How I’d Revamp Animal Kingdom

[Miru]

Here’s my ideas for how Animal Kingdom could be expanded. The expansion would include three new lands; South America, Australia, and the long-awaited Beastly Kingdom. Changes to existing lands would also be done to accommodate.


In Pandora, tributes to Camp Minnie-Mickey will be added, in a subtle way that doesn’t break the immersion of the area. A new attraction (Thanks, QuasiNoFroyo!), “Tale of Neyitri”, a trackless dark ride, has also been added. Africa could have a sub-area based on the Sahara. Dinoland USA receives a major overhaul, with Dino-Rama being demolished to make room for South America, Finding Nemo being moved to Australia, and DINOSAUR getting tweaks to be more scientifically accurate. It also gets a new attraction: Ducktales Lost Valley Rally.


South America is one of the new lands, with three major attractions present:

• First is the Orinoco Prowl, a walkthrough attraction containing South American wildlife. This is similar to the Maharajah Jungle Trek and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. Lots of theming, too. The attraction also includes interactive elements. Explore the depths of the Orinoco, including its ruins, as you witness every layer of the fragile beauty that is a rainforest.
• The next attraction is a boat ride known as Kuzco’s Wild Romp. Set inside part of his palace with a statue of Kuzco in llama form on top, this boat ride takes riders through the events of the film and some elements of the sequel and tv show. Think POTC + Mr. Toad together. The queue will be themed to the inside of the palace, with a Triceratops Spin vehicle hidden as a tribute. (Plus a Triceratops vial). Riders board 12-person, 4-row boats that float into the first scene, where Kuzco is having the time of his life on the throne. In the next room, he’s having to pick between potential suitors, and then we see Pacha alongside the diorama of Kuzcotopia, as the two argue over what occurs. We then enter Yzma’s laboratory. She’s plotting to kill the emperor and take the throne here, and she holds the “poison” she has prepared, which is shown to have killed a small plant. The next scene is the iconic dinner table, where we see Kuzco turn into a llama as Kronk’s spinach puffs are insulted. The ride’s first drop is shortly after, as Kronk hurls the bag with Kuzco inside from the walls of the palace. The next area is Pacha’s house, where Kuzco and Pacha meet again, and we can also see his family, before we climb up into the jungle. In the deep jungle (look out for the spider eating the fly!), we see the squirrel pop a balloon, awakening black jaguars, which send the boats to move faster than before, as we soon see Kuzco and Pacha tied to a log. We ascend upwards a little bit, before the next drop starts, mimicking the iconic waterfall scene. We then see Kuzco and Pacha climbing to Mudka’s Meat Hut just as Yzma discovers the truth. A manic chase begins, as Yzma and Kronk chase our heroes through Mudka’s Meat Hut, Pacha’s House, the thicket of the jungle, and lastly back to Kuzco’s palace. Inside, Kuzco is surrounded by guards as he scrambles for the potion, as we prepare up for the final drop. Yzma turns into a kitten as riders descend, seeing Kuzco become human again and choose to build Kuzcotopia elsewhere. The finale sequence features a cameo by Malina from The Emperor’s New School (sliding together with Kuzco), alongside Pacha’s family and the brides from before. The real highlight is an Audio-Animatronic Kronk who interacts with riders at the end. Outside, Kuzco and Malina are open to meet and greets outside of a gift shop. The Aracuan bird may also appear, along with Brandy from Brandy and Mr. Whiskers.
• The other attraction is known as Cape Suzette Adventure, an enclosed suspended coaster. Riders use airplane-like vehicles to help Baloo and friends stop Don Karnage. The coaster’s uphill climb launches riders up 36 feet into the air to enter the main track. Riders fly around scenes of Cape Suzette in pursuit of him, eventually boarding his airship to recover the treasure. Look out for a vehicle from Primeval Whirl hidden away! Outside is a restaurant called Chez Baloo, which features character dining with Baloo and pals.
• More on Chez Baloo. As a major character dining area, the menu is a buffet. The theme is based around an old hangar from the 1930s, decorated with various things Baloo’s found on his travels. Kinda like Applebee’s, but with a Disney flair all over. The menu features dishes from throughout Animal Kingdom, mixed with uniquely South American twists. Prickly pear is on the menu for sure, Baloo’s favorite!
• I was considering bringing over Raging Spirits, but it doesn’t really have much to do with animals, really.
• Maybe an animatronic Kevin (from Up) could be present, too? She would be a free-roaming animatronic, able to walk around and reach down to see guests. Her majesty has also brought her babies to the park.
• (Suggested by bUU) A Brazilian steakhouse is also present as a haute dining area.

The overall land design is based on the highlands of the Andes, along with rainforest and pampas sections.

Australia is the new home of Finding Nemo the Musical, along with the Uluru Climb, another walkthrough featuring Australian wildlife. True to its name, it’s more uphill than the others. Ascend the mountain and enter the caverns in search of legendary power crystals! Can’t think of any sort of ride to place here, though. I have an idea that could sorta work: Lew Zealand’s Boomerang Fish, a simple flat ride themed to the fish-flinging Muppet. A more original ride to go with it would be neat, though. (Then again, World Showcase demonstrates that not every land needs a ride in Disney’s eyes) Perhaps an audio-Animatronic of Marahute would be a cool sight?

