New Project for Dinoland?

[JungleSkip]

I’m with you here. One thing I dont relate to on this site is most people’s mantra of MOAR RIDEZZZ! When I was like 12 years old, yeah, that’s all I cared about. In my 20’s, they’re a fun place to go every once in a while just to be outside sipping a beer, walking around, and eating some guilty pleasure food. Nowhere in Orlando offers a better environment for that than Animal Kingdom, except for maybe Epcot.

You’re a local, most of us are not. I’m not paying hundreds of dollars a day to get in somewhere so I can drink beer and walk around. I can do that at home.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I’m with you here. One thing I dont relate to on this site is most people’s mantra of MOAR RIDEZZZ! When I was like 12 years old, yeah, that’s all I cared about. In my 20’s, they’re a fun place to go every once in a while just to be outside sipping a beer, walking around, and eating some guilty pleasure food. Nowhere in Orlando offers a better environment for that than Animal Kingdom, except for maybe Epcot.

I agree to a degree, that's why DAK is my favorite park as a local. But a few years ago when I only had a handful of days to visit parks, I'd choose either DHS/MK or the Universal parks solely on the basis of what has more offerings. I'm not paying $120+ for one day at DAK.

 

[mainejeff]

Not sure why Disney wouldn't consider Jungle Book for AK.....probably too controversial with mostly male characters to boot.

 

[Nick]

No, it really doesn’t.

I don’t think Moana fits at all. The movie has nothing to do with actual ocean creatures.

That being said, at least Moana is *popular*. I understand why they’d want to build more stuff featuring it. A lot of their blue sky/current projects just seem to feature stuff with little to no relevance in the zeitgeist. San Frantokyo in DCA? Zootopia? Coco in Adventureland? Who are these things *for*

They're shoving IP wherever they can. Even a lesser IP like Big Hero 6 or Coco is better than something original in the eyes of management. And those IPs being in the park is cyclical promotion. You see it in the parks and then because you saw it, maybe you end up buying merch and then when you get home, you watch the movie because it's the first time you've thought of it in awhile.

I can't agree that Zootopia is a bad decision if we're purely going by recognizable IP and, yes, *popular* IP. I'm looking on Disney+ right now at the Trending section. #1 is Secret Invasion which is new this week. After that, you have - Moana at #4, Encanto at #7, and Zootopia at #11. Those three are staples in the Disney+ trending section. That said, Zootopia doesn't belong once you look at it in the context of DAK and not just looking at the IP.

People in online communities like Twitter, reddit, and forums give far too much weight to "zeitgeist impact". Avatar had no impact on the zeitgeist over the span of 13 years and still produced a sequel that made $2.3B. Is anyone talking about Zootopia right now? No. But they don't need to. It's a movie that made over $1B as an original film in 2016 and is getting a sequel for a reason. It's not something that's in the zeitgeist like Moana mostly because it's not a musical, which is why people love Moana (and why the music is in fireworks shows). The reason why people liked Zootopia isn't as sexy - it's just because it had a relatable human story cloaked behind the mask of anthropomorphic animals.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

You’re a local, most of us are not. I’m not paying hundreds of dollars a day to get in somewhere so I can drink beer and walk around. I can do that at home.

Okay? I mean, most people’s idea of a vacation is doing just that but I see your point.

I’m just saying there is merit to the current Animal Kingdom experience from other perspectives.

 

[Nick]

Ewoks living off the land in the Redwoods doesn't "fit" modern day AK? If y'all hate the Ewoks....just admit it....lol. But like I said....if you want Disney to just run amok with neon Zootopia and whatever else they have planned (hint: none will include environmentalism or conservation!).....then again....have at it! I just think that Disney could have included some nostalgic Star Wars synergy with a land that could at least be themed to a forest and leaned toward what AK is about....natural settings. Weird that you guys can't acknowledge that the "look" of the land could have been much better than most other ideas or rumored themes that have been thrown around.

It's not that we want Zootopia, it's that that's what's probably happening and we don't have to like it, but there's also nothing we can do.

Ewok's on the other hand is not only a bad idea, but just something not worth talking about because it isn't happening.

 

[Nick]

You’re a local, most of us are not. I’m not paying hundreds of dollars a day to get in somewhere so I can drink beer and walk around. I can do that at home.

I live here and have been to the park maybe once in the past two years. The vast majority of the time I go to the parks, it's MK or Epcot. DHS and DAK are severely lacking for me still and i'm not even throwing out the hundreds for a visit to the park when you consider how many times I go a year my average cost per visit is so low but I still choose not to go to DAK and mostly not DHS meaning Disney still has a lot to fix.

 

[JungleSkip]

Okay? I mean, most people’s idea of a vacation is doing just that but I see your point.

Most people do not travel to Orlando theme parks for that. They go for attractions. Stuff like that is just icing on top.

I live here and have been to the park maybe once in the past two years. The vast majority of the time I go to the parks, it's MK or Epcot. DHS and DAK are severely lacking for me.

