Avatar Land coming to AK...your opinion?

[greenkai3000]

This was posted recently on the Disney.com blog Just curious to know how y'all feel about it.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ng-to-disney-parks/?CMP=SOC-WDWFY11Q4FBDM0089

 

[RAPstar]

Dislike

 

[Chachi]

AK needs a little boost. I'm excited to see this come together.

 

[colaboy29]

They might as well flush it down the toilet. Avatar is a niche market. To get a land created will take what...5 years to build? And Avatar is simply Pocahontas in space. Disney already has Pocahontas. Pixar was able to become part of the Disney family through its family-friendly films (and how good each one is). Avatar was simply one huge blockbuster (someone did mention they are planning two more sequels). I don't see this drawing in people to AK once the newness has worn off.

 

[L&Lfan]

Never saw the movie but I'll give the land a chance. I've never seen a Harry Potter film either and I loved Wizarding World.

 

[DVCDan36]

I kind of have to agree with the fact that Avatar (though made a lot of money) as a niche market. I just don't see people as invested in this movie. Where is the staying power? As said before, this will not be completed until 2016, is anyone going to remember this movie in 5 years? I can't remember much of the movie when I saw it after it came out on video.

 

[greenkai3000]

I guess it's a Wait and See type of situation. I'd hate for people to determine it's success , or lack there of, based on their opinion of the upcoming prequel/sequel or sequels. Someone mentioned on a different thread how they'd much rather see Mount Prometheus at AK. I for once say , why not Avatar and the top rides from DisneySea. Now that would be AWESOME

 

[tig82174]

OK....I'll confess that I actually really loved the movie.....but I think this is the worst idea WDW has come up with in a very long time. Animal Kingdom is my favorite park (I know I'm in the minority, but I'm an animal person)....but no matter how they spin it, Avatar is not only NOT Disney....it has NOTHING to do with Animal Kingdom. In order to make that part of the park cool/impressive, they are going to have to design and theme it like the visuals from the movie.....which aesthetically couldn't be MORE wrong for Animal Kingdom....there's nothing natural about it! They're going to totally ruin the appearance of the park by putting in a crazy CGI-looking eye-sore!

YUCK!

On our recent trip to WDW our Magical Express bus driver from Bay Lake back to MCO airport was giving a little speech over the bus PA system and announced that WDW has decided to option its ownership of Marvel, too, and that plans are being made for a Marvel Superheroes thrill park on Disney property, too (that would liekly mean Islands of Adventure having to close theirs). I had never heard that news....and I searched the internet and couldn't find confirmation of it either.....but that feels distinctly non-Disney, too.

Both these ideas sound way more "Six Flags" than they do Disney....and if my husband and I wanted to do that we'd just go to Cedar Point....it's way cheaper and it's only 3.5 hours from our house....but we don't. We make the trip to WDW because WDW ISN'T any old amusement park. We'll be very disappointed if that is the direction the Disney parks end up going

 

[snowace77]

I can't believe the amount of people on here saying this is not a good thing. I think it's a great idea. I believe this is a great fit for Animal Kingdom. I wonder if some of you did not see the movie "Avatar". It was packed full of animals and beautiful nature, and the just of the movie was preservation, seems like a good fit to me. I believe they will do a great job incorporating this into the park. I loved the movie, and feel as though this will be my favorite part of the park. If it is done correctly, I could see it doing better than Harry Potter. I think we will see some new technologies incorporated into the rides that will blow us away. I don't think many out there is giving Disney the credit they deserve. I say push forward and make it happen sooner than later!

 

[colaboy29]

Here is the letter from Tom Stags to Disney Cast Members about it:

From: Tom Staggs - WDPR [mailto:Tom.Staggs.-.WDPR@disney.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 01:41 PM
Subject: AVATAR Coming to Disney Parks


From the launch of the Disney Dream to the groundbreaking of Shanghai Disney Resort to the opening of Aulani, 2011 has already been a year full of major milestones for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts – and today I am pleased to add another to that list. At a press conference at Walt Disney Imagineering earlier today, Bob Iger and I announced a long-term creative partnership with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the epic fantasy world of AVATAR to life at our parks. We also announced that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at the Walt Disney World Resort is planned as the site of our first AVATAR-themed land.



James is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible. He, his producing partner, Jon Landau, and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve as creative consultants and will work side by side with our Imagineers as we dream up experiences that will take our Guests deep into the worlds of AVATAR like never before. There are also two sequels to the record-setting first film in the works, which will give us and our Guests even more to explore in the AVATAR universe.



AVATAR is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. With its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures and strong themes of family and loyalty, it’s a great fit for our parks, and we know that our collaboration with Jim, Jon and our partners at Fox will result in experiences that will both thrill and astound our Guests.



