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Rumor D23 2024 WDW Rumors, Predictions & Discussion

MerlinTheGoat

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
Aside from concerns about the Lion King ride using the live action version as a basis (hopefully it's just old art as the model shows the animated original and there are contradictory claims about which version it is), the Lion King flume over in Paris is probably the most interesting looking attraction at the presentation for me.

I'm pretty baffled why it isn't a top priority to bring it to Animal Kingdom. There are rumors, but it's absurd that it hasn't just been full on greenlit and announced already. And I mean the legit high quality one, not the supposed stripped down lesser version that has been rumored.

This seems like the sort of thing that, if executed well (and based on the animated version), would be a near unanimous hit with fans and regulars alike.
 
SplashJacket

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
MerlinTheGoat said:
Aside from concerns about the Lion King ride using the live action version as a basis (hopefully it's just old art as the model shows the animated original and there are contradictory claims about which version it is), the Lion King flume over in Paris is probably the most interesting looking attraction at the presentation for me.

I'm pretty baffled why it isn't a top priority to bring it to Animal Kingdom. There are rumors, but it's absurd that it hasn't just been full on greenlit and announced already. And I mean the legit high quality one, not the supposed stripped down lesser version that has been rumored.

This seems like the sort of thing that, if executed well (and based on the animated version), would be a near unanimous hit with fans and regulars alike.
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If Encanto and Indy open in 2027, I’d expect LK to open around 2029 or even 2028. How much they ramp up expansion would likely depend on their free cash flow.

If Lion King is 2027 or 2028 at Paris, I could see Avatar being 2029 or 2030 at Paris.

For Animal Kingdom, I could see Lion King 2029 and an Avatar coaster in 2030.
 
Brer Panther

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
Between D+ starting up and buying out Hulu co-owners, and buying Fox, and the pandemic, Disney didn't have the free cash to commit to this level of investment in the parks.

They do now.
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And yet they did have the free cash to retheme Splash Mountain.
SirLink said:
JD: Why weren't they cheering for Cars portion?
Underling 1: They were taking a pause to breathe
JD: Are you sure?
Click to expand...
"Are they booing me?"

"Uh, no, no, they're saying 'Boooooooooooo-b Iger, Boooooooooooooo-b Iger'..."
CaptainAmerica said:
They've tried Muppet projects on broadcast TV and Disney+. The audience isn't there.
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Magenta Panther said:
Disney has given them 2 movies (one of which flopped), several series (nearly all of which were quickly cancelled), and a presence on Youtube. And the muppets can't sell merchandise (which is why their dedicated store in DHS was taken over by Mickey and friends). What exactly could Disney do with them that hasn't been done already? What is there to "figure out"?
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Muppets Most Wanted didn't flop because it was about the Muppets. Muppets Most Wanted flopped because A) it was up against Divergent and B) it was an awful movie.

I actually like the ABC Muppets series, but it had everything going against it: people flipped out because the press releases made them think it was gonna be, like, Avenue Q: The Series or something, with lots of cursing and raunchy humor. That's why the show didn't do better.

Muppets Now was pure crap.

As for Muppets Haunted Mansion and Muppets Mayhem, I don't know how good the Disney Plus ratings for them were, but I think they were pretty well-received.

And what are they doing with the Muppets right now? Nothing. Most of it apparently is because Bob Iger just doesn't give a crap about the franchise.
Magenta Panther said:
I have to wonder if it was Disney who told the crew behind the puppets to use profanity
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It might've been. I know that at least one puppeteer (Steve Whitmire) had a problem with the show's writing.

And for what it's worth, there really wasn't that much profanity.
 
N

Nickm2022

Well-Known Member
Thoughts:
I personally would love if Lion King in Paris is Live Action and the AK ride is animated, that way both versions are unique.

Coco for DCA sure looks like Grand Fiesta. Personally I'm fine if they clone this one as if they build it at DCA first then copy it into EPCOT it would help with the crowd sizes (somewhat) and would fit well in there.

Avatar I still feel doesn't fit at DCA, however if it's in the Hollywoodland replacing Monsters Inc I think it works better there even though I have no clue how it would fit. However it looks really good and am happy it's a new version to differentiate the two.

Avengers Campus updates are great! they could have only done one lame and already announced ride but doubling down literitly and making the land bigger is awesome.

Cars, I hate it. I don't see how it will fit, even if it's a nature/wilderness themed. Would rather take another DVC lounge, that woody ride idea, Coco, or even a New Orleans overhaul.

Villains!!! That's all I have to say, go all out, the concept art is amazing, go big, I love it.

Tropical Americas looks great, so does Test Track 3.0 and the new lounges.

Monsters Inc is a great land for Hollywood, very curious where it's gonna go and the scale of it but the concept art and models look stunning.

Zootopia at AK is still weird, however I am open minded. If the show is about the ecosystem and how animals all interact with one another I think it fits. But if it's about Nick and Judy being cops busting lollypop sellers then I hate it. Just have to wait and see.

Overall the panel was ok, a lot of music, the Fortnite stuff was weird, and so on but my god this panel is a masterpiece compared to years before and the announcements are amazing overall (besides Cars)
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Coaster Lover said:
EPCOT's 50th is 2032... announcing anything for EPCOT (intended to open for their 50th) would be premature now (8 years out), but announcing it in 2 years (at the next D23) would seem logical... I think they'll have a ramp up to EPCOT's 50th... just need to put the attention on what is coming sooner now...
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You’re gonna start that “for the 50th” stuff again?

