Animal Kingdom Planning Video Unknown Ride Clip?

[Magahoohoo]

This is my first thread start (and first forum post as well), so I'm sorry if this is not in the right area, but I have a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to for what feels like 7 or 8 years.

In the Disney Parks video collection "Disney Parks: The Secrets, Stories and Magic Behind the Scenes", there includes a video solely about Animal Kingdom. Near the end of the video, John Shields talks about how Animal Kingdom will keep expanding, specifically there would be "more fantasy, there'll be more thrill." While John talks, an early ride concept animation is played, featuring what seems to be a large animatronic. After re-watching this years later, I believe it to be an early animation concept for the Lava Monster from "Journey to the Center of the Earth" ride at DisneySea. Is this what the video shows and, if so, does this mean Journey to the Center of the Earth was once planned for Animal Kingdom? I'm very interested in what it could be.

Here's a link to the video, which was put fully on Youtube, and a time stamp of the mentioned clip: ; 39:33-39:42.

 

[lazyboy97o]

A version of Mysterious Island was considered for the area that is now Pandora.

 

[TwilightZone]

Wow! This is some neat stuff. Wouldn't surprise me if at one point beastly kingdom's dragon coaster was replaced by Journey into the center of the earth at one point in development. It makes a lot of sense since it fits with the ecology theme and the monster is rumored to use a mold from the alien from alien encounter. Maybe in this alternate universe, it could have been one of the actual animatronics repurposed for the new ride.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Wow! This is some neat stuff. Wouldn't surprise me if at one point beastly kingdom's dragon coaster was replaced by Journey into the center of the earth at one point in development. It makes a lot of sense since it fits with the ecology theme and the monster is rumored to use a mold from the alien from alien encounter. Maybe in this alternate universe, it could have been one of the actual animatronics repurposed for the new ride.

The Magma Worm in Journey to the Center of the Earth is MUUUCH larger than the Alien from Alien Encounter -- though there is a slight resemblance given their multiple eyes, limbs, and hard exoskeletons. Perhaps distant cousins?

Much though I do find myself enjoying Pandora, I would LOVE to see a version of Mysterious Island crop up in Animal Kingdom, unlikely now though that may be. Loving Verne and Disney's 20,000 Leagues, that's a land I absolutely cannot wait to one day visit.

 

[TwilightZone]

I made the scene into a gif to show it in better detail.