Australia’s main restaurant would be known as the Dingo Grill, home to lots of barbecue!


Meanwhile, Beastly Kingdomme is the real meat of the expansion; home to Challenge of the Dragon, and many other fantastical attractions, just as how the concept art described it. The entire land tells a continuous narrative starring the beloved S.E.A., as they discover the Beastly Kingdomme and its many inhabitants. Serving as an epilogue to other storylines throughout the parks, the S.E.A.’s Jules Verne-inspired equipment compliments the mythical beasts.

• The Feather of the Phoenix - The Phoenix’s down is said to be a revival method, and has since fallen in a deep glade. The S.E.A. decide to recover it so they can be safe on their journey, only to find an unexpected face- Melanie Ravenswood! The ride is a drop tower similar to GOTG: Mission Breakout.
• Treasure of the Tanuki - Similar To Treasure of the Incas At DisneyQuest, players control vehicles to recover Treasure.
• Fantasia Gardens is a musical boat ride similar to Storybook Land Canal Boats, featuring characters from both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, featuring an appearance by the Spring Sprite at the end. The S.E.A. must gain the assistance of the legendary Spring Sprite in order to help them pass the gates to the treasure.
• Quest of the Unicorn stars Melanie Ravenswood on her quest to find the Unicorn within a large maze. Meet many mystical creatures inside, and rooms also feature different little funhouse effects.
• Dragon Tower is a massive roller coaster in a large tower, where the S.E.A. are enlisted by bats to take the treasures of the dragon. Riders are launched up the tower to face against the wrath of the dragon.

I did briefly think of a sea creature-based land, but I thought it would be a bit much, especially with The Seas With Nemo and Friends.


Tune in next time to see how I’d tackle World Showcase!

 

[bUU]

Pardon the curmudgeonly response...

The expansion would include three new lands; South America, Australia, and the long-awaited Beastly Kingdom.

Sounds good, sounds okay, sounds horrible. Beastly Kingdom is now certifiably a bad idea. Guests have made it unequivocally clear that they prefer multi-platform IP rather than park-specific IP.

We have already received part of Beastly Kingdom, in the form of Avatar, and if we are to receive more it should be in the form of multi-platform IP such as a Pern-land (please please please!) or something like that.

In Pandora, tributes to Camp Minnie-Mickey will be added, in a subtle way that doesn’t break the immersion of the area.

Gosh, please: no. It's bad enough Camp Minnie-Mickey ever existed: It was a bad idea to create a part of the park that would do nothing more than highlight how inadequate the park was when it was first built (i.e., pre-Pandora). Romanticizing that inadequacy is a massive waste of resources that could instead go toward making other things better - like your South America and Australia ideas.

Dinoland USA receives a major overhaul, with Dino-Rama being demolished to make room for South America

I think Dino-Rama is fine, but if we have to sacrifice it to get an Amazon River safari (see below), count me in.

Finding Nemo being moved to Australia

Okay, I see your Australia idea better now. All they really need to is move the kangaroos from Discovery Island to a walk-through where the current exit ramps for Finding Nemo is. Those exit ramps can be directed southeast, to a new Australia themed restaurant/retail area behind Primeval Whirl (perhaps with a new path between there and the far end of Dino-land), and so this Australia walk-through becomes a path from that restaurant/retail area back to the path from Asia to Dino-land. I can see that. And there is enough room on that path from Asia to Dino-land to put a small kiosk selling small skewers of shrimp on the barbie.

and DINOSAUR getting tweaks to be more scientifically accurate.

So getting rid of some of the little park-specific IP left the park. However, if we're getting rid of Dino-land to make room for South America, then we might as well either get rid of Dinosaur or re-dress it. Temple of the Forbidden Eye is in India, but it shouldn't take much to recast it as Temple of the Taboo Sight, deep in the jungles of Brazil.

South America is one of the new lands, with three major attractions present:

One or two attractions is a more reasonable expectation. I think a boat-based attraction is in order, but one that is an analog to Kilimanjaro Safari, with animal enclosures on both side of the "river". I cannot imagine doing South America without capitalizing on the Amazon River as a basis for a boat-based safari. There are already four animal walk-throughs in the park (Gorilla Falls, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Discovery Island and The Oasis) so this one should be through some new mechanism, and a boat ride does the trick.

As far as the rest of the area, a Brazilian steakhouse is, of course, required. Even a vegetarian like me has to acknowledge that.

 

[orlando678-]

.

Here’s my ideas for how Animal Kingdom could ER expanded. The expansion would include three new lands; South America, Australia, and the long-awaited Beastly Kingdom. Changes to existing lands would also be done to accommodate.


In Pandora, tributes to Camp Minnie-Mickey will be added, in a subtle way that doesn’t break the immersion of the area. Africa could have a sub-area based on the Sahara. Dinoland USA receives a major overhaul, with Dino-Rama being demolished to make room for South America, Finding Nemo being moved to Australia, and DINOSAUR getting tweaks to be more scientifically accurate.


