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

[SCOTLORR]

Disney parks boss addresses potential 'Indiana Jones' ride at Animal Kingdom

Disney parks boss addresses potential 'Indiana Jones' replacement for Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom and other big moves: 'We know what our fans expect of us and we're going all in.'

ew.com

Not much in this article that we don't already know, but it's noteworthy that the Indiana Jones/South America re-theme of DinoLand has been mentioned outside of the D23 press event, fwiw. That can't be said about the Moana announcement at D23 2022.

 

[osian]

I think it was just time for dinosaur to go extinct. This ride has so many different problems that its impossible to ever get it working as good as it did when it first started. The animatronics in some cases are malfunctioning as bad as disco yeti [snip] If they scrap it and start fresh they could easily make a good indiana jones ride

Do you have a problem with the theme or the fact that it's needs mechanical maintenance? In other words, if the animatronics are broken, the vehicle is dated, it doesn't work as good as it did when it opened, why will a change of theme rectify that? Is there something about Indiana Jones that would mean the animatronics never break or that the ride would never need maintaining? If they start afresh, why couldn't it be rebuilt as a dinosaur theme with all the modern embellishments and animatronics that more recent attractions have been given (albeit Rise continually has technical issues with its animatronics and effects, perhaps that needs scrapping too?).

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Disney parks boss addresses potential 'Indiana Jones' ride at Animal Kingdom

Disney parks boss addresses potential 'Indiana Jones' replacement for Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom and other big moves: 'We know what our fans expect of us and we're going all in.'

ew.com

Not much in this article that we don't already know, but it's noteworthy that the Indiana Jones/South America re-theme of DinoLand has been mentioned outside of the D23 press event, fwiw. That can't be said about the Moana announcement at D23 2022.

At this point, Disney may legitimately be in trouble as a company. They can’t make a good movie to save their lives, it’s just underperformance and bomb after underperformance and bomb. They just finished a disastrous writer’s/actor’s strike that means nothing int he pipelines for the foreseeable future. They are extremely cash-poor and their streaming service continues to lose money. Their domestic parks division is contracting. I think they’ll say anything in the media right now to get attention off of all of that, but I really don’t know about their future as a company at this point.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

While I loved Dinosaur, the pairing of giant creatures and speed is counter intuitive. Grandeur needs time. Even the Yeti is flawed by concept. If you're going to go big, you need more than fleeting seconds. I dearly wish they would actually commit to a proper land of prehistoric giants, but things as they are have me okay with the coming changes.

The Yeti is sort of its own thing there - you're meant by the end to wonder if you really even saw what you just saw. Being a mythical creature you're supposed to feel as if you've only gotten a fleeting glimpse to take away, lucky to have seen it at all given that its existence is unverified, but that within that glimpse he was a fully believable as a real and ferocious creature. Of course this has been completely kneecapped by the figure's operational status, which is tragic.

Dinosaur takes a different approach, where it lets you stop and see the big bad creature multiple times - but how scary is an enormous, sharp-toothed Dinosaur if you keep running into it and he never seems to "get you"? The speed is meant to amp up the thrill and provide a base level of fear the Carnotaurus can push you over the top from. We do get a brief moment closer to "grandeur" at the beginning with the Triceratops, but it's pretty clear the goal here isn't to revel in the majesty of these creatures.

I do agree that there is a void that deserves to be filled where guests are given the opportunity to take in the sheer awesomeness of realistic, full-size Dinosaurs, especially since losing Universe of Energy. UoE was never perfect when it came to fulfilling that type of experience, but it was something rather than nothing. That Disney wants to divest further from Dinosaurs in their theme parks is such a boneheaded mistake - there's so much creative potential, and an eternal appetite for the chance to see Dinos "for real".

Yes, they have to avoid and compete with Jurassic Park up the road, but given that Universal's Dinosaur offerings fall short of delivering the kind of awe-inspiring experience there's so much potential for, Disney should be doubling down on Dinos rather than throwing in the towel.

