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

[Henry Mystic]

You and I are on the same page. Last year’s blue sky talk with Moana and Zootopia right on top of one another made no sense to me.

This makes sense, and Vaughn new how to present it. The message was not IP heavy, it was presented as ‘we are adding a new land to DAK, representing the lands of the central and South Americas.’ Just perfect! And if animals and conservation are present, what a win! I mean, the rain forest exists in this climate zone. Would be a real miss if that isn’t referenced or included.

The bonus could also be a great Encanto dark ride plus an Indy adventure. And as @GoofGoof said, bring on the chilled monkey brains!

Yeah this is a massive W. Unfortunately it's just AK for now (though redoing Test Track is huge too), but man am I happy.

I will say that Encanto also has the makings of a great show, something DAK has always been known for.

I didn't think about that. If they made Nemo Encanto that could be really cool actually. It could be the "book report" to the Encanto ride's new experience.

 

[haveyoumetmark]

It definitely sounds like they are actually moving forward with this.

We need someone to leak details on Casita. I feel like everyone’s really running with Mystic Manor, which would be outstanding, but there’s also the potential for some much less exciting alternatives.

 

[zipadee999]

We need someone to leak details on Casita. I feel like everyone’s really running with Mystic Manor, which would be outstanding, but there’s also the potential for some much less exciting alternatives.

Yeah, Mystic Manor would be ideal but there’s a chance they could just end up using the ‘story theater’ concept where you just sit there and witness all of the siblings using magic around you

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

Also for that matter, why not build Raging Spirits too in the area here to have another ride?

Because it's an awful roller coaster.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Another idea could be the Casita is a dinner show set up as it is a character meals there (which Brings in $) but also have like animatronic elements to the structure (shutters moving, etc) ... sort of like how the Adventurers Club had elements like that

 

[SirLink]

Well, this makes this logo much more extinct with myth and dinos being removed..

You do realise they could adapt the novel where Indy is searching for dinosaur eggs ....

Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I am very happy to see Indy finally looking likes it's going to happen at WDW. It is easily one of WDI's best attractions, and to see Dinosaur use the same track and deliver such a sub-par experience in comparison just isn't right. Hopefully a new version of Indy can be even better than the original and really a stand-out experience.

IF they change their mind on Indiana Jones, I just want to put this out there...

 

[Rich Brownn]

They are exact clones. I think structurally there might be things moved around in the big room, but the layouts are literally identical.

I'd hope they'd reuse the animatronics on Dinosaur, and I'd imagine there's a real chance since they're doing so on Splash. They're very impressive to a degree that would be shameful to just trash.

How cool would it be if the Temple is like a portal to the past and instead of snakes and spiders you had ancient massive creatures King Kong style tossed in with a few large dinosaurs.

They're close but not identical. Some of the track here eliminated some of the turns. It's about 95% the same tho

 

[Rich Brownn]

It isn't. The ride system is absolute trash. All it does it shake you violently back and forth. There are no thrills or excitement, just shaking. The two rides would be much better served as dark rides without the EMV.

When we went it was one of out favorite rides at Disneyland. That reveal, when the car stops and the whole chamber is visible in front of you, complete with cars going over the bridge, others diving down, smoke, fire and laser --- nothing topped that reveal. Dinosaur doesn't have anything like that. With IJA you got a feeling of size.

 

[Rich Brownn]

So with this plan is this a good summary of the changes and open questions or am I missing anything?

1. Dinosaur becomes Indy - makes some sense considering the exact same track layout and ride vehicles. They need to update the entire inside and do something substantial outside too so will still take a long time even without changing ride vehicles or track. There may actually be more space for the queue than DLR (someone can correct that if I’m wrong but it seems likely) and the DL queue is pretty good already. Ironically the Indy ride at DLR has almost constant crowds and long waits while Dinosaur is usually close to a walk. I wonder if the change in theme means bigger lines.
2. Restaurantosaurus gets rethemed to S American or possibly includes Indy stuff or maybe both.
3. Carnival area including old coaster and spinner rethemed to Americas and Enconto. Is there an actual Enconto ride included or just restaurants/shops/meet and greet?
4. Boneyard kid‘s play area - gone or just rethemed?
5. What happens to Nemo show? Rethemed or considered outside this area?
6. Will there be animal exhibit, a walking trail or some other natural attraction?