South America is one of the new lands, with three major attractions present:

• First is the Orinoco Prowl, a walkthrough attraction containing South American wildlife. This is similar to the Maharajah Jungle Trek and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. Lots of theming, too. The attraction also includes interactive elements. Explore the depths of the Orinoco, including its ruins, as you witness every layer of the fragile beauty that is a rainforest.
• The next attraction is a boat ride known as Kuzco’s Wild Romp. Set inside part of his palace with a statue of Kuzco in llama form on top, this boat ride takes riders through the events of the film and some elements of the sequel and tv show. Think POTC + Mr. Toad together. The queue will be themed to the inside of the palace, with a Triceratops Spin vehicle hidden as a tribute. (Plus a Triceratops vial). Riders board 12-person, 4-row boats that float into the first scene, where Kuzco is having the time of his life on the throne. In the next room, he’s having to pick between potential suitors, and then we see Pacha alongside the diorama of Kuzcotopia, as the two argue over what occurs. We then enter Yzma’s laboratory. She’s plotting to kill the emperor and take the throne here, and she holds the “poison” she has prepared, which is shown to have killed a small plant. The next scene is the iconic dinner table, where we see Kuzco turn into a llama as Kronk’s spinach puffs are insulted. The ride’s first drop is shortly after, as Kronk hurls the bag with Kuzco inside from the walls of the palace. The next area is Pacha’s house, where Kuzco and Pacha meet again, and we can also see his family, before we climb up into the jungle. In the deep jungle (look out for the spider eating the fly!), we see the squirrel pop a balloon, awakening black jaguars, which send the boats to move faster than before, as we soon see Kuzco and Pacha tied to a log. We ascend upwards a little bit, before the next drop starts, mimicking the iconic waterfall scene. We then see Kuzco and Pacha climbing to Mudka’s Meat Hut just as Yzma discovers the truth. A manic chase begins, as Yzma and Kronk chase our heroes through Mudka’s Meat Hut, Pacha’s House, the thicket of the jungle, and lastly back to Kuzco’s palace. Inside, Kuzco is surrounded by guards as he scrambles for the potion, as we prepare up for the final drop. Yzma turns into a kitten as riders descend, seeing Kuzco become human again and choose to build Kuzcotopia elsewhere. The finale sequence features a cameo by Malina from The Emperor’s New School (sliding together with Kuzco), alongside Pacha’s family and the brides from before. The real highlight is an Audio-Animatronic Kronk who interacts with riders at the end. Outside, Kuzco and Malina are open to meet and greets outside of a gift shop. The Aracuan bird may also appear, along with Brandy from Brandy and Mr. Whiskers.
• The other attraction is known as Cape Suzette Adventure, an enclosed suspended coaster. Riders use airplane-like vehicles to help Baloo and friends stop Don Karnage. The coaster’s uphill climb launches riders up 36 feet into the air to enter the main track. Riders fly around scenes of Cape Suzette in pursuit of him, eventually boarding his airship to recover the treasure. Look out for a vehicle from Primeval Whirl hidden away! Outside is a restaurant called Chez Baloo, which features character dining with Baloo and pals.
• More on Chez Baloo. As a major character dining area, the menu is a buffet. The theme is based around an old hangar from the 1930s, decorated with various things Baloo’s found on his travels. Kinda like Applebee’s, but with a Disney flair all over. The menu features dishes from throughout Animal Kingdom, mixed with uniquely South American twists. Prickly pear is on the menu for sure, Baloo’s favorite!
• I was considering bringing over Raging Spirits, but it doesn’t really have much to do with animals, really.
• Maybe an animatronic Kevin (from Up) could be present, too? She would be a free-roaming animatronic, able to walk around and reach down to see guests. Her majesty has also brought her babies to the park.

The overall land design is based on the highlands of the Andes.

Australia is the new home of Finding Nemo the Musical, along with the Uluru Climb, another walkthrough featuring Australian wildlife. True to its name, it’s more uphill than the others. Ascend the mountain and enter the caverns in search of legendary power crystals! Can’t think of any sort of ride to place here, though. I have an idea that could sorta work: Lew Zealand’s Boomerang Fish, a simple flat ride themed to the fish-flinging Muppet. A more original ride to go with it would be neat, though. (Then again, World Showcase demonstrates that not every land needs a ride in Disney’s eyes) Perhaps an audio-Animatronic of Marahute would be a cool sight?

Australia’s main restaurant would be known as the Dingo Grill, home to lots of barbecue!


Meanwhile, Beastly Kingdomme is the real meat of he expansion; home to Challenge of the Dragon, and many other fantastical attractions, just as how the concept art described it. The entire land tells a continuous narrative starring the beloved S.E.A., as they discover the Beastly Kingdomme and its many inhabitants. Serving as an epilogue to other storylines throughout the parks, the S.E.A.’s Jules Verne-inspired equipment compliments the mythical beasts.

