News 'Beyond Big Thunder Mountain' Blue Sky concept revealed for Magic Kingdom

[Sorcerer Mickey]

No one franchise should have its own land in Magic Kingdom. It would make zero thematic sense.

 

[Surferboy567]

No one franchise should have its own land in Magic Kingdom. It would make zero thematic sense.

Like I said, I’m ok with us getting Zootopia…someplace. Just not here, I was one of the few people who didn’t mind it going in AK though I do understand why that not be the best idea.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Like I said, I’m ok with us getting Zootopia…someplace. Just not here, I was one of the few people who didn’t mind it going in AK though I do understand why that not be the best idea.

Instead of adding more to Magic Kingdom, why not built out the other parks to a similar experience scale? Zootopia could easily be added to Hollywood Studios via a reimagining of the Animation Courtyard.

 

[bmr1591]

Instead of adding more to Magic Kingdom, why not built out the other parks to a similar experience scale? Zootopia could easily be added to Hollywood Studios via a reimagining of the Animation Courtyard.

There's no question other parks need a lot of love, but MK is the most visited theme park in the world. It needs more capacity. Zootopia not only doesn't fit in MK as a concept, it will be heavily derided if it's announced at D23.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Why would Zootopia be in MK if AK is getting the 3D theater show?

Or is Zootopia like Mermaid or BatB and it's in multiple parks now?

 

[Surferboy567]

Instead of adding more to Magic Kingdom, why not built out the other parks to a similar experience scale? Zootopia could easily be added to Hollywood Studios via a reimagining of the Animation Courtyard.

Simply because they said they were planning on expanding MK. If they are going to definitely build something in MK (as they have indicated) then that’s why my mind went there. Villians Land I also feel probably works the best in that particular park. Maybe call it Dark Kingdom or something.

I agree the other parks need help, and yes Zootopia could be added that way. I also agree the other parks should probably be built out before Magic Kingdom is as it doesn’t really need it. They have told us though that AK and MK are next on the investing front.

 

[the_rich]

Why would Zootopia be in MK if AK is getting the 3D theater show?

Or is Zootopia like Mermaid or BatB and it's in multiple parks now?

It could be something totally different as well.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

There's no question other parks need a lot of love, but MK is the most visited theme park in the world. It needs more capacity. Zootopia not only doesn't fit in MK as a concept, it will be heavily derided if it's announced at D23.

At some point, will D23 members, influencers, and vloggers come to the realization that D23 announcements are more social media clicks and soundbites than reality?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Why would Zootopia be in MK if AK is getting the 3D theater show?

Or is Zootopia like Mermaid or BatB and it's in multiple parks now?

Stuff like that just smacks of the poorest planning, to me. Like the Nemo Musical opening at Animal Kingdom 2 months before Nemo opened at The Living Seas in EPCOT . . . yes those attractions serve different purposes, but it suggests a lack of understanding for the parks and/or the property to put it in disparate places like that.

They need to get serious about deciding on the best experience an IP can bring the guests and delivering it in the most thematically appropriate way. Spreading things across multiple parks within the same resort is so wishy washy, like they don't actually know what to do with what they've created.

Meanwhile, the parks as designed tend to be pretty intuitive - it's usually not hard to figure out where a property *should* go. The problem is that's often at odds with what's operationally useful. Frozen didn't go into EPCOT because it suited that park best, it went there because EPCOT needed help and adding a billion dollar franchise was the easiest way to get a home run out of a bunt. But we all know that Frozen should have gone in Fantasyland, it's just that operationally Fantasyland (and MK) were not as much in need of an infusion as EPCOT. Which doesn't make the move any less of a mistake.

I really think one of the biggest failures plaguing WDW in the last 20 years and still today is the lack of Strategic Planning. They seem to have no meaningful cohesive vision for the direction of the resort. Everything feels piecemeal and of no greater whole, and I think guests do actually register that as a negative. Even if mostly unconsciously.

 

[bmr1591]

At some point, will D23 members, influencers, and vloggers come to the realization that D23 announcements are more social media clicks and soundbites than reality?

I think it's pretty clear they are, but I also think heavy criticism from fans has caused Disney to change course in the past. Who's to say backlash to the idea wouldn't change course here?

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Absolutely disgusting

 

[trainplane3]

https://x.com/jimshull/status/1741177033286410376?s=46&t=HF1o3IG97G3ppq91ZzfqrA

Twitter: Jim Shull

I don’t think this is real, as he isn’t a reliable source (I don’t think). Just found this interesting, I like Zootopia but not in this plot of land. I’m hoping they do Villians.

I’m more posting this because I wasn’t even aware Zootopia was a possible idea for this plot of land?

It does say he was an imagineer

Jim was a pretty longtime Imagineer. He was one of the people that designed the Mater ride system:

So ya, he's a very real deal.

