WDW Imagineering Project: Disney's Animal Kingdom

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
So where are we right now?

I'm finishing up Dinoland right now, its a pretty long one and might just be the most controversial of the AK lands so hopefully you guys enjoy it.

On a side note, can anyone tell me how to post links to individual posts inside of a thread? that would be a big help with organization, new post coming soon :).
 

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
Dinoland USA

Dino land is a very interesting area of the park, a mix between far past and possible future.... and a tacky carnival. Although it sounds like an odd concept Chester and Hester's has the ability to work in my opinion. It gives us an amusing back story and a rather fun concept. To add realism to this project it would be a very poor idea to spend money completely removing an idea unless it’s absolutely necessary. Therefore, although I know there are some who don't like this area of the park i think the best solution is to save it. To correct the current thematic problems I think that if Disney displayed the back story more prominently and added some more of that same beat up weathered themeing to the area, people would enjoy the concept more right off the hop. I intend to do that through adding billboards to the area along the “road” that advertise dinorama and it’s back story far enough away to draw people in but not so far away as to interfere with different themes around Dinoland. This would therefore call for a slight extension of the ‘road’ path in an arm heading towards the boneyard, and a little bit further on its current length heading towards the theatre building. As well I would make the interior of C & H's more rustic looking as currently the outside looks weather beaten and rusted while the inside looks brand new, it doesn't make sense. Another small thing I think would help would be to have the CM's act a little more like carny's. When the CM's are in character it does wonders for the themeing. An example of this is TOT, although the detail here is already incredible, when you have a CM that is really in character it ups the experience tenfold.

The key to a carnival looking good, and what i think dinorama misses the most sometimes, is activity, this is the one place where it would be ok to get a little bit congested because the more people there are in that small area the better the atmosphere is. I plan on fixing this with the above billboards to try and draw people in more as well as lowering the prices of the games so more people would want to play. Finally I would add the one part of the carnival that’s missing, a small to mid size Ferris wheel, this would merely serve as a young children’s attraction and to take up some more space in the area just to create the feeling that there are more people in the area then there actually is. The height will not disrupt any sightlines and it will be themed into a dino basket-like ride where you sit in your seats with a dino sculptured head on top. It's tacky but it perfectly fits the area’s tackiness. Primeval whirl stays as is (and possibly a little more motion in the cut-outs in the ride) and so do the fossil fun games (but maybe with some better prizes, just because Disney made a carnival concept doesn’t mean they have to hustle u like one too). Obviously again everything will receive aging. Finally, Triceratop spin stays, but ide like to add a little advancement, the introduction of the magic carpet tech of water spraying. Kids can now spray the people in front of them with little ‘spits’ of water from their triceratops's mouth adding a little more magic to the ride experience. As one last note, the dino diner will be renamed and moved into Dinorama near primeval whirl called Chester and Hester’s carnival concessions. It will sell carnival fair like caramel apples, cotton candy ect. because there's not really a location to get that in the carnival. Hopefully this solves C & H's problems.

Most of this Land I would like to keep as is, mainly additions and tweaks here with only one main deletion. In the research station section the bone yard stays as is, but directly in front of it near the shoreline is where the majority of the work for this part of the park will be done. A lot of the vegetation near the water’s edge will be removed and the path will be extended out to the water with dinoland themed railing, possibly like that seen at the dino institute. This area will be about the majority of the shoreline in front of the bone yard for viewing the circle of life night-time spectacular, with either palm trees or themed lamps placed incrementally along the path to prevent it from being bland during the day time. During the day as well, this area can serve as a great place to take a beautiful picture with both the tree of life and Everest within view, and character meet and greets. A specific meet and greet in particular that would be here is with Lucky the dinosaur. Yes he’s making his return, Lucky (now with longer battery life and more abilities and mobility will walk out from backstage to this position, do some tricks pose for pictures and head on back to recharge the batteries.

In the waterfront area in front of the theatre though is where the newest and most exciting innovation would make her debut. The Dino institute staff have had such success bringing back dino’s from the past with lucky and an iguanodon now adjusting well to life in our time, they decided to attempt bringing back their first aquatic dino, Nessie. A long necked aquatic dino, Nessie will be the next step in Disney immagineering, more agile and dexterous then lucky she will swim along the shoreline of discovery lake being operated from a control room inside the new aquatic research station’s upper floor, made to look from bellow like a scientists observation room. The aquatic research station, will be constructed out of what looks like a converted old lighthouse with a small addition, with adjacent outdoor waterfront seating under metal roofs. Nessie's long necked shape will allow the imagineers to conceal the majority of the body underwater so it doesn’t have to be an entirely fleshed out construction. It would only be the parts above water which would be the neck, a hump can trail behind like a trailer containing extra propulsion and or battery units if required, and possibly a tail. She will have a meet and greet time as well and put on a little interactive show with her handler as he or she shows how mischievous Nessie can be. On the ground floor of the research station, a new quick service restaurant serving quick seafood fair such as popcorn shrimp and fish sandwiches along side the dock and sitting area waterfront so that you can watch Nessie while you are eating. In the process, it would create a little mealtime show. Again it will be themed to an old light house and the back story will be that the dino institute bought the lighthouse to turn it into a research facility, from this it will also make things easier for the circle of life show as it could give a place to hide projectors and a control tower to control the effects for the entire show from. This should be a very popular concept with many as you never get to have your picture taken with a real live dinosaur. The final step of this expansion would be to add a small hut in between the lucky and Nessie meets (currently a small peak in the water line on the map) where you can print your pictures with Lucky and Nessie and get other Lucky and Nessie memorabilia that Disney will now be able to sell.

