DAK “Zootopia” is being created for the Tree of Life theater

[Tom Morrow]

I honestly think they were trying to create something better...but It seems like there was no concrete vision...to the outsider anyway... The ride system is great and no matter what it will always be a solid attraction, but the story they were trying to tell is too convoluted and doesn't feel genuine to the source material it is based on...or believable in any way. A bit of a book report with a villain and all the characters from the film as we knew them would have been a better idea...Does anyone want a Beauty and the Beast ride where the Beast is already a prince and they are living in their castle reading books and planning dinner? Pinocchio is now a real boy and entering junior high? The problem is walking the characters down the timeline and imagining a future for them that doesn't necessarily feel genuine....or even necessary.

It's frustrating, because they've done "book report rides" where they shouldn't (examples: Frozen Ever After, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure (sort of - it's like a slice out of the film)... basically nothing in Epcot should be a "book report ride", but then they didn't do it with TBA where it made the most sense.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The new maps have Pandora on the front again - no longer promoting the “brand new!” Zootopia show.

 

[Tom Morrow]

The new maps have Pandora on the front again - no longer promoting the “brand new!” Zootopia show.

This is actually really promising, perhaps they've realized they made a big mistake.

 

[SamusAranX]

This may have already been posted, but I saw this article the other day that may explain part of this:

Matt Damon Says Netflix Wants Movies to Restate the ‘Plot Three or Four Times in the Dialogue

Matt Damon says Netflix wants movies to restate 'the plot three or four times in the dialogue' to account for viewers using their phones.

au.variety.com

Granted a ride is much shorter than a movie, but it may become an engrained storytelling style after a point.

It’s why ST5 had so much clunky dialogue full of exposition, they confirmed it. They’re trying to capture audiences who doom scroll while watching TV

 

[DisneyDodo]

It's frustrating, because they've done "book report rides" where they shouldn't (examples: Frozen Ever After, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure (sort of - it's like a slice out of the film)... basically nothing in Epcot should be a "book report ride", but then they didn't do it with TBA where it made the most sense.

FEA is technically not a book report ride, it takes place after the Frozen film.

It’s very hard to retrofit an existing attraction into a book report ride. If a ride’s story is predetermined, you can build a ride around that story. And if the track layout is predetermined, you can create a story to fit that layout. But if both are predetermined, the story is unlikely to cleanly map itself onto the existing ride infrastructure.

The problem with TBA is that they created a brand new story presumably to fit Splash’s track, and yet it still doesn't work at all

 

[James Alucobond]

... but then they didn't do it with TBA where it made the most sense.

I'm not really sure a book report does make more sense for TBA. A lot of the core scenes take place in the city rather than the bayou, which doesn't fit the ride's design. Also, it would have even less to do with Frontierland, though perhaps not by much depending on the degree to which you buy into the current attempt.

 

[Andrew C]

It’s very hard to retrofit an existing attraction into a book report ride. If a ride’s story is predetermined, you can build a ride around that story. And if the track layout is predetermined, you can create a story to fit that layout. But if both are predetermined, the story is unlikely to cleanly map itself onto the existing ride infrastructure.

Yeah, probably not a good idea to shoehorn what is essentially your top animated feature of all-time into an existing attraction. If they insist on more IP and wanted to do Frozen, it should have been at least on the level of what they did at DisneySea

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If they insist on more IP and wanted to do Frozen, it should have been at least on the level of what they did at DisneySea

They should also have done a family coaster along with the meet and greet - some sort of all in one with the rockwork and cabin

 

[Tom Morrow]

FEA is technically not a book report ride, it takes place after the Frozen film.

Yeah, but you see the same things from the film just without any conflict. The Seas WIth Nemo and Friends is the same approach - it's a new adventure, but it's the same things you see from the film only now Nemo is just being a jerk and hiding from his dad instead of being kidnapped.

It’s very hard to retrofit an existing attraction into a book report ride. If a ride’s story is predetermined, you can build a ride around that story. And if the track layout is predetermined, you can create a story to fit that layout. But if both are predetermined, the story is unlikely to cleanly map itself onto the existing ride infrastructure.

The problem with TBA is that they created a brand new story presumably to fit Splash’s track, and yet it still doesn't work at all

Hmm, I don't know if I agree with this one. The Splash Mountain ride track is literally divided into "acts" separated by drops. You have the opener (load to the first drop) setting the stage, you have act one (between first and second drop) of Br'er Rabbit embarking on his journey, act two (second drop to the main drop) where Br'er Rabbit is enjoying evading Br'er Fox and Br'er Rabbit and his adventure until he gets captured, and act three where he narrowly escapes and there's a celebration, followed by the "epilogue" after the big celebration reiterating the theme of the story.

I think it's relatively easy to put any story in here, especially any story where you're following along on an adventure. It just does need a conflict. No conflict = no narrative structure = doesn't fit the ride track design.

