Rumor What is everyone’s confidence level that a Villain’s land will happen?

[Nickm2022]

You know one idea I really liked was from OG55, which was if they do Villains in MK it should be more gothic, such as Malificent, Chernebog, Hades, Cruella, etc. But if they end up doing it in Hollywood Studios, they should consider doing more non-classic animated and non animated villains like Alien, Syndrome, Predator, AUTO, etc

To clarify I want the Gothic version at MK, but do think there's so many possibilities it's hard for them to ignore after the D23 reception and Universal beating Disney at their own game.

 

[maleficentfan]

Personally, I don't entirely understand the 'Make it make sense!' crowd. The most compelling version of a Villains land seems to be a 'Dark Fantasyland' in MK. Do we have a coherent story in Fantasyland? Did all your favorite princesses decide to have a party with Mickey, Peter Pan, Pooh bear, and a boatload of child dolls?

But if you really need a unifying story, how about this?

Magic Kingdom is "The most magical place on earth." Villains all want that power for themselves. They each want to rule this "Kingdom." The heroes couldn't banish them outright, but they were able to contain them in one section of the Kingdom. There you go.

Still not convinced? Buckle in. Here comes the deep lore.

Recreating the seats of their power allows villains to project out to their respective heroes. That's how they can show up in attractions outside of their land. It also explains why you get iconic settings in the villain village.
Why can't they work together and break out? They are constantly undercutting and betraying one another because they each want all of the power for themselves.
Why are you there? The heroes can't go in themselves, so they need your help to monitor the villains and ensure nobody becomes too powerful. Also, the extra attention strokes their ego, which pacifies and distracts them.

It's a little bit Descendants and a little bit Dreamlight Valley. Most importantly, there is more than enough story to justify its existence.

I honestly think that this is the way to go... anyone thinking a Villains land at MK is going to be spooky scary needs to reevaluate. Personally, I'm on team "I just want Villains to have representation at MK, not just at Halloween". I truly think there is a way to do a Villain's land that checks all the boxes but also appeals to families.

I also think that if a Villains land does get built, I think the general consensus is that it goes right next to HM. I think we need to give some credit to people that they can pick and choose what lands they want to experience. There will always be those people who scream on socials that they don't want to go into a land with Villains. Fine. Then don't. There are a plethora of us who have been screaming for even just the slightest uptick of representation for the villains.

The best way to go is something like the above but also make it so that it also functions as an extension of MNSSHP. Take a look at how the Evil Queen or Maleficent out at DL interact with guests. It's comedy 101. That's what I want out of a villains land. Incredible scenery, outstanding attractions, and guest interactions that are family friendly but can definitely play at the darker parts of the villains.

 

[Ghost93]

I honestly think that this is the way to go... anyone thinking a Villains land at MK is going to be spooky scary needs to reevaluate. Personally, I'm on team "I just want Villains to have representation at MK, not just at Halloween". I truly think there is a way to do a Villain's land that checks all the boxes but also appeals to families.

I also think that if a Villains land does get built, I think the general consensus is that it goes right next to HM. I think we need to give some credit to people that they can pick and choose what lands they want to experience. There will always be those people who scream on socials that they don't want to go into a land with Villains. Fine. Then don't. There are a plethora of us who have been screaming for even just the slightest uptick of representation for the villains.

The best way to go is something like the above but also make it so that it also functions as an extension of MNSSHP. Take a look at how the Evil Queen or Maleficent out at DL interact with guests. It's comedy 101. That's what I want out of a villains land. Incredible scenery, outstanding attractions, and guest interactions that are family friendly but can definitely play at the darker parts of the villains.

I think the Hocus Pocus Halloween show is the right kind of tone for a villain land.

 

[Moth]

You know one idea I really liked was from OG55, which was if they do Villains in MK it should be more gothic, such as Malificent, Chernebog, Hades, Cruella, etc. But if they end up doing it in Hollywood Studios, they should consider doing more non-classic animated and non animated villains like Alien, Syndrome, Predator, AUTO, etc

To clarify I want the Gothic version at MK, but do think there's so many possibilities it's hard for them to ignore after the D23 reception and Universal beating Disney at their own game.

I think the latter would be my way to go.

Dare I say double dip and do.... -gulp-.... BOTH?!

