Avatar land coming to Animal Kingdom!!

[DRDISNEYMD]

There is James Cameron's Avatar and then there is Disney's Avatar -big difference. Make no mistake - this collaboration is Disney's "adaptation" of Avatar.

I for one, am glad that Disney did not take HP. I just don't see how Disney could give HP the attention and budget it deserved without upstaging it's own railroad and castle. Universal gave HP a $200 million budget and 20 acres of land. Disney's would not have gone to this length for HP. So kudos to Universal!

I hope James Cameron would not be too proud enlist the help of Pixar to assist in establishing a much stronger storyline that may help viewers connect emotionally with the characters and perhaps add a dose of that whimsy Disney magic. On the other hand, Avatar has made billions in it's first attempt without the help of Disney -- so kudos to Cameron.

This project is SO huge that AK is the only park that has the space needed for a land of this magnitude. AK has over 500 acres - Disney is investing almost half a billion dollars to create this land. I am expecting a behemoth of a coaster and some awesome thrill rides.

I really don't care to see yet another castle. I would love to experience something amazingly different and just "out of this world". I have no idea what to expect and I love that -- it's so exciting.

 

[nytimez]

At least not for now... They are apparently doing quite well with Harry Potter so I can see expansion but adding LOTR? I doubt it. Besides where would they put LOTR? I think that this would require a lot of space to be done correctly and Universal has little space.

Disney has a lot though. I wish.

They have more space than most people think. They have some massive backstage areas and parking areas that could be reconfigured, including a giant employee parking lot that's just flat ground... they could easily replace it with a multi-level parking garage that takes up a fraction of the space.

They also have large attractions/lands that could go -- like the whole Lost Continent area that seems earmarked for the eventual Harry Potter expansion.

And I know this seems like sacrilege to some... but Jaws and Disaster may have both run their course. That would free up a TON of space on the US side of things.

But yes, Disney has a lot more space to work with. I believe CMs say they could build everything they've built so far again and STILL have room left over... I don't know if that's an exaggeration, but it certainly sounds believable.

 

[ptted]

I'm waiting until I see some plans before I place judgement one way or another.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinat.../09/the-worlds-best-amusement-parks-/547884/1
The full roster of 2011 Golden Ticket Award:

Best Amusement Park – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Best Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas
Best Children's Park – Idlewild and SoakZone, Ligonier, Pa.
Best Marine Life Park – SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Seaside Park – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Best Wooden Coaster – The Voyage at Holiday World, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Steel Coaster – Millennium Force at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Best Kids' Area – Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio
Friendliest Staff – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Cleanest Park – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Halloween Event – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Landscaping – Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.
Best Christmas Event – Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Food – Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best Shows – Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Outdoor Night Show Production – IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Walt Disney World's Epcot, Orlando, Fla.
Best Water Ride – Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.
Best Waterpark Ride – Wildebeest at Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Dark Ride – Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.
Best New Ride of 2011:Amusement Park – New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas
Best New Ride of 2011: Waterpark – The Falls at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas
Best Carousel – Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best Indoor Roller Coaster – Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Indoor Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Galveston Island, Galveston, Texas
Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction – Noah's Ark at Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pa.

Universal Studio's should be proud -- Disneyland gets outright snubbed -- Disney World gets a single nod for Illuminations . I'm not saying Disney should sweep every category but I want to see at least one ride up there that acknowledges Disney. "Revenge of the Mummy" is a very good example of how an attraction can long outlive a meaningless film. This coaster is almost eight years old and still getting awards. Disney will do Avatar "right", believe that.

 

[nytimez]

"Revenge of the Mummy" is a very good example of how an attraction can long outlive a meaningless film. This coaster is almost eight years old and still getting awards. Disney will do Avatar "right", believe that.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

I'm sensing a silent war brewing between James Cameron and Peter Jackson. Jackson has been award $500 million dollars -- that's right -- half a billion dollars to produce "The Hobbit" starring Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett and the works! The Hobbit is a prequel to the Lord of Rings series and will consist of two films -- "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" with a December 14. 2012 release date and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" set to be released on December 13, 2013. Peter Jackson is the director, producer, and co-writer of the prequels. Jackson will also be filming The Hobbit in 48 FPS and it will be 3D. http://the-hobbitmovie.com/peter-jackson-answers-why-48-fps-for-the-hobbit/

Not to be outdone, Cameron reveals (after Jackson's big announcement) that Avatar 2 will be filmed in "60" FPS with a release date in 2014 and Avatar 3 will be released in 2015. This is gonna be good. We all know Cameron will not go down without a fight. I know Disney will be watching to see if Avatar will beat "The Hobbit" -- just to be clear, I'm only talking about "the numbers".

Okay I'm done, back to reality.

 

[johnGorski]

At least not for now... They are apparently doing quite well with Harry Potter so I can see expansion but adding LOTR? I doubt it. Besides where would they put LOTR? I think that this would require a lot of space to be done correctly and Universal has little space.

