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

[Timothy_Q]

If the rumors about Lion King are true we would probably see big cats around there I’d assume right? Lions, Tigers, etc.

There are no tigers in Africa
Plus, tigers already anchor Maharajah and Lions anchor the safari

 

[PREMiERdrum]

The lions don’t show any anxious big cat behaviors as far as I’ve ever noticed. Honestly, the tigers do. Surprisingly.

Not to go too much further in the weeds, but I have a dear friend involved in animal husbandry who was worked extensively with tigers. His experience is that while most big cats thrive in captivity with consistency, tigers require regular changes in surroundings, scents, sounds, and other stimulation to keep anxiety and stereotypical behaviors from setting in. He travels occasionally with his cats for movie and television work, and having been fortunate enough to spend time with him on some of these locations its clear that they settle in with new stimuli to explore.

AK rotates their population between the two yards with different enrichment to attempt this, but there's only so much that can be done to avoid the sameness.

 

[Surferboy567]

There are no tigers in Africa
Plus, tigers already anchor Maharajah and Lions anchor the safari

It’s a lion king ride, I think we can suspend some disbelief.

Also they can make the lion king area a small mini land where it fits better.

 

[MJL92]

Not to go too much further in the weeds, but I have a dear friend involved in animal husbandry who was worked extensively with tigers. His experience is that while most big cats thrive in captivity with consistency, tigers require regular changes in surroundings, scents, sounds, and other stimulation to keep anxiety and stereotypical behaviors from setting in. He travels occasionally with his cats for movie and television work, and having been fortunate enough to spend time with him on some of these locations its clear that they settle in with new stimuli to explore.

AK rotates their population between the two yards with different enrichment to attempt this, but there's only so much that can be done to avoid the sameness.

Each of my last two visits to DAK, the tigers on the Jungle Trek had the first viewing window shut. When we went around to the viewing area on the other side, the Tiger was stalking and pacing back and forth right outside the closed window.

 

[stuart]

There are no tigers in Africa
Plus, tigers already anchor Maharajah and Lions anchor the safari

Reminds me of 1998 (pre-Asia being open), and a disgruntled guest asking as they came off the Safari why there were no tigers.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Indiana Jones, great friend and conservator of animals.

Those aren't real snakes. An underground tomb couldn't provide enough food for all those snakes. So, they must have been cursed snakes.

This was a mercy killing.

 

[MisterPenguin]

A tiny bit of clarity... I'm not sure it's 100% accurate to say that Tropical Americas was "first approved without animal exhibits." This concept started pretty fast and loose as a variety of ideas after the weird, Blue Sky Zootopia and Moana candy.

Once the attraction plans of Encanto new build, Dinosaur retheme into IJ, some sort of spinner, and service/support facility rethemes came into focus, planning work began with AK's care team to plot out transitions for the onsite animals. I don't think they knew at this point if the animal exhibits were to be included or not, but they knew they'd have to transition existing residents out of the area for construction... and I think this is where the "first approved without animals" bit came from.

I'm still expecting a few small, garden style exhibits for Capys and maybe some others near the casita, and perhaps some monkeys in the transition up to IJ. For reference, look to the right of the land's entrance arch in the new art...

Oh, man. Why did you have to introduce reality? Now they'll have to extinguish their torches and find some place to lean their pitchforks.

 

[MadderAdder]

Snakes don’t need big enclosures. Maybe they can put some in the IJA queue. And some tarantulas (but they’re elsewhere in the park)?

Critters/snakes/spiders in the queue would be really really cool!

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Those aren't real snakes. An underground tomb couldn't provide enough food for all those snakes. So, they must have been cursed snakes.

This was a mercy killing.

They were probably doing pretty well subsisting on a steady diet of archaeologists. They were also probably holy snakes that God put there to protect his stuff.

 

[Surferboy567]

They were probably doing pretty well subsisting on a steady diet of archaeologists. They were also probably holy snakes that God put there to protect his stuff.

Technically the map chamber is probably man made. God could of put the snakes in there though to protect the ark’s location.

 

[SilentWindODoom]

Am I the only one very excited for the possibility of a modern Indy ride? Think it could work out very well. Of course, they have to deliver.

When I read that, my brain split the possibility between a newly build ride and a look into the current adventures of Indiana Jones in 2024.

No animals makes me sad… and bye bye gator?

