The D23 Expo will get underway in less than a week, and the rumors are picking up a lot of steam as it draws closer. A lot of possibilities for new movies and new Disney attractions are popping up all over the place, but as of now, the majority of them are nothing but rumors. That includes rumors suggesting a Zootopia -themed land is being built in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in the coming years.
Ever since the release of Zootopia in theaters last year, the popularity of Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and the movie itself has only continued to grow. Worldwide, the movie brought in more than $1 billion, as reported by Box Office Mojo, and Disney could very well want to capitalize on it even more.
But, a Zootopia land?
According to Jim Hill of The Disney Dish Podcast , it is quite possible that another new land in Walt Disney World may become a reality in the future. After the huge amount of success and attention that Pandora – The World of Avatar brought to Animal Kingdom after being opened less than two months, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea at all.
The way Hill looks at this rumor is that the Zooptopia land could be built in a back area of the park behind Kali River Rapids and where Rafiki’s Planet Watch currently stands. This wouldn’t just be a land themed after the movie, but it would be a smaller version of the city of Zootopia which is featured in the film.
Not much is known at this time as is to be expected, but guests would likely see restaurants and attractions based on the movie. They could also expect character meet-and-greets with Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and other big stars from Zootopia .
Right now, Rafiki’s Planet Watch is accessible by a train called the Wildlife Express, but it could easily be transformed into the Zootopia Express seen in the movie. Along with all of that, the movie’s theme and plot fit in well with the conservation and “save the planet” ideology of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
As always with rumors, they will remain as speculation until Disney officially says anything regarding them and as of this time, they’ve said nothing. It is possible that nothing even ever comes from rumors of a Zootopia land, but fans could know more soon.
Check out other possible Disney rumors which may be addressed this weekend at the D23 Expo.
- Brazil being added as a country in Epcot
- The Great Movie Ride becoming the Great Mickey Ride
- The TRON Lightcycle Coaster being built in Magic Kingdom or Epcot
This year’s D23 Expo is already shaping up to be one of the biggest in a long time with a lot of celebrities, movie news, Marvel updates, and the parks and resorts. So much is already happening at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and the parks around the globe, and it’s hard to imagine even more coming our way. Still, the rumors are fun to think about, and that includes the possibility of a Zootopia -themed land being built at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
[Featured Image by The Walt Disney Company]
