The Plan to Save the Muppets at Walt Disney World

With Monsters announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios, fans of Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D are sweating pretty heavily. But there is a plan to save Muppets from the Monsters invasion. What will Josh D'Amaro approve? Will the plan to save the Muppets work?

After the bloodbath that is the removal of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island for a Cars themed Frontierland, nothing is sacred. But we could put up a good fight if someone in the head offices and even Imagineering are paying attention- and fans like Frozen's Josh Gad have their voices heard. 

Here's how to save the Muppets in a few easy steps:

1- Create a new 3D show. Keep it fresh, keep it true to the original vision of what Jim Henson had in mind. Make it fun again.

From plans for Discovery Bay.

2- Add a kid-friendly hot air balloon ride for kinetic energy, bringing movement above the rooftops to increase interest in exploring the land.  Move guests above the rooftops, and let them enjoy the view.

3-  Build a Muppets dark ride. It doesn't have to be an expensive version like the Great Muppet Movie Ride. Make it closer to Superstar Limo and take Kermit and Piggy on a ride through Hollywood but without the hip and edgy approach. Let's be honest- hip and edgy is not Disney's strong suit. (More here. Tons of concept art.) 

4- Create a must-do dining experience by adding the Muppet Labs. Let guests eat among wacky inventions and props. Unique food teams are a big pull these days. Bring in the mobile labs. Please just make sure the food is good.

5- A mini- Muppets parade would bring in guests. Folks young and old love watching a cavalcade of characters.

6- Add some meet and greets. Draw those people in further.

7- Toss in a spinner of some type for atmosphere using characters other than Piggy and Kermit.

All these changes could make it into the Hollywood Studios version of Fantasyland but in a more intimate scale- and save the Muppet crew exactly where they are currently located.

If I can come up with something so simple that could work, why can't Disney? Simple reason- They do not want to.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

New Concept Art For Disney Adventure World in Paris

As the Walt Disney Studios Paris transforms into the new Disney Adventure World , the recently announced addition of a whole area based on the Lion King, Pride Lands, seems no more out of place than a land dedicated to Frozen. 

The park needed a new identity and seems to have found one based on Islands of Adventure's layout. I must say, though, the land looks wonderful and more akin to something you'd find in Disney's Animal Kingdom. Gives me hope for this place that was once the worst of all Disney parks.

Speaking of ugly parks, with the addition of Pandora / Avatar, will the still underdeveloped California Adventure get a new name, too?)

Here's The Ride System for Magic Kingdom's New Cars Attraction- It is Not Like Radiator Springs Racers!

This is not a Radiator Springs Racers vehicle! Per Josh D'Amaro at Disney during the D23 convention, this crazy Cars themed addition to Florida's Magic Kingdom is something entirely different. Now, here is what the ride vehicle is: It is an off road all terrain vehicle, but it is in fact a theme park ride car. Who is the manufacturer? None other than Dynamic Attractions. Take a look: 

 

Now, I'm not the one that found this. It's my friends at WDWMagic that uncovered it all on the discussion boards, but I had to share it. (If the link doesn't work, go here.)

No, I'm not thrilled that Frontierland is continuing to devolve from a celebration of America's history, but I'm trying to make the best of it. Imagineering can still do incredible work if given the right budget. That's said, Tiana's Bayou Adventure should have been much better. So what do I know?

This isn't my favorite announcement at D23...

(Concept art The Walt Disney Company.)

And So D23 Begins...

Disney had better to something fantastic! 

“After Saturday night we’ve got two reveal rooms because Josh D’Amaro is going to be doing a lot of announcements and those reveal rooms will be opening Sunday morning. We love repeat visitation, as you know, so you’re going to have to come back Sunday if you want to get in there and see some really cool sh** that is brand new and is on the horizon.”

”With that, I know you’ve all been hungry for something beyond Blue Sky. Blue Sky is really fun, but you know what? Building, delivering, putting shovels in the dirt is even better. So that’s what this year is all about and the next decade is all about.”

-Imagineering's Bruce Vaughn

Here we go...

Universal Builds Epic Universe and More While Disney Talks, and Talks, and Talks

While Disney executives Josh D'Amaro and Robert Iger talk and talk and talk some more, Universal Creative is hard at work building Epic Universe, the third major theme park for Universal Orlando Resort. Due to open in 2025, you can see in this image by Bioreconstruct, the dueling coaster tracks of the park's high profile Star Fall Racers are coming into their own. The great Theme Park Stop with host Alicia Stella provides the latest news. (See below.)

While Disney Imagineering is hamstrung due to finances- and the full on announcement of Indiana Jones Adventure and an Encanto and Coco themed attractions for Disney Animal Kingdom continues to be placed on hold- Universal forges ahead. The park's going to be game changer once again. 

Harry Potter and Nintendo may be the biggest headliners. (Who can resist a new Parisian themed area with a ride to save the Ministry of Magic?) But my bet is that Classic Monsters and How to Train Your Dragon themed lands will surprise and delight us as well. I'm counting down the days to the park's opening. The only question remains- What Disney park will I have to cut to make enough time at Universal?

