Walt Disney World Disney's Animal Kingdom Discussion Thread

^I think "Fire Mountain" was somewhat similar to Dragon's Tower, but was supposed to be their tie in after Reign of Fire came out. Of course, that didn't do so well, and thus Beastly Kingdom is still shrouded in mist. Hopefully soon Disney will realize how great an idea this would have been, just look at what Everest did for the park.

Thanks for sharing the link to that article, Barry. Good stuff, very similar to the stuff Joe Rohde told me himself during dinner before catching the Blue Man Group a few weeks ago during a super sneak preview.

Has any one ever heard of the rumor that DD at IOA was originally meant to be for AK but when Disney scraped the beastly kingdom they sold it to universal?

This is something I have always wounded about if there was any thought behind it.

^ Not really, but there's a little truth in there. Read this:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/mark/mg041013.htm

I don't what similarities there are between our Dragon Tower ride and the Islands of Adventure Dueling Dragons ride because I've never seen it. But I can tell you that there were definitely a few people (I won't say who) who worked closely with us who went over to Universal soon after our project got shelved. Either they were let go, or they left for a better offer. I have no idea if they used any of our concepts or not.

So basically after the Dragon Tower ride was canned, some Imagineers who got fired ended up at Universal, and they made DD.

I thought once I heard that the Dragon Mountain coaster was supposed to be some hybrid that changed from inverted to above the track. Can anybody elaborate on that?

On a side note:

I thought the boat tours had closed...

(see below)

(look down the river)

I thought once I heard that the Dragon Mountain coaster was supposed to be some hybrid that changed from inverted to above the track. Can anybody elaborate on that?

 

On a side note:

I thought the boat tours had closed...

(see below)

Yeah, I'm also interested in the inverted/floorless system for the coaster. It really sounded interesting.

To answer your second question, yes the boat ride closed in '99 I believe. Does the flame continue to shoot out from the cave? That would be seriously funny if true.

What's with closed boat tours in the Florida parks? Animal Kingdom, Islands of Adventure, and Magic Kingdom (around the castle) all had them and they're all gone.

BOO!

I heard that the boat around the lagoon at IOA was supposed to be just a boat tour but too many people used it as a means to get from one side of the park to the other.

I don't ever remember the boat tour at AK, any ideas why it was scrapped?

And finally the Dragons rumours were mentioned on Wikipedia:

Link

If you scroll down to the Trivia section the first one talks about the dragons and the links with IOA.

This rumor always surfaces once in a while. The last time I heard it make a profound impact was back in 2002 when Disney released the box-office bomb Reign of Fire, which was a movie about dragons. If the movie were successful at box offices, Beastly Kingdom would have sort of come back.

But then again, a rumors a rumor. And its always interesting once in a while to look back at one of the more mysterious rumors.

^I think "Fire Mountain" was somewhat similar to Dragon's Tower, but was supposed to be their tie in after Reign of Fire came out.

Just for clarity's sake, Dragon Tower was the Reign of Fire tie-in to be built in Beastly Kingdom. Fire Mountain was going to be a Magic Kingdom attraction (in Adventureland.)

I don't ever remember the boat tour at AK, any ideas why it was scrapped?

The boat tour as scrapped because it was boring. It was basically a 5 minute boat ride to nowhere. You saw geysers in the Africa area and a big dino in the Dinoland USA area, but that's it. The CMs did show the riders bugs like scorpions and spiders in plastic cages. You didn't see much else except for trees, rocks, and water.

 

On a side note:

I thought the boat tours had closed...

(see below)

They still use the boats for characters to ride on

Dragon Tower was supposed to be an indoor stand up coaster where the bats had a plan to get rid of a dragon who had taken over the castle. BK would be divided in two parts, good and evil. On the good side, there would be a hedge maze called Quest for the Unicorn.

I would expect the BK rumors to begin flying around again now that Universal has stepped up and decided to make the HP Land.

Wow....it's pretty interesting to see the differences in people's details of Beastly Kingdom. (or Beastlie Kingdomme, from what I understand. Something about medieval spelling.)

From what I've heard, the land was supposed to be divided in two, good and evil, as previously stated. The Quest for the Unicorn maze was to be the star attraction of the "good" side, whereas Dragon's Tower, an inverted coaster, would dominate the "evil" side.