 

[Fox&Hound]

I am confused. How did that article change anything? It seems like another vague “we might building Indiana Jones. But we might not”

Disney is so frustrating. Just announce something and get those shovels digging

 

[ToTBellHop]

I am confused. How did that article change anything? It seems like another vague “we might building Indiana Jones. But we might not”

Disney is so frustrating. Just announce something and get those shovels digging

Yeah but he was saying that in September, it was a 50% chance of happening. Now it’s a 52% chance. I’ll leave it to our staff mathematicians to determine when it will hit 100%.

 

[mattpeto]

Yeah but he was saying that in September, it was a 50% chance of happening. Now it’s a 52% chance. I’ll leave it to our staff mathematicians to determine when it will hit 100%.

He even referenced the Indy music as a subtle tease. These guys are corny as hell, but I’d bump to 52.09% thanks Josh.

 

[Cliff]

I am confused. How did that article change anything? It seems like another vague “we might building Indiana Jones. But we might not”

Disney is so frustrating. Just announce something and get those shovels digging

They would if they had the green light from Disney finance....but they dont. So, they just endlessly play the dreaming, "what if" game with us.

Folks,...abosolutely ZERO will happen until a budget is submitted and actually approved for it. Only then will they be able to break ground, double their construction time and go way over than the approved budget and be forced to remove half of their ideas before finishing.

Under the current Disney construction habbits?....there will be a construction crater at Animal Kingdom for a MINUMUM of 5 years after they actually get started. Look how long it has taken them to build a simple walk through, PVC water pump attraction at Epcot?

I'd bet we are looking at an opening day of 2029-2030.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They would if they had the green light from Disney finance....but they dont. So, they just endlessly play the dreaming, "what if" game with us.

Folks,...abosolutely ZERO will happen until a budget is submitted and actuallt approved for it. Only then will they be able to break ground, double their building time and go way over that approved budget and be forced to remove half of their ideas before finishing.

Under the current Disney construction habbits?....there will be a construction crater at Animal Kingdom for a MINUMUM of 5 years after they actually get started. Look how long it has taken them to built a walk through, water pump attraction at Epcot?

I'd bet we are looking at an opening day of 2029-2030.

Iger will obviously have to work some magic to get this approved. The company at large needs more stable footing. $35 Genie+ can only fund so many The Marvels (and Wish’s reviews don’t point to future success in theaters any time soon. How’s Avatar 3 coming along, Jim?!).

At least Inside Out 2 looks good so far?

 

[Cliff]

Iger will obviously have to work some magic to get this approved. The company at large needs more stable footing. $35 Genie+ can only fund so many The Marvels (and Wish’s reviews don’t point to future success in theaters any time soon. How’s Avatar 3 coming along, Jim?!).

At least Inside Out 2 looks good so far?

I thought "Ant Man" and "Indiana Jones" were going to be the big hits that were going to break the spell and get Disney studios back on track to glory. I then was 100% sure that "The Marvels" was the spell breaker. Disney's has such bad luck lately! (I don't understand why...it's not like these movies don't have the Disney logo on them)

There is hope though..."Wish" is looking to be a really good movie and we also have one of Disney's biggest power-house brands, "Snow White" in production now. If "Wish" sill cant break the spell...then the power of "Snow White" will be the sledge hammer that finally breaks this bad luck cycle.

I just wish that Disney fans would get their act together and start supporting Disney more instead of avoiding it. We need to band TOGETHER, go to the theaters and watch these movies and please subscribe to Disney + ASAP.

If we can do that, they wont need to steal so much money from our parks. We need to HELP Disney keep parks money to stay "inside" parks investments. C'mon guys...do it for the parks we love.

Everybody that cancels their Disney + subscription...every time we avoid a Disney movie in the theaters,...we HURT our parks ability to get new stuff. Let's stop doing that. Please?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I thought "Ant Man" and "Indiana Jones" were going to be the big hits that were going to break the spell and get Disney studios back on track to glory. I then was 100% sure that "The Marvels" was the spell breaker. Disney's has such bad luck lately!

