MK Villains Land Announced for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

[BrianLo]

I do think it comes from Wizarding World being such a step up from where Universal were before that people have looked to Disney to make the same kind of step up from where they were.

I am guessing in reality it was Wizarding World that was basically Universal's answer to "step up" to Disney's reputation. It just seems from then Disney hasn't really made the same kind of improvement, and possibly could be viewed as having made a slight step down from their historical reputation.

I don't think reality matters, it is about perception.

It’s definitely this in part. Partly being the myopic Orlando centric viewpoint (Universal chased Disney into China after all and Universal Beijing is poo).

But as you mention it was the sudden shock of how much stronger Hogsmead was than past precedent mixed with New Fantasyland being clearly phoned in. However, DCA redo and New Fantasyland were very much the projects in parallel with original Potter. To mixed results Orlando wise. But arguably it’s aging somewhat better than anticipated.

I’m still sitting out the other end watching Universal run on the fumes of Potter and practically more than half of everything else they’ve done during Iger’s tenure in Orlando is on a short list to be ripped out again. It’s hardly this pristine report card. Meanwhile, their global holdings almost across the board continue to fall further behind Disney’s standards.



For the record, I think there are strong signs Comcast is finally becoming more consistent… but we’ve been saying that for 15 years now.

 

[Bocabear]

Galaxy’s Edge is Amazing! It’s a 10/10 for me and a lot of other people too…Honestly I can hang out there all day. Harry Potter is great but it does get repetitive. Galaxy’s edge doesn’t feel like a theme park too me. With that said to each their own. Lots of Pottwr fans out there.

the only thing I would agree with is Galaxy's Edge does not feel like a theme park... but not for the good reasons.
It feels dead and joyless to me...
Potter lands all seem to have varied experiences and attractions...Lots of fun shopping and distinctive food... And while Disney tried to do the same thing with SWGE, it fails to feel enchanting...It is not a recognizable location from the films, They could not even put in the Cantina from the first film but gave us something else...again, unrecognizable. The land lacks any sort of kinetics... It is just a dead, battle-scarred planet location... With one excellent attraction and one "meh" attraction... I think this is going to be repeated with the Carsland Location no one knows or cares about, and probably Villains Land...though I will say that "Villains" has the most potential of any of the new additions coming...as long as they don't budget-cut it to death... And have a team that really understands the source material...

 

[BrianLo]

There’s work going on right now for a UK park. After all their success Universal is now getting into a market before Disney.

I’m very much putting that in the same bucket as Hong Kong - Singapore, Tokyo to Osaka. Beijing to Shanghai.

The Europe parks are actually closer together and have more market overlap than the above.

 

[Schmidt]

Doing what? Scanning codes on crates?

At Disneyland I often stroll through at night to grab a garden wrap and enjoy the lighting package- but all day?

Of course I could easily spend all day on Main Street so maybe I shouldn’t be talking haha

Scanning codes, waving a make believe wand at a camera? Tomato, To-mato???

I haven’t been to the DL one but love what we have here in Florida.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I haven’t been to the DL one but love what we have here in Florida.

They are virtually identical except for the crowds - DHS is almost always crowded and at Disneyland it gets pretty quiet at night which is why I love it…. The lighting package really makes the land come alive and there is never a line for a garden wrap and a soda water - all the QS locations elsewhere in the park are crazy at night - not only ordering but also finding a place to sit.

 

[Bocabear]

Umm... there are counter-examples.

The Cars ride looks like an IP land, but, it's just the outdoor track of a single ride (and it's junior flat ride sitting in the middle of it). It's not like BTMRR is being converted into a Cars-franchise ride in order to create a mini-land.

In DAK, "Tropical America" isn't a single-IP land. Indy and Encanto are not in the same universe.

The new villains show in DHS isn't creating a mini-land. And the Monsters Inc coaster isn't going to be surrounded by other Monsters Inc rides and attractions.

Disney isn't making exclusively single-IP minilands.

Do we know this for sure? Seems like we really do't know much of anything except Encanto and IJ are coming to the old Dinoland Area...and Auto Parts Mountain Carsland thing will be plopped into the center of Frontierland....Villains land will be built back behindd that area, but nothing really known about that yet...It will have a coaster.... I think we had more concrete info about Mary Poppins in Epcot...that ended up on the Discard pile after announcing it...

 

[Schmidt]

Do we know this for sure? Seems like we really do't know much of anything except Encanto and IJ are coming to the old Dinoland Area...and Auto Parts Mountain Carsland thing will be plopped into the center of Frontierland....Villains land will be built back behindd that area, but nothing really known about that yet...It will have a coaster.... I think we had more concrete info about Mary Poppins in Epcot...that ended up on the Discard pile after announcing it...

