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

[ToTBellHop]

If they really pull out the stops and do a Villain's land with multiple attractions, dining and retail, it could be the next big thing for Disney parks worldwide...and create a huge uptick in attendance... it would truly help "turbocharge" the Magic Kingdom. If they do a value engineered version I don't think it would do much to move the needle...

I guess we will find out in 2032…

 

[erasure fan1]

but it would take a great investment, and would really need to be done well with a budget to match....

I don't think the budget would be a problem. Now how they spend said budget, that's where the issues come in.

 

[RoysCabin]

Completely agree. I think what you're also touching on - the shift from what was once deemed "entertainment" is not just "content" strips it of any value and inherent emotion. It's the commodification of storytelling.

Something something about late stage capitalism.

Really good video below on that very topic:
"Everything is Content Now", by YouTuber Patrick Willems

 

[KDM31091]

As others have said I don't think Indy will really move the needle for DAK. It will be exciting for a bit and then the novelty will wear off, and more importantly it's not going to significantly help the crowding or lack of capacity since it will use the same ride system etc.

Disney needs to ADD to the parks, not just replace. Other than Tron, what in the past decade has been actual new construction and not a replacement on some level?

 

[Twirlnhurl]

Disney needs to ADD to the parks, not just replace. Other than Tron, what in the past decade has been actual new construction and not a replacement on some level?

Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy's Edge may not have been a net increase of total attractions, but the utilized capacity is dramatically higher. Rise of the Resistance serves about the same number of people that Lights Motors Action would serve in 6 hours. Smugglers Run is also about twice as popular as Studio Backlot Tour. Slinky Dog Dash serves more than Honey I Shrunk The Kids. And Alien Swirling Saucers serves more than Jack Sparrow, Narnia, or whatever other garbage used to be in that sound stage.

Ratatouille was all new capacity.

Guardians of the Galaxy is ridden by more people a day than Universe of Energy and 2005 Wonders of Life combined.

I wish Disney would build more new, especially in DHS and DAK. But if they have to replace, at least the underutilized attractions like Dinosaur and Triceratops Spin are good candidates.

 

[RoysCabin]

I think Frozen is equally disjointed, and also looks barren/unfinished compared to Maelstrom.

I think FEA is one of the worst designed rides at WDW, though -- it's really more about that than Maelstrom. It has nice AAs (and even those are brought down by the projection faces), and that's basically it. It's sole appeal is the inclusion of Frozen characters and Frozen songs; there's nothing else there.

I've also long said that one of the things I miss about attractions like Maelstrom, imperfect though it was (Tony Baxter's critique that the short film should've come before the ride certainly holds up), was that when taken in its totality - ride, short wait in the darkened seaport town, short movie - it actually added up to something that felt like a more substantial experience.

The norm now is to wait much longer in line for attractions that are much, much shorter overall. That's not always the end of the world, no one's expecting a roller coaster to be a 15 minute experience, but it's something I definitely miss. I know some rides try to make up for it with more stuff happening during the queue, but (and I know this is pretty subjective) that can be pretty hit or miss, for me.

 

[UNCgolf]

I've also long said that one of the things I miss about attractions like Maelstrom, imperfect though it was (Tony Baxter's critique that the short film should've come before the ride certainly holds up), was that when taken in its totality - ride, short wait in the darkened seaport town, short movie - it actually added up to something that felt like a more substantial experience.

The norm now is to wait much longer in line for attractions that are much, much shorter overall. That's not always the end of the world, no one's expecting a roller coaster to be a 15 minute experience, but it's something I definitely miss. I know some rides try to make up for it with more stuff happening during the queue, but (and I know this is pretty subjective) that can be pretty hit or miss, for me.

This is one of the many things I loved about EPCOT. There was so much more going on than just a ride in most of the pavilions, and even the rides themselves were often only part of a larger overall experience, as well as generally being much longer than your average theme park attraction.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I've also long said that one of the things I miss about attractions like Maelstrom, imperfect though it was (Tony Baxter's critique that the short film should've come before the ride certainly holds up), was that when taken in its totality - ride, short wait in the darkened seaport town, short movie - it actually added up to something that felt like a more substantial experience.

