WDW News & Rumors: Epcot Signature Dining, Indiana Jones Adventure & Dinoland Changes
It’s time for another round-up of the latest Walt Disney World news and rumors. This time, we have the latest on an Indiana Jones attraction coming to Dinoland (and other variants of that rumor that include it going to Disney’s Hollywood Studios or a new roller coaster in Dino-Rama unrelated to Indiana Jones), plus the latest on Coco in Mexico at Epcot.
Before the rumors, we’ll start with the one piece of confirmed news. A new Signature Restaurant coming to the Japan pavilion in World Showcase at Epcot. Oddly enough, this news was dropped halfway through a weekend round-up food post on the Disney Parks Blog, so it has sort of flown under the radar. We consider it fairly significant news.
Per Disney, this will be an all-new table service restaurant will be coming to the Japan Pavilion in World Showcase, inspired by the natural beauty of Japan. The restaurant’s setting will draw from both nature and takumi, which means “artisan” in Japanese. It will highlight the relationship between Japanese craftsmanship and the natural world in the design of the restaurant. As with Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining, this new restaurant will be operated by Mitsukoshi USA.
This is partial confirmation of a previous WDWNT rumor. If that is accurate, this restaurant will be located on the first floor of the Mitsukoshi department store, taking over a small amount of existing floor space plus merchandise storage and backstage facilities. That rumor stated that the restaurant would be a steakhouse, with rooms themed to classical Japanese elements, among other things.
Although we wouldn’t bet against a steakhouse serving wagyu beef at exorbitant prices, Disney’s description of the restaurant sounds almost like a kaiseki experience. Kaiseki cuisine features a multi-course meal chosen by the chef to highlight seasonal themes and natural ingredients, with an emphasis on meticulous preparation and elegant presentation. (This would also make sense given the intimate size of the venue.)
We’ve done a couple of kaiseki dining experiences in Japan, and they were a veritable feast for the senses–all of them. The nuanced and refined nature of kaiseki makes it an unlikely fit for an in-park experience at Walt Disney World (which is why we probably should look past the PR fluff and assume this is a pricey wagyu restaurant), but it’s possible Disney could do a modern, Americanized take on kaiseki that would be an incredible addition to World Showcase.
This isn’t to say a wagyu steakhouse would be a poor addition to World Showcase–it’s just that there are already several of those in the Epcot area. Kaiseki would just be something totally different, and a concept very few places in the United States are equipped to pull off (Epcot being one of them). With more and more convention business in Epcot, it seems like there would be a market for this. Either way, don’t expect this Signature Restaurant to be on the Disney Dining Plan.
It’s 100% wishful thinking and not rumor, but I hope this means Disney and Mitsukoshi have entered into negotiations about future World Showcase expansion. We’d really love to see the Shinkansen simulator or Mount Fuji coaster come to the pavilion. Or even just a “simple” travelogue in the White Egret Castle show building that was built for Meet the World. (You can get a look at the blueprints here—the second image is the theater.)
We’ll go from confirmed to far-flung rumor: that Indiana Jones Adventure is replacing DINOSAUR, and the whole land will be re-themed to South America. We first shared this rumor last year and deemed it implausible. Well, it has resurfaced and is being treated not only as credible, but a transition that could start to occur as soon as 2019.
WDWThemeParks has a timeline of the evolution of this rumor, along with a round-up of what credible insiders have had to say about it. Most of that timeline is distilled from this thread on WDWMagic. One version of the rumor also includes a roller coaster replacing much of Dino-Rama, which seems like the more plausible scenario to me.
As for Indiana Jones Adventure, while this rumor has been corroborated by reliable insiders and its details seem like they’re starting to congeal, it still sounds to me as if it’s not such a sure thing. Previously (and perhaps still?), Indiana Jones Adventure replacing DINOSAUR was one of several competing concepts being pitched.
Over the course of the last several months, this rumor has bounced between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, with another variant that it’d be a new Indiana Jones attraction utilizing Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle of the Shrunken Treasure ride system. (An awesome ride system…but a really, really expensive one!)
