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

[Animaniac93-98]

Am I the only one who is more interested in the possibilities of an Encanto or Indiana Jones attraction than a Lion King attraction at DAK? Those rides at least provide the potential to explore humans' relationship with animals, which I think is the core theme of the park. A Lion King ride would just be anthropomorphised animals telling a human story.

I don't understand the argument a Lion King ride would fit the theme of the park better and honestly think it would be a pretty bad fit alongside what's already there.

I actually agree with your concerns regarding the Lion King. Although I don’t exactly think Encanto or Indiana Jones are great fits either. I think it really comes down to how they treat the story and its inclusion in the park. If it’s just a book report ride where you’re plopped into their world then it doesn’t fit at all.

But at least they are animals behaving like animals…. Zootopia is the one that really angers me.

Perhaps even more than EPCOT, Animal Kingdom is not a park suited to IP additions and overlays.

As you point out, Disney's vast catalog of animal stories are, for the most part, about humanized animals, or animals interacting with humans. Very little is focused on the natural world or conservation in a way that doesn't just use them as a backdrop against the human drama. Even Pocahontas, a movie whose big song is about not exploiting nature, is guilty of this.

It really was a park that could only have been green lit and built as it was by 20th century Disney.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

A balanced ecosystem, a clear theme in TLK, would be very relevant to DAK. The question is if they can turn it into a good attraction.

That's what Circle of Life at Epcot was. An attraction that tired to use the characters to tell such a message.

Could a ride that has the same message, but still entertain as a ride work? That's the big question to me.

 

[peter11435]

That's what Circle of Life at Epcot was. An attraction that tired to use the characters to tell such a message.

Could a ride that has the same message, but still entertain as a ride work? That's the big question to me.

Maybe. But it’s still missing the human connection all other animal kingdom attractions have and have had.

 

[UNCgolf]

But at least they are animals behaving like animals…. Zootopia is the one that really angers me.

Yeah, the Lion King animals are anthropomorphic to an extent, but they're still functionally animals living in the natural world. They're not remotely like the Zootopia "animals".

I agree that it's probably not the best fit for the park, though.

 

[Brer Oswald]

If Lion King isn't a "good fit" for the park, then maybe it's time to retheme the park. Though I would gurantee most of you would be onboard if Disney officially announced it.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Our Mystical sources are telling us the new story line to the Indy retheme of DINOSAUR will speak to the themes of DAK.

Whether it is deemed successful or not is an unknown.

Presuming it will be unsuccessful at addressing the themes of DAK is just an opinion at this point with no basis on which to have that opinion. Beware of those who will assume it will fail without any knowledge of what it is, and then nerdrage over its (supposed and unproven) failure.

 

[UNCgolf]

If Lion King isn't a "good fit" for the park, then maybe it's time to retheme the park. Though I would gurantee most of you would be onboard if Disney officially announced it.

I'm not opposed to a Lion King ride at DAK, but I don't think it's hard to see why a book report ride wouldn't fit in especially well with the rest of the park.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

If Lion King isn't a "good fit" for the park, then maybe it's time to retheme the park. Though I would gurantee most of you would be onboard if Disney officially announced it.

Seems like a bold claim in a thread where not only are many denouncing that exact idea but also denouncing Encanto, Indiana Jones, Coco, Moana, and Zootopia as fit for Animal Kingdom.

Doesn't really look like opinions change just because Disney moves plans forward.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Our Mystical sources are telling us the new story line to the Indy retheme of DINOSAUR will speak to the themes of DAK.

Whether it is deemed successful or not is an unknown.

Presuming it will be unsuccessful at addressing the themes of DAK is just an opinion at this point with no basis on which to have that opinion. Beware of those who will assume it will fail without any knowledge of what it is, and then nerdrage over its (supposed and unproven) failure.

I'll say this - I've spent years arguing that Indy isn't a good fit for Animal Kingdom. Then a few weeks ago I saw some *stuff*, and now I'm excited for it to happen.

I still think the property overall is a better fit for Studios, and would prefer Dinosaur! be updated rather than removed, but what they're planning for Indy is better than people are expecting. In multiple ways.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Maybe. But it’s still missing the human connection all other animal kingdom attractions have and have had.

