News Zootopia and Moana Blue Sky concepts for Disney's Animal Kingdom

[Stumpos]

Most of those, no. They might actually be about animals, but I don't think their more suburban settings would fit in Animal Kingdom (for example, The AristoCats takes place in France. France would be out of place in Animal Kingdom).

Fair. Then what about just Bambi? That wasn't an animals in suburban settings movie like the other animal Disney movies I mentioned.

 

[Bocabear]

OK Bambi would be acceptable if it corresponded to an engaging habitat and attraction... a powered coaster where you outrun a forest fire? lol it could work... but Bambi is not a fire chief in a big city taking a bus to work...

 

[MadderAdder]

I’m sorry… but Bambi is boring. And so are woodland animals.

 

[BlakeW39]

I’m sorry… but Bambi is boring. And so are woodland animals.

bears, wolves, and moose are boring???

 

[SamusAranX]

I still hold out forlorn hope for Beastly Kingdom

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I still hold out forlorn hope for Beastly Kingdom

Amazing how the one option that would please everybody, increase park capacity, fulfill the park's mission statement (and initial advertising) and get the fanbase riled up with excitement continues to be ignored.

 

[BlakeW39]

I still hold out forlorn hope for Beastly Kingdom

Amazing how the one option that would please everybody, increase park capacity, fulfill the park's mission statement (and initial advertising) and get the fanbase riled up with excitement continues to be ignored.

Beastly Kingdom would be a legitimate hit. Moreso than Moanaland or Zootopia. And I'd stand by that. But it's not IP so oh well

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Beastly Kingdom would be a legitimate hit. Moreso than Moanaland or Zootopia. And I'd stand by that. But it's not IP so oh well

How about using Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent and Hercules as choice of IP for Beastly Kingdom? The former has a dragon and the latter features mythical creatures of Ancient Greece. Percy Jackson and the Olympians can also be used as a substitute for Hercules, since it has a Disney+ show coming.

 

[Brer Panther]

Fair. Then what about just Bambi? That wasn't an animals in suburban settings movie like the other animal Disney movies I mentioned.

Yeah, Bambi could work. I dunno if it really lends itself to a ride, though...

 

[James Alucobond]

Yeah, Bambi could work. I dunno if it really lends itself to a ride, though...

IP for the Frontierland shooting gallery?

(Sorry.)

 

[RSoxNo1]

I’m afraid The Walt Disney Company is too caring for the ecosystem to put in a dolphin habitat. They’d rather let those creatures live outside of captivity in peace.

Also, if @imagineer97 is right and Disney does indeed go forward with plans to replace Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama, will they stick with a Moana/Oceania land, or do you guys think they have come up with an alternate replacement? To me, the Blue Sky concept art felt too ambitious, especially with the flume ride.

Long term prediction here.
Oceania type land in DAK that has no live animals. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is removed for a completely different concept that doesn't involve live animals.

 

[brb1006]

I still hold out forlorn hope for Beastly Kingdom

Amazing how the one option that would please everybody, increase park capacity, fulfill the park's mission statement (and initial advertising) and get the fanbase riled up with excitement continues to be ignored.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who stills get super bummed seeing the amount of remnants for the Beastly Kingdom land across the park.

Dragons are still present on the park's logo, main entrance.

And the now defunct Discovery River Boats used to feature a Unicorn statue (now removed) and a section that hinted on a presence of a dragon.

I know that shipped has sailed 20 years ago, but it still makes me sad knowing what could have been.

 

[brb1006]

OK Bambi would be acceptable if it corresponded to an engaging habitat and attraction... a powered coaster where you outrun a forest fire? lol it could work... but Bambi is not a fire chief in a big city taking a bus to work...

There's always Thumper and his family (and wife) and Flower.

 

[RSoxNo1]

But what's Moana's attachment to Animal Kingdom? She has an attachment to the sea, that's true, but I still don't think that ties in very well to AK. IMO, Zootopia would make more sense for AK than Moana.

Neither of them have a strong connection to DAK. Zootopia is much worse, in my opinion. DAK was never intended to feature anthropomorphic animals (aside from Mickey & Co). Moana you could argue ties into the “intrinsic value of nature” foundational principle of DAK.

My biggest problem with Moana in DAK is they just built a big Moana attraction in Epcot. I wish they would place things with a bit more intent and long range planning.

One of the main themes of the Animal Kingdom is the intrinsic value of nature / nature being in control. The value of nature is also a component of the right side of Future World / World Nature. There are absolutely parallels to this theme in the same way that there were general parallels between Future World and Tomorrowland. A point of contention historically was delineating the difference between the two. With the distinction of World Nature, Disney is leaning into the parallels between that specific section of EPCOT and DAK's overall theme.

In theory, you could pick up all of World Nature and plop it into DAK. Soarin' would be a stretch, but a new film highlighting only natural environments would make it work.

So back to the thematic fit. Zootopia is a poor fit. With the following from Joe Rohde himself:



On the other hand, while Moana doesn't have a focus on animals, one of the underlying themes of Moana is the value of nature. Assuming it's given the Pandora treatment and that theme is a factor in any attractions than Moana could be as seamless as Pandora for that park.

 

[Advisable Joseph]

I don’t think the “overall response” is what you imagine it to be.

Anything to back that up? I've seen recall a tweet about guests in Dinoland hearing the Zootopia news from the D23 presentation and cheering (!) and I recall a tweet from an Animal Kingdom cast member mentioning frequent requests for a Zootopia attraction (don't have them right now), but more news would be welcome.

Also, is there any opportunity for expansion at Epcot or Hollywood Studios?

 

[Advisable Joseph]

So back to the thematic fit. Zootopia is a poor fit. With the following from Joe Rohde himself:

As I mentioned before, Byron Howard, director of Zootopia, and the writers disagree with Rohde's description of the movie.

I assume "no pants" is a joke.

Fixed autocorrect.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Also, is there any opportunity for expansion at Epcot or Hollywood Studios?

There’s opportunity. Disney hasn’t announced anything though. At DHS they could use the Indy/Parking Lot plot. They also could expand behind Animation Courtyard but they’d have to knock down the old Animation building as well as other BoH facilities. At Epcot, they still have quite a few expansion plots in between the countries.

 

[Advisable Joseph]

I was really asking about the near future. Recall that ToTBellHop mentioned that Animal Kingdom is next up for expansion, and Bob Iger said that the current Epcot expansion is almost over, with. CommuniCore and Journey of Water.

There’s opportunity. Disney hasn’t announced anything though. At DHS they could use the Indy/Parking Lot plot. They also could expand behind Animation Courtyard but they’d have to knock down the old Animation building as well as other BoH facilities. At Epcot, they still have quite a few expansion plots in between the countrie

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I was really asking about the near future. Recall that ToTBellHop mentioned that Animal Kingdom is next up for expansion, and Bob Iger said that the current Epcot expansion is almost over, with. CommuniCore and Journey of Water.

Gotcha. I obviously can’t speak for him, but the general consensus is that DHS is “fine”. And that MK & DAK are next up as a priority to expand

 

[Advisable Joseph]

I know that shipped has sailed 20 years ago, but it still makes me sad knowing what could have been.

Weirdly enough, Zootopia and Moana might be encouraging news on that front. Since Moana likely will feature fantastical creatures from Polynesian legend, the east side of the park will feature fictional animals, including the "feral" humanized characters (psychologically) from Finding Nemo.