They don’t really do that anymore

Pins and magnets, baby…bob won’t be down with much other than strained prunes by then
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Moth said:
To elaborate on the Iger vs Muppets point- Now, Mayhem and the specials were under the big bad Chapek. So there is proof that Iger genuinely dislikes The Muppets.

The recent Muppet Babies reboot was also popular, just saying...
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Remember who really the muppets?

Napoleon wouldn’t like that now
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
BasiltheBatLord said:
The circumstances around Iger's abrupt departure are still incredibly weird. Feels like something happened there that never surfaced publicly.

Some have speculated that Iger saw the early writing on the wall that things were about to hit the fan with COVID and he wanted to cash in his retirement while he still could.

There's some journalist, I forget who, who's writing a book on the Chapek vs. Iger period. Maybe we'll know more then.
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There’s very little to speculate/guess about now…

Some things leaked out…most is kinda obvious to connect the dots with common sense
 
GhostHost1000

GhostHost1000

Premium Member
Brer Panther said:
And yet they did have the free cash to retheme Splash Mountain.

"Are they booing me?"

"Uh, no, no, they're saying 'Boooooooooooo-b Iger, Boooooooooooooo-b Iger'..."


Muppets Most Wanted didn't flop because it was about the Muppets. Muppets Most Wanted flopped because A) it was up against Divergent and B) it was an awful movie.

I actually like the ABC Muppets series, but it had everything going against it: people flipped out because the press releases made them think it was gonna be, like, Avenue Q: The Series or something, with lots of cursing and raunchy humor. That's why the show didn't do better.

Muppets Now was pure crap.

As for Muppets Haunted Mansion and Muppets Mayhem, I don't know how good the Disney Plus ratings for them were, but I think they were pretty well-received.

And what are they doing with the Muppets right now? Nothing. Most of it apparently is because Bob Iger just doesn't give a crap about the franchise.

It might've been. I know that at least one puppeteer (Steve Whitmire) had a problem with the show's writing.

And for what it's worth, there really wasn't that much profanity.
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The ABC muppets show and the Haunted Mansion I enjoyed. The thing I always liked about the muppets were both funny for kids but also with some adult humor thrown in
 
GenChi

GenChi

Well-Known Member
Starting to wonder if Coco is now ever planned to come to WDW at all.

It was passed over for MK and unless Cars is replacing ROA there's no land left for it later, and even then maybe not. The DCA ride is clearly the rethemed GFT plan for Epcot back when Brazil was happening. If they wanted to pay a expensive complete revamp of that building to make a new queue to replace GFT they can, but now they wouldn't have unique attractions at each coast to advertise as exclusives to encourage visiting DCA which is why they've been avoiding clones largely. And as I mentioned they actually do want to keep 3 Cabs around, they are good merch sellers and there's been a lot of push for them recently.

Maybe MK still happens. Maybe the simulator Coco idea moves between Mexico/Norway after a lot of backstage relocation. Maybe they go back to old plans and it gets cloned over to replace GFT in the 2030s while the birds relocate to a newly announced Brazil pavilion. But yesterday might have made it likely WDW never gets a Coco attraction and it's a California exclusive like Encanto will be for WDW.
 
J

James Alucobond

Well-Known Member
After considering what didn't get announced that was rumored, my thoughts have shifted somewhat about where some things should go.

For AK, nix the clone of Paris' Lion King and instead revive the left half of the original blue sky art as an Oceania miniland. Do the Moana flume and move TriceraTop Spin over, converting it to the proposed kakamora spinner.

For MK, subsequently ignore Moana in favor of setting sights on Tomorrowland next. It needs a massive amount of help since many things within (Monsters, Buzz, Speedway) will be redundant in short order.

For EPCOT, find a way to make something for Coco work with Mexico. Yes, I know there are challenges, but with it now not showing at either MK or AK, it feels appropriate to put it on the table once more. This can be way down the road, though. There are obviously far more pressing issues at EPCOT.
 
brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Brer Panther said:
And yet they did have the free cash to retheme Splash Mountain.

"Are they booing me?"

"Uh, no, no, they're saying 'Boooooooooooo-b Iger, Boooooooooooooo-b Iger'..."


Muppets Most Wanted didn't flop because it was about the Muppets. Muppets Most Wanted flopped because A) it was up against Divergent and B) it was an awful movie.

I actually like the ABC Muppets series, but it had everything going against it: people flipped out because the press releases made them think it was gonna be, like, Avenue Q: The Series or something, with lots of cursing and raunchy humor. That's why the show didn't do better.

Muppets Now was pure crap.

As for Muppets Haunted Mansion and Muppets Mayhem, I don't know how good the Disney Plus ratings for them were, but I think they were pretty well-received.

And what are they doing with the Muppets right now? Nothing. Most of it apparently is because Bob Iger just doesn't give a crap about the franchise.

It might've been. I know that at least one puppeteer (Steve Whitmire) had a problem with the show's writing.

And for what it's worth, there really wasn't that much profanity.
Click to expand...
There was a CGI Reboot of Muppet Babies on Disney Jr that concluded a few years ago.
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
James Alucobond said:
For AK, nix the clone of Paris' Lion King and instead revive the left half of the original blue sky art as an Oceania miniland. Do the Moana flume and move TriceraTop Spin over, converting it to the proposed kakamora spinner.
Click to expand...

I'd actually be quite okay with that, especially if they added some Oceania wildlife as well. I did like the location on the Dinorama footprint though as having the Nemo show as part of it felt appropriate.

My only complaint would be that Moana is simply the perfect option for the Adventureland expansion plot and using it elsewhere closes that possibility.
 

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