• The Feather of the Phoenix - The Phoenix’s down is said to be a revival method, and has since fallen in a deep glade. The S.E.A. decide to recover it so they can be safe on their journey, only to find an unexpected face- Melanie Ravenswood! The ride is a drop tower similar to GOTG: Mission Breakout.
• Treasure of the Tanuki - Similar To Treasure of the Incas At DisneyQuest, players control vehicles to recover Treasure.
• Fantasia Gardens is a musical boat ride similar to Storybook Land Canal Boats, featuring characters from both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, featuring an appearance by the Spring Sprite at the end. The S.E.A. must gain the assistance of the legendary Spring Sprite in order to help them pass the gates to the treasure.
• Quest of the Unicorn stars Melanie Ravenswood on her quest to find the Unicorn within a large maze. Meet many mystical creatures inside, and rooms also feature different little funhouse effects.
• Dragon Tower is a massive roller coaster in a large tower, where the S.E.A. are enlisted by bats to take the treasures of the dragon. Riders are launched up the tower to face against the wrath of the dragon.

I did briefly think of a sea creature-based land, but i thought it would be a bit much, especially with The Seas With Nemo and Friends.


Tune in next time to see how I’d tackle World Showcase!

Although I like how you implemented S.E.A. in Beastly Kingdom, I don't really see a reason to include Melanie Ravenswood, a ghost of a bride in the late 1800s of the American frontier.

 

[QuasiNoFroyo]

Here are the changes I would make to Animal Kingdom (as much as I otherwise love it):

1. Re-theme Dinoland to a land devoted to Indiana Jones studying South American dinosaurs and Inca culture, with Dinosaur itself now becoming a ride about an evil Inca curse that brings fossilized dinosaurs back from the dead (with the effect being very similar to Jack Sparrow at the beginning of Shanghai's Pirates attraction). In the place of Dino-Rama could either be a boat ride, a trackless ride system, a smoother roller coaster than Primeval Whirl, or maybe even all three.
2. Build a new Zootopia land in the long-unused expansion pad that sits north of Asia. Guests could either access it by train from Africa or by foot from Asia if they don't wish to take the train.
3. Build a new Tarzan coaster right next door to FOTLK in the Africa section.
4. Add a third ride to Pandora (preferably a trackless dark ride).
5. FIX THE YETI!!!

 

[Miru]

Pardon the curmudgeonly response...Sounds good, sounds okay, sounds horrible. Beastly Kingdom is now certifiably a bad idea. Guests have made it unequivocally clear that they prefer multi-platform IP rather than park-specific IP.

We have already received part of Beastly Kingdom, in the form of Avatar, and if we are to receive more it should be in the form of multi-platform IP such as a Pern-land (please please please!) or something like that.

Gosh, please: no. It's bad enough Camp Minnie-Mickey ever existed: It was a bad idea to create a part of the park that would do nothing more than highlight how inadequate the park was when it was first built (i.e., pre-Pandora). Romanticizing that inadequacy is a massive waste of resources that could instead go toward making other things better - like your South America and Australia ideas.

I think Dino-Rama is fine, but if we have to sacrifice it to get an Amazon River safari (see below), count me in.

Okay, I see your Australia idea better now. All they really need to is move the kangaroos from Discovery Island to a walk-through where the current exit ramps for Finding Nemo is. Those exit ramps can be directed southeast, to a new Australia themed restaurant/retail area behind Primeval Whirl (perhaps with a new path between there and the far end of Dino-land), and so this Australia walk-through becomes a path from that restaurant/retail area back to the path from Asia to Dino-land. I can see that. And there is enough room on that path from Asia to Dino-land to put a small kiosk selling small skewers of shrimp on the barbie.

So getting rid of some of the little park-specific IP left the park. However, if we're getting rid of Dino-land to make room for South America, then we might as well either get rid of Dinosaur or re-dress it. Temple of the Forbidden Eye is in India, but it shouldn't take much to recast it as Temple of the Taboo Sight, deep in the jungles of Brazil.

One or two attractions is a more reasonable expectation. I think a boat-based attraction is in order, but one that is an analog to Kilimanjaro Safari, with animal enclosures on both side of the "river". I cannot imagine doing South America without capitalizing on the Amazon River as a basis for a boat-based safari. There are already four animal walk-throughs in the park (Gorilla Falls, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Discovery Island and The Oasis) so this one should be through some new mechanism, and a boat ride does the trick.

As far as the rest of the area, a Brazilian steakhouse is, of course, required. Even a vegetarian like me has to acknowledge that.

1. Pern-Land? Meh; would rather have a Pokemon land if it came down to things. Maybe Sonic. Anyways, Beastly Kingdomme does contain some IP, namely in Fantasia Gardens. I was also thinking of a Gargoyles ride, but thought it would fit The American Adventure more.
2. SUBTLE tributes. Things that are hard to see and very much meshing with the world of Avatar. Like say, a crate labeled “CMM”, or something like that.
3. Sure. A tribute to the entire subland is included elsewhere in Dinoland USA, as part of the bridge between that and South America.
4. Nice idea! Maybe theme the stand around that kangaroo mouse from Rescuers Down Under?
5. Meh. Feathery raptors or bust. Indiana Jones might fit elsewhere, though. Plus, we could give Aladar some dialogue.
6. The Amazon was too obvious to me, but I will keep that idea in mind. Maybe make it like the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes because the boat ride is already in the hands of Kuzco.
7. Sure. Would probably be a more adult destination than Chez Baloo.