Disney has a lot though. I wish.

good, let Universal respond with LOTR then I am sure Disney will respond with Lucas/Starwars land in DHS. then maybe I would have to re locate to Orlando

 

[Planogirl]

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinat.../09/the-worlds-best-amusement-parks-/547884/1
The full roster of 2011 Golden Ticket Award:

Best Amusement Park – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Best Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas
Best Children's Park – Idlewild and SoakZone, Ligonier, Pa.
Best Marine Life Park – SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Seaside Park – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Best Wooden Coaster – The Voyage at Holiday World, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Steel Coaster – Millennium Force at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
Best Kids' Area – Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio
Friendliest Staff – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Cleanest Park – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Halloween Event – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Landscaping – Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.
Best Christmas Event – Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Food – Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best Shows – Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Outdoor Night Show Production – IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Walt Disney World's Epcot, Orlando, Fla.
Best Water Ride – Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.
Best Waterpark Ride – Wildebeest at Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Dark Ride – Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.
Best New Ride of 2011:Amusement Park – New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas
Best New Ride of 2011: Waterpark – The Falls at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas
Best Carousel – Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best Indoor Roller Coaster – Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Best Indoor Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Galveston Island, Galveston, Texas
Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction – Noah's Ark at Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pa.

Universal Studio's should be proud -- Disneyland gets outright snubbed -- Disney World gets a single nod for Illuminations . I'm not saying Disney should sweep every category but I want to see at least one ride up there that acknowledges Disney. "Revenge of the Mummy" is a very good example of how an attraction can long outlive a meaningless film. This coaster is almost eight years old and still getting awards. Disney will do Avatar "right", believe that.

I adore Revenge of the Mummy.

Great point.

 

[Planogirl]

good, let Universal respond with LOTR then I am sure Disney will respond with Lucas/Starwars land in DHS. then maybe I would have to re locate to Orlando

They'd have to drag me out of Starswars Land by promising a trip to Middle Earth.

 

[TinkBride]

Another reason to skip AK.

I couldn't agree more........

 

[mom2rtk]

.... but Revenge of the Mummy is one RIDE.

What is being proposed for Avatar is an entire LAND.

I think that's very different.

 

[appletini]

Avatar????? booooo hissssss

really??? like HP I just don't see it. LOOVE Lord of The Ring and The Hobbit, never had anything for HP AND DEFINITLEY NOT Avatar.

 

[JimmyV]

IMHO the only reason it made so much money was all the hype and to me personally it didn't live up to it.

Sorry. But your opinion is not only "humble", but it is also illogical and misinformed. A movie cannot gross $2.8 BILLION based on hype. That is not subject to "opinion", humble or otherwise. "Hype" can help a movie open up at $70 million. Maybe. But we are talking about a gross that is 40 TIMES that amount. "Hype" burns out in three weekends, tops. And those grosses would look something like $70M, $30M and $15M. Add in the tailing off gate plus overseas and you are looking at a $200M movie, tops. Nothing to sneeze at. But $2.8 BILLION? Sorry. Not hype. And putting the word "opinion" on it doesn't make it so.

Are HP fans more avid and vocal than Avatar fans? Sure. But it's not because of the movies. HP built its base on books. Tens of millions of devoted fans of the books who couldn't wait for each and every movie. So far, the Avatar "franchise", if you can even call it that, has produced exactly one movie. Disney is set to open this area after the third movie is released. By then, there is no telling what sort of base it will have. But I can assure you this. It will be a base far bigger than the rabid fans of "Dinosaur", "Peter Pan", "Dumbo", "Stitch", "The Twilight Zone" and Aerosmith. No one ever said that you have to have either an Oscar winning movie or a fan base as big as HP to make a cool ride at WDW. And for all the HP supporters here, how many Dis-ers have actually been over to IOA to see Harry? When someone posts in another thread a question about using a day to go over to Universal, the fangs come out and people tell them to stick with Disney. If Avatar is going to be so inferior to HP, then why isn't IOA spoken of in more revered tones here?

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

Geez all the star wars fans are killing me here. To read all this bashing of Avatar, and for the star wars plot and story to go untouched. I mean it is about a dude who is in love with his sister. And there father is trying to kill them. I mean, why doesn't Yoda ever get involved? And why the heck does Luke go into that weird cave where he fights Vader?
Star wars just doesn't do it for kids from my perspective. My DD who is almost ten along with all her friends think star wars is lame. While avatar is really cool to them.
I really enjoy the star wars movies, and don't want people to think I hatestar wars.
I am just coming from a perspective of someone who is not a fan boy either way.

 

[mom2rtk]

All right........ fess up.

How many of you Avatar fans who are indignant as us Avatar haters............. were yelling and screaming about the princess stuff in the Fantasyland Expansion?

I wonder if I should stomp my foot and demand equal time in the new land for little girls....

