I hope this is true!

[bunnymkc]

Just hung up with my friend a CM at DW and she said its a go on Beastly Kingdom..will be up and running in a couple of years.will be near Camp Minne & Mickey..have unicorns and furturey things..someting new is coming! Marianne :wave2:

[mom2rb]

When we were on our honeymoon at DW in'96, we bought Since the World Began. It talked about the mythical world. We were disapointed when we went in '03 that it wasn't there. This is great news.

[Mickey76]

:D

This is pretty cool. I bugs me when people say that they don't like AK because there aren't a lot of things for two reasons:

1. There are a lot of things there, but they aren't rides, they're animals and opportunities to learn (which some people can't fathom doing on their vacation).

2. AK is still a "new" park. It would be extremely naive to think that when the park opened in 1998 that it was finished. Seriously, look at EPCOT and Disney Studios. Both of those parks have added a lot since their incarnation.

Give it time. I believe a lot of people will view AK as their second favorite of the four major parks, only behind Magic Kingdom.


::MickeyMo Mickey76::MickeyMo

[Dznefreek]

I would wait to see actual construction. It was supposed to be a "GO" 2 years ago.

Originally BK was supposed to be where CMM is now. It may disappear.

[WDWHound]

While I hope that this is true, I too will wait until the construction begins before I get my hopes up. What does your friend do at WDW?

[exDS vet]

"Disneyland will never be completed. Not as long as there's imagination left in the world" (Or at least it was pretty close to that.)

Originally posted by Mickey76
AK is still a "new" park. It would be extremely naive to think that when the park opened in 1998 that it was finished.

This philosophy has remained the same for nearly 50 years and it is true at all of the parks. These parks are always changing. And every park has been heavily criticized for not having enough to offer when they opened. Take "The Original" for example. Back in 1955, there were only 15 attractions at the park.

The MK, Epcot, MGM and DCA have all had similar things happen. You need to add attractions to keep the guests coming back. DAK is a huge park with lots of room for expansion and additions, and they have done a pretty good job of it so far.

I first visited DAK 6 months after it opened and I was impressed. I visited DCA prior to opening and then several times after it opened. It's true that there was not a great deal of kids fare at the time, but they have fixed that as well.

Unfortunately in some cases, older attractions must go away to make room for new ones. Space and demand are factors in this. Many people were upset when Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was replaced by the Pooh attraction at the MK. I did not like seeing Pooh replace the Country Bear Playhouse at DL. But you never heard much about Star Tours replacing Adventure Through Inner Space, or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad replacing The Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland.

More often than not change is a good thing...I guess. :confused:

[outstandinfarmer]

I heard that there are plans for a new park that will have more roller coasters than any other park in the United States. There is another site where a Disney Imagineer talks about this and that he is in charge of developing one of the rides for the new park scheduled to open in 2009. I can only hope. I think it would be absolutely incredible. No one does roller coasters like Disney. Imagine a whole park of them!!!!!


For a Healthier Life
www.ALLSmiles.freelife.com

[Samirella]

These are all rumors until proven otherwise. DAK CMs would be the first to know about this (we knew about Everest long before it was announced) and we haven't been told anything. Entertainment CMs would probably be the first to know since there are two stages right next to the area in question.

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by outstandinfarmer
There is another site where a Disney Imagineer talks about this and that he is in charge of developing one of the rides for the new park scheduled to open in 2009.

Could you provide a link to this site? From what I have heard, the thrill park concept has never been seriously considered by Disney and I would be very surprised if that has changed.

As for the whole change is good discussion, I agree that Animal Kingdom could use some expansion and changes. However, I doubt anything new is actually in the works due to the bucks they are already pouring into Everest. I wopuld be delighted to be proved wrong, but I don't think we will ever see Beastly Kingdom.

[doombuggy]

I heard that there are plans for a new park that will have more roller coasters than any other park in the United States. There is another site where a Disney Imagineer talks about this and that he is in charge of developing one of the rides for the new park scheduled to open in 2009. I can only hope. I think it would be absolutely incredible. No one does roller coasters like Disney. Imagine a whole park of them!!!!!

This would cost big bucks, so unless Disney has a bunch of money trees somewhere....

[raidermatt]

Thanks for for sharing the rumors. Certainly they would be exciting, should they come to fruition.

But if some sound skeptical, its only because these same rumors have been around for years now. Just looking for some more verification before we start booking airfare. ;)


However, on the idea that MGM, AK and DCA were built with the same philosophy as DL, MK and Epcot, I can only disagree.

True, DL, MK and Epcot were not intended to be "finished" parks when they were opened. However, they most definitely were built with the intention of them being "full" parks.

