Construction of "Star Wars" land to begin in 2016

[Eoghann]

With no merch?

Come on...you know better

Avatar did $150 million in merchandising in its first 6 months. Certainly that has tapered way off, but you know there will be merchandising in the park and with a release date of 2017 currently pencilled in for the first sequel I have now doubt there will be another round of merchandising then too.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some sort of revenue share or investment deal going on but either way I'm pretty sure everyone in this will be making plenty of money.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Still fighting the avatar battle
Huh?
Lets all move on and enjoy this full park expansion, especially at night

I don't think there is a battle...to be honest.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Avatar did $150 million in merchandising in its first 6 months. Certainly that has tapered way off, but you know there will be merchandising in the park and with a release date of 2017 currently pencilled in for the first sequel I have now doubt there will be another round of merchandising then too.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some sort of revenue share or investment deal going on but either way I'm pretty sure everyone in this will be making plenty of money.

150
Million?

Compared to Disney's properties or Harry potter?

 

[DanBoris]

With no merch?

Come on...you know better

You are really doubting Disney's ability to merchandise anything to within an inch of it's life? Come on, you know better.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

You are really doubting Disney's ability to merchandise anything to within an inch of it's life? Come on, you know better.

No doubt they'll try.

But avatar plushies?

A bit much. The available merch/licensing numbers for avatar are pathetic.

Perhaps it was just a fortuitous run in the theater with a lack of competition...

Or as industry insiders would put it: "the widely accepted truth"

 

[Eoghann]

150
Million?

Compared to Disney's properties or Harry potter?

In the first 6 months that's respectable even against most Disney properties. Probably not Harry Potter but that one was a juggernaut and not everything has to or should be judged against it.

Pandora fits a particular need in a particular location. Disney certainly didn't have a suitable property to put in AK that had the same merchandising potential. Yes you could go Tarzan, or Pocahontas if you wanted to movie theme but those aren't exactly big name draws. Or you could have gone with a country or back to Beastly Kingdom, but that limits the merchandising quite dramatically.

Meanwhile Cameron clearly benefits from getting a permanent location for his creation and the merchandising power that Disney wields when it comes to continued sales to back up the sequels.

Both sides will make some nice money out of this in the long run.

And I'm saying that as someone who has never even watched the movie so its quality is entirely irrelevant.

 

[twebber55]

I don't think there is a battle...to be honest.

your re right you lost its coming go enjoy the new expansion in 2017
dont be so mad about it

 

[lockedoutlogic]

your re right you lost its coming go enjoy the new expansion in 2017
dont be so mad about it

Not quite...but it's all water under the bridge to neon land now

 

[twebber55]

No doubt they'll try.

But avatar plushies?

A bit much. The available merch/licensing numbers for avatar are pathetic.

Perhaps it was just a fortuitous run in the theater with a lack of competition...

Or as industry insiders would put it: "the widely accepted truth"

i agree it wont do near as much probably only 1.5 billion
oh so there are insiders you trust on movies but not the theme parks lol

I don't think there is a battle...to be honest.

im waiting for your excuses when it becomes a huge success
here are a few guesses
1. Disney finally built something people were starving for a new attraction
2. ROL is really the big winner
3. People just want to go to DAK at night it wouldnt matter what was there

meanwhile the Shanghai pavilion had no wait at D23 while it took an hour to get into the avatar area.
sad really, move along folks the debate is over lets hope execution wins out for all these expansions

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think you've got me confused with someone else..

My entire "argument" with avatar has always been one thing:
That Disney and Cameron are both using each other...financially.

If its good - great. But that's not what i was ever into. I just think it's naïveté to pump Disney's tires for "genius" in bringing avatar and then all of a sudden pounders where pumping "Facebook likes" and DVD sales...when they never, ever, ever would have if universal had agreed to build the avatar area.

It was all just corporate tire pumping...as expected.

So lets just clear that up.

