AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[Mike S]

I don't think AK will ever come close to the ride count that MK has or should even try. I hear what you are saying about variety, but WDW has 4 parks so why not have each one provide a different experience like @JustInTime said here:

If seeing animals and leisurely enjoying a beautiful environment is not your cup of tea there are 3 other parks to visit. I don't think they need to make all 4 parks appeal to everyone all the time. AK will never come close to MK in terms of attendance and it really shouldn't even try to. MK is the flagship and is designed to be that. Adding rides to AK to balance out the park is a good thing and necessary, but I don't want MK 2.0 (or should it be 3.0 now that DHS lost it's theme).

MK has something like 27 rides. AK could do with about 15 and eventually more as it continues to expand without sacrificing its identity.

 

[GoofGoof]

MK has something like 27 rides. AK could do with about 15 and eventually more as it continues to expand without sacrificing its identity.

Sounds good to me. I'm all for more rides just as long as the animals stay. They certainly have plenty of room for more.

 

[Cesar R M]

I think one of the problems is a top quality zoo like The Columbus Zoo costs $20/day. If you are going to call it a theme park and Nahtazu! and then charge $100/day. People are expecting a lot more than zoo experiences.

are there zoos with musical shows and full blown water park/theme park rides that charge 20 a day?

 

[Cesar R M]

I love Animal Kingdom, and love strolling around and taking in as much non-ride goodness as possible; it's certainly not a 1/2 day park for me.

But Disney has only Disney to blame for what you (accurately!) call the Fastpass commandos. With the Fastpasses and now the whole FP+ program, they are actively encouraging the idea that a park visit should be a surgical strike, a well-honed plan to swoop in, see those targeted items you most want to see, then get out. As long as FP+ is in place, many guests are going to evaluate WDW parks in terms of ride count.

Pretty sure the FP+ system actually blocks any commando FPer thanks to the 3 ride limitation. because FP+s can fly on busy days and you probably wont be able to get a decent ride FP on the same day.

 

[Incomudro]

You know I've never really taken the time to explore and appreciate AK let alone any Disney park for that matter. In the past I've been more concerned about rides like you say the majority of people are. I think for my next trip(whenever that may be)I'd like to slow down and actually explore the park and see it from a different point of view. Disney World has become as stale as potato chips sitting on a shelf for 10+ years and sinking to the bottom worse than Mariah Carey's NYE performance, so I need to look at it from a different POV next time I go. It'll be hard since I always feel I'm on limited time, but at this point everything in WDW is nothing I've never seen before and nothing I won't ever see again so I should be fine.

With the smartband fast passes, you can really enjoy AK now.
Your major rides are at a pre set time, which allows you plenty of time to roam the trails, walk the aviary, watch Flights of Wonder and so on.

 

[Incomudro]

I actually think FP+ improves the situation with FP commandos compared to the classic FP system. I remember hearing people talk about splitting up their family and having a "runner" literally run to pull FPs for the group. Some people were so obsessed with accumulating FPs they completely missed the rest of the park. Now at least you have your FPs and assigned times and you can leisurely enjoy the other attractions in between your 3 "reservations".

I was a runner!
When we went into a park, and my sons were too little to keep up - I'd run to the Toy Story Fast Pass dispenser, or the Tower of Terror dispenser and so on.
With FP+ that isn't necessary anymore.

 

[Kman101]

Let's get DHS in double digits with rides before we worry about a park like AK.

 

[Jones14]

Let's get DHS in double digits with rides before we worry about a park like AK.

This. Animal Kingdom (to me) is two high quality dark rides, the removal of Dinorama, a fixed Yeti, and an update to Nemo away from being perfect. The other three parks are in varying stages of yikes, and as much as I love my little park that could and want it to soar even more, its older siblings are struggling right now. Keep everything maintained that you've got, and come back to it in a few years when the other three are in better shape.

 

[Kman101]

Yep. They shouldn't even think of fixing Nemo (right now, though that's now 10 years old) when DHS has 20+ year old stage shows that are more in need. I know one may not have to do with the other but still ... Dinorama fills a need at this moment but I'm all for Primeval Whirl and Triceratop Spin and the carny games going away in the future but right now, Epcot and DHS, especially DHS, are in much dire need. AK is a bit of a different park, I don't think it needs 30 rides. It needs more, sure, no one's saying it doesn't, but it's in a great place right now. Once ROL opens and Pandora opens, that fills more of a void.

 

[Mike S]

Yep. They shouldn't even think of fixing Nemo (right now, though that's now 10 years old) when DHS has 20+ year old stage shows that are more in need. I know one may not have to do with the other but still ... Dinorama fills a need at this moment but I'm all for Primeval Whirl and Triceratop Spin and the carny games going away in the future but right now, Epcot and DHS, especially DHS, are in much dire need. AK is a bit of a different park, I don't think it needs 30 rides. It needs more, sure, no one's saying it doesn't, but it's in a great place right now. Once ROL opens and Pandora opens, that fills more of a void.

