Tolkien Themed Parks at Disney?

[Alatar]

Yes, I know JRRT hated Disney, but I dunno, it could be cool!

Didn't we already have a thread on this? I couldn't find it...

RUMOR: Disney and Warner Brothers to Bring “The Lord of the Rings” to Disney Parks

Posted by Tom Corless in Slideshow, Walt Disney World Resort | 34 comments

Yes, that’s right. It sounds like Disney and Warner Brothers have either signed or are very close to singing an agreement that will bring “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movie-inspired areas to the Disney Parks. This comes on the heels of rumors that it would be Universal that would acquire the theme parks rights several months ago.

Disney began talking to executives at Warner Bros. about the idea late last year, and it seems now that Disney is looking to finalize or announce the deal in hopes of turning the tide in the Orlando theme park wars.

Rumor has it that Universal Orlando’s parks may show stronger attendance numbers in 2014 with the opening of a second Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, actually defeating Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. This has Disney frightened.

With already announced AVATAR inspired attractions going to Animal Kingdom in the not-so-distant future, Disney is rumored to be overhauling a planned expansion of Hollywood Studios focusing to focus Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. It would seem that any Cars Land additions planned for the park are now on hold or may never be built so that Disney could quickly move along with these other projects for the park, opening them between 2015 and 2018.

While we haven’t heard anything about what a Lord of the Rings-inspired area would include, it seems that an announcement from Disney might be imminent.

As with any rumor, you should take this with a grain of salt until it is actually announced. Things often change, especially when negotiations with other companies are involved, so who knows if this project will ever see the light of day. Until then, it sure is fun to think about…

What do you think? Would the Lord of the Rings be a good addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios?

[yovargas]

As an Orlando native, I hope Universal gets it instead if it happens. Universal is just way cooler than Disney.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Not going to happen. At least not without a big fight.

[Elentári]

Yes, I know JRRT hated Disney, but I dunno, it could be cool!

Didn't we already have a thread on this? I couldn't find it...

Yes, we had some fun with the one you started here!

My feeling is that whilst whole idea of a M-e theme park is very cool, in reality I know I'd really loathe the tackiness and commercialization that goes hand-in-hand with it...

Has anyone been to HP World, and can they say how good/bad is it on that sort of thing?

[yovargas]

Has anyone been to HP World, and can they say how good/bad is it on that sort of thing?

Send me the ~$100 a ticket costs and I can tell ya this weekend.

[Alatar]

I've been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and I absolutely loved it. There's quite a lot to it. There's a dual roller coaster called Duelling Dragons where you can ride either the Hungarian Horntail or the Chinese Somethingorother to get two different experiences. There's a kiddies Rollercoaster called "Flight of the Hippogriff". There's a recreation of Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley with the usual eateries and merchandise, but inside recreations of Flourish and Blotts, Ollivanders and a few others. But the main ride takes place in a gigantic version of Hogwarts. While queueing (for over and hour) you go through classrooms where potions are brewing themselves, a hall where the paintings are talking to each other, and a scene where the Harry, Ron and Hermione are projected into an alcove, hiding under the invisibility cloak. They promise to sneak you out of the boring lecture you're on your way to. Eventually you get into a moving car and there's a 3D motion simulator, mixed with physical effects, as your "car" is pulled out the castle walls, towed behind the actors on their brooms. You get chased by the dragon, fly round the turrets of Hogwarts and into the Forbidden Forest where you come face to face with Aragog. Finally you fly into a Quidditch match in progress. Its really good fun.

[Elentári]

That side of things sounds awesome...

If everything is done tastefully and in keeping - as PJ puts it, "in the spirit of Tolkien" - then I'd have no problem with it...

[WampusCat]

I cannot imagine any ride or souvenir shop "in the spirit of Tolkien." At least not the Tolkien I've read for almost 50 years.

If I want to have a Tolkien "experience," I would rather visit New Zealand and see the natural settings that so captured what I found in the books.

[Primula Baggins]

I'm with you, Wampus. Disney rides might capture the spirit of the films, parts of them. But I read Tolkien to be moved, not thrilled.

[yovargas]

Eh, no reason you can't have both. As PJ, IMO, deftly proved.

[Elentári]

Hmmm....perhaps a more ambient, Middle-earth "experience," rather than thrilling rollercoaster rides, might be more attractive?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I would not support such a thing unless and until it was approved by the Tolkien Estate. Which is not going to happen.

Even beyond that, I can't see appreciating something like that. It's funny, because I am a huge fan of Harry Potter as well, but I don't have any objection to that park, and Al's description of it sounds great. But I just can't see something equivalent being made out of Tolkien's subcreation without feeling like it is somehow is "wrong". That is terribly vague, I know, but it is how I feel.

[Alatar]

Ok, I'll have a stab at it. Think of something like a cross between The ET Experience in Disney, Soaring in Epcot and The Harry Potter Ride in Universal. Something like this:

Imagine a slow moving motion ride, with hot air and water effects, 3D glasses etc. The standard for rides of this type.