 

[JimmyV]

"Revenge of the Mummy" is a very good example of how an attraction can long outlive a meaningless film. This coaster is almost eight years old and still getting awards. Disney will do Avatar "right", believe that.

A really good point. Prior posteers had made the same point about Splash Mountain. The ride will be the ride. As for it being a "land"? Don't get caught up in semantics. "Oasis" is listed as a "land" or "area" and what is it, really? Avatar Land can be one (or more) rides with some gift shops and a refreshment stand and still be a "land". Don't expect anthing as elaborate as a new "Fantasyland".

 

[JimmyV]

All right........ fess up.

How many of you Avatar fans who are indignant as us Avatar haters............. were yelling and screaming about the princess stuff in the Fantasyland Expansion?

I wonder if I should stomp my foot and demand equal time in the new land for little girls....

If I understand your question.....I was not thrilled with the "princess-ification" of Fantasyland. But I did not yell and scream about it. I have questioned why WDW can't do more for teens generally, and boys specifically. And BAM! There you have it. Avatar!. Would it have been my first choice? Probably not. But it will certainly appeal to a dfferent demographic than princess meet and greets, and I, for one, applaud the effort.

 

[nytimez]

All right........ fess up.

How many of you Avatar fans who are indignant as us Avatar haters............. were yelling and screaming about the princess stuff in the Fantasyland Expansion?

I wonder if I should stomp my foot and demand equal time in the new land for little girls....

I wasn't yelling and screaming -- but the problem I had with the FLE as originally envisioned was that it had no real rides beyond the Little Mermaid omnimover. I said at the time it sounded like a nice place to walk around in, but I hard a hard time calling it a "major expansion" as it was being labelled since there was literally one new ride. Moving Dumbo, adding a restaurant, a new coat of paint on the Barnstormer -- those are all nice enough, but not that big a deal IMO.

But once they added the Snow White coaster to the mix, I was sold on it -- and here's where I don't get why people who hate Avatar are so dead set against the new land: I have zero interest in Snow White and princesses. Zero. I even hate the "Heigh Ho" song, it always seemed like the whistling was because they couldn't come up with a second line of lyrics.

But I'm looking forward to the new coaster because I love a good new ride, and I am optimistic that it will be a good new ride -- even if "Heigh Ho" is in the background music (as I assume it will be).

 

[mking624]

Geez all the star wars fans are killing me here. To read all this bashing of Avatar, and for the star wars plot and story to go untouched. I mean it is about a dude who is in love with his sister. And there father is trying to kill them. I mean, why doesn't Yoda ever get involved? And why the heck does Luke go into that weird cave where he fights Vader?
Star wars just doesn't do it for kids from my perspective. My DD who is almost ten along with all her friends think star wars is lame. While avatar is really cool to them.
I really enjoy the star wars movies, and don't want people to think I hatestar wars.
I am just coming from a perspective of someone who is not a fan boy either way.

I don't think you hate Star Wars, my only comment to you was that your generalized assumption about people born in the 80s/90s were way more into Avatar than Star Wars was incorrect in my case and many others that I know. Yes there are people like that. But you can't make such a general stereotype to cover ALL people born in those decades when it's simply not true.

As far as "Star Wars just doesn't do it for the kids"...what are you basing that on? The toys that continue to be made and sold to kids years after the movies have come out? The popularity of Star Wars Weekends? The kids lining up excited to meet a Stormtrooper or Darth Vader? Or them being picked for the Jedi Training Academy? The success of The Clone Wars series? The costumes that continue to sell to kids for Halloween? Just wondering which one of those means it's not doing it for the kids. Because if you're basing it on your daughter and her friends...well, that would again fall into the "don't make general assumptions." Just because YOUR child doesn't care for it and likes Avatar doesn't mean the same like/dislike should be applied to every kid.

ETA: Not trying to pick on you...just not a fan of generalized statements. People like Avatar. People don't. People like Star Wars. People don't. And those are facts for ALL age groups, not just select ones...and no one is right or wrong for their opinions on either side.

 

[Babbletrish]

My God, this thread!

James Cameron is no GEORGE LUCAS.

And thank goodness for that.

Seriously, I like "One director's cut and done" much more than "every re-release must have something new and different!"

The really funny thing is that it's not like Disney and Universal are really competing.

Eh... They kinda have been right from the beginning. Universal was built almost immediately after WDW announced the then-Disney/MGM Studios.

THAT said, when theme parks compete, tourists win.

I told my two daughters today about the new land coming to AK.

The 14 year old loved the idea and said she can't wait for it.

My 11 year old thought it was a terrible idea and said, "I'll probably never set foot in there".

Sort of like the Dis responses.

We're literally acting like children! We're literally acting like children!!! In this discussion about a newly announced Disney World attraction!

In 20 years most people will still think Avatar is a Japanese anime series.

Ang and co were animated in Korea for cryin' out loud! Why don't people get that there are more than two countries producing good animation? What do you mean I didn't understand the original post?