Beastly Kingdom Ignorance

[ToTBellHop]

very unfortunate that this was never built...I might've picked it over Dinoland. There is just so much more they coulda done with this for expansion...there are only so many ways you can get in a time machine and go back in time...in fact there's really only one way to do that well, which Dinoland has already shown...

 

[hammysammy59]

I know this probably isn't the case, but I REALLY hope that the dragon-coaster fiasco isn't the ONLY thing holding Beastly Kingdom back. There's like a million other sweet monsters you could focus on for your main attraction...

OH MAN... this could probably never happen, but what if Disney did a joint attraction with Toho... the Japanese studio responsible for the Godzilla movies?!? How do you top a dragon coaster? WITH A GODZILLA COASTER. Ahh, pipe-dreams.

 

[Astro_Digital]

I find AK one of the weakest parks; often by 12 or 1PM I am finished with AK. Having no Beastly Kingdom is a shame. I heard attendance is higher than per 9/11 levels and yet just about everywhere Disney gets cheap on us. Sure it does not hurt to dream but Disney is just too cheap.

 

[Galen]

At the annual stock holders meeting, they mentioned a night time show for DAK. I would be they're plaining on putting it in where they where going to put Beastly Kingdom. If I remember correctly that was over near Camp Minnie-Mickey.

I found it on Local 6. The picture of the concept art is here some where on WDW Magic. I'll look for it.

Just throwing in my 2¢

Edit: here's the link
http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/annual_reports/2006/int/dint.html

Also, the Investor thing just says "New Nighttime Water Spectacular". Local 6 is where I saw it say it was for DAK.

 

[nibblesandbits]

Does anyone else see the similarities between Toy Story Mania and the Villians ride they had proposed for the Studios originally. (According to Jim Hill's article) I know they aren't 100% the same...but they do seem quite similar.

By the way...thanks for posting the article as I knew what Beastly Kingdom was, but didn't "know" what it was. It was a very interesting read. Especially looking back, since the article was written in 2001.

 

[Pixie_Pirate]

Probaly looks simular because pixar might of thrown some money at them and said here make another pixar ride and parade.

 

[Mr Bill]

Would it be inaccurate to say that the original plans for Beastly Kingdom evolved into the Lost Continent at IoA?

 

[darthjohnny]

Would it be inaccurate to say that the original plans for Beastly Kingdom evolved into the Lost Continent at IoA?

I don't think there is any official story.

But some people believe that Imagineers brought their ideas to Universal after they were shot down by Disney (which doesn't make sense to me, because I would imagine Disney has very strict contracts with their employees, and everything the Imagineers come up with is Disney's property).

Others say that Beastly Kingdom and the Lost Continent were indeed two seperate things, but when Disney caught wind that Islands of Adventure would also have a land dedicated to the mythological creatures (and that both parks would open within a year of each other) Disney decided to scrap the Beastly Kingdom idea because they didn't want to seem like they had the same thing as Universal.

 

[tirian]

As far as it being a "sore subject", IMO, anyone who would get his undies in a bunch by the mere mention of BK, must be an over obsessed fanboy with no life and too much time on his hands. :lol:

Agreed! :sohappy:

 

[Mr Bill]

I don't think there is any official story.

But some people believe that Imagineers brought their ideas to Universal after they were shot down by Disney (which doesn't make sense to me, because I would imagine Disney has very strict contracts with their employees, and everything the Imagineers come up with is Disney's property).

Others say that Beastly Kingdom and the Lost Continent were indeed two seperate things, but when Disney caught wind that Islands of Adventure would also have a land dedicated to the mythological creatures (and that both parks would open within a year of each other) Disney decided to scrap the Beastly Kingdom idea because they didn't want to seem like they had the same thing as Universal.

Interesting, although I don't seem to remember Disney caring about that in the late 80s :lookaroun

 

[tirian]

Interesting, although I don't seem to remember Disney caring about that in the late 80s :lookaroun

I was thinking the same thing!

I have an awesome piece of AK concept art that shows a dragon "attacking" Guests...but it's hidden away in a box somewhere in my attic.

As for the "Imagineers-to-IOA" Dualing Dragons rumor, several people, including Imagineers, have told me the same story. Maybe it's just a fun fictional account, but a lot of people believe it because the attractions and queues are extremely similar.

 

[darthjohnny]

Interesting, although I don't seem to remember Disney caring about that in the late 80s :lookaroun

I don't really believe that about Disney cancelling the land because they were afraid of copying Universal. Unless it was partly due to budget cuts, so they stopped making the thing they thought they could do without. :shrug:

With the Disney-MGM Studios situation, that ideas was long on the back burners anyway.

 

[peters]

marni1971... you rock! I haven't seen these drawings before. Thanks for the details!

Now, as always, some art; the Kingdomme overview, the maze overview, some maze details, the riverboat dragon (concept and realised) and also an enhanced clip of Dragons Tower - note the exterior track too.[/quote]

 

[Dukeblue1016]

Does anyone else see the similarities between Toy Story Mania and the Villians ride they had proposed for the Studios originally. (According to Jim Hill's article) I know they aren't 100% the same...but they do seem quite similar.

By the way...thanks for posting the article as I knew what Beastly Kingdom was, but didn't "know" what it was. It was a very interesting read. Especially looking back, since the article was written in 2001.

I am in the exact boat as you here nibbs. I always knew what Beastly Kingdom was... except (if Jim Hill can be considered reliable here) I never realized it was something that basically almost happened. I also never knew about that dragon cave on that brief river ride. I had been to AK when that was there, but never went on the ride itself. It really is too bad this never happened; I feel like DinoLand is a complete waste. Dinosaur was fine when it was Countdown to Extinction. I know nothing changed about the ride; I'm just saying it was fun the first few times, regardless the name I don't even like that ride anymore. The name change just seemed to come around the same time it got old to me anyway.

After reading the entire 3 part article, its too bad Fire Mountain never became anything either. I know thats like beating a dead horse on here too; I knew it was never anything too serious though so I never paid attention to it and never really realized entirely what it was. Could they really create a rollercoaster where the bottom drops out and it turns inverted? That'd be crazy. Oh well...