Rumors that will not die. Are any of them real?

[WDWHound]

You know the rumors I am talking about. They appear on the board, get discuseed and disappear only to reappear a few months later. What keeps these rumors alive? Is Disney likey to ever build any of the following....

Fire Mountain
Villian Mountain
Beastly Kingdom
A Villians Park
A Thrill Ride Based park
An Indiana Jones Ride at MGM
A "Cave" based ride to Replace GMR
Project Gemini in Epcot
The Venetian Resort (haven't seen this one lately)
and the grand daddy of them all: A new park in (your state here)

Some of these are nearly 5 years old now (I know the last one is ancient, but few people take it seriously). What do you think? Will any of these ever happen?

(Note: I tried to pick only rumors I have seen here at least 5 times. Feel free to add to the list if you have more).

 

[phillybeth]

I think eventually we will see a Fire Mt or something like that. Good ideas never die at Disney, they just hang around for a few years, get budgeted to death, and then rushed into production.

Anything specifically themed to Villians or just thrill rides? I doubt it but that is just my gut.

 

[Peter Pirate]

The most realistic is the import of Indy...Personally I'd like to see the version from Japan over CA (since I'll probably never get there), but I'd say an import is the most viable.

Also, could it not be said that E:E may be the reincarnate of Fire Mtn?

 

[Lesley]

I think you could call E:E a version of both Fire Mt. and Beastly Kingdom.....sort of a combination that came out of both ideas...maybe.

But then again, isn't the Fire Mt. thing supposed to be at the MK? I mean, isn't that where all the rumors have placed it? In the former 20,000 Leagues area?

Honestly I don't think any of these rumors are that likely to happen. Probably we have the most chance of getting an Indy ride (if they close the show because of the new stunt show...) since its been done before elsewhere. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[daber]

I believe these rumors do not die because people have seen the concept work for these projects and it resonates with them. It's something they'd like to see. They have appeal. But Disney won't invest the $$$.

Remember the first time you heard about MGM going to get a haunted hotel?

Disney sometimes does this to themselves. The first year WDW opened they published a book with concepts of the future. There was the Venetian hotel on the banks of Bay Lake and a Persian hotel back by Space Mountain.

The first year DAK opened they piqued our interest by showing Imaginneer drawings of Beastly Kingdom and even hinted at it by putting a dragon in the logo.

And we've all seen the Jim Hill article about Project Gemini.

Then there was the announcement of Disney's America in VA

They tell us they aren't going to create duplicate rides to make us go to each of their parks, then build HTH in DCA and Soaring in EPCOT. So no wonder people start thinking maybe they will build (insert great ride at park A) in park B.

 

[Chuck S]

I think there will eventually be a Beastly Kingdom type area, but it won't be right away, maybe 5 years or so. It really depends on tourism levels. Another future probability would be an Indiana Jones type ride.

I wouldn't hold my breath for Project Gemini or "new parks".

 

[MitchK]

Do you really think they will build an Indiana Jones ride? Who even cares about Indiana Jones any more? When was the last time there was a new Indiana movie? I would like to see the Villians mountain thing happen over at the old 20,000 site. Also I for one like the Great movie ride. I think it has that Disney magic that a lot of the newer rides lack. I think they should leave GMR alone. As for Mt. everest over at AK, I hope it will be just as great as it sounds. If so, that will really bring back my faith in Disney

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by WDWHound
Fire Mountain
Villian Mountain
Beastly Kingdom
A Villians Park
A Thrill Ride Based park
An Indiana Jones Ride at MGM
A "Cave" based ride to Replace GMR
Project Gemini in Epcot
The Venetian Resort (haven't seen this one lately)
and the grand daddy of them all: A new park in (your state here)

With a new Indiana Jones movie in the works, it would seem the ideal time to bring such a ride to WDW, not that I really exepect that fact to make much difference. We can only hope that Project Gemini is dead (and stays that way). With the utter failure of California Adventure (and with Disneyquest and the Disney Stores as footnotes) I would imagine any regional expansion plans are also currently dead.

The Great Movie Ride is one of the newer Family/dark rides, and I've never understood why the rumor mill would seem to indicate such a hurry to replace it (unless such a move was driven by expensive and/or expiring licensing agreements for non-Disney films featured in the attraction. But that's just speculation.). If Indy went into the Studios, this might rule out a "cave" attraction or GMR redo there anytime soon (AK and World Showcase beg attention too much to put two big "e" tickets into the Studios).

