Avatar land coming to Animal Kingdom!!

[mcd2745]

http://movies.ign.com/articles/119/1195541p1.html

The movie made scads of money. If the franchise manages to continue it's success...it's a nice pickup for WDW.

I think that this is an excellent thing..I have seen the movie about 5 times..(I own it)

I think the movie was not as popular as everyone thinks. Both Cameron's 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' were sort of unique in that they had an incredible amount of people who went to the theater multiple times to see the movies over and over. So while they made tons of money at the box-office, an unusually high percentage of that was driven by repeat customers. I think this ends up being a huge mistake for Disney.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

I think it was more like Fern Gully on steroids.

And Fern Gully was a TERRIBLE movie. Nostalgia Critic did a review of it that's hilarious though.

 

[Invisable89]

I've already posted in the other thread about this but i'll post here too.

IMHO i think this is fantastic news! Just what Disney/DAK needs! I was actually thinking to myself a few weeks ago about AVATAR being brought to WDW, as the film is all about what DAK is about (nature, conservation etc). The possibilities are endless! & if you don't 'get' what AVATAR has to do with DAK PLEASE watch the film - then you'll understand. It has a great message to it!

 

[LukenDC]

I've never seen Avatar and do not have an opinion regarding its worthiness for WDW. I do wish, however, that AK would add a broader array of animals to the park. I'd like to see animals from Australia and the Americas.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I just can't help but thinking how un-Disney this is. Really disappointing, even if the land turns out to be amazing.

And the collaboration years ago with George Lucas for Star Wars and Indiana Jones was more Disney?

 

[RAPstar]

When it opens, there's one part of AK I'll never venture into...

Ditto.

 

[SaraJayne]

Actually, there is now a contract for 2 more movies, that I am sure will be just as big a blockbusters. Avatar Land is projected to open shortly after the last movie does, so there will be a big kick there.

ETA: And I imagine the contract for the further 2 movies was a predicator of the timing of this. If there were only going to be the one, I don't think it would have been big enough buzz to create a whole Land around.

TWO more? Ugh, that makes it even worse.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

An Avatar attraction would have been a great idea! An entire land...not so much.

I liked Avatar, but make an Avatar land and not a Star Wars land?

Avatar isn't going to be the classic, like SW or Indy. It has much more limited merchandise tie-ins.

And AK? DHS maybe, but not AK. The beauty of Avatar was highlighted in the nighttime scenes How are they going to achieve this in a park that closes at 5pm on a typical day?

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

please.

"too early" claims of jumping to shark have SO jumped the shark.

Oh please. Animal Kingdom already had a great premise that they never brought to fruition in Beastly Kingdom. Instead we get a non Disney movie land based on a preachy flashy movie that wasn't even that good? The announcement alone jumps the shark, and I have a feeling every passing additional announcement will just add another shark to the jump.

 

[pilferk]

I think the movie was not as popular as everyone thinks. Both Cameron's 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' were sort of unique in that they had an incredible amount of people who went to the theater multiple times to see the movies over and over. So while they made tons of money at the box-office, an unusually high percentage of that was driven by repeat customers. I think this ends up being a huge mistake for Disney.

I think, yes, there was a lot of repeat business (as there was for HP, LOTRO, Star Wars, etc). I don't think you can peg the entirety of their financial success on that, though.

The movie made 2.8 BILLION,world wide.

That's an astounding amount of money.

 

[morethananyonex]

And the collaboration years ago with George Lucas for Star Wars and Indiana Jones was more Disney?

Not at all. But one ride and one show at DHS (a park where "random" movies fit much better IMO) is different to me then an entire land in AK based on a franchise that has had one successful film so far.

For the record, I would also hate to see a "Jungle Book Land" at AK. Would it fit? Yes. Is it Disney? Yes, but that's just not what makes WDW what it is to me. Their best attractions IMO are the ones that were based on nothing more then creativity on the part of the Imagineers.

 

[laura_<3]

Avatar doesn't interest me, but I suppose I'll give it a chance

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Full disclosure: I've never seen the movie and never had any intention to.

Certainly comes across as a lame response to Harry Potter.

Lame? There were EIGHT Potter movies and they did around $7.7b gross worldwide.

There was ONE Avatar and it did $2.8b by itself. The sequels are the key....if they are anything close to the original Avatar will far and away be the most valuable movie franchise of all-time...except for maybe Star Wars.

 

[KellyNY]

"Over the top" is the phrase people generally use to say "crazy" without actually saying it.

James Cameron took the story of the Titanic and instead of doing the actual, very moving stories that took place on that ship...decided to do a love story with nudity and have a gun chase.

Avatar was not a good movie. It had good special effects, which is all that is needed to impress young people today...but the movie actually sucked.

James Cameron does not impress me. At all. Well, except for Terminator. Have to give him props for that.

You have to really "see" this movie to understand the meaning and it is pretty deep. I did not see it in theaters basically because I thought it is another stupid aliens movie and I watched it first on my phone, it came preloaded. So I saw it without 3D, on a tiny screen and I was amazed by how deep idea was. You may not like it, your right, just like you may not be impressed by Cameron in general but by no means his movies sucked. Like it or not they are timeless hits.

 

[NewsiesGoil]

So excited! I have an Avatar tattoo and this is an absolute dream come true! IMO a perfect fit for AK!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

So disappointing. I always try to keep an open mind with Disney, but what in the world?

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Oh please. Animal Kingdom already had a great premise that they never brought to fruition in Beastly Kingdom. Instead we get a non Disney movie land based on a preachy flashy movie that wasn't even that good?

If you liked the idea of Beastly Kingdom why not Avatar?

There are lots of beasts in Avatar....it's really the same premise...a land where impossible creatures exist....mythological if you will.

 

[SaraJayne]

Lame? There were EIGHT Potter movies and they did around $7.7b gross worldwide.

There was ONE Avatar and it did $2.8b by itself. The sequels are the key....if they are anything close to the original Avatar will far and away be the most valuable movie franchise of all-time...except for maybe Star Wars.

And if the sequels flop??

 

[disEAR]

I have no issues with this not being a Disney film or property. My issue here is with the lack of original 'from the ground up' attractions coming to the parks. All of the projects that are new and upcoming are based on franchises. Cars Land, Fantasyland Expansion is all movie themed, all the new rides at California Adventure are surrounded by existing properties. Mickey Mouse, Goofy, The Little Mermaid.. It's as if Disney has lost all confidence in Imagineering. I think we're all starved for something original. I know I am..

 

[OhThePain]

I think, yes, there was a lot of repeat business (as there was for HP, LOTRO, Star Wars, etc). I don't think you can peg the entirety of their financial success on that, though.

The movie made 2.8 BILLION,world wide.

That's an astounding amount of money.

While it is a lot of money, it's also a statistic that doesn't mean as much as it used to. The price of a regular 2D movie is close to $15 around here. Add on the surcharge for 3D or IMAX which was a nice size portion of the ticket sales and your talking about a $2.8 billion movie that didn't sell nearly as many tickets as it sounds like it did.

While I understand the appeal of the world of Avatar, basing a land around the movie (franchise) is just a big mistake. What's next... "Titanic River Rapids"?