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

[MistaDee]

This is what I’m really hopeful for.

I can accept Encanto and Indy as tangentially related to nature (they’re both a stretch, but oh well) so long as there’s some sort of animal trail and exhibits included.

South America and the Amazon is insanely biodiverse and could include so many really neat animals not already at DAK as well as bring the anteaters from the Oasis over. Species like the beloved capybara, howler and/or spider monkeys, tons and tons of birds for a new aviary, jaguars, named wolves, Andean bears, there’s so much they could do with actual animals for, you know, ANIMAL Kingdom

100% agree - the Amazon Rainforest is perhaps the wildest place on earth and I would love to see some attention paid to the actual Tropical Americas.

My only gripe is ditching dinosaurs entirely.

Maybe I'm the only one here who actually enjoyed DINOSAUR, but if we had to insert IP, couldn't there have been some way to keep dinosaurs in the park? Dinosaur has been my favorite in the park for years and I believe it was both highly underrated and much better than Indy. Disney always did dinosaurs better than Universal and to remove all the dinosaur animatronic rides is a major loss in my book.

That being said, I'm all for more attractions and sincerely hope this ties in to the overall park theme. The alternative will lead DAK into a similar fate as DHS and EPCOT.

I agree with those who've said the Indiana Jones attraction could make some magical dinosaur artifact be the MacGuffin - that'd be a nice way to keep the dinosaurs in the park.

Would also be a cool reason to keep the Boneyard

 

[Magenta Panther]

Nothing is replacing the Jungle Cruise.

Too bad. It's so cheesy and dated. Splash Mountain was much better than Jungle Cruise.

 

[Brer Panther]

There's a story treatment for a North America themed land that would work, but Pocahontas makes more sense.

Isn't Pocahontas incredibly problematic?

 

[Fox&Hound]

Meet and greet with llama Kuzco from Emperor’s New Groove or bust!

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Meet and greet with llama Kuzco from Emperor’s New Groove or bust!

I've said it before...The Emperor's New Cruise flume ride! I sketched one out years ago...it would work perfectly! BOO-YAH!

 

[Brer Oswald]

I believe the Moana boat ride is coming to MK. And that can come sooner than the rest of BBT. It’s a cool ride system.

And there goes any interest I had in the future of WDW. LOL

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I believe the Moana boat ride is coming to MK. And that can come sooner than the rest of BBT. It’s a cool ride system.

Are we talking the sailing simulator or something else?

 

[eddie104]

While I’m still a little upset this has to replace an existing area I overall think this land fits in really well within the existing AK.

 

[FettFan]

My only gripe is ditching dinosaurs entirely.

Maybe I'm the only one here who actually enjoyed DINOSAUR, but if we had to insert IP, couldn't there have been some way to keep dinosaurs in the park? Dinosaur has been my favorite in the park for years and I believe it was both highly underrated and much better than Indy. Disney always did dinosaurs better than Universal and to remove all the dinosaur animatronic rides is a major loss in my book.

That being said, I'm all for more attractions and sincerely hope this ties in to the overall park theme. The alternative will lead DAK into a similar fate as DHS and EPCOT.

One of the lesser points of the JP movies was that…

Disney could and should have leaned hard into this, presenting dinosaurs in a vibrant and diverse ecosystem, based on the latest paleontological finds.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

And there goes any interest I had in the future of WDW. LOL

One moana ride ruins it?

 

[doctornick]

And there goes any interest I had in the future of WDW. LOL

Moana going in MK does this?

 

[Earlie the Pearlie]

Wait I just realized Carnotaurus lived in South America

 

[The Leader of the Club]

And there goes any interest I had in the future of WDW. LOL

Because they might potentially be getting a new ride that’s not replacing anything?

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

I actually think this sounds great in comparison to other rethemes/new builds. I love the Indy ride in DL. I have only been there once but made sure to go on Indy 2x. After learning that Dinosaur is the same ride system, I've often thought that Indy should replace it. Yes, Dinosaur is one of the original AK rides but it was never that good and always seemed to me like whoever designed it saw Jurassic Park and figured, hey we can do something like the movie but not enough to get sued by Universal. The main hall, the jeep ride, etc. The only original part, which is not that original, is the time travel element. I'm just trying to have managed expectations from the announcements and miniatures vs what actually will get built.

I also agree with all that have said that the Boneyard playground should stay and connect back to archeological digs/Indy. Maybe they should throw in some 'artifacts' too to further connect it? That way they can keep the playground, which kids do love, update it, and still correctly theme it to the new area.

 

[aladdin2007]

I actually think this sounds great in comparison to other rethemes/new builds. I love the Indy ride in DL. I have only been there once but made sure to go on Indy 2x. After learning that Dinosaur is the same ride system, I've often thought that Indy should replace it. Yes, Dinosaur is one of the original AK rides but it was never that good and always seemed to me like whoever designed it saw Jurassic Park and figured, hey we can do something like the movie but not enough to get sued by Universal. The main hall, the jeep ride, etc. The only original part, which is not that original, is the time travel element. I'm just trying to have managed expectations from the announcements and miniatures vs what actually will get built.

I also agree with all that have said that the Boneyard playground should stay and connect back to archeological digs/Indy. Maybe they should throw in some 'artifacts' too to further connect it? That way they can keep the playground, which kids do love, update it, and still correctly theme it to the new area.

lawyers are probably having their way with these at this point and saying no to keeping anything of its caliber.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Do any of our insiders have thoughts on the scale and/or quality of the Encanto ride? Is it intended to be an e-ticket (a la Mystic Manor), or the “secondary attraction” with IJA being the focal point?

I also think it’s interesting that the “Theater in the Wild” is carefully cropped out of the concept art… I presume at the very least they’ll be redeveloping it (into something that fits the area aesthetically/thematically, perhaps like the Hangar Stage in DisneySEA’s equivalent land).

Also, if they don’t move the dinosaur skeletons into the Wonders of Life dome, can I have them?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Do any of our insiders have thoughts on the scale and/or quality of the Encanto ride?

The collective hints would seem to be a version of Mystic Manor.

No inside info on the story line, but, how can they not go through Antonio's door in a DAK ride?

 

[SplashJacket]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fear we all experienced when they showed us Zootopia and Moana?

What we're getting is just infinitely better.

 

[flyerjab]

Just read an article by Tom Bricker regarding the Imagineering press tour where Bob and Josh spoke, followed by Bruce Vaughn. Tom stated that Coco is very much part of this expansion/retheme.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Just read an article by Tom Bricker regarding the Imagineering press tour where Bob and Josh spoke, followed by Bruce Vaughn. Tom stated that Coco is very much part of this expansion/retheme.

Indeed...

Then came presentations by portfolio executives from Florida who provided new details about the plans for Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom and Beyond Big Thunder at Magic Kingdom. This was the meatiest portion of the presentation, with new substantive details about the Dino-Rama replacement featuring Indiana Jones, Encanto, and Coco plus brand-new concept art for the area.​

I Went Inside Imagineering

"I wish I could be here every day," said Disney CEO Bob Iger to kick off an Imagineering presentation I attended. He was joined at the front of the small conference room by Parks Chairman

www.disneytouristblog.com

Good article, must-read.