There is hope though..."Wish" is looking to be a really good movie and we also have Disney's biggest power-house brands, "Snow White" in production now. If "Wish" sill cant break the spell...then the power of "Snow White" will be the sledge hammer that finally breaks this bad luck cycle.

I just wish that Disney fans would get their act together and start supporting Disney more instead of avoiding it. We need to band TOGETHER, go to the theaters and watch these movies and please subscribe to Disney + ASAP.

If we can do that, they wont need to steal so much money from our parks. We need to HELP Disney keep parks money "inside" parks investments. C'mon guys...do it for the parks we love.

Everybody that cancels their Disney + subscription...every time we avoid a Disney movie in the theaters,...we HURT our parks ability to get new stuff. Let's stop doing that. Please?

The thing is, that's not really how movies work.

Most people don't see movies they have no interest in just because of who's producing it, they see movies they have interest in regardless of who's producing it. If you happen to be a company that produces many movies that someone enjoys you start to develop brand loyalty, but that only lasts as long as you deliver.

I used to see every Pixar Movie in theaters because I'd never seen a Pixar movie that failed to amaze me. A new Pixar Movie was an event. But with the way they've faltered in the last 10 years I no longer feel it's a guarantee I'll enjoy their work. Sometimes you get super lucky, and sometimes you get The Good Dinosaur. I've enjoyed some of their recent movies on Disney+, but I don't feel the need to spend the time or money at the theater the way that I used to.

Disney is the one who needs to get its act together here. I am more than prepared to continue my lifelong habit of throwing money at their films, provided they make and release ones that capture my attention and prove worth my time. They haven't been doing that lately. Brand loyalty isn't about blindly supporting whatever a company does, it's support that's conditional on sustained reputation. A lot of people, for reasons both good and bad, feel their trust in Disney has been battered.

While I think some of the cultural discourse around Disney's recent and upcoming movies is ridiculous and overzealous, they also aren't making that many movies that I'm dying to see. Last I saw in Theaters was Haunted Mansion and I was tremendously disappointed (and that was despite going in with lowered expectations). I'm lightly curious about Wish, but have no plans to see it in theaters. I'll wait for it to hit Disney+, which I've been subscribed to since Day 1.

If they want my money they can have it, they just have to earn it.

 

[LittleBuford]

The thing is, that's not really how movies work.

Most people don't see movies they have no interest in just because of who's producing it, they see movies they have interest in regardless of who's producing it. If you happen to be a company that produces many movies that someone enjoys you start to develop brand loyalty, but that only lasts as long as you deliver.

I used to see every Pixar Movie in theaters because I'd never seen a Pixar movie that failed to amaze me. A new Pixar Movie was an event. But with the way they've faltered in the last 10 years I no longer feel it's a guarantee I'll enjoy their work. Sometimes you get super lucky, and sometimes you get The Good Dinosaur. I've enjoyed some of their recent movies on Disney+, but I don't feel the need to spend the time or money at the theater the way that I used to.

Disney is the one who needs to get its act together here. I am more than prepared to continue my lifelong habit of throwing money at their films, provided they make and release ones that capture my attention and prove worth my time. They haven't been doing that lately. Brand loyalty isn't about blindly supporting whatever a company does, it's support that's conditional on sustained reputation. A lot of people, for reasons both good and bad, feel their trust in Disney has been battered.

While I think some of the cultural discourse around Disney's recent and upcoming movies is ridiculous and overzealous, they also aren't making that many movies that I'm dying to see. Last I saw in Theaters was Haunted Mansion and I was tremendously disappointed (and that was despite going in with lowered expectations). I'm lightly curious about Wish, but have no plans to see it in theaters. I'll wait for it to hit Disney+, which I've been subscribed to since Day 1.

If they want my money they can have it, they just have to earn it.

Based on his posting history, I suspect the poster you responded to was being sarcastic anyway.

