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

[Jymmymack]

Seeing as how Animal Kingdom has a higher attendance than IOA even after Potter opened, I don't think saying it's a desperate move isn't accurate in the slightest. In fact, I would say Uni ponying up the dough for Potter and scrapping half of it's most popular island was a "desperation" move.

 

[JungleSkip]

Seeing as how Animal Kingdom has a higher attendance than IOA even after Potter opened, I don't think saying it's a desperate move isn't accurate in the slightest. In fact, I would say Uni ponying up the dough for Potter and scrapping half of it's most popular island was a "desperation" move.

This has nothing to do with attendance and everything to do with guest spending. TDO and Disney have coveted Potter's merchandise numbers since day one.

Also, Star Wars shattered Blu Ray records in its first week. I still don't see why Star Wars isn't getting a land instead of Avatar.

 

[AcidPop]

Also, Star Wars shattered Blu Ray records in its first week. I still don't see why Star Wars isn't getting a land instead of Avatar.

Seriously - where is the Star Wars theme park? I'm not a huge SW fan, but man, you'd think by now there would be one. The profit would probably be enormous.

 

[JungleSkip]

Seriously - where is the Star Wars theme park? I'm not a huge SW fan, but man, you'd think by now there would be one. The profit would probably be enormous.

Well, Disney has the theme park rights. And considering DHS was the least attended park last year, and the one every one says "sucks", I would have rather seen Star Wars land there then Avatar land in DAK.

 

[Jymmymack]

This has nothing to do with attendance and everything to do with guest spending. TDO and Disney have coveted Potter's merchandise numbers since day one.

Also, Star Wars shattered Blu Ray records in its first week. I still don't see why Star Wars isn't getting a land instead of Avatar.

Coveted, sure. But absolutely desperate? Even as a Potter fan who thinks that Disney is stepping up their game in response, the word "desperate" is completely inaccurate. It makes us Potter fans look like we are the ones who are desperate for a of sense self-importance.

And honestly, if it is all about merchandise sales, then they picked the wrong franchise. Avatar stuff won't fly off the shelves like Star Wars, HP, or even Indy. I mean, what are you going to buy from Pandora? Action figures? Na'vi floating face t-shirts? Na'vi dreadlock crazy hats, complete with interactive sex braid? Na'vi bows and arrows? Unobtanium (that's far too expensive for most tourists, and there is so little of it!)?

The one series of souvenirs that I think would sell would be luminescent flora and fauna, but then those would only be appealing at night.

And the reason we aren't getting a Star Wars land is because Lucas only created one really detailed world: Tattoine. Think hard and picture some of the other worlds. Coruscant? I'd love to go on the Coruscant column and senate ride. The forest moon of Endor? It's the redwoods about 60 miles away from me. Hoth? Too cold. Tatttoine is the only world with depth, you've got the pod races, the cantina, and Jabba's palace. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and even I don't really want to visit Tattoine. I hate (HATE) Cameron, but I will admit that he put some serious detail into Pandora, and for me, it was the only thing about the film that I thought worked. Lucas put more effort into his characters (in the original series, we won't talk about the prequels) rather than his worlds.

 

[TSSD]

Mugglenet posted an article about this today.

Mugglenet has really gotten annoying lately. Everything that happens in Orlando is automatically related to HP to them, it's getting super irritating. And some of the comments... "Desperate", "What a stupid move", " It won't last", and my personal favorite, "that is just sad and pathetic and it wont be amazing like Harry Potter itll just epically fail!". :bang::bang:

 

[JungleSkip]

And honestly, if it is all about merchandise sales, then they picked the wrong franchise. Avatar stuff won't fly off the shelves like Star Wars, HP, or even Indy. I mean, what are you going to buy from Pandora? Action figures? Na'vi floating face t-shirts? Na'vi dreadlock crazy hats, complete with interactive sex braid? Na'vi bows and arrows? Unobtanium (that's far too expensive for most tourists, and there is so little of it!)?

I agree. Which is why this doesn't make much sense to me. I think it'll be a good addition to the park. I just don't know what they're expecting from it.

And the reason we aren't getting a Star Wars land is because Lucas only created one really detailed world: Tattoine. Think hard and picture some of the other worlds. Coruscant? I'd love to go on the Coruscant column and senate ride. The forest moon of Endor? It's the redwoods about 60 miles away from me. Hoth? Too cold. Tatttoine is the only world with depth, you've got the pod races, the cantina, and Jabba's palace. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and even I don't really want to visit Tattoine. I hate (HATE) Cameron, but I will admit that he put some serious detail into Pandora, and for me, it was the only thing about the film that I thought worked. Lucas put more effort into his characters (in the original series, we won't talk about the prequels) rather than his worlds.

