Festival of the Lion King to close in January

[skier_pete]

I've been following internet rumors and news on Disney for 6 years now, and I would say currently that I have yet to see the rumor of Avatarland being canceled from any source that I would consider reliable.

Now as far as delays - anyone that knows anything about James Cameron knows that if he's involved, there are going to be delays. The guy moves at a snails pace. It took him 12 years to make Avatar. (And I know this because I read a treatment for this movie back in 1999 that was very very close to the final product.) The sequels have already been pushed back at least a year. I would never expect disney to get it done on the initial schedule.

I keep commenting on this, but it is funny how strongly negative the general response to Avatar on this website is. However, does "DISboarders" really represent the majority of people?

First off - the movie is the #1 all-time box office movie. $3 Billion world-wide.

"OK" you say, "but people that went didn't really like it that much."

Well, then let's look at DVD sales. For 2010, Avatar sold in excess of 10+ million DVD in the US alone, making $189 million additional dollars. Second was Toy Story 3 with 9 million, then Twilight: New Moon with 7.8 million. Worldwide it sold 30 million copies.

It's hard to judge how good 10 Million copies is, since DVD sales have been dwindling, but there are only 3 movies that topped 10 million copies in the last 5 years, and the other two are Twilight and Dark Knight.

I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say with this. Twilight is extremely popular, but would make a horrible theme park attraction. (I'm sure they'd get long lines for the shirtless Jacob meet and greet though.) I think Avatar has both a popular world-wide audience, and the ability to be make an interesting theme park attraction.

I always come back to this - Splash Mountain came from Song of the South, which by the late eighties/early ninties was NOT anywhere near mainstream popularity. However, it made a great Disney Theme park property. Yes, I know it was a Disney product, but still.

I guess I just don't get all the dismissal/vitriol at Avatarland. If the response was "meh, not my favorite movie, but let's see where it goes", I would understand, but this "What an awful idea, how dare they, I hope its canceled". I just really don't understand it.

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by skier_pete

I've been following internet rumors and news on Disney for 6 years now, and I would say currently that I have yet to see the rumor of Avatarland being canceled from any source that I would consider reliable.

For longer than that (back to rec.arts.disneyparks newsgroup days) and ditto.

But I don't lend credence to much I read on any message board in terms of rumors concerning Disney. There are posters I find more compelling/reliable than others...but even those posters I take with a grain of salt, because they've all been wrong, at one point or another. Until Disney announces it, or vertical construction starts (aka Bay Lake Tower), or there's a reputable press-type account (or reputable disney news site) that withstands scrutiny....it's all just interesting theorycrafting.

[Fantasmiss]

Originally Posted by skier_pete

I guess I just don't get all the dismissal/vitriol at Avatarland. If the response was "meh, not my favorite movie, but let's see where it goes", I would understand, but this "What an awful idea, how dare they, I hope its canceled". I just really don't understand it.

For me anyway it's more a case of " I wish they were planning something I could get excited about, or at least be bothered about instead".

[DCTooTall]

Originally Posted by pilferk

For longer than that (back to rec.arts.disneyparks newsgroup days) and ditto.

But I don't lend credence to much I read on any message board in terms of rumors concerning Disney. There are posters I find more compelling/reliable than others...but even those posters I take with a grain of salt, because they've all been wrong, at one point or another. Until Disney announces it, or vertical construction starts (aka Bay Lake Tower), or there's a reputable press-type account (or reputable disney news site) that withstands scrutiny....it's all just interesting theorycrafting.

Ya know.... When Rec.arts.Disney split into the subgroups, i kinda gave up the serious online fandom side of things for probably a little over 10yrs. I didn't get REALLY active again until I started getting active around here.

That does bring back some memories though.

DCTootal
EX- RAD Host
EX- FDC Walkaround Heffalump and Woozle.

[DanBoris]

Originally Posted by pilferk

They're still message board rumors, right? 'Nuff said.

YOU might lend credence to them..but you can't actually expect others to. I don't mean that as a knock on you, either. But anonymously posted, non-cross checked, non-corroberated rumors, of any type, are certainly to be taken with a pretty big grain of salt. And you certainly can't tell someone they're "wrong" based on that. Yes, it's more information to consider....but it's up to the individual how much weight they want to give to them. It's certainly not evidence that what was being said was "not true".

And, again, in the context of the conversation...the "recent rumors" being talked about were those sourced to the IGN article (look at the poster Doc was talking to..THEY linked the IGN article and said it was their source)...because they're the only "recent rumors" from any sort of reputable source.

Unless there's something else out there we've missed?

To each his own. Personally there are people I find reputable and I don't consider them anonymous just because I don't know their real names (although in some cases I do). I agree completely that people need to make up their own minds, that's why I try hard to just present the facts and not bias them with my opinion. I am actually one of the few people I have seen on the boards that really like the Avatar idea and really want to see it built!

