Walt Disney Co. has released a truckload of attractions updates, including ride details, timelines, storylines, renderings, animatronic developments, character returns and even the desire to bring new life to its long-lethargic Yeti.
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The news affects all four Walt Disney World theme parks, and they were part of a two-hour-plus reveal staged at the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and featuring many actors and Imagineers.
Tropical topics
Names were revealed for rides in the under-construction Tropical Americas section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The former Dinosaur attraction is becoming Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent; the “Encanto” ride that’s based on the movie’s living casita will be known as Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto; and the carousel featuring 22 hand-carved animals is named El Carrusel de los Animalitos.
The Indiana Jones ride will have an animatronic version of the title character using, for the first time, Harrison Ford as the model, as well as a giant serpent animatronic.
“We’re going to explore an ancient Mayan temple with Indy, and we’re going to learn all about Mayan culture and how it connects to nature,” Imagineer Chris Beatty said.
Its story is set in the 1950s, he said, incorporating a portal to the Mayan underworld. Something slithering suddenly goes wrong.
“This thing turns into an all-out chase to escape before time runs out,” Beatty said. “We will face all sorts of dangers, like monstrous bats, larger-than-life scorpions, fire, flame and, of course, snakes.”
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Fiesta de Encanto will be the “quintessential classic Disney attraction,” said Michael Hundgen, vice president creative, Walt Disney World portfolio, with Walt Disney Imagineering. It’s a family-friendly dark ride with no height requirement. Voice actors from the film have recorded new lines for the attraction.
“What’s great about this attraction is Casita has assembled all these different pieces of furniture, sofas and chairs and even a piano and combined them to take us through the house and it’s going to feel alive,” Beatty said. “It’s going to react like a character itself as we go from room to room and really express everything that’s happening around you.”
Moving at Magic Kingdom
Multiple major projects are under construction at Magic Kingdom with heavy machinery in place where Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America were. It’s very evident to park guests.
“We call this Imagineering in the round,” Hundgen joked.
In the new “Cars” area of Frontierland, one ride will be called Ridge Run Rally. The route will race up a snow-capped mountain before returning to Piston Peak.
“It’s going to be a series of camelback humps, and it was a little bouncy on the way up. It’s going to be really bouncy on the way down,” Imagineer Jason Grandt said.
The ride builds to a run through a geyser field.
“These geysers are going to chase you all the way to our largest geyser, one that we call Old Tankful” Grandt said.
A second “Cars” attraction will be called Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin Along.
“She takes center stage as a huge school bus-sized animatronic, hosting her wildest demolition derby yet,” Hundgen said.
Nearby, the new land dedicated to villains will be called Villains Land, following the land-based naming convention that dominates Magic Kingdom.
“Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one,” said Bruce Vaughn, president and chief creative officer at WDI.
Two attractions there will be a Maleficent-themed coaster and one that goes into the catacombs of the Evil Queen’s palace.
“Here you’ll come face-to-face with the Magic Mirror as he calls you to see things from his unique perspective on the other side of the glass,” Vaughn said. “Once you’re in this mirror realm, through a mix of special effects and incredible physical set pieces, you’ll be mesmerized by a whole array of your favorite fearsome Disney villains.”
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The size and immersion level of Villains Land was said to be comparable to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Monster mash-up
Disney officials said parts of Monstropolis, the land based on “Monsters, Inc.” characters coming to Hollywood Studios, will open in 2027. That will include the “Welcome to Monstropolis” show in the Glob Theater (former home of MuppetVision), a quick-service restaurant named Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza and Harryhausen’s restaurant, which will feature an animatronic of the sushi chef character.
Not on the 2027 opening list was the planned roller coaster, which will be door-themed and debuting later.
Epcot’s Spaceship Earth could be turned into TV show
Re-imagination station
Imagineers announced an update to Spaceship Earth, Epcot’s iconic big-ball attraction.
“Today, Spaceship Earth focuses on the story of human communication,” said Ali Rubinstein, WDI’s senior vice president global creative and development studios. “We’re broadening that. Our new version of Spaceship Earth will be about human connection.”
Details were thin, but “new magic” was promised for every scene, and the ride will remain a journey through time.
The attraction has not been updated since 2007, although an update was announced in 2019 but confirmed as “paused” amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Fresh renderings were presented for the previously announced update of Magic Kingdom’s Carousel of Progress, and the voices for the parental figures of the show were revealed. The through-the-years characters will be voiced by Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston.
Disney also got slightly more specific about the ride’s return date. Expect the spin to begin again in spring of ‘27.
Charater studies
A resurgence of two characters was presented by Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences..
“We’re bringing the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” he said, without details on timeline or technique.
The gigantic animatronic seen in a climatic scene of the coaster has not operated as planned since soon after the ride debuted in 2006. The fix has been a strobing light effect used as trains speed by in an attempt to simulate motion of the beast. This earned the figure its Disco Yeti nickname.
And that prompted a D23 appearance by Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive.”
Disney fans dismayed with ‘Disco Yeti’ in Expedition Everest ride
The session ended with Mazloum’s announcing the return of Dreamfinder, the top-hatted character paired with Figment. He’s been MIA at the park, for the most park, since the ’90s. Details, again, were not forthcoming.
“We are taking a new Journey into Imagination at Epcot with Figment and Dreamfinder,” he said. “I’m so happy to tell you this. We know how important this is to you. We heard you, and this is one more way we are putting you, all of you,in the center of everything we do.”
The entire program, including entertainment and announcements affecting Disney’s international parks and Disney Cruise Line, is available on Disney+ streaming service.
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