Rumor Lion King Flume Ride being considered for Animal Kingdom

[Epcot82Guy]

In all seriousness, the Lion King IP is a problem at DAK. Animal Kingdom and (previously) EPCOT were rooted in the real world. While they draw from the animated/true fantasy world of Disney, it's still rooted in realism. FotLK blurs the lines decently as do Discovery Island and Pandora. Donald in DinoRama less so, much like Up in Flights v2.0. I totally get why Lion King feels like it SHOULD work. But, in Africa as it stands, it would be tough.

It would be like putting a live action Ariel meet and greet next to UtS at MK. They are inhabiting different versions of a world... admittedly a similar world.

At a different time, these bridges could be done with really creative solutions. I just don't think modern Disney cares. The animated characters + Marvel + Star Wars rule the roost. So, they win, even over having the theme in the parks actually work. "Eh it's fine, and most people don't think that deeply." is the current guiding principle. As long as the attraction itself is well themed and kinda feels like what's around it in some way, that's good enough (with some recent exceptions).

 

[James Alucobond]

In all seriousness, the Lion King IP is a problem at DAK. Animal Kingdom and (previously) EPCOT were rooted in the real world. While they draw from the animated/true fantasy world of Disney, it's still rooted in realism. FotLK blurs the lines decently as do Discovery Island and Pandora. Donald in DinoRama less so, much like Up in Flights v2.0. I totally get why Lion King feels like it SHOULD work. But, in Africa as it stands, it would be tough.

I think It's Tough to Be a Bug is the one that stands out to me as not terribly rooted in the realism you describe. But I do generally agree that unless it's treated somewhat atypically, a Lion King ride will feel kind of strange juxtaposed against its neighboring safari and FotLK.

 

[mattpeto]

In all seriousness, the Lion King IP is a problem at DAK. Animal Kingdom and (previously) EPCOT were rooted in the real world. While they draw from the animated/true fantasy world of Disney, it's still rooted in realism. FotLK blurs the lines decently as do Discovery Island and Pandora. Donald in DinoRama less so, much like Up in Flights v2.0. I totally get why Lion King feels like it SHOULD work. But, in Africa as it stands, it would be tough.

It would be like putting a live action Ariel meet and greet next to UtS at MK. They are inhabiting different versions of a world... admittedly a similar world.

At a different time, these bridges could be done with really creative solutions. I just don't think modern Disney cares. The animated characters + Marvel + Star Wars rule the roost. So, they win, even over having the theme in the parks actually work. "Eh it's fine, and most people don't think that deeply." is the current guiding principle. As long as the attraction itself is well themed and kinda feels like what's around it in some way, that's good enough (with some recent exceptions).

Man if Lion King can’t get into your version of Animal Kingdom, that’s a tough bar.

 

[Phicinfan]

In all seriousness, the Lion King IP is a problem at DAK. Animal Kingdom and (previously) EPCOT were rooted in the real world. While they draw from the animated/true fantasy world of Disney, it's still rooted in realism. FotLK blurs the lines decently as do Discovery Island and Pandora. Donald in DinoRama less so, much like Up in Flights v2.0. I totally get why Lion King feels like it SHOULD work. But, in Africa as it stands, it would be tough.

It would be like putting a live action Ariel meet and greet next to UtS at MK. They are inhabiting different versions of a world... admittedly a similar world.

At a different time, these bridges could be done with really creative solutions. I just don't think modern Disney cares. The animated characters + Marvel + Star Wars rule the roost. So, they win, even over having the theme in the parks actually work. "Eh it's fine, and most people don't think that deeply." is the current guiding principle. As long as the attraction itself is well themed and kinda feels like what's around it in some way, that's good enough (with some recent exceptions).

Except the original design for AK was a fantasy section with Dragons and unicorns. And now has blue people.

Pretty sure it will survive

 

[Animaniac93-98]

When the park opened, with the exception of Bug, the characters were all used in stage shows and meet and greets.