There's no reason why there can't be a combination of worlds for a Star Wars land. The traveling to different worlds is part of the excitement of the series.

--- Update ---

Mugglenet has really gotten annoying lately. Everything that happens in Orlando is automatically related to HP to them, it's getting super irritating. And some of the comments... "Desperate", "What a stupid move", " It won't last", and my personal favorite, "that is just sad and pathetic and it wont be amazing like Harry Potter itll just epically fail!". :bang::bang:

I've never been a fan of fan sites that focus on one singular product or franchise. You just don't get any stimulating discussion. If you disagree with anything the company/product does or praise a competitor, you get your head bitten off.

 

[Jymmymack]

I agree. Which is why this doesn't make much sense to me. I think it'll be a good addition to the park. I just don't know what they're expecting from it.



There's no reason why there can't be a combination of worlds for a Star Wars land. The traveling to different worlds is part of the excitement of the series.

The only problem is that we only see tiny parts of lands and nothing really earth-shattering, nothing too "other-worldly." Some of the planets in the prequels have unique properties, but I think the normal tourist would be like "wtf is going on here? There's a forest, a desert, a tundra, and a volcano. Is this a biodome?" Although having a cantina bar at DHS would be pretty BA.

 

[AcidPop]

And honestly, if it is all about merchandise sales, then they picked the wrong franchise. Avatar stuff won't fly off the shelves like Star Wars, HP, or even Indy. I mean, what are you going to buy from Pandora? Action figures? Na'vi floating face t-shirts? Na'vi dreadlock crazy hats, complete with interactive sex braid?

...

You know those would sell like hotcakes.

Like HOTCAKES.

As would blow up dolls of Neytiri. For the furries.

 

[jtsalien]

Maybe, and you're gonna have to try pretty hard to believe this for a second, maybe Disney is doing this to actually make the park better. Maybe they're trying to up the quality of the park. Kinda like how they're sprucing up California Adventure. Maybe they're trying to get a new focus on their brand. The recent shake ups in management might have new energy in the parks. Disney might have had a change of heart. Or, seeing as some of you believe it doesn't have one, maybe it found its heart again. Maybe this is about making the park better. Maybe they realized that if you put the quality of the park first, the rest will fall into place.

I don't think this has to be about selling this or competing with that. I think this is just a case of them doing better because they know they can.

 

[JungleSkip]

Maybe, and you're gonna have to try pretty hard to believe this for a second, maybe Disney is doing this to actually make the park better. Maybe they're trying to up the quality of the park. Kinda like how they're sprucing up California Adventure. Maybe they're trying to get a new focus on their brand. The recent shake ups in management might have new energy in the parks. Disney might have had a change of heart. Or, seeing as some of you believe it doesn't have one, maybe it found its heart again. Maybe this is about making the park better. Maybe they realized that if you put the quality of the park first, the rest will fall into place.

I don't think this has to be about selling this or competing with that. I think this is just a case of them doing better because they know they can.

Maybe.

But even then, Star Wars can do all of that for DHS, a park that needs just as much help as DAK according to most people.

I like the Avatar expansion. But I feel like Star Wars would have knocked EVERYONE into the stratosphere with excitement.

 

[jtsalien]

Maybe.

But even then, Star Wars can do all of that for DHS, a park that needs just as much help as DAK according to most people.

I like the Avatar expansion. But I feel like Star Wars would have knocked EVERYONE into the stratosphere with excitement.

I am totally on the bandwagon for a Star Wars Land. I would DIE. But that being said, I think that right at this moment, AK needs it more. People have had reason to be excited about DHS lately (Toy Story, ST2), while people have only had negative things to say about AK (Yeti). You can work on DHS with small improvement too. Like filling in the former Notre Dame Theater, or putting anything in Sounds Dangerous. Small steps can be taken with DHS since you still have very big draws for the park. I think the general public needs more reason to go to AK. Because as much as the park might "stink", everyone still loves riding RnRC, ToT, and Toy Story. That's a lot harder to say about AK.

 

[Mitchiez]

Has no one mentioned that this probably means the Yeti will be fixed in some time?
No way will Disney open up a grand new land and have a frozen star animatronic in one of the park's most popular ride.