Even though insiders are lending credence to it, I’m still firmly in the “I’ll believe it when I see it” camp on converting DINOSAUR to Indiana Jones Adventure. The work necessary to add scenes, effects, etc. would be costly, and some changes would need to be made given the space constraints of the DINOSAUR show building. This would not be a simple overlay, and would be quite costly and time-consuming to make happen.
Given that DINOSAUR is still a fairly popular attraction, I have a hard time seeing what the upside would be to re-skinning it. Then again, I would’ve said the same thing a couple of years ago if someone told me Disney was contemplating a re-skinning of Tower of Terror at DCA. Maybe the bump coupled with the synergy would be worth it?
Personally, I think Animal Kingdom has bigger issues to address, and needs some outright expansion to fill holes in its attraction roster. What I could see happening is Dino-Rama and the Boneyard area receiving extensive place-making, perhaps with the long-rumored Excavator coaster being added as a replacement for much of Dino-Rama.
What I do believe is that Dino-Rama’s future is uncertain. Donald’s Dino-Bash is expected to be a “permanent” addition, and I could see other changes in that area to try to up its capacity and generate guest interest. Really, what does Imagineering have to lose? Even a thematically-incongruous patchwork approach of additions to Dino-Rama wouldn’t be worse than what’s there now.
I guess time will tell, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on anything major happening at Animal Kingdom in the next couple of years. I think we’ll see a bunch of Band-Aids while Walt Disney World focuses on the more urgent needs of other parks.
Finally, an update to the rumor we covered a couple of times last year that Gran Fiesta Tour would be re-tooled to feature characters from Coco and “Dia de los Muertos.” The project was expected to be similar in scope to the addition of the Three Caballeros to the attraction a few years ago, and it was contingent upon box office results of the film.
Apparently, those results were not good enough. Recent updates to this suggest that the rumor has fizzled out, with changes to Gran Fiesta Tour now being unlikely. While we absolutely loved Coco and would be on board with this overlay, we also like the current incarnation of the attraction, and are fine with it staying. As we’re on the cusp of a lot of big projects in Epcot, perhaps it’s for the best if nothing happens here. There are bigger fish to fry in the park.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of these news & rumors? Are you interested in the new Signature Restaurant in Japan at Epcot? Thoughts on Indiana Jones Adventure replacing Dinoland, or a roller coaster being added there? Would you trade Gran Fiesta Tour for a Coco attraction in Epcot? Any questions about anything else? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments!
I always thought that, while Animal Kingdom needs a South America, it should be located in the space east of the train, as an alternate connection up to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Maybe add a modified version of Big Grizzly Mountain (keep the launch but get rid of the backwards part since Everest already does that), build a rainforest canopy climbing playground like the one in Shanghai, and maybe do some sort of Amazon River adventure or nature trail, complete with Aztec ruins. As cool as it would be to have an Indy in Florida, it doesn’t really make all that much sense in DAK, even despite the fact that Disney hasn’t exactly been strict about sticking to the theme in their parks recently.
The Indiana Jones attraction at Disneyland is amazing, and I’d love to ride it more. However, I don’t believe removing DINOSAUR makes much sense. It’s still a cool attraction and draws decent crowds. My hope would be to remove Dino-rama and replace it with something that’s not an off-the-shelf ride. Like you mention, it could be almost anything and improve it.
I’ve heard recently on The Disney Dish that Coco might be back on at Mexico because of strong foreign box office and DVD/Blu-ray sales. I’d love to see it, as it does fit well inside that pavilion.
I want an awesome dinosaur-themed area with realistic-looking dinosaurs (feathers and all). I want animatronic brachiosaurus heads poking above the trees in the distance eating leaves and artificial vegetation with the degree of detail seen in Pandora. I want to meet a life-size animatronic triceratops or, better yet, parasuaralophus.
I also want a South America area, and I’d love for a North America area like Grizzly Peak over at DCA, just without a second raft ride.
