News Destination D23 2023

[Surferboy567]

Is it possible to…not have a train to Zootopia?

I am totally on board with it replacing Planet Watch and it makes thematic sense with the film. I just don’t know how trains or whatever transportation is going to deal with crowds.

I like the idea of a train into Zootopia I just don’t know how that is possible with the crowd level.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Still don't think Zootopia belongs in AK, but if it gets added as a true addition, guess just bite my tongue and accept it

And if the train or some other system is used to make it feel like you are really leaving the "core" park and going to a different place, I think easier to accept

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Is it possible to…not have a train to Zootopia?

I am totally on board with it replacing Planet Watch and it makes thematic sense with the film. I just don’t know how trains or whatever transportation is going to deal with crowds.

I like the idea of a train into Zootopia I just don’t know how that is possible with the crowd level.

I think you would have to do the train and a walking path option too

Like, the Hogwarts Express isn't the only way to get to the Wizarding World areas

 

[Surferboy567]

I mean, from a Disney standpoint, it would make more sense to just do the whole "copy/paste" thing of the Shanghai attraction as opposed to trying to rework Dinosaur into a Zootopia attraction and DAK could certainly use another dark ride.

That is fair. Again, I actually prefer it being a new build and not replacing dinosaur. I’m just saying that while I like Dinosaur I wouldn’t mind seeing it get upgraded in some way.

I hope that if Zootopia is announced it would be a full on huge land expansion. Planet Watch fits the bill.

 

[the_rich]

Maybe they plan on putting zootopia where rafikis is and then putting oceana and moana where Dinoland is now.

 

[mattpeto]

Let's take a closer look at the graphic they released:
View attachment 741678
We've got Tinker Bell, Tree of Life, the silhouette of a rabbit (Judy Hopps?), Figment(!), a ship's wheel, and a bunch of random shapes I can't make out or decipher.

My thoughts:
Tinker Bell=Fantasy Springs News from Tokyo
Tree of Life=one of the two Dinoland redevelopments
Rabbit (Judy Hopps?)=Zootopia at Shanghai (I hope)
Figment=Meet and Greet
Ship's wheel=Disney Cruise Line

This pic was on Facebook.

I see Aladdin’s lamp in top corner. We getting something in Morocco? Maybe a character dining experience at the old restaurant?

 

[UNCgolf]

I think they would have to switch the train type, it’s too low capacity.

It's more likely they'd eliminate the train entirely. They'd want to have a walking path to/from there, and the train would just get in the way and cause construction/planning headaches (since it'd be a relatively long path and I'm sure they'd want shops, QS, or something along the way so people aren't just walking through a bunch of empty space).

I think Rafiki's Planet Watch has all the veterinary facilities, though, so I'm not sure they'd actually replace it when they have room to build elsewhere.

 

[Horizonsfan]

DAK at full build-out would be a pretty large park. For comparison, DAK's entry to the Conservation Station Train Depot is slightly shorter than the distance from Epcot's entry to The American Adventure. That's a long (but manageable) walk.

In that scenario DAK would benefit from some equivalent to Epcot's Friendship boats, a slower alternative for the very exhausted or mobility challenged. In this case, it would be the train.

Keep it and add a walking path as the main mode of access. That said, I'd expect WDW of 1995 to build around the train and preserve it. WDW of 2023? Not so much...

This pic was on Facebook.

I see Aladdin’s lamp in top corner. We getting something in Morocco? Maybe a character dining experience at the old restaurant?

I think that's in reference to the new cruise ship's lobby.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Maybe they plan on putting zootopia where rafikis is and then putting oceana and moana where Dinoland is now.

There is a big plot behind Kali River and before Rafiki's that a land could go and could be accessed via the train but then also a walking path to take capacity strain off the train

 

[doctornick]

I just can’t get behind replacing a ride in a park with only 5-6 rides.

Not that it counters your point, but DAK currently has 7 rides (8 if you count the train)

 

[UNCgolf]

Zootopia shouldn't be anywhere near Animal Kingdom, but building it in a new area that's completely separate/hidden from the rest of the park would be a lot better than dropping it in Dinoland.

 

[Surferboy567]

Maybe they plan on putting zootopia where rafikis is and then putting oceana and moana where Dinoland is now.

That sounds like best case scenario. Two fully fledged lands sounds awesome. I’m surprised they would go from no investment to that much investment that fast.

Fingers crossed.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Left to right, top to bottom:

Part of a Mickey
Mardi Gras Mask
Unknown (will need a higher resolution, I put it into photoshop and it's just blobby spikes)
Aladdin's lamp
Oswald

Tink
Crescent Moon
four pointed star
Tree of life
Ship banner

Four pointed star
buildings of Arendelle?
3D delta (for what?)
Figment
Ship wheel

It would seem the Mardi Gras mask, crescent moon, and four pointed stars are all for Mardi Gras (and Tiana's)
The ship banner and wheel for info on the cruise line

That’s not a Mardi Gras mask in the top left, those are Spaceship Earth panels

 

[James Alucobond]

Anyone else get a phantom push notification from the MDE app about the EPCOT transformation? It prompted me to watch a video about it, but then when I got in, it said it couldn't play the media. Didn't think to screenshot it before I'd acted on and dismissed the notification.

 

[the_rich]

Anyone else get a phantom push notification from the MDE app about the EPCOT transformation? It prompted me to watch a video about it, but then when I got in, it said it couldn't play the media. Didn't think to screenshot it before I'd acted on and dismissed the notification.

Yes

 

[JustInTime]

Still don't think Zootopia belongs in AK, but if it gets added as a true addition, guess just bite my tongue and accept it

And if the train or some other system is used to make it feel like you are really leaving the "core" park and going to a different place, I think easier to accept

This.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Anyone else get a phantom push notification from the MDE app about the EPCOT transformation? It prompted me to watch a video about it, but then when I got in, it said it couldn't play the media. Didn't think to screenshot it before I'd acted on and dismissed the notification.

I got that push and went to it but it never loaded anything for me

 

[Doberge]

Is the presentation stream going to be available to nonD23 folks or do I need to sign up for a free general membership to log in?

 

[DCBaker]

Is the presentation stream going to be available to nonD23 folks or do I need to sign up for a free general membership to log in?

It will be streaming for anyone.

 

[DCBaker]

Anyone else get a phantom push notification from the MDE app about the EPCOT transformation? It prompted me to watch a video about it, but then when I got in, it said it couldn't play the media. Didn't think to screenshot it before I'd acted on and dismissed the notification.

Do you have this screen on the MDE homepage? It is the one on the left - a short interview with Scott Mallwitz.