Ground was broken this week for Avatarland

[tinkerpea]

Because it is an awful idea? Disney is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a land based on a movie that was mildly successful and three years later has largely been forgotten by the public. This isn't a hugely successful book/movie franchise like Harry Potter or Star Wars or even Indiana Jones. I'm completely puzzled by this decision. The first Star Wars movie was released appoximately 37 YEARS ago and is still wildly popular, as evidenced by the massive crowds that attend Disney's Star Wars weekend. Who decided that a land based around Avatar is a better idea than one based around Star Wars or Indiana Jones, which would be a perfect fit for Animal Kingdom? That person should be fired.

And on edit, I forgot to mention how popular the Jedi Training Academy is. Maybe Star Wars isn't a "fit" for Animal Kingdom, but the decision to build Avatar-themed rides is perplexing to say the least. When it is completed in 2020 maybe I'll be proved wrong.

But it's not your money that's being used to build the new Land,
This is what gets me the most! It's nothing to do with us what disney decides to build in its own theme park....

There are many many people that do actually like the films,not everyone who goes to disney is on these boards.
My boys love avatar and have watched it hundreds of times,I'm really looking forward to the new movie when it comes out.
However even if you don't like the films no one can say what the land will be like,the colours where stunning in this film and disney I'm sure will do something amazing this will have been thought about for years before deciding to do it,people should have faith and not judge before its even started.
I bet many of whom.say they won't go will be first in line when completed pictures come out.

 

[tinkerpea]

Do you have a point to make?

I think they made their point!!

 

[Deanie1]

Whether or not people like the movie Avatar, I think Disney could do a beautiful job of depicting Pandora. Does it even matter that it is supposed to be Pandora? Can't it just be a serene and fabulous space within AK to enjoy? I really like AK and I can hardly wait to see what the Imagineers will do.

 

[MattRyan]

I think the answer here is obvious. Disney should have made "Gone with the Wind" land.

You completely misconstrued the initial argument.

 

[surferdave]

I think the answer here is obvious. Disney should have made "Gone with the Wind" land.

That will work itself out. A few more years of neglect and FutureWorld will look just like Sherman's March to the Sea.

 

[PirateD]

But it's not your money that's being used to build the new Land,
This is what gets me the most! It's nothing to do with us what disney decides to build in its own theme park....

True. It's not our money. However, I think the reason for them spending their money is so that our money will become their money. Right now they're not inspiring my family to spend our money there with these investments. It's frustrating to me because I want to go to Disney but I'm having a hard time selling the idea to anyone in my family. The adults all don't like the idea of FP+ or Avatarland, and the kids are growing up and are becoming more interested in Harry Potter than Disney. Nobody really wants to talk about a Disney trip right now. I can guarantee that if they were breaking ground for Star Wars Land, the conversation in my family would be completely different.

 

[mslhb]

Whether or not people like the movie Avatar, I think Disney could do a beautiful job of depicting Pandora. Does it even matter that it is supposed to be Pandora? Can't it just be a serene and fabulous space within AK to enjoy? I really like AK and I can hardly wait to see what the Imagineers will do.

This... I really didn't care for the movie Avatar but think the new land has good potential. AK needs something.

 

[tinkerpea]

True. It's not our money. However, I think the reason for them spending their money is so that our money will become their money. Right now they're not inspiring my family to spend our money there with these investments. It's frustrating to me because I want to go to Disney but I'm having a hard time selling the idea to anyone in my family. The adults all don't like the idea of FP+ or Avatarland, and the kids are growing up and are becoming more interested in Harry Potter than Disney. Nobody really wants to talk about a Disney trip right now. I can guarantee that if they were breaking ground for Star Wars Land, the conversation in my family would be completely different.

But that's your family,like I said dis board members are only a very small part of the people who visit,
Avatar land won't hurt disney in the slightest it will however draw crowds as many that don't like the film will be very interested still to see what it's like,I guarantee there will be people who go just so they can come back on here moan and say I told you so lol!

As for your children liking universal more now,I think that's a natural progression my kids didn't like universal at all around 6 years ago,there was very little for them to go on,and they was still wrapped up in the magic
However hubby and I wanted to go in 2012 after having alot of 3wk disney only trips,
Our boys had never been interested in HP however they loved the area and when we came home we brought all the films as it inspired them, I had never been a fan at all and yet we watched them as a family,now we have booked 7nights at Universal before our disney stay.I know many families who take a break from disney when therr kids stop needing the magic,and want the thrills.

