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

[RSoxNo1]

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.

Mine Train? That was a change to the project midstream as that section of the project wasn't supposed to open in phases. I suspect Pixie Hollow was technically the Phase 2 there?

 

[imagineer97]

Fwiw, on the way out I saw Chris Beatty talking to someone. I leaned in, got within a foot of his ear and said “Zootopia doesn’t belong in the Animal Kingdom”. I didn’t break stride, he turned and looked and I kept walking.

So if this doesn't happen, you will be hailed as a hero!

 

[RSoxNo1]

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.

Regarding Moana, it's a popular enough IP and I really don't oppose it being located where it is in EPCOT or as a new land in DAK. The nature themes of Moana are relevant to both areas. I think it could be argued that Nature as a theme is less critical to EPCOT, but that's certainly not a hill I'm going to die on.

I agree that Coco is probably a better fit in EPCOT and it's a rare IP that absolutely fits in World Showcase. I also think Disney wants no part of the optics of a Columbia pavilion in World Showcase. Having said that, I don't think as an extension to Frontierland, Coco and Encanto are much of a stretch. They are certainly a reasonable transition land to a Dark area of Fantasyland if that's indeed the plan here. If Tom Sawyer Island is on the chopping block, you can connect Haunted Mansion and Villains and have the "scary" section of the park.

I also don't think it's unreasonable to see Tiana's Bayou Adventure get re-classified alongside Pirates of the Caribbean as part of New Orleans Square. By extending Frontierland to the East (that's a weird sentence) and connecting it to Liberty Square / Fantasyland they've really expanded that area of the park. We've long said that MK needs 6000K more guests per hour capacity and a Villains land is ripe for added capacity.

 

[BrianLo]

Forgive the crudeness. Hopefully this can help people visualize what the heck we are looking at. I sort of believe blue would be the ride entrance for the "Moana Splash". The boat in the lagoon just looks like mostly a viewing platform. The concept art looks like more than it is, but it's really just one ride and a lot of new adornment to triceratops spin. The Boneyard isn't even featured.

 

[UNCgolf]

With Coco, I'm assuming they originally planned to do a Gran Fiesta retheme or overlay at EPCOT, then decided it was logistically unworkable/too costly and disruptive to the Mexico pavilion overall. That prompted the idea to do something with it at Magic Kingdom instead.

 

[BrianLo]

So, I’ve been talking awhile about Dinoland being the next area of work at DAK. The map I saw showed a Moana ride taking over Primeval Whirl (and then some) which we now know is the water ride. The spinner gets rethemed, which we see. The rest of Dinoland is rethemed. I believe a Zootopia e-ticket replaces Dinosaur. This is FAR less blue sky than the MK project. I would expect full details on the DAK land at Destination D23 next fall.

Sure. I’m more excited for the Moana splash mountain. Because they are killing our splash, because it’s much better than Primeval Whirl, and because it would use actual sets. I wouldn’t mind at all if we get the Moana mini land (which actually can work by Nemo) and keep Dinoland if Phase 2 is not funded.

Okay. So the Moana bit looks reasonable. Presumably it would incorporate the Nemo theater as part of the land and be an “Oceana” kinda theme. In an ideal world maybe that would include some live animals but I doubt it.

Thanks for this. My reaction was definitely one of confusion. I absolutely could not figure out what the heck I was looking at during the presentation. They were talking about Blue Sky and suddenly plopped out a concept art without really explaining it.

I had a weird reaction to Zootopia, but Moana (which I did really want to see represented properly) caught me off guard. I can see how an Oceana works along with Nemo.

Of course what would help is if they added some animal exhibits as well to compliment. Even just a few Australian animals would be nice (or maybe New Zealand specifically to tie it more in with Polynesia if desired) on a smaller trail.

Notably the Boneyard isn't there. I have no idea if @ToTBellHop can comment on that? It would be an ideal place for an animal exhibit.

 

[BrianLo]

I’m sure they’d also love to build the Coco, Encanto, and villain attractions elsewhere.

Like DCA?

They already have projects under way overseas. But a blue sky session like today, with audience reactions, can be used in conversations in a year or two. They love playing these games.

It was NOT lost on me that the OLC president was in a front row seat and highlighted. I strongly, strongly suspect they are trying to sell him on the Moana attraction for TDS. To occupy the expansion plot that Frozen was once pegged for.

Disney operates on a million levels sometimes, but yet they are so transparent.

 

[BrianLo]

A couple more random thoughts. I know this is being likened to Splash, but the drop may be more Disneyland Pirates/Frozen Ever After than Splash. I would strongly assume the former so they can keep it a family attraction. It just so visibly looks like Splash on first glance because of the outdoor element, but it doesn't seem drastically high. They likely just need it over two floors to increase ride length. IMO the elevation change suggests the attraction is not tiny, a good thing.

