though I agree not all) other people can clearly tell them apart and have an entirely different emotional connection, for some (who can afford a $10,000 vacation) going back 50 years.

So if Disney has the rights to both, why not use the one that's more culturally resonant? Are you trying to save Disney a few thousand dollars making a Darth Vader costume?

I'll be interested in checking in on the merch in SWGE this summer to see how much we see Darth Vader on merch versus Kylo Ren. Because while we can debate this intellectually, Disney has the data and they know who is more resonant, and they will follow the money.

I mean, I've said it before, Kylo is the more interesting character for me, film-wise. I have doubt Disney will sell more merch with Vader though. But I don't go to Disney to buy merch. I go for experiences. And once again, nobody has been able to tell me what is different between having Vader walk around Stormtroopers and Ren walk around with stormtroopers. My guest experience in SEGE is the same regardless of which Black Knight costume the Black Knight character is wearing.

I get a different experience between meeting Alice and Pan vs meeting Cruella or meeting Snow White in the parks. But Vader and stormtroopers is almost identical to Ren and stormtroopers. All that is changes is the shape of the helmet and the pre-recorded interactions have more bass.That doesn't make my day any better. But you're right, Disney will sell more merch. So who is this really serving???

 

[Professortango1]

Hayden Christiansen (Vader) has been featured in two Star Wars series since 2019; Adam Driver/Kylo? None.

One is a working actor and the other is a guy who was the lead in 2 terrible main stream movies decades ago.

 

[Professortango1]

Except the ones from forty years ago have stood the test of time unlike the ones from ten to seven years ago., Also TFA might as well have been a re-make of A New Hope as most of the plot points were nearly identical. Finn was the most original idea in it and the fact that by ROS he was essentially demoted to Sir Not Appearing in This Film is almost criminal IMHO.

Once again, you're taking about the films, not a theme park experience. New Hope is the best SW film, hands down. Empire and Last Jedi right behind. Although I'd still put Andor above those if including non films.

 

[Professortango1]

Hot take?: a coaster weaving through the land is tacky and beneath WDI. Villains needs to be grand and beautifully done.

Curse of the Werewolf in Dark Universe is a blight.

It needs to be Fantasy Springs level offerings.

While I agree (Tron 's outdoor section is ugly and works against the ride and land), Curse could have worked much better if they had surrounded the track with a berm and woods so rather then racing above the forest, you are racing through the forest. For passerbys they would hear screams and deep rumbling coming from within the wood with flashes of movement, making it feel like a haunted forest. It essentially has the same issues that Slinky Dog Dash has; the hard scaping and landscaping was cheapened out and the area feels like a tacky coaster plopped over an area.

 

[Professortango1]

Operationally, another train station doesn’t quite make sense, but “stuff” that only the train guests get to see does.

Disneyland has had 4 stations for awhile and the distance between MK's Frontierland station and the possible Villains stations is like traveling from Main Street to NOS.

 

[doctornick]

Wonder if trying to keep Villains out of sight of small children could impact the railroad?

Also, if there are high hopes for Villains and possible future expansions, can see them not wanting to lock themselves in with a railroad perimeter.

That wouldn't "lock them in". You can have a walkway/tunnel go through to bern to another section on the land. Or, potentially depending on how the land is configured, have queues and load stations inside the berm but have the ride cross the berm and have show buildings outside it (as POTC does in both DL and MK and HM does in DL)

 

[DrStarlander]

All that is changes is the shape of the helmet and the pre-recorded interactions have more bass.

so many feelings

 

[lazyboy97o]

That wouldn't "lock them in". You can have a walkway/tunnel go through to bern to another section on the land. Or, potentially depending on how the land is configured, have queues and load stations inside the berm but have the ride cross the berm and have show buildings outside it (as POTC does in both DL and MK and HM does in DL)

The Walt Disney World Railroad is not on an elevated berm around the park like the Disneyland Railroad. The railroad is on a decline as it moves from Frontierland to behind Fantasyland. Doing moving people under railroad here would involve actually digging down which is going to be a not insignificant cost.

