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

[J4546]

my biggest gripe would be that cloning lands in FL and CA gives people on each coast less of a reason to visit the other coast. I love carsland but keep it in CA and keep Avatar in FL.

 

[Bocabear]

I would gladly trade Avatar for Carsland...
but we all know if they actually decided to build Carsland in Florida they would put it in Adventureland or Animal Kingdom....lol

 

[bmr1591]

I'd personally prefer something unique and creative. I'm really surprised they haven't revisited the old Silly Symphonies dark ride idea they had decades ago. I guess it isn't relevant enough today, but it would fit perfectly in Animation Courtyard.

 

[bmr1591]

I would gladly trade Avatar for Carsland...
but we all know if they actually decided to build Carsland in Florida they would put it in Adventureland or Animal Kingdom....lol

"In this brand new land, you'll learn about how to conserve fuel during your adventures, and see the disastrous effects cars can have on the environment."

It's just a Lightning McQueen M&G.

 

[lentesta]

Well, that's interesting if true. We already know that "Beyond Thunder Mountain" is a potential thing and there's also the new talk about maybe doing something at SGE.

But any ideas what (and where) is being considered for DHS? I personally feel like redoing all of Animation courtyard including taking out the old animation building and connecting it to the RNR area is the right play but I'm curious as to Disney's thoughts.

I also think there's no way they should close Dinoland USA down unless they add rides elsewhere first (*cough* Pandora) to compensate for potential lost capacity.

I think Animation Courtyard is a good thing to focus on. I've heard "Monsters, Inc" for the area, including some version of the long-rumored coaster.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Orlando still likes the idea of Carsland/ RSR but they're hesitant on pulling the trigger just yet, unless things changed. But it could be somethings else entirely.

For them to circle back to DHS makes me think MMRR wasn't the draw they had hoped.

The problem with Disney’s Hollywood Studios is that it seriously lacks capacity. It cannot be more of a draw because there is no room to put people. More than any other park it needs filler.

 

[JohnD]

I could be wrong. But yeah, what I've heard is MK and HS are the focus.

This is all off the top of my head, so help me clarify my thinking here.

The thing I don't know is whether the strategy Disney's betting on is:

1. Add to already-popular parks -or-
2. Add to less-popular parks

Strategy #1 seems to make sense if Disney sees a need to get people in the door. So if surveys say "I'm not coming because there's nothing new", even after everything that's been added to EPCOT, then adding to MK makes sense. Lots of people think WDW === MK.

Strategy #2 seems to make sense if they need to get people to stay longer. Like, people are coming, but they're only going to 2 parks instead of 3 or 4.

I mention strategy #2 because I recently got an email asking for advice about G+. When I asked for details about the trip, the response was "We're doing 2 days at MK, 1 at EP, and 1 at HS."

I would love to see how many people are skipping AK like that. And this person has a 2-BR at BLT for a week. They have the money and the time.

I'm going on a trip in March with a FR family of three. They purchased the 3-Day Disney Thrills ticket and are definitely doing MK and HS each on a separate day. They'll polling their 8 year old son on the remaining park. The mother isn't too keen on AK. It's a "zoo". I think they're leaning Epcot. Besides, you can stay all day in Epcot. Not so AK, even if you're not going park commando and are diligent about doing the shows and walking trails.

I don't know the Disney strategy, but AK needs to build out its Tropical Americas and do other things to make it an all day park.

 

[doctornick]

I think Animation Courtyard is a good thing to focus on. I've heard "Monsters, Inc" for the area, including some version of the long-rumored coaster.

Interesting. It would be a decent enough idea but the big thing IMHO would be making sure it add enough new attractions. Whatever things get added to DHS need to add another 3 attractions at least (and this is with retaining everything already there).

I'd rather they go with a more generic option like "Toontown" that could utilize multiple different IPs, but if they go with Monsters, they need to figure out multiple rides to put there.

 

[doctornick]

I don't know the Disney strategy, but AK needs to build out its Tropical Americas and do other things to make it an all day park.

They need to add stuff elsewhere (another ride in Pandora and one more in either Africa or Asia) then close Dinoland for Tropical Americas while also opening up a new nighttime show in the waterside theater.

DAK really can't afford to close anything down given its capacity.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I would guess that the Cars Land of DHS would be significantly smaller, probably only including RSR if anything. Let's check sizes...

As you can see, RSR itself is actually larger than the space they have at DHS. I'm assuming if they did this they would have to rearrange things backstage a bit at DHS. But there's basically no way we are getting an entire Cars Land over there.

 

[JohnD]

They need to add stuff elsewhere (another ride in Pandora and one more in either Africa or Asia) then close Dinoland for Tropical Americas while also opening up a new nighttime show in the waterside theater.

