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

[EricsBiscuit]

I will be shocked if Epic sees any expansion in the next 5 years, my guess is it’ll outdraw USF from day 1. After Epic opens they’d be smart to focus on USF before spending another penny on Epic or IOA.

The ironic thing is I’d say the same about WDW, they should prioritize AK and HS, because they draw the fewest people, but most their announcements are going to MK… so who knows, maybe Epic will see expansions while USF remains mediocre at best.

They could also go the other way, which is to double down on EU and use that as leverage to force 3 day one park per day tickets on everyone like they’re doing now.

 

[Purduevian]

You didn’t really need too…one opened starting in 1971 and is the size of a major city

One opened starting in 1990 and landlocked in neighborhoods and Industrial spaces

1:1 comparisons are silly

I realize they aren't identical, but I still think WDW and USO can both be compared in certain aspects. In this case, the investment level over the past 15ish years.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

1:1 comparisons are silly

Then you can’t compare haunted mansion to remys adventure either. Cause comparisons are silly!

 

[MisterPenguin]

I can see discussion of a WDW Villain's Land being in compare/contrast with Universal's Monster Land.

But a full fledged Disney v. Universal theme park war isn't what this thread is about.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Then you can’t compare haunted mansion to remys adventure either. Cause comparisons are silly!

Pretty sure I never did

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I realize they aren't identical, but I still think WDW and USO can both be compared in certain aspects. In this case, the investment level over the past 15ish years.

A lot of the “comparison” is the original build/infrastructure of wdw built by people long gone…

What is there now doesn’t compare at all

 

[Mike S]

I can see discussion of a WDW Villain's Land being in compare/contrast with Universal's Monster Land.

But a full fledged Disney v. Universal theme park war isn't what this thread is about.

Going back to that original point I think everyone here can agree that Villains shouldn’t be as intense as Dark Universe is being advertised as.

My fear is that even with that being the case Disney still won’t hit the bar that they should with this but I’d be glad to be proven wrong.

Also small tangent is anyone else on mobile getting an annoying Oscar Meyer ad that keeps popping up and taking over the whole screen no matter how many times you close it? Anything you can do @wdwmagic?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Going back to that original point I think everyone here can agree that Villains shouldn’t be as intense as Dark Universe is being advertised as.

My fear is that even with that being the case Disney still won’t hit the bar that they should with this but I’d be glad to be proven wrong.

If should be at studios as well. Nothing about loading magic kingdom is good for the customers

 

[MisterPenguin]

Going back to that original point I think everyone here can agree that Villains shouldn’t be as intense as Dark Universe is being advertised as.

My fear is that even with that being the case Disney still won’t hit the bar that they should with this but I’d be glad to be proven wrong.

Well, there is a difference between villains and monsters, tho, there is overlap. (The Phantom isn't even a monster, but a scarred human.)

Uni has a handful of traditional monsters in the horror genre.

Disney has two dozen villains in the psychological thriller genre.

There's room for both in one town.

If Orlando can handle three Potter lands, it can handle two 'dark' lands.

 

[Purduevian]

A lot of the “comparison” is the original build/infrastructure of wdw built by people long gone…

What is there now doesn’t compare at all

I'm really confused on what you are getting at? My list has nothing to do with anything built before 2010 with the exception of some of the infrastructure for replacements that exist on both sides of the table (Bourne reuses the old T2 theater as an example). Why does what happened 35 years ago affect the investment levels of the past 15 years?

I'm not trying to compare the resorts as a whole, only the investment in the past 15 years.

 

[Mike S]

Well, there is a difference between villains and monsters, tho, there is overlap. (The Phantom isn't even a monster, but a scarred human.)

Uni has a handful of traditional monsters in the horror genre.

Disney has two dozen villains in the psychological thriller genre.

There's room for both in one town.

If Orlando can handle three Potter lands, it can handle two 'dark' lands.

Yes but that wasn’t the point I was making lol

I’m talking about intensity level. Villains Land shouldn’t be straight up scary like Dark Universe but I feel like Disney could still end up undershooting what a Villains ride should be.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Yes but that wasn’t the point I was making lol

I’m talking about intensity level. Villains Land shouldn’t be straight up scary like Dark Universe but I feel like Disney could still end up undershooting what a Villains ride should be.

Sorry I missed that.

But... what's the intensity level of Monsters? The main E-Ticket looks like a dark ride like RotR. And the coaster is a family coaster.

Villains will have an outdoor coaster which seems it may be a bit more intense/thrill-y than the Werewolf coaster.

It'd be ironic if Disney's dark land was more intense than Uni's.

 

[Ichabod Crane]

Yes but that wasn’t the point I was making lol

I’m talking about intensity level. Villains Land shouldn’t be straight up scary like Dark Universe but I feel like Disney could still end up undershooting what a Villains ride should be.