None of the rides or exhibits had characters. This continued well into the future like with new shows in Theater of the Wild.

Then Avatar became the first IP land, but it replaced the existing Disney cartoon character land with something more naturalistic and grounded in appearance and tone.

Lion King, if based on the character and scenic designs of the 1994 movie, would be an noticeable outlier. The park has never had an MK or DHS kind of movie ride before. The same is true for Encanto.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I think It's Tough to Be a Bug is the one that stands out to me as not terribly rooted in the realism you describe. But I do generally agree that unless it's treated somewhat atypically, a Lion King ride will feel kind of strange juxtaposed against its neighboring safari and FotLK.

Yes, I agree.

Man if Lion King can’t get into your version of Animal Kingdom, that’s a tough bar.

I can appreciate that perspective. But, I think that's the challenge with a park that has a clear narrative like Rhode created. FotLK does a pretty good job. But, like with Epcot, Lion King is a parable with humans personified as animals - that happens to be in Africa. It has really very little to do with the boundary between humans and nature. If you want to push movie characters, DAK is probably the most difficult park, especially Asia and Africa. As @James Alucobond said, it's going to feel weird if you really look at it. They are trying to make a cartoonified Africa and realistic Africa sit next to each other without a bridge.

Except the original design for AK was a fantasy section with Dragons and unicorns. And now has blue people.

Pretty sure it will survive

The issue is those were within a separate land. I'm actually not one who said Zootopia couldn't work at DAK. I think it could - but it needed to be totally separated from the current park, so you could transition. Pandora is a great example. It's not just blue people. It's a science fiction environment, but one that behaves the same way that Africa and Asia do. And, it fits the overall narrative. (and Beastly Kingdom would have been the same.) While the overall themes went deeper, the one "requirement" is the edge of the human world and a natural world and how that interacts. (Much like Epcot's base level requirement was sharing and celebrating human culture and achievement, or at least the real world.) Pandora was designed as an unexplored natural world. Beastly Kingdom would have been the realm of mythical beasts in a similar way. I'm not saying you can't use myths or fantasy or the like. It's about having it make sense beyond the surface. That was the Disney themeing difference for years. Not always done great - but at least a focus.

 

[James Alucobond]

Man if Lion King can’t get into your version of Animal Kingdom, that’s a tough bar.

It can obviously get in. It already is in. But a Lion King book report styled like the original film would stand in stark contrast to almost every other ride in the park.

Except the original design for AK was a fantasy section with Dragons and unicorns. And now has blue people.

Pretty sure it will survive

The yeti, the dinosaurs, and the fauna of Pandora are presented as “real” within the fantasy of AK. The denizens of Beastly Kingdomme would have been treated similarly. Such would not be the case with the stylized talking and singing animals of something potentially following the Lion King’s plot. As I mentioned previously, It’s Tough to Be a Bug is the nearest existing analogue.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

While they would likely never go for this, one version I could 100% get behind would be to use some type of doll or effigy of the characters in the various scenes done in a traditional African style. Or, use rockwork or something (ala JoW). Arguably, they should probably restyle the music using African instruments as well. But, that could be a really interesting way to thread the needle. Plus, it would be great representation of art forms lesser known here in the States (or even other parts of the world).

Again, that's 100% armchair Imagineering. I just raise it to say there are ways to do it, if they cared.

 

[bwr827]

The environment around the ride could look realistic. Then go inside and enjoy a fun new ride based on a true Disney classic.

 

[flyerjab]

While they would likely never go for this, one version I could 100% get behind would be to use some type of doll or effigy of the characters in the various scenes done in a traditional African style. Or, use rockwork or something (ala JoW). Arguably, they should probably restyle the music using African instruments as well. But, that could be a really interesting way to thread the needle. Plus, it would be great representation of art forms lesser known here in the States (or even other parts of the world).

Again, that's 100% armchair Imagineering. I just raise it to say there are ways to do it, if they cared.

