Disney Film Travel Posters Hint at Future Park Attractions

Travel posters of places home to Disney movies' animated characters. What's not to love? As you'll see, there are some similarities to the original Disneyland attraction posters that everyone loves. At top is Atlantis, from Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The cool blues and greens and purples call out to me. Part of me wishes this was for an attraction based on the film. Real concept art for an attraction at Disneyland exists, and the new version of the Submarine Voyage was teased. You can see it all here. A guy can dream, right?

Ah, the islands! The next two here are for Moana and Peter Pan. Both very good movies, and the latter one is one of my all time Disney favorites. Makes for a great Fantasyland attraction or one at Tokyo Disneysea's new Fantasy Springs area. Will a Moana flume ride make it to the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland? Maybe one day. Those Imagineers are always up to something.

Zootopia's staying power has surprised me. Even though the first was a lot of fun, it was really the second movie that made me appreciate the franchise even more. Will I go to Shanghai Disneyland to see the park's land? Probably not, but it seems Disney California Adventure could get its own version if the rumors are true that this is what new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro wants. Goodbye Pandora West.

It could work in California Adventure- 

the park where theme goes out the window.

Big Hero 6 gives us San Fransokyo. While I think the film is great, the land doesn't seem as well done. There's no real attraction. I mean, as fun as it may be, a meet and greet with Baymax is just not enough. But again, this is Disney California Adventure where the bar gets lower and lower each time an addition is added. 

This is not a precursor to Villain's Land! But it very well could be as the underworld of Hades would make a compelling but very dark backdrop to all those bad guys. 

This next one could be a real life location in Italy! We've been to the Cinque Terra, the inspiration. And it is lovely by any definition. Luca is a clever film that enchants with its atmosphere. Its main characters Luca and Alberto are best friends, much like the Bible's David and Jonathan. You can read into their relationship however you want. I prefer what's really there in the film over what's not. 

Disney Adventure World in Paris is getting the world's first Lion King themed land. The old studios park needs something like this. Frozen is beautiful but the main attraction is not an "E Ticket" by any definition. The new park layout looks beautiful, however. 

Hopefully, this is part of a new and ongoing poster series!

Zootopia 2- Witty Sequel!

Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps are on a roll! Zootopia 2 is everything the suits needed it to be, and the whole afternoon in the theater was much more fun than anything found in Moana 2... or even Frozen 2. In fact, it was much more enjoyable than just about anything the Walt Disney Company or even Pixar has put on in years. Yes, the kids laughed and so did all the adults. 

Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin are the strongest pair of lead characters since Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi showed everyone how it was done in the animated Rapunzel film, Tangled.

Zootopia 2 may not make you look at snakes in an entirely different way, but it is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Bring on the next part of the series. Honestly, now I'd like to go to Shanghai Disneyland and see the Zootopia world in 3D. That is saying something!

My Single D23 Prediction

D23 arrives in Anaheim, California this weekend! The showcase of what's new and what's next for the Disney creative teams is always a highlight of that year. Except the last two conventions which were a bust from any imaginable angle. Robert Iger (and previously the short-lived Bob Chapek) along with Josh D'Amaro, gave us nothing but teasers. This year should be different, especially with Epic Universe looming in 2025.

Here's my singular prediction: The bulk of the biggest wow moments park expansions and additions will be for Florida's Magic Kingdom. Why? This one is pretty easy I think. In the USA for decades, Walt Disney World's first park has reigned supreme as the top attendance, most visited park. With Islands of Adventure and its star attractions- like Velocicoaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure,  Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey- continuing to gain in popularity as a vacation choice, the suits and the Imagineers are not just going to give up the crown to the Mouse's most ferocious and successful competitor. It'd look pretty bad for Disney if a Universal park moved to number one in the States.

So... Beyond Big Thunder Mountain will be only the beginning. But expansion is coming, leaving major additions to Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the California parks in the relative dust.

