New AK attractions?

[RSoxNo1]

Before this continues, I'll be the one to clarify. The Dragon in the Animal Kingdom logo (and Unicorn section of the parking lot) were references to an area of the park that was to be built after park opening called "Beastly Kingdom" It was to include a hedge maze with mythical animals (griffins, unicorns, etc) a transforming roller coaster in a tower that would feature Bat animatronics and a Dragon animatronic. The roller coaster would be both a standard roller coaster and an inverted roller coaster. Much of the theming of this was used in the queue for Dueling Dragons at Islands of Adventure as it had many of the same designers. The Boat ride around the lagoon was also to feature references to mythical animals including the site of a unicorn on the river banks at one point. Other smaller mythical creature references were to be found in and around Beastly Kingdom. Camp Minnie Mickey was meant to be a temporary land that would be replaced by Beastly Kingdom. However, with the success of the Festival of the Lion King Show, as well as the decision to integrate mythical animals into the other lands of the park (i.e. Expedition Everest), it seems that Beastly Kingdom is pretty unlikely. However, unless it is built, it will long be a very popular rumor on this and other message boards.

 

[CThaddeus]

i hardly think DAK is a 1/2 day park...there's over 9 miles of walking paths there i doubt that only takes 1/2 a day to get through all of that plus wait & ride times. i really don't think any park should be considered 1/2 day parks and the only reason that is is because people will go and ride the big attractions and leave. if you take your time to enjoy the parks itll take pretty much all day while still riding the big attractions more then once.

I agree with you completely. I was there for a full day and almost half of another and I still didn't get to do everything. I guess I should come clean and admit I did see Nemo twice, but I still didn't make it to the parade, It's Tough to be a Bug (I only skipped this because I can see it anytime at California Adventure...and frequently do), or the junk in Chester n' Hester's. But, unlike most, I actually try to do it all. I don't just go for the thrill rides then leave. I enjoy Rafiki's Planet Watch, and usually spend about an hour there. I like Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, and make a point to see it. I even find the animal trails fun. And, time willing, I love to wander around The Tree of Life to find as many animals as possible.
Frankly, I don't think any Disney Park is a 1/2 day Park. Even Disney-MGM is a full day plus if you do everything. I purposely skipped LMA, Narnia, Tower of Terror, and Rock n' Rollercoaster (all extremely overrated), and still was there open to close. So, it really all just depends on your attitude toward the Parks. If you just want cheap thrills, you'll be done with the World in less than 2 days. But, if you want real experiences and potentially mind-expanding attractions, you could spend well over a week (as I did), and still not see it all.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

I agree with you completely. I was there for a full day and almost half of another and I still didn't get to do everything. I guess I should come clean and admit I did see Nemo twice, but I still didn't make it to the parade, It's Tough to be a Bug (I only skipped this because I can see it anytime at California Adventure...and frequently do), or the junk in Chester n' Hester's. But, unlike most, I actually try to do it all. I don't just go for the thrill rides then leave. I enjoy Rafiki's Planet Watch, and usually spend about an hour there. I like Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, and make a point to see it. I even find the animal trails fun. And, time willing, I love to wander around The Tree of Life to find as many animals as possible.
Frankly, I don't think any Disney Park is a 1/2 day Park. there open Even Disney-MGM is a full day plus if you do everything. I purposely skipped LMA, Narnia, Tower of Terror, and Rock n' Rollercoaster (all extremely overrated), and still was to close. So, it really all just depends on your attitude toward the Parks. If you just want cheap thrills, you'll be done with the World in less than 2 days. But, if you want real experiences and potentially mind-expanding attractions, you could spend well over a week (as I did), and still not see it all.

Wow.. you must walk really slow!!! :lol:

AK always a full day.... MGM not neccessarily a 1/2 day but definately not a full day park.

 

[phenom1307]

Wow.. you must walk really slow!!! :lol:

AK always a full day.... MGM not neccessarily a 1/2 day but definately not a full day park.

yeah i agree with that..i think its the only park that could come close to fitting the "1/2 day" philosophy...

 

[hemloc]

Pre E:E, AK was a 1/2 day park. Did it twice in that amount of time.

And, no, not being rude by saying this thread doesn't belong in the rumors/news section.... It really doesn't belong here!

 

[Texas84]

Panada: A paste or gruel of bread crumbs, toast, or flour combined with milk, stock, or water and used for making soups, binding forcemeats, or thickening sauces.

Yuck! You want an exhibit about THAT?!?

 

[DisneyGigi]

Wow.. you must walk really slow!!! :lol:

AK always a full day.... MGM not neccessarily a 1/2 day but definately not a full day park.

yeah i agree with that..i think its the only park that could come close to fitting the "1/2 day" philosophy...

I never understood why people referred to either one of these parks as 1/2 day parks. Maybe it is because we visit for 9-10 days each trip but we always spend 1 1/2 days at AK and at least 2 at MGM. While I am sure it can be done at break neck spend I just don't see that being fun. I like to take my time and have fun. Plus we do the attractions over and over again on our faves. :shrug:

 

[Fun2BFree]

Sadly i dont get what you said

You know, the never-built fantasy land in Animal Kingdom, celebrating dragons, unicorns and the like.

