Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore —The Uncertain Future of Walt Disney Animation Studios
This month's newsletter we take a look at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, and Disney 2024 in general.
Welcome back to Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore!
In this issue, we will be covering:
The Uncertain Future of Walt Disney Animation Studios 🎞 😟
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Is Almost There 🐸
Disney 2024 Preview: From Parks to Plus ➕ 🏰
Podcast Plugs 🎙
Links of the Month 📰
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The Uncertain Future of Walt Disney Animation Studios
You can’t tell the story of Walt Disney Animation Studios without noticing a trend.
The studio has a history of eras, some eras are full of successes critically and at the box office, and other eras are full of stories that just didn’t connect. It seems like Walt Disney Animation Studios is in a whole new era but this one is a lot more uncertain.
The formation of Disney+ may have caused more harm for animated titles than good. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest film was Wish, a film that acted as a celebration for Disney100 — like all Disney titles in 2023 — it suffered from misaligned marketing. Then to make matters worse it just wasn’t the home run they needed. Wish seemed to check every box but it just didn’t connect.
After Wish’s performance, we haven’t heard a peep about the Walt Disney Animation Studios film for 2024. We don’t know if it’s going to happen or if it will be delayed. Most rumblings indicate the next film up would be Suzi Yoonessi’s Princess film which is set in Persia. Yet everything is still uncertain. There may not be a Disney Animation film this year!
Iwájú, which is a collaboration between Disney Animation and Kugali Media, is finally being released but there is zero hype around it. This is a shame because the announcement of Iwájú stood out on a loaded Disney Investor Day back in 2020. Maybe Disney will make a more concerted effort once the release gets closer. Still, it’s crazy that Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first full-length Disney+ series and first collaboration is flying under the radar this much.
We also have two other Disney+ series in the works. Moana and Tiana yet we have heard more on Tiana than we have on Moana. We do know Moana was being worked on at Walt Disney Animation Vancouver. This brings up another uncertainty what will Walt Disney Animation Vancouver become? Will they get more projects? Will it be a studio to keep costs down?
With Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original films getting mixed reception, it’s no surprise that Disney is pushing forward with Zootopia 2. On top of greenlighting Frozen 3 and now Frozen 4. We all knew Frozen 3 was happening but doesn’t it seem a bit over-the-top to already do a fourth film? I get they are saying the story is so big it’s going to need two parts but it’s still wild.
What is next for Walt Disney Animation Studios?
It’s in an era of uncertainty from all angles.
Will Disney perhaps take a bold swing and try to make their own Spider-Verse? An animated film that has a more distinct animation style. Or will Disney take a different note from its competitors like Sony Animation (Spider-Man) and Illumination (Mario) and find different IPs to adapt to animation? Walt Disney Animation Studios could perhaps due animated reimaginings of Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and maybe other live-action Disney properties. Heck, make another Dinosaur? Tron? Hamilton?!? But this time it’s animated. That could be a safer option than taking the bold swing. Yet decisions will have to be made.
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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Is Almost There
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is getting closer to opening at Walt Disney World. The project is moving at a solid pace. The last time I was in the Magic Kingdom, various scaffolding was being removed and the former site of Splash Mountain was transformed into the Bayou with lush greens.
My friend Drew did an excellent video on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. If you’re curious about the attraction and want to know all the details then this is a must-watch.
So, when will this attraction open? As Drew said in his video there are a couple of different opening dates that Disney can use. Here is my current thought process. I think this attraction will have a long period of previews. I think they want to work out any potential kinks before regular parkgoers experience it. I wouldn’t be shocked if we see cast member, annual pass, D23, and Disney Vacation Club previews last a while for this attraction. With that in mind, I’m thinking of July as its opening date. This is a light year of new projects and I think Disney will want to get a key attraction out for the summer. The most ambitious opening timeframe remains May. Another timeframe could also be October 1, the start of Disney’s fiscal 2025 year. Although I think they will avoid making guests wait that long for Tiana’s.
Despite the overwhelming discourse, the closer we get to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure the more excited I get. Walt Disney Imagineering already confirmed the audio-animatronics won’t have projected faces, and they will be the newer models we’ve seen used at Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. My biggest hope is that Disney doesn’t shorten the attraction. I want it to be as long as Splash Mountain.
Also, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a reminder of how fast attractions can get done when you invest money and labor. I’m hoping future attractions will be treated with the same priority level and speed as Tiana’s. Especially attraction rethemes.
On another note, Pecos Bill’s at the Magic Kingdom is widely believed to become a Tiana-themed restaurant with beignets. It hasn’t been officially announced yet but I wouldn’t be shocked if Disney finally announces it at Mardi Gras.
Disney 2024 Preview: From Parks to Plus
Disney in 2024 is a lighter year on paper. Yet there are a few things that are happening across the Mouse House.
Disney Parks: 2024 will see the 35th anniversaries of Hollywood Studios and Typhoon Lagoon, the maiden voyage of the Disney Treasure, a new Disney island destination with Lookout Cay, the opening of Cotino: A Storyliving by Disney community and so much more. (Read full preview)
Disney+: Star Wars continues to provide for Disney+ with 2024 having Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte. Marvel is expected to have a plethora of animated shows this year on top of WandaVision quasi-sequel Agatha. Pixar also gets to release its first original full-length Disney+ series, Win or Lose this year. (Read full preview)
Disney Film Slate: Can the small slate pull off some surprises? Inside Out 2, Deadpool 3, and Mufasa: The Lion King are the main “Disney” films of the year. Will Disney reroute some films intended for Disney+ to theaters? (Daisy Ridley’s Young Woman and the Sea seems likely). And what about the 2024 Walt Disney Animation Studios film… I may have an answer in my mailbag for that. (Read full preview)
ICYMI: Boardwalk Times 2024 Outlook
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Podcast Plugs 🎙
We covered What If…? Season 2 on Multiverse of Marvel. We chatted about the season, Kahhori’s future, Season 3, and The Watcher in live-action. (Spotify) (Apple)
We covered Echo and discussed the Marvel Spotlight banner, Daredevil: Born Again, Echo showing up in Spider-Man 4, Kahhori, and more. I also wrote an early written review of Echo. (Spotify) (Apple)
LINKS OF THE MONTH
— Universal Unveils New Details For Universal Epic Universe. (Boardwalk Times)
— The Disney Sequel Bob Iger Never Wanted. (Wall Street Journal)
— Disneyland pledges more than $100 million for Anaheim streets, parks, and affordable housing. (OC Register)
— Could A Nat Geo Series Become A Disney Theme Park Ride? Content Boss Tom McDonald Thinks So. (Deadline)
— Fans of the now-defunct Star Wars: Galactic Stacruiser are hosting a fan event called Halcy-Con. (Laughing Place)
— Everything You Need To Know About Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. (Boardwalk Times)
— Laurence Boag on His Dad, Wally — The Clown Prince of Disneyland. (Boardwalk Times)
— Disney+ On Apple Vision Pro Launches on February 2. (Boardwalk Times)
— Farewell to the Country Bear Jamboree. (Boardwalk Times)
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Great newsletter, Zach!
What IS going on with "Win or Lose?" I know it got pushed back last year and now I'm hearing next to nothing about it.