Moana Finds Her Home at Magic Kingdom's Legendary Fire Mountain

Are you a Moana fan? If so, listen up. After making its theme park debut in Epcot of all places, it seems the Polynesian themed Disney hit movie is set to be star of one more new attraction. Where? In a place it fits! Imagine that.  Over the very last expansion pad in the Magic Kingdom's already quite crowded Adventureland, Moana is rumored to take the area once designated for the infamous Fire Mountain. 

This rumor first hit about two months ago per Jack at the DSNY Newscast. 

Here's the Infamous Fire Mountain in three color variations. I'd been looking for a piece of Imagineering concept art for years. I found the concept art on the Neverland Files site and did a few quick fixes to highlight the details.

This was incredible idea would have also sat across the Seven Seas Lagoon from the Polynesian Village Resort. Not a bad thing to be looking at while you're on the beach waiting for fireworks!  

If you look closely at the art (and as always, click on it for the largest size), you'll see the project also went by the name Volcania.   

What is that front and center? Well, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is, in fact, the Nautilus submarine. Would that be a nod to 20K Leagues Under the Sea or a full-blown attraction? If you're thinking as I am that the suits at Disney would try to pass this onto the Oriental Land Company for Tokyo DisneySea, my guess is we are right.

Moana may be just the thing to bring some new adventures to the Magic Kingdom- and it could be in theme too. Maybe then the suits will rip out the misplaced Aladdin!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Something to Make EPCOT Center Purists Drool

Are you an EPCOT purist? Do you need a bit of a break from Moana Journey of Water walk through videos? Or maybe even something different than the opening of California Adventure's new (sort of) San Fransokyo? Keep reading.

There's a lot of talk about Imagineer Zach Riddley's promotion on the WDWMagic discussion boards. Whether you think Zach has deserved it or not, it's happened. His time of redesigning Epcot has come to an end. But look through this blog, and take a look at what the classic EPCOT Imagineers built in real life, in real time. The photographs rock- and they show just how clean, crisp, and inviting a real future forward looking Future World could be, taken early into the parks opening years. 

Those Imagineers knew what they were doing! This almost looks like a Herb Ryman concept art come to life. It's from the terrific Futureport 82 site. Is it a photo or a simulation of what was built? They love Classic EPCOT Center over there, so check them out and seek out the answer!

25 Years of Disney's Animal Kingdom!

Disney's Animal Kingdom is perhaps the most thematically consistent Disney park in the States. Animal Kingdom also makes for some stunning photography, as evidenced by this beautiful nighttime photo of the Tree of Life by Len Yokoyama. (Len's original trip report is here.)

Want to take a deeper dive into the fascinating history of the park? Oh, the stories told and the rare concept art to share! My multi-part series on this amazing place goes all in.

The Creation of the Park: From it's humble beginnings when the icon was to be something very different from the end result, the Imagineers led by Joe Rohde fought for what they believed in and who this park would draw. Was CEO Michael Eisner behind them?

Disney's WILD Animal Kingdom Transforms: Why did the proposed Beastly Kingdom disappear? Our first trip surprised us with the park's very different approach and content. Our now vintage photos tell the whole story.

The True Life Adventure Continues: The guest response to the park and its eventual evolution begins. Will it ever become "Natazu" and more than a half day destination on the Walt Disney World property?

Extinct Attractions: Opening Day attractions begin to disappear. The crowds continue to drain away, and the suits struggle with what to do next. 

Plans for a Rollercoaster Go Back to the Beginning: It's now clear that Disney has a relatively empty theme park on its hands and faces criticism previously unseen until the opening of Disney's California Adventure next door to Walt's park in Anaheim. How will another thrill ride impact things?

Expedition Everest Brings Them In: But what is next? Can a cute little dinosaur, an equally cute fish, and a new expensive restaurant transform this park into one that draws more guests? My impressions this visit startle me a bit and make me rethink all I know about the place.

Future Plans Draw Ire and Confusion: Disney's "Potter Swatter" for Florida surprises fans and detractors alike. Can Imagineering pull off something spectacular to move them ahead of Universal Orlando Resort as guests to the state begin leaving Disney World for a day at Universal? I did, and so did Len. (My trip report here, and Len's here.) Then I gave up two whole days! (Trip report here.)

