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

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

There are better places to put Coco (Mexico, BBT) and better IPs to put here (Up, Emperor’s New Groove, Rio)

This!

 

[capsshield]

I wish people wouldn't get so hung up on "the park started as this and has to stay this way". If Disney decided to change the name of animal kingdom to Disney's Wild Kingdom or something else and, or add a bunch of attractions that had little to do with animals, or featured animals with clothes it wouldn't change the experience of the existing rides.
With the addition of Pandora and the removal of Dinoland the park will never be what it was first imagined to be. It might be a lot better.

Dinoland was the cheapest looking land in the entire resort and barely a step above most six flag parks or carnivals.
Dinosaur is down grade of indy a fun ride but not nearly as good.
Primeval whirl was an imagineering joke
I can't wait to see that area improved, and I hope there's more to come

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I agree with the latter point, but unfortunately not with the former. Obviously nothing has been confirmed and plans can always change, but the area I circled in the concept art definitely gives off strong Santa Cecilia vibes:
View attachment 774189

In fairness, this concept art is more "Blue Sky" than anything. While I don't ever really trust Disney concept art, especially in this scenario. Hopefully we will get updates with fleshed out plans sometime soon. They need to get some shovels in the ground.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I wish people wouldn't get so hung up on "the park started as this and has to stay this way". If Disney decided to change the name of animal kingdom to Disney's Wild Kingdom or something else and, or add a bunch of attractions that had little to do with animals, or featured animals with clothes it wouldn't change the experience of the existing rides.
With the addition of Pandora and the removal of Dinoland the park will never be what it was first imagined to be. It might be a lot better.

Dinoland was the cheapest looking land in the entire resort and barely a step above most six flag parks or carnivals.
Dinosaur is down grade of indy a fun ride but not nearly as good.
Primeval whirl was an imagineering joke
I can't wait to see that area improved, and I hope there's more to come

A theme park isn’t just a collection of isolated experiences and the theme isn’t just some overlaid dressing. Theme is the central idea that guides all design decisions. Disney has tried changing the name of a park and dropping in different rides and it doesn’t magically making things fit well because you still have the original elements that were built around a central ideas and then the other stuff added on.

 

[Teddybearre]

In fairness, this concept art is more "Blue Sky" than anything. While I don't ever really trust Disney concept art, especially in this scenario. Hopefully we will get updates with fleshed out plans sometime soon. They need to get some shovels in the ground.

All I’m gonna say is get in your last Dinosaur and Triceratop Spin rides NOW, Animal Kingdom is looking to be a construction mess next year

 

[haveyoumetmark]

It's not just an animal-themed park, it's a Disney park as well that should serve as a home to their film properties as Disney parks have since their inception. Arguing that Dinosaurs belong in a Disney park and Disney characters don't is just... make it make sense. Maybe Dinoland made sense in 1998, but a lot has changed since then and Disney hasn't really ever done anything outstanding or very successful with dinosaurs anyway so we end up with Donald's Dino Bash

I can understand why they are taking the opportunity to evolve this dead area of the park into something they do well, the park needs, and something that fits with the park's aesthetic and theming. Animal Kingdom will be better for it, the sun will rise another day and the world will keep on turning.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It's not just an animal-themed park, it's a Disney park as well that should serve as a home to their film properties as Disney parks have since their inception. Arguing that Dinosaurs belong in a Disney park and Disney characters don't is just... make it make sense. Maybe Dinoland made sense in 1998, but a lot has changed since then and Disney hasn't really ever done anything outstanding or very successful with dinosaurs anyway so we end up with Donald's Dino Bash

I can understand why they are taking the opportunity to evolve this dead area of the park into something they do well, the park needs, and something that fits with the park's aesthetic and theming. Animal Kingdom will be better for it, the sun will rise another day and the world will keep on turning.

Dinosaur is a Disney movie… And just being Disney characters shouldn’t be sufficient reasoning. People weren’t confused that Mickey Mouse wasn’t in Encanto.

 

[haveyoumetmark]

I wish people wouldn't get so hung up on "the park started as this and has to stay this way". If Disney decided to change the name of animal kingdom to Disney's Wild Kingdom or something else and, or add a bunch of attractions that had little to do with animals, or featured animals with clothes it wouldn't change the experience of the existing rides.
With the addition of Pandora and the removal of Dinoland the park will never be what it was first imagined to be. It might be a lot better.

Dinoland was the cheapest looking land in the entire resort and barely a step above most six flag parks or carnivals.
Dinosaur is down grade of indy a fun ride but not nearly as good.
Primeval whirl was an imagineering joke
I can't wait to see that area improved, and I hope there's more to come

This is spot on.

Dinosaur is a Disney movie… And just being Disney characters shouldn’t be sufficient reasoning. People weren’t confused that Mickey Mouse wasn’t in Encanto.

Right, which is another reason Dinosaur can go. Not sure I get where you're going with the rest...

 

[RSoxNo1]

Dinoland is one of the best themed lands at Disney World, it's just not a very ambitious theme.

Dinorama is good execution of a bad concept.

 

[Jrb1979]

This is spot on.


Right, which is another reason Dinosaur can go. Not sure I get where you're going with the rest...

