I think it’s an interesting question of which area should get the attention next after Jungle X is completed — CAG or Old VA.
I think the formula that made Jungle X so great is that A) It brought incredible new life to a rundown area, and B) That previous area still had good thematic bones and infrastructure.
I think Candy Apple Grove stands to benefit more from a Jungle X style revamp, since it’s now by far the park’s most rundown and disjointed area. Sprucing up the center of CAG would legitimately raise the quality level of the whole park. But unlike Safari Village before it transformed into Jungle X, CAG lacks significant thematic infrastructure and a cohesive aesthetic. Converting CAG into an immersive, story-driven land seems like it would require way more investment and alteration than Jungle X did.
On the other hand, Old Virginia has pretty strong “bones” with the theming, architecture, rides, etc. all more or less already fitting the old country theme. A Jungle X upgrade here could be amazing. Imagine Old VA almost like a mini Knott’s, bustling with little details and experiences everywhere. It’s such a natural evolution of the area. But on the other hand, unlike Safari Village, I wouldn’t say Old VA is really rundown. Sure, it hasn’t received a completely new attraction in literally decades, and sure I’d love for the colonial-style pavers they added in 2019 to extend throughout the whole land, but in general Old VA is a nice, fairly pretty, fairly cohesive country-themed area. It’s not exactly immersive or story-driven, but it’s already nice. As amazing as a Jungle X-style Old VA upgrade would be, does the area really need enough work to justify it?
So I think it’s an interesting discussion to have over which area should be prioritized next. The area that desperately needs help but probably can only be improved so much, or the area that’s already pretty good but could really turn into something incredible?