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

[yensidtlaw1969]

I’d love to see them simply improve dinoland and since technically we have no official confirmation from Disney on anything at this point, I’m holding out a tiny bit of hope that dinosaur will stay. But I know I’m likely wrong.

The ship seems so have sailed, I'm afraid.

Thankfully, what's coming seems to be exciting.

And I say that as someone who also thinks the answer to DinoLand's problems is to just make a better DinoLand.

 

[DisneyDean97]

I wouldn't hold my breath for that here. Despite how cool that would be.

Honestly how hard would it be to clone the mine cart ride from DLP, obviously its not the smoothest but Intamin has come a long way. Plus it would give AK one more attraction to its lineup, ever since losing Primeval Whirl, AK only has 1 coaster.

 

[Bocabear]

Honestly how hard would it be to clone the mine cart ride from DLP, obviously its not the smoothest but Intamin has come a long way. Plus it would give AK one more attraction to its lineup, ever since losing Primeval Whirl, AK only has 1 coaster.

The Indiana Jones Mine Cart coaster is about 1 minute and 20 seconds from start to brake run... and honestly not that great...a longer coaster with some great show sets and animatronics would be fantastic though... I remember going on the DLP Mine cart ride...I was very excited to ride it and then realize that basically it is a small footprint amusement park ride with a little bit of theming here and there....and so short... Well, Oaken's Sliding Sleighs seems to be the winner at about 53 seconds....

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Honestly how hard would it be to clone the mine cart ride from DLP, obviously its not the smoothest but Intamin has come a long way. Plus it would give AK one more attraction to its lineup, ever since losing Primeval Whirl, AK only has 1 coaster.

The Indiana Jones Mine Cart coaster is about 1 minute and 20 seconds from start to brake run... and honestly not that great...a longer coaster with some great show sets and animatronics would be fantastic though... I remember going on the DLP Mine cart ride...I was very excited to ride it and then realize that basically it is a small footprint amusement park ride with a little bit of theming here and there....and so short... Well, Oaken's Sliding Sleighs seems to be the winner at about 53 seconds....

DLP's Indy coaster also has a loop, and what I believe is the highest height requirement of any Disney attraction. So not especially kid-friendly in a park that could use more kid-friendly attractions.

Not that they couldn't do a new version that's more accomodating on that front, but I also don't personally have any indication that Disney is considering any coasters for AK.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Thankfully, what's coming seems to be exciting.

if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's never trust Disney concept art

 

[DisneyDean97]

DLP's Indy coaster also has a loop, and what I believe is the highest height requirement of any Disney attraction. So not especially kid-friendly in a park that could use more kid-friendly attractions.

Not that they couldn't do a new version that's more accomodating on that front, but I also don't personally have any indication that Disney is considering any coasters for AK.

I'm aware of the loop, but wouldn't be against Animal Kingdom being a little more on the thrill side for its lineup. Although I do see a glaring gap in the park's lineup with no family or kiddie coaster. It's either Everest or nothing. Long live the Excavator coaster I guess lol

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The ship seems so have sailed, I'm afraid.

Thankfully, what's coming seems to be exciting.

And I say that as someone who also thinks the answer to DinoLand's problems is to just make a better DinoLand.

Quoting myself to clarify - I don't want anyone to misread my post and think I was suggesting the DinoLand redo will retain any Dino-ness. As far as I know it won't. But what they are doing seems exciting enough for me to lay down my spade over losing the Dinos.

 

[MrPromey]

I mean, I don’t feel like updating the actress for the preshow is probably worth the money, in disneys eyes. It works and gets the point across, and it’s very likely many younger riders have no idea who it is anyway, just a generic character in the preshow. Again, not everything has to be tied to a recognizable movie, IP, actress whatever.

But I will say I do wish the attraction received more regular TLC and general updates over the years instead of being neglected.

It's not so much about the actress herself but the fact that she's got a dated hair style and is wearing a very dated power-suit but presenting a supposedly futuristic product/service.

Really, doing it with footage of anyone who can act to create footage that doesn't look almost 30 years old is what I'm talking about.

I mean, Gina Torres, the actress they replaced Gary Sinise with In Mission Space wasn't exactly a complete nobody at the time but I think a lot of people who weren't fans of the short-lived Firefly series probably wouldn't know her.

It could have basically been anyone capable of delivering the lines credibly and I think the same applies, here.

 

[HauntedPirate]

DLP's Indy coaster also has a loop, and what I believe is the highest height requirement of any Disney attraction. So not especially kid-friendly in a park that could use more kid-friendly attractions.

Not that they couldn't do a new version that's more accomodating on that front, but I also don't personally have any indication that Disney is considering any coasters for AK.

IF they were to do an Indy coaster at AK, I would hope they could borrow some of the queue theming from Paris, make it even better, and then have a coaster that doesn't have inversions to provide a more family-friendly ride but yet still be thrilling. Disney is all about thrills these days... at least if you listen to their advertisements about "Disney thrills".

 

[HauntedPirate]

It's not so much about the actress herself but the fact that she's got a dated hair style and is wearing a very dated power-suit but presenting a supposedly futuristic product/service.

Really, doing it with footage of anyone who can act to create footage that doesn't look almost 30 years old is what I'm talking about.

So someone's hairstyle and clothing in a pre-show for an attraction (that is still good but needs TLC) looks "dated"?