Perhaps the characters would be characters in a story being told to us, the riders? We enter the story through the ride and learn the lesson.

 

[KDM31091]

Zootopia is only a fit on a very surface level. Yes, they are "animals" but they are essentially representing humans. The very tenuous links just shouldn't cut it. Disney has long been known for storytelling, theming, and cohesive parks. And they are slowly eroding that by making all of the parks indistinguishable. A Coco carousel could just as easily be plopped into Adventureland, or Hollywood Studios, or even Epcot, at this point and it would make the same amount of sense it does for DAK.

I know Disney doesn't really care about us "old school" fans who want to see some of the original park messages preserved, but they should.

Fingers crossed that what they have planned for Indy is at least a new storyline and somewhat relevant to the park; it would be a bonus if it somehow incorporated dinosaurs even in a small way. But Encanto and Coco are basically inexcusable. Whether people enjoy the areas or not, things like the Restaurantasarous, Boneyard, even the carnival, are well themed, and I find it hard to believe they won't replace the restaurant with a very bland, generic looking quick service, which is a step back.

We will see what happens but I am not overly optimistic and I would prefer they just put the proper budget into Dinoland, fix it, and expand elsewhere with new additions. All of these reskins and lateral moves make sense from a budget perspective, but come on. Disney can afford to expand.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I actually agree with your concerns regarding the Lion King. Although I don’t exactly think Encanto or Indiana Jones are great fits either. I think it really comes down to how they treat the story and its inclusion in the park. If it’s just a book report ride where you’re plopped into their world then it doesn’t fit at all.

But at least they are animals behaving like animals…. Zootopia is the one that really angers me.

It certainly remains to be seen whether they come up with Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions that do fit the park. I personally see more potential there, though, than I do for a Lion King ride that would fit the park's theme. As people have noted, you can at least use the theme of a Mayan temple to explore the relationship of the Mayan people in some way with the natural world. Encanto I'm less sure about, but at least one of the characters is supposed to have some connection with animals who otherwise are just animals, so they can possibly do something with that.

I think at least most of us agree that Zootopia is the worst of all fits!

A balanced ecosystem, a clear theme in TLK, would be very relevant to DAK. The question is if they can turn it into a good attraction.

That's the thing: it kind of worked as an educational film, but I have trouble seeing a ride based around an ecological message featuring The Lion King characters. If the idea is that this would be the same ride as the one going into Walt Disney Studios Paris, then I can't imagine how they would balance a ride that reads as a fun ride featuring your favourite characters from The Lion King in that context and one that carries a message in tune with the theme of DAK in Florida.

I also think an overly cartoony Africa sitting alongside the realistic version they currently have would be a bit jarring. I am probably one of the few who preferred Legend of The Lion King to be located in Camp Minnie Mickey rather than Harambe, but the fact the show is a mix of the characters and other performers does help it to fit in somewhat.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I'll say this - I've spent years arguing that Indy isn't a good fit for Animal Kingdom. Then a few weeks ago I saw some *stuff*, and now I'm excited for it to happen.

I still think the property overall is a better fit for Studios, and would prefer Dinosaur! be updated rather than removed, but what they're planning for Indy is better than people are expecting. In multiple ways.

Same here.

Disappointed in losing Dinosaur to excited to see this all come together in a matter of days.

 

[James Alucobond]

Seems like a bold claim in a thread where not only are many denouncing that exact idea but also denouncing Encanto, Indiana Jones, Coco, Moana, and Zootopia as fit for Animal Kingdom.

Doesn't really look like opinions change just because Disney moves plans forward.

Apparently Encanto and IJ cannot ever fit no matter what, but Animal Hamlet would be just fine.

 

[DisneyDean97]

I'll say this - I've spent years arguing that Indy isn't a good fit for Animal Kingdom. Then a few weeks ago I saw some *stuff*, and now I'm excited for it to happen.

I still think the property overall is a better fit for Studios, and would prefer Dinosaur! be updated rather than removed, but what they're planning for Indy is better than people are expecting. In multiple ways.

