Disney's Animal Kingdom May Need More Help Than Avatar

[twebber55]

AK is a half day park for us currently. I am excited about Avatar Land...

i agree and really i think the other additions are getting under sold right now on disney boards.... the nighttime show along with the nighttime safari will help greatly along with Pandora

 

[rteetz]

i agree and really i think the other additions are getting under sold right now on disney boards.... the nighttime show along with the nighttime safari will help greatly along with Pandora

exactly people will go just for that because they have never been able to experience the park at night.

 

[twebber55]

exactly people will go just for that because they have never been able to experience the park at night.

Yep
DAK at night will be a totally new and unique experience to people, that alone will help keep people in the park and help balance out attendance at WDW...but they certainly need more dining options

 

[rteetz]

Yep DAK at night will be a totally new and unique experience to people, that alone will help keep people in the park and help balance out attendance at WDW...but they certainly need more dining options

yes dinning needs to be improved that may be seen during this expansion as well they could open some new restaurants. I would be interested to see if there are restaurants in pandora which I would think so I want to know what type they would because of the different planet experience. And what kind of theming it would have.

 

[wiigirl]

Yep
DAK at night will be a totally new and unique experience to people, that alone will help keep people in the park and help balance out attendance at WDW...but they certainly need more dining options

 

[JoAnna525]

Originally Posted by FlightlessDuck
Not enough rides to be a park, and too few animals to be a zoo. Besides EE, it's very disappointing.

Couldn't agree with this more. With a ds5 and dd1, AK is just not a place we want to visit and we've skipped it on our last 3 trips. The park is two to three times bigger than every other park, but the problem we find is there is nothing interesting between the rides/experiences. And it starts from the moment you walk in. While you walk on to main st at MK, or around the ball at Epcot, or even down the blvd to the hat at HS, when you enter AK, you have to walk around rock formations past animals no one cares about, just to get a view of the tree. There's nothing that hits you as you enter the park.

Once you finally get to Africa or Asia, you get herded into an area with ONE ride. In Africa your choices are to sit on a jeep and see animals or walk 5 miles and see animals. The rapids are fun, but really not something you do first thing in the morning because it will take the rest of the day to dry off.

In Asia, you have EE, what else is there? A bird show? Another 5 mile trek to see animals?

At MK you have 15 rides and 4 or 5 character meets in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland alone. Avatarland is desperately needed, but what I'd say they need more are multiple dark rides in every area. A Tarzan ride in Africa. A Jungle Book / Mulan experience in Asia. They could also keep kids in the park all day if they tore down Dinoland and turned it in to the 100 acre woods. My kids love Pooh as much as Mickey and I'm sure many others do as well. There are no other areas for little ones outside of fantasyland in all the parks, but a 100 acre woods area with a play area, 3 or 4 rides geared to the under 44 inch crowd and meet and greets would keep families here for hours.

The idea of the park is awesome, the look and feel of the park are well thought out and executed, but this park seems built for sightseers, there's just not enough to actually do to make it worth a visit.

100-acre wood would be BRILLIANT!!! I am totally on board with that - ya hear that, WDW?????!!!!!

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

exactly people will go just for that because they have never been able to experience the park at night.

And once you experience AK at night you will never forget it. EE at night may be the best experience in all of WDW.

No matter what one feels about the Avatar film, turning this into a night-time park will forever change perceptions and attendance. I think it will be every bit on EPCOT's level of attendance consistently.

 

[twebber55]

And once you experience AK at night you will never forget it. EE at night may be the best experience in all of WDW.

No matter what one feels about the Avatar film, turning this into a night-time park will forever change perceptions and attendance. I think it will be every bit on EPCOT's level of attendance consistently.

i dont think it will be on EPCOTs level




i think it will pass it

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

i dont think it will be on EPCOTs level




i think it will pass it

Well, you could be right...especially the way they are letting Future World decay.

 

[JillShari]

I have to say... last time we went with son#1 who was 3.5. He isn't an animal person. We did the safari, watched Lion King and Nemo and did a few character greets on our way out. We were done before noon. There wasn't enough there for the very young if they aren't into dinosaurs and animals!

This trip with son #1 now almost 9 and son#2 at 4... we are skipping it.

Last trip the highlights were Epcot and Fantasyland and MK and Hollywood Studios... we plan to do those again. I guess I am one of the few that just doesn't get the whole animal disney thing... I think they need many more character or movie tie-ins to bring the younger set.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Out of all the parks I have to say AK is my least favorite. Too much walking with not that much to do. I love animals but it's just not worth it and I don't really think avatar is going to make a difference...not a huge fan of avatar to begin with and some of the younger kids just might not get it.

