News 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

[Brer Panther]

I don't think a flop is relevant.

Well, in the past they have cancelled attractions based on movies because those movies were flops. For example, the Atlantis retheme of Disneyland's Submarine Voyage.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Maybe I’m naive, but I think the Indiana Jones franchise has achieved a certain level of iconic status in the cultural zeitgeist that the box office performance of the last (ill-advised) sequel can be overlooked. The public still loves the franchise, and the enduring popularity of both the show here and the ride in Disneyland are testament to that.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Well, in the past they have cancelled attractions based on movies because those movies were flops. For example, the Atlantis retheme of Disneyland's Submarine Voyage.

Or hide rides original identity to reflect where it came from..
Looking at you Mission: Space

 

[celluloid]

Well, in the past they have cancelled attractions based on movies because those movies were flops. For example, the Atlantis retheme of Disneyland's Submarine Voyage.

Yes, and that could very well happen again in terms of Indy.

The difference with those examples important ot note. Different executive leadership(over 20 years ago) and there were hit box office options to choose from. We can't pretend it is the same climate or culture for the company.

Iger and executive leadership is in a funny spot that way. by their own doing. It is no secret that this is their philosophy that they admit to publically. They only want to rely on IP synergy, but can't often enough make a hit to do so, and the attractions at the resorts are less often standing on their own.

Again, the fact is very rarely, are they committing to a big project that does not have a recent movie or spin off/sequel in production. Notice how it is really hard to think of one.

 

[Tha Realest]

Are they? We don't know for sure yet. It was written to be announced in a scripted presentation when it was releasing in theaters. Comparable to Tiana since it is a retheme in scale. Still holds the concept of a synergy. Does not mean it is always successful. If anything it shows how strict this mandate and MO of Iger and execs are. They won't let Imagineering do anything original and have not stateside in the park's major attractions for a long time. Publically, they even said they have no interest in it.

I don't think a flop is relevant. It is insult but the fact that it was in place because of congruency remains. They don't stop because it is not a hit. They try at whatever is coming out.

The Disney Plus Tiana show got completely revamped and altered/delayed and at this point maybe even cancelled completely, but the attraction synergy to retheme splash was already in place and irrelevant to how it was received. Just like Hatbox. They knew that character was going to be the antagonist and a starring role for the movie.

Yes, and that could very well happen again in terms of Indy.

The difference with those examples important ot note. Different executive leadership(over 20 years ago) and there were hit box office options to choose from. We can't pretend it is the same climate or culture for the company.

Iger and executive leadership is in a funny spot that way. by their own doing. It is no secret that this is their philosophy that they admit to publically. They only want to rely on IP synergy, but can't often enough make a hit to do so, and the attractions at the resorts are less often standing on their own.

Again, the fact is very rarely, are they committing to a big project that does not have a recent movie or spin off/sequel in production. Notice how it is really hard to think of one.

Correct. And they appeared to have gotten over their skis by letting the synergy machine spit out the next big project based partly on Disney+’s Tiana.

 

[fgmnt]

Maybe I’m naive, but I think the Indiana Jones franchise has achieved a certain level of iconic status in the cultural zeitgeist that the box office performance of the last (ill-advised) sequel can be overlooked. The public still loves the franchise, and the enduring popularity of both the show here and the ride in Disneyland are testament to that.

I think the upcoming video game is going to do extremely well. Not quite the success of the new Spider-Man games but very close. I dream of a thing that will absolutely never happen, an Indiana Jones ride in the style of Shanghai Pirates in Studios.

 

[Brer Panther]

Yes, and that could very well happen again in terms of Indy.

The difference with those examples important ot note. Different executive leadership(over 20 years ago) and there were hit box office options to choose from. We can't pretend it is the same climate or culture for the company.

Makes me wonder, then, if they ever even considered a Good Dinosaur replacement for Dino-Rama before deciding to abandon dinosaurs in the park altogether.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think the upcoming video game is going to do extremely well. Not quite the success of the new Spider-Man games but very close. I dream of a thing that will absolutely never happen, an Indiana Jones ride in the style of Shanghai Pirates in Studios.

I think it will be a success, but I think the combination of being first person -- which doesn't make much sense for an Indiana Jones game; it's very difficult to do melee combat first person and almost impossible to do stumbling around/clumsiness -- and the fact that it's an Xbox exclusive will hold it back a bit (although being on PC may completely counteract the latter).

 

[celluloid]

Makes me wonder, then, if they ever even considered a Good Dinosaur replacement for Dino-Rama before deciding to abandon dinosaurs in the park altogether.

I am sure there was some synergy as there is always the blue sky with any big budget property production. That was also awhile ago and at a time where bigger things were coming to Animal Kingdom so there was not a rush or reach to get something in.