Nessie will also interact hopefully with the discovery river boats occasionally as they pass by towards a dock that now allows the boats to complete an entire loop around discovery island. The boat dock would be located to the left of Nessie, further up the shoreline in the direction of asia. It will have a similar ramp design that the main dock has on discovery island leading up to Dinoland from the lower shore. It would be themed to the aquatic research institute expansion and would be filled with chalk boards and data made to look like a functioning research outpost.

Next up is dino-sue and behind her the dinosaur sculptures, I would like to extend that into a full walking trail which would mist people as they walk though and explain the dinos possibly with overhead narration. I would add animated dinos into it and make it a full blown attraction but i fear that would be treading on the toes of Jurassic park at universal so i will leave it be as one of those little areas of Disney magic that people don’t think much of. Usually the imagineers take great pride in making these areas hidden gems so it should turn out very nice. The dinosaur ride is the best part of this area, it stays exactly the way it is, the only changes I would ever make to the attraction would be to bring back a few of the effects and intensity of the ride that was once there in countdown to extinction, just adds a little more pop to the ride experience. Restaurantasaurus stays exactly the same except for the shrimp poe boy heading to the aquatic research outpost and the turkey leg coming in from the now extinct, and no longer needed, trilo bites.

The only thing left that needs to be discussed is finding Nemo the musical. As much as I loved the show last time I checked, dinosaurs weren’t fish from the Great Barrier Reef therefore they are out. This left me with a predicament as I couldn’t really think of a successful theatre show involving dinos that would fit on that small of a stage and as Disney would never knock down the entire building as it would be an extreme waste of money i lost the option of a theatre show and a large outdoor roller coaster. Both tantalizing options, one for convenience the other for awesomeness value. The only option I was left with was to gut the building and put in an indoor roller coaster Rage of the Pterodactyl. A story of the next expansion project: after Nessie for the Dino institute, a massive aviary on the outskirts of town was constructed for flying dinosaurs. However it is in danger of massive failure after a rogue male is wreaking havoc on the rest of the dino population and he must be captured before he does anymore damage. The line takes you through the pedestrian entrance with information on flying dinosaurs and a setting similar to that of the dino institute, but then takes you through a set of doors into the tactical response headquarters where you are then split into groups and put in small rooms where you are briefed in a preshow on the importance of your current situation. Therefore you and your team must climb into the specially designed observation units in a garage nearby to take him down. You climb into a ride vehicle similar to rockin roller coaster but only 4 rows, 2 seats across, and themed to a special observation vehicle for the aviary. A door slides up and you are shot out with the door slamming behind you to save the people inside you then begin the dangerous hunt. The indoor coaster will be a mix of the mummy from universal (for the stopped show scenes) and rocking roller coaster with a little bit of dinosaur mixed in as you race through the trees with climbs and drops as you chase and eventually capture your dino. On board sound systems will let you hear the script of the ride timed to the attraction and will be a great experience as a whole. A gift shop similar to the one at the end of dinosaur will be there where you can pick up your “I caught the pterodactyl” gear and other dino items. This will add a lot more excitement to the area and will instantly be the most exciting ride Disney has to offer. I realize using the current theater building for the indoor coaster might be a little blue sky, however it could either receive an addition or a straight up demolition because the non dino area in dinoland doesn't really work in my opinion. This i think will make Dinoland one of the most exciting areas in Disney.

Recap:

Attractions

Boneyard
Fossil fun games
Primeval whirl
Triceratops spin
Dinosaur
Nessie and Lucky meet and greets / shows
Rage of the Pterodactyl
Circle of life viewing areas and character meet and greets
Prehistoric relatives exhibits
Boat dock

Dining

Restaurantasaurus - Dino Bites
Chester and hesters carnival concessions
Nessie’s grill at the aquatic research outpost

Shopping
The dino institute shop
Chester and Hester’s dino treasures
Lucky and Nessie’s photo spot
Dino aviary

Hope you enjoyed! Next up..... ASIA and AFRICA!
 

mharrington

Well-Known Member
I think we should re-rename "Dinosaur" to remove any references to the 2000 movie on which it was based. Maybe we could call it "Escape From Extinction".
 

