Beastly Kingdom

[maui2k7]

But I like the area for what it is. Knowing that it was supposed to be a cheap looking roadside attraction I think they did a very good job of it.

Quite a clever way for Disney to spend not a lot of money on a section of the park and say it is themed to look like that. It just seems to look out of place in all of Walt Disney World. Cheap roadside attractions are not what folks come to Disney for which is one main reason I wish they put more money into this area and raised the bar above what they put in there...

 

[sanctumsolitude]

I agree with you. I recently finished reading the Imagineering Field Guide to AK - and I would have never understood the story of Dinoland if the book hadn't spelled it out. It defnitely could use a little more explaining through some additions, whether that be rides, shops, relevant signage or other themeing elements. Just making the story a little more apparent would go a long way and help more people understand that DinoRama really does make sense.

While I know the backstory behind the land, I am still not cognitive of it when I visit AK. Any theme that takes that much explaining to do does not seem fit for a theme park where stories need to be told instantly.

 

[BwanaBob]

(forget it... it's not worth it. Have a nice day.)

 

[figment5002000]

I think it nice when someone put an idea out and everyone like it. I mean the beastly kingdom idea sounds nice but less not forget we all just complained over the recent price hike on tickets to $71.00 dollars apiece. What do you think going to happen to tickets next year if they building this new area and do all the other major changes most disney fans want. The price will continue to climb and I for one couldn't aford to go to disney at $80.00 a piece. I think $71.00 dollars is getting a little to high. I can go to a sporting event or a broadway show for these prices. Nice idea but it really going to hurt my wallet.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

While I know the backstory behind the land, I am still not cognitive of it when I visit AK. Any theme that takes that much explaining to do does not seem fit for a theme park where stories need to be told instantly.

With all due respect, I don't know that I fully agree with that. I do agree that this individual one may need a bit more, but I think the magic of Disney is that the themes take many, many times to unfold. You need the overlay story, but it must sit atop many other layers to truly get it.

I actually think this is the biggest downfall of modern Disney compared with what got it to its current popularity.


And, about the $71.00, it's interesting to see someone argue that $71.00 is too close to the cost of a show or sporting event. Usually the argument (which I tend to agree with) is that those events cost that much or more, and you only get a few hours of entertainment where as a WDW park gets you significantly more "bang" for your buck.

 

[figment5002000]

You make an intersting point but bang for my buck or not there only so much a person or family can spend on or for a vaction. Disney in general is never a cheap vaction my the time you add in a flight, room, food, drink, and souveniers etc... but there got be a point where people including my self have to draw line. I don't go very often to disney and with these prices the frequencey of my visits won't be increasing any time soon. The sooner the ticket prices flatten out and stop raising the better. Not that I mind the rehabs and the keeping up of the old attraction and occasinal new things.

 

[uklad79]

Who the hell buys day tickets? a multi day pass brings this cost way down. If I go to concerts I can't buy a multi concert pass for say 10 concerts in a year and get them much cheaper. At Disney I have that option to reduce the cost per day by buying more of them. So when people quote this day ticket price and compare it to something else you have to look at the over all picture, you get a full day and you don't have to buy day tickets as there is more than one option which reduces daily cost.

 

[sanctumsolitude]

With all due respect, I don't know that I fully agree with that. I do agree that this individual one may need a bit more, but I think the magic of Disney is that the themes take many, many times to unfold. You need the overlay story, but it must sit atop many other layers to truly get it.

I understand what you are saying and I will attempt to clarify what I said.

The story should unfold as you notice the details in the land. Take Harambe for instance. At first you notice that its an African village. Then you notice the interactions between the humans and the animals (and their differences). The story is instantly recognizable, but also one that is constantly emerging and progressing from the details.

Dinoland's story, however, never fully emerges until the story is complete. That is, until the all the details are seen, the story remains a mystery.

 

[sanctumsolitude]

That make sense to anyone? I should go to bed...

 

[devoy1701]

Obviously no one else has a problem with the name "Beastly Kingdom"????


ok...well now I feel dumb bringing it up. I thought for sure someone would take that and run with it and start throwing out a plethora of new name suggestions!