 

[No Name]

Except the remake, by definition, means the property is not new in the same way other movies released that year were.

Well to that point, it seems like Disney is aware that the last new animation franchise they have a ride for is Frozen from late 2013. 10+ years is probably the longest they’ve ever gone, despite having stopped building original rides and having a lot of strong animated hits since then. Moana is the most-watched movie of the last 5 years and just has a nice walkthrough. Even I kind of think it’s a valid concern… so I can imagine how Disney feels.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that their blue sky ideas are all new animated hits from the last 10 years, with the exception of Indiana Jones.

 

[fgmnt]

Well to that point, it seems like Disney is aware that the last new animation franchise they have a ride for is Frozen from late 2013. 10+ years is probably the longest they’ve ever gone, despite having stopped building original rides and having a lot of strong animated hits since then. Moana is the most-watched movie of the last 5 years and just has a nice walkthrough. Even I kind of think it’s a valid concern… so I can imagine how Disney feels.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that their blue sky ideas are all new animated hits from the last 10 years, with the exception of Indiana Jones.

Before Frozen, the last WDAS film to get an attraction in the Florida parks was Lilo and Stitch (03) then I would probably look back to giving Dinosaur (00) partial credit with CTX and Pocahontas (95) in Act 1 of the previous iteration of Fantasmic. Lots of stinkers between Mulan and Princess and the Frog (09) which will back in to bridging the 19 year gap between Frozen Ever After (13) and FoTLK (94).

 

[Coaster Lover]

Well, in the past they have cancelled attractions based on movies because those movies were flops. For example, the Atlantis retheme of Disneyland's Submarine Voyage.

Which is a shame... there are multiple Disney movies that didn't do so great in theaters but (as a concept) would have/could have been really cool as a theme park attraction. Besides Atlantis, I feel like Strange World could have worked really well for Animal Kingdom. The general concept of Strange World (over-reliance on something that makes life substantially easier but may, in fact, be harming the "world") is something that fits the overall theme of Animal Kingdom quite well. Treasure Planet would also be asweome as a theme park attractions...

 

[DisneyDean97]

If they're actually building a Lion King ride at DLP, I'm sure it'll make its way to Animal Kingdom eventually.

I don't know if it would be the same ride system though, DLP's seems to be a flume similar to Splash Mountain. Animal Kingdom needs more traditional dark rides.

 

[doctornick]

I don't know if it would be the same ride system though, DLP's seems to be a flume similar to Splash Mountain. Animal Kingdom needs more traditional dark rides.

While I agree that DAK needs dark rides, I think a flume ride would also be a good addition

 

[celluloid]

While I agree that DAK needs dark rides, I think a flume ride would also be a good addition

I would prefer something else in that area that will not go down for lightning.

 

[No Name]

Before Frozen, the last WDAS film to get an attraction in the Florida parks was Lilo and Stitch (03) then I would probably look back to giving Dinosaur (00) partial credit with CTX and Pocahontas (95) in Act 1 of the previous iteration of Fantasmic. Lots of stinkers between Mulan and Princess and the Frog (09) which will back in to bridging the 19 year gap between Frozen Ever After (13) and FoTLK (94).

I mean I think Pixar films should be counted just as equally, since there’s basically no difference to any kids out there, so the most recent before Frozen is Ratatouille (07), still a while ago.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I could be wrong. But yeah, what I've heard is MK and HS are the focus.

This is all off the top of my head, so help me clarify my thinking here.

The thing I don't know is whether the strategy Disney's betting on is:

1. Add to already-popular parks -or-
2. Add to less-popular parks

Strategy #1 seems to make sense if Disney sees a need to get people in the door. So if surveys say "I'm not coming because there's nothing new", even after everything that's been added to EPCOT, then adding to MK makes sense. Lots of people think WDW === MK.

Strategy #2 seems to make sense if they need to get people to stay longer. Like, people are coming, but they're only going to 2 parks instead of 3 or 4.

I mention strategy #2 because I recently got an email asking for advice about G+. When I asked for details about the trip, the response was "We're doing 2 days at MK, 1 at EP, and 1 at HS."

I would love to see how many people are skipping AK like that. And this person has a 2-BR at BLT for a week. They have the money and the time.

I think the strategy is do stuff at mk and studios for upsells

This is the same management who has never been wrong…so everything will be along the same line of thought/trciks that it has been.

How long before Halloween at the studios?

 

[Tha Realest]

How long before Halloween at the studios?

The seasonal overlays practically write themselves:

Tower of Terror - keep as is, expand with pop up bar

Bring back Monster Sound Show

50’s Prime Time Cafe - servers shift from passive annoyance at guests to aggressive contempt

Walt - One Man’s Nightmare - showcase how modern Imagineers and artists are correcting the problematic works of Walt Disney

 

[DCBaker]

 

[harrisonm]