Tropical Americas General Discussion - Opening 2027

[Mad Dog]

Until Potter shook the Orlando theme park world, Disney had considered Orlando as a 'mature market' with little ability to expand theme park attendance. Thus, they were confident in their ability to keep market share without having the expense of major expansions. Potter proved that theory very wrong. Disney undertook expansions once they realized the market had a lot of upward mobility and didn't want to lose significant market share to Universal. WDW mgt. had developed a case of smug overconfidence.

 

[IzzyB]

Not great actually, the following two years attendance rose only by 0.5%. TEA isn't the best source... but the parks do provide context to ensure they're somewhat accurate since investors can get frightened if they report a decline in attendance.

And Pandora did another 10%. I mean that is pretty clear why any park does what they do with IPs. However, I agree bad use of IP is not great either.

 

[HandsomePete]

Since Everest opened mid-year it’s kind of hard to do a comp, but the bump over the two years was understated by the TEA numbers because the 2005 TEA number was wildly inflated while the 2007 TEA number was only normally inflated. Think in the 8-9% per year range.

But … and this is the exact same circumstance as Hogsmeade … the attendance bump really just got the park back to where it should have been after being stagnant for years instead of having normal year over year attendance growth.
Except in AK’s circumstance there was a bit of redistribution across the four parks - people had a reason to go back after skipping the park.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I also don't think JPRA is as scary. My daughter when she was 5 or 6 did JPRA, she didn't like it but not because it was scary, it was a water ride and she just doesn't care for those. But she absolutely would go on it again if we all went. Because it didn't scare her a ton.

She did Dinosaur at Disney and absolutely refused to go on it ever again. She was scared. Only other ride that scared her that much was tower of terror. But of the two, tower of terror she has done again, she will not go on dinosaurs. It left that much of an impression on her. Last time we were at Disney she was probably 10.

I have a friend who's daughter was the same way. She rides everything and just will never go on Dinosaur again.

So I don't get this outrage over getting rid of a ride that is clearly not popular and gets bad reviews on surveys. It is a great business decision in my opinion. I understand nostalgia when it makes sense, but it doesn't here. This isn't like ET where a huge amount of the GP would also be upset.

You think the Dino is scary? When I went with the construction previews, there was an effect where a meteor blew a chuck of rock off that flung right at you! I had to ride a second time just to see how it was done (smoke and projections, very effevtive). Needless to say, it was long gone by opening day as it scared the **** out of everyone!

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I really don’t think Encanto and Indiana Jones belong in DAK but recent changes to Epcot and DHS have shown that Disney is going to continue pushing the IPs whether I like it or not. It’s only a matter of time for DAK to get the treatment. I will say, the tropical Americas idea is actually not bad and probably the best way of going about shoving these IPs in. It’s certainly better than a whole Zootopia land, even if the one in Shanghai looks good.

 

[grlhowl]

You think the Dino is scary? When I went with the construction previews, there was an effect where a meteor blew a chuck of rock off that flung right at you! I had to ride a second time just to see how it was done (smoke and projections, very effevtive). Needless to say, it was long gone by opening day as it scared the **** out of everyone!

This is wild?? I've never heard of this before but I wish I could've seen it, Dinosaur is already a ride which strikes the scary/fun mix like ToT, FJ, and Mummy for me and this effect sounds like it added even more danger

 

[ReelJustice]

The more I reflect on this plan, the more it seems like a big mistake/major whiff. I am not sure how much a 30 year old clone/reskin moves the needle, compared to the addition of a legitimate coaster to Dinoland or a coaster to Pandora.

 

[IzzyB]

The more I reflect on this plan, the more it seems like a big mistake/major whiff. I am not sure how much a 30 year old clone/reskin moves the needle, compared to the addition of a legitimate coaster to Dinoland or a coaster to Pandora.

I believe the idea is it would be 3 replacements that will draw more crowds than the current 3. Replace Indy with Dino (lines should be longer), add a new ride to Encanto (for sure will draw WAY more crowds than that carnival of a mess coaster that is not even there anymore, and replace bugs life for Zootopia which will allow that theater to be at capacity again. So basically this is a cheap way to spread crowds out until they have the money to do another expansion like Pandora was. This should give SOME relief to Pandora and the safari rides.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

The more I reflect on this plan, the more it seems like a big mistake/major whiff. I am not sure how much a 30 year old clone/reskin moves the needle, compared to the addition of a legitimate coaster to Dinoland or a coaster to Pandora.