Construction on our first AVATAR-themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park should begin in 2013. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a great fit for this project because it was created to give our Guests the opportunity to experience the worlds of animals and nature – real and mythical – in whole new ways. With AVATAR, we’ve found the perfect opportunity to immerse our Guests in one of the most compelling mythical worlds ever conceived. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park also celebrates adventure, living in harmony with nature and environmental stewardship – themes that are deeply rooted in the stories of AVATAR.



We’ve had great success with collaborations like this in the past – Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and our Indiana Jones attractions being terrific examples – so we’re excited to partner with James, Jon and their team to translate their vision from the screen to actual places that Guests can enter and explore. Our AVATAR experiences are expected to include themed lands, attractions, food and beverage locations, and entertainment elements.



We are just beginning the Blue Sky design phase and look forward to sharing more details on the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park project in the future. We also anticipate making announcements about other AVATAR-themed lands in locations that will be determined by Disney and our international theme park partners. Until then, I hope you share my excitement for this fantastic opportunity, which is not only a strong investment in our core theme park business but will enable us to deliver incredible new experiences for our Guests around the world.



Tom

 

[jeanigor]

I enjoyed the film. Not my absolute hands down favorite of all time, but I really enjoyed it. As we were watching it, I leaned over to my partner and whispered: "Is this what happens if Pocahontas and the Smurfs made babies?"

I also thought while viewing it, that the message the Cameron was preaching (quite heavy handedly, IMO) was quite similar to that of the Animal Kingdom's of respecting, conserving, and being responsible about the world.

I feel that Camp Minnie-Mickey is quite out of place in AK. If you go counter clockwise around the park, you go from the past in Dinoland USA(both ancient with the dinosaurs and semi-recent with the defunct amusement park/tourist trap setting) to the present in Asia, Africa and if you visit Rafiki's Planet Watch/Conservation Station (too far people do), to a camp ground with meet and greets and a show that belongs in and is set in Africa? The land of Pandora could flow as a future. With the hike to get to the bridge if it replaced Camp Minnie-Mickey, you wouldn't be able to see much of it unless you were headed there anyway.

I would like to see the characters moved to a more central location and the Festival of the Lion King Show moved to Africa, where there is more of a natural connection, IMO. The addition of Pandora would also offer those who harken to the call of a Beastly Kingdom. Drawing upon a canon of easily recognizable beasts and creatures may be difficult due to the differences across cultures. To some, dragons, elves, gnomes, or griffons are bad. To some they are good. How do you portray them? How would they add to the over all theme and message of AK?

Most people don't view AK as a full day park (I disagree). They could bring new attractions such as flying on a banshee (birdy-dragony thing) or a virtual experience where you became an avatar (hopefully more updated and interesting than the stuff currently at DisneyQuest). And who knows what else could be available to draw upon from the yet to be released sequels.

Will it appeal to everyone? No. Does anything? No. Does it have the possibility to increase park revenue (which is the bottom line lately for the company)? Yes.

 

[mickeysaver]

I liked the movie. I loved the environment of Pandora. I personally can't wait to see what they manage to bring to life for us to explore and enjoy. If anyone can do it justice, I would say that Disney would be the perfect home for it. AK has long needed some love and while this was not even close to being on my radar as an idea that Disney would dare to bring to life in a park, I am thrilled and very hopeful that this will be incredible.

 

[greenkai3000]

If Imagineers can come up with something as cool as the Pandora version of Mermaid Lagoon and Mysterious Island combined, I will die a happy man! A 20,000 Leagues type of ride like what they have at MI, and that features 3d animation, AAs, and grand special effects will blow Harry P out of the water!

The queue could be and interactive forest with AA Flora and Fauna to take things over the top!

 

[Sphyrna]

At first I didn't like this idea at all. It didn't seem a good fit for DAK and I felt they were just putting it there to draw more people to the park. But after watching the movie again today (and currently watching it a second time today) I can see how the "one with nature" message can be a good tie-in to DAK. I also think that if someone is going to make an Avatar Land I'm glad it's Disney, as their Imagineers can do it to the level it should be.

 

[greenkai3000]

Apparently we'll be seeing an undersea world in one of the movie sequels. If that's true, that'd be a great reason for Disney to give us DisneySea rides with an Avatar twist.

 

[smidgy]

well, AK definitely needs something. you might recall, there was supposed to be an area (mythical) called "beastly kingdom".
I just don't think avatar, even with the sequels, will have as much draw as happry potter.. SO many potter fans are READERS, books, not just the films.
but anything is better than what little there is. maybe (hopefully) this will make them bring back evening EMH!!!