 

[jeanericuser001]

Do you have a problem with the theme or the fact that it's needs mechanical maintenance? In other words, if the animatronics are broken, the vehicle is dated, it doesn't work as good as it did when it opened, why will a change of theme rectify that? Is there something about Indiana Jones that would mean the animatronics never break or that the ride would never need maintaining? If they start afresh, why couldn't it be rebuilt as a dinosaur theme with all the modern embellishments and animatronics that more recent attractions have been given (albeit Rise continually has technical issues with its animatronics and effects, perhaps that needs scrapping too?).

Both. Lets put it this way. The dinosaur ride is an open beer left outside in the sun. The more time that goes by the more the beer changes until its barely drinkable. Dinosaur at its initial start was an amazing attraction but over time it has had so many things happen. Animatronics that use to work are permanently broken. Effects that use to happen are gone. Even the vehicles themselves are pretty worn down. You can even smell a sort of stale smell while in some areas of that building as if even the carpet needs to be replaced. Now disney could invest millions to completely repair an attraction that has slipped in rank from decade to decade or create a new attraction from a franchise that people have clamored for a ride for in this side of the country for decades. Besides the franchise that dinosaur has tried to latch on to now is almost completely forgotten by most people where is indiana jones is still being constantly discovered by new generations. As for completely fixing dinosaur, that is one of many promises that disney has never actually been able to grant. Just like disco yeti, it will just remain in its same worn out broken down state collecting anyone who can't get on most other rides because the wait is either too long or its the only fast pass they can get. Indiana jones may have problems too but at least we know these will be fixed on a regular basis as disney would rather not have their marquee attraction broken down for too long where is dinosaur for all intents and purposes is just like that stale beer still left in the sun. Its been left to rot and will only continue to rot as disney seems to have no intention to bring it back to the same level of quality it had when its first started.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Based on his posting history, I suspect the poster you responded to was being sarcastic anyway.

Ah, missed that. Thanks

 

[denyuntilcaught]

Ah, missed that. Thanks

In all fairness, I had started to believe it myself as well.

 

[KDM31091]

I am guessing nothing will happen for at least a handful of years. They haven't given Spaceship Eath, Figment, even the Peoplemover (which breaks down every 30 seconds these days), and many other attractions across property the love they need/deserve, much less overhauling Dinosaur to match a decades old attraction at Disneyland. It makes little logical sense. No matter how they spin it, Indiana Jones makes little sense in Animal Kingdom. Yes the park is about "discovery and exploration" in a sense, but it's discovery and exploration of animals, not just anything.

I have stated it in other threads, but I think if they just put a little TLC into Dinosaur, it's fine. It still attracts people, it just needs some sprucing up like many other attractions do. I can't see how putting a reskin of Indiana Jones, again, based on an old ride, is going to be worth the investment at all.

 

[Cliff]

Based on his posting history, I suspect the poster you responded to was being sarcastic anyway.

Ok...ok...sarcasm on pause for this one post. Sincerity switch = "on"

Lately, I feel that Disney's errogance has broken the guage and is off the charts. They believe their logo is spectacular, noble and bulletproof. Disney believes that they are virtueous and everything they make is extrordinary. If something fails?...it's never "them" that is the issue. Instead, it's their customers fault for not wanting it or liking it. "We" are the problem!

Disney just seems to be socked at their failure. They think soooo highly of themselves that they just can't comprehend why we often dont want what they make. Disney is completely disconnected from it's customer's want's. Here is a simple sentence that sums it all up:

"We are NOT going to make products that our customers want. We are going make products that WE want our customers to want....and if they don't like it?...too bad"

I believe the US parks are in big trouble and I don't see any significant improvements to them for the next 5 years at best. It's time to clear out the rott in the Burbank boardroom and rebuild the Disney logo right now.

 

[LittleBuford]

Ok...ok...sarcasm on pause for this one post. Sincerity switch = "on"

Lately, I feel that Disney's errogance has broken the guage and is off the charts. They believe their logo is spectacular, noble and bulletproof. Disney believes that they are virtueous and everything they make is extrordinary. If something fails?...it's never "them" that is the issue. Instead, it's their customers fault for not wanting it or liking it. "We" are the problem!

