Outlook for Animal Kingdom?

[dlpwishes]

I think in many ways, people really don't get AK, just because it isn't in-your-face thrills all the time. But then, the other three Parks on property aren't like that either, so that point confuses me. Sure, AK doesn't have that many attractions, but it's the shows, trails, etc that make the park as well.

I think if they were to add to the Park, Beastly would be a great idea, to add some fantasy/mystery to it. And the idea of a dark ride featuring Jungle Book is also cool. But TDO would have to be so careful not to ruin the great detail & atmosphere the park currently has.

I agree that there should be some sort of night-time spectacular/ parade to keep people around for longer, but I don't think World of Color or a similar show is the right way to go about it - the chaos it would cause to the 'natural' environment during construction would be crazy. So a night-time parade would be better, maybe in the style of Tapestry or the Carnival of Color at DCA (before WoC), but featuring animals, etc of course. It wouldn't disturb the animals as much either, surely.

 

[graphite1326]

BOTTOM LINE: They are not going to put all the thrill rides in one park. Disney wants you to visit all the parks. They want that extra buck they get from the "park hopping" tickets. Also, The more thrill rides in different parks the longer you will stay nad the more you will spend. This could also be said about any attraction genre not just the thrill rides.

Sorry folks for being blunt. I still love going.

 

[Mark_E]

A log flume type attraction would be great. It would go well with the Kali River Rapids.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

In my opinion, the problem with the Animal Kingdom is that it doesn't have enough animal exhibits to be a zoo, and not enough attractions to be a theme park.

I agree with this.

NO, "Everyone" doesn't say that. Those who don't "get" Animal Kingdom say it's a half-day park. Those of us who love AK know it's much, much more than a half-day park.

There is no right or wrong way to look at a park like AK. Is it not possible that there are those who "get" the park, but notice nothing new has been added in years and as a result not be interested in enough of the current offerings to fill a full day?

It doesn't need "thrill" rides. It isn't about that. I don't want the park "ruined" by some monster coaster or something that just doesn't belong.

Odd, if it didn't "need" one then why did one get built and boost attendance significantly as a result?

Maybe an indoor dark ride or something along those lines, but don't ruin the park with the clackity clack of a Roller Coaster chain.

Too late.

 

[SeaCastle]

I guess that may cause problems for people who only like one or the other.

For me, personally, since I'm a big fan of both theme parks AND zoos, it is very easy for me to just enjoy the park for what it is, rather than trying to put it into a category.

Since I can easily spend a full day at a zoo that does not have theme park attractions, just enjoying spending time with the animals, AK is easily a full-day experience for me. There may not be a full-day's worth of animal exhibits or a full-day's worth of non-animal, Disney theme park attractions, but since I am into both genres, when combined I can easily spend a full day there without repeating myself.

This combination works well for me and I enjoy Disney's unique interpretation of a zoological park in the same way I enjoy their take on a classic World's Fair (Epcot).

The beautiful landscaping and immersive theming also contribute to the experience and help make the two styles of attractions found in the AK (Disney theme park and zoological) blend fairly well together, IMO.

Agreed here. Unfortunately, I believe most people going to WDW are there for theme parks, so they don't enjoy the park as much as they should. It's an experience to be savored, not jumping from attraction to attraction. Also, we don't spend "full days" at parks...we usually do 2-3 a day. The AK is fine for us.

The balance between both features is its charm, but I will agree that the park should have more of both.

In case they are never building BK, I think South America and Australia are good options to replace CMM.

Just to clarify my stance, I love the Animal Kingdom and the nahtazu balance it creates. My point was that there's not enough of either of them. I'd love to see Dinoland taken down and rethemed as Lost River Delta from TDS.

 

[CaptainWinter]

-Add a South America land to the park.
--Put in a water flume ride.
--Put in a South American animal walking trail and aviary.
--Put in a Incan temple roller coaster moderate coaster (similar to Big Thunder)

-Add a Jungle Book classic Fantasyland-esqe dark ride to Asia.
-Add a nighttime parade/spectacular either a Rivers of Light idea or a nature/animal based World of Color type venue.

That should make it more of a full-day park and can be done in a period of 10 years.

Excellent post. These are good ideas.

I echo what other posters have said, that Australia would be a great addition. It has flora and fauna all its own.