 

[brerrabbit17]

I think with all the investment that went into everest, and all the investment going on in epcot and some in the magic kingdom. it would be a while.

 

[phenom1307]

Pre E:E, AK was a 1/2 day park. Did it twice in that amount of time.

And, no, not being rude by saying this thread doesn't belong in the rumors/news section.... It really doesn't belong here!

no it wasnt just a 1/2 day park before E:E, one ride does not add another 1/2 a day. so you rode E:E twice in what, like 6 hours?....why would you spend that much time standing in line...no ride is worth that much time. and did you not see the single rider line? yeah may want to try that. also 1 day is not enough time to spend at DAK (1 days not even enough for any park) if you actually take your time to enjoy everything and not rush to every ride

 

[OldKeyWest]

:lol:

Somehow I think Bambi and high powered automatic machine guns don't mix...

They sound more like the new PB&J to me.:ROFLOL:

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

I would love to see an elaborate Panada display.

Wouldn't the little kids be hurt during the scramble for candy when the Panada is broken open?

 

[the-reason14]

I never understood why people referred to either one of these parks as 1/2 day parks. Maybe it is because we visit for 9-10 days each trip but we always spend 1 1/2 days at AK and at least 2 at MGM. While I am sure it can be done at break neck spend I just don't see that being fun. I like to take my time and have fun. Plus we do the attractions over and over again on our faves. :shrug:

Our family vacations to WDW annually in July for 2 weeks, and me and my dad do smaller vacations throughout the year sometimes. And I would consider AK and mgm half day because, well they are. I mean, I do remember doing almost all there is to do at both parks, and certain shows and stuff at mgm, once is enough. AK is the same, I remember doing Rafakis planet watch waiting for our everest fp time and it was fun and nice, but it isnt a must every trip. I usually always hit the good rides, there was one time when we went to AK specifically to see Nemo(which i would say is a must for me every trip because I love that show) and then we did everest and we were out the door.

I think its nice and cool if you have shows and exhibits as attractions, but imo they are only good once every other trip or so.

 

[tonythetigerasn]

In response to the OP, I don't think DAK needs any more than perhaps one more E-ticket. The park is lacking now in quality lower-level attractions. Kilimanjaro, Dinosaur, E:E, and arguably Kali are all quality E-ticket attractions. What else does the park have to offer? Some shows, Dinorama, and ITTBAB. I believe a well-done lion king or jungle book dark ride, a quality boat attraction, and something substantial in camp-minnie-mickey could all benefit the park, but I certainly think it needs something else before another
E-ticket.

 

[CThaddeus]

Wow.. you must walk really slow!!! :lol:

AK always a full day.... MGM not neccessarily a 1/2 day but definately not a full day park.

Here's what I feel is a somewhat conservative estimate of all of the elements in each attraction:

Disney-MGM
The Great Movie Ride - 25 minutes
Sounds Dangerous - 25 minutes (also includes a few minutes in the post show)
Indiana Jones - 35 minutes
Star Tours - 10 minutes
Muppet-Vision - 25 minutes
LMA (if you really want to punish yourself) - 30 minutes
Backlot Tour - 40 minutes
One Man's Dream - 30 minutes
Narnia (again, why?) - 10 minutes
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - 15 minutes
Animation Tour - 25 minutes
Playhouse Disney - 20 minutes
Beauty and the Beast - 25 minutes
Tower of Terror - 10 minutes
Rock n' Rollercoaster - 10 minutes
Parade - 15 minutes
Fantasmic! - 25 minutes
High School Musical Parade (I'm not advocating watching this): 15 minutes

I estimate this to be about 6 hours 40 minutes. I did not include waiting in line, eating meals, walking, potty breaks, snack breaks, general sightseeing/picture-taking, kid stops (if you have them), and shopping. Most aren't lucky enough to stumble upon a show starting right when they get to it or an attraction with no line, so the waiting time can almost double the time it takes to do all of these things. Whether you chose to avail yourself of all of the attractions offered does not change the fact that IF you tried to do everything in the Park, it would take you more than a full day...unless you got extreeeeeemely lucky and hit every one of them just as they were starting. I make very few stops when I'm there, and am constantly rushing from attraction to attraction. But I still have to wait for the next show to start, and that eats up a lot of time. I was there open to beyond closing a month ago. I still missed quite a bit...and I was alone the whole time. How is that possible if it is supposedly only a 1/2 day Park?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Here's what I feel is a somewhat conservative estimate of all of the elements in each attraction:

Disney-MGM
The Great Movie Ride - 25 minutes
Sounds Dangerous - 25 minutes (also includes a few minutes in the post show)
Indiana Jones - 35 minutes
Star Tours - 10 minutes
Muppet-Vision - 25 minutes
LMA (if you really want to punish yourself) - 30 minutes
Backlot Tour - 40 minutes
One Man's Dream - 30 minutes
Narnia (again, why?) - 10 minutes
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - 15 minutes
Animation Tour - 25 minutes
Playhouse Disney - 20 minutes
Beauty and the Beast - 25 minutes
Tower of Terror - 10 minutes
Rock n' Rollercoaster - 10 minutes
Parade - 15 minutes
Fantasmic! - 25 minutes
High School Musical Parade (I'm not advocating watching this): 15 minutes