Could not agree more. I posted something similar to this idea earlier in this thread. Make it a legend of the lion king story, but have the characters look like they were fabricated with African materials by the people from Harambe. I like your idea of using real African instruments.

 

[James Alucobond]

The environment around the ride could look realistic. Then go inside and enjoy a fun new ride based on a true Disney classic.

This only works if you think theme amounts to a loose framework for a generally cohesive outward appearance of a park. Most think attraction content kind of matters a bit beyond "fun new ride".

 

[Epcot82Guy]

This only works if you think theme amounts to a loose framework for a generally cohesive outward appearance of a park. Most think attraction content kind of matters a bit beyond "fun new ride".

To argue against myself, the ship has probably said. The Epcot additions are probably proving the "fun new ride" model is all enough of the audience cares about. I think it significantly erodes the quality that used to be the Disney hallmark. But, there is evidence that enough of the audience doesn't care that much. And, they still buy food and merch (which is the true main goal of the parks for current senior leadership).

It's sad because, as I've said many times, they could easily have both audiences. But, they are not putting that creative capital in. (Which does beg the question where the design $$$ is actually going.)

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Lion King, if based on the character and scenic designs of the 1994 movie, would be an noticeable outlier. The park has never had an MK or DHS kind of movie ride before. The same is true for Encanto.

I generally agree with the critiques of a Lion King ride here, but I think Encanto at least has the potential to be different.

The park in a general sense deals with the relationship between humans and animals and you could do an Encanto attraction that at least broadly fits that theme. I don't know how you could do a Lion King attraction that wouldn't clash with the tone of the Africa land in which it would be located and which features a safari attraction with real animals. At least the animals in Encanto don't talk, sing, and struggle with family trauma.

 

[Fox&Hound]

I think most guests will be perfectly happy with a LK ride in AK. They could go with the newer “live action” if they wanted more realistic animal representations, I guess. And if Mufassa is a hit, maybe they will. But I think a ride focused on animals, set in Africa, that discusses themes like life and death and succession in animal prides fits rather nicely.

 

[James Alucobond]

To argue against myself, the ship has probably said. The Epcot additions are probably proving the "fun new ride" model is all enough of the audience cares about. I think it significantly erodes the quality that used to be the Disney hallmark. But, there is evidence that enough of the audience doesn't care that much. And, they still buy food and merch (which is the true main goal of the parks for current senior leadership).

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios have both rewritten their original charters. They made a conscious, publicized decision to move away from certain elements of the original vision. Effectiveness is another story, but the point is that we’ve not yet seen that be the case with Animal Kingdom.

 

[bwr827]

This only works if you think theme amounts to a loose framework for a generally cohesive outward appearance of a park. Most think attraction content kind of matters a bit beyond "fun new ride".

The other poster was hoping for “a bridge”, and discussed how Pandora was presented as a real place. Hence the realistic environment around the new LK attraction.

 

[Moth]

Do yall think The Jungle Book would be easier to fit?

 

[Phicinfan]

Do yall think The Jungle Book would be easier to fit?

I would take either. Both are well loved stories and IP

 

[Epcot82Guy]

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios have both rewritten their original charters. They made a conscious, publicized decision to move away from certain elements of the original vision. Effectiveness is another story, but the point is that we’ve not yet seen that be the case with Animal Kingdom.

I actually think that's worse. It then becomes a facade, which could make the transition more jarring. I don't mean a bridge between the current and the cartoon. I mean the cartoon's story needs to be redone to be a bridge to the land. FotLK does this somewhat. It takes the cartoon and adds real African elements as a bridge.

Disney parks/lands shouldn't be a Chopped basket. And, if they are, the judges are right to point out that caramel and cucumbers don't work together just because you salted them both.

 

[Starship824]

I'm sorry but if The Lion King doesn't fit the theme of Animal Kingdom yet Pandora does then what exactly is acceptable or not anymore?