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

[yensidtlaw1969]

The problem is that the mouse is mass merchandising their builds so trying to judge interest by applause at a hardcore fan event as what the GP would spend for might not be the best yardstick to use.

I took the comment less to mean that they're basing project selection on a Clap-O-Meter and more to mean that Villains Land must now be being more seriously considered for an expansion if they're willing to allude to it publically.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I took the comment less to mean that they're basing project selection on a Clap-O-Meter and more to mean that Villains Land must now being more seriously considered for an expansion if they're willing to allude to it publically.

Usually statements like this are planned. Not much is truly off-the-cuff, so I’d agree.

 

[SpectreJordan]

I wonder if that means that they're interested in doing the Villains Land before Coco/Encanto. As others have said, it'd really help with the Halloween event. Maybe they could even design the land with space for Halloween stuff.

 

[Timothy_Q]

A Villain land at MK behind HM would fit the park AND the placement IN the park, so I'm guessing it'll never happen lol

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Usually statements like this are planned. Not much is truly off-the-cuff, so I’d agree.

It seems telling that they would single out Villains Land, especially when the “Beyond Big Thunder” proposal not only included both Coco and Encanto but also seemingly intended for those two attractions to be built before Villains. You’d think if they were moving forward with all three concepts they would have just said that.

Perhaps the expansion plans have been revised to focus exclusively on Villains?

 

[neo999955]

A Villain land at MK behind HM would fit the park AND the placement IN the park, so I'm guessing it'll never happen lol

This really made me laugh, but eventually stars must align, right? It really seems like a win all around - it's something just about everyone would enjoy, but the older guests would enjoy the most. They have the money and would be most willing to spend more to attend parties, get merch from a villains land.

Plus, something as general as villains easily allows them to bring in any villains past or future as they peak in popularity.

 

[cdunlap]

Two things that should be in EPCOT for the sheer amount of research put into the source material and one thing that makes no sense whatsoever in Frontierland! That makes perfect sense to me!

 

[Surferboy567]

I’m actually surprised they even mentioned these blue sky plans. That being said a Dark Kingdom or whatever they want to call it interests me the most.

 

[threvester]

Villains was the only one of the 3 deserving of a "land"
Encanto and Coco are ride worthy, thats about it

 

[Surferboy567]

Encanto and Coco are ride worthy, thats about it

EPCOT needs attractions, I think they should put them there.

Investment is investment so I guess something is better than nothing. EPCOT is not finished though. There is so much to do at that park.

I’m all for a villains land, afraid they wouldn’t go “all the way” though.

 

[Villains0501]

They've already made three major investments in the Villain brand in the form of three live-action remakes centered around Maleficent and Cruella -- all three of which were fairly successful at the box office. So they're aware that they can leverage the brand with success.

I think the brand itself has firmly moved over the past 20 years from initial niche interest (circa 1998, with the opening of Fantasmic! and Villains in Vogue in MGM, the latter of which proved to be a dud) to general appeal from the park-going public.

When I was in the parks last month, I counted just as many Villain shirts, Loungefly, accessories on the average guest as any other IP, and this was in February -- well outside Halloween season. If I see one more "My favorite Disney Villain is my Wife" shirt, I will blow a gasket!

 

[Stupido]

I mean, Disney knows the villain brand is lucrative. They made a board game focused on becoming your favorite villain, and it’s been successful enough to warrant 5 expansions and 2 IP specific spin offs (Marvel’s version also having 3 expansions). Villains are a huge draw for MNSSHP, and having a full villains land would make for many instagramable places for guests in costume. I’m just interested to see which villains make the cut.

 

[MisterPenguin]

They've already made three major investments in the Villain brand in the form of three live-action remakes centered around Maleficent and Cruella -- all three of which were fairly successful at the box office. So they're aware that they can leverage the brand with success.

Umm... actually...

Mal1 got only fair to good reviews and made not too much at the B.O.

Mal2 got poor reviews and lost a bit at the B.O.

Cruella got good reviews and because of the day and date release on D+, we'll never know how well it did between the international B.O. and the premium fee on D+.

