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

[Tha Realest]

Ugh, every time a Latin American country is considered as the setting for a Disney park attraction...

Yeah, for all the emphasis on inclusion, it’s really odd that World Showcase is heavily skewed towards European countries while a fictional African village is pushed into DAK with, soon, a Latin American presence. But

 

[Tha Realest]

While I am beyond bummed that the land’s Dinosaur focus is being abandoned, at least this plan feels more cohesive than the weird Moana/Zootopia combo.

I don’t love these plans, but I also don’t hate them. I think I expected so much worse that this feels somewhat acceptable . That said, I’d still be happier if they just bulldozed DinoRama and Nemo and built 2 new dinosaur attractions in their place.

I’d love to see a “tale of the tape” comparing what was hinted at last time and seeing what, if any, was mentioned about those previous blue sky ideas.

 

[DAK1928]

After thinking on ways in which Indiana Jones could comfortably fit in the area (and the mission statement), I've come up with a fun solution: Dinoland USA would lose its “U.S.A.” title, and instead head south to become the park’s South America area. South America would be split into two sections: the rainforest and Patagonia. Both of these exciting regions are strongly related to archeology and dinosaurs, for very different reasons (discussed below).

Patagonia has been a site of historic fossil discoveries, including the recent discovery of ‘Argentinosaurus’, thought to be one of the largest dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth. This theme could easily overlay the boneyard and dining areas minimal overlay required, as well as a rockwork heavy re-skin of Primeval Whirl to make it appear as mine cart system used in fossil transportation. Everest in the distance could be explained as The Andes.

The second region would become the rainforest, and it would occupy the land between Primeval Whirl and Finding Nemo, and extend into to-be-developed backstage areas.

South America would be also home to a wildlife trail on the scale of Maharaja and Pangani, but would feature South American fauna such as Jaguars, Ocelots, Sloths, Ananacondas, Monkeys, Parrots, Toucans, Capybara, Piranha, Caimans and more! Areas of the trail with Everest in view would be themed as Andes region, and would feature animals such as Spectacled Bear, Llamas, and Tapirs.

The link between Indiana, dinosaurs, and South America can be personified as Percy Fawcett (or a new SEA-linked character inspired by the famed explorer). Percy was an explorer, archaeologist, and geographer who is most famous for his exploration of South America in the early 1900’s, particularly for his final mission: the search for El Dorado. While the real Percy Fawcett was never heard from and has been assumed dead since 1925 (a month into his expedition into the jungle), Indiana Jones has searched for (and rescued) Fawcett in the films’ spin-off novelizations.

Similar to legends in Africa, natives in the South American rainforest have long reported encounters with ancient animals believed to be long extinct. In fact, Fawcett himself had written about an associate's encounter with a creature that matches the description of a Diplodocus in the swamps near the border between Peru/Brazil. Similar encounters have been reported by westerners throughout the centuries. For what it's worth, Fawcett had also described encounters with other exotic jungle beasts, such as an anaconda nearly 20-feet long Why did it have to be snakes...

Fawcett is also credited as a primary inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, which features... dinosaurs living in the South American rainforest.

Creating a new attraction (or an overlay of Dinosaur) that features Indiana Jones joining Fawcett on an adventure could lead to a multitude of potential storylines that both respect nature, the past, and animals both living and (thought to be) extinct.

This was my take on a South American Indy from a few years ago... it looks like we're going more tropical now but curious if some of the animal and/or dinosaur influences are incorporated

 

[J4546]

I'd love to see a play area incorporated into this as well. Some fun splash pad stuff too!

 

[zipadee999]

I'd love to see a play area incorporated into this as well. Some fun splash pad stuff too!

Have a splash pad themed to the catacombs from Last Crusade with the rats and all lol

 

[Mike S]

I remember everybody complaining about how does Avatar fit into Animal Kingom… and IMO Pandora fits in beautifully with the message and themes of the park

I am just happy that Zootopia has been ditched… although I still don’t like the idea of a show in the Tree of Life… I think ITTBAB is still more appropriate there

Avatar fits because Joe Rhode was in charge and actually cared about his park.

He’s gone now.

 

[MrPromey]

Is the encanto area going to include a trackless ride or only the carousel? The moana flume ride wouldve been a nice new way to cool off...

The concept art for that looked like a re-skinned Splash Mountain.