.
Although I like how you implemented S.E.A. in Beastly Kingdom, I don't really see a reason to include Melanie Ravenswood, a ghost of a bride in the late 1800s of the American frontier.

8. Just wanted to give her a happy ending.

Here are the changes I would make to Animal Kingdom (as much as I otherwise love it):

1. Re-theme Dinoland to a land devoted to Indiana Jones studying South American dinosaurs and Inca culture, with Dinosaur itself now becoming a ride about an evil Inca curse that brings fossilized dinosaurs back from the dead (with the effect being very similar to Jack Sparrow at the beginning of Shanghai's Pirates attraction). In the place of Dino-Rama could either be a boat ride, a trackless ride system, a smoother roller coaster than Primeval Whirl, or maybe even all three.
2. Build a new Zootopia land in the long-unused expansion pad that sits north of Asia. Guests could either access it by train from Africa or by foot from Asia if they don't wish to take the train.
3. Build a new Tarzan coaster right next door to FOTLK in the Africa section.
4. Add a third ride to Pandora (preferably a trackless dark ride).
5. FIX THE YETI!!!

9. That seems like overkill, but maybe for a future attraction.
10. Zootopia! Never thought of that. Will likely come along with (or even in place of) the ocean land. The train ride will be really fun.
11. Great way to use that IP now that Rocks is gone.
12. Good idea, perhaps one that tells the story of the movie. “Tale of Neytri” sounds like a good name.
13. Sure thing. I thought it was too obvious to mention.

Next, I will be describing the revamped DINOSAUR.

 

[Miru]

Alright, here’s how the revamped Dinosaur would go. The ride’s marquee/sign is now subtitled as “DINOSAUR: Countdown to Extinction”, a combination of both of the ride’s titles. Inside is a dedication plaque covering the story of a member of S.E.A., who had discovered a high concentration of “Chronal Energy” and founded the Dino Institute to harness it. One will also hear the story over the intercom.

The exhibits have also been updated, to be more up-to-date with modern science, as well as adding a little bit of worldbuilding about the S.E.A., and a tease at Operation: Beastly Kingdomme.

The load area has received a fresh coat of paint, plus a blackboard chart detailing the mission riders are going on.

The riders enter the warp tunnel, with has added projections of clocks in addition to the strobe effects. Once in the prehistoric epoch, one may notice the ceratopsians now have quills on their backs, and the Raptor has a full coat of feathers. The same applies to the compies we see later. Once we lock onto Aladar, the Carnotaurus interrupts us, preparing to strike as we turn away. There are now added heat, wind, and odor effects throughout the attraction for the sake of immersion. At the exit is an audio-Animatronic Aladar that is able to silently respond to guests, replacing what was originally a video clip.

Several more creatures have been added to the attraction. We see an archelon in a lake, along with an icthyosaur. A micro raptor soars ahead too, with feathers.

Next will be Kuzco’s Wild Romp.

 

[Miru]

Now for Kuzco’s Wild Romp. At the intersection of the Rainforest and Highlands areas of South America stands a magnificent golden palace, with a distinctively mesoamerican architecture. On the entrance of the castle is a sign reading “Kuzco’s Wild Romp”, with a statue of the llama form of Kuzco above it. As a subtle Easter egg to Beverly Hills Chihuahua, a raised podium is nearby, inscribed with a carving of Papi. Entering the queue from the entrance, we are in Yzma’s laboratory, with vials of transformation potions lining the walls. See that the vial of red-eyed tree frog potion is already used, as a nod to the TV show, while there is also a triceratops vial. One of them, the llama one, has been misplaced, and replaced with an unknown poison, labeled “For My Hated Emperor”. One fruit fly potion has also just been taken and is now being put in use. A flea potion has also been taken off the shelf and is now lying on the ground.

We exit the lab and enter the royal chambers as a load area. The 12-person, 4-row boats are present, and total 10 in number. Their design is similar to the rollercoaster cars Yzma used in the film. Ride attendants, dressed in red robes, are there on a pillar-like kiosk. Riders are sent off on their way, receiving the safety instructions as they enter Kuzco’s throne room, where he’s enjoying his snooty little life.

Here we see the “Perfect World” Number as he declines a sucession of brides, enjoys massages and grapes, and even talks down to a peasant. Yzma then confronts the peasant and sends him out. The poor peasant is turned away, and we can hear the sounds of dark magic and buzzing. Kuzco’s dream plan is next. The model of his water park, Kuzcotopia, is being debated by a peasant named Pacha. The next room over, Yzma plots her murderous plot, in a dark laboratory. A small fly is buzzing around, as Yzma and Kronk discuss the plan. The poison is leaking over from the vial, and has killed a plant, with a pungent aroma.

