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

Rich Brownn

Well-Known Member
Animal Kingdom will not change their name. It is what it is--Pandora really has nothing to do with the Animal Kingdom theme but that did not stop Disney. Disney's Adventure Kingdom would actually be a good name for a new Gate, but we all know that is not likely to happen in the next 20 years.
Pandora is focused on conservation, very much part of Animal Kingdom's theme. FOP goes very much into detail about what, why and how extinction and conservation work.
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Displaying less exotic European species with the cottage as a setting? Would love to see diversity in Animal Kingdom.
Why not Andy's Back Yard setting...then you can get Toy Story in the Animal Kingdom and have squirrels, Raccoons and Possums in the habitat... Maybe chipmunks... An urban setting with Rats and mice?
or better just leave the locations and animals exotic....
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Pandora is focused on conservation, very much part of Animal Kingdom's theme. FOP goes very much into detail about what, why and how extinction and conservation work.
Pandora is AK's version of The Land Pavilion with Soarin (FoP) and LwTL (NRJ aka the boat ride no one likes but praises the one at Epcot).
 

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
I think a North America forest land could work in Animal Kingdom. There's a lot of animals you could include... grizzly bears, moose, raccoons, rabbits, foxes, wolves... maybe you could include some Bambi or Brother Bear stuff in there if you want to include IPs (Disney probably wouldn't, since neither of those are "flavor of the month" IPs that are popular right now, but still...).
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Animal Kingdom will not change their name. It is what it is--Pandora really has nothing to do with the Animal Kingdom theme but that did not stop Disney. Disney's Adventure Kingdom would actually be a good name for a new Gate, but we all know that is not likely to happen in the next 20 years.
How does Pandora fail to fit into Animal Kingdom's themes? Name a single land added to an existing park around the World that fits the parent park better. Now add in the variable that the parent park has specifically defined themes that are not very broad in scope.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
I think a North America forest land could work in Animal Kingdom. There's a lot of animals you could include... grizzly bears, moose, raccoons, rabbits, foxes, wolves... maybe you could include some Bambi or Brother Bear stuff in there if you want to include IPs (Disney probably wouldn't, since neither of those are "flavor of the month" IPs that are popular right now, but still...).
Camp Minnie Mickey was a very light version of this. I'd love to see it truly materialized perhaps with a Teddy Roosevelt-esque national park tie in. That being said, I'm not holding my breath, even with IP that could thematically work in a land like that.
 

adam.adbe

Well-Known Member
How does Pandora fail to fit into Animal Kingdom's themes? Name a single land added to an existing park around the World that fits the parent park better. Now add in the variable that the parent park has specifically defined themes that are not very broad in scope.

It also to me already feels like it was always there. It *looks* of a piece with the rest of AK.
 

SilentWindODoom

Well-Known Member
Why not Andy's Back Yard setting...then you can get Toy Story in the Animal Kingdom and have squirrels, Raccoons and Possums in the habitat... Maybe chipmunks... An urban setting with Rats and mice?
or better just leave the locations and animals exotic....

In all seriousness, the reasons would be Toy Story already having a presence elsewhere, no very notable animals beyond dogs, and the suburban setting.

Snow White takes place in the wilderness, in their world rather than ours. It practically invented the animal friends trope. Of course the cabin already exists in Fantasyland, and if we were to include such animals, the better link would be Bambi, but I don't know if that's nearly as hot a property and I don't know how much anyone wants people to think of the mature aspects.
 

osian

Well-Known Member
"Toy Story already having a presence elsewhere"

That hasn't stopped Beauty and the Beast having appearances across three parks so far. And Beast is a sort-of animal so is a perfect fit for Animal Kingdom, to complete the full set.

But everyone is still scratching around trying to justify the inclusion of this-or-that IP, why it would or would not fit into a particular park, but it's all rubbish isn't it. As I've mentioned, it's all retro-fitting excuses. That's the problem with the IP mandate, trying to retro-fit an IP somewhere where it was not envisaged for. Fitting a square peg into a round hole. If the peg doesn't fit, hack the hole around. There, that's better, fits now. Don't know whether it's easier than actually inventing a an attraction that's custom built for a particular place with a story that hasn't been told before, you know, put back the imagination into Imagineering.
 

