official announcement new location for festival of the lion king

[rteetz]

Today the disney blog announced that the festival of the lion king will officially move to a new home in Animal kingdom. Ill try to get a link up later. The new theater will open sometime in 2014. Also in this announcement disney announced construction on avatarland has been pushed back and will officially start in 2014. Some exciting news for animal kingdom what do you all think?

 

[rteetz]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...l-of-the-lion-king-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/

 

[Kaykool101]

I already "knew" this was happening. But it is nice to see it is official. I wish they had given a season in 2014, (winter, spring, summer, fall???) There is a big difference between early 2014 and late 2014. But Disney hates to commit.

I am glad they are moving it to Africa too. It is better thematically and right now with it in Camp Minnie Mickey, I have to trek all the way over there to do one thing then trek back. So it will help with the excessive walking. Lets face it, now that Minnie and Mickey are not in camp Minnie Mickey visiting the land is a little bit of a waste. It will be good when they shut it down to start construction on AvatarLand.

I hope Avatarland in air conditioned. I know I have heard rumors of a domed air conditioned land. That would be nice. AK needs air conditioning.

 

[DanBoris]

Today the disney blog announced that the festival of the lion king will officially move to a new home in Animal kingdom. Ill try to get a link up later. The new theater will open sometime in 2014. Also in this announcement disney announced construction on avatarland has been pushed back and will officially start in 2014. Some exciting news for animal kingdom what do you all think?

Where did you see the park about Avatar being pushed back?

 

[twebber55]

Where did you see the park about Avatar being pushed back?

you didnt..that was an assumption

 

[rteetz]

you didnt..that was an assumption

I actually read another blog that said is was pushed back but I don't have the link for that blog.

 

[bluedevilinaz]

It's in the comment section that they're currently in the design phase for Avatar land.

 

[johnGorski]

Avatar project is certainly moving slow as molasses in January lol

 

[DanBoris]

I actually read another blog that said is was pushed back but I don't have the link for that blog.

I don't doubt that some blogs are assuming Avatar is moving back because of when FotLK will be complete, but I doubt Disney has said anything official about a change in the Avatar construction timeline.

Even with FotLK opening in 2014, there is still no reason that Avatar work can't start this year.

 

[kbonner]

I believe D23 expo is supposed to announce info on Avatar land

 

[doconeill]

Wait...nothing is "official" until...oh...

I believe D23 expo is supposed to announce info on Avatar land

I thought they canceled the parks session?

 

[DanBoris]

Wait...nothing is "official" until...oh...





I thought they canceled the parks session?

Correct, there is no park session and they have said there will be no major parks announcements. All they have said is we will get some teasers of Avatar and Star Wars attractions.

 

[rteetz]

I don't doubt that some blogs are assuming Avatar is moving back because of when FotLK will be complete, but I doubt Disney has said anything official about a change in the Avatar construction timeline.

Even with FotLK opening in 2014, there is still no reason that Avatar work can't start this year.

The guy who wrote the disney blog in the comments section did state they are in design and development stage no construction for actual avatar land has started.

 

[skier_pete]

The plan from close to the beginning was to take Avatar into Camp MinnieMickey. In order to start construction, they needed to close that whole section of the park.

The decision was made about a year ago to move FotLK without actually closing the show for a substantial period of time. The concern was that the park already has limited entertainment, to close FotLK for the time it took to construct the new location would've hurt park attendance.

Instead, Disney decided to build the new theater, move the show with a limited amount of downtime, and THEN start Avatar construction. This may have delayed the construction, but more than likely there was still a lot of debate about how big it was going to be, so it may actually be that the design is not finalized. (Though I would bet money that it in fact IS finalized.)

Though they haven't given a date - you can bet they will try and do the changeover at a slow time, since they will have to take the show down for a few weeks. My guess is that it will be January/February.

 

[doconeill]

Well, if Fox has this much confidence in the sequels (now there are THREE), then Disney must feel good about pushing ahead...and 2016 seems like a good date to open:

Avatar sequels now up to three, to film simultaneously, could be most expensive production ever

 

[catherines_mama]

There is a section about this in the current guide map I got earlier this week. I am very excited also about the move.

Like PP I agree the location in Africa makes more sense for theme and it will help touring SO much. Can't wait to see the new theater!

 

[jsebsirois]

Great idea to finally move this show to the Africa section. I hope they will take that time to make a refurb on the show though...

 

[the who #3]

i called member services a couple of weeks ago and asked if it was open yet. they told me it was open now in africa. was that a mistake? i gave that info to friends who were going to be there in sept.

we also want to see it again in jan. 2014. hope it will be open. we are taking friends with us who have never been to disney. they have young children who will really enjoy the show.

i have not seen fotlk in 2 yrs and it has usually been a yearly treat for us for the last 10 yrs.

 

[doconeill]

i called member services a couple of weeks ago and asked if it was open yet. they told me it was open now in africa. was that a mistake? i gave that info to friends who were going to be there in sept.

we also want to see it again in jan. 2014. hope it will be open. we are taking friends with us who have never been to disney. they have young children who will really enjoy the show.

i have not seen fotlk in 2 yrs and it has usually been a yearly treat for us for the last 10 yrs.

It hasn't closed yet as far as I know - it was open last week. It's still in the same place and it appears it will be until it moves to the new location when it is ready sometime next year. There will probably be a bit a time during the move when there will not be any shows.

 

[flyjoanne]

Good to know!