MGM, AK, and DCA were all built with limited scope compared to the earlier parks. The company started by asking "How can we get an extra day out of guests?", or "How can we keep them from going to Universal Orlando when it opens?".

DL was opened using just about every resource the company and Walt had. MK and Epcot were both opened with the idea they could be stand alone parks. That is not the way the newer parks have been opened. They open them with less, but charge the same.

[KNWVIKING]

OT, but every time I read this I wonder how many single day, single park, MGM or AK passes are actually sold. For that matter, how many single day,single park passes are sold for any park. Single day admissions - even at USF and SW - are priced high enough to make the combo tickets seem like a huge deal. It's a great way to get more money out of guests.

[exDS vet]

Originally posted by raidermatt
MGM, AK, and DCA were all built with limited scope compared to the earlier parks.

...One would argue that all of these parks are part of the over-all attraction. After all MK, Epcot, MGM and DAK are all part of Walt Disney World. The same thing applies to DL and DCA being part of DLR. Walt's original quote is still very much alive.

I see no problem with them charging the same admission price for each new park. It's how they remain consistent. I think that charging Blizzard Beach prices for Animal Kingdom would make guests believe that AK is nothing more than a larger, more expensive version of Discovery Island. To another person's point, that's why we have the park hopper passes. Great value and savings. And besides Disneyland, who really buys one day, single park tickets anymore?

[YoHo]

Of course, Disney never wanted to have hopper passes and they didn't exist before MGM was built.
People were more then willing to pay full price for both MK and Epcot.


The same is true of DCA. Disney had every intention of making this park a fully seperate full priced admission with no hopping allowed. That plan failed when people realized that DCA was only good for a trip on Soarin and the MSEP.

That suggests that at least MGM and DCA were built differently since they had to change the pricing structure to make people pay for them.

[airlarry!]

Since AK has opened, how many times has a John & Jane Deaux come back from their vacation, and when asked by friends (who want to go to Disney themselves) how long do they need to 'see it all' (recognizing that most people think of WDW as theme parks only)?

Is it hard to imagine that the Deaux family needs only four days to 'see it all?' A day and a half at both Epcot and MK, and a half day at MGM and AK, is what they tell friends. Save a day for Universal, they say. A day of driving there, and a day of driving back...and Disney only gets three or four nights out of Disney.

Ah, but build four parks with the same amount of thrills and chills, and they tell their friends..."You need a week...skip Universal."

[KNWVIKING]

Larry, I've never heard anyone say you only need 4 days to do all four theme parks. Of course, if all you want to do is run from E ride to E ride, then I guess 4 is all you'd need.

How long does it take to truely explore The Tree in AK ? Not just run the que to see Bugs, but to actually try and find the 300+ animals,fish & fossils. How about walking all the trails, seeing the animals ? Ride the train out to Conservation Station, listen to the sounds of the rain forrest ?

But I guess if your AK day plan reads : Enter park at 8:00 am, run to back of park for KS. Exit KS, rush over to Kali Rapids. Dry off watching Flights, shoot over to Bugs, hussle over to CDTX, do a PW and TS, catch your breathe at Tarzan and be back at your resort for a pre-lunch swim.

[jlambrig]

Originally posted by YoHo
no hoping allowed.

How true, how true. There remains little hope.

Seriously, I would never tell someone they can do WDW in 4 days. Saying AK and MGM are half-day parks are such a fashionable thing to do on these boards. I don't find it to be true.

[raidermatt]

There's no point in getting into whether or not one should spend hours exploring the intricate carvings and landscaping around The Tree of Life, or whether they should rush in and ride 3 rides and bail.

People will do what they want to do. You don't have these types of discussions about MK because a park was built that had a broader appeal, and provided more depth that more people want.

One would argue that all of these parks are part of the over-all attraction.
Disney would argue that.

That's why they had the same exact pricing structure for DCA when it opened as for DL. Same single day price. No "special" discounts. They even had separate season passes.

No more. The public didn't buy Disney's argument. Now, both parks are on the AP. They almost constantly run discounts for locals. At times, you can even buy a ticket for DL, then get another day free for DCA. (Actually, you can do it the other way around, but for some strange reason, nobody looks at it that way...)

I see no problem with them charging the same admission price for each new park. It's how they remain consistent.
Pricing is not the only factor in consistency. People also expect consistent value.

Provide less and charge the same does not keep you consistent at all. You actually lose the perception of consistency in the public's eyes. They no longer know what to expect from you. They go from giving you the benefit of the doubt to taking a 'wait and see' approach.

Now, I agree that the optimal solution is not to open lesser parks like MGM (when it opened), AK and DCA, and then charge less. The solution is to at the very least MEET customer expectations and provide the value they have come to expect from you.

