Calling all Lord of the Rings fans!

[Disney Padawan]

Hi there. So let's say the latest rumor about LOTR coming to IOA is true. I was curious what Middle Earth locations would you want to see the most? Since it's unlikely that they'll build all of Middle Earth, what would be the top 5 areas that you would like too see recreated? Also, what kind of attractions would you like to experience in these lands?
I thought i'd be a fun topic for us fans waiting/hoping for the official announcement. Here's hoping.

My picks would be, in no particular order.

1. Hobbiton. like to see as a queue or the start of their main ride. (Same for Edoras.)
2. Isengard. Dark thrill ride with a coaster track.
3. Rivendell. As a queue, play area with interactive attractions or stage show.
4. Edoras. Entrance to shops, main restaurant and show. (Same for Hobbiton.)
5. Minas Tirith. 4D attraction, similar to Kong 3D.

 

[Marquibiri]

Hi there. So let's say the latest rumor about LOTR coming to IOA is true. I was curious what Middle Earth locations would you want to see the most? Since it's unlikely that they'll build all of Middle Earth, what would be the top 5 areas that you would like too see recreated? Also, what kind of attractions would you like to experience in these lands?
I thought i'd be a fun topic for us fans waiting/hoping for the official announcement. Here's hoping.

My picks would be, in no particular order.

1. Hobbiton. like to see as a queue or the start of their main ride. (Same for Edoras.)
2. Isengard. Dark thrill ride with a coaster track.
3. Rivendell. As a queue, play area with interactive attractions or stage show.
4. Edoras. Entrance to shops, main restaurant and show. (Same for Hobbiton.)
5. Minas Tirith. 4D attraction, similar to Kong 3D.

No Moria??

I can see a ride just like the end of the Jurassic ride where an enormous Gandalf yells out (instead of the T-rex), "YOU SHALL NOT PASS"!

Marquibiri

 

[Dollyrar]

I would love to go for a pint at the Prancing Pony in Bree

Very unlikely though I'd imagine, with the wealth of other areas to be given priority.

 

[jason10mm]

This would be tough. Is the park based on the movies or the books? If the books, then a lot of the visual elements from the movies would have to be significantly reworked, thus "going to hobbiton" might not have the same sense of awe.

But I'd like to see them take the POV of the hobbits, follow their journey. Start in hobbiton, maybe have a Bree pub with a giant sized area to get the perspective of being 3 feet tall (and huge flagons of ale!!

Moria would make for a good roller coaster/crane ride, as might Frodo and Sams final journey to Mordor, where perhaps riders could elect to keep the ring or throw it in Hard to see how any of the battles could be turned into attractions though, perhaps a 3D screen TSM type ride or MiB shooter? Easy money dressing kids as elves or orcs, for sure.

Toss in "the Hobbit" and you get Mirkwood and a Smaug themed ride. Add "The Silmarillion" and you get confused guests

Heck, I'd be happy with just a giant ren fair atmosphere with areas tied to the LOTR themes

 

[ChrisFL]

Ever since the movies came out, I've long thought about what could be done with a LOTR theme park...as I mentioned on another thread, I don't think anything could do it justice except for a full theme park.

So that was the first thing, the second is that considering having a ride...there's very few things in the movies that lend themselves to a ride, only the small boats...and that's not lending itself to an exciting attraction...then there's the Nazgul or the Eagles. Other than that, what ride set up to fit thematically with the story?

 

[Disney Padawan]

Ever since the movies came out, I've long thought about what could be done with a LOTR theme park...as I mentioned on another thread, I don't think anything could do it justice except for a full theme park.

So that was the first thing, the second is that considering having a ride...there's very few things in the movies that lend themselves to a ride, only the small boats...and that's not lending itself to an exciting attraction...then there's the Nazgul or the Eagles. Other than that, what ride set up to fit thematically with the story?

I've also pondered that myself. The only thing I can come up with for now is a story based ride just like FJ. They can start one in Hobbiton and follow the hobbits through the Shire, Bree, Weathertop, Rivendell, Moria...etc. Actually, they could end that part of the ride and continue the story/ride at another location, say Edoras. I'm going to read the books again and watch the movies so I can get more ideas. Like I've said before there's way too much potential and the possibilities are nearly endless.

I like the ideas I'm hearing. Keep them coming.

 

[JenM]

I would love to go for a pint at the Prancing Pony in Bree

It comes in pints?!

