Animal Kingdom & the 50th Anniversary

[MisterPenguin]

Serious question...how does a show that is included with admission to the park make back it's investment? Unless they expect the dinner packages to do that. I would think once built unless it causes a significant increase in park attendance it is an expense due to maintenance and wages but I admit to being ignorant on the workings of the park investment recovery.

I'm supposing the metric would be keeping track of where guests go.

For the sake of an example, if you have 1,000 guests and 4 attractions. There's now a possible 4,000 'visits' if each guest went to all four attractions. However, if you counted them as they arrived at the attractions and found that the first attraction got 1500 visits, the second 1200, the third 800, and the fourth 500; then you can apportion the income from their tickets to the rides proportionally.

Or you can keep track of time spent at each attraction and not just tapstile clicks.

Or both methods plus other metrics.

You can be sure Disney has a way to apportion the gate proceeds to each attraction.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Have they started construction on Pandora yet? Will we get the boat ride or will that be phased?

Forget the boat ride. Dead in the water. No chance they build a slow moving boat ride.

What I'm worried about is the main attraction. I heard it's just going to be a boring old simulator! Can't Disney do anything right anymore??

 

[djkidkaz]

One of the photos Joe Rhode posted is with a female who he states is the only other person from the opening team of Animal Kingdom. So obviously they are out there together doing research for something AK related.

 

[2351metalcloud]

One of the photos Joe Rhode posted is with a female who he states is the only other person from the opening team of Animal Kingdom. So obviously they are out there together doing research for something AK related.

I don't know if that proves it, but I think it is supportive of the idea. Has she ever worked on something besides AK? Who else is there with them?

Also, do you guys think an attraction or area about the 'Realm of Monsters' from Moana could fit the themes of Animal KIngdom?

 

[Timothy_Q]

One of the photos Joe Rhode posted is with a female who he states is the only other person from the opening team of Animal Kingdom. So obviously they are out there together doing research for something AK related.

*a female*

 

[Just4Pics]

I'd prefer a new continent, but I'm sure that with Pandora that's off the table for a while. Unless its Endor or Tatooine or the planet where they keep Depp between movies.

Is anyone else completely ok with them adding Endor to AK? I know it's not perfectly in agreement with the original theme of AK, but I think it could be really awesome. If they base it off the animals and nature of Endor like they did with Pandora I think it would fit in fine.

I hope they do it.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

Disney keeps forgetting that creating original characters and attractions pays serious dividends. Sure, its easier to slap Iron Man on a ride and some merch, but look at how much mileage theyve gotten out of Figment or PotC.

 

[Seabasealpha1]

Disney keeps forgetting that creating original characters and attractions pays serious dividends. Sure, its easier to slap Iron Man on a ride and some merch, but look at how much mileage theyve gotten out of Figment or PotC.

"mileage" with Pirates is accurate. I question whether Figment/Dreamfinder have ever been given the attention needed to get much mileage at all...

I suppose if Walt had coughed up the idea for Imagination and Figgy and the Dreamfinder, it would probably have been treated a bit better and would probably have gotten the "mileage" we're talking about. But since it's a chunk o' Epcot...sans Walt Epcot...

 

[PuertoRekinSam]

Fixing Yeti wont add guests or eat guests.

Maybe it will if the fix it right. Hopefully it will eat the ones that throw the hair ties on the mountain.

Of course I am sure Risk Management would have a problem with that. Stupid safety procedures getting in the way of better story telling....

 

[EricsBiscuit]

He just posted a photo about a Balian puppet show! We are getting a puppet show! Yeeeet

Edit: take that DL and UNI

 

[MotherOfBirds]

I suppose my point was that Disney is capable of generating very large, loyal fanbases around new characters and attractions created specifically for the parks, a la Figment, which they may have noticed given the recent improvement in merch.

 

[djkidkaz]

Lots of rumors swirling from sites like Vulture saying there is talk of expanding Pandora already with another attraction and restaurant. Not a hugely reputable site but just thought I'd share as other random sites have started to pick up this rumor and run with it.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Lots of rumors swirling from sites like Vulture saying there is talk of expanding Pandora already with another attraction and restaurant. Not a hugely reputable site but just thought I'd share as other random sites have started to pick up this rumor and run with it.

Vulture said it. Other sites are repeating what Vulture said. So, I wouldn't characterize one source as swirling. Unless you know of another site that has a source that isn't linked back to Vulture?

However, one of our insiders said an enigmatic "well I've heard this." So, maybe maybe?

 

[BrianLo]

Vulture said it. Other sites are repeating what Vulture said. So, I wouldn't characterize one source as swirling. Unless you know of another site that has a source that isn't linked back to Vulture?

However, one of our insiders said an enigmatic "well I've heard this." So, maybe maybe?

I noticed the entrance map at least acknowledges the expansion pad. That doesn't remotely mean it will ever happen, but there is certainly some sort of desire. At least enough desire to make it an easter egg on the in park map.

 

[Just4Pics]

Given the fact that FOP has been so well received, I think it makes more sense to wait.

If anything they might add 2 new theaters to FOP, like they did with Soarin, if FOP is still really popular in a year or so. I'd be surprised if they expanded Pandora anytime soon other than that. It makes more sense to diversify and build something else elsewhere in AK.

 

[bclane]

Joe Rohde+Marvel+AK=Black Panther and the lost city of Wakanda!

I'd love it if they could/would build Wakanda somewhere at WDW but please not in Animal Kingdom.

 

[bclane]

Is anyone else completely ok with them adding Endor to AK? I know it's not perfectly in agreement with the original theme of AK, but I think it could be really awesome. If they base it off the animals and nature of Endor like they did with Pandora I think it would fit in fine.

I hope they do it.

I think they will eventually have a Star Wars presence in all the parks. Personally, I'd rather see something like Kashyyyk in Animal Kingdom though just because I like the visual design of the world better. Dagobah could also be pretty awesome (swamp buggy ride anyone?). My favorite idea though would be a underwater safari ride to Otoh Gunga on Naboo where we are on a mission to hunt down Jar Jar and blast him out of the water! J/k (sorta).

 

[Nickels5]

I'm all for an expansion of pandora. My issue is this should have been built with three rides, there were plans for a bike coaster and for whatever reason they scrapped it. Animal kingdom needs 2 more e tickets and 3 c-d tickets and in my opinion it would be one of the best Disney parks anywhere.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Is anyone else completely ok with them adding Endor to AK? I know it's not perfectly in agreement with the original theme of AK, but I think it could be really awesome. If they base it off the animals and nature of Endor like they did with Pandora I think it would fit in fine.

I hope they do it.

If done right, heck yes. Mysterious Island is another one like DisneySeas.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I'd like this twice if I could. They need to rework ROL a bit but it's overall a very complimentary show of AK. The floats are beautiful. The projections need the most work. I wouldn't hate a brief montage of Disney-animal characters, if they insist, but I'd hate to see the whole show become IP driven. I get to some it's underwhelming or not very good but would slapping characters in there suddenly make it better? I don't think it would. Sure, maybe the under 10 crowd will eat it up now (ugh, they are so worried about mommy bloggers and their kids).

If they want to do something IP driven, do a Disney IP connected to nature daytime parade.