I agree with everything you’ve said; I will say it bothers me that with all the detail and specific dinosaurs you’ve included, you’ve got no love for the plesiosaurus?!?! 😉
That’s my all-time favorite dinosaur, and I think it would be so cool to have a faux underwater observatory with a parasuaralophus swimming around (think the Dragon Lair at Disneyland Paris combined with water effects of 20,000 Leagues) for people to watch. That’d be mind-blowing.
But… a plesiosaurus isn’t actually a dinosaur! So it can’t be your favorite dinosaur! 😀
It’s a dinosaur in my heart, and that’s all that matters, Kevin. 😉
Yes to all this! I love the heads above he trees in the distance. I picture something like a mini Kilimanjaro safaris with animatronics, possibly being able to move on a track, appearing to walk around a bit. Ina more tropical atmosphere or something. I love the underwater idea Tom.
Kind of related, I wish they could bring back the river cruise ride, possibly encountering animatronic whales or orcas. But not in a fake exciting way, but in a more realistic safari kind of way.
I love animal kingdom.
The Indiana Jones Attraction at Disneyland is my favorite ride in any Disney Park EVER. please, please, please PLEASE bring this to WDW.
please?
I think it would make sense to add a South America theme over Dinoland. I love the idea of dinosaur theming, but the current incarnation is lacking in Disney creativity and immersion. Adding the theme of South America could add depth, realism, and some great dining potential! There are tons of dinosaur fossils that have been found in South America, so certain things like Dinosaur and the boneyard could easily stay and fit thematically with minor modifications. With the addition of the South America theme though, they could lose the carnival parts and boring off the rack rides and add something really cool like an Amazon River adventure or a forbidden temple dark ride. I would be excited to see the Dino theme and South America theme harmonize! I think it would really revitalize that area and create a more immersive, creative, Disney-esque experience that would blend well with the rest of the park.
While I truly enjoy walking around Animal Kingdom (the animal trails are great) and think it has really good non-ride attractions, without Dinosaur it would have only two rides worth anything: Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest (I’d throw in Kali River Rapids, too, but it’s sometimes really good and sometimes not so much). I’m apprehensive about Disney becoming too movie-fied. I don’t want to see an Indiana Jones anything. Throughout Disney, most of the best rides and attractions are not based on a movie. Kilimanjaro Safari, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Thunder Mountain, Everest, Dinosaur, Pirates (long before there was a movie), …you get my drift? These stand the test of time because they are not related to a current movie and are therefore not generation-dependent. (I’m still PO’d about losing Maelstrom to Frozen.) Some that are movie-based last because they are just so well done: Mickey’s Philharmagic, Monsters Inc, Star Tours, etc. Overall, though, I can live with Dino-Rama as it is for awhile if they keep Dinosaur. I’d much rather see them work on a return to the “edu-tainment” aspect of EPCOT (yes, it’s still all caps to me, and I wonder how many even remember what the name stands for?) before that whole part of the park becomes completely irrelevant. Enough with the movies, already!
The Dinosaur ride is based on the movie Dinosaur.
Really? Oh, I never knew that. It always just seemed like a good, generic dinosaur ride. Thanks for the info.
Not entirely accurate. It opened with the park in ’98 under the name “countdown to extinction”. Then the movie came out a few years later and Eisner wanted to use the ride as a promotion mechanism. So it got renamed and the lightest of attempts was made to incorporate the movie into the ride with one or two characters being shoe horned in. By and large the two are completely unrelated.
Indiana Jones Adventure is one of the best Disney attractions in the world, so I’m not sure this criticism is applicable to it. (Far superior to Mickey’s Philharmagic, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Star Tours.)
For me, it’s a question of whether it’s that much better than DINOSAUR to make it worth the cost of conversion.
100% agree with your comment!
I would think an Indiana Jones Ride would be feasible as the new 5th Indiana Jones movie is supposed to come out in 2020 so they probably want to have that attraction around when all the new movie hype is at it’s peak! I really hope so as my son and I love Indiana Jones!
