If you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom, look up at the light fixtures or down at the backs of some of the benches and you’ll see the silhouettes of several different animals, including… a dragon! You can also find this dragon on the overhead sign as you enter the park. Why is it there? Where would you have found mythical creatures such as dragons and unicorns at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Believe it or not, those magical animals were once part of the plan for this animal-centric park. Here’s a brief history of how things could have been.
It may seem farfetched today, but the mythical aspect of Animal Kingdom was a big part of the park’s early development. Beastly Kingdom, the land with all sorts of mythical and mystical creatures, was supposed to have been a land of fantasy rather than reality. Unfortunately, it was scrapped due to budget cuts. Though, there are still some remnants! Instead, it was replaced with Camp Minnie-Mickey, which was home to meet and greets with Minnie and Mickey, along with Pocahontas and her cohorts. But, even Camp Minnie-Mickey didn’t stand the test of time. It was closed when it was finally time to expand the park into the realm of fantasy, but a different kind of fantasy than we would have found in the magical Beastly Kingdom. It is now the home of the mythical Pandora from the Avatar movie franchise. So it’s true, as the saying goes: no good idea ever completely dies at Disney.
What Would Beastly Kingdom Have Looked Like?
If Beastly Kingdom had been realized, guests would have visited a vast labyrinth, with differently-themed areas, leading to a dragon and its treasures.
Discovered a magical unicorn in a unique and beautiful adventure…
And visited Fantasia, resurrecting a concept by Marc Davis for Disneyland. Guests would have taken a boat ride through different scenes from the Disney animation masterpiece, Fantasia. I was lucky enough to have Marc show me some of his artwork for both an Enchanted Snow Palace and Fantasia Gardens while I visited him at his house in 1993. It would have been incredible.
The big draw of the land would have been a scorched dragon’s castle with a major roller coaster. It was originally intended to be the big thrill ride for the entire park.
Imagineers were crushed when their most creative land was cut before opening day. But good ideas have a way of appearing in other places… and a version of that coaster idea did in fact get built… by Imagineers who left Disney for Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Sadly, even Universal’s Dueling Dragons has now passed into history, a quirky detour in a story of what could have been.
Of course, hints of Beastly Kingdom did make it into Disney’s Animal Kingdom park… For example, the dragon was featured on signs and benches, and on the Discovery River Cruise. The dragon would stick its head out of a cave and breathe fire at the boats’ guests. It was removed shortly thereafter, and the boats changed themes several times, including a Radio Disney retheme, before finally being shut down for good. The only remaining link inside the park to Beastly Kingdom was gone. The river is still used for flotillas featuring Disney characters… but you’ll have to spy them from afar.
There’s little likelihood that Beastly Kingdom will ever be built as originally planned, especially now that the land of Pandora has taken its place. But bits and pieces may pop up, and now you’ll be able to recognize them.
Want more info about Beastly Kingdom remnants around Animal Kingdom? Our article below details several elements of the lingering Beastly Kingdom remnants that get overlooked in the grand scheme of the park.
Remnants of a Lost World – Walt Disney World’s Beastly Kingdom
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Let’s Hear From You
Did you know about the Beastly Kingdom? Do you think that the mythical and magical aspects of Beastly Kingdom would have been a good fit for the mostly-animal-themed park? Is Pandora ultimately the mythical equivalent of Beastly Kingdom? Or would you still like to see it built somewhere someday?
It’s been a while since you’ve read a new article from me, but I’m so glad to be back. Is there anything you’d suggest I look into? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!