truecoat
Well-Known Member
How about a Marvel park just on the west side of the Mississippi? JK. But not really.
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Has there ever been any legitimacy to the long-standing "rumor" of a Villains-themed park?
- Thread starter beastlykingdom
- Start date
How about a Marvel park just on the west side of the Mississippi? JK. But not really.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The existing parks are so crowded in large part because they are intentionally under built. A fifth park would be similarly under built, if not more so due to the absolutely ridiculous cost it would likely require. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also failed to significantly increase lengths of stay, and there have not been large enough cultural shifts to assume a new park would increase length of stay.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Granted...I’m not disputing that...especially about the early WDI work and some financial (insider access) at that time.
But it is/was the closest thing to a “villians” project that they have tip toed near...even though it wasn’t
JMcMahonEsq
Well-Known Member
That is why I would think the better idea is expansion of the existing 4 parks, larger footprint/more to see would hopefully think out the crowds in the parks more, rather than opening of a brand new park, which I would see as more a way to drive up attendance rather then dealing with congestion.
justintheharris
Well-Known Member
Sorry. I was skimming it and I didn't see the answer. I only saw everybody talking about how they love or hate the idea etc.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Agree on the recent under builds. When it takes $10 bil to start due to poor budgeting...parks are essentially off the table.
People fail to look that Disney has built 3 complete parks: Epcot, magic kingdom and euro
All the others outside Tokyo (daddy warbucks) have been significant underbuilds.
That wouldn’t change now.
But I think the crowd problem is that they abandoned the typical investment schedule after the 90’s builds. Each park needs an addition or solid draw on about an every 1-3 year schedule. They haven’t come close in Florida since the Eisner collapse. And bob closed stuff...a lot of it...without replacement.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
I think you have a misunderstanding of what the Night Kingdom Project was. It really wasn’t anywhere near a villains project, tip toe or not. The concept wasn’t based on villains or anything related to villains.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
No...I’m not at all. I was at TDO for a bit when that got some tread.
I think that if it manifested it would have been the only shot at more villain centric things.
I just don’t see the appetite for a Villians all the time. especially after they have perfected how to sell them at upcharge.
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
with a monorail or gondola ride to/from WDW resort
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Again I’m pretty sure you’re mixing two concepts.
There were some proposals in the 90’s and the 2000’s for attractions/lands involving villains.
Night kingdom was a separate project altogether that had no connection to villains.
nol_dur
Member
Yeah, i like what they're doing with Hollywood studios and trying to evolve and expand it with these themed lands. It works for that park especially with their new idea on what it is.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
One was more blue sky...the other had more serious thought based on my recollection.
I think you’re believing/debating the semantics of the WDI nonsense a little bit...people chirp there a lot powered by 100% pure, USDA grade Wishful Thinking.
Credibility is always suspect.
I’m not saying they planned to build a villians park...just thinking that subject matter would have been more conducive there than at magic kingdom.
Maybe studios...I suppose. But they have really screwed the footprint up there -making their longterm plans known.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
It was an early/intermediate concept for a more adult concentrated, “adventure” type park that would have had hard cap attendance by reservation and high cost. Minimum attendance age.
Discovery cove at sea world had proven that type of endeavor could work.
The early 2000s/post tech recession killed any realistic possibility.
But we saw some tinkering along those lines a bit. The “special safaris” at DAK being an ode to that type of thing.
MaximumEd
Well-Known Member
Cool. I had heard the “dark kingdom” rumor before, but had never heard of “night”. At first, I thought they might be one and the same.
Fox&Hound
Well-Known Member
Ohhhh, don't hate me but turning Tom Sawyer's island into an Isle of the Lost would be kinda interesting. Put some villain meet and greets out there and you have an instant hit.
nol_dur
Member
That could work but it wouldn't really fit into the theme of Frontier Land
Thingamabob
Active Member
I do think a Villain section would work in either HS or MK, but not an entire new park. As for thinning out the already 4 parks by adding an additional 5th park I don't see that happening at all because Disney will continue to try and get as many people in to all the parks as they can get to get as much money as they can get each day. Adding a 5th park is not going to thin out that much at all because Disney will figure out some way to keep attendance up in the other 4 as well.
Midlife Mouse
Active Member
Actually, the Night Kingdom rumor really hit its peak in 2008 - well after 9/11, but right as the economic downturn began. https://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_...e-the-disney-theme-park-going-experience.aspx
Midlife Mouse
Active Member
Though I don't usually trust JHM for rumors, there's a mention here of a scrapped MK attraction called Villains Mountain, which would have anchored Disney Villains Village: https://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_...d-attractions-around-the-disney-villains.aspx