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

[DisneyDodo]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills in that everyone keeps repeating Coco as if it's ever been confirmed or even suggested by Disney in AK.

I have not heard from any insider that Coco is coming to DAK, but that does not mean the speculation that it’s coming is baseless.

For example, compare these two pieces of concept art. The first is for a section of the BBT project for which Coco was explicitly referenced, and the second for a section of Teopical Americas.

Does is not look like Disney ported over and adapted many of the ideas from the first to the second?

Of course, both of these are pieces of Blue Sky concept art, so there’s no guarantee that anything in either of these pictures ever gets built or is in Disney’s current plans. But applying Occam’s razor would suggest that Coco is featured in the only Tropical Americas concept art presented to date.

 

[sedati]

But the Yucatan/Mayan architecture wouldn't be for Encanto, so is this for the Indy reskin then?

It’s for Llamas and those with Llama face…. I hope.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I personally can't seem to get a straight answer one way or the other, so hopefully someone else here can.

I think, at worst, the RoA gets shortened.

 

[James Alucobond]

I have not heard from any insider that Coco is coming to DAK, but that does not mean the speculation that it’s coming is baseless.

For example, compare these two pieces of concept art. The first is for a section of the BBT project for which Coco was explicitly referenced, and the second for a section of Teopical Americas.

View attachment 777208View attachment 777209

Does is not look like Disney ported over and adapted many of the ideas from the first to the second?

Of course, both of these are pieces of Blue Sky concept art, so there’s no guarantee that anything in either of these pictures ever gets built or is in Disney’s current plans. But applying Occam’s razor would suggest that Coco is featured in the only Tropical Americas concept art presented to date.

Loose photobash of a plaza mayor looks vaguely like more detailed art of a plaza mayor. More news at 11.

It is legitimately based on nothing. We know there will be tropical American influences in this area, notably from the Yucatán and Colombia. The land being set in a region that overlaps with southern Mexico does not automatically mean Coco will be included any more than a region being set in China would automatically mean Mulan was included.

 

[rle4lunch]

After being closed for 4 years and now facing another possible closure (regardless of length) less than 2 years after reopening? Yes, non-casuals will care.

Nah. I visited 3 times whilst it was down and it really didn't impact anything. Anything. Whoopdie doo, I didn't get a pic of it at the main Street station.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Loose photobash of a plaza mayor looks vaguely like more detailed art of a plaza mayor. More news at 11.

It is legitimately based on nothing. We know there will be tropical American influences in this area, notably from the Yucatán and Colombia. The land being set in a region that overlaps with southern Mexico does not automatically mean Coco will be included any more than a region being set in China would automatically mean Mulan was included.

Sorry, but I have heard of Coco appearing in AK via the carousel, and from a legitimate source.

Can't fully guarantee that's the current state of things, but it's not based on nothing.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Sorry, but I have heard of Coco appearing in AK via the carousel, and from a legitimate source.

Can't fully guarantee that's the current state of things, but it's not based on nothing.

We have a source from earlier this week at a WDI presser....

​

Then came presentations by portfolio executives from Florida who provided new details about the plans for Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom and Beyond Big Thunder at Magic Kingdom. This was the meatiest portion of the presentation, with new substantive details about the Dino-Rama replacement featuring Indiana Jones, Encanto, and Coco plus brand-new concept art for the area.​

I Went Inside Imagineering

"I wish I could be here every day," said Disney CEO Bob Iger to kick off an Imagineering presentation I attended. He was joined at the front of the small conference room by Parks Chairman

www.disneytouristblog.com

But this is the BBTM thread. I posted that in the DAK Expansion thread...

News - 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

Okay more important: What kind of food do you serve at an archaeological dig-themed restaurant across from the Indiana Jones Adventure? Ribs.

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

We have a source from earlier this week at a WDI presser....

​

Then came presentations by portfolio executives from Florida who provided new details about the plans for Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom and Beyond Big Thunder at Magic Kingdom. This was the meatiest portion of the presentation, with new substantive details about the Dino-Rama replacement featuring Indiana Jones, Encanto, and Coco plus brand-new concept art for the area.​

I Went Inside Imagineering

"I wish I could be here every day," said Disney CEO Bob Iger to kick off an Imagineering presentation I attended. He was joined at the front of the small conference room by Parks Chairman

www.disneytouristblog.com

But this is the BBTM thread. I posted that in the DAK Expansion thread...