How about the Haunted Mountain from Return of the King?

Now I want to watch those movies again...

 

[maggiew]

I have no suggestions because I have never read the books or seen the movies. I know!!!!

But I just wanted to say that my DH would be so excited if they made something based on LOTR!!

Maggie

 

[AussiePJ]

How about something a bit like what I imagine Harry Potter is (haven't ridden it yet) but instead of benches you go in as Hobbits and sit on Treebeards shoulders then lumber through Middle Earth visiting various scenes and finish attacking Isengard.

 

[Disney Padawan]

It comes in pints?!

How about the Haunted Mountain from Return of the King?

Now I want to watch those movies again...

Me too. I just finished the 4 hour long version of Fellowship of the Ring.
My fiancée says that I need help, she's probably right. With that been said onto The Two Towers.

 

[ChrisFL]

How about something a bit like what I imagine Harry Potter is (haven't ridden it yet) but instead of benches you go in as Hobbits and sit on Treebeards shoulders then lumber through Middle Earth visiting various scenes and finish attacking Isengard.

Interesting thought.

 

[jason10mm]

They could always make the theme "Friends of the Fellowship", so the guests take the POV of fictional (er...more fictional ) characters that only periodically intersect the main fellowship. That way they can explore the locations, but not be tied to specific events as much.

For example, they could have a "Soaring" style ride where you are on an eagle heading in to save Frodo and Sam at the end (or picking up Gandalf), a boat ride through Rivendell or Lothlorien where the elven characters give you "side quests" to help out the fellowship, do stuff with Faramir, etc.

If you think of it more as a passive theme ride more in line with Disney stuff rather than a thrill ride, entire sections of the books could be done with animatronics and such.

Really, given how little theme is necessary on a rollercoaster, I don't think they would have much trouble slapping together a LOTR park and fillling it with cuttign edge rides. The real question is whether or not they want to make an immersive storytelling experience that parallels the books (sort of like how the Terminator 3D movie isn't just a sequence from T2, but a "new" event from that universe) linked across multiple rides and attractions.

 

[yankeepenny]

I would be most thrilled if the animatronic genius folks would create 50 foot tall trees that could .......
well lets just say take care of the following:

any time someone in the park says "well they dont do it like this at Disney.."
they could be on the fast track straight back to the other side.

just my penny's worth


also, they would need actors who looked like all the hotties form LOTR- and I dont mean that creepy GOLLUM

 

[Gandalfsbeard]

If you were to wear Elf ears from the exit gift shops would you be confused as a Klingon?

 

[ChrisFL]

If you were to wear Elf ears from the exit gift shops would you be confused as a Klingon?

no, but Vulcan maybe

 

[Albytaps]

No Moria??

I can see a ride just like the end of the Jurassic ride where an enormous Gandalf yells out (instead of the T-rex), "YOU SHALL NOT PASS"!

Marquibiri

Yes!

 

[Magpie]

no, but Vulcan maybe

Well... it all depends on your expression. If you're grinning like a madman in your pointy ears - then you're a Romulan!

 

[JenM]

Me too. I just finished the 4 hour long version of Fellowship of the Ring.
My fiancée says that I need help, she's probably right. With that been said onto The Two Towers.

My dad got a new HDTV earlier this year and we put Fellowship of the Ring on just to see how the first few minutes looked on the new TV. We wound up watching the whole movie. And yes, it was the extended edition.

 

[Disney Padawan]

My dad got a new HDTV earlier this year and we put Fellowship of the Ring on just to see how the first few minutes looked on the new TV. We wound up watching the whole movie. And yes, it was the extended edition.

Nice!

 

[Golden_Eagle426]

I think that a dark ride featuring Fangorn Forest and huorns (for you book fans... I dont think that name is mentioned in the movies) would be super cool... Something like Dinosaur. The trees could be ticked that their forest is being chopped down by the followers of Saruman and go crazy causing your ride vehicle to have to dodge their wrath.

Also, perhaps some interactive Dúnedain training similar to the Jack Sparrow show. Maybe a sword fight or something like that. For the more experienced children or children at heart, there can be skateboarding (using a shield) down castle steps while shooting a bow and arrow and being oddly accurate lol

My last idea... a ride similar to Dumbo featuring the Fell Beasts instead. Each ride vehicle can screech loudly with a push of a button causing any passerby's to freeze in fear. Extra points if you're wearing a black hooded cloak!