Lord help us if our IJA has a longer indoor queue (as it was before FP). Thats a long hike LOL

 

[UNCgolf]

Can say with a bit of certainty that animals will be involved in this new area, people are being contacted to assist with the animal programming

That is fantastic news.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You do realise they could adapt the novel where Indy is searching for dinosaur eggs ....

Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs

Take a look a few pages back...
https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...ences-for-animal-kingdom.981958/post-10720949

 

[GoofGoof]

Lord help us if our IJA has a longer indoor queue (as it was before FP). Thats a long hike LOL

Adds another 2,000 steps to the day….just means I get to eat a 2nd churro

 

[Henry Mystic]

I am very happy to see Indy finally looking likes it's going to happen at WDW. It is easily one of WDI's best attractions, and to see Dinosaur use the same track and deliver such a sub-par experience in comparison just isn't right. Hopefully a new version of Indy can be even better than the original and really a stand-out experience.

I haven't been this hyped in so long.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

Oh yes! Shake me Indy that looks nothing like Harrison Ford, shake me!

The ride sucks. Its Dino but with Indy. And I LOVE the Indy movies, I'll even watch Crystal Skull occasionally. But the ride system for the attraction is garbo, so it makes the attraction garbo.

Just loud AND wrong.

 

[2600loop]

I personally think this is a vast improvement over another Moana area and Zootopia. Hoping for a live animal component as well

I would really like to see live animals also, a Jaguar or ocelot would be great

 

[castlecake2.0]

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I think that's what is notable here, and why I'm so pleased with these plans.

It is a South America land that just happens to have Indy and Encanto rides that thematically fit.

Not: Encanto & Indiana Jones mini-lands shoehorned next to each other with no placemaking.

If it was indeed Bruce Vaughn, wow do I love this guy.

I think the last time I was this excited for a project was Galaxy's Edge's announcement in 2015.

Indeed!

This is how Disney's 'lands' used to work: there was an over-arching theme into which a lot of different attractions could potentially fit. I really dislike the move toward single-IP lands, and love the idea of an overarching "Tropical Americas" theme that could potentially fit attractions from different IPs and (should the pendulum ever shift) with no IP connection.

Hell, I'm kind of crossing my fingers they work a little Emperor's New Groove meet-and-greet in there somewhere!

I will say that Encanto also has the makings of a great show, something DAK has always been known for.

I could definitely imagine an animal show staring Antonio if they wanted to go that route. Not sure how obliging capybaras are in reality, though!

 

[Suspirian]

The funny thing about all of this is that Dinosaur doesn't have to go away if they change the land to South America? Fossils are found all over the world and majority of the backgrounds from the film were filmed in Venezuela. Whatever they decide to do, it would be ideal for them to have an attraction in the park dedicated to exinct animals in the same way that Expedition Everest carries the mythical animal theme.

Well, you didn't have the myth to start and you do now with Pandora and the Ikran, etc

So different type of dragon than depicted in the logo but still mythical creature

I don't really consider that myth, maybe speculative biology? I feel like myth was brought in with Expedition Everest. But speaking of this, Indy could def fit in the same way that EE does. Have him searching for a legendary creature that is spoken of in ancient folklore would marry his anthropology background with the theme of the park.

I think that's what is notable here, and why I'm so pleased with these plans.

It is a South America land that just happens to have Indy and Encanto rides that thematically fit.

Not: Encanto & Indiana Jones mini-lands shoehorned next to each other with no placemaking.

If it was indeed Bruce Vaughn, wow do I love this guy.

I think the last time I was this excited for a project was Galaxy's Edge's announcement in 2015.

And that is so much more exciting and easy to sell! You'd think they'd get this by now. Look at this land where we have all of these IPs instead of look at this one IP land we have.

 

[MadderAdder]

I hope they keep the boneyard and maybe tie in fossil hunting a la Indy.