Avatar experience coming to Disneyland

[Pluto468]

I wonder if they could put something in Downtown Disney? Obviously not a ride, but some kind of VR experience?

Luckily I think Tom Sawyer Island wouldn't be practical.

I don't think they should really go too overboard with an Avatar thing. I mean it's neat and all, but doesn't feel like a classic movie like the other tie-ins they've done. (I don't want everything to be a movie tie-in, but that's a whole other post.)

Hard to think of where they could put in a whole new ride even if they wanted to.

Maybe it will be blue churros or an overlay on Tarzan's treehouse

 

[mdmost]

I don't think it's going to be anything major given the announcement that the capital expenditures is being reduced by 700 million in the US parks.

 

[BrianL]

That's what I've never figured out about "Avatar." It made a boatload of money but was never a cultural phenomenon like "Star Wars" or the Marvel movies. I understand even less with the recent movie also pulling in huge box office receipts. They're beautiful movies to look at (I saw the first one on TV anyway), and I've heard that the Pandora section of DAK is extremely well done (Joe Rohde, right?), but are there really people clamoring for more Avatar stuff at the Disney parks?

I mean, I am. I LOVE Avatar. Ioved the original. It's a great movie. The new one is great too. It's obviously popular too - It's amazing that it could make over 2 Billion dollars and nobody has seen it. It's like how nobody ever eats at McDonalds, right? It deserves the praise it gets. I am not sure what they will put in at DL, but I agree, it won't be a full land.

 

[Lisa24jks]

Also, the refurbishment only strengthens the argument imo.

How's that? They spend money to refurbish a ride just to close it down and spend a lot more money to put something new in? I mean, sure, it's not unheard of, but there are two locations already in Tomorrowland that are being wasted (Launch Bay & Captain EO) that could be used instead, rather than close down Finding Nemo for many months to a year. And Iger said the goal was to use the space they have to help with capacity and guest experiences, and using the deadspace that's already there would definitely do that. (Plus, even with the updates to Nemo and the screens they use, I just don't think it's high tech enough for something like Avatar, which is literally state of the art.)

I think it's likely a 3D movie or a VR experience of some sort, not necessarily a ride, or he probably would have said ride. Probably? Maybe.

Now wait until it's officially announced and we find out all of us are wrong, LOL.

 

[mdmost]

This makes a lot of sense and would fit in easily at Star Wars Launch Bay. Basically, it becomes Avatar Launch Bay.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623453628005593089

 

[DLgal]

This makes a lot of sense and would fit in easily at Star Wars Launch Bay. Basically, it becomes Avatar Launch Bay.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623453628005593089

This, I would be completely fine with.

 

[RoseColored97]

I don't know much about Avatar. The first one came out when I was in middle school and the only thing I remember is a news story back in like 2010 saying depression was up because people wanted to live in a world like Avatar instead of the real world. Still haven't seen either, but it was a strange thing to remember about a movie lol

A sensory experience sounds interesting. If they could turn anything into an experience similar to Villain's Grove during OBB but make it permanent, I think it could be really popular. Not sure what sensory or imagery they could have for an Avatar area, because again - I haven't seen either film, but I'm sure they could do something.

 

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

It could be in the Launch Bay space, but another good contender could be in the soundstage that’s being used as a gift shop between Monsters Inc. and Philharmagic in DCA.

 

[bcwife76]

A new DVC member lounge is coming to Disneyland this year and it's going to be on the second floor of Launch Bay so doubt Avatar would be going there....??

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...r-lounge-coming-to-disneyland-resort-in-2023/

 

[ComeToSocialize]

Avatar wouldn’t feel right in Tomorrowland, since avatar is all about (imaginary) nature, vs sci-fi…

It’s definitely not a ride if he just casually mentioned it like that. Fits better thematically in DCA, in either Hollywood or Grizzly area. Really it shouldn’t be there at all, though I do love the land in AK.

 

[Lisa24jks]

Avatar wouldn’t feel right in Tomorrowland, since avatar is all about (imaginary) nature, vs sci-fi…

It takes place in the future though. Sooooo. The 'tomorrow' in Tomorrowland is pretty loosely interpreted though. Since Star Wars actually takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.

Nature is a big part of the storyline, which is why it definitely works at in AK. But, it's also futuristic and sci-fi and the films themselves were made with state of the art technology, so it does kinda work for Tomorrowland too, IMO.

 

[BrianL]

Avatar wouldn’t feel right in Tomorrowland, since avatar is all about (imaginary) nature, vs sci-fi…

It’s definitely not a ride if he just casually mentioned it like that. Fits better thematically in DCA, in either Hollywood or Grizzly area. Really it shouldn’t be there at all, though I do love the land in AK.

I mean, Avatar is pretty sci-fi and would fit in Tomorrowland better than Finding Nemo does. Heck, Star Wars takes place "A long time ago," so, you know.

I think if they want to go for some low hanging fruit, use the existing Carousel of Progress building for an Avatar exhibit - maybe a really nice, "plussed-up" one, and then use the Theater in teh Space Moutnain complex for some kind of experience. They've gotta do more than a conventional 3D movie though as seeing Way of Water in theaters would be more impressive. Something more like MuppetVision with some live components might be good.

They really need to figure out a way to do a Na'vi Meet & Greet too. AK really only has the exo-suit guy that comes out. I know it's tricky, but come on, Disney, you can figure it out.

 

[StormyCA]

As much as I'd love to see FoP come to DL, not gonna happen. Especially with the just announced layoffs and cutbacks.

I think it'll be some kind of 'exhibit' and either in the CoP building or DTD.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

This makes a lot of sense and would fit in easily at Star Wars Launch Bay. Basically, it becomes Avatar Launch Bay.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623453628005593089

This seems pretty likely, that exhibit is supposedly only staying around Shanghai until March 2023 so maybe the plan is to bring it to Disneyland once it's done there?

 

[DLgal]

This seems pretty likely, that exhibit is supposedly only staying around Shanghai until March 2023 so maybe the plan is to bring it to Disneyland once it's done there?

That sounds very plausible.

And Iger did say "experience", not attraction.

 

[mdmost]

Yes, the word "experience" stuck out to me. If it were an attraction or land I think he would've stated so.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

And don't get me wrong, I love the Pandora area in Animal Kingdom- it's breathtaking and we always spend a lot of time over there. But we don't need our parks to be identical. And hands off Tom Sawyer Island.

 

[Kerr84]

Y'all, it's so obvious. Avatar: The Musical is coming to the Hyperion.

 

[DizMe]

Y'all, it's so obvious. Avatar: The Musical is coming to the Hyperion.

OMG, now THIS is the best response!!!

 

[GoingSince1990]

I hope Doctor, um, er, Stevens, gets to, um, participate in this.