News Zootopia and Moana Blue Sky concepts for Disney's Animal Kingdom

[RSoxNo1]

Rohde was immensely talented but not infallible. He gave us Dino-Rama and, to this day, insists it was an important addition to the park.

Dinoland has been a low point for the park (to me) since day 1 and we’ve been complaining for many years that Dinosaur is too dark, has broken effects, and is inferior to the Indiana Jones Adventure in every meaningful way. Now we suddenly come to this land’s defense.

I was skeptical toward Pandora but they pulled it off even if it is kind of a loose fit. We will see about Zootopia if it even occurs. But it’s not as though it is replacing a cherished classic like Tiana. It’s replacing a ride we were complaining about 30 seconds before we learned of its demise.

Joe is also handed crap tasks that he turns into gold. I will not defend Dinorama, except I highly doubt Joe would defend it behind closed doors. The story I had heard was that it was designed in a way to be removed quickly.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Agreed. They may have blurred the lines a bit (they would argue because the old concepts were dated and unpopular) but Epcot is still distinct from the others, for example. We got Guardians but they didn’t build the ride they would have built at DHS. Within the parameters set by their bosses, Imagineers still work to make attractions fit. They still exercise discretion. For example, they opted to NOT have Wall-E fly by on Space 220.

Of the issues with EPCOT, Guardians isn't top 5. In fact, it's a much needed attraction for a park that otherwise wouldn't have a top 10 ride in WDW within its borders.

But EPCOT's theme has been diluted. Just because Guardians makes more of an effort than other missteps (Gran Fiesta Tour, Nemo, Frozen, Harmonious) doesn't mean that it doesn't contribute to EPCOT's flaws. With all that said, an update to Seas, Imagination and SSE and EPCOT is a much better park. The biggest issue I have with it now is that it has a lot of mediocre attractions.

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

mediocre attractions.

I would say this is being quite kind. The mediocrity is further amplified by what it once was. Even today years into the total destruction of the park, I find myself excitedly proclaiming, "let's go to Epcot," and then I remember there is no reason to go. Hope springs eternal and maybe one day we will see it brought back to a good park even if great is likely forever out of reach.

One could say they have lost sight of the theme of all the parks at this point, and even if they put a good Moana attraction in AK it's still not on theme.

 

[cjkeating]

As a DAK fan I really don’t know where to start with this thread and I think until we get more news I will need to tap out.

People trying to find any reason to make Zootopia work based on how the park currently exists are just desperate.

Africa, Asia and until recently Dinoland never had any Disney characters in them. They were always kept to Discovery Island and the connecting pathways between the continents.

Likewise Finding Nemo is outside of the main lands and when FOTLK was moved into Harambe it was done seamlessly. Why wouldn’t an African town have a travelling theatre show? It’s Tough To Be A Bug is literally hidden away but in an exceptionally well themed building. I think DAK shows what is on the outside doesn’t need to match what’s on the inside to be themed well.

If Moana is coming then IMO the entirety of Dinoland needs turning into Oceana with Moana being one aspect of the land and not the overarching theme of the land. Having two sublands will just not work as they will be too small, Africa, Asia, Pandora all have expansive networks of paths, routes, corners, hidden spaces whilst the concept art just looks like wide paths to landmarks you would find in MK or DHS. Fixing Dinoland by replacing them like for like for an area you walk in and walk out of as there is nothing else there is not the solution.

(Also as an aside Dinosaur is one of my favourite attractions, so I don’t want it to go anywhere but I would sacrifice it for a cohesive new land if required.)

 

[FigmentFan82]

It’s great to have solid themes to adhere to, but at the end of the day, a person simply decided that was what it was going to be. It was never written from up on high or gleaned from within the cosmos. It’s an arbitrary thing someone came up with. If the next person in charge decides to change it, then it’s within their right as the person in charge. Happens all the time.
I don’t see a possible Zootopia ride in AK being anything other than a “chase the bad guy with Judy Hopps” story line but maybe they’ll surprise us.
Dinosaur was early on shoved with the single worst IP ever, the movie Dinosaur. No great loss there.
Moana is one of the most gorgeously animated films Disney has made, and if the area come to life the way it does in the blue sky then it will be a wonderful addition.

I also remember when I first saw FotLK, when it was in Camp Micky & Minnie. The area that was supposed to be Beastly Kingdom. Let’s talk about how that was an amazing theme!

 

[DisneyHead123]

Why not just make it Australia or the Arctic (enclosed, obviously, for the latter)? People love koalas and penguins (and if they’re worried that animals in captivity will become increasingly taboo, they could be rides to that effect, sans real animals.) If they want IP, they can just churn a movie out on Disney+. Not understanding what Moana has to do with AK, especially since she’s already at Epcot.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

if you don't understand the difference between bugs being bugs and educating humans on types of bugs and behavior and a bunch of basically humans dressed as animals living in a city and doing human things ... well... you're sort of missing a very obvious difference.

