Disney's Night Kingdom at Disney World?

[spondishy]

Blog posts have appeared suggesting that Disney are considering opening a Night Kingdom park down at Pleasure Island. Guests will enter the new park via a "super-sized version of the Adventurers Club".

Similar to Seaworld's Discovery Cove there will be a limited number of guests allowed in the park at anyone time, with this thought to be around 2000 visitors.

It's thought that this isn't going to be your standard Disney park with rides/shows but include activities such as night diving and the use of night goggle to see various animals night time activities.

It all sounds different from any other Disney World offering, and at approximately $250 a visit, is it going to be worth it?

Jim Hill : Night Kingdom to reimagine the Disney-theme-park-going experience

[minstrel]

Reading around other forums there doesn't seem to be much consensus as to whether the rumours of the Night Kingdom park is true.

Some think its Disney doing market research, others think Jim Hill is just a "media man" hyping his own blog. There also seems to be complaints that this is just an elitist move by disney as this would cost $1000 for a family of four.

I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[global-mouse]

I have been following this rumor for some time, and it really started with some market surveys. Yes, I think something like this is being considered, but how seriously it is being considered is not really known.

No where is it rumored to be built at the quickly fading Pleasure Island, there would never be enough room there. What is rumored is that a NEW Adventurer's Club will be built as an entrance to this "park." I believe this is because the plans to phase out Pleasure Island will be not as tragic if they can save the one successful club it has, the AC. The most likely place for such a "park" would be somewhere adjacent to Animal Kingdom so that they can utilize some of their zoological infrastructure for the proposed "experiences."

This rumor has a lot of merit... at least it has made if from "pie in the sky" to the research and concept development phase.

Too many people bash Jim Hill for reporting things that are not "concrete." But isn't that what a rumor is? If it doesn't go ahead, it really doesn't mean Jim Hill was wrong, it HAS been confirmed that they are test marketing the concept. Please, give Jim a break.

[spondishy]

I wasn't bashing Jim... And indeed if nothing else it's an interesting bit of gossip which of course we all thrive on.

[global-mouse]

Sorry Spondishy,

I just re-read the posts here, and you are right, no one here has been bashing Jim Hill. I had just read a couple hundred (yes hundred) posts on this subject at various other places on the web. It is amazing how Jim's story has sparked so much discussion. Unfortunately there were many posters bashing Jim and it just got me irritated. Sorry to have that overflow into your site.

Jim Hill's original article did leave me thinking, "is that all there is??" The overall concept sounded cool, but the details were quite lame as many have pointed out. I am sure that the Imagineers will come up with some exciting details to go with this overall concept, when and if it gets the green light.

[spondishy]

No probs

I guess early reactions are that everything that has been mentioned in the DNK idea can be done elsewhere. We all know though that Disney tend to add that extra bit of sparkle even to something that may have been a hundred times before.

Re-reading the article, it does sound an idea for the people who can afford to stay at AK etc. But if I could afford it at the time, there's no doubt I'd pay the extra for the exclusivity of it.