The old Disney actually set their goal as EXCEEDING customer expectations, but that's another discussion I guess...

[KNWVIKING]

***"People will do what they want to do. You don't have these types of discussions about MK because a park was built that had a broader appeal, and provided more depth that more people want."***

Maybe that's the best arguement for those that insist AK is a half day park. I enjoy exploring Mainstreet USA, but I also truely enjoy the Pangani Forest Exploration Trails. MK does offer a broader range of interests when compared to AK, so I guess I'll always be in the minority, because no matter how successfull E:E is, people will still only come to the AK to ride it and leave, ignoring all the things I love about the park.

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
***"People will do what they want to do. You don't have these types of discussions about MK because a park was built that had a broader appeal, and provided more depth that more people want."***

Maybe that's the best arguement for those that insist AK is a half day park. I enjoy exploring Mainstreet USA, but I also truely enjoy the Pangani Forest Exploration Trails. MK does offer a broader range of interests when compared to AK, so I guess I'll always be in the minority, because no matter how successfull E:E is, people will still only come to the AK to ride it and leave, ignoring all the things I love about the park.

AK is not a full day park for me, but it is for my wife. She can spend hours watching the tigers on the Maharajah Jungle Trek or the gorillas on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trails.

Disney built this as a different kind of park and, while it doesn't quite contain enough for me, I applaud them for trying something new. I have mixed feelings about the park. I really appreciate the level of theming it contains (except for Dinorama, which should never have been built), and I enjoy wandering around and finding all the little hidden areas. However, by around 2pm I am usually ready to leave. It wouldn't take much to make this a full day park for me. In fact, Everest will go a long a long way toward doing so. If they added one more trail like Maharajah or Pangani and perhaps one more attraction in addition to Everest, I think I could be happy spending the entire day there. If BK is ever built, that would probably do the trick.

[KNWVIKING]

I'd like to see them add an upscale restaurant to AK. DW and I love the rib platter at Flame Tree, but I'd still like a nice "sit down' location.

[jlambrig]

I think the lack of an upscale sit down has a lot to do with Jiko and Boma at the Lodge. Doesn't excuse them for not having one in the park but I think their focus was on the hotel at first and not the park.

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
I'd like to see them add an upscale restaurant to AK. DW and I love the rib platter at Flame Tree, but I'd still like a nice "sit down' location.
We always eat at Tusker House. I never sould figure out why this place has such a bad rep. BTW, the new Everest area is supposed to contain a sit down restaurant, but I have no idea if its upscale or fast food.

[DC7800]

Originally posted by WDWHound
BTW, the new Everest area is supposed to contain a sit down restaurant, but I have no idea if its upscale or fast food.

If I understand it correctly, the deal with Rainforest Cafe prevented Disney from establishing a sit-down (table service) restaurant within Animal Kingdom itself (which, if accurate, was yet another remarkably poor business decision). Question is, is this arrangement still in effect, or has it expired/been modified since the park's opening?

[KNWVIKING]

I didn't know about the Rainforest deal, I just assumed that since the park always closes early- well before dinner time- that Disney figured it wouldn't be worth building one.

[YoHo]

As far as I know, that deal is still in place. It's one of the main reasons the old Harley tends to stick near Car 3 now adays.
Stupidest stupid move EVA!

[Samirella]

Originally posted by jlambrig
I think the lack of an upscale sit down has a lot to do with Jiko and Boma at the Lodge. Doesn't excuse them for not having one in the park but I think their focus was on the hotel at first and not the park.

That and the fact that the park isn't open late enough to serve dinner...which is the meal most people want a sit down restaurant for.

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by YoHo
Of course, Disney never wanted to have hopper passes and they didn't exist before MGM was built.


Sure they did. I have a 3 day "Passport" that allowed park hopping between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot from 1986.

[YoHo]

I have that same passport and it did not allow unlimited hopping. you could enter Epcot, leave Epcot and return to Epcot. The stamp actually said which park (via color coding) you had entered.

At least, that's the way I remember it. The more important fact though was that the passport offered zero discount. you bought a 3-day passport that cost you the equivelent of 3 single day tickets.

[All Aboard]

The following article has no info on park hopping. But it has some interesting info on ticket and hotel prices...

Published Sunday, October 12, 1986. Copyright, the Miami Herald Publishing Company.

