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

[PREMiERdrum]

I'm back home and able to elaborate further.

You'll notice that I've always said this attraction was "Coco-inspired." The dark ride is Encanto. The Dinosaur retheme is Indy. But this carousel is Coco-inspired.

The current art direction has the figures of this carousel taking on the Mexican folk art styles seen in Coco. While I believe there might be an easter egg or outside character representation or two, identifying this as a generic "IP Carousel" is completely out of sync with what I've seen and heard on the project.

The setting, while a bit amalgamous, is a vibrant, Central American village. The presentation of this attraction will clearly delineate from the visual styling of Coco, and I expect a direct, thematic tie in between the film and the carousel somewhere along the way.

The Coco-inspiration of this carousel is in no way - at this point - impacting the Coco E-ticket for BBTM.

 

[Unbanshee]

I'm thinking this is a classic case of Mickey Views reporting something two concepts ago, just like he did with Magic Kingdom

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I'm thinking this is a classic case of Mickey Views reporting something two concepts ago, just like he did with Magic Kingdom

I'm guessing here, but it seems like he's getting passed partial info without context. The blanks he's filling in are where he's so very wrong.

FWIW, this art isn't terribly old. But it's clear the figures were intentionally obscured for the most part, as that work was still underway.

 

[MisterPenguin]

And his info isn't coming from anyone in WDI. (Nor is mine)

 

[MisterPenguin]

The current art direction has the figures of this carousel taking on the Mexican folk art styles seen in Coco. While I believe there might be an easter egg or outside character representation or two, identifying this as a generic "IP Carousel" is completely out of sync with what I've seen and heard on the project.

Maybe... alebrije-ified versions of Disney IP animals!

 

[Stevie Amsterdam]

Maybe... alebrije-ified versions of Disney IP animals!

This would be very nice imo, if done correctly with care and love. I could also see this attraction lit up at night, which makes for those fancy social media photos.

 

[LSLS]

I can't imagine this is true. I know we joke about theming, but there's no way they go that far out here. I'd be happy if it's much more generic and not associated with Coco (I just don't think it fits, and I don't think it's needed if Coco is going in at MK), but I can't imagine they are going to put random IP on a carousal here. I'm hoping they realize how much they need to knock it out of the park with how much skepticism there is at this point by the die hard fans.

 

[Phicinfan]

I initially rolled my eyes at this, but I gave it some more thought and decided that a carousel composed entirely of animals from various Disney movies isn't in of itself a bad idea... I mean, it's not a GREAT idea, but I don't hate it...

...but why is it in this new "Tropical Americas" land? The Lion King and Finding Nemo don't take place in the Tropical Americas.

I thought this was going to have the "spirit" animals from Coco? Wasn't that the assumption?

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

Maybe... alebrije-ified versions of Disney IP animals!

I feel like this would be a fun way to take it, adding not only an element of interactivity with a "Who is this?" find and seek aspect, but also a way for Disney to provide more merch opportunities. "Dumbo is my spirit animal, so I'm going to buy this trippy dayglow plushee of him." The very theory makes it seem all the more likely.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I thought this was going to have the "spirit" animals from Coco? Wasn't that the assumption?

Just an assumption.

Actual Tropical American animals from Antonio's door would also work.... I'm assuming if they don't want to go ahead with Coco theming.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Random Disney characters perhaps would have worked in the Zootopia/Moana hodgepodge land but thankfully the land they are actually developing has more creative vision behind it than that mess did.

If we can escape the Zootopia obsession with JUST a 3D show, I’ll count my blessings. I like the movie but it doesn’t seem to translate well into a ride.

As for the incredulity over the Coco craze, it was added to PhilharMagic and is featured twice in Luminous. Miguel is clearly the company golden boy right now.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

To be honest, none of the proposals for the carousel so far particularly offend me and I think they could all work ok. If the theme is a fair in a small Central American town, even a carousel with Disney animal characters strangely reads as "authentic".

I think I prefer the ideas of a Coco-inspired twist, such as alebrijes or Disney animal characters styled as alebrijes. If they had some reason for keeping Coco in MK, though, and just including a few animal characters like Dante from Coco here, though, I don't think it would be a thematic outrage.