I think the land should aim for something along the lines of what Snow White’s Scary Adventure was tonally (1994 version not the original). That way it’s more creepy than just straight up scary. I think that would a good medium where the land is still “scary” by Disney standards but not at all to the level of Dark Universe.

One of my hopes for the dark ride specifically is that the evil queen’s segments are set up similarly to have SNSA was.

 

[Stripes]

Sorry I missed that.

But... what's the intensity level of Monsters? The main E-Ticket looks like a dark ride like RotR. And the coaster is a family coaster.

Villains will have an outdoor coaster which seems it may be a bit more intense/thrill-y than the Werewolf coaster.

It'd be ironic if Disney's dark land was more intense than Uni's.

The Monsters E-ticket is using the Forbidden Journey ride system, but the ride vehicle is not going to box you in so you can look around a bit more as there won’t be any domed screens like FJ has.

Based on some nuggets I’ve found, I suspect WDI is working on a new ride system for the Villains E-ticket. But I don’t have a smoking gun.

 

[Moth]

What villains should be featured in this land? The usual (Ursula, Maleficent, Cruella, Hook, Jafar, Hades)? Or should those already featured elsewhere in rides/parks not have a presence (Ursula, Hook, Gaston, Wicked Queen, etc). Do they go top tier only or feature less known?

I think an E-ticket that features the main baddies would be a hit but too many silly nods (Evil Queen’s caramel apple store), Gaston’s gym, etc would make the land feel cheap.

Thoughts?

I genuinely think Bald Mountain should be the focal point of the land. I am a Fantasia ride and die so I'm biased once again, but Chernabog just FEELS like someone that has to be here.

I hope every villain gets an easter egg at least, knock on wood some live action (Davy Jones) and TV (Bill Cipher?) get some nods also.

 

[Mike S]

Sorry I missed that.

But... what's the intensity level of Monsters? The main E-Ticket looks like a dark ride like RotR. And the coaster is a family coaster.

Villains will have an outdoor coaster which seems it may be a bit more intense/thrill-y than the Werewolf coaster.

It'd be ironic if Disney's dark land was more intense than Uni's.

The Monsters E-ticket is using the Forbidden Journey ride system, but the ride vehicle is not going to box you in so you can look around a bit more as there won’t be any domed screens like FJ has.

Based on some nuggets I’ve found, I suspect WDI is working on a new ride system for the Villains E-ticket. But I don’t have a smoking gun.

It’s also not just about the ride vehicle. Monsters will apparently employ some tricks we haven’t seen since Alien Encounter.

Like I said, Villains shouldn’t go that far but I feel like the main non coaster E Ticket might not go far enough.

 

[LSLS]

Sorry I missed that.

But... what's the intensity level of Monsters? The main E-Ticket looks like a dark ride like RotR. And the coaster is a family coaster.

Villains will have an outdoor coaster which seems it may be a bit more intense/thrill-y than the Werewolf coaster.

It'd be ironic if Disney's dark land was more intense than Uni's.

I think you are reading more into this than I am. I took away it's more just the feel of the land and the rides. Not straight Horror nights scary, but more of a scary tone than say Not So Scary. It doesn't mean the ride needs to be the most intense thing at Disney, just the vibe of the place. Not jokes and good guy wins type stuff, or "Look how misunderstood these villains are, they are good at heart."

 

[Ichabod Crane]

I think you are reading more into this than I am. I took away it's more just the feel of the land and the rides. Not straight Horror nights scary, but more of a scary tone than say Not So Scary. It doesn't mean the ride needs to be the most intense thing at Disney, just the vibe of the place. Not jokes and good guy wins type stuff, or "Look how misunderstood these villains are, they are good at heart."

I’d be fine with some joke-y moments from some of the more comedic villains like Hades and Yzma because that’s in character for them but villains like the evil queen, Maleficent, and Chernabog definitely need to be played straight.

 

[Mike S]

I’d be fine with some joke-y moments from some of the more comedic villains like Hades and Yzma because that’s in character for them but villains like the evil queen, Maleficent, and Chernabog definitely need to be played straight.

I wonder if a Hades AA that shoots fire is possible…

 

[Bocabear]

I’d be fine with some joke-y moments from some of the more comedic villains like Hades and Yzma because that’s in character for them but villains like the evil queen, Maleficent, and Chernabog definitely need to be played straight.

I don't know.... I would have originally thought that, but after seeing all the videos of the Evil Queen walkaround character from Disnewyland, I kind of like her being funny... Atr least people cant say she is too scary which was the initial response to Disney doing a Villains area...(as if Disney ever really does "scary"...lol) The evil queen as snarky is kind od fun... Like the Queen Of Hearts... and Cruella, and the newer Malefecint...