 

[Bravo 229]

I would like to see an immersive ocean themed land. A few years ago, I thought a Little Mermaid ride or Atlantis ride presented 'underwater' would be something innovative they could do. The land would be 'underground' with a blue/sea green glass ceiling and you could look up and see the sky through it, maybe with a wave pool or similar effect on top of it. I don't think it needs "thrill rides" because like others have stated, it would be too much like Busch Gardens - and after my last visit there, thats not a good thing. All it really needs is another land with good themeing, and a balance of rides and animal exhibits. And I wouldn't mind if they returned Dinosaur to Countdown to Extinction

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I would like to see an immersive ocean themed land. A few years ago, I thought a Little Mermaid ride or Atlantis ride presented 'underwater' would be something innovative they could do. The land would be 'underground' with a blue/sea green glass ceiling and you could look up and see the sky through it, maybe with a wave pool or similar effect on top of it. I don't think it needs "thrill rides" because like others have stated, it would be too much like Busch Gardens - and after my last visit there, thats not a good thing. All it really needs is another land with good themeing, and a balance of rides and animal exhibits. And I wouldn't mind if they returned Dinosaur to Countdown to Extinction

An ocean themed land would be pretty cool! The only part I don't like is the Little Mermaid idea. The ride would be fine, but not themed to Little Mermaid. The only reason I say that is because with the exception of It's Tough to be a Bug, the use of Disney characters is really at a minimum. The park is more themed to natural habitat rather than Disney-infiltrated natural habitat. I like how they've done that!

Oh, and what's the difference between Dinosaur and Countdown to Extinction other than the name? I think that I've ridden the ride both before and after the name change, but I don't recall any difference in the ride.

 

[unkadug]

In my opinion, the problem with the Animal Kingdom is that it doesn't have enough animal exhibits to be a zoo, and not enough attractions to be a theme park.

It's Nahtazu.

 

[kcs]

We love AK. It is one of our favorites. I don't know how anyone can see it as a half day or a skip the park. It is so unique and the theme is done so well. I would hope Disney wouldn't mess with this too much. People need to go into this Park with more of a relaxed, educational yet fun Park. If you make it a half day Park you really miss a lot of it and you don't get what it is all about.

 

[SAV]

I agree with this.



There is no right or wrong way to look at a park like AK. Is it not possible that there are those who "get" the park, but notice nothing new has been added in years and as a result not be interested in enough of the current offerings to fill a full day?



Odd, if it didn't "need" one then why did one get built and boost attendance significantly as a result?



Too late.

To say that AK has nothing "new" is to say nature stops. The park is different every day because nature is different every day. Different details to see if you slow down to see them. There is always something to learn about from a CM or just observing the animals/exhibits. It isn't a park to run through.

I guess we have some difference of a definition of a thrill ride. I don't really consider Everest to be much of one. It is a very tame roller coaster that is inside of a "mountain". Furthermore, I don't recall it having that "roller coaster" clacking sound as the cars move up to the drop. I may be not remembering it, but I thought it was a smooth and quiet ascent. When I say Thrill Ride, I am talking a Mega Coaster that sticks out just as that...a big pile of twisted metal that you see in Six Flags with that loud and unmistakable clacking sound as it goes up. That would totally ruin the ambiance of AK. Also, I said it doesn't need one now, not that it didn't need one when Everest went in. Everest did boost attendance, no denying that. I just don't think that adding another big coaster is the way to go.

 

[Crazy Harry]

I would like to see an immersive ocean themed land. A few years ago, I thought a Little Mermaid ride or Atlantis ride presented 'underwater' would be something innovative they could do. The land would be 'underground' with a blue/sea green glass ceiling and you could look up and see the sky through it, maybe with a wave pool or similar effect on top of it. I don't think it needs "thrill rides" because like others have stated, it would be too much like Busch Gardens - and after my last visit there, thats not a good thing. All it really needs is another land with good themeing, and a balance of rides and animal exhibits. And I wouldn't mind if they returned Dinosaur to Countdown to Extinction

The only problem I see with this is that they already have the living seas at Epcot which is an ocean themed area, so adding another one might be repetative. Now, I always thought that a sea themed area would be great, but maybe a sea port area something like the discovery bay concept for disney land with a 20k league ride and a ride about mythological sea creatures.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

what's the difference between Dinosaur and Countdown to Extinction other than the name? I think that I've ridden the ride both before and after the name change, but I don't recall any difference in the ride.

I wanted to reiterate this question. Anyone know the answer?

 

[JohnLocke]

I wanted to reiterate this question. Anyone know the answer?

I think it originally ended with the meteor coming down and almost hitting you instead of the T-Rex that's there now, I could be wrong though.

 

[JohnLocke]

We love AK. It is one of our favorites. I don't know how anyone can see it as a half day or a skip the park. It is so unique and the theme is done so well. I would hope Disney wouldn't mess with this too much. People need to go into this Park with more of a relaxed, educational yet fun Park. If you make it a half day Park you really miss a lot of it and you don't get what it is all about.

I still like AK alright, but I still consider it to be pretty much a half-day park, especially if you go in the morning. If we go in the morning, we can head straight to Africa and do KS, then head to Asia and do EE multiple times with probably no line, then go to Dinoland do Primeval Whirl and Dinosaur and finish with ITTBaB and be done fairly quickly. Outside of those I may do Kali, and would do Nemo depending on line and show time, but there's not too much else to do, for me.

 

[kcs]

I guess if you are a nature enthusiast you easily can spend all day in the Park.On the nature trails alone we could spend 45 minutes. I love watching the birds and looking at all of the vegetation. We love FOW. We search out Devine, listen to the African drummers, and watch both LK and FN. We also do EE many times over!