Maybe @ToTBellHop also might have more insight, or perhaps just saw site plans.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Simply untrue. They will not let 2025 and 2026 pass without a major addition. This is literally the most eligible spot in all of WDW since it is in a currently-used guest area, it’s cleared, it’s ready to go, and it is in the park that is next in line for an addition.

2027, we’d be talking about Zootopia if it is built and the MK expansion being well under way. Those ideas are aspirational but I’d expect something in MK this decade.

Making a 2025 opening would require the design phases for a major ride to be completed within a couple of months from now. A design and
construction schedule far more aggressive than TRON’s original schedule where the design was already determined.

 

[_caleb]

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.

Dinosaur didn’t make it, but you think The Rescuers Down Under would?

 

[_caleb]

Making a 2025 opening would require the design phases for a major ride to be completed within a couple of months from now. A design and
construction schedule far more aggressive than TRON’s original schedule where the design was already determined.

Cue the comparisons to Universal’s pace of construction

 

[Captain Neo]

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.

what are you talking about? Says who? They showcased villains mountain at d23 and even if they were serious about it it wouldn’t start construction till 2030 by that time all of the people on stage will have either been fired or left the company and the priorities will be completely different

 

[rle4lunch]

The only thing redeeming in dinoland is the boneyard. The rest needs to go.

 

[Aries1975]

I like the look of the Moana boat ride and spinner, but if it were up to me, they'd put all this in the Adventureland expansion pad and relocate and redress the Aladdin spinner. It would fit in that park better, give MK another ride and improve another part of that land...

...again, if it were up to me.

This was my first thought also. Then, I started to wonder if the Moana flume was a “blue sky” suggestion for how to retheme Splash before Tiana was chosen. The art work may have been something not publicly released that could quickly be added to kill time at the end of the presentation.

I think it's 100% execution. Moana and Tefiti clearly have incredible connection to the water and life. They could 100% be guides/ambassadors to those creatures. The focus needs to be on the nature, not the characters.

That's where my extreme doubt comes in. There are several ways to do it very well. I have no faith current Disney would accomplish that given what we've been seeing recently story-wise. It would be a Moana attraction. Not a nature-focused attraction that uses Moana characters as a conduit. The characters will always upstage the alleged "story" to make it fit into its surroundings.

I thought Moana being the ultimate link between humanity, the seas and the land was why we have the Journey of Water in Epcot.

Dumb question - and I truly mean no offense to anyone who said this project is close enough to final design to break ground in 2023 and be operational in 2025 - why not keep it together in AK? If the plans are that close to done, it had to be on someone’s “drawing board“ while Innoventions was still standing. And if they had to put something in the giant hole that was Innoventions, then put the whole thing in Epcot. I understand Disney is a huge corporation, so the left hand may simply not know what the right hand is doing. But as the Imagineering group gets smaller and smaller, they have to collaborate better.

Btw - I am a giant chicken. I went on Dinosaur in 1998 and found it terrifying. I put on a brave front for my children’s sake and went on again in 2014 or 2016. It is just not my thing. However, I know if they retheme it to a happy ride of herbivores, we will have a mess like Alien becoming Stitch were no one was happy.

 

[FigmentForever96]

Not shocked they are gonna crucify Animal kingdom, the last true haven of a true thematic, consistent experience. No wonder Joe Rhode quit

 

[James Alucobond]

Not shocked they are gonna crucify Animal kingdom, the last true haven of a true thematic, consistent experience. No wonder Joe Rhode quit

I mean, at least it's only one ride that's truly thematically problematic, tucked away in the farthest corner. On top of that, it's the most likely to be axed as it seems to be both the least developed and least necessary part of the proposal.

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Dinosaur didn’t make it, but you think The Rescuers Down Under would?

I'm not saying that's the most popular IP choice...just one that I feel might fit better thematically. And it would allow the area to transform into another continent based land alongside Africa and Asia.

 

[James Alucobond]

I'm not saying that's the most popular IP choice...just one that I feel might fit better thematically. And it would allow the area to transform into another continent based land alongside Africa and Asia.

Moana is already a fine partner to Nemo since Oceania is a unifying geographical region for Australia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Moana is already a fine partner to Nemo since Oceania is a unifying geographical region for Australia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.

I just personally don't feel like it's a great fit. And if it gets green lit, makes the Moana Epcot addition seem a bit pointless. Why make another water/Moana based area when they're currently already building something with that in mind? Instead, give us something new and different to replace Dinoland.

 

[dennis-in-ct]

The parks only have such strong original IPs such as Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and even Space Mountain because they created original concepts. That won't happen again if they just keep creating attractions based on film IPs.

I would even argue Epcot is a pretty strong IP that has worked its way into the culture. The more parks just become random collections of IP-lands, the less likely they will similarly work their way into the popular consciousne

The real headscratcher is why Disney imagineering is so obsessed with spinner rides. Its even right smack in the middle of that moana concept art

My guess is that is the existing Primeval whirl