A vacation at Walt Disney World may be family fun, but it's not easy on the family pocketbook. In less than two years, Disney World has jacked up its admission prices more than 25 percent and its hotel prices more than 30 percent. A one-day admission to either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot (but not both) today costs an adult $24.50, compared to $19.50 in 1984. A room at the Polynesian Village Hotel runs $120 to $190 today, compared to $90 to $160 last year. Disney officials say the stiff rate increases came about because "we hadn't kept up" and that other hotels in the area have had greater increases, but that still doesn't make it any easier on the average family. Michael Eisner, chairman of the board, acknowledged last week that some people who want to spend nights on the Disney property are discouraged by the price structure and said the company was planning to construct moderate-cost accommodations in the near future. Here's how the costs add up for a family visiting Disney World. A three-day ticket for admission today costs $61 adult, $49 for children. Multiply those amounts by two adults and two children, the average American family, and just to get into the Disney World gate will run $220 for three days. That's just for starters. You've got to stay in a hotel, you've got to eat and you've got to spend money on snacks, gifts and transportation. There are plenty of hotels in the Disney World area, starting from about $30 a night in the economy hotels. Deluxe hotels start at around $100 a night. Hotels on Disney property offer some advantages: proximity, frequent shuttle service to the attractions (the monorail in the case of the Contemporary and Polynesian, buses from the Lake Buena Vista hotels), a small discount on admissions ($1 off the three-day admission), and no extra charge for children in a room with parents. Hotels outside the Disney property also may offer shuttle services, usually not as frequently, and may or may not charge extra for children. One way to save and still enjoy the Disney ambience is to book a villa on the Disney property. A one-bedroom villa, kitchen equipped so that a family can cook as many meals as it desires, runs $140 a day. A two-bedroom unit, which can sleep up to six persons, runs $175. Kitchen-equipped villas or suites are also available off Disney property. Florida residents can obtain a ticket good for admission to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot throughout the months of September, January and May for just $50. During certain months, Disney offers hotel discounts for Floridians and/or senior citizens.

[theSurlyMermaid]

This Beastly Kingdom rumor has been around for a little while now....I, for one, hope it is a go. I have no inside info, just a personal opinion that Disney can still be Disney with a few more thrill rides. The Hollywood Tower of Terror, is, IMO, almost the perfect ride in terms of theming and thrills. I also love the Rock N' Roller Coaster. But that's basically it, as far as real thrill rides go (have not ridden Mission Space yet).

Disney doesn't need to rip down what they've done...they can still be a magical place....and I have no doubt the imagineers could come up with a thrill rides that are well-themed and not ugly (eg. coaster tracks everywhere, etc.). I hope they are up to the challenge because more and more people are dividing their Disney vacation to get things they don't get at Disney...namely the thrills of Universal/IOA. Even Sea World has Kraken, which I intend to try on my next trip. Disney needs to keep up with the Joneses on this one.

[raidermatt]

Greg, good article. I think you should save it for when the next "Did Eisner raise prices" debate comes up. The article seems to support the position that he did, though he may have done most of it right away. (Part of "properly utilizing assets", I guess...)

[KNWVIKING]

...Hmmm, how to say or ask this ??

What is the right price any company should charge ? The easy answer is " not one dollar less then people are willing to pay".

Now, no one desputes that Disney is a for-profit company, yet every price increase is a major debate. If defenders say "Look what USF did...." the opposition counter with "We're talking about Disney, not USF" .

My question is; How much profit should Disney leave on the table ? Regardless of what the other parks & hotels do pricewise, should Disney charge less ? If people are willing to pay more, should Disney ask for less ? Maybe this is the wrong thread for this.

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by Mickey76
:D

I believe a lot of people will view AK as their second favorite of the four major parks, only behind Magic Kingdom.


::MickeyMo Mickey76::MickeyMo

I already do ;) THere are things I love at MGM and I love the Worldshowcase, but I would have to say AK is my second favorite, after MK. Any additions to this park would be great, especially Beasties, but I love it already!

Ahhh, Beasties....My 2 DD's, 3 and 5, would love unicorn themed things and my DS 2 would love dragon themed things!

[aesalsa]

This is an interesting look at the AK. It shows some concept paintings on how the Mythical Creature area in AK might look. I hope that it's a GO!


http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id209.htm

:wave2:

[TigrLvsPooh]

My kids would absolutely flip for that! ::yes:: They are really into dragons and other mythological creatures. It all started with Harry Potter, now they can't get enough of it. :)

[OnWithTheShow]

I highly recommend the book "Making of Disney's Animal Kingdom". Lots of good concept art and stories of attractions that were changed, never built, and still on the table.

As far as Beastly Kingdom is concerned we all certainly wish it will still happen, but it seems like they have decided to breakup the mythological creatures into different lands instead of having a dedicated one. There is still plenty of room left behind camp minnie mickey for some type of future attraction. I wouldnt expect much in terms of attractions for about 5 years after Everest.