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
I think we should re-rename "Dinosaur" to remove any references to the 2000 movie on which it was based. Maybe we could call it "Escape From Extinction".

Fair enough, the name doesn't really bug me that much but if the name were to be changed, I think changing it back to the original name 'countdown to extinction' don't you?

Lets keep the insight coming everybody :), Asia will be up tomorrow followed by Africa, and then I think I will move into the first new land.
 

Epcot_Imagineer

Well-Known Member
two words: Beastly Kingdom. Anyway a Mini Disney nature film would be nice under the tree of life. Move tough to be a bug elsewhere (no clue where)

The whole Tree of Life was designed with Tough to be a Bug in mind. If you were to move it, the nature film would probably seem awkward in the huge theater.
 

FigmentJedi

Well-Known Member
I think we should re-rename "Dinosaur" to remove any references to the 2000 movie on which it was based. Maybe we could call it "Escape From Extinction".

So remove the Carnotaurs, raptors and Iguanadon entirely seeing as even as Countdown to Extinction, it was another "Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough"?
 

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
The whole Tree of Life was designed with Tough to be a Bug in mind. If you were to move it, the nature film would probably seem awkward in the huge theater.

that's exactly what I thought, great minds think alike ;). I thought the new theater would be a nice addition, Disney could even use it as an excuse to pump their line of nature films, and ends in a gift shop where you could buy them! win win ;).
 

mharrington

Well-Known Member
So remove the Carnotaurs, raptors and Iguanadon entirely seeing as even as Countdown to Extinction, it was another "Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough"?

No, just get rid of the current name and also the statue of Aladar out front. The ride itself won't be changed much, we'll just seem like any similarity between the ride and the movie is purely coincidental.
 

comics101

Well-Known Member
Attractions:
Its tough to be a bug
Discovery island trails
Planet Earth theater
Discovery Island World Tours
Circle of Life: Nighttime Spectacular!

Dining:
Flame tree BBQ
Fire pit ribs (new quick service)
Pizzafari
Safari coffee
Safari kiosk

Shopping:
Beastly Bazaar
Island Mercantile
Disney Outfitters / (side note half of the outfitters location becomes the walking stick bugporium, a small its tough to be a bug gift shop hosted by an AA walking stick near the entrance that has pre recorded phrases by the original actor, david hyde pearce)
Creature Comfort

thats all for now next up Dinoland USA!

Some Questions/Suggestions

The idea of a circle vision show isn't a bad one at all (though I'm not sure about playing it on a continuing loop). My one question is, do you think it may be better to take the concept of the show, expand it, add some other elements making a multi-media spectacular and use it as a replacement for It's Tough To Be A Bug? Idk...to me (and many others) ITBAB, though a great show, is poor use of the park's magnificent icon. I believe a show similar to the one you described for the circle vision theatre would fit much better...that said, I wouldn't want ITBAB to vacate the park completely, it just needs a new home...perhaps in CMM (if that area of the park remains CMM). Construct a new rotting (to show bugs have been there for quite some time) tree for the show to be featured in (one much tinier than ToL) with a queue very similar to the one found curently through ToL. Maybe even make it a "mock ToL" (similar to the way the Muppet Movie ride would've mocked GMR) and have carvings of different bugs found throughout the tree. I know that all of this defeats the purpose of the show being on Discovery Island, but I think a relocated ITTBAB would fufil the purpose of your circle vision show...

The only other thing that confuses me is the fact that Everest has to close early on nights the nighttime show is playing. I don't see why on earth it has to be that way. Otherwise, fantastic ideas! Lookin foward to reading other ones!!
 

comics101

Well-Known Member
Recap:

Attractions

Boneyard
Fossil fun games
Primeval whirl
Triceratops spin
Dinosaur
Nessie and Lucky meet and greets / shows
Rage of the Pterodactyl
Circle of life viewing areas and character meet and greets
Prehistoric relatives exhibits
Boat dock

Dining

Restaurantasaurus - Dino Bites
Chester and hesters carnival concessions
Nessie’s grill at the aquatic research outpost

Shopping
The dino institute shop
Chester and Hester’s dino treasures
Lucky and Nessie’s photo spot
Dino aviary

Hope you enjoyed! Next up..... ASIA and AFRICA!

Suggestions/Comments

I agree completely that the carnival theme can work if done right, and it adds a nice area for kids in an otherwise intense land. I wonder if there's enough land for a darkride back there though? Maybe theme it to Chester & Hester's Fun House! Otherwise I think your ideas for this area are great!

