Why was Dark Kingdom never created?

Tyler Moore

Tyler Moore

Member
Original Poster
FettFan said:
Eh. That would kind of get old fast.
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I think Disney would keep the ideas fresh just like they have done with all the other parks except this one gives them a lot of room for imagination. You can take villains from cartoons in the 80s to antagonists in modern day Disney Movies. At the very least, they could just create another section in Magic Kingdom to Dark Kingdom.
 
71jason

71jason

Well-Known Member
The article could have been worded better, but I don't believe Dark Kingdom/Shadowlands was ever Walt's idea. (The idea of grouping the villians, or even the princesses, was decades after his time.) From what I've read on various boards over the years, it was intended as a response to the still under-construction Islands of Adventure, intended to appeal to the same target demographic with a lot of thrill rides. However, Universal's marketing department whiffed the opening of IoA hard and that park never caught on like it should have, at least until Potter Land opened a decade later. When the potential cross-town threat never materialized, it didn't make sense to the beancounters to build a whole new land.
 
FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
71jason said:
The article could have been worded better, but I don't believe Dark Kingdom/Shadowlands was ever Walt's idea. (The idea of grouping the villians, or even the princesses, was decades after his time.) From what I've read on various boards over the years, it was intended as a response to the still under-construction Islands of Adventure, intended to appeal to the same target demographic with a lot of thrill rides. However, Universal's marketing department whiffed the opening of IoA hard and that park never caught on like it should have, at least until Potter Land opened a decade later. When the potential cross-town threat never materialized, it didn't make sense to the beancounters to build a whole new land.
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Yeah, they were talking about revamping it into Night Kingdom. Which would have been open from 6pm until 2am and limit the number of guests, so that there would be two cast members on staff for every customer.

Unfortunately, Night Kingdom sounded more like "Animal Kingdom, Mark II"....so much so that they scrapped it in favor of DAK's "Wild Africa Trek".
 
Tyler Moore

Tyler Moore

Member
Original Poster
71jason said:
The article could have been worded better, but I don't believe Dark Kingdom/Shadowlands was ever Walt's idea. (The idea of grouping the villians, or even the princesses, was decades after his time.) From what I've read on various boards over the years, it was intended as a response to the still under-construction Islands of Adventure, intended to appeal to the same target demographic with a lot of thrill rides. However, Universal's marketing department whiffed the opening of IoA hard and that park never caught on like it should have, at least until Potter Land opened a decade later. When the potential cross-town threat never materialized, it didn't make sense to the beancounters to build a whole new land.
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You have a really good point.
 
71jason

71jason

Well-Known Member
FettFan said:
Yeah, they were talking about revamping it into Night Kingdom. Which would have been open from 6pm until 2am and limit the number of guests, so that there would be two cast members on staff for every customer.

Unfortunately, Night Kingdom sounded more like "Animal Kingdom, Mark II"....so much so that they scrapped it in favor of DAK's "Wild Africa Trek".
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I think Night Kingdom was more a response to Discovery Cove than IoA, similar names not withstanding.
 
stevehousse

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
I don't really like the idea of an entire theme park but a land in magic kingdom. I think they need to redo tomorrow land first, and remove the speedway. If they do that there is room there and behind it for a small themed land to go in. Check out google maps to see where i am referring too. It is "outside the train tracks" but space mountain is so it can work.

they could easily fit a mountain and at least 2 small dark rides in that area and how about a villains character meal!

They can still utilize the old villain mountain ride, where minnie has been captured by a vast array of disney villains and its up to you and mickey to save her! they can utilize the water coaster tech for this! another water ride in magic kingdom would be great!

I've always wanted a cruela devil ride, where u ride in her cadillac and try to capture the 101 Dalmatians, with lots of tight twists and turns along the way.

the last ride in the area would be another dark ride themed to Maleficent, with the old snow white type of ride system used here.

and who wouldnt want a villains character meal!!! they could also theme a candy store around the evil queen from snow white. not to mention an elaborate meet and greet with all the favorites!

there are so many possibilities here i would love to see what others would come up with! i have always been in favor of a villains land seeing as how we dont really see them as often as we should...i know magic kingdom is for children and people add the scare factor into it.would it be too scary??? i think we have to remember that this land would not be one giant haunted house as i think people think it would be, therefore being a turnoff for the kids. it can be dark and fun, think of pirates of the carribean, or snow whites scary adventures type fun with lots of disnt magic it can work...
 
hellowonderland

hellowonderland

Well-Known Member
I think it would be a fantastic addition to a park -- like Beastly Kingdom in AK and this idea of 'Shadowland' or 'Dark Kingdom' in MK. I don't think a whole other park could be created from that idea, but I've always thought the Villains got short shrift and deserved more.

I think a few restaurants, an immersive atmosphere and a couple of AWESOME dark rides (for instance, a Milificent coaster with her as the dragon or a trip under the sea to meet Ursula).
 
FrankLapidus

FrankLapidus

Well-Known Member
bethymouse said:
Did Walt ever intend to build another park? Just curious...:cool:
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I wouldn't say no for certain but I really doubt it. I think he'd conquered the theme park with Disneyland and that was something he envisaged plussing and improving as time went on. He tried doing something with Mineral King but that never worked out. Epcot, a city for the future, was his next project and I think if he had seen his vision become a reality, he would have considered it his crowning glory.
 
stevehousse

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
See the different land of te park wouldnt work bvause u would have to base each land off of one movie hence the themed land would wrk best
And I don't like this idea going into dhs, I would only deviate from the parks barely there vision or identity
Dhs needs a complete makeover like dca
They need to make it different studios within the park keep th animation studio but upgrade it, take out backlot tour and replace with a huge Pixar place studios. Change the theme around the muppet movie Area to muppet studios add a meet n greet again and a restaurant. Star wars area can be upgraded with lots of theming and add the restaurant from the first film. Also remove Indiana Kobe show and replace with a star wars show. And if only the mk park could add indy ride to advntureland!
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
bethymouse said:
Did Walt ever intend to build another park? Just curious...:cool:
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No, because what seems to me, is that Walt was always trying to push the boundaries. He did the first animation with talking and singing, the first color animation, the first full length feature film, some of the first nature documentaries, convinced America that the space program and shooting for the moon was a worthwile endavour, created some of the most popular and beloved World's Fair attractions, and also introduced tons of new technologies there and at Disneyland.

Once Disneyland was successful, he moved on to an idealistic city of the future, known as EPCOT, in addition to the Mineral King ski resort (not for Florida). That was the kind of person he was...once he had finished something, he seemed to always be moving to something else.
 
Lee

Lee

Adventurer
"Dark Kingdom", or a villain park, never existed as a fully developed concept.
I believe it popped up as a blue sky idea in the '90s, but never moved into development. It just wouldn't work as a stand alone park. Fanboys took the idea and sort of ran with it.

"Night Kingdom", the limited access boutique park at AK, just never made financial sense. Also, it's real name was to be "Shangri La".
 

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