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

[Magicart87]

I'm out of the loop and can't read 180 pages of thread. What is the current concept or thought on a Coco ride? If it's some sort of trackless jaunt (Disney loves doing these...) through the family house focusing on the animal speaking cousin's room, I say go for it. Having the house sitting in the park with a Disney version of the Cano Cristales winding around it wouldn't be out of place considering Avatarland etc.

What's the current rumor/word on Disney actually adding in another animal trek for this area of the park?

Encatococo?

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

If Beastly Kingdom had never been a thing and Disney decided to build a medieval european land at DAK today people would complain SO MUCH that it doesn't fit the park

I wouldn't. Imaginary animals was always a part of the original vision of the park. If they did it with ONLY current IP, then I would complain. But Dragon Tower, Quest of the Unicorn, and the Fantasia boat ride would not have been out of place in my opinion. Certainly no more so than Camp Minnie-Mickey.

Everyone likes to poop on Beastly Kingdom and I will not have it. It would have been, and still would be, great. But it can't exist now as it was originally planned because of Avatar (stupid decision), and even if they built it somewhere, they would have to have current IP all over it.

 

[Tha Realest]

I wouldn't. Imaginary animals was always a part of the original vision of the park. If they did it with ONLY current IP, then I would complain. But Dragon Tower, Quest of the Unicorn, and the Fantasia boat ride would not have been out of place in my opinion. Certainly no more so than Camp Minnie-Mickey.

Everyone likes to poop on Beastly Kingdom and I will not have it. It would have been, and still would be, great. But it can't exist now as it was originally planned because of Avatar (stupid decision), and even if they built it somewhere, they would have to have current IP all over it.

Plus, like Jurassic Park, Universal’s about to have a very popular dragon-themed land

 

[Brer Panther]

Seeing what Disney is doing with Tiana's Bayou Adventure and all the critters, I would be really surprised it there are not animal references or actual animals within Tropical Americas.

The only reason they're putting effort into Tiana's Bayou Adventure, apparently, is because they saw us Splash Mountain fans complaining about them getting rid of the ride and thought "Oh crap, we actually have to animatronics in this!". So I wouldn't get your hopes up.

I think the Tropical Americas premise is fine but throwing in random Coco and Encanto rides, not so much.

I also still feel like dinosaurs deserve some part in the park. I’m hopeful that out of pure cost cutting, some of the existing dinos will remain in the conversion to Indy but who knows.

I agree with you on both of these. If the Indiana Jones ride is "Indiana Jones vs dinosaurs", it'd at least keep dinosaurs in the park.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Encatococo?

Darnit all!

Maybe they'll do a mashup... hmmmmm....

But yes, what is the thoughts on the Encanto ride?

Also, since my brain apparently has it in mind... what's the deal with a Coco ride?

 

[DisneyDodo]

If there ends of being a Coco carousel I imagine it’ll be themed to the alebrijes then with Indy likely being some story around a mythic/legendary animal the Tropical Americas may end up kind of being the spiritual successor to Beastly Kingdom…

Between Pandora and EE, I feel like fictional animals are already sufficiently represented at DAK. Central/South America has among the most diverse, unique, and beautiful collection of wildlife in the world. It would be a shame to get a land in DAK themed to that region, only for them to focus on mythical creatures.

I don’t have strong feelings for/against Beastly Kingdom in general, but I definitely don’t think this Tropical Americas land is the place for it.

 

[James Alucobond]

Between Pandora and EE, I feel like fictional animals are already sufficiently represented at DAK. Central/South America has among the most diverse, unique, and beautiful collection of wildlife in the world. It would be a shame to get a land in DAK themed to that region, only for them to focus on mythical creatures.

I don’t have strong feelings for/against Beastly Kingdom in general, but I definitely don’t think this Tropical Americas land is the place for it.

Alebrijes are more folk art than anything. They generally just demonstrate how humans depict and fancifully amalgamate different animal forms even if Coco made them into a bit more than that. We also really have no idea what the carousel entails, so maybe worrying about alebrijes is premature. As for Encanto, any animals there will likely be typical of the tropical Americas. With Indy, I'm not exactly sure what we'll get, but with the research trip to Yucatec Maya areas, I think it would be an enormous missed opportunity to not use Kukulkan in order to include an element that both incorporates Indy's fear of snakes and represents the closest thing the region has to dragons in their mythology.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Alebrijes are more folk art than anything. They generally just demonstrate how humans depict and fancifully amalgamate different animal forms even if Coco made them into a bit more than that. We also really have no idea what the carousel entails, so maybe worrying about alebrijes is premature. As for Encanto, any animals there will likely be typical of the tropical Americas. With Indy, I'm not exactly sure what we'll get, but with the research trip to Yucatec Maya areas, I think it would be an enormous missed opportunity to not use Kukulkan in order to include an element that both incorporates Indy's fear of snakes and represents the closest thing the region has to dragons in their mythology.

My spirit animal is me.

 

[flyerjab]

Alebrijes are more folk art than anything. They generally just demonstrate how humans depict and fancifully amalgamate different animal forms even if Coco made them into a bit more than that. We also really have no idea what the carousel entails, so maybe worrying about alebrijes is premature. As for Encanto, any animals there will likely be typical of the tropical Americas. With Indy, I'm not exactly sure what we'll get, but with the research trip to Yucatec Maya areas, I think it would be an enormous missed opportunity to not use Kukulkan in order to include an element that both incorporates Indy's fear of snakes and represents the closest thing the region has to dragons in their mythology.