 

[mom2rtk]

However since 2009 Disney Parks have given zero indication that there will be a slow-down in investment in the parks anytime soon.

Didn't they come out recently and say that pretty much everything at DLR and WDW was on hold until MM+ started recouping some of its investment?

 

[AmyB2006]

And why, exactly, did we dig this thread from January up? Just to argue about it again? Got it. Not enough FP+ arguing going on these days?

 

[JeremyGNJ]

that will work itself out. A few more years of neglect and futureworld will look just like sherman's march to the sea.

lol!

 

[fbarker]

it's gonna be a failure

BIG Mistake, Huge waste of money

And you can make this judgment based on what?

 

[surferdave]

Didn't they come out recently and say that pretty much everything at DLR and WDW was on hold until MM+ started recouping some of its investment?

I don't think Disney has ever stated that publicly. I think that came from the EasyWDW article that floats around a bit, in which Josh stated that people had been reassigned from domestic project development to work on the properties in Asia that are foreign financed.

Publicly, Disney spokespersons have just dodged any questions about park attraction development beyond the committed Pandora project, especially when asked about Star Wars.

 

[PJ]

Maybe hope that Disney responds appropriately to changing consumer expectations that no longer include the nostalgic value of 30 year old attractions as a top reason to spend thousands of dollars?

I love WDW and admire Disney as a company. But let's face it, they have been moving too slowly and responding in the wrong direction for many years now. I'm not "young" (I'm 53) but I do remember the original WDW and I don't see it having the same effect on my kid as it did on me when I was (almost) his age. There is so much other "magic" competing for his attention and interest these days.
There are competitive efforts underway in the Orlando theme park market that will (hopefully) spur competition, innovation, and value. I hold Disney to a high standard but I've also got my fingers crossed they rise to the occasion.

I think your comment in bold is a good observation - when I was a kid even the earliest animatronics, visual effects and technology were mind-blowing. I mean even Pong wasn't invented until I was a Freshman in college. Now with elaborate electronic games, the proliferation of theme parks, and even something like 3D television available in our homes it makes sense that it takes more to be considered special and exciting to kids than it used to be.

 

[AmyB2006]

Didn't they come out recently and say that pretty much everything at DLR and WDW was on hold until MM+ started recouping some of its investment?

All I can say on this is that I have a family member working on the Avatar project. He's recently been moved from CA to FL. His part of the project is not on hold.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I don't think Disney has ever stated that publicly. I think that came from the EasyWDW article that floats around a bit, in which Josh stated that people had been reassigned from domestic project development to work on the properties in Asia that are foreign financed.

Publicly, Disney spokespersons have just dodged any questions about park attraction development beyond the committed Pandora project, especially when asked about Star Wars.

Ahhhh EasyWDW the Disney equivalent of the National Inquirer.

 

[hookedonears]

My feelings EXACTLY. I have not watched the movie or read the books. Heck, I don't even know if there are books!! I couldn't identify an Avatar in a line up. But it's Disney, so I have high expectations and high hopes.

It's been said that the Avatar movie was much more popular in Europe than it was in the United States. Maybe Disney is going after the European crowd, because they have the money now, and the people in the US are becoming poorer and poorer.

 

[mom2rtk]

All I can say on this is that I have a family member working on the Avatar project. He's recently been moved from CA to FL. His part of the project is not on hold.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply Avatar was part of that. I think they were already too far into it.

I'm thinking there were a lot of projects planned in DLR for the 60th anniversary that have supposedly been put on hold.

 

[wisblue]

I haven't seen the Avatar movie, but that doesn't really dampen my enthusiasm for a new area at DAK.

My experience is that there isn't necessarily a correlation between how much I like a movie and how much I enjoy an attraction or area based on it. Splash Mountain is Exhibit A.

That having been said, I love the Harry Potter area at Universal and am looking forward to seeing the Diagonal Alley addition. I'm also bummed that they replaced the Back to the Future ride.

 

[surferdave]

Ahhhh EasyWDW the Disney equivalent of the National Inquirer.

Meh. It's no better or worse than most other Disney media outlets. I'd give the NI title to Jim Hill.