The AAs and puppets need work, not the pre-show. It still sets up the current ride perfectly.

 

[MrPromey]

So someone's hairstyle and clothing in a pre-show for an attraction (that is still good but needs TLC) looks "dated"?

The AAs and puppets need work, not the pre-show. It still sets up the current ride perfectly.

Yeah, already covered that in my original post the other person was responding to, but thanks.

My point was, if the ride seems dated and in bad shape today, it's Disney's fault for not maintaining it and making the minor updates that might be needed to keep it looking fresh.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yeah, already covered that in my original post the other person was responding to, but thanks.

My point was, if the ride seems dated and in bad shape today, it's Disney's fault for not maintaining it and making the minor updates that might be needed to keep it looking fresh.

Ah. My bad. Too much going on right now to keep anything straight.

There is so much on the list of "Things that need work"... *sigh*. So glad they scratched "Fix Splash Mountain AA's" off that list.

 

[MrPromey]

I know nostalgia rules supreme with Disney fandom...

But this plan looks so much better and more fitting in AK than Dinoland, even with IPs

Really?

So to make sure I'm understanding you, you think a land based on Encanto and Indiana Jones is a better fit than one about Dinosaurs in a theme park about animals and nature?

Not arguing that whole area isn't in need of work but I'd love to know how this direction away from the focus that has been the overarching theme of the park makes more sense.

Please explain how that works.

 

[MrPromey]

You have more faith than I do that they wouldn’t just open a bag of Doritos, throw some taco meat and lettuce in there, and sell Miguel’s Musical Walking Taco Bag for $14.99.

Honestly, I think that would be an upgrade from at least a couple of MK's existing fast-service offerings.

 

[Yellow Strap]

Really?

So to make sure I'm understanding you, you think a land based on Encanto and Indiana Jones is a better fit than one about Dinosaurs in a theme park about animals and nature?

Not arguing that whole area isn't in need of work but I'd love to know how this direction away from the focus that has been the overarching theme of the park makes more sense.

Please explain how that works.

A parking lot with dino-themed flat rides and carnival games stands out like sore thumb.

A lush land full of animals, trees, and cultural areas themed to a specific geographical area intune with the other lands (Africa, Asia) works. Even with IPs in there.

I hope this clears things up.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

I imagine AK’s IJA will involve ancient Mayans’ or Aztecs’ mythology involving animals—like snakes and jaguars, for example. That would make it about “humankind’s relationship with animals and the natural world,” e.g., how various cultures have viewed animals as our cousins rather than just existing for our benefit, etc., which fits AK’s “intrinsic value of nature” philosophy.

 

[britain]

A parking lot with dino-themed flat rides and carnival games stands out like sore thumb.

A lush land full of animals, trees, and cultural areas themed to a specific geographical area intune with the other lands (Africa, Asia) works. Even with IPs in there.

I hope this clears things up.

Technically you could say all of the lands have human architecture that is falling apart, unable to withstand the forces of nature. And Dino-Rama kinda fits that. “Oh, you Americans think third-world nations are the only places with fallible architecture? Look at your own roadside attractions!”

Maybe that’s how Joe justified it to himself, I don’t know.

 

[osian]

A parking lot with dino-themed flat rides and carnival games stands out like sore thumb.

A lush land full of animals, trees, and cultural areas themed to a specific geographical area intune with the other lands (Africa, Asia) works. Even with IPs in there.

I hope this clears things up.

You're talking about the existing parking lot DinoRama. What if Dinoland was refurbished to be a lush area, full of weird and wonderful prehistoric creatures and animals, trees, vegation and wildlife, as it would have been at that time. Very similar to Pandora actually. Ditching the silly backstory about fictitious characters setting up tourist traps, shops and restaurants (this concept is overdone at WDW), and concentrating on exhibits and attractions telling the story of dinosaurs and other such prehistoric creatures, what they did, what theie lives were like, what they fed on, what happened to them etc. If you insist on it being a specific geographic area, then this land could be made to be there, what the creatures were at that time that were native to that area, and there could then be more expositions on how that area evolved into what it is today. Explain again how Encanto would fit better in an animal-themed park? As some of us have been saying for some time, the theme didn't have to change. A land themed to prehistoric animals doesn't have to be based in a parking lot, but you seem to be saying that it can only be that.

The problem with current Disney is that they are no longer allowed to tell true stories. The stories they tell can only be fiction.

 

[peter11435]

A parking lot with dino-themed flat rides and carnival games stands out like sore thumb.

A lush land full of animals, trees, and cultural areas themed to a specific geographical area intune with the other lands (Africa, Asia) works. Even with IPs in there.

I hope this clears things up.

It only sticks out to you because the setting is more familiar. Rundown businesses and tourist traps with Asian and African architecture seem well themed to you. But if you tell the same story with an American setting it seems cheap to you.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Honestly how hard would it be to clone the mine cart ride from DLP, obviously its not the smoothest but Intamin has come a long way. Plus it would give AK one more attraction to its lineup, ever since losing Primeval Whirl, AK only has 1 coaster.

I don't often post but Indie at DLP is a terrible terrible ride, not even vaguely worthy of being in a Disney park and certainly not DAK. But then going against the trend I am consistently underwhelmed by my visits to DLP especially the Studios, Disney Village and the hotels. Still, it's all opinions.