The dinner table scene features Kronk mixing the wine to make sure Kuzco is “poisoned”, with the transformation potion being diluted in the process. Smoke clouds emerge from the cups, as the wine is served, and the transformation begins. Yzma orders Kuzco to be taken out of town to finish the job, and we enter the ride’s first drop. Look to your sides to see scenes of life in the city marketplace below. This plummet sends us 25 feet into the lower show building, which contains the first scene of Pacha’s hut.

The warm lighting emerging from the stone hut illuminates Pacha encountering the “demon llama!”, as Chica is preparing dinner inside. Warm smells of the cooking pot enhance the experience. Kuzco realizes the truth just before he decides to trot his way into the deep blue jungle. The steamy jungle features a chameleon in the trees, and the fly from before, now stuck in a cobweb with a deadly spider above. The spider devours the fly as we pass to see Kuzco chatting with the squirrel. The squirrel then inflates a balloon, before bursting it to awaken some Jaguars. The ride speeds up as they awaken, speeding us to see Kuzco and Pacha now bound to a wooden log.

This, along with a brief climb, is our warning of the second and biggest drop, complete with dialogue from the movie. “Uh-oh.” “Don’t tell me, we’re about to go over a huge waterfall.” “Yep” “Sharp rocks at the bottom?” “Most likely.” “Bring it on.” This is the part where the ride takes your photograph. The ride then climbs up into Mudka’s Meat Hut, where Kuzco and Pacha take disguise, as Yzma watches. A madcap pursuit begins, as we’re taken through a birthday party at Mudka’s, a party at Pacha’s house, and the depths of the jungle as the ride vehicle continues to climb. Yzma is made to look like a piñata and is beaten, we see that squirrel again, and we end with entering the palace. Inside, guards are sent after Kuzco and Pacha, and the guards morph into assorted creatures as Kuzco scrambles for a potion. Yzma then turns into a small kitten as we enter the final drop.

The ending is a party held by Kuzco’s summer home and water slide. We can see Pacha and his family, the brides from earlier, Malina from The Emperor’s New School, and the singer of “Perfect World” there. The ride ends with an Audio-Animatronic Kronk interacting with riders.

 

[Miru]

Well, I think it’s time to discuss a theoretical additional phase: even more lands; Zootopia and The Lost Ocean. First, The Lost Ocean is a direct contrast to The Living Seas in Epcot; more mystic and rustic as opposed to scientific. Aquatic myths and legends abound here along with real sealife.

People have been begging me to put in an Indiana Jones attraction in the park despite him barely having anything to do with animals, so I… well, caved; say hello to “Indiana Jones Adventure: Rise of Lemuria”, the main attraction of the area. Take the EMVs and put them into a full coaster experience, and I think I have a rough place in the timeline for it. The ride explains events such as the death of Marcus Brody.

Sallah discovers a mysterious abandoned beach resort in New Zealand, said to be “the gate of Lemuria”. People who visited the resort were said to return in other parts of the world; a sort of wormhole. Indiana Jones (in pursuit of evil shark poachers) and a few others have become the latest victims of the wormholes, so Sallah sends riders to save him. “Always count on the Indy!”

Riders are initially pushed into a whirlpool chamber, before suddenly being launched at 40 MPH when things go awry. Inside Lemuria are ancient curses reviving mutated prehistoric (largely Cambrian) wildlife, notably an enormous Anomalocaris, via Pepper’s Ghost effects. We learn Brody was killed by the Anomalocaris and its mysterious master, the Master of Lemuria, so we and Indy have to put a stop to it.

After that little stream of intensity, why not chill out in Kida’s Garden, a water play area? And then check out the Forbidden Treasures Cafe and shop.

Meanwhile in Zootopia, the fastest way to get there is via monorail train. Rides include “Finnick’s Revenge”, which is a successor to Primeval Whirl, and a dark ride showcasing the events of the film known as “Tales from Zootopia.” There’s also a souvenir shop known as “Nick’s Gifts; No Traps!”

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Don’t know if it’s possible, but a theme area based off Wakanda the world of the Black Panther?

 

[Miru]

Don’t know if it’s possible, but a theme area based off Wakanda the world of the Black Panther?

I’ll at least consider it. It would be an Africa sub-section. Which attraction should I discuss in detail next? I’m leaning towards Indiana Jones Adventure: Rise of Lemuria, mainly because I have some really fun ideas for it.

 

[Miru]

Alright: let’s start our ride-through of the long-awaited “Indiana Jones Adventure: Rise of Lemuria”.

The queue has a similar structure to the ride’s predecessor, starting in a thick outdoor jungle beach before heading inside an old wooden hut. The wooden hut, labeled “reservation & tickets”, leads to an abandoned wooden inn. Inside the inn, you may notice pillars of ruin jutting out, and ruins gradually overtaking the inn. Inside the ruin, you can see a large crystal ball, which shows the ride safety spiel and story information. It shows how Indiana Jones disappeared, and who he was pursuing. It also shows images depicting the Master of Lemuria, and his “goals” of conservation.