 

[JenniferS]

Just spoke with someone in the know...I don't often claim this, but I actually spoke to someone with firsthand knowledge (see discussion of when TRON was going to open if you don't believe my source's track record). I've posted a couple other tidbits of what they shared in other threads.

There is a proposal that is close to getting funding for "Beyond Big Thunder" and it's...not any of the three previously discussed ideas. They would not tell me over pain of death what the IP it's centered on is, but in their opinion, it doesn't fit and is one of the worst possible things they could be adding to Magic Kingdom. And it definitely is NOT Villains' Land.

Again, not approved or funded yet, but getting close.

Your friend was very chatty.

Just spoke with someone in the know...I don't often claim this, but I actually spoke to someone with firsthand knowledge (see discussion of when TRON was going to open if you don't believe my source's track record).

• The missing ingredient is NOT "us" but they wouldn't tell me what it is.
• The story about Iger visiting and not understanding the story of the ride is true and management started scrambling to make changes...even after the attraction had already been have constructed, much to the chagrin of those working on the ride. Some of Iger's confusion had to do with what the secret ingredient is.
• There is no Dr. Facilier on the ride, but there could have been with the plot they have.

Heard this from someone who has connections inside the development process and has no allegiance to Splash or anything like that.

I don't speak to this person often and they cannot share very much.

 

[JenniferS]

Very chatty.

Just spoke with someone in the know...I don't often claim this, but I actually spoke to someone with firsthand knowledge (see discussion of when TRON was going to open if you don't believe my source's track record). I've posted a couple of tidbits in other threads.

Something may actually be going in the former Stitch location in the near future. Could be promising, according to this person. Sorry, that's all I've got. They wouldn't tell me anything else.

 

[Surferboy567]

Jim was a pretty longtime Imagineer. He was one of the people that designed the Mater ride system:
View attachment 760888



So ya, he's a very real deal.

Thanks, I stand corrected. Definitely a reliable source.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

1. A Blue Sky Studios property, such as Ice Age

Genting Skywworlds in Malaysia has an Ice Age section...Plus a track less ride looking to be taking after the events of the last film...

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Very chatty.

What's your point? This was the first time I had talked to them in about 6 months and the first time they've had anything substantial to share for well over a year.

 

[Haymarket2008]

Jim was a pretty longtime Imagineer. He was one of the people that designed the Mater ride system:
View attachment 760888



So ya, he's a very real deal.

No disrespect to Jim, but he isn’t involved with the company anymore in a substantial way and his Twitter is riddled with a concerning amount of inconsistencies and incorrect information. It’s a bit odd, to be honest. His presence on podcasts is quite informed but his online presence…isn’t.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

No disrespect to Jim, but he isn’t involved with the company anymore in a substantial way and his Twitter is riddled with a concerning amount of inconsistencies and incorrect information. It’s a bit odd, to be honest. His presence on podcasts is quite informed but his online presence…isn’t.

Imagineers often retain their connections within the company long after they left. So him no longer being employed there doesn't mean he's ignorant of what's going on there.

This Beyond Big Thunder project is clearly still in a state of such extreme flux that I doubt anyone knows what it will actually contain upon final approval. That very much includes the actual imagineers who are directly working on it. And that's assuming anything is actually built at all, because there's always a significant chance it could get canned entirely.

Zootopia seems plenty stupid enough that I have no difficulty believing someone over at WDI did in fact pitch it as an idea. So I'm inclined to believe that Jim is probably telling the truth about something he really heard from a WDI source. Especially since he made that tweet with fairly confident language. Again, I don't have any idea if that's what they'll go with. But I don't feel he's just making things up or using a dubious source.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

You shared similar posts in at least four different threads, with the exact same preamble. No offence, but I find it hard to believe that one individual would have detailed information (about four major projects no less) that directly contravenes everything we have been hearing. Such a person would have to be very highly placed within the company or very well connected … and not likely to drop so many truth bombs to a casual friend at once.

Not saying that this info is correct as i'm sort of skeptical of some myself. But I will say that i've seen large info dumps like these including a variety of different attractions. If this came from an imagineer or someone who knows one, a lot of them do talk to one another and share information on each other's projects. Even sometimes creatives working for different competing theme park companies (Disney and Universal often have some overlap in drawing from pools of talent, and quite a number of current Universal creatives are former WDI people from what I understand).

The post about Epic seems a bit sketchy to me. I've heard ample praise for that park, but i'm not sure the opening day roster will have anything with a ton of animatronics. At least not compared to the amount in POTC. I'd also guess they're still going to be screen heavy too. Phase 2 could potentially have some promise in that regard, heard some interesting Luigi-related rumors. But that's a long way out, if it ever actually happens.