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

[uncle jimmy]

Jim Shull shared his take and feelings on bringing animated characters to DAK.
"While opposed to bringing in animated characters into Animal Kingdom, this sketch shows a how to divide Dino Land. Moana in a lush environment with a water ride, and a Coco redo of 'Dinosaur' with sort of Mexico/Central America vibe. #WDW #AnimalKingdom"
He went on to say:
"Approaching Moana in Animal Kingdom as the legend of the character based on culture of the people living in the region would sort of work. Treating Moana as a MK character in AK is a brand slap and wouldn’t work in the core DNA of AK. IMHO."
"Obvious but necessary notification that the artwork is personal speculation-not associated with TWDC."

 

[James Alucobond]

I don’t understand Coco for this space whatsoever. Was that ever even rumored?

 

[BlakeW39]

Too creative, no IP tie-in... next!

Precisely.

Zootopia anyone?

 

[DisneyDean97]

With Bob Iger playing hardball with DeSantis and saying things like they have to evaluate where they invest in the parks... maybe DINOSAUR and Animal Kingdom will be spared from getting Zootopia!

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I don’t understand Coco for this space whatsoever. Was that ever even rumored?

No.

 

[uncle jimmy]

I don’t understand Coco for this space whatsoever. Was that ever even rumored?

1st time I'm seeing it being suggested, but I've thought Coco or Encanto would be better for DAK than Zootopia.

 

[Mike S]

Moana ride is basically our Shanghai Pirates. The beginning scenes move through her home and then sailing to Maui, the underwater/Davy Jones scene becomes the realm of monsters and Tamatoa (animatronic), and the rise back to the surface and ship battle puts us in the middle of the Kakamora where like Pirates there’s screens in the windows where we can see Moana and Maui fighting to get the heart back. We also get an extra scene with Te Ka/Te Fiti at the end (projected).

Where does this go?

ADVENTURELAND WHERE IT BELONGS

 

[The Visionary Soul]

I don’t know what Jim is on. There’s no chance of Coco going in on that site. Funding has already been allocated for the Dinoland re-development project. It is Zootopia. Moana is actually secondary. Not sure where all the other stuff is coming from, but I figured it was time I stopped by to chime in.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I don’t know what Jim is on. There’s no chance of Coco going in on that site. Funding has already been allocated for the Dinoland re-development project. It is Zootopia. Moana is actually secondary. Not sure where all the other stuff is coming from, but I figured it was time I stopped by to chime in.

Where did you get this information from?

Trusted insiders have confirmed Moana is coming first.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Moana ride is basically our Shanghai Pirates. The beginning scenes move through her home and then sailing to Maui, the underwater/Davy Jones scene becomes the realm of monsters and Tamatoa (animatronic), and the rise back to the surface and ship battle puts us in the middle of the Kakamora where like Pirates there’s screens in the windows where we can see Moana and Maui fighting to get the heart back. We also get an extra scene with Te Ka/Te Fiti at the end (projected).

Where does this go?


ADVENTURELAND WHERE IT BELONGS

Your explanation: (1) sounds totally accurate, sadly, (2) 100% does NOT belong in Animal Kingdom, and (3) is therefore certain to be what gets built. So, many nails... so few coffins...

I never thought I would want a major recession, but perhaps there are benefits...

 

[networkpro]

O

The whole spirit of Explorers and Adventurers seems like a natural for for a theme park that is about Animals, exploration and adventure in Exotic locations etc. Let's face it, Mystic Manor is basically an Adventurer's Club ride...they go very well together...
(I think HKDL's Mystic Point has an Explorer's Club restaurant next door to the ride.)
Not a far stretch to imagine a larger Adventurer's Club as part of a "Remote Jungle Outpost" where Lord Henry Mystic makes his home... and would be a beautiful and engaging addition to the Animal Kingdom lineup. Perhaps a restaurant on the first floor and a bar and club on the second...to segregate the families from the drinkers...

Spirit or not, the clubs/societies were colonizing in nature and dependant on extractive trade to fund its members. Thier very nature drew the line between "civilized" and "savage" in thier favor.