Continue along further, as ancient pulsating fungi line the walls and glow, riders enter the loading area. In the loading area, a Pepper’s Ghost effect of a Mermaid is occasionally seen above riders as they prepare to load the “EMV III” vehicles. These vehicles load 4 passengers per each of their two rows. Once on board, a lap-bar is affixed atop the seatbelt. Vehicles then enter the first room; the launch area.

Once the vehicle has exited the loading area and ceased to be visible from there, they enter a room with a large whirlpool surrounding riders. Pepper’s Ghost effects display mermaids, sirens, and umibozu, amongst other aquatic beings, as riders anxiously wait what comes next. Suddenly, the vehicle rears back as the whirlpool darkens in hue. Soon, the room is black, and riders are catapulted forward at 40 MPH using a hydraulic launch. Riders make their first turn into a room filled with lightning and the bones of armored Dunkelosteus fish, before they enter the main temple area.

Inside the main temple area, Indiana Jones appears, ready to help riders out. Overlooking the temple, one can already see fossils of sea life from all across time. A sudden turn leads to our first encounter; a two-headed, oversized Eryops. We take a sudden dive to avoid it just as its companion, a similarity oversized Diplocalus, corners riders, and as we dive down, we see a Helicoprion come right for our faces, causing us to climb right back up. We take another turn, this time into a strange chamber filled with the remains of failed experiments of the people of Lemuria. The phantasmal scientists can still be seen working there, too, and we see the first evidence of the Anomalocaris encounter with a large mosaic of the beast. Our next drop takes us into the burial chamber, with some burials far more recent than others. Saurosuchus, Deinosuchus, and Leedsichthys also spring to ghostly returns as they prepare to spit flames on the riders, causing some of the bones to catch fire. Pikaia also harmlessly flies overhead.

After that, we enter the trilobite chamber, with trilobites, Meganeura, & Hallucogenia crawling across the walls, (riders feel the crawling creatures as well) with a giant trilobite appearing before it is eaten by the Anomalocaris. “That thing killed Brody!” The horrifying Anomalocaris claw makes riders take a hairpin turn and dive into the treasure room, guarded by quadrupedal Helicoprion and spear-spitting statues. Riders swerve upward to dodge the spears, only to learn of poison needles emerging from the floor, as the Anomalocaris claw returns.

In the next room, we see the Master of Lemuria, riding atop the Alomancaris. “Was this ever about nature? Oh, puh-leez! Nature is just a thing to use as I please! The end of this world will always start another, that is clear! We’re a pox on this planet, but it will always grow a new one! Anomalocaris, Tyrannosaurus, even us!!! Those environmentalists are such fools! One day, the planet will DIE!”

We swerve around the Anomalocaris, dodging its jaws and claws before we enter the ride’s lava pit chamber. The Master of Lemuria has Indy cornered, before he is soon surrounded by evil spirits and chained to a metal grid. The grid begins to lower into magma. He is eventually sunk into magma, as the entire chamber collapses and riders exit the chamber with a sudden vertical drop (see Hagrid’s as an example). Riders then are pulled up to the load area again, passing an animatronic Indiana Jones saluting Brody and crying a single manly tear, as ghostly mermaids float by.

 

[Parker41056]

DAK is a great park with some of the best ambiance anywhere but IMO it still needs a few more attractions. Here are a few ideas I would consider:

1) Would love to see a Rain forest area/land added with a thrilling hanging Tarzan coaster that whips guests in and out of the tree tops.
2) Perhaps the greatest Disney move ever and certainly the greatest with an animal theme is the Lion King. The Lion King needs a major and proper E-ticket attraction at DAK. I could consider ride technology used by the forthcoming Tokyo Beauty and Beast for a trip through the Serengeti with a show building facade using the iconic 'Pride Rock'. This attraction would be position near the safari ride.
3) DAK could be the first park to introduce a FOX IP by bringing Ice Age.. I envision a whole new frozen tundra land with an Ice Age attraction using the Disneyland Matterhorn ride system. Guests will follow Sid, Manfred and most important, Scat down a dueling coaster attraction after a sudden snow slide occurs after scat tired to get his acorn.
4) And what to do about Dinoland? The land just looks cheap and arranged very weird. With Nemo next door perhaps this whole area needs to be turned into a water themed land. Convert Dinosaur to a new IP either original or borrow a fox IP and the tear down primeval whirl to add a new Moana based boat ride attraction using the Shanghai POC system.
5) Still not sold on Zootopia at DAK just yet.