I just think that name sucks. :shrug:

 

[WDWGuide]

Obviously no one else has a problem with the name "Beastly Kingdom"????


ok...well now I feel dumb bringing it up. I thought for sure someone would take that and run with it and start throwing out a plethora of new name suggestions!

I just think that name sucks. :shrug:

It's just a working title for the project - there is no way the final land would have ever been called that.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

I agree. I never like the whole Chester and Hester area always thought that it wasn't the Disney way. I'm not saying make it a JP scare the pants off you area just make the Excavator a mild family coaster like Thunder Mt just theamed to a dino dig site. Plus I always thought that the whole Boneyard was great for kids, heck when I went as 5 year old in the summer of '98 it to me was "The Happiest Place on Earth"

I agree with you on the fact that the boneyard is fun for kids. I just think Disney didn't put as much effort and magic into the area. I don't think Disney should make the Excavator a mild family coaster though. If you've ever been to Busch Gardens, Hershey Park, etc., you'd be amazed at how many little kids love the big, scary roller coasters. Remember, kids are only little kids for a few years, but they are adults for the majority of their lives. Little kids aren't going to want to play in the boneyard once they start growing up. If you have too many younger kid attractions, why would parents without kids want to go back?

 

[jedimaster1227]

It's just a working title for the project - there is no way the final land would have ever been called that.

Actually that was the name to be given to the land. Disney owned/owns the rights to that title, and every piece of concept art from WDI (and the Imagineers who worked on the project) hold the title of Beastly Kingdom. That was the name of the land, were it to be built.

 

[WDWGuide]

Actually that was the name to be given to the land. Disney owned/owns the rights to that title, and every piece of concept art from WDI (and the Imagineers who worked on the project) hold the title of Beastly Kingdom. That was the name of the land, were it to be built.

Well, let me rephrase. Had BK been opened as originally planned (with the rest of the park), it's possible (or even likely) that it would have been called that. But that's much less likely today, given recent decisions to rename other lands (Safari Village to Discovery Island, which some say was because of guest confusion) or parks (again, some say that the Disney-Pixar idea was abandoned fairly recently because of the relative abundance of Pixar attractions outside of the Studios, which could have confused the poor, fragile-minded guests). Anything "Kingdom" is associated by many guests as a park, not a land (and especially not as a land within a park bearing essentially the same name).

I personally don't have a problem with the original name, but we all know that some guests manage to confuse FastPass with Test Track (!). Based on their recent decisions, I have serious doubts that the marketing department would sign off on BK today.

(Wow, lots of parentheses in this post )

 

[MKeeler]

My thought on getting around the Beastly Kingdomme name (beyond some kind of generic made up location like Mythica) would be to refer to it as Europe. From what I can tell about the original concepts, most of the mythological creatures involved were assocatied with largely European locales (dragon - England/Northern Europe; Fantasia Gardens - Greco/Roman myth). By naming it after the continent, you could continue the mix of real and imagined that started by putting the Yeti in Everest.

Of course, if I had things my way, I would put Europe between Africa and Asia, where Rafiki's Planet Watch is currently (train and all, with a new walking trail out there). Then Camp Minnie Mickey would become a Yellowstone-esque North America with maybe a ski lift style rollercoaster, South America would be next to North America connecting it to Africa, and Dinorama would be converted to Australia (absorbing Finding Nemo), thus leaving a smaller more cohesive section for Dinosaurs.:king:

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I understand what you are saying and I will attempt to clarify what I said.

The story should unfold as you notice the details in the land. Take Harambe for instance. At first you notice that its an African village. Then you notice the interactions between the humans and the animals (and their differences). The story is instantly recognizable, but also one that is constantly emerging and progressing from the details.

Dinoland's story, however, never fully emerges until the story is complete. That is, until the all the details are seen, the story remains a mystery.

Makes complete sense, and I agree. I do think Dino-Rama (and Dinoland, U.S.A.) needs a bit of a kick to get the story across. Now, having said that, it is easily salvagable.


As for the rest, I also agree. I think the BK name works but is leading to confusion. But, I also think this theme has perhaps the greatest depth of potential titles. It could easily be the "Dragon's Realm" or "Dragon Valley" (which could lead to two mountain-based attractions there and would make sense). And, the list is almost endless.

