Avatar land coming to Animal Kingdom!!

[Csaks]

These were my thoughts exactly. I had actually already forgotten about Avatar. In a few years it will be like Ava-what? It will not ever be the pop-culture sensation that Star Wars or Harry Potter has been. Not a chance. This will be a huge, costly mistake for Disney. Animal Kingdom might see an initial increase in attendance...then it will be like..meh...whatever. Short-sighted...yep, exactly!

I agree totally. It was a neat movie but that is about it. Most have forgotten it unlike Potter and Star Wars. Granted the newer SW were lacking compared to the first three but people still couldn't wait to see the next one. Harry Potter, people were also waiting for the next installments with great expectations. Avatar I can say in my circle of life has not been talked about since the time it came out and no one is waiting on pins and needles for the next one.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Of all of the great things Disney could have done in the parks, it is very disappointing that they are building land based on Avatar.

The movie is forgettable. There are no memorable characters and little story. It was popular only because it was a special effects spectaular. Those special effects, however, will be dated in just a few years. Story and characters are the magic of Disney. Perhaps Avatar's special effects could be enough to sustain an attraction, but not a land.
Avatar is no Harry Potter. Avatar is no Star Wars.

If the sequels bomb (and plenty do) Disney will be left with a half built Pandora land.

A Sci-Fi themed land does not fit with the tone of AK.

I think Disney was blinded by Avatar's big box office receipts. Just because people saw the movie does not mean they care enough about it to pay big money to visit a land based on the movie.

But once again and most of all - there are so many other far far better additions they could have made. Very disappointing.

Well said. That's why I just don't see how this will be successful. Even people who dislike Star Wars know Darth Vader, Han Solo, or Princess Leia. Many of the characters died in Avatar. They are going to base an entire land just on the landscape of a movie. It's like making Tatoine Land or Temple of Doom Island.

And what kid is going to want a banshee stuffed animal? Or a lego Navi set?

 

[prototype1982]

Why couldn't we have the Beastly Kingdom instead?!

 

[carolinagirl]

My e-mail to Disney...

9-20-11

I just learned that Disney is teaming up with James Cameron to bring an "Avatar Land" to the Animal Kingdom Park. My first reaction is "Are you NUTS!!??"

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that the movie Avatar makes me sick to my stomach and I found it offensive as an American. The movie does nothing but make the American military out to be murderous thugs. I'm shocked that Disney would want to affiliate itself with a brand that promotes such abhorrent anti-Americanism and desecrates the good men and women that make up our armed services and put their lives on the line everyday defending this great country. I know I am not the only person that feels this way, in fact I know people who love the movie BECAUSE of the way it presents the American military as brutal savages. Those people hate the American military and take joy in seeing it humiliated on the big screen and now Disney has decided to cater to those who would spit on an American soldier if he/she were to walk by. Shameful!

I am a DVC member at 2 resorts and am now going to take a step back and see what Disney decides from here. Will you retract from your announcement to partner with a hideous film and brand or will you scoff at those who take personal offense to the disgusting display of disrespect shown by James Cameron and Avatar. Your decision will affect mine.

I could not agree more. I've seen several comments about Avatar being a "pro-environment" movie. I have no problem with conservation and being kind to our planet. These themes at Animal Kingdom are fine & appropriate. But Avatar was far more than pro-environmental. I watched the film with no pre-conceived notion of what it was about. It was obviously anti-military & anti-capitalism (which is ironic, because Hollywood itself is a capitalist success story). These themes were so strong throughout the movie that I could barely watch it in its entirety. I'm baffled that Disney would want to bring this into the parks. I'm pretty sure Walt wouldn't approve.

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

My e-mail to Disney...

9-20-11

I just learned that Disney is teaming up with James Cameron to bring an "Avatar Land" to the Animal Kingdom Park. My first reaction is "Are you NUTS!!??"

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that the movie Avatar makes me sick to my stomach and I found it offensive as an American. The movie does nothing but make the American military out to be murderous thugs. I'm shocked that Disney would want to affiliate itself with a brand that promotes such abhorrent anti-Americanism and desecrates the good men and women that make up our armed services and put their lives on the line everyday defending this great country. I know I am not the only person that feels this way, in fact I know people who love the movie BECAUSE of the way it presents the American military as brutal savages. Those people hate the American military and take joy in seeing it humiliated on the big screen and now Disney has decided to cater to those who would spit on an American soldier if he/she were to walk by. Shameful!

