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

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Ok I see. They are gonna put something else in the Paris Studios, right? I think Villains land there makes a lot of sense.
No idea what they’ll do there. Something watered down, I’m sure. If we get a villains E-ticket and a Horned King spinner, Paris will just get the spinner with an elaborate Black Cauldron garden walk-through.
 

SNS

Active Member
And it never does.

Seriously, has it ever happened? At least in the last 20+ years? The restaurant in TSL is the only thing I can think of and I wouldn't consider that a phase 2.

Wasn't the Fantasyland expansion done in phases? And the Hollywood Studios expansion could also be said to have been done in phases.
 

Captain Neo

Well-Known Member
@ToTBellHop indicated that the Moana area may already be approved and might be done for a 2025 target opening. That seems to only be replacing the Dinorama area - retheming the spinner and building the water ride kinda where PW used to be. It’s not like Disney to work that “fast” but it’s entirely possible for that timeframe to work if they wanted.

if Moana was approved they would have said as much today
 

scottb411

Well-Known Member
For the Dinoland remake, this would be a good time to bring National Geographic into the parks with some more AA’s and make it more educational (Mickey’s not so scary dinosaurs):

1662951755070.jpeg
 

SpectreJordan

Well-Known Member
Well, that was the whole argument about AK being Nahtazu. Disney is taking an existing concept and applying Disney showmanship and Imagineering to elevate it to something else. I'm not sure many people agree, but I actually liked the spin they took on it by focussing on dinosaur fever and building a tourist town that grew around an archeological dig. That was the kind of creativity and originality on which Disney built its reputation, not just making rides based on movies.
The story around the land is fantastic but the actual land is mostly a bunch of lame carnival stuff. The Dinosaur ride & Restaurantosaurus are great though.

Ideally, they'd scrap the current carnival stuff & build 1 or 2 real attractions around this theme; I think there was a canceled coaster in the dig site, that would've been great. But it is what it is.

I'm not going to be super sad when Dinoland leaves. But I just wish it was leaving for a real dinosaur land or South America.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
if Moana was approved they would have said as much today
Are they in the habit of telling guests when they green light something? The purpose of the blue sky today wasn’t to share completely out there ideas from WDI. It was to share projects in various stages of legitimate development that could nonetheless still be canceled. They knew they didn’t have nearly enough for their flagship resort and that the 50th has underperformed, so they needed to share something but we’re not ready for too much detail. They don’t want too much egg on their face if things shift (not that every fan understands this nuance).

As I’ve said, the DAK projects are much further along, with Moana leading the charge. They could probably be ready to begin Encanto or Coco once TBA opens. Villain Land is, unfortunately (IMHO) much further off.

They were very close to being ready to officially announce DAK work, as I’ve said for months. I suspect they’ll be more concrete at Destination D23 next year.

I was rather surprised by the MK details they shared. I honestly figured those would wait until D23 2024…
 

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
So we are putting Moana (which I love) in two parks where it really doesnt fit, Coco and Encanto in MK when it would greatly help finish out the IP rebranding in WS at Epcot? Why arent we retheming Splash to Moana, adding a PatF attraction on Tom Sawyer Island? IDK. Maybe I lack vision.
 

Captain Neo

Well-Known Member
Are they in the habit of telling guests when they green light something? The purpose of the blue sky today wasn’t to share completely out there ideas from WDI. It was to share projects in various stages of legitimate development that could nonetheless still be canceled. They don’t want too much egg on their face (not that every fan understands this nuance).

As I’ve said, the DAK projects are much further along, with Moana leading the charge. They could probably be ready to begin Encanto or Coco once TBA opens. Villain Land is, unfortunately (IMHO) much further off.

They were very close to being ready to officially announce DAK work, as I’ve said for months. I suspect they’ll be more concrete at Destination D23 next year.

I was rather surprised by the MK details they shared. I honestly figured those would wait until D23 2024…

Yes they would have catagorically said “we are proud to announce XYZ project is coming to Animal Kingdom!”

And not “ok hear us out these are some possibilities that could happen in the future” while an imagineer literally begs an executive on stage
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Yes they would have catagorically said “we are proud to announce XYZ project is coming to Animal Kingdom!”

And not “ok hear us out these are some possibilities that could happen in the future” while an imagineer literally begs an executive on stage
A project needs to be a bit further along than Moana is to be showcased at D23. The understanding some here have of how Disney “green lights” is a bit faulty. It’s not like a project is a pie in the sky idea and then one day, Chapek says, “make it so.”

They are committed to the Moana area.

We do all know Chapek approved this blue sky session, right? And that he has really thin skin and hates being embarrassed?
 

MissingDisney

Well-Known Member
Are they in the habit of telling guests when they green light something? The purpose of the blue sky today wasn’t to share completely out there ideas from WDI. It was to share projects in various stages of legitimate development that could nonetheless still be canceled. They knew they didn’t have nearly enough for their flagship resort and that the 50th has underperformed, so they needed to share something but we’re not ready for too much detail. They don’t want too much egg on their face if things shift (not that every fan understands this nuance).

As I’ve said, the DAK projects are much further along, with Moana leading the charge. They could probably be ready to begin Encanto or Coco once TBA opens. Villain Land is, unfortunately (IMHO) much further off.

