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

bmr1591

bmr1591

Well-Known Member
imagineer97 said:
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.
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Ughhhhh
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
the_rich

the_rich

Well-Known Member
imagineer97 said:
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.
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Well, I was reading on Twitter today that it's going to be a clone of zootopia. I hope not but that fits the criteria of well, not fitting.
 
SpaceMountain77

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
imagineer97 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Things that I would find odd in Magic Kingdom, because they would be a better fit for Hollywood Studios:

  1. Another planet from the Star Wars universe that exists, but we were not aware of it
  2. A Marvel property that would be allowable under the current agreement
  3. A Blue Sky Studios property, such as Ice Age
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
Things that I would find odd in Magic Kingdom, because it would be a better fit for Hollywood Studios:

  1. Another planet from the Star Wars universe that exists, but we were not aware of it
  2. A Marvel property that would be allowable under the current agreement
  3. A Blue Sky Studios property, such as Ice Age
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We have so many other better properties that could use rides/lands then Ice Age…
 
the_rich

the_rich

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:
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.
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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

bmr1591

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
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.
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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.
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
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.
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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.
 
SpaceMountain77

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
bmr1591 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
Animaniac93-98 said:
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?
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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

bmr1591

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
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?
Click to expand...

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?
 
trainplane3

trainplane3

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:

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?
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the_rich said:
It does say he was an imagineer
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Jim was a pretty longtime Imagineer. He was one of the people that designed the Mater ride system:
1703999590723.png




So ya, he's a very real deal.
 

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