It sounds like this is in keeping with WDW’s advertising focus on small children (seen all the “disney firsts” promos on tv lately?). Dinosaur has a reputation for terrorizing kindergarteners whose parents don’t know what to expect, and Coco had my 5 year olds bawling (Why is his family so mean to him? Why did he run away, you should never run away? Is grandma a skeleton now?)
I think Indiana Jones Adventure is probably just as scary for kids.
LOL my son hated Coco for this reason too! He wasn’t afraid of the skeletons, he was upset that his family was being mean and not letting him play his guitar (but my son has a ukulele that he LOVES, so…) I do wish they would have some kind of Coco presence in the Mexico pavilion, even if it’s just a fake Rivera family storefront or something. (Or a real one, I would totally buy a pair of huaraches there!)
My son didn’t mind Dinosaur but it’s not a great ride. One and done for me personally. I think retheming the area to the Amazon would be a great idea. They were going for tongue-in-cheek tacky with Dinoland but just landed at tacky. And it’s unshaded and brutally hot even in October. I feel like Indiana Jones is a bit of a stale IP but if they’ve got a new movie coming out I can see them rolling the dice on it. I think so long as they did it in a way that was respectful of indigenous cultures, unlike some rides (*cough* Jungle Cruise *cough*) an Amazon theme could be awesome.
There is a sizable Coco presence right now in the Mexico Folk Art Gallery as you enter the main building. It made me wish the actual ride was based on Coco.
Just returned from our annual May trip to WDW. Visited Animal Kingdom twice (first time for that, primarily thanks to Pandora and FOP…what a ride!). Visited the Dino-Rama carnival area exactly zero times (same as every trip for that). The very first time I saw that area many, many years ago made me disappointed with Disney, as it felt like they didn’t have much budget left but needed to fill in this area with something, so hey…let’s put in something you can see at every amusement park in the US that doesn’t ring out “Disney” in any shape or form. Have never entered that area, and never will. I, too, like Dinosaur, but would be in favor of getting an IJA ride (in addition or as a replacement), especially if it followed the attraction experience of Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle of the Shrunken Treasure ride.
“…as it felt like they didn’t have much budget left but needed to fill in this area with something…”
That’s actually true, but there are also some stories about Imagineering spending a ridiculous amount on Dino-Rama for a carnival. So it was done on the cheap because the rest of DAK was over-budget, but it was still too expensive for what it is, if that makes sense.
Personally, I think they should have done the opposite: started with the Dinosaur land, and spent whatever budget was left on the rest of the park. 😉
Please WDW, do not “reskin” the Tower of Terror! This was my sentiment in a letter recently written to guest relations.
Yeah it has been there awhile and is predictable but the nature of the theme and the attention to detail is still just as fantastic!
Did you know they have the ventriloquist dummy Ceasure (sp?) from the creepy Twilight Zone episode in the basement area where the ride returns?!
I heard rumors of WDW building retro land to house all of the retired attractions. Heck, we still miss Food Rocks!!!
My husband and I miss Food Rocks, too! Took our son to see it when he was 6, then the 3 of us wanted to share the fun with our daughter 4 years later when she was 6, and it was gone!!! ????? Also both thrilled Maelstrom has been replaced by Frozen. Maelstrom was a kick butt ride!
My first visit to WDW was the year that it first opened and my family celebrated my 15 birthday there that fall. ObviouslyI have seen many changes over the years and I do expect ongoing changes. There are some things that I’ve seen pretty much disappear – like classic Disney characters. Children growing up now, who go to Disney parks will virtually not know iconic characters like Mickey & Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Lady & the Tramp, etc. except when they come out for meet & greets. Then you have Indiana Jones, which is quite dated – the attraction and Indiana Jones itself – and it’s still there. The Illustration aspect of Disney and behind the scenes and Catastrophe Canyon are gone from Hollywood Studios. You’d think they would keep those but update them. The last couple of years, I’ve become more and more bored with this park and go just for a few hours, eat at Prime Time and then head to Epcot to spend the rest of the day. Basically, I’m seeing less Disney in Disney parks and losing what Walt intended. Maybe rename Pixar World.