This has to be temporary... unless they just think he's too old and should live out his days on a reserve. It's an existing animal that fits the new theme!

I love this

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While the arch into the town is a beautiful feature, all the other entry gates are on Discovery Island with a themed bridge. I'd imagine that the real entry would be across the water before the themed building and possible animal exhibit.

Well, they did name the dog Indiana.

THE DOWWWG?!

I agree that getting Jaguars is probably not going to happen, but it would be cool to have one big animal attraction anchoring the land. Africa has the Lion, Asia has the Tigers so each of the other two lands (not including Avatar) has their giant cats represented, this South American styled land should have their big cat as well. But I guess I will have to settle for the noble Capybara...

I reeeeally was hoping for a third trail with Jaguars being their version of the Tigers/Gorillas. Is there anywhere to put this that would be away from disturbances? If it were on a trail, that could put the exhibit farther away from the populated areas.

Not to go too much further in the weeds, but I have a dear friend involved in animal husbandry who was worked extensively with tigers. His experience is that while most big cats thrive in captivity with consistency, tigers require regular changes in surroundings, scents, sounds, and other stimulation to keep anxiety and stereotypical behaviors from setting in. He travels occasionally with his cats for movie and television work, and having been fortunate enough to spend time with him on some of these locations its clear that they settle in with new stimuli to explore.

AK rotates their population between the two yards with different enrichment to attempt this, but there's only so much that can be done to avoid the sameness.

There were a couple of months where I was deep in a Zoological forum (before getting busy and completely losing track). One thing mentioned for this rotational setup was cycling other animals in as well. Having one exhibit contain the large predator and another a couple of prey animals so that all get the added enrichment of the new scents.

I know Tigers are generally solitary animals. Do they just switch the Tigers between two exhibits with one on each? The gardens seem like the perfect location to bring in a couple of smaller prey animals and peafowl with their backstory.

 

[DAK1928]

Regarding animals, I remember reading that a problem for this side of the park was its distance from, and lack of backstage infrastructure to, the existing animal care facilities. Could be why the focus of the rumors is on smaller animals rather than larger ones

 

[FigmentJedi]

Oh hey, the thing that completely overshadowed Disney's Dinosaur movie in its release year is coming back.

 

[Moth]

Oh hey, the thing that completely overshadowed Disney's Dinosaur movie in its release year is coming back.

Sure would suck if they put that BBC partnership/decent relationship to use!

 

[Brer Panther]

But I guess I will have to settle for the noble Capybara...

King of the Rats!

 

[doctornick]

It’s a lion king ride, I think we can suspend some disbelief.

Also they can make the lion king area a small mini land where it fits better.

There’s plenty of other animals in TLK that aren’t otherwise in the park. Hyenas perhaps? Do they have warthogs?

 

[Surferboy567]

There’s plenty of other animals in TLK that aren’t otherwise in the park. Hyenas perhaps? Do they have warthogs?

Meerkats as well. I think the safari has both Hyenas and Warthogs someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[Nickm2022]

My want (not a rumor/source rather an opinion) is for them to move the UP show to Tropical Americas. You could then put more/new expansion where that currently is. If they move the UP stuff with any other tropical birds they already have in the park. Other animals that would be cool to see and easy to implement would be reptiles, Capybara's, and Flamingos.

In general though I am really excited for Tropical Americas, from Encanto, a Mayan Indy theme, a Coco spinner, new (and relocated) animals and exhibits, South American food, and architecture that's realistic and fantastical. Yeah it sucks to lose Dinosaurs in the park but Dinoland itself was bad. Plus Tropical Americas (3 rides), the Lion King Ride, and a new drone show will all be great additions to this park.

 

[UNCgolf]

Meerkats as well. I think the safari has both Hyenas and Warthogs someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

They have meerkats and warthogs at Animal Kingdom. The warthogs are on the safari; the meerkats are on the Gorilla Falls trail.

They had hyenas on the safari too at one point, but I'm not sure they still do.

 

[SilentWindODoom]

My want (not a rumor/source rather an opinion) is for them to move the UP show to Tropical Americas. You could then put more/new expansion where that currently is. If they move the UP stuff with any other tropical birds they already have in the park. Other animals that would be cool to see and easy to implement would be reptiles, Capybara's, and Flamingos.

While I agree that I'd love to see Up move into the new land, with Maharajah and the bend for the train right behind, there's not a whole lot of space for something new in its place.