I am a DVC member at 2 resorts and am now going to take a step back and see what Disney decides from here. Will you retract from your announcement to partner with a hideous film and brand or will you scoff at those who take personal offense to the disgusting display of disrespect shown by James Cameron and Avatar. Your decision will affect mine.

Anyway, my main concern with this is that it won't be long before no one cares about this movie. Seems short-sighted. Hopefully they do it right and it is not OVER themed, and they add some quality rides to make AK more of a full day park for some who think it is not.

 

[rlahansler]

Ok, I agree that this is a wait and see. All the complaining about this is ridiculous. Funny how people can easily complain but hey , why dont they come up with some sort of brillant idea. I liked Avator, it was not a bad movie at all.

 

[Edgehopper]

A bit sad that the notion of taking care of the environment is polarizing. Perhaps an Exxon-land would give it some balance and appease your political sensitivities.

Interested to hear what they're going to do with it before passing judgment. Certainly the concept of the symbiotic relationship between living things that permeates the movie is something that fits in very well with the overall Animal Kingdom concept.

If the message that people's actions can harm the environment and destroy living things bothers you, maybe Animal Kingdom isn't the best park for you.

That's why I enjoy Ellen's Energy Adventure so much!

Seriously, there's a big difference between most of AK's "It's wrong to hunt animals to extinction and burn down rainforests" and Avatar's "Humans, particularly capitalist humans, are a cancer on the universe that must be removed from the pristine wilderness by force."

 

[nytimez]

This is fantastic news and I can't wait to see what they do with it.

 

[morethananyonex]

Ok, I agree that this is a wait and see. All the complaining about this is ridiculous. Funny how people can easily complain but hey , why dont they come up with some sort of brillant idea. I liked Avator, it was not a bad movie at all.

LOL what? Next time Disney starts building attractions based on posts on the DISboards, let me know. It isn't our job to come up with ideas for Disney, but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed opinions.

Besides, I personally don't want a whole section of a park based on "not a bad movie" but that's just me.

 

[Senator Tressel]

This is a fantastic fit in Animal Kingdom and has amazing potential. I didn't really like the movie, it was too long, but this will be great.

 

[carolinagirl]

Of all of the great things Disney could have done in the parks, it is very disappointing that they are building land based on Avatar.

The movie is forgettable. There are no memorable characters and little story. It was popular only because it was a special effects spectaular. Those special effects, however, will be dated in just a few years. Story and characters are the magic of Disney. Perhaps Avatar's special effects could be enough to sustain an attraction, but not a land.

Avatar is no Harry Potter. Avatar is no Star Wars.

If the sequels bomb (and plenty do) Disney will be left with a half built Pandora land.

A Sci-Fi themed land does not fit with the tone of AK.

I think Disney was blinded by Avatar's big box office receipts. Just because people saw the movie does not mean they care enough about it to pay big money to visit a land based on the movie.

But once again and most of all - there are so many other far far better additions they could have made. Very disappointing.

Ditto...ditto...ditto...ditto...ditto! You hit the nail on the head with these remarks! Oh, how I wish they would reconsider this decision!

 

[Invisable89]

I honestly don't understand the out-cry this has caused? We've been ranting for years that DAK needs a big expansion, we now have one & yet people are STILL not happy? There's no pleasing some people obviously.

However, I do understand that people/fans would much prefer an 'original idea' or something based on Disney. But the funding for something Disney related or original would be a massive problem so going the AVATAR James Cameron route seems like the obvious choice (i imagine funding will be from both parties involved?).

I'm just interested to see where it goes, i am a big AVATAR fan so i'm happy with anything! (Obviously the minority here... )

 

[merbobear]

I think it will be absolutely gorgeous. WDW is so good at fully immersing their guests, and of those that actually have seen Avatar, I would bet that most can say they at least enjoyed looking at it..even if the plot wasn't really their thing.

 

[JenSop]

Yikes - I wanted to read through the whole thread, but I don't have an extra hour right now.

I feel kind of "meh" about the Avatar land.

It was a pretty good movie - had a good message - just like the Disney Pocahantas movie did. But I also don't like the idea of making attractions just out of movies anymore - that seems to be the big trend, and I'm not crazy about it. I'm still upset that they didn't build the land with the fantasy animals! I love dragons and wanted some dragons at AK!

Also want to add - environmentalism shouldn't be polarizing! Saving the planet so our descendants have a place to live should be a priority to all humans. I really don't understand how any body can be of any other mind set. And to the person that said liberals on the left don't go to Disney anyway, I'll be happy to prove you wrong - in myself. This liberal has been going to Disney for 26 years. I also love going to other places too! Wow! How amazing! Let's not make this a political attack thread.

