Avatar-land coming to DAK-just hit the Orlando Sentinel

[Cap.Steamboat Willie]

But.... but.....

The humans were the heroes! You had the Scientists band together with their pilot and organize a plot to fight back against the evil mercenaries!

Stop interrupting the backlash with logic. Let's hang Cameron. The movie was hardly seen by anyone and 3D is a fad that will not be around five years from now. I mean haven't we learned anything from Harry Potter. Popular blockbuster movies are not to be made into lands in amusement parks. It will never work.

 

[jaci-h]

I guess I'm in the dis-minority and am excited!! I'm excited for a new land in AK. Can you imagine how amazing nighttime would be at AK with Pandora there? What if they did a show... kind of like the old Tarzan show? would be FANTASTIC!

Maybe a new thrillride?

I'm excited that Disney has decided that AK needs more fantasy and magic.

 

[Cap.Steamboat Willie]

I guess I'm in the dis-minority and am excited!! I'm excited for a new land in AK. Can you imagine how amazing nighttime would be at AK with Pandora there? What if they did a show... kind of like the old Tarzan show? would be FANTASTIC!

Maybe a new thrillride?

I'm excited that Disney has decided that AK needs more fantasy and magic.

I do not think you are in the minority. I'm very excited whenever Disney creates something new, especially something as big as an entire land.

 

[WaltD4Me]

And Dinosaur was such a hit?


I say give it a chance. I think it will be awesome but who knows, I could be wrong and it could stink something fierce. But then others here could be wrong and it could be one of the biggest draws AK will ever have. The point is, right now, no one knows how successful this will be but there are a bunch of people here in this forum condemning it before it even happens. What ever happened to people thinking positively about Disney? I swear, a person can see so much negativity in the forums these days. Instead of being happy that they have a wonderful set of parks to go to they want to hate, gripe, and armchair engineer the parks.

While I think it will be very cool, this whole thing could blow up in Disney's face and then everyone can sit back and thrash Disney over it. Be honest, they could literally transport you to Pandora, for real, and there would still be people that have nothing good to say about it.

My biggest problem with this is that Avatar is not a Disney property and I don't understand why they have to go out of their own catalog and BUY the rights to someone else's movie. I felt the same way about the American Idol Experience at DHS. It was a bad idea when they announced it and it still is. Disney has enough material of it's own that it could be adding to the parks and enough creativity in their Imagineering Department to create unique attractions like Expedition Everest, why do they need to buy other properties that are not part of their brand?

 

[wdwscout]

Not a fan. I do not like extra-terrestrials
-Hellstrom

I just thought this was amusing in light of the fact that your signature picture includes Stitch AND a Star Trek t-shirt.

And now, back to the topic at hand.

 

[DCTooTall]

My biggest problem with this is that Avatar is not a Disney property and I don't understand why they have to go out of their own catalog and BUY the rights to someone else's movie. I felt the same way about the American Idol Experience at DHS. It was a bad idea when they announced it and it still is. Disney has enough material of it's own that it could be adding to the parks and enough creativity in their Imagineering Department to create unique attractions like Expedition Everest, why do they need to buy other properties that are not part of their brand?

It's not the first time Disney has done that though. Disney pretty much bought the rights to Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Lucas still owns both properties and Disney didn't have anything to do with their creation.

Also, Disney originally bought the rights to the Muppets. it wasn't until recently that the Muppets themselves became a Disney property.

And don't forget Winnie the Pooh. It was a book that Disney has bought the licensing for. (Disney still doesn't own Pooh outright.)




You know.... now that I thnk about it though, I wonder if this deal also includes anything on the sequels. Is Disney going to be involved with the production of the Sequel movies at all as a part of this?

 

[PinkBudgie]

I just got home from work and wow! When I first read that I had to honestly stop and think if this was April 1st. Because everytime I read something like this I fall for it until I realize it's April Fools Day. Ok, The calender clearly says September.

This sure came out of left field. Avatar was a good movie, not fantastic, and certainly not a classic. That's the difference between this and Star Wars or Indy. Those are classic movies you can watch over and over. We've never had any desire to see Avatar again and that movie has lost its "buzz". No one talks about it now.

That said, if anyone can make that turn out awesome, Disney can. We are planning to go to WDW in 2014. I wonder if it will be done by then or if it will take years to finish. If I could pick any new land, this wouldn't have come to mind, but I will hold off on a final judgement until I see it.

 

[WorldWacky]

I can tell you that my kids will have ZERO interest in this.

My kids were thrilled when I told them at dinner! They're 9, 6 and 6. My husband who wouldn't care if WDW burned down tomorrow was excited. He even asked when it would be finished so we could go see it! I think this may have wider appeal than some people think.

I for one am very excited. At first I thought, "Avatar at AK not DHS?", but then I thought about the message of the movie and if anyone can do this the right way, it's Disney! For those who keep mentioning Beastly Kingdom... isn't this a movie about mythical creatures in a mythical land ... just sayin'.

