Disney’s Avatar queue at Animal Kingdom starts construction

[rteetz]

Looked at it quite a bit from Jambo house/service area last week...

The structural steel is up and they are moving...slowly... As usual these days.

It looks like a nice sized addition at first...but quite a bit smaller on closer inspection than driving past...

DAK is under alot of construction...and that is a welcome...I still question why it took probably 10 years to long to do this though...

Studios...as
Previously reported...really looks like a shell of a park...honestly - it's in the realm of "discounted admission"...if they had any pride.

We'll see what happens there.

It's been said that the building is similar in size to dinosaur show building but taller of course. The steel went up quick but now this is where things will start slowing down as they enclose the building and as they start foundations and concrete work for the mountains.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Last rumors were Rivers of Light to open in Spring 2016, so no I would say that you are unlikely to see anything new this October.

They haven't opened anything one day early under current management...if memory serves

I don't expect that to change...

More than likely...if a project goes ahead, they reduce the speed to maintain the predicted timeline...to stretch out the capital expense. I Would not be surprised if the contractors have their contracts written that way...as Florida's labor laws allow... Well...pretty much anything.

I also think that Disney sees no advantages in bonus/penalty provisions anymore.

 

[dinolounger]

Sequel number 1 in 2017 and then two more following the years after.

Yeah, sure. First you were telling us it was supposed to be in early to mid 2016. Then it became December 2016. Now its 2017. And you were also telling us it was going to be a series of four sequels. Then it became three. Frankly, Cameron will likely be lucky if he can get two made before 20th Century Fox says "enough" and pulls the plug.

Stated another way, an entire generation is going to come of age having no clue whatsoever as to what Pandora is or who the heck the Nevi are. And that is why the chorus here on the DIS pointing out that Disney is already regretting what was a questionable collaboration from the beginning is getting bigger and louder by the week.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah, sure. First you were telling us it was supposed to be in early to mid 2016. Then it became December 2016. Now its 2017. And you were also telling us it was going to be a series of four sequels. Then it became three. Frankly, Cameron will likely be lucky if he can get two made before 20th Century Fox says "enough" and pulls the plug.

Stated another way, an entire generation is going to come of age having no clue whatsoever as to what Pandora is or who the heck the Nevi are. And that is why the chorus here on the DIS pointing out that Disney is already regretting what was a questionable collaboration from the beginning is getting bigger and louder by the week.

I'm not going to defend Cameron but he did get a cirque act around pandora and avatar. He also has a traveling exhibit going around the country allowing people to step into the world of pandora. Disney could've of done something different they always can but we are stuck with what we got just like frozen in Norway. I truly believe this will be one of the best if not the best themed lands Disney has ever done. It's also adding a lot to AK which is the best themed park in all of the U.S. AK is finally getting a night time show and night safaris. They are adding restaurants and other little things everywhere. What was already a full day park for me is only becoming more of a full day park.

 

[luisov]

I wonder if Fox is going getting tired of Cameron too. He is definitely very difficult to work with and Fox trusts Avatar 2 will be the huge hit the first one was, but as long as there's nothing to keep the story relevant for the audiences in the meantime, I think there's no guarantee that the sequel will be as big as they expect.

I'm sure Disney will always regret their failure to reach an agreement with J.K. Rowling. While Cameron is taking decades to come up with a second part, Rowling is already done with the Harry Potter spin-off script that will maintain the saga relevant for at least another decade.

 

[Castle2Castle]

Stated another way, an entire generation is going to come of age having no clue whatsoever as to what Pandora is or who the heck the Nevi are.

Cameron has a pretty good track record for stand alone movies and franchises, even with years between sequels. It was approx. 7 years between Terminator movies and his handling of Aliens after Ridley Scott's original. If either had been forgotten, or if an entire generation had no clue whatsoever what either was, he seemed pretty successful at reminding/introducing them.