And I'm sorry...you're using d23 wait times as evidence of something?

Huh?...d23 is a Star Trek convention...it can't be used as agauge of public appeal...and public appeal/sales is why the decisions are made.
You lost touch with reality there a bit.

We know this...if the rabid fans wants/desires where what moved the needle...then wdw would be run completley different now...but it's run for the mainstream mom and pops...not the ap holders.

 

[twebber55]

I think you've got me confused with someone else..

My entire "argument" with avatar has always been one thing:
That Disney and Cameron are both using each other...financially.

If its good - great. But that's not what i was ever into. I just think it's naïveté to pump Disney's tires for "genius" in bringing avatar and then all of a sudden pounders where pumping "Facebook likes" and DVD sales...when they never, ever, ever would have if universal had agreed to build the avatar area.

It was all just corporate tire pumping...as expected.

So lets just clear that up.

And I'm sorry...you're using d23 wait times as evidence of something?

Huh?...d23 is a Star Trek convention...it can be used as agauge of public appeal...and public appeal/sales is why the decisions are made.
You lost touch with reality there a bit.

We know this...if the rabid fans wants/desires where what moved the needle...then wdw would be run completley different now...but it's run for the mainstream mom and pops...not the ap holders.

bottom line for me once again, which i ve tried to explain to you, so let me try one more time
they wanted to extend DAK into the night time
Avatar and its environment is known for the nighttime
it was a huge success regardless what you feel, it just was one of the most successful movies of all time period
people have to look at this as a park wide expansion
too many people are going over to Uni because DAk and DHS are/were half day parks

as always you take one example i give and run with it like thats my entire argument
you claim nobody cares about avatar nor will they care about the land and i give you a fact from a disney event and you dismiss it
i give you a number for all time Blue ray sales and you dismiss it
i give you a box office number and you dismiss it
you dismiss them because it doesn't fit your narrative

nobody lost touch with reality im not the one saying one of the most successful movies of all time is worthless and will be a failure in a theme park you sir are the one who is bordering on the nuts department

you rip disney for being corporate and money grabbing constantly on this board (in which i agree) perhaps you re being a hypocrite and should appreciate disney putting in a land based on creativity and not merchandise sales, since you value that so much

by the way HP is waaaayyyyy down the list of merchandising behind the likes of
WWE (now that would be a great land maybe have a hulk hogan ride)
hello kitty
pooh (which gets a massive line of fantasy land of about 15 minutes

bottom line for me is does the land adapt well to a theme park? i do not care what it does in merchandising because its been proven over and over execution and adaptability beat out popularity for example star tours is the 4th best ride in a park of 5 rides

im out of this thread and sorry to the other folks for thread drifting

 

[lockedoutlogic]

bottom line for me once again, which i ve tried to explain to you, so let me try one more time
they wanted to extend DAK into the night time
Avatar and its environment is known for the nighttime
it was a huge success regardless what you feel, it just was one of the most successful movies of all time period
people have to look at this as a park wide expansion
too many people are going over to Uni because DAk and DHS are/were half day parks

as always you take one example i give and run with it like thats my entire argument
you claim nobody cares about avatar nor will they care about the land and i give you a fact from a disney event and you dismiss it
i give you a number for all time Blue ray sales and you dismiss it
i give you a box office number and you dismiss it
you dismiss them because it doesn't fit your narrative

nobody lost touch with reality im not the one saying one of the most successful movies of all time is worthless and will be a failure in a theme park you sir are the one who is bordering on the nuts department

you rip disney for being corporate and money grabbing constantly on this board (in which i agree) perhaps you re being a hypocrite and should appreciate disney putting in a land based on creativity and not merchandise sales, since you value that so much

by the way HP is waaaayyyyy down the list of merchandising behind the likes of
WWE (now that would be a great land maybe have a hulk hogan ride)
hello kitty
pooh (which gets a massive line of fantasy land of about 15 minutes

bottom line for me is does the land adapt well to a theme park? i do not care what it does in merchandising because its been proven over and over execution and adaptability beat out popularity for example star tours is the 4th best ride in a park of 5 rides

im out of this thread and sorry to the other folks for thread drifting

I actually agree with several of your points here...