We're going to WDW in November and only doing MK and Epcot. No real reason to do the other two, especially with Rise being as temperamental as it is still

 

[tielo]

Moana is a bit overused but another Disney movie princess (?) can replace her easily!
Build Naboo and have a Jar Jar Binks ride. Escape from Napoo will be the main ride with 6 pre-shows and the story will be about water pollution where the pooptubes from princess Amidala's city fowl the underwater world of Naboo but it will al be good in the end.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Moana is a bit overused but another Disney movie princess (?) can replace her easily!
Build Naboo and have a Jar Jar Binks ride. Escape from Napoo will be the main ride with 6 pre-shows and the story will be about water pollution where the pooptubes from princess Amidala's city fowl the underwater world of Naboo but it will al be good in the end.

I would be okay losing Dinosaur for this

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Not sure why Disney wouldn't consider Jungle Book for AK.....probably too controversial with mostly male characters to boot.

I think at some point it was under pretty serious consideration, not sure why the project didn’t get further along. Would’ve likely been based on the reboot instead of the older film.

 

[jarmor]

But I agree it’s bonkers that neither of these resorts have made a dinosaur ride for kids.

Pteranodon Flyers count? The spinners?

 

[mainejeff]

It's not that we want Zootopia, it's that that's what's probably happening and we don't have to like it, but there's also nothing we can do.

Ewok's on the other hand is not only a bad idea, but just something not worth talking about because it isn't happening.

So we can only discuss things that "are happening" (by the way....still "rumored")??? Gotcha.

I think at some point it was under pretty serious consideration, not sure why the project didn’t get further along. Would’ve likely been based on the reboot instead of the older film.

I think that you answered your own question.

Cue the....but it made $966.6 million at the box office!

 

[JungleSkip]

Pteranodon Flyers count? The spinners?

Pteranodon Flyers is still kinda scary because how high it is, and doesn’t actually feature any *dinosaurs*. Same with Triceratops Spin, but at least that is a true children's attraction.

 

[Nick]

So we can only discuss things that "are happening" (by the way....still "rumored")??? Gotcha.

We have been discussing your posts and you are free to post whatever you want. However, it is off topic at the current time. The current rumor for Dinoland is Moana and Zootopia from Josh D'amaro himself.

If you want to discuss Ewoks in DAK and what you would do, I created a thread just for you to tell us what you would do with this Endor land you are talking about in this thread:

The Armchair Imagineering Thread

Share your ideas for what you would do if you were in charge of Imagineering here!

forums.insideuniversal.net

 

[belloq87]

I’m with you here. One thing I dont relate to on this site is most people’s mantra of MOAR RIDEZZZ! When I was like 12 years old, yeah, that’s all I cared about. In my 20’s, they’re a fun place to go every once in a while just to be outside sipping a beer, walking around, and eating some guilty pleasure food. Nowhere in Orlando offers a better environment for that than Animal Kingdom, except for maybe Epcot.

Both things can be true, right?

AK can be a park offering incredible ambiance, atmosphere, and attention to detail... and also a park that needs more to do.

And we shouldn't have to lose the former to get the latter.

 

[mainejeff]

Zootopia can’t be anymore insightly than a Dino-carnival on pavement….and it actually does feature….wait for it….animals!

Moana might blend in better with natural foliage and….wait for it…rockwork! That being said….seems out of place at AK.

Better Nick?

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Both things can be true, right?

AK can be a park offering incredible ambiance, atmosphere, and attention to detail... and also a park that needs more to do.

And we shouldn't have to lose the former to get the latter.

Of course…but the park experience as is is better than what it’s being given credit for, at least to the point that I don’t think immediate Band Aids like a Dinosaur—> Zootopia overlay are so critical they’re worth actually justifying. The park is fine enough that any and all improvements should be a little more thoughtful than that.

 

[Brian G.]

Zootopia can’t be anymore insightly than a Dino-carnival on pavement….and it actually does feature….wait for it….animals!

Moana might blend in better with natural foliage and….wait for it…rockwork! That being said….seems out of place at AK.

Better Nick?

dial it back a bit, please.

 

[Nick]

Of course…but the park experience as is is better than what it’s being given credit for, at least to the point that I don’t think immediate Band Aids like a Dinosaur—> Zootopia overlay are so critical they’re worth actually justifying. The park is fine enough that any and all improvements should be a little more thoughtful than that.

It's not a matter of justifying it. I don't really think anyone is. Zootopia belongs nowhere near DAK and that's always been my position. However, if Disney does indeed move forward with putting Zootopia in the park, then it's happening and there's nothing we can do about it no matter how much it doesn't fit.

Are we supposed to just not talk about something that's not only heavily rumored, but we literally have concept art for? I'm all for being critical of Zootopia because I think it deserves it, but we can't pretend that Disney is going to expand the park when they've shown no indication that they. have any intention of doing so right now (even though the park needs it badly). Zootopia replacing Dinosaur is a plan that probably has a high likelihood of happening at this point. All we can do is voice displeasure at the idea.