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

[ToTBellHop]

Sorry if I’m coming across as a jerk, promise it isn’t directed at you at all. I just hate how all the physical sets and animotronics are being ripped out for screens. It’s just sad.

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.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Recall: Bob thinks we come to Disney parks wanting to see Disney worlds come to life. That’s why even small areas of DCA (like Pacific Wharf) are transforming into movie worlds.

Must say that I don't understand how they don't see how shortsighted this is. It leaves them in a position where if they have a new popular IP, they have to either build an entire new land or re-theme an existing one if they want it represented. They're really boxing themselves in by tying all the lands to single franchises.

 

[DCLcruiser]

I think a big question is, are they going to keep (or add) actual animal habitats in the new areas? There are currently storks, crocodiles and tortoises in that area. Adding new areas that don't factor in real animals seems like a bad idea.

And with Zootopia - Is it just the mammals that are sentient? Or all animals? Like can you have live animal habitats in Zootopia.. does Zootopia have, well, a zoo?

This is too deep for Bob. Can Goofy and Pluto exist in the same world. Are they different, the same, or

 

[No Name]

I wish they’d decided to replace the DinoRama area with Ice Age instead, keeping the extinct animals section while adding in a popular animated IP.

It was said that Dinosaur would retrofitted (redone) as a Zootopia ride if the phase 2 went forward

Oh, well the good news is phase 2 almost never happens.

 

[UNCgolf]

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.

I'm in this boat. I don't think Moana is a great fit, but considering they're not going to do anything without an IP attached, it could be much worse -- and the ride has the potential to be great (even though a Jungle Book or Lion King ride would be better).

Zootopia is where things go completely off the rails.

 

[Gran Fiesta]

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.

That would definitely be the best case scenario in my opinion as well

 

[SNS]

I think a Moana area could use a nice walkthrough attraction in addition to the rides! Seriously what kind of mess are they creating here? How does Zootopia fit in at all?


They don’t understand interest in concepts that aren’t specific IPs. That’s a complete blind spot for the current people in charge.

If we had a good Dinosaur IP that could have saved Dinoland but the closest Disney/Pixar IP in later years is The Good Dinosaur which bomb.

If they really do get rid of the dinosaurs, I wonder if they will redesign the logo and this would finally erase the last traces of the Beastly Kingdom (the dragon on the logos would go).

 

[Captain Neo]

If you look at the ride vehicle for the Zootopia ride thats going to the china park. It's the exact same ride vehicle as indiana jones/Countdown to Extinction and because of TRON there is now precedence for cloning rides that prove popular in China.

 

[DCLcruiser]

If we had a good Dinosaur IP that could have saved Dinoland but the closest Disney/Pixar IP in later years is The Good Dinosaur which bomb.

If they really do get rid of the dinosaurs, I wonder if they will redesign the logo and this would finally erase the last traces of the Beastly Kingdom (the dragon on the logos would go).

Agreed, but the potential with dinosaurs is unlimited and universally loved.

 

[Dinoman96]

Thread theme right now:

 

[FutureCEO]

I think a Moana area could use a nice walkthrough attraction in addition to the rides! Seriously what kind of mess are they creating here? How does Zootopia fit in at all?


They don’t understand interest in concepts that aren’t specific IPs. That’s a complete blind spot for the current people in charge.

Everest was the last original ride. I'm sure it will be running away from the snow creature in Frozen soon.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Fans - “we need more attractions! The parks are too crowded and we need more to handle all the guests”

Disney - best we can do is mainly redo and replace existing attractions but here are a few meet and greets that should hold you over before it takes 6 years to give you something new

 

[Dinoman96]

Everest was last original ride. I'm sure it will be running away from the snow creature in Frozen soon.

I've always suspected a huge reason in why Disney never bothered to fix the Yeti, was because they were just waiting for Pixar or whatever company they own now to make up some Yeti/Himalayan IP that could just overlay with it

 

[doctornick]

Nope. These are phases. Dinoland would be Moana then Zootopia. Moana replaces Dino-Rama and comes soon. Zootopia later replaces the rest of Dinoland (including Dinosaur, which is retrofitted).

View attachment 666083

This MK project is EXTREMELY blue sky, on the other hand.

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.

The concept art seems to indicate that the spinner stays but just gets rethemed?

The Zootopia portion of this idea seems awful. Just keep Dinosaur and the boneyard. They are cool. Don’t waste that money - actually expand the park somewhere instead. Hell even as terrible a fit that Zootopia would be, if it were a true addition to DAK it would add to capacity

 

[Tom Morrow]

I keep debating this in my head. While the lands of DAK are about real animals (or real aliens?), there are characters walking around. So, anthropomorphic land sort of does fit.

The characters that walk around/do Meet & Greets act more as ambassadors for Walt Disney World and are not tied thematically to the lands they are in.

Yes, DAK has "talking animal" attractions, but they are real animals that talk, not people-animals. Nevermind that Zootopia is a film that makes jokes out of the animal traits constantly.

 

[tanc]

As much as I like the Dinosaur ride, dinoland looks like something from Killer Klowns from outer space. I think it desperately needs to be redone. I'm not sure what could be changed, but I mean there's like Tarzan or the Jungle book that could work as well. Always surprised a world like that was never thought of.

 

[JustInTime]

Is that a skyline?

I thought that looked like an indoor building for "underwater" attractions. They showed a kid looking at a partially submerged hippo.

It looks like a bridge and mountains. But that’s where the zootopia ride would be.

 

[DCLcruiser]

I've always suspected a huge reason in why Disney never bothered to fix the Yeti, was because they were just waiting for Pixar or whatever company they own now to make up some Yeti/Himalayan IP that could just overlay with it

I thought the fix was zillions of dollars due to the structure.

I think a Nepal/Himalayan movie would be awesome.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

The other issue with Dinosaur is that it's pretty well hidden. I'm almost positive there are guests that have no idea it's there, considering it's kind of tucked back into a corner with a building that doesn't scream "this is a ride!".

I imagine they could refurbish it and do something to help draw a bit more attention to it and have it perform quite well.

Honestly, I think the ride does need a refurb and rethink. I know others disagree, but I think the whole "we're trying to catch a dinosaur" storyline doesn't work and they should simplify it to make it more of a fun thrill ride going back to the time of the dinosaurs just before the meteor is about to strike. They really need to stop over-thinking these things and look at what made many of the classic rides so great.

One way to deal with how hidden the ride is would be perhaps to also abandon the Dino Institute theming and lean into the tourist trap theming of the rest of the land (which I think kind of works).

 

[WorldExplorer]

I was really expecting them to just go with the Donald sponsorship gimmick and plonk down another off the shelf ride with his name on it.

You know, since no one's interested in dinosaurs without a character tie-in, apparently.

I'm really sad about this. I know it wasn't the greatest concept ever, but I do love the amount of care and detail poured into Dinoland. I love how much there is to look at. I love having a thrill ride that doesn't have hills. I love that it presented a place where the locals were fun and all loved dinosaurs (like you). Call me sappy, but if it's going away, I think now is the time for it.

Having a coherent theme to the theme park was nice, too. But hey, Moana has...ya know, trees... that's the theme of Animal Kingdom, right?

I guess I'll just hope they at least stop at the halfway point. Zootopia is a terrible idea, too.