 

[Professortango1]

so many feelings

So tell me what changes in the guest experience?

 

[lazyboy97o]

So tell me what changes in the guest experience?

How excited you are doing this.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I mean, I've said it before, Kylo is the more interesting character for me, film-wise. I have doubt Disney will sell more merch with Vader though. But I don't go to Disney to buy merch. I go for experiences. And once again, nobody has been able to tell me what is different between having Vader walk around Stormtroopers and Ren walk around with stormtroopers. My guest experience in SEGE is the same regardless of which Black Knight costume the Black Knight character is wearing.

I get a different experience between meeting Alice and Pan vs meeting Cruella or meeting Snow White in the parks. But Vader and stormtroopers is almost identical to Ren and stormtroopers. All that is changes is the shape of the helmet and the pre-recorded interactions have more bass.That doesn't make my day any better. But you're right, Disney will sell more merch. So who is this really serving???

I guess I just don't get Kylo Ren. He's definitely the bad guy, but he's just so whiny. A total fail for me.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I love Guardians, but it has some flaws.

The big show building is hideous from parts of World Showcase. I do hope they can solve of those sightlines with whatever they end up doing in the WoL pavilion. (Wishful thinking)

Too many screens. No reason why they couldn’t have plussed it with animatronics at the pre and post show, except for costs.

Compare it with something like Rise for instance. Of course they use screens, but so many animatronics and sets that just wow you.

Okay notice how those are all things that did not apply anyway when he said a 5 star is a coaster so good that its good in a parking lot

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

Oh wow. Was this your armchair ideas or what you were “reporting” based on the info y’all had gathered?

Armchair ideas! The two dudes on the podcast came up with their ideas for what they’d change/add to Magic Kingdom and I drew it out. Also did a bunch of rough concept art for individual attractions. I’d link the article, but, y’know.

Honestly, as much as I loved making this map, ParkLore’s Magic Kingdom buildout is still my all time favorite MK redo. But this one is a close second, if not for how much fun I had making it!

 

[DisneyLeo18]

With the parks footprint expanding, maybe they think about adding a skyway...

 

[Professortango1]

I guess I just don't get Kylo Ren. He's definitely the bad guy, but he's just so whiny. A total fail for me.

Go back and watch Episode 4, Vader is pretty whiny as well. Nobody respects him, they just fear the Emperor Both sides constantly mock him.

The Starkid show Ani perfectly captures how Vader is a joke amongst the Empire.

 

[Professortango1]

How excited you are doing this.

So the only difference is the enthusiasm for which I say "hey, I've seen that character before?" And then from then on the experiences are interchangeable?

I can agree with that. Kind of my entire point from the start.

 

[CoastalElite64]

No, the contract itself is dated May 2007.

Theme Park License between Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Inc.

Universal closed the deal in 2007 but negotiations did not begin in 2007. Disney could have closed the contract in 2005, 2004, etc. It did not all happen in 2007.

And there's also an argument that they could've been proactive even before then, given all the misses Disney had with the Potter franchise even before those formal theme park negotiations.

 

[britain]

Disneyland has had 4 stations for awhile and the distance between MK's Frontierland station and the possible Villains stations is like traveling from Main Street to NOS.

DL has stations at 6, 9, 12, and 3 o’clock.
MK has stations at 6, 9, and 2 o’clock.

Putting a villains station at 10 or 11 would make for pretty short trips between Frontierland and V, and between V and Fantasyland.

BUT I admit, because MK is so much bigger than DL, the “short” trip from Frontierland to V at MK is about as long as the “long” trip from NOS to Fantasyland.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Armchair ideas! The two dudes on the podcast came up with their ideas for what they’d change/add to Magic Kingdom and I drew it out. Also did a bunch of rough concept art for individual attractions. I’d link the article, but, y’know.
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Honestly, as much as I loved making this map, ParkLore’s Magic Kingdom buildout is still my all time favorite MK redo. But this one is a close second, if not for how much fun I had making it!

Shoutout to the amazing work you've been doing for them