But apparently Cruella did well enough to warrant greenlighting a sequel with Emma Stone on board. But, I've not heard of any movement on making this happen.

 

[Touchdown]

I mean, Disney knows the villain brand is lucrative. They made a board game focused on becoming your favorite villain, and it’s been successful enough to warrant 5 expansions and 2 IP specific spin offs (Marvel’s version also having 3 expansions). Villains are a huge draw for MNSSHP, and having a full villains land would make for many instagramable places for guests in costume. I’m just interested to see which villains make the cut.

Required:
Evil Queen/Hag
Hook
Malnificent
Cruella
Ursula
Jafar
Hades
Dr Faciller

Highly suggested:
Churnabog
Pinocchio Villains
Queen of Hearts
The Nightmare Before Christmas Crew
Frollo
Capt Gantu
Hans
Ducktales Villains
Peg Leg Pete
Mad Doctor

 

[SpectreJordan]

Who would you guys want to have a ride in a Villains Land? Maleficent & Chernobog are obvious choices. Maleficent would probably be the mascot for the land.

I'd love to see Oogie Boogie get a ride. I've always been jealous of the Nightmare retheme of Haunted Mansion. A full on Nightmare ride at WDW would make me so happy.

A Jafar centered thrill ride in the Cave of Wonders would be amazing too. It's insane that Aladdin doesn't have any major rides; the flying Carpets are cheap & a boring use of that series.

Dr Facillier would be my next choice but there's no way we get two Princess & The Frog rides lol. I think they should try to avoid series that already have a ride in Magic Kingdom in general. Spread the love! Atleast for rides.

 

[FigmentFan82]

Who would you guys want to have a ride in a Villains Land? Maleficent & Chernobog are obvious choices. Maleficent would probably be the mascot for the land.

I'd love to see Oogie Boogie get a ride. I've always been jealous of the Nightmare retheme of Haunted Mansion. A full on Nightmare ride at WDW would make me so happy.

A Jafar centered thrill ride in the Cave of Wonders would be amazing too. It's insane that Aladdin doesn't have any major rides; the flying Carpets are cheap & a boring use of that series.

Dr Facillier would be my next choice but there's no way we get two Princess & The Frog rides lol. I think they should try to avoid series that already have a ride in Magic Kingdom in general. Spread the love! Atleast for rides.

Nightmare Before XMas would be a wonderful anchor since WDW is dead set on never overlaying HM there, so it could be the next best thing.
Hocus Pocus too.
Wouldn't surprise me if the attractions were multi-villainous

 

[Touchdown]

I want Fantasmic the ride essentially, mainly all the villains teaming up to try and topple the Magic Kingdom. I think that a full NBC ride would be great too.

 

[Villains0501]

Umm... actually...

Mal1 got only fair to good reviews and made not too much at the B.O.

Mal2 got poor reviews and lost a bit at the B.O.

Cruella got good reviews and because of the day and date release on D+, we'll never know how well it did between the international B.O. and the premium fee on D+.

But apparently Cruella did well enough to warrant greenlighting a sequel with Emma Stone on board. But, I've not heard of any movement on making this happen.

I think the very existence of a Maleficent 2 is proof of the *modest enough* success of Maleficent 1 that Disney felt comfortable investing in the property a second time.

I'm not saying these movies did gangbusters at the B.O. Nor are they very good -- although Cruella is easily the best of the three.

But live-action movies based on Disney Villains is something I never thought I'd see. They've clearly moved into the mainstream. Although I'd argue a character like Cruella has had high visibility with the general public since 1996 at the latest, with the Glenn Close film.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I wouldn't want a live action focused Villains land. It'd have to be the animated villains or I'm not interested in the Imagineers doing it.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I wouldn't want a live action focused Villains land. It'd have to be the animated villains or I'm not interested in the Imagineers doing it.

There isn't even enough of the live action Villains to anchor the land and I don't think they'd mix them stylistically. I think what people were saying is that the villains are very popular and that films like Maleficent have proved that.