DAK really can't afford to close anything down given its capacity.

I'm fine with whatever order they do it in. Yours makes sense.

 

[bmr1591]

I think Animation Courtyard is a good thing to focus on. I've heard "Monsters, Inc" for the area, including some version of the long-rumored coaster.

Just ditch the 'Toy Story Land' sign and make a Pixar Studios land, make the left side a LucasFilms land, make Animation Courtyard a Disney Animation land, and let Sunset Blvd be a Golden Era land.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I think Animation Courtyard is a good thing to focus on. I've heard "Monsters, Inc" for the area, including some version of the long-rumored coaster.

Fascinating, that's the first I've heard of the Door Coaster being at all alive in a very long time. I do know for a fact that the old plans still exist at WDI (haven't seen them, but I know someone who has).

 

[doctornick]

I would guess that the Cars Land of DHS would be significantly smaller, probably only including RSR if anything. Let's check sizes...

View attachment 765926View attachment 765927
View attachment 765928
As you can see, RSR itself is actually larger than the space they have at DHS. I'm assuming if they did this they would have to rearrange things backstage a bit at DHS. But there's basically no way we are getting an entire Cars Land over there.

I would be shocked - and extremely disappointed - if they were reworking the Animation Courtyard area and didn't build into the substantial (backstage) land just north of what you are depicting which has buildings that could easily be torn down and their functions moved. they need to connect Animation Courtyard with the RNR are for better flow in the park.

 

[lentesta]

I wouldn't be shocked - and extremely disappointed - if they were reworking the Animation Courtyard area and didn't building into the substantial (backstage) land just north of what you are depicting which has buildings that could easily be torn down and their functions moved. they need to connect Animation Courtyard with the RNR are for better flow in the park.

You know, once you've rented a bulldozer, it doesn't cost anything extra to knock down more buildings.

 

[JD80]

I could be wrong. But yeah, what I've heard is MK and HS are the focus.

This is all off the top of my head, so help me clarify my thinking here.

The thing I don't know is whether the strategy Disney's betting on is:

1. Add to already-popular parks -or-
2. Add to less-popular parks

Strategy #1 seems to make sense if Disney sees a need to get people in the door. So if surveys say "I'm not coming because there's nothing new", even after everything that's been added to EPCOT, then adding to MK makes sense. Lots of people think WDW === MK.

Strategy #2 seems to make sense if they need to get people to stay longer. Like, people are coming, but they're only going to 2 parks instead of 3 or 4.

I mention strategy #2 because I recently got an email asking for advice about G+. When I asked for details about the trip, the response was "We're doing 2 days at MK, 1 at EP, and 1 at HS."

I would love to see how many people are skipping AK like that. And this person has a 2-BR at BLT for a week. They have the money and the time.

We skipped DHS last trip (you have that data via TP though). We did 2 days at Epcot, 1 day at AK and 1 day at MK as well as the MVMCP.

 

[JohnD]

I would guess that the Cars Land of DHS would be significantly smaller, probably only including RSR if anything. Let's check sizes...

View attachment 765926View attachment 765927
View attachment 765928
As you can see, RSR itself is actually larger than the space they have at DHS. I'm assuming if they did this they would have to rearrange things backstage a bit at DHS. But there's basically no way we are getting an entire Cars Land over there.

There's a parking lot north of SWLB which would yield additional space.

 

[JD80]

DHS really needs reshaping after all the additions throughout the years. It's a pain to navigate. Plenty of room in animation courtyard all the way around to RNR.

Personally, I would love to see RNR rethemed to something spooky and add some other space back there and make a scary/spooky area permanently in the parks. Take some pressure off the MNSSHP and throw in another ticketed event.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I've extended it to include the extra parking lots, while keeping whatever backstage area is across Theatre of the Stars Dr. on the left side. That gets us a bit more substantial space, but still smaller than Toy Story Land in total footprint.

If we get rid of the entire backstage area over, almost all the way to World Dr, you've got a plot of land even bigger than TSL and SWGE. But this one is very unlikely, so I'd say we could get something in between TSL and SWGE in size, if it's a whole new land.

 

[JohnD]

View attachment 765931
I've extended it to include the extra parking lots, while keeping whatever backstage area is across Theatre of the Stars Dr. on the left side. That gets us a bit more substantial space, but still smaller than Toy Story Land in total footprint.

If we get rid of the entire backstage area over, almost all the way to World Dr, you've got a plot of land even bigger than TSL and SWGE. But this one is very unlikely, so I'd say we could get something in between TSL and SWGE in size, if it's a whole new land.
View attachment 765936

You're welcome. Although, I would prefer keeping Walt Disney Presents. It's still Walt Disney World after all. Anything to give him recognition.