 

[dinolounger]

Cameron has a pretty good track record for stand alone movies and franchises, even with years between sequels. It was approx. 7 years between Terminator movies and his handling of Aliens after Ridley Scott's original. If either had been forgotten, or if an entire generation had no clue whatsoever what either was, he seemed pretty successful at reminding/introducing them.

Apples to Oranges analogy. Both Terminator and Alien had compelling, memorable lead figures (Schwarzenegger, Sigourney Weaver) who were figureheads in the subsequent releases of each franchise and the key reasons for their success. Most people who saw Avatar can't even remember the names of the major characters, much less describe their personas and motivations or even name the actors who played them (uh.... the alien people were blue and the military guy grew a tail and big ears like theirs....)

So Cameron really has his work cut out for himself in "reminding " us of who these characters are or why we should care about them. How do I know?

I've seen a countless number of kids show up at my front door on Halloween dressed in Star Wars costumes. Plenty as Spiderman or Batman, a few even in Terminator wear. And the variations on Toy Story characters are endless.....

But I have yet to see a single one dressed in anything relating to Avatar.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Has anyone flown a drone over the site lately? Not that I would encourage anyone to do this, but I'd like to see what everything looks like. For instance to see how the boat ride relates to the "Soarin' over Pandora" theater building, and to see the layout of the pathways and whatnot.

 

[rteetz]

Has anyone flown a drone over the site lately? Not that I would encourage anyone to do this, but I'd like to see what everything looks like. For instance to see how the boat ride relates to the "Soarin' over Pandora" theater building, and to see the layout of the pathways and whatnot.

No unfortunately there have not been any recent aerials.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

Not sure when this was taken but here is one I saw at one point. Obviously there are no structures in this photo so it is a bit older.

 

[rteetz]

Not sure when this was taken but here is one I saw at one point. Obviously there are no structures in this photo so it is a bit older.

These are quite old. The building frame is finished and the roof has been put on. Major steel work is underway for the floating mountains.

 

[Castle2Castle]

Apples to Oranges analogy. Both Terminator and Alien had compelling, memorable lead figures (Schwarzenegger, Sigourney Weaver) who were figureheads in the subsequent releases of each franchise and the key reasons for their success.

Skynet, John Connor and Sarah Connor have meaning today after four films and a television series, but I'm not so sure you could have found many people in 1990 to tell you what any of those names meant. Likewise with Ellen Ripley or the Nostromo in 1985. Alien was Sigourney Weaver's first role, so she wasn't a household name yet either.

Also, we're talking about original movies released in 1979 and 1984, which was a much different time than today for movies. Not as many people had VCRs and the movie rental business isn't what it would later grow to be, or anything close to today's streaming media options.

All people really needed to remember during those seven years was the general premise of either movie and whether or not they liked it to give the sequel a shot. Those who hadn't seen it -- an "entire generation coming of age" not knowing what Skynet or facehuggers were -- could at least hear buzz from those who had seen it to form an interest. Avatar had a wider audience in theaters than either of those Cameron films and has continued to have much wider exposure than either of those movies in the years since its release.

I've seen a countless number of kids show up at my front door on Halloween dressed in Star Wars costumes. Plenty as Spiderman or Batman, a few even in Terminator wear. And the variations on Toy Story characters are endless.....

No argument from me on this one. Even if the sequels are successful, barring some changes it's going to be tough for blue body paint and loin cloths to crack the Halloween costume market. It's neither age nor season appropriate attire for children.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

These are quite old. The building frame is finished and the roof has been put on. Major steel work is underway for the floating mountains.

Thought they were. When we were there last weekend there was a lot more having been done. Need to get out there this week and poke around and see if we can snag some pics to post.

 

[wallrock]

I wonder if Fox is going getting tired of Cameron too. He is definitely very difficult to work with and Fox trusts Avatar 2 will be the huge hit the first one was, but as long as there's nothing to keep the story relevant for the audiences in the meantime, I think there's no guarantee that the sequel will be as big as they expect.