 

[DisneyHead123]

I think the Hocus Pocus Halloween show is the right kind of tone for a villain land.

I think Hocus Pocus is great, although to me This is Halloween from Nightmare Before Christmas is the quintessential tone for that type of thing (villains as rebel misfits vs. something dark and truly evil). It amazes me that 31 years later kids and teens carry around Sally and Jack backpacks. I think there’s something classic about that theme.

 

[ToTBellHop]

We have everything we need on Disney Channel!

 

[eddie104]

Honestly I would be happy with Coco and Moana for phase 1 expansion at MK.

Then dark fantasyland for phase 2 as a huge centerpiece project.

 

[Nickm2022]

Honestly I would be happy with Coco and Moana for phase 1 expansion at MK.

Then dark fantasyland for phase 2 as a huge centerpiece project.

I agree completely! However I would be surprised if they do phases with BBT. Just because they said 1. this is as big of a project/investment as Galaxy's Edge. And 2. If they did phases then there would be massive traffic jams of people since there would only be one way in and out unless you built it all at once connecting it from BTM to HM

 

[eddie104]

However I would be surprised if they do phases with BBT. Just because they said 1. this is as big of a project/investment as Galaxy's Edge

I hope so but some insiders seem to be hinting at phases for this project. Plus I know Disney loves spreading budgets out years at a time.

Personally I think they should start everything simultaneously at once with the villains land being the last to open.

 

[James Alucobond]

I agree completely! However I would be surprised if they do phases with BBT. Just because they said 1. this is as big of a project/investment as Galaxy's Edge. And 2. If they did phases then there would be massive traffic jams of people since there would only be one way in and out unless you built it all at once connecting it from BTM to HM

It already dead-ends at Thunder Mountain. Adding another attraction where Coco would likely get added doesn't change traffic flow significantly.

 

[Ghost93]

I think Hocus Pocus is great, although to me This is Halloween from Nightmare Before Christmas is the quintessential tone for that type of thing (villains as rebel misfits vs. something dark and truly evil). It amazes me that 31 years later kids and teens carry around Sally and Jack backpacks. I think there’s something classic about that theme.

I wasn't talking about the movie, but the live show they have where they team up with Facilier, Maleficent, Wicked Stepmother, etc. That kind of vibe. I don't think the Sanderson Sisters need to actually be in the land.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I wasn't talking about the movie, but the live show they have where they team up with Facilier, Maleficent, Wicked Stepmother, etc. That kind of vibe. I don't think the Sanderson Sisters need to actually be in the land.

I can see a campy, funny appeal to something like that. In that dynamic, they are still pretty solidly “bad guys” though, I think. I guess I’m thinking of something more like a Halloweentown vibe, where they’re not “bad” so much as “misunderstood”. Or at least cast that way in that particular setting, the way that Cruella was in the Cruella movie.

I think that either could work, as could a mix of both. In some of the recent movies (Cruella, Malificent) we have examples of the villains being cast as antiheroes. In some parts of the parks (Gaston’s Tavern, Storybook Dining,) we have examples of how fun it can be to have villains present in a sort of comical way (we have a picture at Storybook Dining with the kids in my family “posing” with the Evil Queen and she is standing a yard away from them just glaring at them… it’s hilarious!) I guess the thing is to make them relatable and not terrifying. On reflection, maybe that’s what’s a bit different about Disney villains anyways. They read more like archetypes from the average human psyche. Vanity, contempt, rebelliousness, power seeking… maybe not the sweet princess parts of the human mind but still pretty relatable. Whereas I think a character like Michael Myers or Freddie doesn’t represent human psychology, they represent terrifying external forces (wild animals, natural disasters, sheer bad luck,) that humans try their hardest to avoid. I think that’s why a Disney villains park could be fundamentally different than a monsters park or a Halloween Horror Nights park. They are “friendlier”, in a sense, because they are more human archetypes.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Since the topic of Villain’s land keeps popping up in different threads I thought it would be fun to have a space dedicated to the topic.

I think most of us are excited about the idea but do you think it will really happen and if so what are your bets on where it ends up?

I’m pretty confident that we’ll get a Villains popcorn bucket at some point. There will probably be a VQ to get it.

 

[Bocabear]

Honestly I would be happy with Coco and Moana for phase 1 expansion at MK.