 

[pilferk]

I only made it part way through this thread so forgive me if this is covered by someone else, but a cast member told me that Universal only has three years with the Marvel stuff. Disney offered to buy them out up front right away but they refused. He also told me that there are rumors of a "Marvel" land in the future for Disney since they still have so much open land or at least an addition to HS. Now he wasn't a bus driver but I will still wait to see how much of this is true. Has anyone else heard anything similar?

The CM (as is often the case) is wrong.

The Universal deal is in perpetuity. So long as they maintain the rides to be safe and operational, up to a certain standard of quality (and they pay their yearly fee), Disney CAN NOT use the characters that Universal contracts for. Ever.

The only way Disney could get around that would be to convince Universal to sell the rights back. Given Universal's investment in IOA AND it's success...they have no reason to do that. They'd ask Disney for the US mint, because they have NO pressure or onus to sell...and Disney stockholders would have a cow.

Disney COULD use the characters WEST of the Mississippi or out of the country. But they'd seriously risk a big case of brand confusion.

The entire contract is "out there" to be read. There's a thread in the "rumors" section about Marvel characters and there's a link to the contract in that thread.

Bottom line: Universal Orlando will be the home to a good portion of Marvel's "main" characters for a good long time to come.

 

[morethananyonex]

I honestly don't understand the out-cry this has caused? We've been ranting for years that DAK needs a big expansion, we now have one & yet people are STILL not happy? There's no pleasing some people obviously.

However, I do understand that people/fans would much prefer an 'original idea' or something based on Disney. But the funding for something Disney related or original would be a massive problem so going the AVATAR James Cameron route seems like the obvious choice (i imagine funding will be from both parties involved?).

I'm just interested to see where it goes, i am a big AVATAR fan so i'm happy with anything! (Obviously the minority here... )

I really don't understand the attitude that you and several other posters have when it comes to the bolded. Is all you want simply an expansion regardless of the details? You may be happy with this particular one, but that doesn't mean everyone is. Just because AK needs work doesn't mean I'm going to be happy with anything and everything they do to it.

If they decided to throw in 2 entirely unthemed roller coasters as an expansion, should people not complain because it's technically an expansion?

 

[sonjaandsue]

Of all of the great things Disney could have done in the parks, it is very disappointing that they are building land based on Avatar.

The movie is forgettable. There are no memorable characters and little story. It was popular only because it was a special effects spectaular. Those special effects, however, will be dated in just a few years. Story and characters are the magic of Disney. Perhaps Avatar's special effects could be enough to sustain an attraction, but not a land.

Avatar is no Harry Potter. Avatar is no Star Wars.

If the sequels bomb (and plenty do) Disney will be left with a half built Pandora land.

A Sci-Fi themed land does not fit with the tone of AK.

I think Disney was blinded by Avatar's big box office receipts. Just because people saw the movie does not mean they care enough about it to pay big money to visit a land based on the movie.

But once again and most of all - there are so many other far far better additions they could have made. Very disappointing.

I also completely agree with Cheltenham. I love sci-fi/fantasy (have to admit I was lukewarm on Avatar) but do not see how this fits at Disney. Are they trying to attract a pre-teen/teen crowd? It seems a little bizarre. I think DLR got the better end of the deal with Carsland. I will choose time at HP over time at Avatarland.

 

[Edgehopper]

Ok, I agree that this is a wait and see. All the complaining about this is ridiculous. Funny how people can easily complain but hey , why dont they come up with some sort of brillant idea. I liked Avator, it was not a bad movie at all.

I did. See this thread, with my idea for a South America land anchored by a major Up themed cable car ride in that space (around the middle of p. 2).

Or, as many others on this thread have suggested, a full Star Wars land in DHS would be a better use of budget, or the original Beastly Kingdomme in that land. If Disney wants to use an epic property to compete with HPWorld, there's also Narnia (though that's probably too religious) and the Indiana Jones series, along with Star Wars.

 

[Merida]

I think a better expansion would have been a Studio Ghibli-themed Beastly Kingdom, but I'm not a big fan of the white savior trope in movies. Princess Mononoke handles environmentalism way better than Avatar either way.

 

[sabrecmc]

I thought Avatar was silly, but I'm excited about this new land. Visually, Avatar was gorgeous. I can imagine this new land being very beautiful, as well as having some good rides (those flying things?). With sequels and all coming out in the future for Avatar, I can see it making sense. The tie to James Cameron isn't a bad thing either.