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

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

At least one attraction name had better have 6+ words and a colon.

Poor Unfortunate Souls: Battle in the Underworld

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I actually think there’s a ton they could do with a villains theme, because there’s such an interesting psychology to “villains” - and I think those are themes that would be universal enough to be easily recognized. It could be the dark, rebellious world of the outcast. It could be the electrifying, heady feeling of Halloween night. It could the strange, eerie feeling of something glowing just beneath the surface (haven’t been there but it looks like parts of Potter World do that well). It could be smirking, dramatic camp. Etc.

I think an overarching theme for Villains will have to be more about broad archetypes, less about specific storylines. It is true that the villains as a group don’t have any kind of group narrative - but in their case, I think the psychological themes are interesting enough to make up for that.

Given current management's take based on many of their animated to live action stories, the villains are now just misunderstood and we should feel sorry for them.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Given current management's take based on many of their animated to live action stories, the villains are now just misunderstood and we should feel sorry for them.

Lol, I see your point but based on the concept art I think it will be a genuinely spooky-ish land. I think a challenge will be getting the balance right between making it “Disney” but not “cute”, “spooky fun” but not terrifying. They can’t go all-in on the scary the way they did with Monsters because this is still Magic Kingdom, but people will want at least an element of that.

 

[etc98]

Given current management's take based on many of their animated to live action stories, the villains are now just misunderstood and we should feel sorry for them.

The only two that I can think of are Maleficent and Cruella, and those were more reimaginings than remakes. They’re so far removed from the original stories that they’re basically different characters. And those reimaginings did have their own vile, unredeemable, hate-able villains. They just weren’t the villains from the animated versions.

You can feel sorry for live action Cruella while still hating animated Cruella, they’re two completely different characters that share the same name and a few vague traits.

And all the live action films that I can think of that were more direct remakes still have the traditional villains acting like the traditional villains.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Anyone else?

Bob Chapek.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

I have an idea! Let's all play a rousing game of "Which villains will most certainty NOT be featured in Villains Land"? I'll start:
- Brer Fox and Brer Bear (for obvious reasons)
- Alamedia Slim (because Disney doesn't give a crap about Home on the Range)
- Amos Slade (because Disney doesn't give a crap about The Fox and the Hound either)
- Any of the villains from the direct-to-video sequels (such as Ursula's sister from The Little Mermaid 2, Saluk from Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Sarousch or whatever his name was from The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2, etc.)
- Roruke from Atlantis (another film Disney doesn't give a crap about)
- Jeffrey Katzenberg

Anyone else?

Wasn't at least one of those projects cancelled to fund the Splash Mountain retheme?

I would LOVE IT if the next CEO had outright disdain for Iger. I know that's very unlikely, but it's what Disney needs.

Gravity Falls' Bill.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

The issue with all of the recent new lands is that they no longer build them with an over-arching, general theme. The theme is always whatever IP. Any story treatments are just meant to explain the land’s existence in a defined time and place. They no longer build lands with a general theme where the attractions are loosely interconnected. And they certainly don’t worry about connecting to other lands. This is how Disneyland ended up with a Batuu. They adapt it to make it work visually, but thematically, it has no place in Disneyland.

As with so many things, I blame J. K. Rowling and, by extension, Great Britain for this.

The only park with single IP land with no overarching theme is Hollywood Studios + technically Animal Kingdom but I argue that that is one park that NEEDED the 1 IP land because it fits the other lands in AK being locations presented as "real places"

 

[ToTBellHop]

The only park with single IP land with no overarching theme is Hollywood Studios + technically Animal Kingdom but I argue that that is one park that NEEDED the 1 IP land because it fits the other lands in AK being locations presented as "real places"

I’m referring to the overall company that built Cars Land, a SWGE in Disneyland, Toy Story Land, and will build a Monsters Inc land and Cars sub-land.

Oddly, given what you mention about Pandora, they are actually giving DAK a land showcasing multiple IPs. That will be refreshing. We will see if that informs Villain Land’s development.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Given current management's take based on many of their animated to live action stories, the villains are now just misunderstood and we should feel sorry for them.

Isn’t it more realistic that someone “goes bad” because of circumstances, rather than just being born that way?

Also, there are two sides to every story. Both stories can coexist and contradict each other.

 

[Brer Panther]

And those reimaginings did have their own vile, unredeemable, hate-able villains. They just weren’t the villains from the animated versions.

They just took characters who were good guys in the original films and made them evil to make the existing villains look better.

For Maleficent, it was King Stefan. For Cruella, it was dalmatians as a species.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Maleficent’s castle will be the centerpiece? Just saw that on insta. Not a reliable source. No idea if it’s true.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Maleficent’s castle will be the centerpiece? Just saw that on insta. Not a reliable source. No idea if it’s true.

Her castle is prominent in the background of the artist concept.

Which means very little.

IG posts mean even less.

 

[Agent H]

Maleficent’s castle will be the centerpiece? Just saw that on insta. Not a reliable source. No idea if it’s true.

I’d say it’s a pretty good assumption.

 

[Baloo124]

At least one attraction name had better have 6+ words and a colon.

They'd probably find a way to go cheap even on that.

Ratcliffe's Ice Cream: You'll dig and dig and dig and diggety dig and dig and dig and diggety all the flavors!

 

[britain]

While thinking about the necessity for a lot of indoor lands at Abu Dhabi, it occurred to me WDI may very well want Villains land to be an all-indoor experience. Perpetual night with eerie glows in the sky.

I know that would mean a lot of those distant landmarks in the concept art world actually be forced perspective items even smaller than we originally hoped, but everything in that design is still possible under a giant roof.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

While thinking about the necessity for a lot of indoor lands at Abu Dhabi, it occurred to me WDI may very well want Villains land to be an all-indoor experience. Perpetual night with eerie glows in the sky.

I know that would mean a lot of those distant landmarks in the concept art world actually be smaller forced perspective items than we originally hoped, but everything in that design is still possible under a giant roof.

I recall some discussion (no idea if it was just made up stuff or something actually considered) that if Villains land went into Animation Courtyard at DHS it would be indoors and be perpetually night and be a little "scarier" and even then could do a more adult alternative to MNSSHP at DHS like they are doing now with Jollywood nights

I think at MK though more likely out door so can leverage the firework views

 

[networkpro]

Isn’t it more realistic that someone “goes bad” because of circumstances, rather than just being born that way?

Also, there are two sides to every story. Both stories can coexist and contradict each other.

Some villians are only 'evil' due to perspective, irrespective of supernatural abilities. Ursula, for example, provided a straight transaction that was accepted by Ariel : legs for her voice.

Now 'harvesting" cute puppies, souls, or absolute control of domains is in most cultures runs counter to 'good'.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Ursula, for example, provided a straight transaction that was accepted by Ariel : legs for her voice.

And she purposefully interfered so that Ariel would lose the bargain they made. She had no intention of honoring the 'transaction.'

 

[networkpro]

And she purposefully interfered so that Ariel would lose the bargain they made. She had no intention of honoring the 'transaction.'

Well I attempted but failed to be an advocate for some the oppressed Disney Villians.

I hope they are all portrayed as being evil and not misunderstood in this new land. No redemption or redeeming values.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I hope they are all portrayed as being evil and not misunderstood in this new land. No redemption or redeeming values.

That’s how they were traditionally portrayed…. What redeeming values does Ursula, Maleficent, Evil Queen, etc. have in the original movies?