I'm sure Disney will always regret their failure to reach an agreement with J.K. Rowling. While Cameron is taking decades to come up with a second part, Rowling is already done with the Harry Potter spin-off script that will maintain the saga relevant for at least another decade.

I don’t recall the specifics, but I think it was last year that Rupert Murdoch – arguably the one who will ultimately sign off on spending the money – is getting a bit frustrated with Cameron’s slow pace and the potentially massive budget the film(s) are calling for. If Fox pulls the plug it’ll be because Murdoch finally says so, and it sounds like his patience is wearing thin.

Around his other films like Terminator and Aliens…one should remember that they cost 6 million and 18 million respectively – much lower than when Cameron decided to go crazy with The Abyss and onwards.

If the sequel gets made there’s going to be a lot riding on it. The novelity of 3D is what helped the original make the bucks it did, and Cameron is going to need more than that to pull those same or higher box office numbers with the sequel.

The thing that surprises me the most is why Cameron hasn’t pulled a George Lucas and simply funded the films himself. He’s been known to do that in the past and he’s certainly got the bucks to do so now.

And yes, I'm betting that someone lost their job when the Harry Potter fish got off the hook.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Meh.

 

[twebber55]

Yeah, sure. First you were telling us it was supposed to be in early to mid 2016. Then it became December 2016. Now its 2017. And you were also telling us it was going to be a series of four sequels. Then it became three. Frankly, Cameron will likely be lucky if he can get two made before 20th Century Fox says "enough" and pulls the plug.

Stated another way, an entire generation is going to come of age having no clue whatsoever as to what Pandora is or who the heck the Nevi are. And that is why the chorus here on the DIS pointing out that Disney is already regretting what was a questionable collaboration from the beginning is getting bigger and louder by the week.

le

I wonder if Fox is going getting tired of Cameron too. He is definitely very difficult to work with and Fox trusts Avatar 2 will be the huge hit the first one was, but as long as there's nothing to keep the story relevant for the audiences in the meantime, I think there's no guarantee that the sequel will be as big as they expect.

I'm sure Disney will always regret their failure to reach an agreement with J.K. Rowling. While Cameron is taking decades to come up with a second part, Rowling is already done with the Harry Potter spin-off script that will maintain the saga relevant for at least another decade.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...orm-digital-venture-tied-to-films-with-hp-fox

also I just read an article about Fox going all in and banking on Avatar
ill try to find it
so this is what Cameron is doing
releasing three more avatar films
a cirque show this fall
a traveling exhibit starting next year
Avatar expansion
books being written
all culminating by 2017
so synergy is building
and if they are good this will be huge for Cameron

 

[ScienceDad]

The thing that surprises me the most is why Cameron hasn’t pulled a George Lucas and simply funded the films himself. He’s been known to do that in the past and he’s certainly got the bucks to do so now.

However with Titanic the opposite was true. He said the only reason he made the Titanic movie was to get someone to fund the exploration of the real Titanic. He did make that awesome sub and go to the deepest ocean in the world. Fewer people have been to the challenger deep than have been on the moon. Something great will be done with this.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Stated another way, an entire generation is going to come of age having no clue whatsoever as to what Pandora is or who the heck the Nevi are. And that is why the chorus here on the DIS pointing out that Disney is already regretting what was a questionable collaboration from the beginning is getting bigger and louder by the week.

I think everything will be OK as long as the land looks good and the rides are worth the walk from Discovery Island or Harambe. If the Nevi are forgotten because the next movie is canceled or flops, people won't worry about the Nevi any more than they worry about Barnabas T. Bullion.

I have only 2 slight worries ... that the Soarin' Over Pandora ride will be a bit too violent or the CG movie won't be coordinated well enough with the movement to the point where it is nauseating ... and that the boat ride will be so abbreviated or lacking in story/detail/thrills that it gives you that "nice ride where's the rest of it" feeling.