RUMOR : WDW 5th Theme Park - "Disney's Night Kingdom"

[ChrisFL]

Since Disney reportedly has such a difficult time staffing the WDW resort as it is, I can't see them opening up something like this at the rumored price structure.

But that's the beauty of the nighttime schedule and it being near AK, they can use a lot of staff from AK to staff the nighttime portion of this park (CM's work insane hours often anyway)

 

[AGlassSlipper17]

As a HUGE animal lover . . I can see some appeal to this prospect, BUT . . . With the fact the AK already does a "night" safari that you can pay extra to do . . this just sounds like a waste of time and space. If they really want to do something along this line . . .why not spruce up the morning/evening safaris at Ak. Then use the extra monies saved to add some new rides, or if they really want to stick to animals . . how about another land at AK. While I can't say that I probably wouldn't try NK (if it ever can into fruitition) . . I can't image doing it more than once.

 

[Onceler]

Wonderful... another rumor from the all knowing Jim Hill. Does this mean we are going to have several years of "when is Night Kingdom going to open" threads just like we've had several years of "when is DisneyQuest going to close" threads?

Who is this guy Jim Hill, sounds like he DOESN'T have a very big fan club? Does this guy just spread RUMOR'S

Jim Hill is a Disney "insider" who runs an "insider" site with all sorts of "insider" information. Some of his information ends up being correct but much of it is purely bogus and never comes true.

One of the reasons that he doesn't have much of a fan club around here is that his rumors tend to spread to the point where some people believe that they are facts. A recent miss of his was a rumor that he spread that DisneyQuest was going to close in January 2008 and be replaced with an ESPN Club. He published the rumor several years ago backed by "inside" information from unnamed officials. Disney officials openly denied the rumor and nobody else published it. But the rumor spread to the point where posts will appear here every few weeks asking about the status of DisneyQuest.

 

[mazdabug]

All i can say about this version of the 5Th park is
Do you really think that a major cooperation such as Disney would open themselves to such liability, I think not. Is there a 5th park coming sure. But i bet my bottom dollar that it would be nothing that has been depicted in the Mr Hill report.

 

[sandybobandy]

Well all I can say is, is that zip lining over a bed of hungry crocodiles does NOT sound like a great way to start (or more likely end) my magical vacation! lol

 

[GinnyFavers]

I think everyone's kind of missed the point of this concept. It's not another theme park, it's using the existing restaurants at Animal Kingdom to create a Broadway calibre dinner show experience, with lots to do before the show/between your dinner seating times.

I think it's a great idea, as long as they deliver high quality food and the show is at least 75 minutes in length.

We'd definitely try it once.

 

[Mme. Leota]

Maybe it's just me, but the price tag sounds low for everything Mr. Hill claims you would get. These "adventure" type activities in other places (like riding an ATV up the volcano to zip line down in Hawaii) will easily cost you $200 per person. I can't imagine Disney could hire two CM's per person, serve you a gormet meal, and pay the astronomical insurance premiums that would surely be charged for ziplining over crocodiles and feeding hippos. While it would be a lot of money for a family, I can't see that it would be enough for Disney to make much profit. Of course, knowing Jim Hill we are all probably beating a dead horse anyway. Which is safer than stalking lions with night vision goggles, but probably pointless just the same.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Well all I can say is, is that zip lining over a bed of hungry crocodiles does NOT sound like a great way to start (or more likely end) my magical vacation! lol

Thank you for the biggest chuckle I've had all day (the bolded bit)

Knox

 

[labattblue]

I think everyone's kind of missed the point of this concept. It's not another theme park, it's using the existing restaurants at Animal Kingdom to create a Broadway calibre dinner show experience, with lots to do before the show/between your dinner seating times.

I think it's a great idea, as long as they deliver high quality food and the show is at least 75 minutes in length.

We'd definitely try it once.

Either you have some other inside information or you are reading between the lines. I didn't see anything in that article that referred to using existing AK restaurants or space as part of this park.

 

[ConcKahuna]

I'm still waiting for the Haunted Mansion Holiday to appear at WDW, which Jim Hill predicted for several years.

With the new HM refurb being done, I would actually expect that to happen next year.

Does Disney bring all the animals back to their cages at night after the park closes?

Yup. If you ride the train to Rafiki's Planet Watch close to park close time, you can see the animals lining themselves up ready to go to bed

Hippos are the most dangerous animals. And the most difficult animals to upkeep in a zoological setting. I will spare you the details. I can't imagine they would let people that close to feed them.

