Disney's Avatar land cancelled?

[Planogirl]

The only SciFi/Fantasy movies I've watched more than the Star Trek or Star Wars series is the LotR trilogy...

I can't figure out why, after US did Hairy Plodder, Disney didn't go after Peter Jackson and the crew to build Middle Earth...

You could build a whole PARK around LotR and The Hobbit.

Think of it -- the Mine Train of Moria; the Way of the Dead dark ride; Gandalf's Duel with the Balrog in 3D, complete with the falling sequence simulator ride; The Nazgul Experience, a dual-duelling coaster with multiple close-up fly-bys; and of course villages called The Shire, Lorien, and a magnificent edifice representing Minas Tirith where you can feast in King Aragorn's Banquet Hall, or have a refreshing libation in Strider's Tavern down in the dungeon. Other food venues could exist in Bree -- The Prancing Pony, for example...

In the Helm's Deep adventure carrousel, you mount up on magnificent horses to save the day against the armies of darkness.

I'm sure I have barely scratched the surface of possibilities here, and I'm not even getting paid for it.

I seem to remember someone saying that Tolkien's heirs wouldn't allow it. I can't swear to it but I seem to remember something like that. I'm all in favor myself.

Hairy Plodder... So silly.

 

[Eeyore98]

~I don't think Disney has ever had an opening day turn out like WWoHP, for their whole parks, let alone a single land or attraction!

You know what? Disney DOES get crowds of that number, basically every Christmas/New Year's...it just doesn't look like this due to Disney's superior crowd management and the fact that they are spread out across multiple parks and multiple rides. Which actually allows them to have a fun day, if in a crowded park. No one in your pic had a fun day...they had hours of waiting in the blistering sun, in exchange for a brief time squeezed in to see the sights of WWOHP.

I was there in that mass of people, and yes, as a photo, it looks impressive, but let me tell you, a big chunk of those folks quickly lined up at Guest Services for a refund, due to how terribly Universal handled the crowds. The line for entrance to WWOHP was over 8 hours long at park opening, and broken up in little sections all throughout the park. At least a hundred of us were directed by a team member to stand in a line that turned out, after an HOUR, to not be part of the "official line". The line for Guest Services was itself 2 hours long!

And all of that aside, there's no way Avatar Land would draw a crowd like that. The HP franchise is vastly more popular than Avatar is now, or even than it will be after two more films. Many people who contributed to the first film's record-breaking sales are like me - we went to see it because of the hype, left going , and won't be spending any money to see the sequels.

Unobtainium may be a lackluster name, but it wasn't devised by the Avatar writers, it was a pre-existing term that is used in science and engineering to describe incredibly rare material.

Yes. As a joke. It is a joke name, among scientists and engineers. And the Avatar writers used it in all seriousness.

 

[chartle]

I seem to remember someone saying that Tolkien's heirs wouldn't allow it. I can't swear to it but I seem to remember something like that. I'm all in favor myself.

Hairy Plodder... So silly.

Sounds about right, I think I recall an interview with Peter Jackson that many directors and studios had approached the family and they were very particular about who was going to represent the franchise.

 

[chartle]

You know what? Disney DOES get crowds of that number, basically every Christmas/New Year's...it just doesn't look like this due to Disney's superior crowd management and the fact that they are spread out across multiple parks and multiple rides. Which actually allows them to have a fun day, if in a crowded park. No one in your pic had a fun day...they had hours of waiting in the blistering sun, in exchange for a brief time squeezed in to see the sights of WWOHP.

I was there in that mass of people, and yes, as a photo, it looks impressive, but let me tell you, a big chunk of those folks quickly lined up at Guest Services for a refund, due to how terribly Universal handled the crowds. The line for entrance to WWOHP was over 8 hours long at park opening, and broken up in little sections all throughout the park. At least a hundred of us were directed by a team member to stand in a line that turned out, after an HOUR, to not be part of the "official line". The line for Guest Services was itself 2 hours long!

And all of that aside, there's no way Avatar Land would draw a crowd like that. The HP franchise is vastly more popular than Avatar is now, or even than it will be after two more films. Many people who contributed to the first film's record-breaking sales are like me - we went to see it because of the hype, left going , and won't be spending any money to see the sequels.

Yes I think US was taking a page out of Apple's playbook and created the hype that creates a huge line that gets on the news.

I recall many comments on the podcast on how the TV spots made WoHP look like an entire new park.

 

[si-am]

Exactly! Adding to Australia would not be like saying, this is all we think your country has (any more than the continents of Africa and Asia are portrayed in that way). It would be acknowledging that Australia's native wildlife is unique and should be featured prominently in a park whose primary focus is on animals from around the world. It is such an obvious fit with the theme of the entire park. That in no way implies that we think that Australia's ONLY feature is the Outback. It seems to me that it is a disservice to EXCLUDE Australia's wonderful animals from the Animal Kingdom.