(Photograph copyright Bioreconstruct.)

Could Disney's Wish Movie Finally Bring Spain to Epcot?

Could Epcot's World Showcase finally be getting a new pavilion? I'm placing my bets that Disney's new Fall 2023 film Wish finally gets the gorgeous and never yet built Spain to finally come to Walt Disney World. Will Imagineering be given the go ahead by Josh D'Amoro? I thin so- and here's why.

I'd like to say that the original plan for Epcot included plans for many more countries for World Showcase is the reason. But it is not true. Most all those masters of Imagineering 1.0 have passed on. Many of the recent greats with ties to the old masters and their ways of doing things have moved on. So, we know this is not the reason. It boils down to three main issues:

1- The EPCOT transformation has not been seen as "that" successful by die hard fans or the public. After many years and too much wasted money, folks are seeing that Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, and the minor add Journey of Water Inspired by Moana is just not enough and definitely not compelling enough to build a trip or. Nor will it be enough to compete with Universal's upcoming Epic Universe. Other plans announced or hinted at- Mary Poppins, the Spaceship Earth redo, PLAY! and the Brazil showcase- have fallen by the wayside or deemed vastly unpopular and taken out. What, again, was the name of that monstrous failure of a nighttime water show? 

A new country to explore with an attraction that could hold promise based on the movie's storyline would give more for the little ones to do while providing additional dining and shopping opportunities. Spain has already proven to be a beloved and successful stall at the Food & Wine Festival. Why stop there?

Once planned, never built.

2- The Intellectual Property mandate. Like it or not, and I'm not fond of it for Epcot, this is the course all four parks are headed. Enough said on that, right? I'd rather have the Future World and World Showcase of old but it seems the suits are pandering to the old Universal model of being parks about their movies instead of individual, highly themed parks that include some movie related attractions to strengthen the focus. An individual Intellectual Property themed land would not fit in this park, but one that highlights a culture (fictitious or "close enough to a real one) certainly would.

3- The Money. Perhaps the ultimate bottom line. The leaders of the Walt Disney Company finally realize that making significant investment to the parks brings in the most revenue for a consistent amount of time is a major driver for investors. Something is needed to fill all those Disney Vacation Club additions. Disney+ is a bust, and something must change to bring in the bucks. It's time to go back to the business model that worked- and one that made theme park fans happy.

Now about the movie itself.

The upcoming Wish film takes place on the Iberian peninsula. Spain as a new pavilion location is a perfect fit. As you can see from this concept art above, the flavor of what was once proposed fits in perfectly with art from the movie as seen at the top of this post.

Main heroine Asha fits the mold of a likable lead, and my hunch is she is rightful heir to the throne of villain King Magnifico. So you can add in another princess promotion. Toss in a lovable sidekick, a beautiful landscape, a handful of magic, and perhaps most importantly, plans for a pavilion that already exist, and you have all the makings of a fresh take on an old once planned addition to a park that needs something new on the lagoon skyline.

Is it the best plan? Absolutely not. Is it one that would fit the original Imagineering model for this park? Not even close. But these days, a Wish inspired Spain may be the best we get. 

Ready for some paella? I just think I might be ok with this. Maybe.

(Art and photographs copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

D23 Revealed: Imagineering Concedes the World of Dinosaurs to Universal's Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure

Reflecting on this year’s D23, it is a clear sign of the times. Disney's Josh D'Amaro makes the startling "Blue Sky" comment that fans may not be all that excited about Disney Imagineering's newest ideas for Animal Kingdom. Replacing Dinoland U.S.A. with a Moana and possibly Zootopia mini themed lands. This "Boundless Future" shows Disney is now going to play catch up with its competitor Universal Orlando Resort. Bob Chapek and Mr. D'Amaro now seem in lockstep, allowing the success of the soon coming Epic Universe to chart the course at Disney.

Conceding the realm of dinosaurs to Universal Islands of Adventure and its mega popular Jurassic Park franchise, the transition of letting the Dinosaur aka Countdown to Extinction attraction disappear means Disney has given up on one of the key - and most interesting- concepts for Joe Rohde and team's original lands. 

Sadly, this move will actually decrease guest interest in visiting the fourth Walt Disney World park. A park about animals but without dinosaurs? What kid wants that? Better to revamp the land and make the prehistoric attractions better. But Disney seemingly has lost its mojo unless a project is IP related. When they can play off someone else's creativity, the results can be stellar. Coming up with something compelling and new is more difficult and seemingly not on the horizon. At least not under this leadership.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Who'd Have Thought Disney Could Get Even Greedier? Introducing Disney Genie Service

Do we need a friend like this?

Paid Fastpasses and extra charges to guarantee access to Rise of the Resistance. The new Disney Genie will offer it all to guests at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The magic trick? More money removed from your wallet as Disney moves closer and closer to an elitist caste system. 

Even the generally likable Josh D’Amaro puts a spin on it. (But what can he do, right?) Improving guest experience? A paid "lightning lane" for select attractions you choose. I'm still not convinced it's anything but greed. Yes, it's greed, pure and simple. Boo, Disney, boo! 

We do not need a friend like this!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)