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

[Parkscope Joe]

People are obsessed with cost

Check the financials...Disney aren't short of a penny or 2. And they've since awoken from their decade long slumber and see the potential in expanding their stateside parks. New guy in charge of Parks wants to make his own mark...Pandora isn't his.

I'm actually glad for once, that it feels like Disney has gone the whole hog with this and we're getting what will probably be the most impressively themed land in the world, and not some half baked cop out.

Quick response, it's not that Disney is going to close due to this, but they justified it based on return. When return doesn't come is the issue. Yes they will make money but they will also adjust their plans again like they did after M:S and Everest towards MM+ and such.

 

[twebber55]

No, Avatar has remained on budget from what I've heard.

thats why i never bring up cost because its all speculation and rumor

 

[Scott W.]

It might be nice to have a highly themed boat ride that doesn't last 12,000 years.

I want to get off James Cameron's Wild Ride.

 

[fryoj]

I will agree that this shows what Disney can do, but it has also taken far to many years to build. It will be almost 6 years from the time they announced it to the time it opened. In comparison, it took Universal 7 years (from announcement in 2007 to Diagon opening in 2014) to build two highly themed lands with three highly themed rides. Also, cost was just insane. The projected budget was $500 million but with the lengthy construction time, i'm positive they went over that. In comparison, Everest cost roughly $100 million. The entire park costs roughly one billion.

We have all known that Disney can produce great things, but they need to pick up the speed while decreasing costs. I feel like it was a real gutsy move to announce Star Wars Land is opening in 2019. That is only three years after the announcement was made and Disney can never build anything from the ground up that fast.

You aren't making a fair comparison. Universal announces rides after they have already started building them. Disney announces them while they are still in design.

 

[Scott W.]

You aren't making a fair comparison. Universal announces rides after they have already started building them. Disney announces them while they are still in design.

The real comparison should be Nintendo Land.

 

[ArchieAndrews]

IF the ride is only 4 minutes i get the feeling people will leave the ride saying man this could ve been incredible if it were a little longer
5-6 minutes would ve been perfect
again this is all based on rumor

Yeah, like 7 Dwarfs all over again. I really like 7 Dwarfs for what was there, but it needed more (two more dark scenes) to be up there with the other mountain attractions.....Well, I guess we'll find out about this when we get an opportunity to ride it.

You guys talk as if the ride is two minutes or less. 4-5 minutes is in the same ball park, if not longer than a lot of Disney's greats including Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, Soarin, Test Track, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, etc.

It's not about the length as much as how they use it and I think you guys are being a bit overly critical.

 

[Mad Dog]

You guys talk as if the ride is two minutes or less. 4-5 minutes is in the same ball park, if not longer than a lot of Disney's greats including Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, Soarin, Test Track, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, etc.

It's not about the length as much as how they use it and I think you guys are being a bit overly critical.

Sure, but it's kind of different for a omnimover type water ride because they're slow moving, so you don't encounter a whole lot in 4 minutes.

 

[SkiBum]

Sure, but it's kind of different for a omnimover type water ride because they're slow moving, so you don't encounter a whole lot in 4 minutes.

Plus, some of those rides feel way too short. Peter Pan for one. If I am going to wait in line for 60 minutes, I actually would like a ride that lasts around 6 minutes. Good payoff.

 

[shiekra38]

Plus, some of those rides feel way too short. Peter Pan for one. If I am going to wait in line for 60 minutes, I actually would like a ride that lasts around 6 minutes. Good payoff.

IMO the ride should be 10 percent of the estimated peak time wait time...If the line is usually 45-60 minutes, I expect a 4 to 6 minute ride..

 

[Nick]

Plus, some of those rides feel way too short. Peter Pan for one. If I am going to wait in line for 60 minutes, I actually would like a ride that lasts around 6 minutes. Good payoff.

If you're waiting 60 mins for Peter Pan you're doing it wrong. The ride is usually down to 15-20 at night and there's almost always fastpass available fore the ride. Every day I go to the park and check for FPs day-of, it's available.

 

[UNIrd]

You guys talk as if the ride is two minutes or less. 4-5 minutes is in the same ball park, if not longer than a lot of Disney's greats including Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, Soarin, Test Track, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, etc.

It's not about the length as much as how they use it and I think you guys are being a bit overly critical.

Eh, these aren't great comparisons as nearly all of these have thrill elements to them. The closest comparison I would say was Maelstrom since that was a shorter boat ride. Buzz Lightyear and Seas with Nemo & Friends also are examples of slower-moving dark rides that clock in at around the same length.

 

[quinnmac000]

How long is the banshee ride? So if the Banshee ride is very much not for everyone based on the rumoured reports whle short and the boat ride is only ~4 minutes as well. I have a feeling those queues better be so interactive that as well as the land otherwise I have a feeling people won't be happy.

 

[SkiBum]

If you're waiting 60 mins for Peter Pan you're doing it wrong. The ride is usually down to 15-20 at night and there's almost always fastpass available fore the ride. Every day I go to the park and check for FPs day-of, it's available.

I go once a year and always forget to check FP day-of. I actually will get a FP for Pan every time. It was more of an example as its line is always long (except of night apparently).

 

[Nick]

I go once a year and always forget to check FP day-of. I actually will get a FP for Pan every time. It was more of an example as its line is always long (except of night apparently).

The problem with Pan's line being long has more to do with too little rides in MK and too many people in the streets due to MM+ than Pan itself.

The ride is certainly in need of major refurb though.

 

[Mad Dog]

The problem with Pan's line being long has more to do with too little rides in MK and too many people in the streets due to MM+ than Pan itself.

The ride is certainly in need of major refurb though.

Yes, plus the low capacity...But I have to give kudos to Disney for the new queue. they did a great job on it and it's actually as good as, or better than, the ride. But FP bypasses most of the new scenes.

 

[Nico]

It's not about the length as much as how they use it and I think you guys are being a bit overly critical.

...No one? :cautious::bolt:

 

[Brian G.]

Ahem... Avatar.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Ahem... Avatar.

They have sex with their tails!!!!!

 

[Blaw923]

Finally a teaser I can get behind! That does look pretty cool.
I completely agree about the blending of the transition from practical scenery to the screens, looks awesome.

Also... glad they are incorporating those weird red helicopter spinning 'bugs?' and the jellyfish things.
Great attention to kinetic details the will sink us into the scene more.

 

[Andysol]

I will agree that this shows what Disney can do, but it has also taken far to many years to build. It will be almost 6 years from the time they announced it to the time it opened. In comparison, it took Universal 7 years (from announcement in 2007 to Diagon opening in 2014) to build two highly themed lands with three highly themed rides. Also, cost was just insane. The projected budget was $500 million but with the lengthy construction time, i'm positive they went over that. In comparison, Everest cost roughly $100 million. The entire park costs roughly one billion.

We have all known that Disney can produce great things, but they need to pick up the speed while decreasing costs. I feel like it was a real gutsy move to announce Star Wars Land is opening in 2019. That is only three years after the announcement was made and Disney can never build anything from the ground up that fast.

While it's fine to kick Disney around for build time- they aren't that far off from universal. Universal did Springfield and transformers at a jaw dropping pace simply because they needed to- but otherwise- Build times have been similar between the two.
The problem is the perception because Disney announces 2-3 years before they start construction (or even plans) sometimes- like with avatar. It certainly didn't take "6 years" to build avatar. Just like it won't take "5 years" to build Nintendo.