Animal Kingdom Update: AVATAR Work Continues (Part 2)
Welcome to the second part of our newest Disney's Animal Kingdom photo-report, OTPN Readers. Be sure to also check PART 1 by clicking on this link.
In the previous part of this update, we took a look around Discovery Island, focusing specifically on the expansion of the two largest stores located on either side of the island, Pizzafari, and more. Let's continue to walk around this area, and then we will move on to Africa and DinoLand. There's still more to see...
Moving on:
Minor work is being done on one of the animal viewing areas:
Walls around the Allergy Kiosk came down just recently. It now has a new color scheme:
A double fence was installed near the Daisy Duck greeting area:
There she is, by the way!:
Entering Africa:
Walls around the Allergy Kiosk came down just recently. It now has a new color scheme:
A double fence was installed near the Daisy Duck greeting area:
There she is, by the way!:
Entering Africa:
Newer "advertisements" were attached to Harambe's welcome sign:
Harambe:
Work on the new hyena exhibit continues inside Kilimanjaro Safaris:
The Harambe Market:
Dino-Rama:
Primeval Whirl is currently closed for refurbishment:
The entire ride is covered in scaffolding:
A side view of the attraction:
Sue the T-Rex thanks you for visiting the park with us!:
And that is all for now. Before concluding, remember to like us on our official Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for live updates from the parks. If you would like to make a donation to OTPN, feel free to use the "DONATE" button found on the sidebar. Thank you for your support, and see you again soon.
thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh no, Not Primeval Whirl!
ReplyDeleteWherever shall we ride a cheaply made carnival ride elsewhere other than Disney World?
Thank you for the update!
ReplyDeleteTo Anon above: Take note Primeval Whirl was designed to look like a cheap carnival ride, to match the entire area. Joe Rhode has attested to the time and expense put into this area to make it seem to be what it successfully has fooled you and many others into believing: it's a cheap side of the road carnival. That Primeval Whirl ride is a far cry from a carny ride in cost, and safety.
The whole dino-land, carnival esque approach to the area represents me the height of Disney's 'backstory' absurdity. They've spent a lot of effort over the years explaining the precious backstory, and this is because on the surface - the tangible experience the guests have - is pretty lackluster.
ReplyDeleteThere are examples of where Disney has too deeply believe its own b.s. and placed too much importance on backstory when all the visitor really wants is a good ride/attraction that is somewhat different than what's offered down the road.
Its a big chunk of land there in AK this area occupies, and I'm not the only one that thinks there are more integrative and entertaining opportunities - IF Disney would abandon its manufactured cheap carnival atmospherics.
The Imagineers actually have quite the cute backstory for Chester and Hester's Dinorama area. In that story, a married couple named Chester and Hester are the owners of a sleepy gas station on the edge of a highway. Dinosaur fossils were then discovered nearby (The Boneyard) which attracted paleontologists from all around the country. To take advantage of the new visitors, the couple took over the nearby restaurant (Restaurantosaurus) and transformed their gas station into a gift shop. Eventually, the Dino Institute (DINOSAUR!) was built and began offering prehistoric time-traveling tours. So Chester and Hester decided to profit off that idea, by building their own time-traveling attraction in the form of Primeval Whirl—which has the exact same concept as DINOSAUR, but brought to life at a cheaper, carny-level. That's the whole reasoning behind the tourist-trap look and feel of that area, which I personally adore because of its backstory and the Imagineers' execution of it.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of the backstory, the whole areas cheapens the look and feel against the rest of the high quality theming elsewhere in the park.
ReplyDeleteLets hope that Pixar's new movie 'the good dinosaur' is a huge success on the level of Frozen (I can hope:-) then they have the perfect area for a decent retheme.
I love Fun Spot..I mean Dino-land. Sorry, but the coaster is a cheap one and you can ride it with no wait at many smaller amusement parks/carnivals. It's supposed to look like that, then don't charge me so much for a ticket and call it an "attraction".
ReplyDeleteNo, the look of Dino-land does NOT cheapen the look of the rest of the park, except in your opinion, obviously. It's a matter of taste and personal preference and all are welcome to their own.
ReplyDeleteI like Dino-land so much because it's not only incredibly witty and funny, but it's also joyfully colorful and visually inventive. It's a seamless delight and better for being in the context of the other lands of AK. Yes, the theming of Africa and Asia are miraculous, but Africa especially skews heavily to the romantic slum theme. Is all of real-world Africa really a decrepit, poverty-ridden, filthy slum? Many Americans would be surprised that it is not, but a successful theme is being expertly realized here in spite of how it may make some real visiting Africans feel. At the same time, it's quite bland, color-wise, unlike the majority of real Africa. Apparently the shops on Discovery Island are also becoming more brown and beige to fit in with contemporary design trends and the tastes of the majority of guests.
On the other hand, while the traditional areas of AK are wonderful, I think the imagineers correctly understood they need some relief and some "lightening" of mood. Dino-land is the perfect contrast. The rides are cheap? If you want to call the world's most expensive wild mouse ride cheap then go ahead. Imagine how much the custom theming cost. I can't imagine a less off-the-shelf-looking coaster. It's unique and iconic. Making the theme the extinction of dinosaurs continues to blow my mind. And I'm glad Primeval Whirl is a good ride for younger kids since AK is not exclusively for adults. There is a good thrill coaster elsewhere in the park as we know.
I don't expect the anti-Dino-land bullies to stop the routine rant across the many Disney websites every time the place is mentioned, but I do want say that they can't "make" the place disappear just because they scream the loudest and make insults. Joe Rhode has successfully defended the concept all these years and will likely continue to do so. I hope. IMHO if you really think that Dino-land ruins the other 90% of the park then please only visit parks that provide 100% satisfaction. Which would be too bad because there are so many more good things to come at AK.
To those who think Primeval Whirl is not a carny ride. The exact same ride exists at Coney Island, just not themed to dinosaurs. And trust me, that park is full of carny rides.
ReplyDeleteIt is a carny ride. And a bad one.
And the "carny themed" area of the park is flat out awful. It needs to go.
World's most expensive wild mouse? They use to have the same exact ride, just without the theming at Cypress Gardens with the same exact track layout. Expensive? Maybe because there are 2 sides? It's a carny ride that Disney approved. I do agree about the theming of Dino-land, the Animal Kingdom def needs the color, the light hearted, happiness.. I personally love the area, but please don't make the rides more than what they are. It's supposed to be a carnival area, and that's what they area, carnival rides.
ReplyDeleteI happen to enjoy Primevil Whirl... Yes, it's a carny ride, but carny rides are fun. And it takes about 10 minutes to ride it three times. I was pretty sad that it was closed when I went last week.
ReplyDeleteIts odd how we I am lectured that my is only my opinion (who knew?) but then because my opinion is contrary to yours I'm called one of a cadre of "anti-Dino-land bullies" and of course encouraged to go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteDisney had, still has, a great opportunity to take what has become a quasi-mythical epoch of dinosaur existence - dinosaurs being the largest known beasts of the 'animal kingdom' to ever walk the planet - Disney has an opportunity to create an environment far beyond cheap look alike, Route 66 roadside style 'attractions.'
When a visitor says "The place is cheap, I'm not interested." When that visitor has perceived the area _exactly as intended_ and is criticized for their perception, and is met with "You Don't Understand! Its supposed to be that way!"... somebody's off their little dino-rocker.
Little Dino-rocker - haha, I like that! :-)
ReplyDelete