Then dark fantasyland for phase 2 as a huge centerpiece project.

but you know they NEVER get to phase 2... So that just means it would never be built... I would actually rather see them do Villains than either Moana or Coco in the Magic Kingdom...Neither really feel like the right tone for MK...
Coco still fits beautifully into the fabric of World Showcase, and Moana would be VERY appreciated in DAK...

 

[Disone]

but you know they NEVER get to phase 2... So that just means it would never be built... I would actually rather see them do Villains than either Moana or Coco in the Magic Kingdom...Neither really feel like the right tone for MK...
Coco still fits beautifully into the fabric of World Showcase, and Moana would be VERY appreciated in DAK...

I'm genuinely not sold on Moana at DAK. For me Moana is about her poeple and might be about conservation too but she is not about animals, present, extinct, and imagined.

 

[Bocabear]

I'm genuinely not sold on Moana at DAK. For me Moana is about her poeple and might be about conservation too but she is not about animals, present, extinct, and imagined.

Moana is about exploration and adventure...and a love of the natural world especially the Sea... which to me seems like a great fit for a park that is about animals and conservation... btw, Encanto and Indiana Jones are not about animals or conservation...except there is one character that has animals....the film is not about that. Moana's Adventuring Spirit makes he seem like a better fit to me. Aesthetically the settings would definitely fit the fabric of that park beautifully. What could be more DAK than a character that restores the heart to the spirit of nature?

 

[Stripes]

The idea is such a good one I’d give it a 45% chance.

Really hope they commit it’s not a full 50/50 because they opted to not include the Dr in Tiana’s. They seem scared to lean into dark themes. That being said, they could always dance around that somehow. The public seems interested in a Villians land as well.

EDIT: Animal Kingdom and the first phase of Big Thunder Mountain definitely gets built first. If Villians even happens.

I think they excluded Dr. Facilier due to the Voodoo aspect of his character. They also deliberately excluded the voodoo aspect of Mama Odie, calling her a Bayou Fairy Godmother instead of a voodoo priestess.

 

[Disone]

Moana is about exploration and adventure...and a love of the natural world especially the Sea... which to me seems like a great fit for a park that is about animals and conservation... btw, Encanto and Indiana Jones are not about animals or conservation...except there is one character that has animals....the film is not about that. Moana's Adventuring Spirit makes he seem like a better fit to me. Aesthetically the settings would definitely fit the fabric of that park beautifully. What could be more DAK than a character that restores the heart to the spirit of nature?

You are not wrong in that I would agree about Indiana Jones and encanto as well.... they don't belong in animal Kingdom park. Disney needs to stop shoehorning stories into Parks they don't really belong And then wondering why the perception is their product isn't as good as it used to be.

 

[doctornick]

The difference between what I read here and what I hear from friends and family about Guardians is staggering.

Agreed. Just got back from a youth group trip to WDW and Cosmic Rewind was by far and away the favorite and most talked about ride in the parks. And not just the kids but the adult chaperones too. Even my elderly mother, who generally loves “classic” Disney rides thinks it’s one of the best rides they’ve ever made.

I don’t think people here recognize how much positive impact CR has had on how folks perceive Epcot. Yes, it will be better when it gets off the VQ and people can ride at their whim and yeah I get the arguments about the theme but it’s a huge crowd pleaser.

 

[Streetway]

Agreed. Just got back from a youth group trip to WDW and Cosmic Rewind was by far and away the favorite and most talked about ride in the parks. And not just the kids but the adult chaperones too. Even my elderly mother, who generally loves “classic” Disney rides thinks it’s one of the best rides they’ve ever made.

I don’t think people here recognize how much positive impact CR has had on how folks perceive Epcot. Yes, it will be better when it gets off the VQ and people can ride at their whim and yeah I get the arguments about the theme but it’s a huge crowd pleaser.

As much as people say “oh the theme doesnt mesh with epcot”, imo Epcot NEEDED this ride. The park was lacking a true crowd pleaser thrill ride, and guardians was the one for the job. Same sentiments for frozen and rat, Epcot needed family rides like that. IP’s while overused, aren’t the devil that everyone makes it out to be. Yes I would like an original attraction every once in a while, but at the end of the day, these characters are what bring people in.