James Alucobond

Well-Known Member
But everyone is still scratching around trying to justify the inclusion of this-or-that IP, why it would or would not fit into a particular park, but it's all rubbish isn't it. As I've mentioned, it's all retro-fitting excuses. That's the problem with the IP mandate, trying to retro-fit an IP somewhere where it was not envisaged for. Fitting a square peg into a round hole. If the peg doesn't fit, hack the hole around. There, that's better, fits now. Don't know whether it's easier than actually inventing a an attraction that's custom built for a particular place with a story that hasn't been told before, you know, put back the imagination into Imagineering.
There is a difference between justifying it and imagining how it might fit with the knowledge that it's under consideration. We're not the ones making the decisions, so we're not trying to rationalize them; we're just having a discussion about how they could best integrate the IP they've proposed without dwelling endlessly on the state of Imagineering.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
"Toy Story already having a presence elsewhere"

That hasn't stopped Beauty and the Beast having appearances across three parks so far. And Beast is a sort-of animal so is a perfect fit for Animal Kingdom, to complete the full set.
Lion King was in 3 parks at one point before they went to just AK...

Legend of The Lion King - MK
Circle of Life an Environmental Fable - Epcot
Timon & Pumbaa's Saftey Smart show - Innoventions Epcot
Rafiki's Planet Watch At Conservation Station - AK
Festival of The Lion King - AK
 

wdisney9000

Truindenashendubapreser
Premium Member
But everyone is still scratching around trying to justify the inclusion of this-or-that IP, why it would or would not fit into a particular park, but it's all rubbish isn't it. As I've mentioned, it's all retro-fitting excuses. That's the problem with the IP mandate, trying to retro-fit an IP somewhere where it was not envisaged for. Fitting a square peg into a round hole. If the peg doesn't fit, hack the hole around. There, that's better, fits now.
At this point, Disney has learned they can jam a square peg into a round hole and the Disney brand defenders will not only justify it in any way imaginable but also defend it and attack any person who dare questions it.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
At this point, Disney has learned they can jam a square peg into a round hole and the Disney brand defenders will not only justify it in any way imaginable but also defend it and attack any person who dare questions it.

Spoken like someone who doesn't see all those same "defenders" be critical of all the other things that Disney has done but only remembers them not disliking the same things they dislike.
 

_caleb

Well-Known Member
"Toy Story already having a presence elsewhere"

That hasn't stopped Beauty and the Beast having appearances across three parks so far. And Beast is a sort-of animal so is a perfect fit for Animal Kingdom, to complete the full set.

But everyone is still scratching around trying to justify the inclusion of this-or-that IP, why it would or would not fit into a particular park, but it's all rubbish isn't it. As I've mentioned, it's all retro-fitting excuses. That's the problem with the IP mandate, trying to retro-fit an IP somewhere where it was not envisaged for. Fitting a square peg into a round hole. If the peg doesn't fit, hack the hole around. There, that's better, fits now. Don't know whether it's easier than actually inventing a an attraction that's custom built for a particular place with a story that hasn't been told before, you know, put back the imagination into Imagineering.
Generally, I’m against shoehorning IP. But you’ve got to admit it would seem like a big mistake for Disney NOT to include film IP in the parks. In fact, Disney often refers to the fact that in the darkest days of Epcot, it routinely received low guest satisfaction ratings due to it not feeling sufficiently “Disney.”

Many of us would have preferred that they’d done a better job explaining what Epcot was rather than cramming in all the IP. But that’s much easier said than done when Disney’s sitting on billions of dollars worth of stories that, with just a little retrofitting, would “disnefy” the place AND promote the films, don’t you think?
 

osian

Well-Known Member
Generally, I’m against shoehorning IP. But you’ve got to admit it would seem like a big mistake for Disney NOT to include film IP in the parks. In fact, Disney often refers to the fact that in the darkest days of Epcot, it routinely received low guest satisfaction ratings due to it not feeling sufficiently “Disney.”