 

[jt04]

My thought on getting around the Beastly Kingdomme name (beyond some kind of generic made up location like Mythica) would be to refer to it as Europe. From what I can tell about the original concepts, most of the mythological creatures involved were assocatied with largely European locales (dragon - England/Northern Europe; Fantasia Gardens - Greco/Roman myth). By naming it after the continent, you could continue the mix of real and imagined that started by putting the Yeti in Everest.

Of course, if I had things my way, I would put Europe between Africa and Asia, where Rafiki's Planet Watch is currently (train and all, with a new walking trail out there). Then Camp Minnie Mickey would become a Yellowstone-esque North America with maybe a ski lift style rollercoaster, South America would be next to North America connecting it to Africa, and Dinorama would be converted to Australia (absorbing Finding Nemo), thus leaving a smaller more cohesive section for Dinosaurs.:king:

That would be incredible and would fix many current problems. Plenty of room for "Euro-Kingdomme" and an area for Austrailia. You are a creative thinker and well written. You should post more often. You provide a lot to think about. THANKS!

 

[sanctumsolitude]

My thought on getting around the Beastly Kingdomme name (beyond some kind of generic made up location like Mythica) would be to refer to it as Europe. From what I can tell about the original concepts, most of the mythological creatures involved were assocatied with largely European locales (dragon - England/Northern Europe; Fantasia Gardens - Greco/Roman myth). By naming it after the continent, you could continue the mix of real and imagined that started by putting the Yeti in Everest.

Of course, if I had things my way, I would put Europe between Africa and Asia, where Rafiki's Planet Watch is currently (train and all, with a new walking trail out there). Then Camp Minnie Mickey would become a Yellowstone-esque North America with maybe a ski lift style rollercoaster, South America would be next to North America connecting it to Africa, and Dinorama would be converted to Australia (absorbing Finding Nemo), thus leaving a smaller more cohesive section for Dinosaurs.:king:

OMG, I have had nearly the exact same thoughts as you! Only difference in what I was thinking was that Europe could go between Asia and Rafiki's Planet Watch, while keeping the train (though I don't really care either way).

But yea, Europe next to Asia, Camp Minnie-Mickey turning into North America, South America next door, Finding Nemo becoming the beginning of Australia with Dino-rama going the way of the Dinos (pun intended)... It's like you were reading my day dreams.

More on topic though, I also agree that they should take the Beastly Kingdomme thing and just make it into Europe.

 

[MKeeler]

Thank you for the kind words. The idea has been percolating a while with me mainly because while I would absolutely love to see the ideas from Beastly Kingdomme implemented in some form, I think the area where Camp Minnie Mickey is located could be turned into a really great North American section.

The possibilities are endless:
A Yellowstone/Wilderness lodge feel, perhaps bringing Grizzly Peak (just the mountain) from DCA brought over for a ski lift roller coaster, a nice table service restaurant themed to a ski lodge, the Redwood Exploration trails from DCA, J. Audobon Woodlore as a face walk around character, character greeting trails left alone, even a version of the Grand Canyon exhibit from the Disneyland train.

And to clarify, I should have been clearer, but were I to put Europe where Rafiki's Planet watch is, I would leave the train, thus giving to modes of transportation out and around the area.

I have plently more ideas; I'll try to post more as I can get my thoughts collected.

 

[jt04]

Thank you for the kind words. The idea has been percolating a while with me mainly because while I would absolutely love to see the ideas from Beastly Kingdomme implemented in some form, I think the area where Camp Minnie Mickey is located could be turned into a really great North American section.

The possibilities are endless:
A Yellowstone/Wilderness lodge feel, perhaps bringing Grizzly Peak (just the mountain) from DCA brought over for a ski lift roller coaster, a nice table service restaurant themed to a ski lodge, the Redwood Exploration trails from DCA, J. Audobon Woodlore as a face walk around character, character greeting trails left alone, even a version of the Grand Canyon exhibit from the Disneyland train.

And to clarify, I should have been clearer, but were I to put Europe where Rafiki's Planet watch is, I would leave the train, thus giving to modes of transportation out and around the area.

I have plently more ideas; I'll try to post more as I can get my thoughts collected.

Thanks, and looking forward to that, take you time.