Agreed! I've always said an Indy land at DHS would solve so many of their problems. It can give them a jungle area of the park and finally some shade. Plus an Indy water ride, either like Pirates from SDL or a MACK water coaster would be perfect for this ride. And then maybe an updated version of Paris' coaster, only with the animatronics that they originally planned for it.

 

[haveyoumetmark]

Perhaps even more than EPCOT, Animal Kingdom is not a park suited to IP additions and overlays.

As you point out, Disney's vast catalog of animal stories are, for the most part, about humanized animals, or animals interacting with humans. Very little is focused on the natural world or conservation in a way that doesn't just use them as a backdrop against the human drama. Even Pocahontas, a movie whose big song is about not exploiting nature, is guilty of this.

It really was a park that could only have been green lit and built as it was by 20th century Disney.

The park was full of IP on opening day.

Apparently Encanto and IJ cannot ever fit no matter what, but Animal Hamlet would be just fine.

Some folks really don’t get it.

 

[celluloid]

Apparently Encanto and IJ cannot ever fit no matter what, but Animal Hamlet would be just fine.

Animal Hamlet is presented specifically in the park as an African Fable Storytelling Festival. It is theme park-a-fied for sure for time and audience, but the way the music and skills are interpretid are based on African Storytelling that uses animals as fables. This is indeed a tradition that matches animals' impact on the human world.
And all that side, a story that specifically and famously involves "The Circle of Life." as one of its main themes.

guy raiding temples while setting fire to snakes on fire by the protagonist...not so much.

 

[Coaster Lover]

But the real question is, would a Lion King attraction contain goosestepping hyenas?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Presuming it will be unsuccessful at addressing the themes of DAK is just an opinion at this point with no basis on which to have that opinion. Beware of those who will assume it will fail without any knowledge of what it is, and then nerdrage over its (supposed and unproven) failure.

The "burden of proof" is on Disney to reasonably demonstrate they can properly implement the property in the park. There have been a ton of recent cases of them not being able to do so. People are right to be extremely skeptical. And telling people to "beware" of negative comments is such a childish way of shutting down other opinions, it's gatekeeping.

I'll also note that just because yensidtlaw1969 thinks something fits, it doesn't mean everyone else will necessarily agree. For instance, I believe he has said he is happy with the Hatbox Ghost's placement next to the endless hallway at WDW. Many other people (myself included) were not happy with it and feel that it has negatively impacted the ride to a fairly significant degree. That isn't a knock on his own opinion as he has a right to believe that. But not everyone is a hivemind who has to agree with someone with information, and i'll remain skeptical they could pull this off until I see it for myself.

But the real question is, would a Lion King attraction contain goosestepping hyenas?

I sort of wonder if they'd even include Scar at all. Even as a book report ride. Most recently, they opened a Beauty and the Beast ride pretty much without Gaston (a brief shadow against a wall being his only cameo), and that WAS a book report ride. And Tiana is going to be without Facilier (which isn't a book report ride but still had a clear path to include him regardless).

 

[DisneyDean97]

The "burden of proof" is on Disney to reasonably demonstrate they can properly implement the property in the park. There have been a ton of recent cases of them not being able to do so. People are right to be extremely skeptical.

I'll also note that just because yensidtlaw1969 thinks something fits, it doesn't mean everyone else will necessarily agree. For instance, I believe he has said he is happy with the Hatbox Ghost's placement next to the endless hallway at WDW. Many other people (myself included) are not happy with this and feel that it has negatively impacted the ride to a fairly significant degree. That isn't a knock on his own opinion as he has a right to believe that. But not everyone is a hivemind who has to agree with someone with information, and i'll remain skeptical they could pull this off until I see it for myself.


I sort of wonder if they'd even include Scar at all. Even as a book report ride. Most recently, they opened a Beauty and the Beast ride pretty much without Gaston (a brief shadow against a wall being his only cameo), and that WAS a book report ride. And Tiana is going to be without Facilier (which isn't a book report ride but still had a clear path to include him regardless).

A lot of the current additions lack the "emotional aspect" many of the classic Disney rides have.
Tony Baxter explained this well in that podcast he was one