Destination D23 went off with a bang over the weekend, covered thoroughly by our resident pixie-dusted golden girl, Jackie. If you missed any of the details, you can catch the recap here. It might not have been the best time to book an (albeit much-needed) getaway( or runaway), but just the same, I am coming to you all the way from a tiny island with a dire need to discuss how we feel about the news. Which news, you might be thinking? So many announcements made it hard to know where to begin, though a few standouts thankfully gave me some of the answers I have desperately been looking for. Let’s talk about Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
You might remember that last week, I was eagerly waiting to see if there would be any news about a Zooptopia addition to the animal-themed park, and sure enough, there was something. A new Zootopia-themed show is coming to the Tree Of Life theatre. While it wasn’t the announcement I was hoping for, there was some mention of the re-imagineering of dated and defunct Dinoland USA. A new replacement land, referred to affectionally as “Tropical Americas,” could have everything we need and more, with Disney hinting at Encanto and Indiana Jones being among the storylines included in the region. Perfectly fitting into that genre is the previously mentioned Moana, bringing the tropical adventure theming full circle. One might be wondering, how would this work? Well, as you can imagine, I have a theory.
Despite Dinosaur being arguably the only attraction in this area that can draw a crowd, the natural step would be to transform the ride into an Indiana Jones-themed experience, similar to that of Disneyland. The two already share an almost identical structure and ride vehicle; the change would be the most logical move for the attraction. While Disney could easily draw connections between a South American Indiana Jones adventure and the Colombian-inspired tale of Encanto, touches of Moana would help smooth out theme continuity as guests head toward the cool, calm waters of Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
I know some of you love Dinoland, and I agree, as a vital part of our history, it definitely has a place somewhere in the park, though, in its current form, I must be honest; I can’t wait to see it go! How do you feel about the news for Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Can you forgive them for inevitably getting rid of Dinosaur the attraction? Let me know in the comments below or on our discussion forums.
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