They were very close to being ready to officially announce DAK work, as I’ve said for months. I suspect they’ll be more concrete at Destination D23 next year.

I was rather surprised by the MK details they shared. I honestly figured those would wait until D23 2024…
I think the purpose of today was …..to distract away from constant disappointment, delays, canceled prior projects etc with anything they could think of. They were very specific to say “this could, these could, are a possibility, things like this….” and were purposeful in being non-committal to anything and everything.

To bring this up again in a year, 2 years, heck even 3 years from now as a work in progress… ridiculous.

I’ll believe any of this when I see it. Although at the rate we’re going I may need to sell my eyes to raise ticket money.
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
A project needs to be a bit further along than Moana is to be showcased at D23. The understanding some here have of how Disney “green lights” is a bit faulty. It’s not like a project is a pie in the sky idea and then one day, Chapek says, “make it so.”

They are committed to the Moana area.

We do all know Chapek approved this blue sky session, right? And that he has really thin skin and hates being embarrassed?
IMO the problem with doing what they did today with these Blue sky ideas, is they most likely will not end up as advertised. I know I have said it a few times but there is a reason most other parks don't announce new attractions til they are in the final process. It saves your fan base a lot of disappointment when what gets announced either is cancelled or completely changed.

This to me screams they needed something to take some hype off of their competition. The last few years they have completely lost their direction. From the obsession of IP where they can fit to the lackluster announcements today they seem like they don't get it anymore.
 

jpinkc

Well-Known Member
I think the purpose of today was …..to distract away from constant disappointment, delays, canceled prior projects etc with anything they could think of. They were very specific to say “this could, these could, are a possibility, things like this….” and were purposeful in being non-committal to anything and everything.

To bring this up again in a year, 2 years, heck even 3 years from now as a work in progress… ridiculous.

I’ll believe any of this when I see it. Although at the rate we’re going I may need to sell my eyes to raise ticket money.
Or for some of us be alive to see it.
 

jpinkc

Well-Known Member
IMO the problem with doing what they did today with these Blue sky ideas, is they most likely will not end up as advertised. I know I have said it a few times but there is a reason most other parks don't announce new attractions til they are in the final process. It saves your fan base a lot of disappointment when what gets announced either is cancelled or completely changed.

This to me screams they needed something to take some hype off of their competition. The last few years they have completely lost their direction. From the obsession of IP where they can fit to the lackluster announcements today they seem like they don't get it anymore.
The Parks are now the Red Headed Stepchild, not the shining example of what Disney is, now that they have Marvel and Lucas Films making them tons of cash. Just remember it was the Parks that saved Disney in the Dark Times..........
 

MissingDisney

Well-Known Member
A project needs to be a bit further along than Moana is to be showcased at D23. The understanding some here have of how Disney “green lights” is a bit faulty. It’s not like a project is a pie in the sky idea and then one day, Chapek says, “make it so.”

They are committed to the Moana area.

We do all know Chapek approved this blue sky session, right? And that he has really thin skin and hates being embarrassed?
Respectfully, and I obviously admit I do not know the man personally, but I think his actions and decisions have clearly shown he does not give two hoots about being embarrassed. He does what he wants.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Which is kind of my point. Tron is a great IP for a theme park attraction even if the movies aren’t really all that popular. I’d rather see a great attraction based on an obscure (or no) IP than awkwardly fitting in something themed to a popular IP just to get park representation (looking at you Frozen)

I've always thought it a shame that Tron got a rollercoaster for a Lightcycle attraction, and not a large scale dark ride.

Having a detailed queue that goes into the Grid, and a ride where you're actually on a high speed lightcycle and not a rollercoaster would be absolutely incredible.

Not to mention, structures that are obviously roller coasters with little theming to disguise the track have no place in a Castle park.
 

Dizknee_Phreek

Well-Known Member
I've been trying to think all day what IP would be a better fit than Zootopia/Moana. One I keep coming back to is Rescuers Down Under. Dinoland could be replaced with Australia, which is one area that desperately needs to be better represented in WDW. Dinosaur could easily be replaced with an off-road trek through the Outback. You could even keep the danger/thrill factor of the attraction with all the crazy critters in that continent. There would just be so many options if they went that direction. It would even be a great tie in with the Nemo stage show.
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Hopefully they will stay "Blue Sky".
Odds are in your favor. Do enough reading on WDI and watch enough documentaries on WDI. And one thing you learn is the vast majority of their blue sky concepts Never make it off the shelf. Only a small portion of what WDI actually designs become reality. Everything else stays in that blue sky world of could have been but never was.

I was very surprised they were sharing blue sky concepts for Dino Land.

I'm still trying to figure out how Moana ties into Disney's Animal Kingdom. Josh did give some sort of nonsensical reason but it was beyond my comprehension.

They have gotten so haphazard in their storytelling that I'm pretty much ready for them to tell me that Toontown belongs in Disney's animal Kingdom because Toontown is populated by Mickey mouse, Donald duck, and Chip and Dale. All of whom are animals and so what better place for Toontown to be then Disney's Animal Kingdom.
 

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