The storyline I remember for Dragon's Tower was that you were going to help the bats take the treasure from the dragon who guarded it. The train seats would look like melted cauldrons, and bats would be above, carrying you. During the ride you would come face to face with a large, jewel wearing dragon, and launch out. After which you would go through typical roller coaster elements, of course with theming.

I thought once I heard that the Dragon Mountain coaster was supposed to be some hybrid that changed from inverted to above the track. Can anybody elaborate on that?

1. I'll elaborate on that. That's silly and impracticable, if not altogether impossible. Jim Hill talked about 'Fire Mountain' at MK having those capabilities... but in reverse order... and equally retarded. Read below.

2. Jim Hill is boss. Read further.

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2000/12/31/310.aspx

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2000/12/31/311.aspx

3. If it weren't for park hopper passes, no one would visit AK. It's still on phase 1 (perhaps 1.1 with the addition of Exped Everest).

4. I need to reiterate how cool Jim Hill is, and how he loves to take a dump on Eisner.

5. I think its pretty clear with the popularity (or lack of) of Lost Continent with the average guest that this will never built.

Has any one ever heard of the rumor that DD at IOA was originally meant to be for AK but when Disney scraped the beastly kingdom they sold it to universal?

 

This is something I have always wounded about if there was any thought behind it.

Disney had designed, but was not yet built, Dueling Dragons, but they got rid of the idea. So Universal asked B&M about the design and B&M built it for Universal in the new park.

Disney had designed, but was not yet built, Dueling Dragons, but they got rid of the idea. So Universal asked B&M about the design and B&M built it for Universal in the new park.

No, that's not correct. Imagineers had designed a suspended/inverted coaster themed around a dragon. The project was canceled. Some Imagineers who worked on the project were laid off. Universal hired those people to work on new rides for IOA, and they ended up resurrecting the idea of a dragon themed coaster, which then turned into the concept for Dueling Dragons.

B&M never had anything to do with the Disney coaster.

B&M never had anything to do with the Disney coaster.

Disney will probably never even build a B&M for that matter.

I wonder what they would have used... Vekoma? I'm sure that would've been a winner with the crowds.

But isn't Kumali supposedly smooth?

***

Dinosaur ate Dragon.

Has any one ever heard of the rumor that DD at IOA was originally meant to be for AK but when Disney scraped the beastly kingdom they sold it to universal?

 

This is something I have always wounded about if there was any thought behind it.

Yes, I heard this rumor a few times.

^

See ^4 (Wes...)

He's got the right answer for sure.

I remember the whole thing having to do with "bats and cauldrons" too? The bats of course bieng the inverted suspended frames for the cauldron 'seats.' And a 'backstory' about the bats gathering gold for the dragon...?

Might of been very nifty if they went through with it, hmmm? In any form "of the above," heh heh.

Wow...I actually never noticed that!

 

--Robb "Shows you how much I pay attention to this park..." Alvey

Yes, Who would have thought that there was a "DRAGON" in the Animal Kingdom logo ? Well I defiantly learned one new thing today as I didn't really pay attention in class !

If you think about the fact that Beastlie Kingdomme was concepted back in 1992 before B&M ever came out with their inverted design, plus the fact that the train design was 'half-melted cauldrons being held by a bat above' you can pretty much assume it was just a simple suspended coaster, much like Big Bad Wolf. At least that's what I think of when I think of a cauldron/bucket, the standard suspended trains. More than likely Vekoma would have made it, otherwise look to Arrow.

From what I've heard, B&M isn't too willing to budge on their say of the ride they design and build, whereas Disney likes to have total control and claim everything as their own, whether they made it or not. Think about it, do you see little Zamperla plaques on Aladdin's Magic Carpets, or Vekoma signs of quality on Rock 'n' Rollercoaster??

I thought Id share them with everyone. I have these because my Dads an insurance ajuster and went and worked a claim there before it opened. Here they are!

Ill try to get better pictures of them later.

Last one

Another

Overview

Thanks for sharing those with me. I always wondered what a theme park blue prints look like. (Those weren't blue however, lol)

Thanks!

My Dad was going through his office and gave it to me. Im going to have it framed and hang them in my room.