As for Avatar being canceled, I will agree, not even the sources I trust have gone as far to say it's been canceled.

[iuki]

We were at AK this morning and saw The Lion King show. The CM said that the show will be relocated somewhere in Africa, but that the show is their biggest attraction and would not do away with it.

[MJMcBride]

Originally Posted by skier_pete

IWell, then let's look at DVD sales. For 2010, Avatar sold in excess of 10+ million DVD in the US alone, making $189 million additional dollars. Second was Toy Story 3 with 9 million, then Twilight: New Moon with 7.8 million. Worldwide it sold 30 million copies.

Whats your source for this? Everything i see does not have Avatar in the Top 20 all time on DVD sales

[Reddog1134]

Originally Posted by MJMcBride

Whats your source for this? Everything i see does not have Avatar in the Top 20 all time on DVD sales

http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2010.php

I don't think he said "all-time" though.

[MJMcBride]

Originally Posted by Reddog1134

http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2010.php

I don't think he said "all-time" though.

Fair enough. So it's not 1 of the top DVD sellers of all time What you think goes to show that it's more of a gimmick movie Then 1 that will stand the test of time

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by DanBoris

To each his own. Personally there are people I find reputable and I don't consider them anonymous just because I don't know their real names (although in some cases I do). I agree completely that people need to make up their own minds, that's why I try hard to just present the facts and not bias them with my opinion. I am actually one of the few people I have seen on the boards that really like the Avatar idea and really want to see it built!
.

Exactly.

But there is a fundamental difference between "I disagree" and "That's not true".

One is an opinion. One is a categorical judgement on fact.

You certainly have a basis for the 1st. You don't really have any solid basis for the 2nd, especially given the context of the conversation.

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by MJMcBride

Whats your source for this? Everything i see does not have Avatar in the Top 20 all time on DVD sales

Fair enough. So it's not 1 of the top DVD sellers of all time What you think goes to show that it's more of a gimmick movie Then 1 that will stand the test of time

He didn't say "all time". Just for it's release year and in the past 5 years.

Remember, DVD sales have been dwindling, too. New tech (digital and blu-ray) and the ongoing relative ease of piracy (though it's not effected movies AS much as music) have eaten into that market.

[eeyorepixie]

huge Disney fan...Avatar was so, so...not sure I even care about the storyline. I have to think hard to remember the movie, my 3 kids 13, 12, and 11 reacted negatively to the "Avatarland" theme...they kept saying "why".

Now I loooooooove FOTLK, if I tell my kids or my DH for that matter that this is closing they are going to freak because they love it!

Take away something we could care less about...and that is a lot in AK

[pilferk]

Originally Posted by DCTooTall

Ya know.... When Rec.arts.Disney split into the subgroups, i kinda gave up the serious online fandom side of things for probably a little over 10yrs. I didn't get REALLY active again until I started getting active around here.

That does bring back some memories though.

DCTootal
EX- RAD Host
EX- FDC Walkaround Heffalump and Woozle.

Some good, some not so good. I actually like the modded format a bit better than some of the craziness that happened on rec.arts.disney (and it's subsequent subgroups). You don't get near the amount of trolls, now....or the spam....in the modded groups.

Now, I lurk a lot all over, and post mostly here (with some noteable exceptions) when it comes to Disney.

[skier_pete]

Originally Posted by MJMcBride

Whats your source for this? Everything i see does not have Avatar in the Top 20 all time on DVD sales

As other said, I never said "All-Time", only 2010 DVD charts. I sourced the 2010 DVD charts from here:

http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2010.php

My World total of 30 million came from Wikipedia, which referenced this article in the economist.

http://www.economist.com/node/18386456

It's very hard to compare "all-time" numbers, as DVD revenue has obviously been a bell curve that peaked in the mid-2000s. DVD sales are significantly dropping, partly due to Blu-Ray and partly due to more availability of movies via Netflix and other sources.

I was merely trying to refute the argument that "No one would want an Avatar themed park". A movie that does that well doesn't do it purely on the gimmick. You could maybe argue the box office results were because of the 3-D gimmick, but wouldn't the DVD sales argue not so much?

Anyways, back to the main topic at hand...I know it can be difficult to not panic, but really FotLK fans - don't panic yet. While I defend Avatarland - I also am amongst those that really hopes this show doesn't close as it is really my very favorite Disney stage show amongst the 6 US parks.

But Disney hasn't announced the closure, and they haven't announced whether it will be moved. My guess is that if/when they announce the closure, they will also talk up the new location. If they close it with no announcement of it returning, that's when we should take up our pens/keyboards en masse and complain.

[pwdebbie]

Originally Posted by iuki

We were at AK this morning and saw The Lion King show. The CM said that the show will be relocated somewhere in Africa, but that the show is their biggest attraction and would not do away with it.

I give your post a good old FB "LIKE"! Thanks for getting back on topic while the rest are debating over whose rumors and babblings are trustworthy.