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

[LSLS]

I am actually surprised at all the complaints that I have been seeing about Dinoland going away. It's one of the emptier parts of the park. The theming of it just seems off with the rest of the lands in AK. I feel like Tropical Americas fits in much better with Asia, Africa, and Pandora than a carnival-themed area about Dinosaurs. Dinoland feels like it should have been at Hollywood Studios instead. Whenever I am in Dinoland, I feel like I am at a regular theme park and not a Disney park. Seeing what Disney is doing with Tiana's Bayou Adventure and all the critters, I would be really surprised it there are not animal references or actual animals within Tropical Americas.

Emptier does not mean unused. It still ate some people. This goes back to the alienation things that have been all over the place with the Cruiser, but it's that there are multiple groups upset here. You have a group upset about IP that seems to be just jammed into the park, you have a group upset about losing Dino because they love it (or at least what it could be), and then you have a group upset that it's a very real possibility we are going to again end up with a net negative in attractions. There is some overlap, but I think a lot would overlook one of these things, it's the combination of all three that's really got people upset. Then add in people do not have faith in Disney executing things with an overarching theme and vision in the parks anymore.

 

[KDM31091]

I’m in the camp of upset at losing dinoland, upset about the rampant IP being shoved in and also not having much faith due to recent projects tending to be underwhelming. I hope I’m wrong, and that the changes at least respect the vision for AK but, I am skeptical as there aren’t many ways to make things like Encanto really meld with the park IMO.

And yes, it seems likely we will end up with a wash or net negative of attractions in a park with very few as it is, which is crazy that in 25 years, the lineup hasn’t grown much if at all.

 

[doctornick]

Personally, I have a big problem with people applying legit complaints about Dinorama (cheap looking carnival theme being incongruous for a Disney park) to the whole of Dinoland USA (which is a solid land when taking into account Dinosaur/Boneyard, Restaurantasaurous/etc and there deserves to be a presence of dinosaurs/extinct creatures at the park).

Personally, I'd have preferred replacing Dinorama with a higher quality dinosaur themed attraction (e.g Excavator or even a slow moving dark ride to dinosaurs more like UoE). Or, failing that, just keeping the rest of Dinoland USA and detaching Nemo/Dinorama and making that into a different land (I was fine with a Moana/Oceania concept taking over that space if the rest of the Dinoland USA was not removed).

 

[James Alucobond]

Emptier does not mean unused. It still ate some people. This goes back to the alienation things that have been all over the place with the Cruiser, but it's that there are multiple groups upset here. You have a group upset about IP that seems to be just jammed into the park, you have a group upset about losing Dino because they love it (or at least what it could be), and then you have a group upset that it's a very real possibility we are going to again end up with a net negative in attractions. There is some overlap, but I think a lot would overlook one of these things, it's the combination of all three that's really got people upset. Then add in people do not have faith in Disney executing things with an overarching theme and vision in the parks anymore.

The problem is that we’re still talking about the potential over a quarter century later. The only elements of this land that have ever been interesting are CTX/Dinosaur, the Dig Site, and some of the non-carnival theming, and Disney has never shown any interest in developing the land beyond that. Any time in the past 15 years I’ve gone with anyone who is new to the parks, they’ve wondered at why the carnival is there. They go to Dinosaur and promptly exit the land. Is it sad that they never did more with it? Sure. Is it surprising or even all that catastrophic that they want to pursue an appropriately themed environment that is more conducive to the integration of their IP? If done correctly, I don’t think so.

 

[Surferboy567]

Alicia Stella has commented on this she has reiterated the Indy rumors that it is not a clone and will fit AK.

Lion King flume ride apparently coming will eat into Animal space by the safari.

Encanto could be a boat ride or omnimover. Personally I don’t think a boat ride would make much sense.

 

[erasure fan1]

The problem is that we’re still talking about the potential over a quarter century later. The only elements of this land that have ever been interesting are CTX/Dinosaur, the Dig Site, and some of the non-carnival theming, and Disney has never shown any interest in developing the land beyond that.

I really think that the Jurassic ip being down the street had a lot to do with that. It's almost like they figured if they built it out, people would just think it's a wanna be Jurassic park land. Personally I'm going to be sad the dino theme is going away as I have always loved dinosaurs. And I think there was plenty of room for both parks to put their own spin on dinosaurs. But since that's not happening, as long as we get attractions that fit AK, and we end up plus on the attraction count, I'm ok with.

 

[spectromagic04]

Alicia Stella has commented on this she has reiterated the Indy rumors that it is not a clone and will fit AK.

Lion King flume ride apparently coming will eat into Animal space by the safari.

Encanto could be a boat ride or omnimover. Personally I don’t think a boat ride would make much sense.

Well that would suck if the Safari or Gorilla falls got shortened. I’m hoping her location is off and it’s being considered by the festival of lion king theater and the Club 33 building instead.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I’m hoping her location is off and it’s being considered by the festival of lion king theater and the Club 33 building instead.

