Festival of the Lion King moving to Africa

[danlb_2000]

It basically looks like you would cross the bridge at the bottom and queue up for FOTLK and then the exit would be right by the Dawa Bar. I would like to see them do some interesting theming right off the lake there so that someday they could bring back the Discovery River Boats and people would have stuff to look at. They could also add some boat docks around so you could take the boats to different locales in the park without having to walk. I mean, they have a boat that circles the World Showcase, why not let me take a boat from Harambe to Asia?

The bridge at the bottom is for the backstage access road.

 

[JungleTrekFan]

I like the use of that area for an extended queue. That will help a LOT with traffic

Sooo we enter from discovery island, before first aid, and exit along the river by dawa bar? is that what I’m seeing? Sorry the drawings aren’t very clear to me.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Sooo we enter from discovery island, before first aid, and exit along the river by dawa bar? is that what I’m seeing? Sorry the drawings aren’t very clear to me.

That's what it would appear like. I think the drawing/overlay is a rough approximation, but seems fairly close to fitting in with everything as it exists today.
I'm thinking that the area around the first aid station is going to need some re-working too in order to blend it in and create the entrance. They mentioned on Screamscape that the area further south (across the river) might also be used in the future as an alternate access path leading to Avatar in addition to the current path that leads into Camp Minnie Mickey.

 

[JungleTrekFan]

That's what it would appear like. I think the drawing/overlay is a rough approximation, but seems fairly close to fitting in with everything as it exists today.
I'm thinking that the area around the first aid station is going to need some re-working too in order to blend it in and create the entrance. They mentioned on Screamscape that the area further south (across the river) might also be used in the future as an alternate access path leading to Avatar in addition to the current path that leads into Camp Minnie Mickey.

Interesting, yeah its a topographical map for drainage so i had trouble making out the paths from the slope lines lol. Would be very good for guest flow and as someone mentioned earlier this would kind of keep the non “real"
characters away from the real Africa, be a nice transition.

 

[Tip Top Club]

Will the wild Africa Trek be scrapped or just have the entrance moved?

I'd like to know this myself.

I'd also like to know if there are any plans for traffic flow, otherwise there is going to be a huge bump in the safari wait time every time one of these shows exits...

 

[jam814]

good to see the plans are going forward with this obvious relocation. I think they should incorporate a lion king dark ride inside of pride rock. it no secret that ak needs attractions and this film is one of the most successful of all time, why not incorporate more lion king into this expanded africa area. OR a timon and pumba attraction like turtle talk or MILfloor.

 

[GrumpyFan]

good to see the plans are going forward with this obvious relocation. I think they should incorporate a lion king dark ride inside of pride rock. it no secret that ak needs attractions and this film is one of the most successful of all time, why not incorporate more lion king into this expanded africa area. OR a timon and pumba attraction like turtle talk or MILfloor.

Agreed! A dark ride or any ride attributed to the Lion King would be a welcome addition. I had an idea a couple of years ago for a Pride Lands themed area for Animal Kingdom. I think something along these lines would be a much better idea that would generate a lot more interest than Avatar and they could leave FotLK in the same place.

 

[RSoxNo1]

While it may be asking for too much (also required additional space) I could see a Lion King themed ride as well as a walk through that features real animals from the movie.

 

[Hercules11]

Sooo we enter from discovery island, before first aid, and exit along the river by dawa bar? is that what I’m seeing? Sorry the drawings aren’t very clear to me.

No, the bridge down at the bottom is the current backstage access road into Pizzafari/First Aid. As of right now the only guest access to this new area will be by the Dawa Bar, but I could see them adding a path in DI just north of First Aid and connecting to the new area with a pedestrian bridge, similar to what they have in Frontierland to relieve guest congestion.

 

[Turtle]

Lion King Omnimover in Africa + Jungle Book Omnimover in Asia + Mysterious Island replacing Camp Minnie Mickey + Expedition Everest Refurb + Dinosaur Refurb + Chester and Hester gutted for Pterodactyl suspended dark ride = Animal Kingdom's Problems are Fixed without the risk of Avatar

 

[Rob562]

No, the bridge down at the bottom is the current backstage access road into Pizzafari/First Aid. As of right now the only guest access to this new area will be by the Dawa Bar, but I could see them adding a path in DI just north of First Aid and connecting to the new area with a pedestrian bridge, similar to what they have in Frontierland to relieve guest congestion.