As much as I like it I think Nemo should eventually be replaced with a show about Dinosaurs. Makes no sense in DinoLand.

 

[Kman101]

As much as I like it I think Nemo should eventually be replaced with a show about Dinosaurs. Makes no sense in DinoLand.

Oh, it should. It's already 10 years old. Time to start figuring out what's next.

 

[Kman101]

Honestly I wouldn't mind if Jungle Book or Tarzan came back ... LOL. I don't really want "Zootopia The Musical" or something like that

 

[rioriz]

This. Animal Kingdom (to me) is two high quality dark rides, the removal of Dinorama, a fixed Yeti, and an update to Nemo away from being perfect. The other three parks are in varying stages of yikes, and as much as I love my little park that could and want it to soar even more, its older siblings are struggling right now. Keep everything maintained that you've got, and come back to it in a few years when the other three are in better shape.

Agreed, some even forget about ITTBAB and Flights of Wonder which are quality shows within them self. I'll even throw Tree of Life Comes Alive in there as something to do. Hell, count Night Safari as a separate attraction if you want as it offers a different experience. There's enough in this Park once Pandora opens to keep people busy.

 

[flyerjab]

As much as I like it I think Nemo should eventually be replaced with a show about Dinosaurs. Makes no sense in DinoLand.

Could not agree more.

I have always felt that Disney should work with that "Walking with Dinosaurs" traveling show. The dinosaurs in thT show are life size and very real looking. Kids would love it and it would continue in the vein of providing an educational and entertaining experience.

 

[Mike S]

Could not agree more.

I have always felt that Disney should work with that "Walking with Dinosaurs" traveling show. The dinosaurs in thT show are life size and very real looking. Kids would love it and it would continue in the vein of providing an educational and entertaining experience.

Exactly what I was thinking. The people behind that also made King Kong. I hope to see more of their work come to Orlando. It's just incredible.

 

[the-reason14]

With the smartband fast passes, you can really enjoy AK now.
Your major rides are at a pre set time, which allows you plenty of time to roam the trails, walk the aviary, watch Flights of Wonder and so on.

Ya and I also never saw a reason to waste... I mean use my 3 a day fast passes at AK. I've always used them for MK or MGM and ended up park hopping to AK just to hit Everest and maybe Dino and then leaving. But I think it's time to switch it up a bit. Maybe spending a majority of the day at AK without fast passes and having my 3 fast passes for later at the MK.

 

[wdwgreek]

I was in Animal Kingdom yesterday. It is an incredible park, I was by myself so I spent the whole day breathing in the details. The New Tree of life trails are incredible. I think what people forget about Animal Kingdom is how much of a work of art the park itself is. More so then any other WDW theme park Animal Kingdom comes the closest to matching Tokyo disney Sea in theme intricacy. Every animal enclosure is wonderfully landscaped, the tigerpen for example has really nice murals which tell a story and stretch all around. The queue's for Everest is worth its own visit. Its not just stopping and smelling the roses, its stopping and appreciating the roses. This trip I was amazed by groups of peoplestopping and just watching, but then again so many peoples precious little angels were running soundscreaming and chasing ducks so who knows.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I agree but it seems TDS has the incredible attractions to match the theming. Overall, DAK does not with only a few exceptions.

 

[Incomudro]

I was in Animal Kingdom yesterday. It is an incredible park, I was by myself so I spent the whole day breathing in the details. The New Tree of life trails are incredible. I think what people forget about Animal Kingdom is how much of a work of art the park itself is. More so then any other WDW theme park Animal Kingdom comes the closest to matching Tokyo disney Sea in theme intricacy. Every animal enclosure is wonderfully landscaped, the tigerpen for example has really nice murals which tell a story and stretch all around. The queue's for Everest is worth its own visit. Its not just stopping and smelling the roses, its stopping and appreciating the roses. This trip I was amazed by groups of peoplestopping and just watching, but then again so many peoples precious little angels were running soundscreaming and chasing ducks so who knows.

I agree completely.
AK is a different kind of park, and it's meant to be a different kind of park.
The details are unmatched. Sure, people compare Potter to Pandora, but Potter is one land.
Pandora is part of AK, and virtually all of AK is painstakingly and intricately themed.
The details, the distressing and aging of elements are amazing.

 

[BrianLo]

I agree but it seems TDS has the incredible attractions to match the theming. Overall, DAK does not with only a few exceptions.

The gap isn't honestly all that wide. In theory, once these two new attractions and Rivers of Light come on board. I still think TDS is also light on attractions and very much adheres to two main attractions per land.

Purely in terms of attractions, TDS is no Disneyland. Controversially I'll say DCA is technically a step above it in the menu line up (not consistency though).

Both parks (AK and DCA) sorely lack a lavish, E-ticket, slow moving dark ride like Sindbad. That's the big differentiator really. Theme still has its clear winner in TDS.