“AutoParts Mountain”??? Womp…Womp……Womp..,.
You still trying to make “Fetch” happen!

 

[capsshield]

Anyone know why Universal is not using the monster images from their movies. I think it might be public domain coming soon

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

“AutoParts Mountain”??? Womp…Womp……Womp..,.
You still trying to make “Fetch” happen!

I believe the official title is “Piston Peak” - not much better!

 

[Schmidt]

I believe the official title is “Piston Peak” - not much better!

I like Piston Peak…at least it’s a reference from a movie.

 

[MisterPenguin]

There’s work going on right now for a UK park. After all their success Universal is now getting into a market before Disney.

Wouldn't that just be "Europe"?

Just like the Disney Paris park is for "Europe"?

 

[Bocabear]

I like Piston Peak…at least it’s a reference from a movie.

Yes, a movie...just not any of the ones the Cars franchise are based in.... A mountain shaped like an auto part in the middle of Frontierland will always be Auto Parts Mountain to me...

 

[Stripes]

There’s work going on right now for a UK park. After all their success Universal is now getting into a market before Disney.

It’s the European market. Disney has been in that market for quite some time and they’ve been investing pretty heavily in refurbing DLP and expanding DAW.

 

[Schmidt]

Yes, a movie...just not any of the ones the Cars franchise are based in.... A mountain shaped like an auto part in the middle of Frontierland will always be Auto Parts Mountain to me...

I should just stop…I know the removal of TSI is the real issue and a contentious one. I get it.

I don’t support the removal of the river but waiting to see the final product.

I have been surprised by Disney with things like Starwars and Pandora and I have been letdown by Disney with rides like Spiderman out in California so will wait and see.

 

[Mike S]

Wouldn't that just be "Europe"?

Just like the Disney Paris park is for "Europe"?

It’s the European market. Disney has been in that market for quite some time and they’ve been investing pretty heavily in refurbing DLP and expanding DAW.

I’m referring to the fact that the UK itself has only ever had regional type parks and Universal is the first to give them a true theme park that they can just drive to. In a way it is an untapped market for the big companies.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I’m referring to the fact that the UK itself has only ever had regional type parks and Universal is the first to give them a true theme park that they can just drive to. In a way it is an untapped market for the big companies.

The Texas park is a different market in a way as well.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I really don’t understand how readily this narrative has been allowed to take hold.

The non fanboy answer is the operators seem to be volleying back and forth. Disney’s 2016-2022, investment cycle was frankly far stronger than Universal’s, perhaps outside of the noteworthy water park.


In reality Universal has never been ahead. They are always chasing Disney. They’ve never launched a resort into a market that Disney hasn’t already entered decades before. With the perhaps slightest glimpse of an anemic Texas investment? But Disney is already there with cruises.

Don't mistake Bob allowing a few billion to be spent on mediocre investments over a decade to be "far stronger".

I never said Universal was ahead. I intimated that Universal has been handed the drivers seat by a Disney CEO who allowed his company's Orlando theme parks to languish until he was forced to pump money into them.

Disney had one job - "Do better" - and they overall haven't. Their main competitor in Orlando decided they would, and are.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I’m referring to the fact that the UK itself has only ever had regional type parks and Universal is the first to give them a true theme park that they can just drive to. In a way it is an untapped market for the big companies.

Just under 7 miles hours, driving.

Over two hours by train.

How are you defining a market? Nashville TN is 7 hours from Orlando. Atlanta slightly longer. Would that mean that the Eastern US above Georgia doesn't have a world class theme park in its market? Well, then Disney and Universal should be peppering the rest of the US north of Georgia with full world-class theme parks to take advantage of that untapped market.

 

[Mike S]

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Just under 7 miles, driving.

Over two hours by train.

How are you defining a market? Nashville TN is 7 hours from Orlando. Atlanta slightly longer. Would that mean that the Eastern US above Georgia doesn't have a world class theme park in its market? Well, then Disney and Universal should be peppering the rest of the US north of Georgia with full world-class theme parks to take advantage of that untapped market.

Ok so I don’t live there. It’s fine. I’ll take it.

They’ll have a park that’s closer and that’s it.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Ok so I don’t live there. It’s fine. I’ll take it.

They’ll have a park that’s closer and that’s it.

I think the most important takeaway is this:

Where's my Disneyland New Jersey??!!?