Did TWDC Ever Consider a Pocahontas Ride?

[jpeden]

My wife wants to know if there was every serious consideration to building a Pocahontas ride. She is convinced a water ride would be one of the best rides to be made. I told her I would ask the boards.

Anyone know? @marni1971 @MansionButler84 or anyone else?

 

[UNCgolf]

I have no idea if they ever had any plans for a ride (I kind of doubt it), but there was a Pocahontas stage show that ran at Hollywood Studios for a couple of years in the mid 90s.

There was also a show featuring Pocahontas at Animal Kingdom for about a decade before they built Pandora, but it wasn't really related to the movie. It was an animal show that used her as the host.

 

[drizgirl]

Pocahontas had a cute animal show in Animal Kingdom for a while.

 

[jpeden]

Oh we know. It’s her favorite movie. But we’ve now spent 30 minutes mapping out this ride and why she thinks it would be better than any other boat ride in WDW.

 

[jensenrick]

My wife wants to know if there was every serious consideration to building a Pocahontas ride. She is convinced a water ride would be one of the best rides to be made. I told her I would ask the boards.

Anyone know? @marni1971 @MansionButler84 or anyone else?

Ooh, a water ride with canoes? I like this idea.

 

[jpeden]

Ooh, a water ride with canoes? I like this idea.

That is basically her idea. She’s also imagining a grandmother willow tree animatronic that greets you and tells you the story of the ride as you embark upon “Just Around the Riverbend: The Story of Pocahontas”

 

[jensenrick]

That is basically her idea. She’s also imagining a grandmother willow tree animatronic that greets you and tells you the story of the ride as you embark upon “Just Around the Riverbend: The Story of Pocahontas”

It sounds lovely, for sure.

Did you ever get to see the Pocahontas theater show they had at the Studios back in the day? Oh, THAT was a magical show. Lots of indigenous people were hired to be in the production, they did ALL the songs (really well too) with a lot of truly excellent interpretive dance, and they had sort of a Grandmother Willow puppet that caught quite a few people by surprise. Oh gosh, how I loved that show- saw it every time I went to the Studios. I was could off guard when it was suddenly closing up, and tried (rather unsucessfully) to get it all rec'd on my handheld camcorder, which is what you had back then. LOL
Boy, I'd love to see that again, even if it's just a video.

 

[UNCgolf]

It sounds lovely, for sure.

Did you ever get to see the Pocahontas theater show they had at the Studios back in the day? Oh, THAT was a magical show. Lots of indigenous people were hired to be in the production, they did ALL the songs (really well too) with a lot of truly excellent interpretive dance, and they had sort of a Grandmother Willow puppet that caught quite a few people by surprise. Oh gosh, how I loved that show- saw it every time I went to the Studios. I was could off guard when it was suddenly closing up, and tried (rather unsucessfully) to get it all rec'd on my handheld camcorder, which is what you had back then. LOL
Boy, I'd love to see that again, even if it's just a video.

 

[Giss Neric]

Speaking of Pocahontas, they should change the Pocahontas sequence in Fantasmic to Moana.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Speaking of Pocahontas, they should change the Pocahontas sequence in Fantasmic to Moana.

Not a bad idea though I'd prefer the full-blown pirate ship featuring Peter Pan and Hook a la Disneyland's 1.0 version of Fantasmic!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

The imagineers had already sculpted Pocahontas' AA, but then she dropped out of the race.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Sounds basically like a re-theming of Davy Crockett's canoes, if they ever felt the desire to reopen that long-dead attraction. (probably won't happen). Heck, they wouldn't even need to change anything besides the name. It could just as well be themed to Brother Bear.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

Yes, but the attraction never opened. Management just kept telling everyone that opening day was “just around the river bend.”

 

[wdrive]

Wasn’t it once mooted for Paris years ago?

I think that’s as close as any Pocahontas attraction got and I don’t believe that was ever all that likely

 

[General Mayhem]

Oh we know. It’s her favorite movie. But we’ve now spent 30 minutes mapping out this ride and why she thinks it would be better than any other boat ride in WDW.

Pocahontas was not a big hit when it came out, there was a massive problem with trying to sell the merchandise for the film. It's not a popular film with today's crowd either, and it's widely seen as the downfall of the Disney Renaissance. Today's Disney prefers to focus on IPs that actually bring in revenue from merchandise and ticket sales. There's a big reason why Frozen received a ride and show, while Tangled got some restrooms.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Pocahontas was not a big hit when it came out, there was a massive problem with trying to sell the merchandise for the film. It's not a popular film with today's crowd either, and it's widely seen as the downfall of the Disney Renaissance. Today's Disney prefers to focus on IPs that actually bring in revenue from merchandise and ticket sales. There's a big reason why Frozen received a ride and show, while Tangled got some restrooms.

Pocahontas is still a part of the Disney Princess franchise with merchandise being made for her:

Pocahontas Costumes, Toys & More | Disney Store

Step into the world of Pocahontas & discover a range of merchandise including toys, dress-up costumes, dolls & more, available on Disney Store.

www.shopdisney.com

Tangled is getting a ride at DisneySea and has a show on the Disney Cruise Line. Like Pocahontas, and now Moana, she is a part of the brand.

While Elsa may be more popular, you're projecting a bit by just looking at representation in WDW.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Pocahontas was not a big hit when it came out, there was a massive problem with trying to sell the merchandise for the film. It's not a popular film with today's crowd either, and it's widely seen as the downfall of the Disney Renaissance. Today's Disney prefers to focus on IPs that actually bring in revenue from merchandise and ticket sales. There's a big reason why Frozen received a ride and show, while Tangled got some restrooms.

Pocahontas is #10 of the highest grossing traditional animated films ever. Little Mermaid is #22.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Pocahontas is #10 of the highest grossing traditional animated films ever. Little Mermaid is #22.

It was the #4 movie at the American box office in 1995.

But after Aladdin and Lion King, expectations were sky high for new Disney movies. Not even Toy Story hit $200 million in its initial release.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Pocahontas has some great music and beautiful visuals. The love story is a little weak and not historically accurate but expecting an animated kids film to be historically accurate is pretty absurd.

 

[UNCgolf]

Pocahontas is #10 of the highest grossing traditional animated films ever. Little Mermaid is #22.

I don't think that necessarily tells you anything about how popular the movies/characters are now. Although I like Pocahontas, I think the Little Mermaid is a better film, and considering how much Ariel merchandise there is and how many Little Mermaid attractions there are, Disney's numbers must clearly show that Ariel sells more product.

I also think the post Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King movies have their box office numbers skewed a bit because people were really excited about Disney films again. Pocahontas, Hercules, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, and Tarzan all have very high box office numbers in the wake of those three films, although all except Tarzan lag behind that trio (also, what's the deal with Tarzan?? I had no idea it made that much money; I've never considered it one of Disney's best films). Little Mermaid also kicked the whole thing off, as it made far more money than any other Disney film in well over a decade.