They could always rework things to open the bridge to Guest access.

Really the only issue to opening that up would be the access to First Aid that you mentioned. Pizzafari could probably survive with only having after-hours truck access like Flame Tree does. They could move the gate that the parade enters from to the far end of the bridge. As long as Guests won't be going back the bridge to a show when the parade needs to come out, they don't have to worry about the bridge being able to handle both the parade and Guest flow at the same time.

The could solve the First Aid problem by moving it to the far end of the bridge, or perhaps to the entrance area of the Avatar plot.

-Rob

 

[Figments Friend]

So... this a recreation of what I've seen... I made a few mins ago... this is the plan, and it's green lit.. very minor 'prework' required before this will get under way.... My understanding is that there won't be much hoopla around the relocation, because it's just a 'move'...

Thank you for this. Looks absolutely perfect. It should have been built here in the first place!
I love this show...the best live show on property, in my opinion. Very pleased to see it being moved into a better, more appropriate location.

My only concern - this is one show i would rather not see changed, in that i hope they continue the original production.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Lion King Omnimover in Africa + Jungle Book Omnimover in Asia + Mysterious Island replacing Camp Minnie Mickey + Expedition Everest Refurb + Dinosaur Refurb + Chester and Hester gutted for Pterodactyl suspended dark ride = Animal Kingdom's Problems are Fixed without the risk of Avatar

All that = LOL.

We'll get our FOTLK move and apparently a large empty field themed to Avatar and we'll like it. And a drier Kali.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I know that ... it was your statement that was weird.

100% disagree with the in 'bold' statement - should of been romanticized fantasy. AKA adult fantasy like Mediterranean Harbor and the gondolas, etc.

I think it was Eddie Sotto that said it in his first thread eons ago: Africa at DAK is the adult fantasy version. There's clean water, modern bathrooms, no militias wandering around, a huge savannah right in the backyard with all your favorite animals, etc. The fact that everyone thinks they got the "real" version proves how effective the fantasy is.

 

[Turtle]

All that = LOL.

We'll get our FOTLK move and apparently a large empty field themed to Avatar and we'll like it. And a drier Kali.

nah i was just randomly saying that. i just saw a thread on AK so i posted it. nothing to do that FOTLK not making me contempt lol

 

[SirLink]

I think it was Eddie Sotto that said it in his first thread eons ago: Africa at DAK is the adult fantasy version. There's clean water, modern bathrooms, no militias wandering around, a huge savannah right in the backyard with all your favorite animals, etc. The fact that everyone thinks they got the "real" version proves how effective the fantasy is.

It is just a shame that the front of the park is so lacklustre.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

It is just a shame that the front of the park is so lacklustre.

I like what's there, I just wish there were more of it. It's really shameful that there's so little there very nearly 15 years after opening and what's there is broken or switched off. The park literally has fewer attractions than it did five years ago, I believe. Pocahontas closed around the same time as PI, with no replacement anywhere in the park. Chew on that for a bit! Disgusting.

 

[SirLink]

I like what's there, I just wish there were more of it. It's really shameful that there's so little there very nearly 15 years after opening and what's there is broken or switched off. The park literally has fewer attractions than it did five years ago, I believe. Pocahontas closed around the same time as PI, with no replacement anywhere in the park. Chew on that for a bit! Disgusting.

TBH Pocahontas wasn't exactly good and was thrown together so quick - and since opening the park. Dinoland USA needs to be done from the ground up.

But hey that might just be me.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

TBH Pocahontas wasn't exactly good and was thrown together so quick - and since opening the park. Dinoland USA needs to be done from the ground up.

But hey that might just be me.

Merits aside... it sucks closing an attraction without replacement in a park with so little.

 

[SirLink]

Merits aside... it sucks closing an attraction without replacement in a park with so little.

It is the TDO way.