 

[FFToolboxGuy]

Yes, Disney has a huge catalog of movies and characters that don't have a ride, land or area, but I can't think of any of them that would bring in new guests, specifically teens and 20-somethings the way that Avatar will.

I would have never gone to Universal if it wasn't for Harry Potter and I think Avatar-land has the same opportunity for Animal Kingdom -- bring in new people that have never been to Disney World.

Remember that Avatar is the top grossing movie of all time, earning $2.7B worldwide. (#14 adjusted for inflation in the US only) That's a lot of people who bought tickets who might be interested in "returning" to Pandora.

 

[WaltD4Me]

It's not the first time Disney has done that though. Disney pretty much bought the rights to Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Lucas still owns both properties and Disney didn't have anything to do with their creation.

Also, Disney originally bought the rights to the Muppets. it wasn't until recently that the Muppets themselves became a Disney property.

And don't forget Winnie the Pooh. It was a book that Disney has bought the licensing for. (Disney still doesn't own Pooh outright.)




You know.... now that I thnk about it though, I wonder if this deal also includes anything on the sequels. Is Disney going to be involved with the production of the Sequel movies at all as a part of this?

I give Stars Wars and Indy a pass because when they opened the Studios it was the Eisner era and before Pixar. I think now though that DHS should be expanded with Pixar attractions. How long have we been waiting for a Monsters Inc. Coaster?

As for Pooh, yes, they licensed the book, much like Mary Poppins, but they then made their own movies from those books. That's a bit different than Avatar.

As for the Muppets, you are right about them, but at least they somewhat fit into Disney's wheelhouse.

I just don't want to see Disney become a mish-mosh of a bunch of stuff Disney thought would make them some money. I'm still not over Marvel. I just wish Disney would invest in itself.

 

[DCTooTall]

I give Stars Wars and Indy a pass because when they opened the Studios it was the Eisner era and before Pixar. I think now though that DHS should be expanded with Pixar attractions. How long have we been waiting for a Monsters Inc. Coaster?

As for Pooh, yes, they licensed the book, much like Mary Poppins, but they then made their own movies from those books. That's a bit different than Avatar.

As for the Muppets, you are right about them, but at least they somewhat fit into Disney's wheelhouse.

I just don't want to see Disney become a mish-mosh of a bunch of stuff Disney thought would make them some money. I'm still not over Marvel. I just wish Disney would invest in itself.

TBH... Even everything Pixar could be considered up for Debate. Originally Disney was just a Distribution partner for the Pixar movies.


But I understand your desire to see Disney invest in Disney. In some ways, I'm hoping that maybe between DCA's redo, the FLE, and AvatarLand, that maybe we'll rebuild some much needed experience and skill within Imagineering which can then be used to allow them to go back out on their own and develop original attractions and properties.

In a way, I think you can almost consider Avatar to be training wheels for Disney. It's been so long since they've really invested in Imagineering new attractions, and Avatar is a property that doesn't immediately jump out at you to say "This is a great idea for a ride/theme" for everything to fill an entire land. But because it was a high grossing picture, it may give the bean counters the courage to put the money into imagineering to develop the attractions and systems to bring the world to life in a way that something not as proven wouldn't.

It's been quite awhile since Imagineering has really brought us something truly groundbreaking story or tech wise, but this may just be what we need to get the needed investment to break that streak.

 

[DeaverTex]

I am SO stoked about this! Mrs. Tex and I loved the movie, and are looking forward to the sequels. I think this will be great. As for all the haters on this thread, well... any time Disney changes anything, somebody's gonna to complain.

I swear, some people would complain if you hung 'em with a new rope.

 

[disneysteve]

My biggest problem with this is that Avatar is not a Disney property and I don't understand why they have to go out of their own catalog and BUY the rights to someone else's movie.

To be fair, that was pretty much the whole premise of Disney-MGM Studios. The Great Movie Ride has Mary Poppins and Fantasia but everything else on the ride is non-Disney. Tower of Terror. Indiana Jones. Star Wars. Muppets. Plenty of non-Disney stuff there.

 

[disneysteve]

As long as they add a thrill ride i will be happy!

Maybe a new thrillride?

I'm excited that Disney has decided that AK needs more fantasy and magic.

Call me a purist but I am very disappointed that the public, including the dedicated Disney fan base, never embraced AK as it was meant to be. My wife and I attended AP preview and Grand Opening of AK and we fell in love with the park immediately BECAUSE it was different. It wasn't a bunch of audio-animatronics and manufactured thrills. It was live animals and unscripted experiences and nature and art. But it quickly became clear that the public didn't want different. They wanted more of the same.

So over the past 13 years, Disney has gradually been tweaking AK to make it just another theme park adding thrill rides and things people expect from a Disney park. They've removed some of the animals from The Oasis because guests either ignored them completely or complained that things like the sloth were too boring to watch. It's a SLOTH for heaven's sake.