Sam Gamgee is sitting with his children, reading from the Red Book. Close up on glistening eyes of young Elanor or Frodo, then the camera dives into their imagination, as Sam narrates a condensed version of the story of Lord of the Rings. We are surrounded by fireworks at the Unexpected Party, the firework dragon swoops down on us and a blast of hot air hits the pod. Next we're galloping with the Black Riders, hunting the ringbearer. We jump the Buckleberry Ferry (with a spray of water) and head to Bree where we swoop through the streets at night and in through a window as the Nazgûl stab the beds. Sam continues his narration as we arrive at Weathertop for the Nazgûl attack. When Frodo puts on the ring we see the wraiths floating directly in front of us. The 3D stab is seen by each person as if they were frodo. As they are stabbed, a blast of cold air. Next, we're once again galloping through the trees with Arwen and the Riders chase us. At the Ford we see the flood in full 3D effect, again accompanied by mist of water. Sam continues: "I thought I'd lost him, but Lord Elrond healed him and brought him back. There was a great council and nine of us were chosen to take the ring to Mordor, to destroy it". We continue in this vein with snow on Caradhras, the Mines, the Balrog (real flame effects), brief beauty swoop through Lórien, and the Great River (think of Soaring in Epcot) past the Argonath and down to Amon hen. We see Frodo's vision of Mordor from the seat at Amon Hen and finally witness Frodo and Sam heading to Mordor. Sam closes the book and says, "But that's enough for now. Time for bed little ones."

Now, do the same for all 3 movies. There's enough action and breathing room in each one to give a combination of thrills and awe. Add in Howard Shore's score and you have magic. Its not going to be for everyone. I'm sure plenty people would rather visit the Hobbiton set, or the Museum exhibits, or the Bodleian, or simply read the books. But that's not an argument against something like this existing also.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I think Alatar has some good ideas on how this could be done tastefully (relatively speaking). I generally oppose any such thing, but if it's going to happen, would like for Alatar to be the creative director!

Problem is, it is highly unlikely that a final product would look anything like that.

Expect barrel-ride water rides and the like, not an evocative immersion in the story.

[Primula Baggins]

Eh, no reason you can't have both. As PJ, IMO, deftly proved.

I didn't say the films didn't move me. Far from it.

And there are certainly moments in the book that thrill me.

He flung the Quest and all his decisions away, and fear and doubt with them. He knew now where his place was and had been: at his master's side. . . .

In rode the lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy yet had passed, and all fled before his face.

Then come the horns of the Rohirrim, but I find that even more moving than it is thrilling.

And of course:

"But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."

The trouble is, no ride could possibly convey any of that.

[Elentári]

Nice ideas, Al, for those who want to feel they are part of the story.

But not everyone would want that sort of experience, though. I personally would just like to feel I was wandering in Middle-earth, experiencing the sights and sounds, etc. For example, it could be cool to dress up and spend time as a native in your favourite realm/location - attend a party in Hobbiton, or spend a couple of hours in the Hall of Fire in the company of Lindir...

And naturally, I wouldn't turn my nose up at a Lothlórien Spa experience...

[Alatar]

See, the thing is you can do that already? Its a little pricey, but the "Middle Earth Tours" in New Zealand already give you the opportunity to walk in the Middle Earth of the Movies, even down to having a beer in the Green Dragon on the actual Hobbiton set in Matamata.

Interestingly enough, as I've mentioned before, there's a huge computer game which allows you to do all of those things and much more besides, and yet only Eruname and I from this board have ever played it. I find that staggering to be honest.

Other Tolkien pals sat in a pub in London while I attended the LotR musical. Again, I was dumbfounded. As a fan myself, I love to experience multiple views and interpretations of Middle Earth, and I find it hard to understand why others would choose not to.

[Elentári]

Acting out a fantasy on a computer screen is surely not in the same league as being able to physically experience a world for real! Sure I could go to NZ and visit the Hobbiton set, then I could be taken around the various locations that were used and try to picture the scene from the films, but a theme park with all the various locations landscaped and structures permanently built would be a hundred time better!

I wasn't disagreeing with your suggestions for a theme park, just pointing out that they seemed to be based around the premise of visitors acting out scenes from the movies/books - which is fine for those who want to feel like they are actually in the story, but it might not appeal to everyone.

[Alatar]

Regarding the computer game, of course its different. I'm just surprised so may Tolkien fans have no interest in it. I find all forms of Tolkien interesting in some fashion, some more than others. But I can't think of any that were within my reach that I chose not to experience!

As for the Middle Earth Theme Park idea, there are two very different things. I mean, yes, in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter you get to do a certain amount of wandering round Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, but its mostly while queuing for rides. What you're describing is a bit more like the Harry Potter experience in London, which is literally just a museum for sets and props. Its not really a Theme Park. That's not to say I wouldn't love a Tolkien version of that. I thoroughly enjoyed both the Harry Potter Experience and the Lord of the Rings Museum exhibit in the Science Museum. I'm just saying that it isn't a Theme Park, and its not going to work in Disney or Universal Studios in that format.

[Passdagas the Brown]

See, the thing is you can do that already? Its a little pricey, but the "Middle Earth Tours" in New Zealand already give you the opportunity to walk in the Middle Earth of the Movies, even down to having a beer in the Green Dragon on the actual Hobbiton set in Matamata.

Interestingly enough, as I've mentioned before, there's a huge computer game which allows you to do all of those things and much more besides, and yet only Eruname and I from this board have ever played it. I find that staggering to be honest.

Other Tolkien pals sat in a pub in London while I attended the LotR musical. Again, I was dumbfounded. As a fan myself, I love to experience multiple views and interpretations of Middle Earth, and I find it hard to understand why others would choose not to.

Are you referring to LOTRO? If so, I play it as well (though not that often lately). On Landroval. I find it to be a vastly superior Middle Earth experience to PJ's films.