Many of us would have preferred that they’d done a better job explaining what Epcot was rather than cramming in all the IP. But that’s much easier said than done when Disney’s sitting on billions of dollars worth of stories that, with just a little retrofitting, would “disnefy” the place AND promote the films, don’t you think?

No, I don't think it would be a big mistake not to shoehorn film IP everywhere. In many ways, I think the relentless pursuit of franchises is actually causing some harm and some of the symptoms of problems we are seeing now (aggressive nickel-and-diming, declining standards, thematic ambuguity and dilution, failed/very expensive ventures, etc). The parks are also suffering from being the cash-cow for the rest of the business that is not doing well.

I think "low guest satisfaction ratings due to not feeling sufficiently Disney" is probably a myth and at best the result of skewed surveys by Disney to re-affirm what they want to do. I don't believe EPCOT has ever hard "dark days" and been in trouble. Apart from the misguided 90s. It's not a failure to be in the Top 10 all the time.

IP is not the saviour, Animal Kingdom has IP but it's reverting to being considered a half-day park. Hollywood Studio has got IP coming out of its ears, but it's also got surprisingly little to do. It's not of lack of IP that is doing this. In fact, it's probably too much IP. Whole Toy Story land, whole Star Wars land, if you're not interested in those franchises than there's not a great deal left.
 

_caleb

Well-Known Member
No, I don't think it would be a big mistake not to shoehorn film IP everywhere.
In your opinion, does any inclusion of IP whatsoever count as “shoehorning?”
In many ways, I think the relentless pursuit of franchises is actually causing some harm and some of the symptoms of problems we are seeing now (aggressive nickel-and-diming, declining standards, thematic ambuguity and dilution, failed/very expensive ventures, etc). The parks are also suffering from being the cash-cow for the rest of the business that is not doing well.
Not sure I see how IP in the parks is necessarily related to the nickel-and-diming (which I really resent), but if you take it from Disney’s perspective, it’s ALL IP, isn’t it? Whether park attractions, films, series, or even marketing efforts, the process is pretty much the same.
I think "low guest satisfaction ratings due to not feeling sufficiently Disney" is probably a myth and at best the result of skewed surveys by Disney to re-affirm what they want to do. I don't believe EPCOT has ever hard "dark days" and been in trouble. Apart from the misguided 90s. It's not a failure to be in the Top 10 all the time.
That’s some conspiracy theory that Disney would completely change the concept of Epcot against guest feedback. But the “misguided 90s” are exactly what I was referring to as “dark days.” NO updates to a park that was based on the World’s Fair made for a stale experience for many. As much as it pains me, I believe the claims that guests weren’t super-pleased with the edutainment approach and long form rides like Horizons, World of Motion, etc.

The fact that Epcot was consistently in the top 10 visited parks was likely in spite of what they let it become. Personally, I think the original left such an impression on an entire generation of fans that they routinely returned just trying to recapture that feeling. And, of course, the millions of once-in-a-lifetime visitors who had nothing to compare it to.
IP is not the saviour, Animal Kingdom has IP but it's reverting to being considered a half-day park. Hollywood Studio has got IP coming out of its ears, but it's also got surprisingly little to do. It's not of lack of IP that is doing this. In fact, it's probably too much IP. Whole Toy Story land, whole Star Wars land, if you're not interested in those franchises than there's not a great deal left.
I think we agree here. I don’t think IP makes or breaks a park. I prefer park-original IP to film IP in the parks, but we all have our preferences, don’t we?
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
It is interesting that the most compelling and most beloved attractions were non-ip based.... Space Mountain, Alien Encounter, Carousel Of Progress, Timekeeper, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Hall Of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, The Original Living Seas, Soarin' The Original Imagination attraction, Spaceship Earth, Horizons, The Original World Of Motion, Maelstrom, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Dinosaur ( not really a recognizable IP)...
I don't mind IP when it fits... like Rat in France...but I really dislike the trend of only building attractions based on a franchise... I think we all loved Disney for their ability to create amazing experiences and attractions that were usually completely original experiences and characters....
 

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