Holding Pattern?: What is going on here? Disney slides on its reputation... but maybe not.

Success Finally Comes: Disney scores a hit that makes fans come back. The future is definitely mixed. This is the last part of the series for now.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Who Will Keep the Flame Burning for Disney's Animal Kingdom?

Viewing my son's beautiful photographs of his Kenyan safari provides an incredible contrast to the blues skies and snow covered landscapes of the world outside my window. These grand vistas are something that cannot be duplicated at Walt Disney World's fourth park, Disney's Animal Kingdom. They certainly have the blessing of size in Florida, but to do this would be impossible.  

As for the park itself, Kilimanjaro Safaris may be overshadowed by Pandora and its Flight of Passage attraction, but the opening day attraction remains the heart of the park. 

What will happen to the park now that creative leader Joe Rohde is gone? Is the park's future bright or under threat? Could there even be anyone left at Imagineering that can carry on and hold the torch? Moana could come and Zootopia could be around the corner, but these may not be the best direction for the park. I'd be encouraged to read some names that you think could pull it off, so do share them.

Regardless, the genesis, evolution, and revelation of Disney's Animal Kingdom continues to fascinate me. One of the blog's most popular series is a True Life Adventure named just that- and it's filled with detailed history of the park's creation and changes, rare concept art, trip reports, and more. Take a look at the past and perhaps the future of the beautiful theme park!

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven

Part Eight

Disney Attraction Posters: The New Epcot Collection

Love Epcot? Love EPCOT Center even more? Do you love Disney park attraction posters? Me, too! As you look through this incredible collection of posters for Walt Disney World's once most ambitious theme park, take a look and first read the original vision as inscribed on the dedication plaque:

To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship - Welcome.

EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's creative vision. 

Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, 

wonders of enterprise and concepts 

of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.

May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and above all, 

may it instill a new sense of belief and pride 

in man's ability to shape a world

that offers hope to people everywhere.

 

Let's take a poster tour through what was once Future World and then World Showcase.  The designers of these posters did, and they played on our love for classic EPCOT Center. Nostalgia sells. Disney may be more interested in that than actually improving the attractions from the past that still remain.

 

 

Communicore - and not the upcoming concert venue.  The little blue robot SMRT-1, the one with the playful childlike voice, is the perfect character to capture the innocent and hopeful look of the park. 

 

 

Count me is as a guy that is undecided on this latest addition to my once favorite park. Does Moana belong?  Sure- in another park. But in the context of them also adding Marvel to the park, I guess it will do. Will our journey of water be worth destroying the elegant symmetry of the buildings that were once there? No. Did the park need a refreshing and maybe even some more greenery? Yes. Will I like the new addition? It's possible. Moving beyond the hub / core of the park...

Universe of Energy or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Yes, Epcot needed a coaster to sell to the masses and especially the teens that go to Universal Orlando Resort. Was Marvel the right move or the easy one? So many questions, so little well thought out answers. The Imagineers of old are turning over in their graves.

 

Here I am PLAYing around with a new unopened pavilion and comparing it to Wonders of Life. The character infusion is the new focused of the park whether Imagineer Zach Riddley and crew will admit it or not. Will PLAY! be better than what came before? Hard to say by what is represented by the two attraction posters. Time will tell.

World of Motion and Test Track. Which would you prefer? As I like to say, because of that blessing of size, could we not have had both? If only. Smarter, cooler, longer thinking, heads should have prevailed.

 

 Here, the answer is more obvious. Would an updated Horizons blow Mission: Space out of the water? Yes, 100x over again and again. A space restaurant is clever, however. 

Now, crossing over to the other half of Future World...

A trio of well done posters representing The Land. I like the top one as it represents that old version of the park where each pavilion had multiple pieces to discover instead of one 4 minute long attraction. Ah, Kitchen Kabaret. Fun while it lasted, but too corny for a modern audience- and certainly one that wasn't all that favored by me even at opening. Soarin' the attraction is a winner in any form!