News - 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

Okay more important: What kind of food do you serve at an archaeological dig-themed restaurant across from the Indiana Jones Adventure? Ribs.

forums.wdwmagic.com

So there you go.


To round it back to the subject of the thread, I'm not certain this means Coco is totally out of the running for Beyond Big Thunder - I would prefer Disney not split an IP over two parks in this way (especially since it seems like the rides are A-Ticket and E-Ticket versions of the same "ride an Alebrije!" idea, which would be weird to do twice and so differently), but I myself haven't heard that Coco is fully dunzo for MK just because it seems to have presence in AK's plans.

I have heard that WDI has built a model for Villain's Land - now, they build models for millions of things that don't happen, but it's nice to think they take the idea at least somewhat seriously. Sketches are much cheaper than models.

 

[Ichabod Crane]

Sorry, but I have heard of Coco appearing in AK via the carousel, and from a legitimate source.

Can't fully guarantee that's the current state of things, but it's not based on nothing.

And to piggyback there are some people who don’t think coco is part of BBT at all anymore.

 

[Starship824]

So there you go.


To round it back to the subject of the thread, I'm not certain this means Coco is totally out of the running for Beyond Big Thunder - I would prefer Disney not split an IP over two parks in this way (especially since it seems like the rides are A-Ticket and E-Ticket versions of the same "ride an Alebrije!" idea, which would be weird to do twice and so differently), but I myself haven't heard that Coco is fully dunzo for MK just because it seems to have presence in AK's plans.

I have heard that WDI has built a model for Villain's Land - now, they build models for millions of things that don't happen, but it's nice to think they take the idea at least somewhat seriously. Sketches are much cheaper than models.

Toy Story Mania and Space Ranger spill is the same IP in different parks with similar ideas...

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Toy Story Mania and Space Ranger spill is the same IP in different parks with similar ideas...

Right, but those were at least built years apart - imagine how much more ridiculous it would have been if they were developing them both at the same time and chose to go forth with both anyway instead of using their discernment and just building the better one. Or at least choosing to corral the different attractions for the one IP in one area.

I can *almost* excuse not letting existing attractions force your hand if you've got a better idea down the line - most of these things can't reasonably be picked up and moved around like chesspieces after the fact. But if both Coco attractions are in the concept stage and you're not locked into anything physically then it's very easy to move things around, so I'd expect them to exercise some better master planning.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Right, but those were at least built years apart - imagine how much more ridiculous it would have been if they were developing them both at the same time and chose to go forth with both anyway instead of using their discernment and just building the better one. Or at least choosing to corral the different attractions for the one IP in one area.

I can *almost* excuse not letting existing attractions force your hand if you've got a better idea down the line - most of these things can't reasonably be picked up and moved around like chesspieces after the fact. But if both Coco attractions are in the concept stage and you're not locked into anything physically then it's very easy to move things around, so I'd expect them to exercise some better master planning.

This thinking boggles my mind. If you have valuable and popular IP, why would you think you need to concentrate it in only one park/area? Why would you not say, we have 2 great ideas for rides, lets expand our offering at more than 1 park, so there is a positive gain and hopefully driving more traffic to both parks? If you have great IP, why wouldn't you want to spread it to more than one park, so that if you have families who are true fans of that IP, they now make it a priority to go to both parks on their next trip, or at least pay for park hoppers, as opposed to saying, well they just put the new things we love to see in one park, we can skip another park this year and just go see the stuff.

 

[doctornick]

Sorry, but I have heard of Coco appearing in AK via the carousel, and from a legitimate source.

Can't fully guarantee that's the current state of things, but it's not based on nothing.

Fair enough, though I will admit that it seems like such an odd choice to me. Coco is a fantastic film, but you can make a solid enough land using Encanto and IJ with some general Latin America flourishes. Why waste Coco on something as trivial as a carousel? Especially as it seems that it is still in the running to be used in the Beyond Thunder Mountain aspect - some have mentioned that a Coco version of FoP is still in contention there. and Coco would be a good neighbor thematically to Frontierland for the transition.