I recall Bruce Vaughn speaking about this expansion last year. He seemed to emphasize park goers experiencing the rich and varied cultures of this part of the world. My thinking on this (unfortunately) is that they will veer away from animals and delve more into the culture and history of the Tropical Americas.

Animals are one reason the park tends to be more of a half day park. The animal trails close in the evening and the night time safari wasn’t as big of a hit as was hoped for.

If kept more focused on the people, culture, history, food, music, etc., this part of the park will be able to be fully functional and thrive all day and all night. It’s more of what the park needs, along with another attempt at a night time show. And believe me, I’m not saying I don’t want animals in this park, just trying to look at it from their perspective. Animals are expensive and don’t provide all day and night entertainment. Cultural representatives, music, art, artifacts, entertainers can. I am still holding out hope though that animals and edutainment are included in this. I can just see Iger, though, listening to Vaughn pitch this, asking “this sounds nice, but what does the rain forest or leopards have to do with my precious IP?” It is an unfortunate reality these days. Sigh.

 

[Timothy_Q]

I recall Bruce Vaughn speaking about this expansion last year. He seemed to emphasize park goers experiencing the rich and varied cultures of this part of the world. My thinking on this (unfortunately) is that they will veer away from animals and delve more into the culture and history of the Tropical Americas.

Animals are one reason the park tends to be more of a half day park. The animal trails close in the evening and the night time safari wasn’t as big of a hit as was hoped for.

I don't think anyone is expecting Tropical Americas to include a trail like Maharajah and Gorilla, but to not have a couple small enclosures on the scale of the Tree of Life ones would be a missed opportunity, especially with the popularity of capybaras nowadays and them being featured in Encanto

 

[peter11435]

I don't think anyone is expecting Tropical Americas to include a trail like Maharajah and Gorilla, but to not have a couple small enclosures on the scale of the Tree of Life ones would be a missed opportunity, especially with the popularity of capybaras nowadays and them being featured in Encanto

I could see the cotton top tamarins moved there. It would also be a great location to perform the winged encounters show but I’d be torn about losing the tree of life as the backdrop.

 

[flyerjab]

I could see the cotton top tamarins moved there. It would also be a great location to perform the winged encounters show but I’d be torn about losing the tree of life as the backdrop.

Since we are talking possible animals, and there being an Indy ride, do you see a possibility for snakes, crocs, etc possibly being located here? I mean, there are already some crocs in Dinoland, aren’t there? Or alligators? I honestly always get them confused.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Animals I'd like to see in Tropical Americas:

 

[Awong]

Hoping for an Indiana Jones Ride different than Disneyland. If it’s something around Mayan temples maybe a ride based off of the crystal skulls movie?

 

[DisneyDodo]

I know it’s logistically infeasible, but I’d love some jaguars

 

[flyerjab]

Hoping for an Indiana Jones Ride different than Disneyland. If it’s something around Mayan temples maybe a ride based off of the crystal skulls movie?

I believe most of those in the know have indicated that this will be unique ands not a clone of the DL version.

 

[Tha Realest]

Hoping for an Indiana Jones Ride different than Disneyland. If it’s something around Mayan temples maybe a ride based off of the crystal skulls movie?

It seems WDI has learned it’s lesson by not basing its attractions on divisive films, as this place setting is Raiders 1936 oriented.

 

[HMF]

If kept more focused on the people, culture, history, food, music, etc.,

There used to be another park for those aspects. what was it called, something-COT?

 

[LSLS]

I am actually surprised at all the complaints that I have been seeing about Dinoland going away. It's one of the emptier parts of the park. The theming of it just seems off with the rest of the lands in AK. I feel like Tropical Americas fits in much better with Asia, Africa, and Pandora than a carnival-themed area about Dinosaurs. Dinoland feels like it should have been at Hollywood Studios instead. Whenever I am in Dinoland, I feel like I am at a regular theme park and not a Disney park. Seeing what Disney is doing with Tiana's Bayou Adventure and all the critters, I would be really surprised it there are not animal references or actual animals within Tropical Americas.

Emptier does not mean unused. It still ate some people. This goes back to the alienation things that have been all over the place with the Cruiser, but it's that there are multiple groups upset here. You have a group upset about IP that seems to be just jammed into the park, you have a group upset about losing Dino because they love it (or at least what it could be), and then you have a group upset that it's a very real possibility we are going to again end up with a net negative in attractions. There is some overlap, but I think a lot would overlook one of these things, it's the combination of all three that's really got people upset. Then add in people do not have faith in Disney executing things with an overarching theme and vision in the parks anymore.

 

[KDM31091]

I’m in the camp of upset at losing dinoland, upset about the rampant IP being shoved in and also not having much faith due to recent projects tending to be underwhelming. I hope I’m wrong, and that the changes at least respect the vision for AK but, I am skeptical as there aren’t many ways to make things like Encanto really meld with the park IMO.

And yes, it seems likely we will end up with a wash or net negative of attractions in a park with very few as it is, which is crazy that in 25 years, the lineup hasn’t grown much if at all.