Are any "big" rides/experiences likely *before* Avatar?

[tentaguasu]

I'm admittedly hungry for Disney to give us something really awesome in the ride department, something next-gen comparable to HP at US.

Maybe it's not a "ride" but a land, an experience, something really amazing.

Is that something Avatar? Or is there a real posibility of something cool being announced and finished before Avatar?

For instance, how long does it typically take from announcement of a major project (e.g. Splash Mountain) and operation? If they announced something like "Carsland" or a cool new ride, would it even be possible for it to be ready to go before Avatar?

In short, regardless of what may be announced, is Avatarland the "next big thing" that I'll experience at WDW?

 

[WizardLarz]

You got the 2 big things listed. 'Carsland' & 'Avatar', which we see first is the big question that everyone and their uncle is wanting answered.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Dwarf mine for sure.

I wasn't paying attention as well as I am now, but I felt like the Jack Sparrow experience over at DHS came out of nowhere. I didn't see news about it until it opened. This is probably because most of the Disney news was focused on New Fantasyland instead.

If there really was no news about the attraction before it debuted, it is possible they could create something under our noses.

More likely, I just missed it.

 

[rteetz]

The mine train in fantasyland actually just laid the final piece of track I think that will be an amazing Avatarland I believe will eventually be changed into just a ride or not be done at all its becoming a waste of disneys time. Star Wars or Carsland I think is almost definite for DHS but we have to wait and see.

disney lover at heart

 

[skier_pete]

I think it is still possible you could see something before Avatar, but not very likely.

Lets take a look at something less major such as a new stand-alone ride. That would typically take 18-24 months to do. A total refurb on an existing ride (say Journey Into Imagination) could be done much faster - say 9-12 months. However something major like Carsland or even stripped down Radiator Spring racers would lilkely be 2-3 years.

Since Avatarland is still likely 2-3 years off, you COULD get something come out before that, but not something major like Carsland or StarWars land.

Any major announcements right now are being sat on by Disney until D23. Remember, we are looking at the Fantasyland Expansion - which was announced at the 2009 D23 - just wrapping up later this year, so FOUR years later. They screwed up the 2011 one by not having anything major to announce, so I am guessing they are holding off on something big until then.

 

[ChrisnKim913]

I really think within the next year you will see a Star Wars Land announcement for HS. I highly doubt CarsLand will come to the studios.