IMHO just make the flat ride in Tropical Americas related to Encanto and move on. Don't waste Coco for nothing.

 

[monothingie]

This thinking boggles my mind. If you have valuable and popular IP, why would you think you need to concentrate it in only one park/area? Why would you not say, we have 2 great ideas for rides, lets expand our offering at more than 1 park, so there is a positive gain and hopefully driving more traffic to both parks? If you have great IP, why wouldn't you want to spread it to more than one park, so that if you have families who are true fans of that IP, they now make it a priority to go to both parks on their next trip, or at least pay for park hoppers, as opposed to saying, well they just put the new things we love to see in one park, we can skip another park this year and just go see the stuff.

I see your point, but if not done carefully, it leads to IP sprawl. Disney has always been careful about maintaining thematic lands or areas, a lot of times successfully and sometimes failing miserably. It also depends on which parks could see a net boost by having exclusive access to an IP. The MK is likely good as is, but DAK or EPCOT could benefit. It’s also why you’ve seen sometimes questionable IP being inserted in places that it doesn’t seem appropriate.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Keeping attractions of an IP together in one park is for the non-Orlando parks, since they only have one or two parks to populate with attractions.

WDW has quite intentionally spread IPs over 2 to 3 parks.

This was partly to fill up the other parks with the most popular IPs (Mermaid, Toy Story, Frozen, etc...) so as not to disappoint younglings looking for their favorite characters. That's how the "no Mickey" rule got broken in EPCOT long ago. The expectation of the consumer is that if they go to a Disney park, they see Mickey and the more famous Disney characters even if the park is a World's Fair or a Zoo.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I see your point, but if not done carefully, it leads to IP sprawl. Disney has always been careful about maintaining thematic lands or areas, a lot of times successfully and sometimes failing miserably. It also depends on which parks could see a net boost by having exclusive access to an IP. The MK is likely good as is, but DAK or EPCOT could benefit. It’s also why you’ve seen sometimes questionable IP being inserted in places that it doesn’t seem appropriate.

From an overall marketing/business plan, I don't think WDW will ever view MK as good as it is. Or to say it another way, i think even if you could argue that other parks like DAK or EPCOTT could use expansion more than MK, they will still lien into putting more rides/IP into MK.

WDW I believe will always want MK to be the crown jewel of parks. They don't want, nor do i believe should they, want to try to have AK/EPCOTT/HS be brought up to the same level of MK. MK is the anchor park, which they want families to firmly believe they can't miss. Once they get you to MK, then through discounted tickets for longer stays, the Disney bubble, ect., it becomes so much easier to have people then go to the other parks. Now that's not to say they won't expand the other parts as well, just that they will always focus on MK more, even if objectively, a place like DAK might be able to benifit individually more from a certain IP/ride.

 

[monothingie]

That's how the "no Mickey" rule got broken in EPCOT long ago.

Almost immediately.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Personally, I don’t love the single-IP lands. I’d rather have variety—like the existing MK lands already have. It’s smarter from a business perspective since it’s easier to replace 1 ride in 20 years than a whole land.

My bigger issue with Coco is that the carousel includes placemaking. It would be ridiculous to build a town around the carousel at DAK and then do it again at MK.

Of course, if MK quickly transitioned into the land of the dead and then a villain land, it could work. It’s clear to me that the entire south half of the BBT concept will not be built as presented, regardless.

 

[aladdin2007]

So there you go.


To round it back to the subject of the thread, I'm not certain this means Coco is totally out of the running for Beyond Big Thunder - I would prefer Disney not split an IP over two parks in this way (especially since it seems like the rides are A-Ticket and E-Ticket versions of the same "ride an Alebrije!" idea, which would be weird to do twice and so differently), but I myself haven't heard that Coco is fully dunzo for MK just because it seems to have presence in AK's plans.

I have heard that WDI has built a model for Villain's Land - now, they build models for millions of things that don't happen, but it's nice to think they take the idea at least somewhat seriously. Sketches are much cheaper than models.

One rumor, of the many floating, is that MK could get a new mountain range out of this. And that certainly would be welcome since they took one away! Whether that means Moana Mountain or something in Villains don't know, but I think it was pointing to villains.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Almost immediately.
View attachment 777254

I miss the fountain of Nations Now we have that ugly planter