Disney just seems to be socked at their failure. They think soooo highly of themselves that they just can't comprehend why we often dont want what they make. Disney is completely disconnected from it's customer's want's. Here is a simple sentence that sums it all up:

"We are NOT going to make products that our customers want. We are going make products that WE want our customers to want....and if they don't like it?...too bad"

This is a lot of projection as far as I’m concerned.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

It's arrogance for sure, but I don't think it's arrogance in the sense that they believe they can produce anything and people will flock to it. Even I don't believe Iger believes that (anymore - I think the SW:GE opening opened his eyes to that.)

I don't think what we're seeing is that belief. I think what we're seeing is the effects of long-term brand erosion and a leader who lacks the creativity to solve for it. Iger is a business man, and by most regards a darn good one at it. But most business men are not a brand builders. That takes a different mindset in understanding how and why a brand resonates, and clear safeguarding of potential decisions that may erode this resonance. From incessant price increases and upcharging in the parks, to the focus on quantity over quantity in content, to his infamous IP mandate stifling the development of new stories, each of these choices have led to brand erosion.

It's arrogance in the sense that the brand can persevere despite this erosion. But it can't and it won't. Just my two cents.

 

[jeanericuser001]

I am guessing nothing will happen for at least a handful of years. They haven't given Spaceship Eath, Figment, even the Peoplemover (which breaks down every 30 seconds these days), and many other attractions across property the love they need/deserve, much less overhauling Dinosaur to match a decades old attraction at Disneyland. It makes little logical sense. No matter how they spin it, Indiana Jones makes little sense in Animal Kingdom. Yes the park is about "discovery and exploration" in a sense, but it's discovery and exploration of animals, not just anything.

I have stated it in other threads, but I think if they just put a little TLC into Dinosaur, it's fine. It still attracts people, it just needs some sprucing up like many other attractions do. I can't see how putting a reskin of Indiana Jones, again, based on an old ride, is going to be worth the investment at all.

Dinosaur is not in the shape you think it is in. My advice is look up on youtube some of the early videos of Countdown to Extinction and watch the animatronics closely. Then watch the video of the ride as it is now with the lights on. You will notice a big difference. This is unfortunately a common problem for antiquated animatronics over time. They slowly break down until eventually it becomes to expensive to replace or even repair them so they reduce the movement little by little until one day they are doing almost nothing. No amount of money spent can get them back into the shape they once were and its too expensive to replace them with new robotics. This has been the bane of many animatronics at disney over time hence the need for new technology. Sadly this ride is not as big enough of an attraction to draw in as much people as it use to. At one time the wait for this could be up to a hour but now its rare to see it get near that unless its a holiday period.

As for those other attractions, Spaceship earth and journey into imagination is a complex issue as its also an attraction used to solicit advertising agreements with companies and with each company takeover includes a makeover of the ride. That is why although they get some repair work, the real makeovers happen when they get a sponsorship. As for the peoplemover, that is an attraction that has its own can of worms but mostly its just ensuring the magnets work properly. Everything else can be easily rethemed on a minimal budget. Since it is that easy to change its considered a lower priority hence it stays the same.

As for the indiana jones ride, we do not know if it will use the same theme as the disneyland version but that is likely doubtful as disney will likely take a different route due to that attraction also being a bit antiquated. A newer more modern attraction may be what disney has in mind. For all we know it could be any number of different possible things. It may even combine live action and animatrionics like the great movie ride. We know little at this point and I can only assume that disney at this point is weighing every pro and con to see which fits the best.

As for how indiana jones ties into animal kingdom, you have to look at animal kingdom as a series of lands. Africa, India, Asia, and with this new land, south america. You are also forgetting what indiana jones is, an archeologist. An archeologist's job is to explore the known world to unlock knowledge of the past so new generations can learn more about the past. An archeologist not only examines the people but also the land, the environment, and all factors connected to those people including the animals. An archeologist exploring an ancient structure in search of knowledge is not too dissimilar an idea to going on a train ride in search of the Yeti. Sure I would love for a strictly animal section to be added but we must remember the important saying that disney stressed over and over in commercials, Not a zoo.