Just a comment on the above poster's comment about hippos being very dangerous......actually, my DH and I had the opportunity for a magical experience behind the scenes tour of the backstage hippo area with two CM's last month and they told us that hippos are actually the MOST dangerous animal in Africa. Why is that? Because of their strength and size.........they wouldn't eat something they killed.......but, their bite would be enough to kill and most deaths are caused by someone/something simply wandering into hippo territory .....they are very territorial......so I can't imagine Disney allowing guests to get THAT close to hippos. We were able to throw some food into the hippos mouth, but, that was from a distance of about 8 feet and a row of very large steel pier type bars between the hippo and us.

Hippos, they're cute but NOT cuddly.

 

[GinnyFavers]

Either you have some other inside information or you are reading between the lines. I didn't see anything in that article that referred to using existing AK restaurants or space as part of this park.

From the article:
"...why not grab a gourmet meal at one of the park's two highly themed eateries? Or -- better yet -- find a seat inside of Night Kingdom's centrally located main theater. Where you'll then be dazzled by a state-of-the-art stage show which will be produced by Disney Theatrical and feature top Broadway talent."

And by existing areas, I mean, they will obviously not be hauling in an entire new savannah or hippos etc., maybe they would, but I doubt it.

They'd have to have some things accessible inside the existing park if they are going to be using their "two highly themed eateries" which can only mean Boma and Yak & Yeti, in my opinion.

I think a careful survey of the area via arial maps could reveal where they might put the entrance in reference to the existing parking lot and bus stops, where a new theater might go, etc., in connection with the existing Animal Kingdom park.

 

[JenM]

I think after Disney had him thrown out of a park his souces got more unreliable. I swear they feed him stuff to make him look foolish!

I didn't know he'd been thrown out of a park. When did that happen??

I don't like this idea for the new park at all. It just sounds too exclusive. I don't like the idea of an entire park only for their richer guests. WDW should be for everybody, and plenty of people I know can barely swing one of these trips as it is.

I'd rather see them spend that kind of money building up their existing parks.

 

[hoosll]

Doesn't interest me as described but ...

good news: 2000 people syphoned out of the other parks and signature restaurants, I could go for that!

 

[Eeyore2142]

From the article:
"...why not grab a gourmet meal at one of the park's two highly themed eateries? Or -- better yet -- find a seat inside of Night Kingdom's centrally located main theater. Where you'll then be dazzled by a state-of-the-art stage show which will be produced by Disney Theatrical and feature top Broadway talent."

And by existing areas, I mean, they will obviously not be hauling in an entire new savannah or hippos etc., maybe they would, but I doubt it.

They'd have to have some things accessible inside the existing park if they are going to be using their "two highly themed eateries" which can only mean Boma and Yak & Yeti, in my opinion.

I think a careful survey of the area via arial maps could reveal where they might put the entrance in reference to the existing parking lot and bus stops, where a new theater might go, etc., in connection with the existing Animal Kingdom park.

Boma is not at AK. It is at AKL.

 

[Eeyore2142]

Also, the article states: Guests will enter DNK through a new, super-sized version of the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island.

Last time I checked, it would be one loooooooooooooooooooooooooong connection between AK and PI.

 

[GinnyFavers]

Boma is not at AK. It is at AKL.

Sorry, meant Tusker House. The chef there came from Boma, my brain was skipping a groove.

 

[rockstargeisha]

I can't see much truth to the feeding hippos rumor but if Disney is looking to offer an experience like Discovery Cove then I encourage it.

I am one of the people who did pay to have the Discovery Cove experience and I can tell you it was one of the most amazing and unique experiences of my life. No, it wasn't cheap but I got to swim with stingrays, tropical fish, and dolphins in a beautiful setting with very few people around. Lunch was wonderful and having our own private cabana was wonderful as well. Say what you will about Disovery Cove but do know there are those of us who love animal interaction experiences.

I can see Disney offering a night safari experience for an additional fee and maybe even a camping on the Savannah overnight stay. If guests are to be feeding any animals I bet it will be giraffes much like Busch Gardens.

 

[LibertyLover]

Feeding hippos? I'm willing to bet that Jimbo has never been close to a real live hippo, let alone a hungry one. Hippos are notoriously bad tempered (and that's being polite) and not predisposed to like humans very much. During a cruise on the Zambesi River in what at the time was Rhodesia we saw hippos in the water. The captain made sure that he stayed well enough away from them so that they would not get annoyed and attack the boat. More people die in Africa from hippo attacks than crocodile attacks each year - so yeah, I really think Disney is going to tempt fate, and astronomical insurance premiums to let Guests feed a hippo.

 

[boomhauer]

Have you ever dreamed of acting like Indiana Jones and riding a zip line over a pool full of hungry crocodiles? Or hand-feeding a hippopotamus?

An experience you'll remember the rest of your life.

Yeah - Both seconds of it.

 

[Eeyore2142]

Don't worry...hippos wiggle their ears before they attack.....