Pandora: The World of Avatar Announcement, Construction, & Preview Discussion

[twebber55]

Yup. Solution sort of in line with what Simpson's does. The shield that will retract in between rides hasn't been installed in most of the pods from the video. One frame is lying on the ground, one has been installed with just the initial metal framework. Guests do not enter the space that the executives are standing in, they strictly will wind up in one of the bays on one of three levels.

pretty sure this was shot over a month ago so they re much further along

 

[s8film40]

Only bad thing is I know it will be Fast passed out ASAP and then 90+ minute waits otherwise.

I think as long as you're willing to wait for the second week after it opens that won't be an issue at all.

 

[brianlo]

But in the clip you can seen the SCREENZ with the animated avatar weresmurfs running around.

I have issues getting excited about Toy Story Mania Forest Edition On A Boat Without Guns.

I know you are literally just stirring the pot to get a reaction...

PoTC from Shanghai is easily one of the top five theme park rides in the world (from either company). I'd personally place it number 2.

Getting a D-ticket take on it will still be very impressive for the Florida market. As long as people don't lose context that it's not an 8-10 minute E ticket experience. That's going to be hard for today's fan audiences who have been groomed to only expect E tickets by poor menu planning demonstrated in many other parks. DHS for starters.

 

[Disneyhead]

In light of what I said last week, I should add that @Marni1971 over at that other site just said it looks like a late summer opening. It won't be April as planned, but they are really hoping it isn't August. Which is still a possibility.

So, :shrug:

 

[belloq87]

Just to touch on the boat ride, it looks far more practical than I had been fearing, which is nice.

Though that may say more about how low my expectations had dropped for the ride than anything else.

 

[Mad Dog]

Looking at what "seems" to be there, I think I would have preferred that they make the boat ride a 7 to 8 minute long E ticket and that the Simulator attraction have less trimmings and cost out as a D ticket. The boat ride looks like it could have been great if it was the focus ride for the land, and more comparable to the Pirates ride in Shanghai.

 

[UK-Trigg]

Looking at what "seems" to be there, I think I would have preferred that they make the boat ride a 7 to 8 minute long E ticket and that the Simulator attraction have less trimmings and cost out as a D ticket. The boat ride looks like it could have been great if it was the focus ride for the land, and more comparable to the Pirates ride in Shanghai.

:agree: @Mad Dog

Less than 3 min 56sec according to @Marni1971, I won't tell you what my missus said

 

[Mad Dog]

:agree: @Mad Dog

Less than 3 min 56sec according to @Marni1971, I won't tell you what my missus said

I think I can figure out what Samantha said.

 

[GAcoaster]

Hey, 3 minutes and fifty six seconds is plenty long for any ride. I never believe people who exaggerate their ride times...

 

[Mad Dog]

Hey, 3 minutes and fifty six seconds is plenty long for any ride. I never believe people who exaggerate their ride times...

It's OK time for most rides, but really short for a boat ride. The boat rides are generally considerably longer.

 

[Disneyhead]

It's OK time for most rides, but really short for a boat ride. The boat rides are generally considerably longer.

NRJ is less than half the length of Gran Fiesta Tour.

 

[Nick]

NRJ is less than half the length of Gran Fiesta Tour.

But at the same time GFT sucks.

If the ride is an exceptional experience than I have no problem with it being shorter.

Of course NRJ could easily be underwhelming too.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Well GFT is all scenery with some screens and an animatronic finale. So it's pretty much the same thing.

 

[Disneyhead]

I believe NRJ will be extremely high quality, but I am a little afraid the ride time may leaving guests with a unfulfilled ride experience. Shades of 7DMT. I have known for a long time the quality would be there. I am a little disappointed at the less than 4 min. ride time. I was thinking it would be closer to 6 mins.

 

[Mad Dog]

I believe NRJ will be extremely high quality, but I am a little afraid the ride time may leaving guests with a unfulfilled ride experience. Shades of 7DMT. I have known for a long time the quality would be there. I am a little disappointed at the less than 4 min. ride time. I was thinking it would be closer to 6 mins.

Yeah. Could be very high quality but not much of it. A slow moving boat ride doesn't cover much territory in under four minutes. Heck, the themed cavern at Volcano Bay is probably half to three quarters as long in area, if not duration.

 

[Legacy]

I think the problem people aren't really addressing (at least I haven't really seen it) is a question of narrative. The screens work in Shanghai's Pirates because of the ridiculous scale and spreed of the story. It's essentially Spider-Man on water and so screens are basically the only way to make everything flow effectively. Nothing about the way Disney is branding Avatar leads us to believe the boat ride will anywhere near as "fast." I think that's why the people who are put off by screens in that ride are put off. It would be like using the Spider-man ride system for Cat in the Hat. Sure, you can do it, but is it actually the best way to tell your story?

 

[SkiBum]

$0.9B spent on making fake trees look imperceptibly real.

Sadly, that and the concrete. Imagineering, "Hey, we can make fake plants glow!" Management, "How much?" Imagineering, "Approximately $600M for R&D and implementation." Management, "Despite the fact that we are spending as much as it cost to initially build Animal Kingdom, that seems reasonable for a land with two rides. Do it."

 

[epcyclopedia]

And if we ever learned from the past this wouldn't be the case. At the time it opened Universe of Energy was touted for having lifelike fake trees that move with the wind effects realistically.

There's some inane pulp process that allows this. It's entirely useless and no one notices but pretty expensive.

But that would require a working knowledge of themed entertainment history to work at WDI and god forbid we have that over a CalArts degree.

 

[SkiBum]

And if we ever learned from the past this wouldn't be the case. At the time it opened Universe of Energy was touted for having lifelike fake trees that move with the wind effects realistically.

There's some inane pulp process that allows this. It's entirely useless and no one notices but pretty expensive.

But that would require a working knowledge of themed entertainment history to work at WDI and god forbid we have that over a CalArts degree.

As much as I appreciate an immersive environment, at what point should the line be drawn to get more bang for the buck? It's an old argument but would we rather have five rides like the new Pirates ride or Mystic Manor and much less theming/placement (sorry, I don't want the other thread argument to leak into here) or 2 rides and an awesome environment? I tend to favor more rides as that gives people more to do.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The line should have been drawn several miles back, but it's never going to be drawn because WDI is wildly out of control and in need of a reorg.