Breaking News....Animal Kingdom and Avatar

[jrtoastyman]

I'm luke warm about it but it was quite visually pleasing and can make a cool area at AK.

This pretty much sums up my take on it exactly. I do not understand the hype surrounding this visually stunning but otherwise pretty average movie at all, but it definitely provides ample opportunity for Disney to do something really cool, so I'm taking a wait and see approach. Some elements of the movie would lend themselves to a ride along the lines of Harry Potter at UIOA, and you could theme that ride after "Driving Miss Daisy" and I'd still ride it over and over again.

As a movie, meh, but as a canvas for Disney to work its magic, I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

The Orlando Sentinel just posted pictures of James Cameron also visiting Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

From Dewayne Bevil:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2011/10/picture-it-james-cameron-at-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter.html

Makes sense that he'd also get a look at a well-themed theme park land based on a film franchise. I notice some of the same people in his entourage. Must be members of the production company.

 

[k5jm]

hmmm....

 

[limace]

Huge sci fi fan here, but thought the movie was pretty dumb. However, it's gorgeous, and they did a fabulous job of world building, so I think there is great potential for some beautiful additions to Animal Kingdom. Wasn't there originally a plan to have a whole area of AK based on legendary creatures?

 

[luna99]

Huge sci fi fan here, but thought the movie was pretty dumb. However, it's gorgeous, and they did a fabulous job of world building, so I think there is great potential for some beautiful additions to Animal Kingdom. Wasn't there originally a plan to have a whole area of AK based on legendary creatures?

yes... unicorns, dragons, etc. As a fan of fantasy films like Legend, The Dark Crystal, etc I really would rather have those type of things in the park but perhaps in the very far off future there will be a bit of that in AK as well.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

hmmm....

That's a Universal "Team Member" name tag. Looks like Universal was giving Cameron the VIP treatment too (as you would expect).

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

A photo of them was just posted on the DisneyParks blog. You can see from left to right: James Cameron, Joe Rohde, and Tom Staggs. In the back you can get a glimpse of Meg Crofton too.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/10/james-cameron-explores-disneys-animal-kingdom-as-development-of-first-avatar-themed-land-continues/

The Orlando Sentinel just posted pictures of James Cameron also visiting Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

From Dewayne Bevil:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2011/10/picture-it-james-cameron-at-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter.html

Makes sense that he'd also get a look at a well-themed theme park land based on a film franchise. I notice some of the same people in his entourage. Must be members of the production company.

So I wonder if anyone out there still questions whether AVATAR is Disney's response to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter now that James Cameron was spotted checking out the competition?

Also, does he ever smile? Come on, you're in a theme park afterall. Lighten up!

 

[WaltD4Me]

So I wonder if anyone out there still questions whether AVATAR is Disney's response to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter now that James Cameron was spotted checking out the competition?

Also, does he ever smile? Come on, you're in a theme park afterall. Lighten up!

I never questioned it, I knew it was Disney's response to Harry Potter. I just don't understand how Disney thinks Avatar is even close to being in the same league as the Harry Potter franchise.

 

[Spaceace5150]

I think that one of the most interesting part of this story is that imagineering wasn't aware of this deal until a week or so before it was announced - this includes Joe Rhode. (info from Jim Hill, which I believe to be true)

I wonder what the internal thoughts are on this project.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I think that one of the most interesting part of this story is that imagineering wasn't aware of this deal until a week or so before it was announced - this includes Joe Rhode. (info from Jim Hill, which I believe to be true)

I wonder what the internal thoughts are on this project.

I have my own source that seems to confirm this too, and everyone will hear it in an upcoming interview soon. I think it might have even been less than a week that Imagineering knew before the announcement.

 

[PeterPan09]

I have my own source that seems to confirm this too, and everyone will hear it in an upcoming interview soon. I think it might have even been less than a week that Imagineering knew before the announcement.

I've heard that too, and I wondered why that would be except for keeping the whole thing under wraps until the financial side was done.

As for Meg's position in the crowd-I'm cool with that. Keep her as FAR AWAY from anything important as possible.

 

[dmccarty]

Darn, when I started reading this thread I had hopes that Cameron and who ever came up with this idea, would get on EE, and the Yeti would lock them forever in an ice cave at the top of the mountain.....

But alas Cameron escaped to Potter Land.

Sigh.

Later,
Dan

 

[DCTooTall]

Darn, when I started reading this thread I had hopes that Cameron and who ever came up with this idea, would get on EE, and the Yeti would lock them forever in an ice cave at the top of the mountain.....

But alas Cameron escaped to Potter Land.

Sigh.

Later,
Dan

Well the Yeti might have grabbed them.... Unfortunately Betty must've pulled something because she just can't quite seem to move like she used too in her younger days. I doubt she'd be able to reach out, let alone grab someone, from the passing train.

 

[dmccarty]

Well the Yeti might have grabbed them.... Unfortunately Betty must've pulled something because she just can't quite seem to move like she used too in her younger days. I doubt she'd be able to reach out, let alone grab someone, from the passing train.

Sooooo, maybe WDW should fix Betty so she can move before expanding AK?



Thank you for biting.

Later,
Dan

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I think that one of the most interesting part of this story is that imagineering wasn't aware of this deal until a week or so before it was announced - this includes Joe Rhode. (info from Jim Hill, which I believe to be true)

I wonder what the internal thoughts are on this project.

I have my own source that seems to confirm this too, and everyone will hear it in an upcoming interview soon. I think it might have even been less than a week that Imagineering knew before the announcement.

Here's the interview I was referring to:

DIS Unplugged: Lead Imagineer and Hawaiian Joe Rohde Discusses Disney's Aulani