News Primeval Whirl, Stitch's Great Escape and Rivers of Light permanently closed

[raymusiccity]

Gee whiz. Just hire a carnival work crew and they'll have this ride taken apart and be on their way to the Alabama State Fair in a week!

 

[rle4lunch]

So long, adieu, you know the rest...
Here's hoping triceratops spin is next. They were going with offbeat carny fun. What they got was a tacky mess on par with something out of Sea World level of theming.

 

[MrPromey]

Sometimes y'all really make me laugh with these rumors. Indeed with Joes retirement its going to be some massive shoes to fill at Imagineering, after all DAK is Joe's Pet Project along with Aulani. However with all other Disney Legends the company will continue to move on, evolve, and get brighter with each new imagineer. Imagineering has definitely evolved over the years and if there's something great about the Worlds Largest Theme Park is that there is still plenty of room to grow, design, and elevate without tearing down and rebuilding. Sure Dinoland may get a overhaul someday but it won't be changed to something that's too unrecognizable. Moana is already coming to EPCOT much to some within ranks feeling it's out of place, but that's the beauty of imagineering. When things go right no one complains. Pandora took nearly 6 years from conception to open and yet even though it's an alien world, it fits perfectly with DAK's philosophy of conservation. At imagineering anything is possible so long as there are bright minds still creating and a corporate overlord willing to fund projects. But I can agree who ever comes next will always be compared to his or her predecessor it's always been that way from Eisner to Iger to Chapek, it all comes down to who is more willing to challenge and create what no one else has before them. Thats where the future 50 years of the WDW Resort are heading and what ever does come out from the construction of these empty buildings and attractions will for sure wildly bewilder our guest for years to come.

So, this area will reopen as another gift shop.


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[aliceismad]

They had some huge dreams for the plot, but they appear to be shrinking.

Is the announcement of Nemo coming back related? PW plot plus Nemo would've provided a very large footprint for dreams.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

While not finalized, Prime's replacement is DAK's next major-ish project. They had some huge dreams for the plot, but they appear to be shrinking. Original plans were for an E, now I'm not so sure. Construction for the replacement itself though likely won't begin for over a year. I could see this being a good d23 '22 announcement though.

I could go for a D ticket busbar dark ride á la Mr Toad.

 

[Daily Magic]

Would be fun if they covered this up and made it look like a meteor crashed down and destroyed the area. Maybe I’m just thinking too much into this to have a consistent theming as they destroy this section of the park.

 

[doctornick]

So long, adieu, you know the rest...
Here's hoping triceratops spin is next. They were going with offbeat carny fun. What they got was a tacky mess on par with something out of Sea World level of theming.

The problem is that you are leaving DAK with precious few rides, especially ones for the younger set to be able to ride. I'm all for removing Dinorama, but It would be cool if they had some version of It's a Bugs Land or something similar to at least make up for the loss of those rides.

 

[OG Runner]

I wish Triceratop Spin had gone first. I actually enjoyed riding this. I really would be good if they replace it with something fun.
I also agree though that they should change the overall theming of the area. You don't go to Disney World for a cheap sideshow
feel.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I could go for a D ticket busbar dark ride á la Mr Toad.

That somehow costs $400 million?

 

[wdw71fan]

Area for re-development. Bathrooms and store will remain, althought drastically rethemed. Will all still be dino based. More grounded in reality.... Digging up the plans for this one.

 

[Magic Feather]

I don’t believe this is the plan, but (probably contrary to popular opinion), I wouldn’t be mad if Prime just got replaced by a better flat ride package more akin to Paradise Pier. Maybe some swings, a Heimlich-esque outdoor dark ride, etc.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Honestly, I say we have a Dinosaur movie spin-off based on both the attraction and the 2000 movie. Have a scientist working at the Dino Institute go back in time via a Jungle Cruise-style adventure movie, with the time rover... To capture Aladar and other dinos, to bring them back to the Dino Institute. Then get it propped up and ready for a sequel about the dinos breaking out of the institute...

Then voila, a whole land themed to Dinosaur, the attraction, and a spin-off movie/sequel. There's a whole lot you could do with a land like that, with the idea that a bunch of (friendly) dinosaurs have escaped... Freely roaming around the land, invading a restaurant, ect.

 

[SplashJacket]

While not finalized, Prime's replacement is DAK's next major-ish project. They had some huge dreams for the plot, but they appear to be shrinking. Original plans were for an E, now I'm not so sure. Construction for the replacement itself though likely won't begin for over a year. I could see this being a good d23 '22 announcement though.

Do you think it could get an announcement at Destination D this November?

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Both Ta Lo and a Raya attraction would fit in well with Asia, that's for sure. I'd personally not mind a "Beastly Kingdom" based less around European folktales and more on myths from Africa, pre-colonial Americas, Oceania and of course Asia. Lot more unique to explore there. Could of course squeeze in a walkaround unicorn or something like that, though.

I'm however kind of against a Nemo land in Animal Kingdom because... there's already a Nemo land, in Epcot. TotW does kind of stick out like a sore thumb, being neither particularly Asian or prehistoric, which is unfortunate. Maybe the current updated Nemo is a stopgap until they can figure out something to do with it? Removing Primeval Whirl does seem like a good time to try to retheme Dinorama, if ever, and using the land TotW is on could make room for more Dinoland stuff. In particular, since Disney is going on ahead with making more media pertaining to Ice Age after the Fox acquisition, they could easily put an Ice Age themed ride in there, then say Dinoland is less about only dinosaurs and more about prehistory in general. I'd sooner prefer Ice Age in Dinoland than Indiana Jones or a Zootopia replacement, anyway, lol.

Sidenote... Kinda tired of the Donald theming going on in Dinoland right now. It was fun for the 20th anniversary of AK, but it's overstayed its welcome at this point.

I agree a Ta lo or a Raya ride would be awesome! Since Shang Chi is doing really well I would love to see a ride based on the movie.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

uhhhh what is Ta Lo?

The village where Shang Chi and his family are from. The Mandarin's whole plan involves the village. Definitely go see the movie if you haven't yet.

 

[PJBuckeye]

Family D/E-ticket without a height requirement, ideally about extinct animals and/or dinosaurs.

Something that I thought up when listening to your AK Marty Called episode would be a Prehistoric Jungle Cruise.

 

[GladToBeHear]

I know it's not practical -- but transplanting some of the attractions from the demolished Bug's Life land in DL might have been a cost-effective short-term solution. I would've had no problem with that.

 

[Brer Panther]

I think the best thing to replace Dinorama would be some sort of prehistoric jungle subland or something like that. I'd be fine with them turning it into an Ice Age-themed subland instead, though.

It would be cool if they had some version of It's a Bugs Land or something similar

Honestly, a new version of A Bug's Land wouldn't be too bad an idea. If nothing else, it'd add capacity and give us an excuse to finally give It's Tough to Be a Bug the axe.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Isn't DINOSAUR the meet-the-dinosaurs ride? Why are people proposing a second one right next to it?

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Bring on the Excavator PLEASE

If they continued the excellent dig site theming of the boneyard over to where dinorama is right now, Dinoland would be instantly redeemed