I'm not really sure a book report does make more sense for TBA. A lot of the core scenes take place in the city rather than the bayou, which doesn't fit the ride's design. Also, it would have even less to do with Frontierland, though perhaps not by much depending on the degree to which you buy into the current attempt.

Good point. So maybe a new story that at least has a proper villain and conflict was needed. cough* Dr. Facilier *cough

 

[DisneyHead123]

It’s why ST5 had so much clunky dialogue full of exposition, they confirmed it. They’re trying to capture audiences who doom scroll while watching TV

Kind of hilarious in a cynical way. "Hi kids!! You are on a ride! Does everyone notice we're on a ride?! This is a fun ride about Moana! That's a movie about a girl and the ocean!!"

2030 kids look up from phone: "Where the h*ll are we? Why is there an ocean here? This ride doesn't make any sense."

 

[Tom Morrow]

"Okay, see this sandwich? Pretend that's Br'er Rabbit. And these salt and pepper shakers are Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. And the Laughing Place is my mouth."

"So what you're saying is, we have to get... Br'er Rabbit.... past Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear.... and.... (in unison) TO THE LAUGHING PLACE!!!"

Spoiler

(Stranger Things season 5)

 

[Brer Panther]

They were never gonna do a book report for Tiana's Bayou Adventure. The biggest criticism of the movie is that Tiana is a frog for most of it.

They probably could've gotten away with a "takes place after the movie but still rehashes it" plot a la Seas With Nemo and Friends and Frozen Ever After. I doubt anyone would've cared if they turned Naveen into a frog again.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Having just seen Hoppers, it’s a real pity they went with this attraction when such a perfect IP was going to show up in theaters a few months later. The movie provides a much better way for guests to communicate with animals and is a better fit for DAK thematically.

Missed opportunity.

 

[Dr.GrantSeeker]

Having just seen Hoppers, it’s a real pity they went with this attraction when such a perfect IP was going to show up in theaters a few months later. The movie provides a much better way for guests to communicate with animals and is a better fit for DAK thematically.

Missed opportunity.

Was it a good movie? It looks promising from the previews. I just hope as an original IP movie from Pixar this will do well at the box office!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Was it a good movie? It looks promising from the previews. I just hope as an original IP movie from Pixar this will do well at the box office!

I enjoyed it. Strong conservation message along with a timely examination of feeling helpless in the modern world. Plus, it’s funny!

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Having just seen Hoppers, it’s a real pity they went with this attraction when such a perfect IP was going to show up in theaters a few months later. The movie provides a much better way for guests to communicate with animals and is a better fit for DAK thematically.

Missed opportunity.

I agree. Guessing that the difference was a 1 billion dollar franchise vs an unknown.

 

[22FLknight]

Would have made more sense to develop a Hoppers themed attraction to help promote it like how A Bug’s Life had exposure when It’s Tough to be a Bug opened with AK in 1998.

Zootopia on streaming and probably as a mandate to tie in the 2025 sequel probably factored into what we saw in the finished product.

Disney is a lot different now then they were in the 90s.

Doing some armchair Imagineering, a good successor to It’s Tough to be a Bugs could be called Pond Rules with Mabel and King George. Summoning the animal council, Mabel, King George, Loaf, Tom the Lizard and several characters from the movie show you how pond rules play a role in our ecosystem. Fitting into Joe Rhode’s philosophy, families get to see it from the perspectives of different animal classes. You as the audience with 3D/4D glasses can hop into the mind of a beaver or any animal from a lizard to an ant and even a shark. And the effects also play into it as long as the story is perfectly paced. They can lightly do a retelling of the film.

And with Bambi, The Lion King and Wall-E all having environmental themes, I think they can also tie in Hoppers with another attraction with help from the Disney Conservation Fund.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Okay... I just saw Hoppers at the movies and I just want to say... THIS is the movie that needs to be featured in the Tree of Life at AK!! It literally makes SO. MUCH. SENSE.

In fact, it would almost have the exact same plot as Its Tough to be a Bug, but with all the animals instead of just bugs. And it would make SO much sense for all the animals to congregate inside the tree of life similarly to how they do in the stick fort in the movie.

Plus, antagonist: Literally "you humans have always treated us like outcasts" ect ect

Perfect perfect perfect.

...a man can dream. What a largely missed opportunity with this one. Sigh.

 

[HMF]

Disney is a lot different now then they were in the 90s.

and not in a good way.

 

[HMF]

Okay... I just saw Hoppers at the movies and I just want to say... THIS is the movie that needs to be feature in the Tree of Life at AK!! It literally makes SO. MUCH. SENSE.

In fact, it would almost have the exact same plot as Its Tough to be a Bug, but with all the animals instead of just bugs. And it would make SO much sense for all the animals to congregate inside the tree of life similarly to how they do in the stick fort in the movie.

Plus, antagonist: Literally "you humans have always treated us like outcasts" ect ect

Perfect perfect perfect.

...a man can dream. What a largely missed opportunity with this one. Sigh.

I think it might be theoretically possible in a few years judging by the fact that it is getting a reaction that rivals Journey into YOUR Imagination.