If you dont understand that bugs don't really particiate in traveling circus', it is you who is missing the obvious.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Bugs singing Broadway tunes are not bugs acting and behaving as humans? The educational value is pretty limited. “Please don’t burn us with a magnifying glass” and “we eat poop.”

It would not be difficult to ensure a Zootopia ride similarly throws some education in. A Bug’s Life is about bugs acting as humans and dealing with human issues yet they used those characters to teach us a bit in ITTBAB. Why couldn’t they do the same with Zootopia? We should at least wait until we hear an actual concept.

Let's see - we have bugs talking about how some spray acid, how important they are to pollination, etc. They aren't wearing clothes, driving to the DMV, living in a city, etc. If you can't see the difference between the two, I'll put it like this: The bugs in A Bugs Life are bugs. The animals in Zootopia are essentially human. If you can't tell the difference, there is no hope in even bothering continuing this discussion.

 

[Rich Brownn]

If you dont understand that bugs don't really particiate in traveling circus', it is you who is missing the obvious. Thats a pretty dumb statement. At least it tries to remain the framework of bugs (the stage is natural wood - if it was Zootopia it would be electric lights, thrust stage, and probably second fly ins). The difference is fairly obvious. You're just being deliberately obtuse.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Let's see - we have bugs talking about how some spray acid, how important they are to pollination, etc. They aren't wearing clothes, driving to the DMV, living in a city, etc. If you can't see the difference between the two, I'll put it like this: The bugs in A Bugs Life are bugs. The animals in Zootopia are essentially human. If you can't tell the difference, there is no hope in even bothering continuing this discussion.

I think you are giving them a bit more credit for ITTBAB than is reasonable while being unreasonably harsh on a ride we know just about nothing about. But, I agree the discussion has grown tiresome and more than a little judgmental.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It’s great to have solid themes to adhere to, but at the end of the day, a person simply decided that was what it was going to be. It was never written from up on high or gleaned from within the cosmos. It’s an arbitrary thing someone came up with. If the next person in charge decides to change it, then it’s within their right as the person in charge. Happens all the time.

If theme is just something that can change whenever for whatever then there is no point to it. That’s not actually a theme, it’s just whatever. There’s no reason to bother.

 

[Magic Feather]

Honestly, I'm struggling to reckon with the optics of a Zootopia attraction acting as a retheme of Dinosaur, even putting aside all of the concerns with it fitting cohesively into DAK. The EMV ride system is best used to convey a sense of danger and urgency, and really the only way I can think that they'd be able to get a sense of urgency out of a Zootopia storyline is with the focus being on the Zootopia Police Department, which, at least given how divisive police forces have been as of late in the US, I'd be surprised if Disney went for it. Even putting that aside, using a thrill ride system for an IP that is most popular with younger kids feels even more short sighted. It just comes off as a really odd fit.

 

[_caleb]

What caused such a change in your position?

When it was first announced you seemed pretty adamant that Zootopia didn't fit into Animal Kingdom and that hopefully it wouldn't come to fruition, but now you seem to have no problem with it.

Regardless, none of us need to be experts -- the guy that designed the park has already said Zootopia doesn't fit.

Maybe they thought they were logged into a different one of their accounts when they posted that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Maybe they thought they were logged into a different one of their accounts when they posted that.

Excuse me?

 

[_caleb]

Excuse me?

I was speculating that maybe what seemed like a sudden and complete change in opinion may be due to a single member logging in and out of multiple accounts they use to argue different sides of a subject.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I was speculating that maybe what seemed like a sudden and complete change in opinion may be due to a single member logging in and out of multiple accounts they use to argue different sides of a subject.

I’ve used one account here for like 21 years…

 

[Magicart87]

Even putting that aside, using a thrill ride system for an IP that is most popular with younger kids feels even more short sighted. It just comes off as a really odd fit.

Tiana Mountain enters the chat.

 

[J4546]

In all seriousness I've never seen zootopia but the new land is looking pretty cool in Shanghai.

 

[Brer Panther]

It's why people rarely complained about how Splash Mountain didn't fit in Frontierland.

Well, actually, I have seen people on here complain that Splash Mountain didn't fit in Frontierland (even before everyone online turned on the attraction).

Why not just make it Australia or the Arctic (enclosed, obviously, for the latter)? People love koalas and penguins (and if they’re worried that animals in captivity will become increasingly taboo, they could be rides to that effect, sans real animals.) If they want IP, they can just churn a movie out on Disney+.

Either one of these would be a far better choice for Animal Kingdom than Zootopia or Moana.

 

[_caleb]

I’ve used one account here for like 21 years…

There goes my second-favorite conspiracy theory then.