Imagine you’re the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. You’ve got a lot on your plate. There’s the ever-precarious state of Disney+, which gains and loses subscribers on a quarterly basis. There’s the Parks and Experiences division, with rising costs and a passionate fanbase. And then there’s your competition, who is building a brand-new theme park in your backyard, and no one will let you forget it. They don’t pay you the big bucks for nothing!

But since you’re an excellent CEO, you put on a brave face and try your best to give the people what they want. What do the people want? An answer to Epic Universe. A place for the Disney Villains. New attractions that are innovative yet nostalgic yet creative yet timeless. Easy, right? At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney did its best to cater to fans. They unveiled a Monsters, INC. coaster that fans have been talking about for years. They announced a new nighttime parade to assuage the live entertainment fans. They even confirmed that a Villains Land will, in fact, be built “beyond Big Thunder Mountain” in Magic Kingdom. But despite the news, fans were quick to voice their concerns. Is it fair to judge so soon?

When Disney first shared the news about a Villains Land expansion in Magic Kingdom, the fan reaction was largely positive. Disney Adults have been begging for more Disney villain representation for years. But, of course, some fans were skeptical. On Instagram, @elorachapman_ commented, “This is the most ridiculous concept art I have ever seen. No shot it looks anything near that if it gets built.”

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So far, we have just one dramatic, sweeping concept image of the proposed Villains Land. At first glance, it looks like something out of a movie. The artwork is stunning. But, realistically, is it possible?

Disney assured fans, “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be,” promising two “major” attractions, dining, and shopping “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.” Those are some bold words to match some daring concept art. The question is, how much leeway can we give Disney with this grand concept art?

Between the dramatic, sharp facades and huge cavern-like structure in the concept art, this looks ambitious. There are water features, a giant castle, and a potential coaster zooming through the art. (It’s pretty convenient that the attraction in this image is in motion; it’s hard to tell exactly what the ride will look like when it’s blurry.)

It’s safe to say that this project will not be ready any time soon. Although Disney confirmed that “plans are drawn” and “dirt is moving,” this space behind Big Thunder Mountain has a long way to go before opening. That leaves a lot of time for things to change, budgets to shrink, and CEOs to change.

The closer you look at the new concept art, the more there is to speculate about. Are we hopeful? Yes. Are we, at the same time, cautiously optimistic? Yes.

Looking back at Disney’s old park expansions proves that some visions can faithfully come to life. Look at the concept art for Toy Story Land. Aside from a few missing facades and a potential Al’s Toy Barn shop (?), this land ended up looking pretty similar to what Disney initially promised.

Of course, this land was never intended to work on the “grand scale” of the new Villains Land; Imagineers were limited to a rather small, awkward space in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When the sky’s the limit, will Imagineers be able to run with their vision?

On the other hand, the original concept art for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ended up being completely scrapped. While Disney’s first promotional image featured a huge “centerpiece” above the drop, the end result was much smaller.

In reality, this attraction opened to mixed reviews, with many fans lamenting the lack of detail both inside and outside the ride. If Disney had waited to share its plans until the design was finalized, it could have avoided these kinds of comparisons. But with a vocal fanbase and constant pressure to show off “what’s next,” perhaps Disney rushed to throw together an idea with internal plans to make big conceptual changes.

Then, there was the infamous Star Wars Hotel, one of the biggest recent examples of Disney’s grand plans falling short. This project failed, closing only 18 months after it debuted. There’s been a lot of discourse about what went wrong here, but ultimately, it can be chalked up to a disconnect between fantasy and reality.

Sure, it sounds like a cool idea to build an “immersive Star Wars experience.” But when you take away the slick concept art and Disney jargon, what was this, really? The Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser was an expensive experiment with a small target audience.

So, can Disney learn from its past mistakes? Will the Villains Land live up to expectations? Disney previously shared that the company is investing $60 billion in the Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products segment over the next ten years. Compared to the previous decade, this is nearly double the amount of investment. Disney’s statement read, in part, that it plans to “prioritize projects anticipated to generate strong returns, consistent with the Company’s continuing approach to allocate capital in a disciplined and balanced manner.”

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At the end of the day, we expect the Villains Land concept art to change. We expect cuts. We expect modifications. But, at the same time, we want to believe in this thing when Josh D’Amaro tells us to “Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls.” We want to believe in the fantasy. We just need Disney to actually make it a reality.

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What do you think about this Villains Land concept? Let us know in the comments!

The post “This Is the Most Ridiculous Concept Art I Have Ever Seen.” Disney Just Made Some BOLD Promises, but Can They Keep Them? first appeared on the disney food blog.