With hotels already overbuilt, I don't expect to see a Venetian (or maybe anything else hotel-wise) for a while either, unless it is part of a DVC development (need to do something with the mothballed Pop Century buildings first). There have been persistent rumors of a monorail DVC resort (sometimes at or adjacent to the Contemporary); the Venetian could fulfill this role, but is there a practical solution for the land ("won't support the construction") on which the Venetian was to be built?

 

[LeftCoaster]

Gotta bring my favorite DL rumor into this one.
The giant sink hole in Tomorrowland that is going to cause the Matterhorn to fall over.

 

[Sarangel]

The one thing I can speak to is the AK Beastly Kingdom rumor. I had a friend who (used to) work in imagineering and was part of the core team for AK. Beastly Kingdom has been worked on fairly consistently, but keeps being denied funding. There were a couple of times I had been told the project had been green lit, only to hear a couple of weeks or months later that the plug had been pulled.

I'm sure this kind of back and forth is what keeps bringing this particular rumor (and maybe some of the others) back into the limelight.

Sarangel

 

[mochabean]

I gotta add to the rumor list:

The monorail being extended to (insert hotel name here)
(Usually Swan & Dolphin, coupled with the rumors about the big dark area as the potential monorail station)

 

[laceemouse]

The one I really hate to see the most is the SSE roller coaster ride (I'm guessing this would be part of Projest Gemini?) I think they would be wise to add to AK and MGM before messing with EPCOT, as many people consider those half-day parks. We love both of those and spend a good full day there, but we are not thrill junkies. I feel that they should add thrill rides without taking away the shows, dark rides, and ect. that whole families can enjoy together. We lived in the DC area several years ago when they were talking about an American History park there. The locals DID NOT want it, I always heard that is why it died. My vote for another park would be US/ American History themed, with thrills, shows, dark rides, and ALL! I can't imagine they would ever do anything in any other states, California and Florida have the best year round weather (barring hurricanes....YIKES!!!)

 

[rocketriter]

Then there was the announcement of Disney's America in VA

Disney didn't fumble this one. They got clobbered by a combination of NIMBY local interests and historical preservationists.

 

[jlima]

Jim Hill's website currently has info re. the DL 20000 leagues lagoon being turned into a Nemo/Tank Gang attraction. While I like this idea I will believe it when I see it. However this rumor seems more believable esp with the photos of the resurrected submarines!

 

[ddank]

Originally posted by MitchK
Do you really think they will build an Indiana Jones ride? Who even cares about Indiana Jones any more? When was the last time there was a new Indiana movie?

 

[seashoreCM]

Originally posted by rocketriter
Disney didn't fumble this one. They got clobbered by a combination of NIMBY local interests and historical preservationists.

Disneyland was there before most of the locals arrived.

WDW has its entrances directly onto freeways so local streets are not clogged by park guests who are not shopping or staying locally.

The proposed Disney Virginia location (?)

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[laceemouse]

Seeing that the Living Seas area at EPCOT is already being turned into a Nemo attraction, I have doubts about the 20,000 Leagues spot being also dedicated to this movie. If you are talking about Disneyland, I thought they were reviving the submarines there to get them running again. I wish it would be some type of underwater ride at WDW, but I doubt it. As far the Virginia project, the locals just did not want the crowds and commercialism of a Disney park, I don't know exactly where it was supposed to be, but the area is pretty crowded so you would have to go FAR out from DC to find enough land for a project of any size.

 

[paulh]

doubt that monoraill will go to swan as its not a disney owend hotel

 

[Minnie&Nana]

There is an Indiana Jones attraction at Disneyland in Adventureland. I'ce been on it once - not a thrill ride fan. Here's a description:

"Brave the wrath of Mara as you ride your jungle transport through the legendary lost temple in search of mystical powers. Be on the lookout for ancient pitfalls like poisonous darts, screaming mummies and the Cavern of Bubbling Death-your survival depends on it'

It is listed as "Thrill" . Certainly thrilling for me!! It's kind of the same idea as DINOSAUR at the AK.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by BaciBecky
There is an Indiana Jones attraction at Disneyland in Adventureland. I'ce been on it once - not a thrill ride fan. Here's a description:

"Brave the wrath of Mara as you ride your jungle transport through the legendary lost temple in search of mystical powers. Be on the lookout for ancient pitfalls like poisonous darts, screaming mummies and the Cavern of Bubbling Death-your survival depends on it'

It is listed as "Thrill" . Certainly thrilling for me!! It's kind of the same idea as DINOSAUR at the AK.

Thats the Temple of the Forbidden Eye (vastly superior to Dinosaur, but same ride system). The rumor on my list refers to moving it or something like it out to MGM at WDW.