 

[Advisable Joseph]

As for the incredulity over the Coco craze,

Check out the trending list of Disney+ after Día de Muertos through the end of the year.

If we can escape the Zootopia obsession with JUST a 3D show, I’ll count my blessings. I like the movie but it doesn’t seem to translate well into a ride.

Zooopia is far more popular in the US than this forum belives, as evidenced by the polling that led to the Zootopia-themed busses, and reading between the lines from Iger's comments and crowd behavior at Shanghai, the guests disagree with you. Guests also love Runaway Railway, looking at Yelp. 4.5 stars out of 5.

 

[Bocabear]

Check out the trending list of Disney+ after Día de Muertos through the end of the year.

Zooopia is far more popular in the US than this forum believes, as evidenced by the polling that led to the Zootopia-themed busses, and reading between the lines from Iger's comments and crowd behavior at Shanghai, the guests disagree with you. Guests also love Runaway Railway, looking at Yelp. 4.5 stars out of 5.

Yeah, but YELP also rates Subway and Applebees very highly... Yelp reviews are not really very accurate...

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Check out the trending list of Disney+ after Día de Muertos through the end of the year.

Yes, I feel like Coco is very much one of those films that was not only successful in its original release but has gone on to become quite beloved by a lot of people which is generally what makes a classic.

Zooopia is far more popular in the US than this forum belives, as evidenced by the polling that led to the Zootopia-themed busses, and reading between the lines from Iger's comments and crowd behavior at Shanghai, the guests disagree with you. Guests also love Runaway Railway, looking at Yelp. 4.5 stars out of 5.

I was always surprised that Disney was as coy as they were about promoting Zootopia in the US given its success. It seems the film came out, was a smash hit, and then there was almost no merchandise, only the odd character appearing in a parade or cavalcade here and there, and certainly no talk of attractions. It seemed part of a general trend of Disney not being very agile in capitalising on their hits like this or Moana.

That said, I am very glad they have not gone with a Zootopia land at DAK and really hope they restrict it to a film in Tree of Life. I'm not thrilled with that inclusion, but I guess they could use it to educate about different habitats and how animals evolve to live in different environments... or something like that!

 

[PREMiERdrum]

It seemed part of a general trend of Disney not being very agile in capitalising on their hits like this or Moana.

Often lost in discussions of Disney's stagnation over the last decade or so is this fact... their growth eras have been fueled not by investment alone but by an ability to quickly react and adjust. These changes - even when small - added a dynamic of freshness to the park... often with characters from films yet-to-be-released being featured in launch parades, etc. Multi-planar strategies like this create circular growth: park activities and consumer products (Happy Meal toys!) supporting the success of the film, which then drives people back to the parks and shops.

Now, they spend 3 years teasing Blue Sky versions of what they're thinking of before finally sharing a concept, with several years left to value engineer and build it before finally opening.

Meanwhile our "new" parade is 10 years old and running as a gutted shell of what it once was.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Check out the trending list of Disney+ after Día de Muertos through the end of the year.

Zooopia is far more popular in the US than this forum belives, as evidenced by the polling that led to the Zootopia-themed busses, and reading between the lines from Iger's comments and crowd behavior at Shanghai, the guests disagree with you. Guests also love Runaway Railway, looking at Yelp. 4.5 stars out of 5.

I love MMRR and don’t deny Zootopia is popular. The ride looks like trash but I guess I’d be happy to ride it and successfully not get run over.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I feel like this would be a fun way to take it, adding not only an element of interactivity with a "Who is this?" find and seek aspect, but also a way for Disney to provide more merch opportunities. "Dumbo is my spirit animal, so I'm going to buy this trippy dayglow plushee of him." The very theory makes it seem all the more likely.

View attachment 780303

That's going in next to the AK Dispensary (Opening 2027).

 

[ToTBellHop]

While I want more flat rides, I do think a carousel is a bit too on-the-nose for a (not a) zoo.

 

[invader]

Any chance this carousel uses an updated design like this?

US20130040744A1 - Ring carousel ride - Google Patents

A carousel ride in which vehicles may move at differing speeds, in differing directions, and each be independently positioned relative to a load/unload platform. In one embodiment, a carousel ride is provided that includes: (1) an inner ring assembly including a first ring supporting vehicles...

patents.google.com