The one, the only, the original Journey into Imagination. Whenever the suits decide they need a quick inflow of cash, they pull out our beloved Figment and Dreamfinder. Nothing in Epcot pisses me off more than seeing how they destroyed this iconic attraction. Nothing.

Turtle Talk with Crush is a delight! Charming and family friendly and definitely something unique. It's a crowd pleaser and an undiscovered gem of this pavilion. The Living Seas was more ambitious- but then, so was the rest of the park back in the day.

The name World Celebration is ridiculous. That said, I was a fan of this project shown above. It seemed to have a sense of ambition and sleekness of the original park design for The American Adventure. It would have been a perfect nod to the past as well as a focus clearly on the future world.

Still one of the best parades Disney has ever produced. Timeless!

May this classic NOT Rest In Peace. May it return one day.

Nighttime entertainment has always been best at Epcot. Dare I say it- Harmonious or Illuminations?  Perhaps they couldn't come up with a good name for this last poster? Has imagination died within the Walt Disney Company? That may be a loaded question when it is applied to this once epic theme park.

 
Are you ready for the attraction posters for World Showcase?
 

 

  

For how well designed so many of these attraction posters are, these just don't do it for me. Coco will come to Mexico some day as this poster lets us know. The Gran Fiesta Tour will end, and the Three Caballeros will move on. All I can say is, where's the poster for the opening day attraction, El Rio del Tiempo? 

 

 

Norway, the Maelstrom, and a very Frozen Ever After. Characters in World Showcase blending with local culture. I've given up and given in. After all, who can resist the very lovable Olaf? But, and I mean this sincerely, isn't this cultural appropriation in the worse way possible? Absolutely.

 

 

After having seen the real Terra Cotta Warriors of China, I am even more interested in the cultural artifacts in this pavilion and its beautiful film. This poster is serviceable. I will never embrace the Dragon, however. Hong Kong needs to be free.

What about that once proposed Germany attraction, the Rhine River Cruise? Appropriate that it is missing in action, but that is a shame. There's a whole article about it here. And there's some incredible (not Incredibles) concept art.

Here at home, we get an overpriced series of eateries and a couple of well done landmark recreations. Tokyo Disneysea gets it all- a gondola ride and a real Soarin' attraction housed in a mega-beautiful building. Why is that? There really is no excuse. And I hope the Pinocchio remake flops.  Disneyland's dark ride attraction in its original form does not belong in this park. If they used artsy puppets and a fresh presentation style to tell the story, I might be interested.

The centerpiece and the only remaining Audio-Animatronic show in the park. Visitors to the park that have not experienced this patriotic but honest show about our country's rich history have missed one of Disney's best. This is a great poster, even if a little simplistic.

Pure and simple- I dislike this poster that represents Japan, one of my very favorite pavilions in this park. Could I do better? No, honestly, I couldn't. Maybe decades ago, but not now. My artist skills have waned. I'm now just a blogger.

 

Morocco. Exotic, stunning, and the most authentic of them all.  It's really worthy of an attraction, but my guess is that ship has sailed. Unless the suits decide to bring an Indiana Jones Adventure to this park instead of one for the Studios. I hope they don't.

 

We never miss visiting France when we travel to the park. The food, the atmosphere, and the beautiful Impressions de France. I'm looking forward to experiencing Remy's Ratatouille Adventure for myself. I've read mixed reviews and seen the on-ride videos, but the source film is my very favorite Pixar movie.

 

Saving the best - that is the biggest disappointment - for next to last. Announcing then not mentioning but seemingly dumping a Mary Poppins attraction? It's a slap in the face to us old school fans- and probably, privately, to Julie Andrews, Dick VanDyke, and even Emily Blunt as well. The U.K. showcase needs an attraction that gives homage to this incredible and beloved film.

 

Oh Canada! Your gardens are beautiful but your Le Cellier restaurant is now overpriced. And yes, your film is now something people laugh at- and not in a good way. Time to respect your own culture.

 

There you have it! All of Epcot's new attraction posters in one single article. Enjoy!

 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Thanks to the late Alan Littaye for his help on these.)