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

[rct247]

It's Tough to be Bug was another show that had capacity that wasn't being fully utilized. It was also a show from 1998 and was 25 years old. It was great show and perfect fit, but it was due for a replacement.

I'm happy with Zootopia appearing here rather than Dinoland. It'll be interesting like people have said to see the story of how you are there and how it is worked into the story of the Tree of Life.

One thought that I feel somewhat cautionary to whisper into existence, but what if Discovery Island becomes a version of the Zootopia land. The Tree of Life could somehow fit into a similar biome to the Rainforest District. You could be entering some sort of venue located within a neighborhood of Zootopia.

I don't necessarily wish this, but just thoughts.

 

[PizzaPlanet]

Won’t this be the first 3D/4D show Disney’s made since Philharmagic 20 years ago?

Hopefully next they’ll finally do something in the Imagination theater…

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Won’t this be the first 3D/4D show Disney’s made since Philharmagic 20 years ago?

Hopefully next they’ll finally do something in the Imagination theater…

Or the pavilion as a whole

 

[Brer Panther]

Good riddance to It's Tough to Be a Bug. I'll gladly take this over a Zootopia retheme of Dinosaur.

 

[DAK1928]

Interesting to note that with the replacement of both It's Tough To Be A Bug and Dinosaur, 2 of the most scary (non-supernatural) attractions are being removed from WDW

 

[Advisable Joseph]

Interesting to note that with the replacement of both It's Tough To Be A Bug and Dinosaur, 2 of the most scary (non-supernatural) attractions are being removed from WDW

Tough to be a Bug? I guess they went overboard with the seat effects.

Dinosaur? Keep in mind that right now, the revamp will feature Indiana Jones! So, snakes, worms and bugs in the beginning, and I've got a feeling dinosaurs at the end, as others here have said.

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

It’s weird to stuff in Zootopia in the same queue and theater that looks like a tree where bugs live in

 

[Captain Neo]

The tree was designed first. A lion King show was planned to go there first before switching to bugs from my understanding.

yea I forgot about this. I think you’re right although A bug show makes more thematic sense and like others have mentioned insects are a vital but ignored part of our ecosystem

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Well, they'll shoehorn Zootopia into the tree just because.

 

[Bocabear]

I wonder if then they will start trying to add Urban and city elements to the theater to seat the characters into the location... The Tree of Life seems like such an important location in the park to put something in that has nothing to do with the Animal Kingdom... Anthropomorphic animals with human emotions and brains seems so completely wrong.
Yes! It's tough to be a bug has gotten stale over the decades, but this seems like a very misplaced idea that will neither please the Zootopia Fans that want a "land" and real attraction, or the DAK purists that don't see this as an appropriate addition to this park...

 

[JustInTime]

I wonder if then they will start trying to add Urban and city elements to the theater to seat the characters into the location... The Tree of Life seems like such an important location in the park to put something in that has nothing to do with the Animal Kingdom... Anthropomorphic animals with human emotions and brains seems so completely wrong.
Yes! It's tough to be a bug has gotten stale over the decades, but this seems like a very misplaced idea that will neither please the Zootopia Fans that want a "land" and real attraction, or the DAK purists that don't see this as an appropriate addition to this park...

The focus will be on biomes.

 

[James Alucobond]

I wonder if then they will start trying to add Urban and city elements to the theater to seat the characters into the location... The Tree of Life seems like such an important location in the park to put something in that has nothing to do with the Animal Kingdom... Anthropomorphic animals with human emotions and brains seems so completely wrong.
Yes! It's tough to be a bug has gotten stale over the decades, but this seems like a very misplaced idea that will neither please the Zootopia Fans that want a "land" and real attraction, or the DAK purists that don't see this as an appropriate addition to this park...

The artwork has the theater looking pretty much exactly the same. I doubt they’ll modify it much. It’s not like the idea of living inside a tree is completely foreign to the franchise; they have things like the Palm Hotel.

 

[neo999955]

Won’t this be the first 3D/4D show Disney’s made since Philharmagic 20 years ago?

Hopefully next they’ll finally do something in the Imagination theater…

Do we think there's any chance they drop the 3D? I feel it's fallen pretty far out of favor, but I personally am a fan.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

It's Tough to be a Bug is a guilty pleasure of mine... by far the best 3D show in any of the parks mostly due to audience reactions. Sorry, all the kids crying is kind of hilarious.

While I hate to lose it I'd much rather have Zootopia here than the previous plan.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I think we sometimes get upset their not using classic IP if they were to use something Zootopia just seems so new and contemporary for a park that’s main pull is nostalgia.

I do think had just updated the Bugs life show it would be more receptive for us old school fans or even something more thematic instead of a …city?

 

[James Alucobond]

Do we think there's any chance they drop the 3D? I feel it's fallen pretty far out of favor, but I personally am a fan.

I think the fact that all of the characters are running out of the screen in the artwork implies keeping the 3D is at least their intention at this point.

 

[Twirlnhurl]

I never thought Tough to be a Bug made much sense for the theater in the tree of life. Sure, insects are an important part of the ecosystem, and getting close to the giant tree kind of makes you feel like you are shrinking.

But it always seemed to be a bit of a disconnect between Tough to be a Bug (specifically about the importance of insects) and the Tree of Life itself (a metaphor for the entire ecosystem).

It would be like if The Chinese Theater at DHS had a ride about just the importance of sound in movies, or if the ride in Spaceship Earth was about the agricultural products of Iowa.

For this reason, I think Zootopia could have the potential to be a better thematic fit, especially if it focuses on the different biomes.

I am cautiously optimistic!

 

[Bocabear]

I never thought Tough to be a Bug made much sense for the theater in the tree of life. Sure, insects are an important part of the ecosystem, and getting close to the giant tree kind of makes you feel like you are shrinking.

But it always seemed to be a bit of a disconnect between Tough to be a Bug (specifically about the importance of insects) and the Tree of Life itself (a metaphor for the entire ecosystem).

It would be like if The Chinese Theater at DHS had a ride about just the importance of sound in movies, or if the ride in Spaceship Earth was about the agricultural products of Iowa.

For this reason, I think Zootopia could have the potential to be a better thematic fit, especially if it focuses on the different biomes.

I am cautiously optimistic!

but Biomes within a huge metropolis peopled with human-esque animals driving cars and trains and buses.... It feels just completely alien to the Animal Kingdom park... It feels to me exactly like Spaceship Earth being about agricultural products from Iowa...
It needs something original and compelling...something abut the whole spirit of the park...respecting nature and conservation and Animals... I don't think the "right Idea" has been discovered yet....

 

[SpectreJordan]

The focus will be on biomes.

Yeah, it seems like it'll be a fun way to teach kids about the different biomes these animals live in. In the Zootopia world, our modern day animals are their ancestors. So maybe they can even show real life of clips of how their "ancestors" lived in these biomes.

 

[Twirlnhurl]

but Biomes within a huge metropolis peopled with human-esque animals driving cars and trains and buses.... It feels just completely alien to the Animal Kingdom park... It feels to me exactly like Spaceship Earth being about agricultural products from Iowa...
It needs something original and compelling...something abut the whole spirit of the park...respecting nature and conservation and Animals... I don't think the "right Idea" has been discovered yet....

If it leans into the human aspects of the animals in the biomes, I may agree. But that is up to the execution. I don't think the concept itself is inherently doomed to fail.

If this actually comes to pass, we will see!