 

[jamarmiller]

Hollywood studios is my least liked park. I only go there once every five years. Each time I leave I say ,not again for at least another five years . I actually love animal Kingdom and while I would prefer non disney things to NOT be in the park, Avatar does feel like a really good fit and being in the park at night excites me. The park does need something like this and I think it will be put on the same level as Epcot and MAgic kingdom for me. I still wish Hollywood studios would get a massive facelift though. I like what is there but its just not enough. Id say keep most of it as is. Take out the American Idol and sounds Dangerous thing. Add a Star Wars land, expand Pixar Place with at least one ride ( monster inc coaster ) and also do a cars land and add the Indian jones ride from Tokyo and california in and then it would be a favorite of mine .

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Should we pass the hat to collect the $2,000,000,000 worth of construction you just ordered up?

 

[jamarmiller]

Should we pass the hat to collect the $2,000,000,000 worth of construction you just ordered up?

LOL , might as well

 

[beer dave]

i dont think it will be on EPCOTs level




i think it will pass it

Especially if they set it up so you can "drink around the tree". I'm hanging on to this one. You know, with the different areas, the concept is not so much different than epcot-- they just need a new path to follow that makes the loop-- and some kiosks---- and more restraunts, and ... oh well... hope we can drink around the tree.

 

[TuneTownMagic]

Well, you could be right...especially the way they are letting Future World decay.

I kind of have to agree with this! I mean Tomorrowland is a different story because, in my opinion, it has that sort of "retro future" theme going for it so that it remains timeless with the passage of time. Future World, on the other hand, needs to be brought into the 21st century for sure. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of being able to attend classic attractions that give a taste of Disney World history and legacy, and I sure do appreciate the chance to experience them (Captain EO, Ellen's Energy Adventure [wish I could have seen Horizons] ) but even I have to admit these are becoming very outdated and not going to draw in future or current generations very well.

I digress, I know I am veering off topic a bit. I really think the nighttime experience of AK is going to be so unique and I can't wait for it! I hope Pandora lives up to the expectations, though. More than two attractions, hopefully. I hope they also match (or surpass) the level of detail and artistry that went into Wizarding World.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I kind of have to agree with this! I mean Tomorrowland is a different story because, in my opinion, it has that sort of "retro future" theme going for it so that it remains timeless with the passage of time. Future World, on the other hand, needs to be brought into the 21st century for sure. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of being able to attend classic attractions that give a taste of Disney World history and legacy, and I sure do appreciate the chance to experience them (Captain EO, Ellen's Energy Adventure [wish I could have seen Horizons] ) but even I have to admit these are becoming very outdated and not going to draw in future or current generations very well.

I digress, I know I am veering off topic a bit. I really think the nighttime experience of AK is going to be so unique and I can't wait for it! I hope Pandora lives up to the expectations, though. More than two attractions, hopefully. I hope they also match (or surpass) the level of detail and artistry that went into Wizarding World.

Not to mention the abandoned buildings and a spot of the center of the screen at Soarin'. It just feels neglected at Future World. I say this with sadness as I've loved it since it opened in 1982.

 

[rteetz]

Not to mention the abandoned buildings and a spot of the center of the screen at Soarin'. It just feels neglected at Future World. I say this with sadness as I've loved it since it opened in 1982.

AK is first to get help than it should be DHS and after than would be Epcot so with that I would think you got at least 10 years before anything happens.

 

[Borishack]

AK is first to get help than it should be DHS and after than would be Epcot so with that I would think you got at least 10 years before anything happens.

In ten years, the only possible hope for Future World will be turning it's by then crumbling remains into a Mad Max attraction.

 

[Q-man]

exactly people will go just for that because they have never been able to experience the park at night.

If you visit during the winter months stick around and exit after dark as it is pretty cool to see the lighting at night.


I think the Disney traditionalists wanting another Disney based dark ride are missing that Avatar is a pursuit of an unreached, by Disney, segment of the market and not more of the same for those in the segment they already have a dominate position in. Much like Universal's vying for the families with kids 8 and up market via Harry Potter and younger families via Dr. Seuss.

How successful are StarWars weekends in getting sci-fi geeks to fill slow weekends? What happens if there is another sci-fi geek draw at a second park and additional StarWars attractions? Have you then tapped a segment that is most interested in the two least attended parks?