I estimate this to be about 6 hours 40 minutes. I did not include waiting in line, eating meals, walking, potty breaks, snack breaks, general sightseeing/picture-taking, kid stops (if you have them), and shopping. Most aren't lucky enough to stumble upon a show starting right when they get to it or an attraction with no line, so the waiting time can almost double the time it takes to do all of these things. Whether you chose to avail yourself of all of the attractions offered does not change the fact that IF you tried to do everything in the Park, it would take you more than a full day...unless you got extreeeeeemely lucky and hit every one of them just as they were starting. I make very few stops when I'm there, and am constantly rushing from attraction to attraction. But I still have to wait for the next show to start, and that eats up a lot of time. I was there open to beyond closing a month ago. I still missed quite a bit...and I was alone the whole time. How is that possible if it is supposedly only a 1/2 day Park?

That's the thing, people eliminate a lot of attractions that they feel only need to be done once. This varies per person, but taking a look at your list, if I were to see everything I wanted to see at MGM the list would look like this:
The Great Movie Ride - 25 minutes
Indiana Jones - 35 minutes
Muppet-Vision - 25 minutes
LMA - 30 minutes
Backlot Tour - 40 minutes
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - 15 minutes
Tower of Terror - 10 minutes
Rock n' Rollercoaster - 10 minutes
Fantasmic! - 25 minutes

That's down to 3 hours and 35 minutes, I go to the Disney Parks every year, and on the trip probably visit MGM once or twice. I can tell you that Indiana Jones, Backlot Tour, Voyage of the Lilttle Mermaid and Fantasmic are down to once per trip (if that) for us. I'm a big fan of LMA, but even that, I'll probably only see once per trip, just because it's hard to time it. One thing I would add, because we typically go during the week after Thanksgiving is that we'll see the Osbourne Lights.

With all that said, the park could get very good, very quickly. Over the next 5 years the speculation is that we'll see Star Tours 2.0, Toy Story Mania, Ratatouille (or other Pixar themed) coaster, as well as a Nightmare before Christmas dark ride and a stage show or two. None of those sound like E-tickets, but it seems that at least Star Tours, Toy Story Mania and the coaster will be very solid D-tickets. If these changes take place I think we'll see a huge spike in the popularity of MGM.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Our family vacations to WDW annually in July for 2 weeks, and me and my dad do smaller vacations throughout the year sometimes. And I would consider AK and mgm half day because, well they are. I mean, I do remember doing almost all there is to do at both parks, and certain shows and stuff at mgm, once is enough. AK is the same, I remember doing Rafakis planet watch waiting for our everest fp time and it was fun and nice, but it isnt a must every trip. I usually always hit the good rides, there was one time when we went to AK specifically to see Nemo(which i would say is a must for me every trip because I love that show) and then we did everest and we were out the door.

I think its nice and cool if you have shows and exhibits as attractions, but imo they are only good once every other trip or so.

I guess the main difference with us would be that we hit whatever the kids (or we) want to as many times as they want to... We don't just ride rides once I think on our last trip we rode EE at least 10 times maybe more, same thing with RnRC and ToT. (We don't do the things that we have done before and did not like) and we went twice this year for a total of 20 days and are heading back in February. I still have to do my faves over and over... =)
You only rode EE once???????? !!!! :dazzle:

 

[marni1971]

MGM.... the only park that takes less to do now than when it opened...

Regarding DAK, remember an E-Ride dosn`t have to be a white knuckle ride

Give it one or two proper D rides and an E Ticket - think dark ride - and the park could well justify being a full day park.

 

[phenom1307]

Our family vacations to WDW annually in July for 2 weeks, and me and my dad do smaller vacations throughout the year sometimes. And I would consider AK and mgm half day because, well they are. I mean, I do remember doing almost all there is to do at both parks, and certain shows and stuff at mgm, once is enough. AK is the same, I remember doing Rafakis planet watch waiting for our everest fp time and it was fun and nice, but it isnt a must every trip. I usually always hit the good rides, there was one time when we went to AK specifically to see Nemo(which i would say is a must for me every trip because I love that show) and then we did everest and we were out the door.

I think its nice and cool if you have shows and exhibits as attractions, but imo they are only good once every other trip or so.

so beasically you're saying its a 1/2 day park because you watched nemo and rode E:E. WOW! 2 whole attractions! i guess that you're right that's all there is at DAK. doing 2 attractions does not justify it being a 1/2 day park. now had you done all there is to be done at DAK and actually strolled through the park looking at everything...then you'd have some justification in labeling it a 1/2 day park. but i'm sorry doing 2 attractions and labeling it a 1/2 day is stupid

 

[Tim G]

I'd like to see a Hunt the Hunters attraction. Call it Bambi III: Bambi's Revenge.

Working tittle: "RAMBI, the violent Deer"