 

[UNCgolf]

I don’t know what Jim is on. There’s no chance of Coco going in on that site. Funding has already been allocated for the Dinoland re-development project. It is Zootopia. Moana is actually secondary. Not sure where all the other stuff is coming from, but I figured it was time I stopped by to chime in.

I really hope this is wrong. Animal Kingdom is currently Disney's best park and Zootopia going in will make it significantly worse.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Where did you get this information from?

Trusted insiders have confirmed Moana is coming first.

A brand new Moana ride will take longer to build from scratch than a re-theme of an existing ride. I guarantee you that anyone you call a “trusted insider” would generally agree with me.

I really hope this is wrong. Animal Kingdom is currently Disney's best park and Zootopia going in will make it significantly worse.

Zootopia will make it significantly worse. I don’t particularly like this plan, but it is the plan, like it or not.

 

[Mike S]

Your explanation: (1) sounds totally accurate, sadly, (2) 100% does NOT belong in Animal Kingdom, and (3) is therefore certain to be what gets built. So, many nails... so few coffins...

I never thought I would want a major recession, but perhaps there are benefits...

Just to put it out that’s my own blue sky idea and I just realized I didn’t make that clear. I haven’t been on this site in a while so I don’t want to confuse anyone new.

 

[Mike S]

Spirit or not, the clubs/societies were colonizing in nature and dependant on extractive trade to fund its members. Thier very nature drew the line between "civilized" and "savage" in thier favor.

You must be a blast at parties.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

The whole spirit of Explorers and Adventurers seems like a natural for for a theme park that is about Animals, exploration and adventure in Exotic locations etc. Let's face it, Mystic Manor is basically an Adventurer's Club ride...they go very well together...
(I think HKDL's Mystic Point has an Explorer's Club restaurant next door to the ride.)
Not a far stretch to imagine a larger Adventurer's Club as part of a "Remote Jungle Outpost" where Lord Henry Mystic makes his home... and would be a beautiful and engaging addition to the Animal Kingdom lineup. Perhaps a restaurant on the first floor and a bar and club on the second...to segregate the families from the drinkers...

I agree entirely. It could be a nice corollary to Pandora. Sort of "fantasy/mythical" jungle on one side (Adventurers Isle) and "alien" jungle on the other (Pandora). One more humorous/zany ala the Adventurer's Club (Adventurers) and serious on the other (Pandora).

It's definitely a "stretch" to the original, but it feels way in theme and would be a way to restore a major piece of Disney World history in a new, exciting way.

Can it have mythical creatures?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I don’t know what Jim is on. There’s no chance of Coco going in on that site. Funding has already been allocated for the Dinoland re-development project. It is Zootopia. Moana is actually secondary. Not sure where all the other stuff is coming from, but I figured it was time I stopped by to chime in.

What is the problem they have with Dinosaur! in particular? Does it not score well enough on GSAT's for what it costs to run?

I've always viewed it as one of the highlights of the park, with only the land around it failing to live up to the standard the ride sets. The ride doesn't seem to be unpopular, and surely its popularity would only grow if the rest of Dinoland had more to it.

I would think it'd be so much easier and still very worthwhile to simply reconsider the greater Dinoland area while leaving Dinosaur! basically as it is. Jumping to a total removal of Dinosaurs as a theme from Animal Kingdom seems so unnessesary, shortsighted, and just plain dumb.

 

[networkpro]

You must be a blast at parties.

Yep, if folks are going after anything they can interpret as offensive I'll join in and poke the items they casually accept as inoffensive. Now about this whole feudalism shtick with princess....

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Can it have mythical creatures?

Only if they have their own Disney+ spin offs planned ...

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Yep, if folks are going after anything they can interpret as offensive I'll join in and poke the items they casually accept as inoffensive. Now about this whole feudalism shtick with princess....

I would argue multi billion dollar companies entering markets around the world in the way they do and with the pseudomonopolies they have is far my colonizing... But that's a different conversation entirely...