 

[Miru]

DAK is a great park with some of the best ambiance anywhere but IMO it still needs a few more attractions. Here are a few ideas I would consider:

1) Would love to see a Rain forest area/land added with a thrilling hanging Tarzan coaster that whips guests in and out of the tree tops.
2) Perhaps the greatest Disney move ever and certainly the greatest with an animal theme is the Lion King. The Lion King needs a major and proper E-ticket attraction at DAK. I could consider ride technology used by the forthcoming Tokyo Beauty and Beast for a trip through the Serengeti with a show building facade using the iconic 'Pride Rock'. This attraction would be position near the safari ride.
3) DAK could be the first park to introduce a FOX IP by bringing Ice Age.. I envision a whole new frozen tundra land with an Ice Age attraction using the Disneyland Matterhorn ride system. Guests will follow Sid, Manfred and most important, Scat down a dueling coaster attraction after a sudden snow slide occurs after scat tired to get his acorn.
4) And what to do about Dinoland? The land just looks cheap and arranged very weird. With Nemo next door perhaps this whole area needs to be turned into a water themed land. Convert Dinosaur to a new IP either original or borrow a fox IP and the tear down primeval whirl to add a new Moana based boat ride attraction using the Shanghai POC system.
5) Still not sold on Zootopia at DAK just yet.

1. I do have plans for a Tarzan Coaster. “Tarzan; Queen La’s Lair” might be a good name for it.
2. Great idea! An E-Ticket of TLK is a good pick. Good location, too.
3. Hmm... while I disagree about most FOX character use in Disney parks, maybe Scrat could work as a meet and greet character? The Ice Age Mountain ride idea does seem fun to me, though. Given the IP is beloved in China, it could suit Shanghai/HKDL better. Or even Blizzard Beach, perhaps? Tundra area is a good idea, though. At the very least as a subland for The Lost Ocean. Club Penguin? Club Penguin could be a restaurant there, for instance.
4. See my revision plans for Dinoland above. I’d also make a lot of the theming less cheesy, and move Nemo to Australia. Moana might work in The Lost Ocean. And yes, I’m trying to work in Ferngully and maybe Epic somewhere in the park.
5. Okay.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Luckily in Walt Disney Studios park in Paris you could put Springfield & The Simpsons Ride since The Simpsons is popular in Europe.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Well technically Parker Avatar is the first Fox IP in DAK so Ice Age would be the second.

 

[Miru]

Luckily in Walt Disney Studios park in Paris you could put Springfield & The Simpsons Ride since The Simpsons is popular in Europe.

Yes, but that has nothing to do with Animal Kingdom. Will have to make a future topic on the proposed land and attractions.

On-topic, I will start Cape Suzette Adventure. The queue resembles an old bunker, with photos of Baloo’s achievements (such as him riding Primeval Whirl), and the loading area features an Audio-Animatronic Kit waiting, as each vehicle seats 4, but they move individually rather than as a train. The ride starts with a fake-out lift hill, similar to Hulk, which propels riders into a sudden launch. Launched riders rise above Cape Suzette, sweeping down to see the sights. Look, there’s Lotta Lamour down there, isn’t she? Myra Foxworthy, too. Shere Khan is in his office. Baloo shows up on the screens on each vehicle to instruct riders. Eventually, riders enter a lift hill to enter Don Karnage’s Flying Fortress. Inside, riders fly downward again, swerving around his forces to recover the treasure with bunny hops and hairpin turns to spare.

As the ride ends, riders are placed into the ride’s gift shop, “TaleSpin Delivery Service”.

 

[John park hopper]

I'd let the lions, tigers, rhinos, elephants, hipos roam freely in AK, guests would get the true feeling of Africa. Side benefit watch the crowds drop dramatically. Joking of course. Dinosaurs are always a big hit with all ages update Dinoland with some realistic dinosaurs with advances in animatronics they could do something neat and scary

 

[Miru]

I'd let the lions, tigers, rhinos, elephants, hipos roam freely in AK, guests would get the true feeling of Africa. Side benefit watch the crowds drop dramatically. Joking of course. Dinosaurs are always a big hit with all ages update Dinoland with some realistic dinosaurs with advances in animatronics they could do something neat and scary

The thing with Dinosaur is exactly what I plan to do. Update the animatronics, with more realistic motion and texture, including feathers, and add some more.

Next area is known as The Fragile Frosts, a subland of The Lost Ocean and the closest thing to a “Europe” land. This frigid area is home to the Club Penguin Cafe, a new restaurant themed after the much-missed online game. Club Penguin also has a flat ride known as “Club Penguin Flip-Flap”, a Himalayas-Type Ride. Another ride there is called “Journey to the Ozone”, a simulator-coaster hybrid (simulator film but the ride really does move), where riders make an excursion to destroy evil greenhouse gas monsters and save the ozone. Going southwards, one can see the entrance to “Moana and the Revenge of the Horrors”, a new boat ride.

 

[Thingamabob]

Love your ideas of additions of South America and Australia areas. I think so much could be done with those two areas and it would be a huge upgrade to the AK. I also agree with getting rid of Dino-Land to make it happen would be a worthy sacrifice. Now for Camp Minnie-Mickey and Beastly Land I am not for that so much.

 

[Miru]

Love your ideas of additions of South America and Australia areas. I think so much could be done with those two areas and it would be a huge upgrade to the AK. I also agree with getting rid of Dino-Land to make it happen would be a worthy sacrifice. Now for Camp Minnie-Mickey and Beastly Land I am not for that so much.

I am not bringing back Camp Minnie Mickey, just adding some unobtrusive tributes to the former land. Dino Land isn’t going away completely, just contracting.