Walt Disney World Disney's Animal Kingdom Discussion Thread

[jedimaster1227]

^I have no idea what BOAS stands for, but there was never any kind of snow leopard animatronic in Expedition Everest as far as I know.

[Wes]

^ Bird On A Stick!

[cfc]

^ Bird On A Stick!

 

[BeemerBoy]

Motion to revoke Adam's Disney fanboy card. All in favor?

[Meteornotes]

^He can keep it only if he denounces John Carter.

 

dt

[jedimaster1227]

^NEVER!

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/01/wilderness-explorers-coming-to-disneys-animal-kingdom-this-spring/

 

Have you seen the Disney•Pixar film “Up”?

 

If you recall, young Russell from the film is a dedicated Wilderness Explorer who can’t wait to earn badges by having all kinds of adventures while learning about the world.

 

We’re happy to announce that the Wilderness Explorers adventure organization is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, with a planned opening this spring. Soon, guests can become Wilderness Explorers and experience the entire park using their field guides, completing challenges and earning badges as they go. With more than 30 badges available, Wilderness Explorers is fun for the whole family and helps guests experience Disney’s Animal Kingdom and its themes in a new and exciting way.

[jray21]

Sounds pretty cool! Can't wait to see all 30 badges Adam gets 5 minutes after it premiers!

 

Really a cool thing though. I had fun getting some stupid stamps for the Food and Wine festival, badges seem even better! And there better be a Dinosaur badge!

[WFChris]

I would assume this loosely takes its cue from the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at DCA?

[gisco]

I would assume this loosely takes its cue from the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at DCA?

 

That is what I was thinking but they have to come up with a way to earn the badges.

[Double0Kevin]

Sounds more like a Phineas and Ferb type of thing (like at Epcot) than a play structure with minimal Wilderness Explorer theming. I really would love to see these things come out west. WDW is on a roll with these things and they all seem fit their parks perfectly.

[Dinnwitted]

Gun found on thrill ride.

 

Disney World patron finds gun on ride

 

A Walt Disney World patron on a ride with her grandson found a loaded gun on her seat.

 

Read more: http://wcpo.m0bl.net/r/1j3488

 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A Walt Disney World patron on a ride with her grandson found a loaded gun on her seat.

 

Officials said Wednesday that the woman found the automatic gun on the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom. The woman gave the loaded gun to a park attendant who then contacted her manager and authorities.

 

The owner of the gun, Angelo Lista, told authorities he discovered his gun was missing several minutes after leaving the ride. He has a concealed weapons permit.

 

Lista told authorities he didn't know Disney World patrons weren't allowed to bring guns. He said he thought the security checkpoint at the entrance to the central Florida park was only so guards could check bags for bombs or explosives.

 

Disney World prohibits patrons from bringing weapons of any kind on its property.

 

Read more: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/national/disney-world-patron-finds-gun-on-ride#ixzz2Uja45Kbz

Edited May 30, 2013 by robbalvey

[ernierocker]

Two isolated incidents at two different parks doesn't mean security is failing at Disney altogether. Between this and the cruise thread, you sure know how to work yourself up...

 

Please stop jumping to outrageous conclusions.

[robbalvey]

Lista told authorities he didn't know Disney World patrons weren't allowed to bring guns. He said he thought the security checkpoint at the entrance to the central Florida park was only so guards could check bags for bombs or explosives.

What's sad is that with the current idiocracy level the world seems to be heading towards, I could actually believe someone would be this dumb.

[Jew]

I'm guessing it wasn't an automatic weapon, or the guest would be going to jail...just a freak occurrence because of a dumb guest who most certainly does not deserve to have a concealed carry permit in the first place if he is so careless with his gun.

[Dinnwitted]

I'm guessing it wasn't an automatic weapon, or the guest would be going to jail...just a freak occurrence because of a dumb guest who most certainly does not deserve to have a concealed carry permit in the first place if he is so careless with his gun.

I just think its sad that someone thought it was a good idea to bring a gun to DisneyWorld.

[Jew]

It's Florida. And Orlando. So you get crazy Floridians mixed in with crazy tourists. It's bound to happen.

[Dinnwitted]

Cobra .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol was the weapon according to screamscape.

[cfc]

Lista told authorities he didn't know Disney World patrons weren't allowed to bring guns. He said he thought the security checkpoint at the entrance to the central Florida park was only so guards could check bags for bombs or explosives.

What's sad is that with the current idiocracy level the world seems to be heading towards, I could actually believe someone would be this dumb.