But not about d23 as a measuring stick...nor viewing avatar as numbers instead of the context of its release period and the tech involved.

Star Wars has huge numbers...but the historical context/emotional attachment to the widest of audiences is even greater...that's it's real strength...not that I'm making a correlation or anything.

Right...I mostly agree with you...back to regular programming

 

[DDLand]

Wasn't the Shanghai Area a sprawling museum like setup with tons of props and exhibits? That contrasts with avatar which had a much smaller room and each guests had to enter a smaller introduction area before going into the main area.

The difference is like comparing a Walmart to a fine jewelry store. Walmart could have a line of 1 person, and the jewelry store 50, but because of Walmarts massive capacity it could be handling many more patrons. Same thing should apply at D23.

Just a thought...

 

[DDLand]

Indeed...

Cameron is also a perfectionist that's willing to spend his own money...

And I'm 99.9995% sure there's money involved here...

Or are we still believeing the bubka that Disney "really wanted avatar" and was paying full price for it?

Cameron's money? I doubt it. Did you see his performance at D23? This was not an executive who was proud or even engaged in what was going on, it seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet. His right hand man on the other hand seems like he may be the one pushing this through. Him and Staggs- who accomplished almost nothing during his tenure- are the cheerleaders. Avatar is their baby.

 

[Todd W]

Idk, I watched the D23 presentation on avatar. Cameron seemed very relaxed and engaged on the stage talking about Pandora.

 

[twebber55]

Wasn't the Shanghai Area a sprawling museum like setup with tons of props and exhibits? That contrasts with avatar which had a much smaller room and each guests had to enter a smaller introduction area before going into the main area.

The difference is like comparing a Walmart to a fine jewelry store. Walmart could have a line of 1 person, and the jewelry store 50, but because of Walmarts massive capacity it could be handling many more patrons. Same thing should apply at D23.

Just a thought...

doesn't take away from the wait for avatar
but point taken

 

[twebber55]

Cameron's money? I doubt it. Did you see his performance at D23? This was not an executive who was proud or even engaged in what was going on, it seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet. His right hand man on the other hand seems like he may be the one pushing this through. Him and Staggs- who accomplished almost nothing during his tenure- are the cheerleaders. Avatar is their baby.

we watched two different events
hey whatever frame of reference is everything

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Cameron's money? I doubt it. Did you see his performance at D23? This was not an executive who was proud or even engaged in what was going on, it seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet. His right hand man on the other hand seems like he may be the one pushing this through. Him and Staggs- who accomplished almost nothing during his tenure- are the cheerleaders. Avatar is their baby.

Again...d23 is really a bad borometer to how decisions/business are done.

I mean...this is the crowd that would pay $50 to enter a toy store and buy a $200 bb8.

These are the outliers...not the mass market they covet.

Don't take anything at a fan convention too seriously

 

[twebber55]

Again...d23 is really a bad borometer to how decisions/business are done.

I mean...this is the crowd that would pay $50 to enter a toy store and buy a $200 bb8.

These are the outliers...not the mass market they covet.

Don't take anything at a fan convention too seriously

I absolutely agree with you perhaps I should have said in comparison to other parts of the Imagineering pavilion avatar was absolutely the hardest thing to get into so obviously people were interested in seeing it although im sure some went in to see rohde

 

[Eoghann]

Idk, I watched the D23 presentation on avatar. Cameron seemed very relaxed and engaged on the stage talking about Pandora.

People read what they want to see into a person's demeanor. For example I've seen a lot of people using that same stage presentation as "proof" that Joe Rohde "hates having Avatar forced into his park".