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Credit: DisneyThere have been some major announcements coming from D23’s reveals, and many Disney fans are more than a little excited for the future doses of Disney magic coming their way. From a Pirates of the Caribbean Bar to Indiana Jones swinging into Walt Disney World, big changes are on their way.
Unfortunately, however, Disney has also backtracked on some previously promised things, including a Zootopia-themed area for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Nick, Judy, and all their animal friends are still reportedly coming to the Park, but not in the way fans likely hope for.
Disney World Drops the Zootopia Crew for Tree of Life Show
The recent announcements from D23 are certainly a lot to be excited about, but some Disney buffs (this writer included) might feel a little cheated. While there were earlier reports of the zoo crew coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it seems they’ve been replaced by Moana, the Madrigals, and Indiana Jones for the new South-America-themed area of the Park.
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The 2016 feature from Disney Animation starred Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman as Officer Judy Hopps and the foxy Nick Wilde who uncover a massive mystery in the urban jungles of the titular city.
The anthropomorphic duo were supposed to join Moana and Mirabelle in replacing DinoLand USA, but Disney is going a different direction with the upcoming expansion.
While most are likely thrilled, this is bound to rub many the wrong way. Given that Shanghai Disneyland is getting a fully immersive Zootopia area and new animatronic-filled attractions, it feels like fans in the US Parks are getting the short end of the stick.
That said, Nick and Judy’s legion of followers aren’t left empty-handed, as recent reports revealed that a Zootopia-Inspired show is heading to the Tree of Life Theater in the middle of the Park.
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Reportedly replacing the divisive It’s Tough to Be a Bug, Flick, Hopper, and the rest of Pixar’s collection of animated insects are being shown the nearest exit as Zootopia’s finest prepare to try everything one more time.
According to TheDisInsider’s Instagram, the animal cast of the Disney animated movie will be brought to life in a show that explores the various areas of the titular city. The post reads,
“A new show based on Zootopia is being created for the Tree of Life theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Guests will visit the different biomes in the film, traveling along with Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and other characters.”
While that’s undoubtedly a fascinating development, it still doesn’t mask the fact that the film went from being given an entire Park section to a single show. For a company known to go all out for its popular movies, this feels like a huge step backward on Disney’s part.
This isn’t the first time in recent reports that Disney World has been dealt the lesser portion compared to the rest of the Parks. It’s not a good look.
Are you excited about this new development at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!