Mickey and friends are still a huge deal on Disney’s children’s networks. Kids very much know who they are still. Besides, Mickey and Minnie are getting their very own ride at Hollywood Studios!
Indiana Jones won’t be dated once the new movie comes out, so it makes sense to keep a presense in the parks that can be expanded on later. Also, Lucasfilm (creator of Indy) and Pixar are 100% Disney now and have been for years. They’re just as much Disney as Snow White was when Walt took her from the pages of an existing fairytale.
As for losing the “backlot” aspects of Hollywood Studios, I too am sad, but the park has to evolve, and both Disney and Universal are proof that the vast majority of regular guests aren’t interested in the “behind the scenes” anymore. They just want to walk into their favorite movies.
Today’s audience may only know Indiana Jones as an elderly man.
I was under the impression that the track layout was the same for Dinosaur and the Indian Jones adventure thus making the conversion much easier than you state.
The ride system is the same and there are a lot of commonalities in the track layout, but it’s not identical. The bigger issue for the purposes of a retheme is that the show buildings are different. Some scenes in IJA literally wouldn’t work in the existing building. My guess is those scenes would be modified or retooled rather than expanding the building. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d put money on elements of the current ride staying while elements of IJA are added (if it happens at all).
I would love Love LOVE to see an area at AK devoted to South America. It’s a natural with awesome birds and animals. But, personally, I’d take anything over Dino-land. Ithat area is so far below Disney it just blows my mind. It was a cheap way to add some attractions to draw in more people but not really in the theme of the other parts of AK.
The only thing that makes me sad about adding the new restaurant to Japan at Epcot is if they take away part of the best shopping area in the world showcase. Good for adults and kids.
I’d also love South America; I just wish we could have an awesome Dinosaur land and awesome South America land.
I really don’t think the restaurant will take up much floor space in the department store. If the leaked info is correct, it’s like 95% backstage/storage space.
Shinkansen simulator would by definition not be a motion simulation. High speed trains are known for not feeling the cabin. Steady as you go. You can balance glassware unless something goes terribly wrong (see Mission Impossible) but that’s something I doubt they will approach. The Mount Fuji coaster would be a better choice.
The best reason to replace Dinosaur for Indy is popularity. Dino is just not doing it. Doing an entire Indy land makes sense. It’s a great way to incorporate snakes, insects, and hostile natives into Animal Kingdom.
There’s a Shinkansen simulator at the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya, Japan. It’s really cool and feels very EPCOT-ish in nature. It’s more about the visuals than it is the sensation of moving at a high speed. If a museum in Japan can pull it off, I think WDW could.
I forgot how cruddy Dino land was until I went back, but I want it revamped, not replaced. Animal kingdom’s original concept (which I think is great) was to celebrate animals that were living, extinct and imaginary. Beastly kingdom was the imaginary, now we got Everest and pandora. But no other area has extinct animals. Plus Dinosaurs are cool and if anyone should be able to make a cool dinosaur land it should be Disney. I guess Disney saying they are fixing a mistake (redoing dinoland) doesn’t sound as cool as adding a land.
Ps I love animal kingdom.
Oh, I have absolutely nothing with Disney fixing Dinoland–there are few things I’d like more. I just think that should occur on the Dinorama plot primarily, rather than converting DINOSAUR (the one part of the land that works moderately well) to Indiana Jones Adventure.
My point is more that Dinorama can’t get much worse, so I’m pretty much on board with whatever happens there. I’d love to see something really ambitious, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
Yeah, ambitious, but I am also not holding my breath. That’s what I am trying to say. A complete overhaul, keep dinosaur the ride, but major upgrades, everything else should be gutted. Also this is Disney, guests should be meeting real (Disney Magic real) dinosaurs, not visiting some oddly themed excavation site?
Agreed 100%. It is so sad that neither Disney nor Universal has a great dinosaur-themed land. It’s something with amazing potential, and that any kid who has seen Jurassic Park has dreamed of visiting.
