A Wakanda Attraction? Whoopi says yes

[RSoxNo1]

I care about what they put in World Showcase and Wakanda absolutely should not go there. If you're going to represent sub-Saharan Africa (and they should), put in Nigeria or another real country, not something completely fictional. That seems insulting.

Wakanda can happily go into DHS, though. Which, despite all the recent construction, is still the park that needs additions the most.

The UN speech at the end of Black Panther is very befitting to EPCOT but I am still of the mindset that attractions rooted in IP fantasy don't really belong in EPCOT. Having said that, if you were to put a Wakanda attraction in EPCOT it should be a technology display in Future World.

 

[Capsin4]

I hear ya, but Frozen, Guardians and Pandora have opened the door. I wouldn't be upset about a Big Hero 6 ride at Japan, etc.

A fictional element was always planned for AK, Guardians isn’t in the World Showcase and Frozen isn’t a pavilion. Norway is still a real place.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I hear ya, but Frozen, Guardians and Pandora have opened the door. I wouldn't be upset about a Big Hero 6 ride at Japan, etc.

Why is Pandora in this list?

 

[Touchdown]

Animal Kingdom is about learning and living with other life forms and the Earth.

Wakanda is a technologically advanced society, it is the antithesis of Animal Kingdom.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

"Wakandan Kingdom Lodge - A Marvel Resort"

You know that's what we'll end up getting.

 

[UNCgolf]

I see what you're saying, I just think if it was done appropriately it wouldn't be insulting.
Whether we like it or not, there's not much to provide in terms of Africa that wouldn't be better placed inside Animal Kingdom.
Why not have a huge land based off of Rwanda (Wakanda is rumored to be nearby), then include Wakanda behind it. It wouldn't dilute anything if it was contained to it's own area, similar to London & Diagon Alley.

Of course we're talking about Epcot today. If Mary Poppins can have a made-up street in the UK & Norway is able to contain made-up country based off it, I don't see why Africa cannot be represented in all of it's glory while accompanied by a made-up Wakanda. RAT is literally the only one that gets away with this because it actually takes place in a real city. Poppin's, Frozen, & Wakanda are all in the same boat.

Well the Mary Poppins thing likely isn't happening, but despite the fact that it's a made-up street, it does take place in London and they do go to several real life locations in the movie. It's much closer to Ratatouille than Frozen. Personally I don't think either of them belong, but they fit in better than Frozen does.

You're right that putting in Wakanda as simply part of a real country's pavilion wouldn't really be any different than Frozen -- as opposed to building an entire pavilion specifically for Wakanda, which would be much too far -- but it's not a good idea (just like Frozen is a terrible idea and should be removed). Insulting may not have been the right word, but I don't think it's a good look to have one sub-Saharan African country (I think people forget Morocco is in Africa) and then say that instead of using a whole pavilion to showcase this country and its culture/cuisine, we are going to use part of it for a fictional comic book location that has nothing to do with real life.

I could definitely see Disney getting some bad press about a decision like that.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

The last thing WDW needs is another decent IP wasted by shoehorning it into a place it doesn’t belong and in the process replacing an amazing attraction.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Check out this article: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/w...ney-to-build-a-wakanda-theme-park/ar-BB18yxej Personally I think this is a great idea!! Something for boys and girl alike and a bit more broad in appeal. What rides could you see here?? Discuss!!!

..:contract

Whoopi can sponsor, a la EPCOT of old.

Would it be possible to build a Wakanda attraction at WDW, without using Black Panther, in order to skirt the Universal issue? Sort of like how Star Tours didn't always use major Star Wars characters, but we knew it was a Star Wars experience.

No...fake land created for a character = IP based.

Studios or World Showcase. You could have Wakanda open a pavilion. If they really wanted to be cleaver, have an Equitorial Africa Pavilion which is actually a front for a Wakanda Science Center (aka the E ticket and meet and greet, located in the back,) that way you don’t betray the Epcot concept, and can still have typical Epcot streemosphere shops and resturants in the front half of the pavilion.

Haven’t we been here before?? Fictitious Epcot countries again?

Everyone should let it breathe. It’s a tragic loss and one that is resonating. But give it time. Life will go on as it always has before we talk pavilions...

And in case anyone hasn’t seen it...watch this clip.

 

[jaxonp]

Whoopi can sponsor, a la EPCOT of old.

Would it be possible to build a Wakanda attraction at WDW, without using Black Panther, in order to skirt the Universal issue? Sort of like how Star Tours didn't always use major Star Wars characters, but we knew it was a Star Wars experience.

I think you're talking about Galaxy Edge attractions not using Star Wars characters....

 

[doctornick]

The UN speech at the end of Black Panther is very befitting to EPCOT but I am still of the mindset that attractions rooted in IP fantasy don't really belong in EPCOT. Having said that, if you were to put a Wakanda attraction in EPCOT it should be a technology display in Future World.

