I was sitting in about the sixth row of the Honda Center two years ago when the then Chairman of Disney Experiences, who in about three weeks will become the CEO of Disney, Josh D’Amaro, pulled the classic “one more thing” move during the D23 Parks Panel. His one more thing blew the roof off the arena when he announced that a new land, dedicated entirely to Disney Villains, would be coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Yet, while many of the new attractions and lands announced that same night have seen construction begin, Villains Land has remained elusive. Part of the reason for that, it turns out, according to rumors, is that the original plan for the land has been thrown out. Apparently, D’Amaro is asking for something grander. Based on new details, it looks like he may get it.
Villains Land Rumored To Include An Emperor’s New Groove Coaster And A Maleficent Water Ride
Touring Plans’ Len Testa claimed a couple of weeks ago that plans for Villains Land had been completely thrown out and Walt Disney Imagineering had been tasked with reimagining the land. Most interestingly, it was said that what any of these ideas would cost should not be a consideration. Make something great, don’t worry about the money.
A new report from The Wrap outlines what has transpired in the time since that edict was made, and it certainly looks like the Imagineers took it to heart, as what they have put together (which could still change) sounds impressive...and expensive.
The original concept art for Villains Land showed us a roller coaster surrounded by thorns, indicating a Sleeping Beauty attraction where Maleficent would play a major role. That ride has been rethought as something a bit more fun, an Emperor’s New Groove coaster, which is perfect, considering an actual roller coaster appears in the film.
Maleficent will still have her part in the new Villains Land, according to a report. A water ride, based on the same platform as Shanghai Disneyland’s popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, is also in the planning stages. The same ride system is also reportedly being used for a planned Avatar ride at Disneyland Resort, so this would give both coasts a way to experience the highly touted attraction design.
As a lover of Disney food, however, the item that has me the most excited has to be the planned inclusion of a Hades-themed Dinner show. It's described as something akin to the Golden Horeshow Revue, but as a full-service dining experience with a prix fixe menu. We were originally supposed to get something like that in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge before it was seemingly cut to be used in the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.
A third attraction, some sort of flat ride, on par with Dumbo, is also reportedly going to be included. And of course, plenty of Disney Villain characters will be wandering the land to interact with guests.
How Disney Plans To Pay For It All
All of this sounds incredible, but it does also sound like one of the more expensive endeavors we’ve seen Disney undertake in a long time. We know Disney is planning to invest $60 billion in its Experiences division over the next decade, but I didn’t think they were planning to spend it all here.
However, there does appear to be a method to this madness. The Maleficent attraction specifically is being eyed as a place to offer the Lightning Lane Single Pass, a line-skipping option that can cost Disney World guests as much as $35 per person to skip the line. One imagines the top-end price will be even higher by the time this land opens. The feeling is that the attraction needs to be big, as it needs to be able to justify that price in the eyes of guests.
While this redesign will likely push back the date that Villains Land was planned to open, it has to be music to the ears of fans. Too often, we've seen amazing blue sky concepts curtailed when it was decided that money needed to be saved. It's not like these projects won't ultimately be paid for, as guests have not stopped flooding Disney World, regardless of how much the price goes up. If Villains Land truly is the best of what Walt Disney Imagineering can do, no matter the cost, it could be something truly wonderful.
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