Article: Can 'Avatar' Save Disney's Animal Kingdom?

[beer dave]

Sorry, Joshua. I was looking for thermonuclear war in the games menu.

thanks. I knew someone would get it.

 

[Silock]

thanks. I knew someone would get it.

Maybe we can get Matthew Broderick to be in the pre-show for Avatarland attractions.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Universal (and hopefully St Augustine again. We just loved it there!). That isn't to say that WDW isn't a goal because we do enjoy it and have been many, many times; it's just no longer the primary goal for us. I would prefer to always visit both but if I give WDW a rest it likely won't stop me from going to Florida. There is a lot to love there.

There are other forums besides Disney forums on this website...

Oh, I understand that this website is wide-ranging.

Cool...just wanted some clarification.

 

[beer dave]

Maybe we can get Matthew Broderick to be in the pre-show for Avatarland attractions.

That would be great-- he could sing some songs from The Producers!

 

[dsneprincess]

strange game, isn't it... the only winning move is not to play. (anyone?)

OMG! My favorite movie ever! I am going to the basement to find the VHS and having 80s night!! Thanks for the memories!

 

[TJSkinner]

I love WDW. From my first visit in 1988 until the present. I miss some of the attractions at Epcot and HS, but I still go there.from the first I heard about it , I have loved AK, and now because it is a place of great beauty and tranquility with some of the best shows ever. It's not too crowded and there are enough thrills to make my day. Change is inevitable to allow for continued growth and Pandora seems to fit in with the AK theme of preserve the planet, protect the animals, we all got to live here. Rewatched the movie over the weekend and the scenes are truly breathtaking. Why have a park that is used 7 hours a day if you can find a way to keep them longer? Imagine..... the first part of imagineers. I cannot wait to see what they have imagined for this fantasy world.

 

[wdwgreg]

Truth be told the only two parks that ever needed saved were California Adventure and Disneyland Paris. MGM is in good standing in visiting numbers just not by feedback from a lot of fans (even though I'll admit I'm not one whose complaining)

To be fair DisneyLand Paris, the main park itself never really needed saving, there was nothing wrong with it, and it is the best version of an MK style park in many ways, however Disney did have to take time to understand the European market (such as allowing alcohol in the park), and stop calling the thing EuroDisney, however the studios park needed and still needs major work doing to it. And the actual complex needs a lot of love and tlc, if you think WDW has maintenance issues you haven't seen Disney Paris.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

I knew, I just ment financially

 

[mdutch39]

That's why Disney is interested in Avatar. They want the "Harry Potter" effect. With a $250 million investment in Harry Potter, Islands of Adventure's attendance went up a couple million guests.

BAHA oh man you cannot put HP and Avatar on the same level. I understand that Avatar was the highest grossing film blah blah blah, but please. Maybe not with everyone, but Hogwarts beats Pandora by a lot. Of course attendance at Universal went up when they made HP Land. People grew up with it and LOVE IT. I'm interested to see how well this sequel does in theaters. I personally won't be seeing it, only because I did not give a rats booty about the first one, and I honestly don't know anyone who cared enough about it to see the second.

I do however watch Harry Potter frequently. Dang it just never gets old.

 

[dansamy]

Harry Potter is a classic that will endure because it's good vs evil, weak vs strong, underprivileged nobody vs privileged upper echelon.

Avatar is Pocahontas... In Space!

 

[Robbi]

The thing is if I'm going to pay to go to a movie or to a theme park, I don't want a lecture. I can go to my mom's house any day of the week if I want to subject myself to that.
I agree that HP has the classic theme good vs evil. Evil is represented by otherworldly type creatures. In Avatar, humans are evil. That's not an image that a lot of us like.

If Avatar is added to AK, I doubt it will lead us to spending more time in the park unless it's a knock your socks off type thing akin to HP and with Disney's dismal track record a la new Fantasyland, I'm kind of doubting that will happen.

 

[dansamy]

For that matter, Star Wars also has that classic good vs evil theme. The rise, fall and redemption of the main antagonist. The son's struggle to be better/stronger than his father. The powerful allure of "black magic" at the cost of your soul. Disney could print their own money if they did a fully fleshed out Star Wars World.

I also think Middle Earth would have been a much more appropriate IP for Animal Kingdom. It also would have made bank. It would capture essentially the SAME audience that HP captures for Universal. It could keep them on Disney property, which makes Disney money.

 

[Robbi]

For that matter, Star Wars also has that classic good vs evil theme. The rise, fall and redemption of the main antagonist. The son's struggle to be better/stronger than his father. The powerful allure of "black magic" at the cost of your soul. Disney could print their own money if they did a fully fleshed out Star Wars World.

I also think Middle Earth would have been a much more appropriate IP for Animal Kingdom. It also would have made bank. It would capture essentially the SAME audience that HP captures for Universal. It could keep them on Disney property, which makes Disney money.

I agree with you. Disney should go after Star Wars and leave Avatar alone.

 

[dansamy]

Thing is they already own Star Wars.