Please, please convert the Africa areas of Animal Kingdom to Wakanda. This is all.
I think it’d be a PR nightmare for Walt Disney World to convert a section of its animal theme park into Wakanda, especially since the movie didn’t really feature any wildlife, meaning (unlike Asia or Africa) the land would focus on the people of Wakanda.
I’d love to see Black Panther represented somehow in the parks, but I think DCA is the solution as nowhere in Walt Disney World is a good fit.
Amen, Tom. The zoological aspects of AK are what make it more than just another theme park. There are things to do for those who don’t care for zoos, but it is the zoo that makes it special.
They can finally build that Africa pavilion in Epcot and put Wakanda in there. Obviously Wakanda is a fictional country, but if the Norway pavilion can house a Frozen ride…
Tom, any thought to writing a full “fish to fry” post for WDW? Curious to hear your thoughts on what the biggest needs at the parks are. Happy to be directed to a post you’ve already written.
I’m personally disappointed to hear that the Coco overlay is unlikely now. I’ve always found the Three Caballeros version of the Mexico boat ride a bit jarring (this might just be my nostalgia for Ricardo Montalban and the Rio del Tiempo talking), and had hoped the Dia de los Muertos vibe of Coco would be a better fit.
Yay, for a new restaurant in Japan, though! It’s one of my favorite pavilions aesthetically and it could use some filling out.
I’m in the same boat (pun?) with regards to the Three Caballeros – it’s not my favorite. It’s a shame that astounding box office success is the threshold for something that makes sense. (Adjusted for inflation, I realize that domestically Coco did between Cars 2 and 3, but that’s not shabby and it did well overseas, particularly out neighbors to the south. It also made a lot more than Cinderella and she still seemed to get something of prominence in the parks!)
I am a Dinosaur ride fan, and would be totally onboard for getting rid of the Dino-carnival bore-fest for something better down the road that fits the Dinosaur theme but has broader appeal. Here’s hoping!
Personally, I’d be very much on board with something that incorporates Indiana Jones and dinosaurs. I’m sure there’s a workable attraction/land premise for that, and it satisfies the goal of incorporating more IP into the parks, while also having dinosaurs. Win-win, I think.
Indiana Jones and the Lost World. Like there’s so many “HIdden Dinosaur Valleys” in adventure fiction that it’d be a natural way to put the two together.
Great point!
While I am certainly on-board regarding many of the criticisms of Dinorama, it is the case that it has several small-kid-friendly rides. If replaced by a big coaster or some other height-restricted attraction, the little ones will have that many fewer rides to enjoy. The upcoming closing of A Bug’s Land in DCA, to be replaced by what will certainly be attractions unavailable to many small children, shows that this is something that Disney is ready to do. Will it be the case in the near future that Magic Kingdom will be the only WDW park where families with small kids will feel welcome?
While I totally agree with you on the Bug’s Land front, only one of the Dinorama rides is actually little-kid friendly (Triceratops Spin). Primeval Whirl riders have to be at least 48″. I think the cartoony vibe makes it seem more kid-friendly than it actually is.
I think the only potential lose here would be Triceratops Spin. Primeval Whirl is the other Dino-Rama attraction, which is also height-restricted. Last I heard, the Boneyard (play area) was safe.
My husband, who lived in Japan for three years, was hoping for an authentic Japanese restaurant. Maybe the guest demographics would not support that.
A wagyu steakhouse could be completely authentic, but probably wouldn’t be interesting.
A kaiseki experience would probably need to be Americanized, and could be really interesting.
Personally, I’d take the latter in a heartbeat. Even in Japan, there are tons of different twists (including modernizations) on kaiseki. That would end up being the flagship restaurant in all of World Showcase.
They have both Chefs de France and Monsieur Paul in France, I would think Japan could support a small high-end authentic restaurant since it already has Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo for the masses.
Though who would have guessed if any WS Pavillion would have 3 TS places it would be Japan?
Three of the four cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world (Tokyo, Paris, Kyoto, Osaka) are in Japan, so I don’t think it’s too much of a surprise.