I LOVE the Nessie idea! That sounds like it'd be absolutly amazing.

Would the Discovery Walking Trail continue to only include statues?

Rage of the Pterydactl would be incredible! Although I'd miss Nemo...any chance it may be relocated to a new area in the future?

Also, I agree that Dinosaur should change its name back to Countdown to Extinction, mostly bc I've always felt that name was a lot more exciting...

Anywho, Great Work!
 

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
Some Questions/Suggestions

The idea of a circle vision show isn't a bad one at all (though I'm not sure about playing it on a continuing loop). My one question is, do you think it may be better to take the concept of the show, expand it, add some other elements making a multi-media spectacular and use it as a replacement for It's Tough To Be A Bug? Idk...to me (and many others) ITBAB, though a great show, is poor use of the park's magnificent icon. I believe a show similar to the one you described for the circle vision theatre would fit much better...that said, I wouldn't want ITBAB to vacate the park completely, it just needs a new home...perhaps in CMM (if that area of the park remains CMM). Construct a new rotting (to show bugs have been there for quite some time) tree for the show to be featured in (one much tinier than ToL) with a queue very similar to the one found curently through ToL. Maybe even make it a "mock ToL" (similar to the way the Muppet Movie ride would've mocked GMR) and have carvings of different bugs found throughout the tree. I know that all of this defeats the purpose of the show being on Discovery Island, but I think a relocated ITTBAB would fufil the purpose of your circle vision show...

The only other thing that confuses me is the fact that Everest has to close early on nights the nighttime show is playing. I don't see why on earth it has to be that way. Otherwise, fantastic ideas! Lookin foward to reading other ones!!

Comics101, thank you for your input! :wave:

The original thought of why it would be played on loop is so that people would just use it as a place to relax and whenever they felt ready to head out again they could come and go as they pleased. I never even thought of your idea though and I think it is brilliant, It could be like AK version of philharmagic at MK! Surprisingly enough I was actually missing an attraction for CMM so ITTBAB fits right in and a new theater for it should not be to hard to construct. More on that once I do a CMM update for the designs however ;)

Trust me, all will become clear with the new update soon, but a hint as to why it wouldn't happen would be there will definitely be some new expansion in that area.

Thank You :D
 

goofy donald

New Member
Original Poster
Suggestions/Comments

I agree completely that the carnival theme can work if done right, and it adds a nice area for kids in an otherwise intense land. I wonder if there's enough land for a darkride back there though? Maybe theme it to Chester & Hester's Fun House! Otherwise I think your ideas for this area are great!

I LOVE the Nessie idea! That sounds like it'd be absolutly amazing.

Would the Discovery Walking Trail continue to only include statues?

Rage of the Pterydactl would be incredible! Although I'd miss Nemo...any chance it may be relocated to a new area in the future?

Also, I agree that Dinosaur should change its name back to Countdown to Extinction, mostly bc I've always felt that name was a lot more exciting...

Anywho, Great Work!

Ahh I actually had a concept for that in the works! but then there wasn't enough space so primeval whirl would have to adjust huge. Then I thought of just scrapping it all for the original excavator coaster but I didn't think it would fit as well, so I ended up scrapping it all for the Ferris wheel.

thank you! I loved Lucky the dinosaur so why not take the next step right.

Yes, this would kind of be like the AK's version of the coca cola cool down, they might have some motion but it would be very limited, as seen at Universal its very costly to keep a full motion dinosaur operating for such a minor attraction let alone 10-15 of them that would be in this walk through. I see the mist and fans along with the information on dino's as the selling feature here.

Im sure Nemo might pop up again somewhere ;) I think this coaster would make up for the fact Everest closes early.

Countdown to extinction it is then, and return the old statue, I will make all the alterations soon

Again Thank You for the invaluable info :)
 

Tip Top Club

Well-Known Member
I have, and you still haven't explained it. You just said "It's location" I know you're not done yet, but still, there is absolutely no way that Disney could ever get away with purposely closing that attraction, nor would it make sense for them to want to, so it wouldn't make sense to put themselves in a position for them to HAVE to (if that's what you're getting at based on your future additions to the area).

You can see Everest from all around the park, including the area of your night show, so it would be a beacon screaming out "I'M ONE OF THE BEST ATTRACTIONS HERE AND I'M CLOSED!" The general public would not understand a ride that HUGE closing early, and the fanbase would blame it on awful TDO management budget cuts and stuff like that.

Ultimately this is your park, you're welcome to do what you want, and I am enjoying listening to your ideas. But I am telling you that NO ONE would ever put themselves in the position where they would have to close such a high-profile high-throughput attraction unless they had a gun to their head. It seems that this would be a guest satisfaction nightmare. I'm hoping you are able to justify it if you can, but If not, maybe I can offer some alternate suggestions once you are finished.
 

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