That's probably what they actually did - use a photo or artwork from the outside of that for reference and draw something with a Moana theme just for illustrative purposes so my guess is that may have never even gotten to the stage where the actual experience was considered. After all, it's kind of difficult to translate a voyage across the ocean into a river/flume attraction, isn't it?

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

This was my take on a South American Indy from a few years ago... it looks like we're going more tropical now but curious if some of the animal and/or dinosaur influences are incorporated

I think it is very possible Carnotaurus are involved, considering they were first discovered in Argentina.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I think it is very possible Carnotaurus are involved, considering they were first discovered in Argentina.

Oohh, and they will look great and move fluidly once again.....


A YEAR LATER.....

 

[Kamikaze]

Just loud AND wrong.

Good counterargument. Please point out whats wrong. The EMV shakes up and down and back and forth. Thats the entire ride. Jerking you all over the place. There are no thrills to be had, just a very shaky, jerky experience.

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

Have a splash pad themed to the catacombs from Last Crusade with the rats and all lol

Sean Connery animatronic

 

[BrianLo]

I think the move from Moana to Encanto is in part because of their desire to have Encanto in the parks quicker than the MK plans would allow.

With Encanto and Moana being the biggest hits of the last decade, and Moana already having a presence at Epcot

Now I'm just curious if the Moana flume will live to see the day somewhere else

I also very much think the drive was for a cohesive land and the desire to preserve the Dinosaur ride system, from which they worked backwards.

While Oceania was certainly not the worst idea, there just was really no way to preserve Dinosaur with a ride system that needs to be dressed up like vehicles.

Encanto certainly presents itself as a worthy alternative to Moana for target demo they need to do a better job attracting into AK. Indy simply just has always been the lowest hanging fruit for Dinosaur to be overhauled to.

My only slight complaint is we lose a bit of the cohesion that Coco + Encanto would also bring to beyond big thunder. I assume MK will get Moana inevitably. She’s just too big of a franchise to limit to a walking trail.

This also seriously escalates Encanto like you said into a park integration speed that almost no other film has had for WDW in decades, Frozen notwithstanding. Indiana Jones Adventure IS a known reliable draw and Encanto very effectively counterbalances it with a property that should have the hordes returning back to DAK.

 

[BrianLo]

I think our big three burning questions are;

1) Will Indy be a clone or be reworked to includes more South American +\- animals or Dino’s (my preference)
2) Are there animal exhibits (seems probable)
3) What’s the scope of the Encanto ride actually.

If all three of those boxes are checked and Encanto skews Mystic Manor like, this land will be a huge win for Animal Kingdom.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

What if the Encanto ride is just the Mary Poppins ride we were to get and the Carousel that takes over Triceritops spin is themed to Antonio's animals..

Side thought...is their any space left at TSL to bring over Triceritops Spin and theme it to Trixe?

 

[Kamikaze]

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.

Oh, I agree that IJA is far, far superior to Dinosaur. But its still the worst 'thrill' attraction at DLR.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Oh, I agree that IJA is far, far superior to Dinosaur. But its still the worst 'thrill' attraction at DLR.

Did IJA insult your mother? Challenge you to a duel that you lost and are still bitter about? What did it do to you!!

Leave IJA alone

 

[UNCgolf]

Oh, I agree that IJA is far, far superior to Dinosaur. But its still the worst 'thrill' attraction at DLR.

Is it really a thrill attraction, though? I've never been on it, but from videos it looks like the EMV motion is secondary to what actually makes it a great attraction. Like, you could turn off the vehicle motion and it would still be fantastic.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Pandora isn't about Animals....No matter how much you squint..

Banshees are animals. The bioluminescent plants are local fauna. That all fits the theme of AK. It’s just another planet.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Is it really a thrill attraction, though? I've never been on it, but from videos it looks like the EMV motion is secondary to what actually makes it a great attraction. Like, you could turn off the vehicle motion and it would still be fantastic.

IJA’s ride experience reminds me of when I went to Uganda at the age of 16. Riding around in a Land Rover on all these dirt roads, being thrown about, up and down, literally tossed into the air at times.

It’s a mild thrill, a little bit of fear, and a bunch of laughter.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Did IJA insult your mother? Challenge you to a duel that you lost and are still bitter about? What did it do to you!!

Leave IJA alone

He's been pooping on Dinosaur on here for a long time...not surprising that he's not a fan of IJA.