At this point, a technological Wakanda pavilion next to GotG (maybe can somehow a least use the Body Wars space for part of it?) wouldn't be making things much "worse" and would at least put the Marvel stuff together. Maybe even divvy it out and call that a new land (even with Play) as "World of Future Fantasy" or something.

That said, if they really were going todo something Wakanda-ish, it should go in DHS. FWIW, we know Dr. Strange is okay for WDW and it seems likely that Eternals and Shang Chi would be okay. I still also think some sort of Agents of Shield theming could be okay to use as well (could easily see an Agent P type game with Shield). Point being that I think a Marvel land in DHS could happen if there was a desire.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

"Disney and Universal also reportedly have come to a legal understanding that allows Disney to use characters not currently referenced inside Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure to be used in Walt Disney World attractions. That's why Disney is building a Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster in the old Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot. But Disney still can't use the brand name "Marvel" in promoting its theme park attractions at Walt Disney World... or at Disneyland, for that matter. "

What is the 'Endgame' for Marvel and theme parks?

www.themeparkinsider.com

Black panther is tied to the avengers umbrella.

I actually think they’d already be building a BP Showcase addition if it were allowed. The cultural/brand symmetry is too much for Disney to resist if allowed.

I don't see why they can't do both a real country & Wakanda.
Something similar to London & Diagon Alley in USF.

That is a studios park.

I hear ya, but Frozen, Guardians and Pandora have opened the door. I wouldn't be upset about a Big Hero 6 ride at Japan, etc.

Then it won’t be tough in the future to pick which park you go to each day. magic kingdom 1,2,3 or 4?

Because the World Showcase is supposed to be about real places.

Putting Frozen in Norway really diluted that, but the pavilion itself is still Norway. Creating a whole pavilion for Wakanda would be tossing the entire concept out of the window. Might as well just bulldoze the whole showcase and build something totally new there.

I also think trying to build something like a Nigeria pavilion and then shoehorn Wakanda in there as part of it would be pretty insulting, as I said before.

That Norway mistake is still a huge one. It just doesn’t fit. After 5 years the sheen hasn’t and won’t wear off. A pity.

The UN speech at the end of Black Panther is very befitting to EPCOT but I am still of the mindset that attractions rooted in IP fantasy don't really belong in EPCOT. Having said that, if you were to put a Wakanda attraction in EPCOT it should be a technology display in Future World.

Agree. It’s never been a good idea...it never will be. The ip based in real countries is where we need to make our Stand as the panzers advance. “The Alamo”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think you're talking about Galaxy Edge attractions not using Star Wars characters....

You mean all of them except Chewie?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

At this point, a technological Wakanda pavilion next to GotG (maybe can somehow a least use the Body Wars space for part of it?) wouldn't be making things much "worse" and would at least put the Marvel stuff together. Maybe even divvy it out and call that a new land (even with Play) as "World of Future Fantasy" or something.

That said, if they really were going todo something Wakanda-ish, it should go in DHS. FWIW, we know Dr. Strange is okay for WDW and it seems likely that Eternals and Shang Chi would be okay. I still also think some sort of Agents of Shield theming could be okay to use as well (could easily see an Agent P type game with Shield). Point being that I think a Marvel land in DHS could happen if there was a desire.

The goal of Epcot was never for “minimal additional damage”

It’s sad that it’s “working”...an Iger hallmark.

 

[doctornick]

I also think that an idea for DHS to use Wakanda would be to make a (fictional) African land with Wakanda but also an Indiana Jones attraction where he goes into some ancient Congo temple or such and maybe something like Mystic Manor or another SEA type concept to round it off. Granted that it would steer close to a Adventureland type concept though...

 

[larryz]

 

[Animaniac93-98]

FWIW, we know Dr. Strange is okay for WDW and it seems likely that Eternals and Shang Chi would be okay.

Well I guess that's coming to EPCOT in 2026 then...

 

[Brer Oswald]

The UN speech at the end of Black Panther is very befitting to EPCOT but I am still of the mindset that attractions rooted in IP fantasy don't really belong in EPCOT. Having said that, if you were to put a Wakanda attraction in EPCOT it should be a technology display in Future World.

I think we should have a Technology Pavilion

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Off “topic”...but another great clip if you haven’t seen it.

 

[doctornick]

Well I guess that's coming to EPCOT in 2026 then...

Shang-Chi meet and greet in the China pavilion would be kinda okay. And honestly a full blown Shang-Chi attraction in the China pavilion would be better than Frozen in Norway (low bar I know) and about on par with Ratatouille (replace "food culture" of France with "King Fu" of China).

 

[owlsandcoffee]

A Black Panther and Wakanda attraction- yes. But PLEASE put it in the movie park (and DCA) and not elsewhere.

It would most certainly be in Avengers Campus in DCA, as far as California goes. Florida is a whole different story. I would expect it to be in DHS, but who knows