All most want is good rides and IP they like. An extension of MK is all that matters

 

[MrPromey]

A parking lot with dino-themed flat rides and carnival games stands out like sore thumb.

A lush land full of animals, trees, and cultural areas themed to a specific geographical area intune with the other lands (Africa, Asia) works. Even with IPs in there.

I hope this clears things up.

Since there's been no mention at all from Disney about animals being included in any of this, it really doesn't.

As I mentioned, not going to argue they need to do something better than what's there now but I'm personally not looking at them turning this park into Adventureland 2.0.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, there.

 

[haveyoumetmark]

All most want is good rides and IP they like. An extension of MK is all that matters

It's not all that matters, but it's also not the end of the world. And it's certainly not out of place as many here are arguing. DAK will appeal to evolving audiences while retaining its integrity.

 

[BagOfGroceries]

It only sticks out to you because the setting is more familiar. Rundown businesses and tourist traps with Asian and African architecture seem well themed to you. But if you tell the same story with an American setting it seems cheap to you.

….Oh my Rhode, you‘re right.

 

[Jrb1979]

It's not all that matters, but it's also not the end of the world. And it's certainly not out of place as many here are arguing. DAK will appeal to evolving audiences while retaining its integrity.

IMO the parks should stay true to their theme. I also think they need to go back to what Disney was best at. Long immersive dark rides. Move away from the thrills and flashy rides

 

[peter11435]

You know, that’s a good point. KRR, EE, KS, and Pandora are all themed as tourist attractions.

Yep. Because that’s one of the ways man interacts with nature. Exploiting it for economic gain. Just like seen in other areas of the park Dinoland balances two forms of mans interaction with nature. The science/research/conservation side seen at the Dino Institute and boneyard, and the exploitation/profiting/commercializing seen at dinorama. Unlike Africa and Asia where entrepreneurs can set up safaris and expeditions to capitalize on the natural world. Dinosaurs don’t currently exist so they turn to cheap roadside attractions profiting off of peoples fascination with them. And that’s truly how humans have interacted with dinosaurs. Either science and research, or pop culture/cheap tourist attractions.

 

[MrPromey]

I get why some of y’all might not be excited for this land, and you have every reason to feel that way…but this is just flat-out mean for basically no purpose

That's an interesting reaction to someone who responds to a post you made strongly suggesting that people who disagree with your view here are, what did you say? Oh, "a bunch of nostalgia-obsessed hypocrites".

Yeah, I can't at all imagine why someone would respond to that in a hostile manner.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The purpose is that those in charge of this expansion in AK clearly are not honoring the concept of the park by putting these things there while removing dinosaurs.
Therefore, it is entirely possible that the links to animals the poster in question made will indeed only exist in that person's imagination and not in the reality of what is constructed.
I'd like to be wrong.

^I have good news for you.

 

[BrianLo]

I agree with the latter point, but unfortunately not with the former. Obviously nothing has been confirmed and plans can always change, but the area I circled in the concept art definitely gives off strong Santa Cecilia vibes:
View attachment 774189
Additionally, the fact that Disney is deviating from the continent pattern to call this land “Tropical Americas” instead of “South America” suggests there will be some sort of North American representation (though it’s also possible that the Indy ride could take place in Central America).

Finally, we know Encanto and Coco were connected in the original Beyond Big Thunder plans, so Disney very well may have moved them here as a package.

I’m guessing the gazebo-like structure in the concept art will be some sort of alebrije carousel.

Again, I hope I’m wrong or that the plans change. There are better places to put Coco (Mexico, BBT) and better IPs to put here (Up, Emperor’s New Groove, Rio)

I just feel like it’s a series of weird inferences that have been run with here and accepted as fact. It also just looks like the village in Encanto half heartedly overlayed to existing buildings. Coco is not in a tropical biome.

But why would they not just come out and have said ‘Coco’? Everything said about Tropical Americas has repetitively addressed Indy and Encanto from the company as its two IP.

I’m just going to believe the simpler explanation until there is more evidence to the contrary. Which isn’t to say Miguel isn’t doing meet and greets In the land until beyond big thunder.

 

[DisneyDodo]

I just feel like it’s a series of weird inferences that have been run with here and accepted as fact. It also just looks like the village in Encanto half heartedly overlayed to existing buildings. Coco is not in a tropical biome.

But why would they not just come out and have said ‘Coco’? Everything said about Tropical Americas has repetitively addressed Indy and Encanto from the company as its two IP.

I’m just going to believe the simpler explanation until there is more evidence to the contrary. Which isn’t to say Miguel isn’t doing meet and greets In the land until beyond big thunder.

That was my original thought too. But looking closer, there’s a clear separation between the Encanto section and the rest of the land. And the buildings don’t really actually resemble anything out of Encanto if you actually compare them.

They do look strikingly similar to Santa Cecilia though. For example:

It’s certainly possible that they hadn’t fully committed to Coco when they released this art. But I’m highly confident that that’s what they put here.

 

[mattpeto]

I hope they save Coco for something more grander. Beyond BTM or Epcot Mexico pavilion would be my preference.

And- I can’t see how that IP will tie into AK at all. Indy is a stretch but achievable. Encanto is even more of a stretch, but Antonio helps.

Coco not really…