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Rumor Tokyo Disneyland Splash Mountain Retheme Discussion
- Thread starter EagleScout610
- Start date
No? Literally nothing in ZT2 gave me Splash vibes
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
There’s only two scenarios this happens:
1) OLC goes bankrupt and Disney reposes the park before Iger leaves the company
2) Disney pitches a massive expansion that doesn’t just take over Critter Country, but also the river and a good part of Frontierland. Also, Disney pays for the entire thing (LOL)
OLC is in no rush to touch this ride. They’ve turned down pitch after pitch (including ones that Disney has offered to pay for). It’s top 3 in the park. They aren’t deterred by the merchandise restrictions cause they make bank with the ride’s Premiere Pass sales. They’re not afraid to touch classics, but they’re also not stupid.
1) OLC goes bankrupt and Disney reposes the park before Iger leaves the company
2) Disney pitches a massive expansion that doesn’t just take over Critter Country, but also the river and a good part of Frontierland. Also, Disney pays for the entire thing (LOL)
OLC is in no rush to touch this ride. They’ve turned down pitch after pitch (including ones that Disney has offered to pay for). It’s top 3 in the park. They aren’t deterred by the merchandise restrictions cause they make bank with the ride’s Premiere Pass sales. They’re not afraid to touch classics, but they’re also not stupid.
Moth
Well-Known Member
How is Zoo2pia looking to do in Japan in regards to Box Office anyways? I know it's popular in mainland China but I forget if Japan likes Zootopia that much.
Original Zootopia had Japan as it's third biggest market including the North America market, second biggest international behind China. $70 mil in Japan back in 2016? That's no slouch.
Zootopia 2 opens the 5th in Japan so I'm curious to see how it's received over there and if it can grow from the original's $70 mil.
Oh right: a retheme.
Yeah, probably. Why the hell not.
ThemeParkTraveller
Well-Known Member
I think the sequel will likely sell a similar number of tickets in Japan compared to the first film. Problem is the yen is much weaker now than in 2016. To even match the original in USD it would have to increase over 40% in yen.
Moth
Well-Known Member
True! So admissions is the real thing to look at here. I can't find final info on Zootopia's total count, but it's around 6 mil from what I see?
ThemeParkTraveller
Well-Known Member
That is correct. Zootopia's final gross in Japan was ¥7.63 billion ($70.6 million) with 5.91 million admissions.
ThemeParkTraveller
Well-Known Member
And when you look at the figures in local currency, it appears Zootopia 2 is on track to double what the first film earned in yen by the end of its run. I never imagined it would break out in Japan to this extent. In local currency, it’s set to become the second-highest-grossing Disney film there after Frozen. At this point, it feels pretty inevitable that Zootopia will get some kind of major presence at the resort in the future.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
LOL
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Nope.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
If this was going to happen, it would have been announced years ago. OLC doesn’t want it. It’s a waste of money and makes no sense to them. That doesn’t mean Zootopia couldn’t go elsewhere…like right next to Critter Country in the Northwest section of the park. They’ve been flying balloons since 2018, long before this meme idea was a twinkle in Bob’s eye.
AlexMBush
Active Member
I feel like time is a hell of a unique differentiator, and that at a certain point you have to kind of take account different creative heads having taken over, being removed, and coming onboard.
I'd be happy to make a fun bet on the element of a retheme, because Oriental Land Company would be absolutely insane to not have a heavy investment in Zootopia due to the appeal of the characters,. And that if this is a way to keep the same things that makes Splash what it is, but with a scenario suiting Zootopia (with the technical quality of OLC), then a refresh/retheme could be easily viable and reasonable.
I'd also argue that there could be a literal gold mine for Oriental Land Company, when it comes to profitizing on themed characters and themed memorabilia with cute animals.
EDIT: Doubling down on the bet proposal @Brer Oswald, if by D23 we don't get the announcement of a Splash Mountain retheme to highlight cute animals, I'll spill the beans on what is the next major IP for Universal Studios Hollywood and where it goes. I'd be happy to hear out what you'd offer in a bet.
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Zootopia is now Disney's most successful franchise box office wise in Japan just behind Frozen. Yet it has no rides or shows currently in Tokyo Disney. Given how IP focus OLC is also now, it is hard to fathom they aren't already of thinking how to capitalize on Z2's new found success in some way next in the parks, especially when it is so merchandisable. Even if it is not a retheme of Splash, it's likely to be included in the next expansion or the rebuild of Adventureland.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
How did you not expect this? Japan loves cute furry animals (look at how popular their Splash is) and Disney promoted the hell of this film. $100 million was a GURANTEE.
Time is a unique differentiator. As in, the time where this was seen as a good idea has already expired. There were genuine concerns raised to me about a year ago. When I heard OLC rejected what must’ve been the 5th or 6th pitch they got, those worries evaporated. With Iger soon to be out of the picture, the amount of people pushing for this will be zero. Josh is a smart guy and he knows how it would look to start his tenure off announcing the replacement of Tokyo Disney’s beloved darling.
It probably will be.
Moth
Well-Known Member
Actually, no, $100 million wasn't a guarantee due to the yen being depressed and increased disinterest in foreign films. The yen has been cratering for the last few years and Zootopia 2 is the first Disney animated film to break onto Japan's top 50 highest grossing films since Frozen 2 back in 2019, back when Japan had a stronger economy and had more sustained interest in foreign film. It's the first Western film to break into their top 50 since 2023 with the Mario movie, and has the potential to break into their top 15 highest grossing films for the country.
It's pulling an upset right now and breaking the norm of low performance for international releases much like how it's performing in China.
It's pulling an upset right now and breaking the norm of low performance for international releases much like how it's performing in China.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
And you’re surprised about this point…how? What has Disney’s animated output been since Frozen 2? Raya? Strange World? Wish? Pixar’s output has been abysmal too. Even with the yen it’s not a shocker. How this all has any correlation with Splash Mountain….beats me.
Moth
Well-Known Member
Inside Out 2.
Moana 2.
To go a bit further: the Stitch remake.
I'm not going to sit here and act like their post 2019-now run has been good, but the fact Zootopia 2 is over performing this much has me thinking this could be a very real possibility.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Hey, I liked Elemental. It managed to do decently at the box office.
I liked Elio as well, but that was a flop so I wouldn't expect that to get an attraction.