News Animal Kingdom 25th Anniversary

[cjkeating]

The Dinosaur pin they released is a recreation of the Dinosaur movie poster.

So that sucks.

I wish I knew if it was due to being actually oblivious (after the Darkwing Duck shirt featuring a character that has nothing to do with Darkwing Duck I wouldn't be shocked) or if the IP mindset is so ridiculously engrained that it defies basic logic (i.e. IP must be the main draw despite it being barely there and the movie being largely forgotten).

The ride features an iguanodon and the pin has an iguanodon on it. What were you expecting to be on the pin?

 

[cjkeating]

I think today was handled pretty well, especially compared to mk. Merch was easy to get from multiple locations, there was plenty of special stuff to do that although it was very crowded it wasn't overwhelming. The dessert trio from Tiffins was amaaaazing. It was smooth and fun. And importantly to visitors who maybe didn't know it was the 25th, regular attraction lines weren't insane.

Agree. I knew today was going to be busier because of the 25th but it didn’t feel too bad. As far as I can see special merch and food was all available and had good stocks.

 

[bmr1591]

I’d rather floatillas than absolutely nothing on the river/water. They’re cute!

I don’t mind the floatillas, but they use them as an excuse to not put many meet and greets. Throw some rare characters on there that don’t get seen much. All they’re doing is waving, so they don’t have to know the characters personalities really. Put Russel and Dug and Rafiki and Timon as meet and greets.

 

[doctornick]

They still see a demand and want for Flotilla’s and sightings, so no.

Guests enjoy being able to see the characters in the park without waiting in long lines.

I feel like there’s no reason to be an either/or. The flotilla can still continue to exist as some nice “streetmosphere” while also having specified personal M&Gs

 

[mm52200]

I feel like there’s no reason to be an either/or. The flotilla can still continue to exist as some nice “streetmosphere” while also having specified personal M&Gs

That’s literally what they’re doing.
Some characters on flotillas and some doing meet and greets.

 

[doctornick]

That’s literally what they’re doing.
Some characters on flotillas and some doing meet and greets.

Right, I agree. Some people want the flotillas to go away but I think they serve a purpose. I do agree there should be a healthier entertainment budget to allow for more overall characters but I rather like the flotilla and other distant encounters that they came up with during the pandemic. I think they add to the atmosphere of the parks.

 

[WorldExplorer]

The ride features an iguanodon and the pin has an iguanodon on it. What were you expecting to be on the pin?

Seeker/some easier-to-make representation of Seeker, a time rover, carnotaurus, the Dino Institute, a meteor, any of the three slogans associated with the Institute/ride? There were tons of possibilities, most of which are specific to the ride.

I'm not against an iguanodon being used, I'm all for it, I just don't like the way they did it. But I guess every attraction that got a pin got the "just a character" treatment but the safari (and Simba got to stand on Pride Rock).

I did look up the poster to refresh my memory and it's not an exact match like I thought so I will give it that, I probably overstretched.

 

[gerarar]

 

[DCBaker]

Video of a time capsule dug up after being buried by Cast Members 25 years ago at Animal Kingdom.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Video of a time capsule dug up after being buried by Cast Members 25 years ago at Animal Kingdom.

Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro better use the things found in the time capsule as an excuse to properly expand and enhance the park. Nobody wants the urban jungle that is Zootopia in a natural jungle. (Moana land could work in Animal Kingdom as long as that area has animal encounters, mainly sea animals from the South Pacific.)

Said time capsule could maybe convince Iger and D'Amaro to revive Beastly Kingdom, even if it’s in a different way from the original plans in the 90s. Oh, and said capsule could also help bring a South America and Australia land to fruition.

 

[brb1006]

Video of a time capsule dug up after being buried by Cast Members 25 years ago at Animal Kingdom.

I didn't know Animal Kingdom had a time capsule until now.

 

[JohnD]

Video of a time capsule dug up after being buried by Cast Members 25 years ago at Animal Kingdom.

Just what are those floppy thingies? And VHS tapes? Get Darcy Lewis on it, stat!

 

[drew81]

Literally could charge a Lightning Lane for Moana and people would pay.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Literally could charge a Lightning Lane for Moana and people would pay.

I really want to know at what point people started treating meet and greets as attractions. From the pics I saw it definitely wasn’t just families with kids in that line.

 

[WDWBryan]

seems kind of silly to dig up a time capsule only 25 years after it was buried. I mean people working when it was buried are still working there today.

 

[brb1006]

WDW should treat meet and greets like Disneyland where most of "them" are just characters walking around.

They add SO much to a land's atmosphere. To me, that´s how you use IP.

WDW used to follow Disneyland's approach up until the mid to late 2000s. You can thank the existence of Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland/Mickey's ToonTown for the existence of this.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

WDW used to follow Disneyland's approach up until the mid to late 2000s. You can thank the existence of Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland/Mickey's ToonTown for the existence of this.

The only people to blame are Disney World management, Disneyland has Toontown and you can still meet characters all of the time in both DL and DCA.

 

[UNCgolf]

WDW used to follow Disneyland's approach up until the mid to late 2000s. You can thank the existence of Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland/Mickey's ToonTown for the existence of this.

I'm pretty sure FP+ (and now Genie+) was a big factor in this too -- maybe the biggest factor. They needed the extra bookable capacity.

EPCOT still has characters just randomly out and about, though, or at least they did last time I was there (pre-COVID early 2020). I remember seeing Belle and Mickey/Minnie ad hoc meeting people on the World Showcase promenade.

 

[BlakeW39]

Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro better use the things found in the time capsule as an excuse to properly expand and enhance the park. Nobody wants the urban jungle that is Zootopia in a natural jungle. (Moana land could work in Animal Kingdom as long as that area has animal encounters, mainly sea animals from the South Pacific.)

Said time capsule could maybe convince Iger and D'Amaro to revive Beastly Kingdom, even if it’s in a different way from the original plans in the 90s. Oh, and said capsule could also help bring a South America and Australia land to fruition.

Not happening man.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

WDW should treat meet and greets like Disneyland where most of "them" are just characters walking around.

They add SO much to a land's atmosphere. To me, that´s how you use IP.

Ironically Universal does characters much better than Disney imo. Most of the ones that are behind lines there are at least very unique setups like Donkey, the raptor encounter, and the transformers. Aside from those, the characters are mostly roaming, Hollywood being an awesome area in USF to find characters that are hardly ever behind a line.