Gone are the "hidden" trails that led into the bush and across the little creek. Gone are the Discovery Riverboats. And now, here comes Avatar, something that I'm sure will be done to typical Disney standards (one would hope) but really having no place at all in the original plan for AK.

I'll admit that I love Expedition Everest. I think it is a great ride that is expertly themed, so yes, I'm a hypocrite to some extent. I didn't like that they put in another thrill ride but it's the first place I go when we enter the park (after stopping for Kilimanjaro fast passes on the way).

 

[jcb]

Tom Staggs' responses to questions on the blog:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/09/answering-your-questions-about-avatar-at-disney-parks/

Nothing from "Pete" in Orlando.

 

[runningstitch]

An Avatar attraction at DHS would have been a great idea. An Avatar land at AK makes absolutely no sense.

They better not take away the Tree of Life and replace it with Hometree.

^This.

 

[keishashadow]

Stop interrupting the backlash with logic. Let's hang Cameron. The movie was hardly seen by anyone and 3D is a fad that will not be around five years from now. I mean haven't we learned anything from Harry Potter. Popular blockbuster movies are not to be made into lands in amusement parks. It will never work.

sez who? perhaps you should tell that to the honchos @ Universal since they've reported record earnings and guest attendance since mr potter has come to town.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...versal-orlando-wizarding-world-guest-spending

speaking as a HP fan I was concerned as to how U would represent the franchise, imo they did a great job. As a U fan i'm not thrilled with the crowds but realize the influx of cash into the parks will keep things humming for years after the big crush is over.

I did think it was a practical joke when i heard avatar news today, now i'm just blue. Have yet to meet anybody who actually loved the movie. Heavy handed message & gimmicky (but once 3D is perfected and pricepoint is palatable the technology will become mainstream).

just don't think avatar will have a long enough shelf-live to be profitable addition. will be interesting to see if an official announcement might breathe some life into disney stock.

 

[baby1disney]

OK. I've read a lot of these comments..well the first three pages...and I really can't believe some of the comments and criticism that had came about. I mean if you have watched the movie and really paid attention to it, you would see that it does fit with AK.

I've always believed this saying:"People don't like change. Not because they don't want it..maybe some don't..but because they don't understand it. This is where ignorance and stupidity come to play."

I totally agree with this!! There are things I don't like..but I'll never dismiss it. Maybe one day I'll be able to understand it, maybe even like it!! The theme of humans and nature being one has been around for a very long time..just maybe hasn't been portrayed like it has in AVATAR. People need to stop being so negative about this and give it a chance. The announcement just came out today and all it basically said was that it was still in tue designing stages. They could move it to a different park or keep it where it's at!!

Personally...I LOOVE this movie and can't wait for this to come about!!! I've alwaysed loved James Cameron and usually whatever project/movie he does...it becomes gold and a huge hit!!! And people have to really stop and think if Disney would really plan something this huge just to have it flop, as far as a themed land/attraction goes. There's soo much to this story and more will be exposed as it develops. So..until I see a model or some pictures of this..I'll wait to pass judgment on something that I don't have a clue about...

 

[baby1disney]

My kids were thrilled when I told them at dinner! They're 9, 6 and 6. My husband who wouldn't care if WDW burned down tomorrow was excited. He even asked when it would be finished so we could go see it! I think this may have wider appeal than some people think.

I for one am very excited. At first I thought, "Avatar at AK not DHS?", but then I thought about the message of the movie and if anyone can do this the right way, it's Disney! For those who keep mentioning Beastly Kingdom... isn't this a movie about mythical creatures in a mythical land ... just sayin'.

Totally agree with the last sentence especially!!! Very well put!!!

 

[sayhello]

Personally, I'm amazed by the number of people who are saying "I haven't seen the movie. Hate Hate Hate. I don't see how it fits in with AK". How can you possibly judge or know how it would or wouldn't fit in if you HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE??? Talk about judgmental. Go see the movie; then you can comment on whether it fits or not.

Personally, I saw the movie, and while the story is on the simplistic side, the visuals are totally STUNNING, and the world of Pandora is amazingly well realized. I can totally see a ride based on riding & training your own banshee. And if they were somehow able to make you able to "be" an Avatar, and see the world through the eyes of your Avatar... Wow! That could be amazing. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Disney will do with the world.

I too wondered what the fuss was with this movie and then I saw it. Visually it is STUNNING and the story line is wonderful. I read Disney's blog post and it is so true that the theme of the movie is the harmony with the world around you - including the animals and trees. This fits very well with AK. I for one am excited to hear about a new themed land (and yes, the blog says 'the first AVATAR-themed land') in any WDW theme park but this fits well with AK. Very exciting news. I'll actually visit the park!!!

I totally agree!

I just thought this was amusing in light of the fact that your signature picture includes Stitch AND a Star Trek t-shirt.

And now, back to the topic at hand.

Sayhello