I visit every week and this area of the park is a ghost town each day after 5 PM. I love the ride... but a reskin to a more relevant IP would at least draw somewhat more attendance and alleviate some of the stress from Pandora.

I don't think Indy/Encanto is the best fit... but I'll take whatever we can since Disney isn't interested in non-IP-based attractions anymore.

 

[IzzyB]

I visit every week and this area of the park is a ghost town each day after 5 PM. I love the ride... but a reskin to a more relevant IP would at least draw somewhat more attendance and alleviate some of the stress from Pandora.

I don't think Indy/Encanto is the best fit... but I'll take whatever we can since Disney isn't interested in non-IP-based attractions anymore.

I mean is any park? Sea World is the only one that has built original content in years. IPs sell. I think if Sea World could afford it they would 100% do more IPs themselves. When they lost polar express they got Rudolph, even they realize they need some IPs which is why they also have Sesame Street.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I mean is any park? Sea World is the only one that has built original content in years. IPs sell. I think if Sea World could afford it they would 100% do more IPs themselves. When they lost polar express they got Rudolph, even they realize they need some IPs which is why they also have Sesame Street.

SeaWorld is lucky to have the Sesame IP, can't imagine where the park would be now if it wasn't for that cash cow.

As one great man said once... "...because if any of our competitors had our intellectual property, guess what? They would be doing the exact same thing we're doing, but they don't have it. We do. So we're going to build it."


Regarding Indy, I just hope we keep dinosaurs somewhere in the park with a small exhibit/museum. It'd be odd for the DAK logo to only have 3/5 of the animals represented.

 

[HandsomePete]

This is wild?? I've never heard of this before but I wish I could've seen it, Dinosaur is already a ride which strikes the scary/fun mix like ToT, FJ, and Mummy for me and this effect sounds like it added even more danger

It was the same concept as the Airzooka toy that shoots a blast of air, except with smoke/fog.

The ending has definitely been nerfed multiple times over the years - last time I went on it I remember being able to see all the way down the ramp lit up as opposed to just seeing the projected “portal.”

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I went to DAK for the first time in 5+ years yesterday and it was kind of sad getting off Dinosaur and realizing that was likely my final ride until I walked a bit outside and saw the Chester/Hester crap again and I realized it’s best Disney just tear everything down and start over. Even if they wanna keep the dino theme (they won’t, it’s about IPs now) they should still honestly tear it all down and start over.

 

[OLSinFLA]

This is wild?? I've never heard of this before but I wish I could've seen it, Dinosaur is already a ride which strikes the scary/fun mix like ToT, FJ, and Mummy for me and this effect sounds like it added even more danger

It was one of those effects that worked too well. It literally terrified most of the people who tried to duck. I knew it had to be an effect, just wasn't sure how it was done until In rode it again.

 

[TheUniC6]

Concept art for that Encanto land for AK popped up on the Disney 100th ABC special. The fact it was showed on that special makes me think this could be an actual concrete thing that will be announced at D23 2024.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Concept art for that Encanto land for AK popped up on the Disney 100th ABC special. The fact it was showed on that special makes me think this could be an actual concrete thing that will be announced at D23 2024.

Good thing they didn't mention the potential Indiana Jones ride in the special. Said future ride not getting mentioned might mean something's up...

 

[TheUniC6]

Good thing they didn't mention the potential Indiana Jones ride in the special. Said future ride not getting mentioned might mean something's up...

You would think they would have gone through with this considering it's just rethemeing Dinosaur to Indy. Maybe they want to focus only on Encanto for the moment for AK's next big expansion considering that Indy 5 didn't do that great at the box office.

 

[Nick]

Good thing they didn't mention the potential Indiana Jones ride in the special. Said future ride not getting mentioned might mean something's up...

Yeah I think Encanto is happening but they may be reevaluating Indy.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

My sources are never 100%, but I still get the vibe they’ve had about 30 different ideas for this area and genuinely can’t decide. I was pretty sure this would be Zootopia a year ago as I heard it’s definitely going to AK. Now that seems to be going to the Tree Of Life. Indy was then taking over potentially and now they’re re-thinking?

Problem is here they seem totally unwilling to gut the building. If they did that I wonder if they could get more creative with this space and other IP’s.

 

[belloq87]

Leave the Dino Institute and Dinosaur, replace Dino-Rama with a new mini-land.

That has always seemed like the best option to me.

Still don't think Encanto makes sense.