The norm now is to wait much longer in line for attractions that are much, much shorter overall. That's not always the end of the world, no one's expecting a roller coaster to be a 15 minute experience, but it's something I definitely miss. I know some rides try to make up for it with more stuff happening during the queue, but (and I know this is pretty subjective) that can be pretty hit or miss, for me.

Agree in some cases but then others I think there is a pretty lengthly full experience Cosmic Rewind, you have the videos in the queue but then two preshow experiences then the next part fo the queue before the actual ride. The entire exprience is 15-20 mins

Similar for Rise of the Resistance with the preshow elements

 

[Tha Realest]

Galaxy's Edge boosted DHS attendance? Must be some fuzzy math going on there because 2022 DHS numbers (10.9 million) are still below 2019 (11.48 million), when GE was still just a Bob Iger tweet away from being announced as open.

And Disneyland attendance remained flat.

 

[RoysCabin]

This is one of the many things I loved about EPCOT. There was so much more going on than just a ride in most of the pavilions, and even the rides themselves were often only part of a larger overall experience, as well as generally being much longer than your average theme park attraction.

I was lucky to go to the parks a lot as a very small child in the late 80s and through grade school in the 90s, and between classic EPCOT and a lot of early MGM attractions, it almost felt like stuff that went at least 12 minutes was the norm at times.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I was lucky to go to the parks a lot as a very small child in the late 80s and through grade school in the 90s, and between classic EPCOT and a lot of early MGM attractions, it almost felt like stuff that went at least 12 minutes was the norm at times.

You were able to experience peak EPCOT Center, which was arguably late 1991-1994. All of the original pavilions were running and basically unaltered. No Test Track, no Imagination Institute, no Ellen… you get the point. And you’re right - those pavilions ATE people (and it was popular, despite what some around here try to argue).

MGM didn’t really start getting its footing until the last remaining example of WDI near-perfection, the ToT, opened in 1994.

 

[SpectreJordan]

You were able to experience peak EPCOT Center, which was arguably late 1991-1994. All of the original pavilions were running and basically unaltered. No Test Track, no Imagination Institute, no Ellen… you get the point. And you’re right - those pavilions ATE people (and it was popular, despite what some around here try to argue).

MGM didn’t really start getting its footing until the last remaining example of WDI near-perfection, the ToT, opened in 1994.

I wish we could've gotten a lot of the cancelled MGM rides like Dick Tracy & Roger Rabbit. Those concepts sounded amazing & I imagine the Imagineers of that era would've killed it.

 

[marni1971]

Changes at DAK are gaining traction. For better or worse.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Changes at DAK are gaining traction. For better or worse.

I’ll be curious to see if they modify further before construction begins.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I’ll be curious to see if they modify further before construction begins.

 

[Indy_UK]

If they are serious about not building a 5th park then the whole of ‘behind thunder mountain’ needs to be the Villians land.

Animal Kingdom needs a lot more than the Dinoland we work. It will be a net gain of 1 attraction when said and done isn’t it? Nice land themes are all well and good but the parks need capacity..

I wonder if the proposed Lion King land for Paris will get cloned for AK too

 

[Andrew25]

I'm at the point where I don't care what happens at DAK... I'm just desperate for something new. As long as they don't ruin sightlines in the park... fine with anything.

 

[Disstevefan1]

For AK they should clone Moana and tweak the theme and call it Avatar: The Way of Water.

AK is a place they really do need a water play area.

 

[marni1971]

I'm at the point where I don't care what happens at DAK... I'm just desperate for something new.

That is one of the problems (Not aimed at you though )

 

[UNCgolf]

Changes at DAK are gaining traction. For better or worse.

I think the last blue sky presentation was about the best we can hope for under current management. It shouldn't be too disruptive to the park's theme and could (and should) potentially add at least a few new animals.

At the very least it was a massive improvement over building a Zootopia ride.