This is what I've heard, though that part of the project is still very early.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Alicia Stella has commented on this she has reiterated the Indy rumors that it is not a clone and will fit AK.

Lion King flume ride apparently coming will eat into Animal space by the safari.

Encanto could be a boat ride or omnimover. Personally I don’t think a boat ride would make much sense.

Not sure how much of KS could realistically be cut because of where Gorilla Falls is located (and they won’t give up their gorillas). There’s a little space after the warthogs where not many animals are seen and the ride’s climax was largely cut, but it’s not a ton of space. On the other side are rhinos and hippos. No way those are cut.

I had not heard animals exhibits would be impacted by the E-ticket.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Lion King flume ride

I would joke about a Lion King ride being a drop tower, but this...

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Not sure how much of KS could realistically be cut because of where Gorilla Falls is located (and they won’t give up their gorillas). There’s a little space after the warthogs where not many animals are seen and the ride’s climax was largely cut, but it’s not a ton of space. On the other side are rhinos and hippos. No way those are cut.

I had not heard animals exhibits would be impacted by the E-ticket.

A slightly rerouted Savannah Circle and relocated cast parking lot is what I was told.

Carving out any portion of KS or Gorilla Falls doesn't make sense, on, like, any front.

 

[ToTBellHop]

A slightly rerouted Savannah Circle and relocated cast parking lot is what I was told.

Carving out any portion of KS or Gorilla Falls doesn't make sense, on, like, any front.

Exactly. Whether they go with LK or Avatar, it would be off the really nice but underutilized walkway from Pandora to Africa.

 

[doctornick]

Exactly. Whether they go with LK or Avatar, it would be off the really nice but underutilized walkway from Pandora to Africa.

Interesting. I agree that that area would make sense for an Africa/Lion King attraction. If they are doing something for Pandora though, I would have expecting them to use the designated expansion pad within the land (a bit south of NRJ, currently a parking lot)

 

[ToTBellHop]

Interesting. I agree that that area would make sense for an Africa/Lion King attraction. If they are doing something for Pandora though, I would have expecting them to use the designated expansion pad within the land (a bit south of NRJ, currently a parking lot)

There’s a rather large plot sitting there north of the mess hall. But, sure, they could use the parking lot if they prefer. I’d go with the area requiring less work, personally.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Interesting. I agree that that area would make sense for an Africa/Lion King attraction. If they are doing something for Pandora though, I would have expecting them to use the designated expansion pad within the land (a bit south of NRJ, currently a parking lot)

Given the layout in the valley of Mo'ara, I wouldn't be surprised if a future Pandora addition was to the north, not south. Gobs of people clog up the space between both attraction entrances on even moderate days.

Although at this point it seems like LK has the edge.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Given the layout in the valley of Mo'ara, I wouldn't be surprised if a future Pandora addition was to the north, not south. Gobs of people clog up the space between both attraction entrances on even moderate days.

Although at this point it seems like LK has the edge.

I think LK is probably better matched to the park’s needs and would pull guests to a slightly different park area at open. They’d love for the morning rush to go to three different destinations rather than the current one (Pandora) and soon two (Pandora and Tropical Americas).

Same reason for splitting Beyond Big Thunder and adding something to Adventureland along with less Frontierland expansion. And for adding something to DHS away from TSL and Batuu.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Imagine how bad the optics would be for Disney to encroach on the Savannah for more development. I hope they don’t do that lol

 

[ToTBellHop]

Imagine how bad the optics would be for Disney to encroach on the Savannah for more development. I hope they don’t do that lol

Not Little Red!

Kuwa macho kwa wajangili.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

This is the first I've heard that the Lion King attraction is a flume ride. Does that jive with what other insiders have heard? Because I was under the impression it was a dark ride of some sort, though I guess a flume ride certainly can be a dark ride as well.

 

[doctornick]

There’s a rather large plot sitting there north of the mess hall. But, sure, they could use the parking lot if they prefer. I’d go with the area requiring less work, personally.

Given the layout in the valley of Mo'ara, I wouldn't be surprised if a future Pandora addition was to the north, not south. Gobs of people clog up the space between both attraction entrances on even moderate days.

Although at this point it seems like LK has the edge.

Fair enough. I guess looking at the map, it seems you could add a LK attraction next to the theater (across from the bathrooms) and also still have room to the south to add a Pandora attraction along the same path but just north of the canteen.

So I'm cool with either. I think the argument for something new in Africa to draw people that direction makes a lot of sense and I'd be happy with that.

On the flip side, I think Pandora really needs a third attraction to buff up the land as it is a bit more isolated and both the rides there tend to get long waits. Honestly, I think a lesser attraction like a walk through in Pandora would be a good add there especially if they could preserve space for a bigger ride down the road.