My armchair-Imagineer pitch for the big dark ride (and the backstory of the land, overall, to justify why all the characters have gathered there) would be for the Horned King (from THE BLACK CAULDRON) to have summoned the villains in hopes that their combined evil energy can revitalize the now-supernaturally-dormant Black Cauldron, allowing him to raise an army of the dead to conquer the world (and then dispense with the villains). The villains learn they're being used, some revolt against the Horned King, some turn on each other, etc. And we're but poor peasants caught in the crossfire! Oh, and the Horned King is a disciple of Chernabog (because he has to be in the ride).
It's a little over-convoluted, but I think it accomplishes a few useful things:
1. Provides a story reason for why all these Disney villains are in one place (we've never seen them cross over into other stories/universes before).
2. The Horned King is technically a Disney character, but he's obscure enough that he could almost seem like an original character to the land.
3. It allows for dynamic storytelling where the villains have their own various alliances/allegiances/animosities.
I'm expecting something much more simplistic for the actual land ("Why are the villains here? Just because!"), but that's the general direction I'd go.
It's a little over-convoluted, but I think it accomplishes a few useful things:
1. Provides a story reason for why all these Disney villains are in one place (we've never seen them cross over into other stories/universes before).
2. The Horned King is technically a Disney character, but he's obscure enough that he could almost seem like an original character to the land.
3. It allows for dynamic storytelling where the villains have their own various alliances/allegiances/animosities.
I'm expecting something much more simplistic for the actual land ("Why are the villains here? Just because!"), but that's the general direction I'd go.