 

Yep. In Newport News, Virginia, a group of gun fanciers held a meeting in a public library and went around the place with pistols strapped to their waists. Why? They said the wanted to reenforce their right to carry a gun in a library. You can also carry a concealed weapon into a bar in Virginia provided that you don't drink alcohol. (Yeah, right.)

 

I just don't understand why someone would pack heat at WDW, but based on laws and attitudes I've seen in Virginia, I'm not that surprised.

Edited May 30, 2013 by cfc

[goatdan]

My thoughts instantly went to the guy taking it on Kilamanjaro Safaris so he could yell, "HE'S COMING RIGHT AT US!" and shoot stuff along the way.

[Justice]

From an attempted non-fanboy perspective, I still am a bit hazy as to why Disney is going so deep with Avatar.

 

I understand if they paid an astronomical amount up front to get the rights and now want a return on that investment, but if they haven't paid hundreds of millions for the rights already, it just doesn't seem that there is the interest like there is for Star Wars and Marvel. Not just from a theme park enthusiast perspective but from a cultural perspective. Star Wars and Marvel are going to likely dominate theaters so why wouldn't Disney invest in getting those properties massive theme park lands?

[Coaster Cow]

^It has been discussed on various threads around the site in varying degrees.

 

Disney is looking into Marvel "lands" in several of their parks, but at the moment Universal has exclusivity rights to Marvel in the Orlando area because of Superhero Island at Islands of Adventure. From what I've heard, there are rumors of Marvel popping up in different ways in the California, Tokyo, and China Disney parks.

 

Star Wars on the other hand is simply an incredibly new addition to Disney's arsenal. When you think about the amount of time Disney requires to develop a new attraction before it is announced, between Imagineering, upper-level approval, and economics and what-not, this Avatar land has probably been in the works for quite a long time. There have been reports of castmembers with surveys asking about the interest in a Star Wars "land" or attraction at one of the parks recently, so patience, young padawan.

 

Disney World also caters heavily to international tourists compared to the other Disney parks, and Avatar was HUGE abroad, accounting for over $2 billion of the film's $2.7 billion haul. Compared to other Disney brands, the theme also fit the best in Animal Kingdom, which is really the park with both the need for more big attractions and the room (the leftover space from the never realized Beastly Kingdom). With Avatar 2 coming out soon, the land's opening will probably be coordinated with the film. Although there is always the possibility for an underwhelming public response (like with Test Track's Tron-retheme that sputtered into a Tron-like-but-unrelated renovation), Disney must be confident enough in the brand to invest such a large piece of real estate.

 

So, TL;DR Disney is a big enough company that an expansion like Avatar is certainly carefully calculated by a ridiculous number of market research professionals and economists.

[Wes]

Someone else would have snatched up Avatar's rights in theme parks, and it probably would have been Disney's neighbors up the road.

[goatdan]

Just got back from Disney World for the first time in years, and the first time with my young son along too (as well as my wife's first time there!). I don't have enough thoughts and doubt I'm interesting enough to fill up an entire written trip report, so just in short...

 

The Wilderness Explorer thing is really cool. The 3 year old really loved it.

 

I thought Expedition Everest was the biggest disappointment on the trip. I'm more into the theming then the actual coasters (!!) and so much of this ride I felt left things to be desired.

 

I don't know if I like the Avatar idea here, but it's clear Animal Kingdom needs something else added to it. I love the theming of the park, but it sort of feels unfinished to me. It needs additional lands or something to feel like it is really telling the whole story. I'll take Avatar if I have to.

 

Finding Nemo: The Musical is 100 times better than I imagined.

 

Dinoland's theming is extremely detailed... and extremely obnoxious. While I was impressed with the lengths they went through like actually making the old parking lot, they did succeed in making me do what I usually want to do in carnivals, and that is get out. Dinosaur really shows it's age, so much worse than Indy does (or doesn't, Indy still feels totally fresh to me). I still like the name Countdown to Extinction better. It is kind of fun to yell "NOT OUR DINO!" at each of the dinosaurs you pull up to.

 

Overall, it was fun to be back. The park has potential to be totally amazing, I hope it keeps getting plussed up. Also, any word what the cranes are for to the left of the bridge as you head into Africa?

[coasterfreak101]

^They're building a new home for the Lion King show back in Africa. I believe that Avatar is taking the place of all or most of Camp Minnie Mickey once they can move the show (and I imagine the meet-and-greets) out of there.