TOTALLY agree. I've long thought Australia would be perfect in the AK because of the wildlife you just don't get to see too often in zoos here. It doesn't have to be a stereotypical Crocodile Dundee thing at all.

And while I agree that Australia has lovely cosmopolitan cities, I still don't see how a pavilion at Epcot could distinguish itself *without* the Outback/wildlife tie-in. If there weren't already the USA, UK, and Canada pavilions, maybe, then it could work. But as it is, all these cultures are just so similar.

 

[tinkerpea]

I personally think that Avatar land will be AMAZING!! I was so very excited when I read about it, it's a firm favourite of mine DH & my boys aged 7,7, 10 and a film they have watched many times over.
Infact when I was watching the film mesmerised by all the colours and magic of Pandora I was thinking to myself how amazing it would be to visit a place like this and how Disney would be able to make some great rides from this film.

I have spoken to many people about Avatar and the discussions on this board about just how awful making this land would be & the responses are always WHY would people hate to have that so much?? and what a brilliant idea,
So I'm thinking it may not be as unpopular as many think!
I'm really hoping the plug is not pulled on this land as Disney really would do a great job of bringing this to life.

 

[Leigh123]

The only SciFi/Fantasy movies I've watched more than the Star Trek or Star Wars series is the LotR trilogy...

I can't figure out why, after US did Hairy Plodder, Disney didn't go after Peter Jackson and the crew to build Middle Earth...

You could build a whole PARK around LotR and The Hobbit.

Think of it -- the Mine Train of Moria; the Way of the Dead dark ride; Gandalf's Duel with the Balrog in 3D, complete with the falling sequence simulator ride; The Nazgul Experience, a dual-duelling coaster with multiple close-up fly-bys; and of course villages called The Shire, Lorien, and a magnificent edifice representing Minas Tirith where you can feast in King Aragorn's Banquet Hall, or have a refreshing libation in Strider's Tavern down in the dungeon. Other food venues could exist in Bree -- The Prancing Pony, for example...

In the Helm's Deep adventure carrousel, you mount up on magnificent horses to save the day against the armies of darkness.

I'm sure I have barely scratched the surface of possibilities here, and I'm not even getting paid for it.

I am a WDW lover, there is not one place on earth I would rather vacation...except MIDDLE EARTH....a LOTR park omg that would be amazing.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Okay, the movie to many was good, but making a 100++ million dollar investment on this movie theme is crazy. While the movie did well with ground breaking special affects, this whole Avatar Land is a complete mystery to me. It's not like it's some classic novel that stayed

Please, please, please, PLEASE... let this turn out to be true!!!!
Wow. I agree with hookedonears about something. Excuse me while I faint.

Hopefully, Iger will make one good decision..and decline on this Avatarland.

Wasn't "Cinderella's Royal Table" originally called "King Stefan's Banquet" or something like that?

Yep...back when the food and menu were really, really good.

, there will always be a huge nostalgia factor when thinking about MK.

 

[Too Far From Home]

I am a WDW lover, there is not one place on earth I would rather vacation...except MIDDLE EARTH....a LOTR park omg that would be amazing.

I agree - I would be more excited about that than Harry Potter. And there are many very successful book series based on the Middle Earth created by Tolkien - hundreds of books, and hundreds of millions of fans around the globe.

Someone send the Disney execs a memo - please.

 

[minnie mum]

Saw on one of the entertainment shows (ET??) that Cameron has announced that the Avatar sequel should be ready for 2016. Somebody wake me when it premiers...yawn.

 

[Planogirl]

Yes I think US was taking a page out of Apple's playbook and created the hype that creates a huge line that gets on the news.

I recall many comments on the podcast on how the TV spots made WoHP look like an entire new park.

They all do that. Remember the little girl running up to Mickey and the little boy running back and forth with Shamu? Yeah, right.

 

[Phatoomch]

I don't understand an entire land dedicated to something that appeals to a marginal audience. I'm sure some will argue the princesses appeal to marginal audience but they are classic Disney and that brings a draw even to people who normally wouldn't be interested.

Avatar just seems to not fit. I'm sure there are many ways to expand ak in a less pigeonholed theme. I'd say the whole general beastly kingdom would be a better move than avatar . It's just so out of place. It's very universal and I think that may be why they want it , but it's not Disney. I may be very wrong but I don't see it being well received.

I'm not an Avatar fan however when I heard the rumour, I thought it fit perfectly with AK - afterall, the moral message behind Avatar is that mankind needs to stop damaging our environment and natural world, and that is a huge message at AK and something that Disney stands for.

I think it would be an interesting concept for a park and its audience will go beyond just movie fans.

 

[kaligal]

I still think the whole Avatar idea is stupid, but I just don't care. Build it, don't build it. Whatever.

If they must do it, it belongs at DS. I love the AK and wish they wouldn't put it there.