 

[mantaguy]

Has no one mentioned that this probably means the Yeti will be fixed in some time?
No way will Disney open up a grand new land and have a frozen star animatronic in one of the park's most popular ride.

I would think Avatarland would actualy give them an excuse not to fix the Yeti. A very lame one, yes. But while everyone is on Pandora marveling at the giant blue people, no one will care about Disco Yeti, right?

 

[jtsalien]

Has no one mentioned that this probably means the Yeti will be fixed in some time?
No way will Disney open up a grand new land and have a frozen star animatronic in one of the park's most popular ride.

Or, it means we're probably gonna have to wait til around 2019. Once the success of Pandora has been solidified and they feel comfortable putting down the park's main attraction.

 

[Jymmymack]

Maybe, and you're gonna have to try pretty hard to believe this for a second, maybe Disney is doing this to actually make the park better. Maybe they're trying to up the quality of the park. Kinda like how they're sprucing up California Adventure. Maybe they're trying to get a new focus on their brand. The recent shake ups in management might have new energy in the parks. Disney might have had a change of heart. Or, seeing as some of you believe it doesn't have one, maybe it found its heart again. Maybe this is about making the park better. Maybe they realized that if you put the quality of the park first, the rest will fall into place.

I don't think this has to be about selling this or competing with that. I think this is just a case of them doing better because they know they can.

That was kinda my point. Just went about it in a roundbout, sarcastic way. I think it's to push this from a half-day park to a full-day park. Just like DCA was a half-day park (or maybe even quarter day if you only hit the big four). They want Animal Kingdom at night (remember Nightly Kingdom?). Avatar will practically force people to stay well into the night (just to see the fluorescent eye-candy, and Avatar nightly parade/show, you know that's coming).

 

[Don Pacho]

From THEME PARK TOURIST



The Big Debate: What should Disney's first Avatar attractions be?

Disney has a wealth of options open to it as it plans its first attractions based on James Cameron's Avatar. Image: Disney




Avatar and theme park fans will be buzzing with excitement after the announcement this week that Disney has partnered with James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the idyllic planet of Pandora to life at Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2016.

It also looks likely that other Disney parks around the world may also be in for a slice of the Pandora magic in years to come, with Disney clinching the global rights to create theme park rides based on the movie. With two sequels for the highly acclaimed Avatar in the pipeline, the hype surrounding the new land is set to really explode as the Imagineers start flexing their creative muscles and plans become clearer of what we can expect.

I am blown away by the prospect of being able to visit the planet of Pandora and my head is filled with ideas of the perfect rides I would just love to see included. It is therefore obvious that this week's Big Debate had to focus on this and asks "What types of attraction would you most like to see in the Avatar land at Disney's Animal Kingdom?"


What would you most like to see in Avatar land?

The list of potential rides, shows and other attractions for an Avatar land is almost endless. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Rollercoaster - Can you imagine strapping into a coaster and being blasted around the luscious forested expanses of Pandora as if you were one of the Na'vi people taking flight on an Ikran? The options are endless for a super rollercoaster set in the heart of the new land.
  
• Dark Ride - One of my favorite types of ride is the dark ride where the latest technological effects are often used to their best advantage. Could Disney top Harry Potter at the Forbidden Journey at Universal's Islands of Adventure?
  
• 4D Cinema - Perhaps an obvious choice would be a 4D cinema to extend guests' submersion in the world of Pandora. A new section of film could be created to offer further insight into the lives of the Na'vi people.
  
• Drop Tower - A fantastic way of giving amazing views over the new land could be through the use of a drop tower and I'm sure Disney could shake a bit of fairy dust to create a slightly different slant on this traditional attraction (as it has already proved with the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror).
  
• Water ride - This could be an opportunity for Disney to add another water ride to Animal Kingdom. This would surely score a few votes with those guests visiting in the sweltering Florida summer months and how idyllic would a splash of water be in the middle of beautiful Pandora?

Vote now!

Let us know which type of ride you would like to see in Avatar Land by voting in our poll below:

What should Disney's first Avatar attraction be?
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Source: http://www.themeparktourist.com/new...at-should-disneys-first-avatar-attractions-be




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[Exotic Ego]

And honestly, if it is all about merchandise sales, then they picked the wrong franchise. Avatar stuff won't fly off the shelves like Star Wars, HP, or even Indy. I mean, what are you going to buy from Pandora? Action figures? Na'vi floating face t-shirts? Na'vi dreadlock crazy hats, complete with interactive sex braid? Na'vi bows and arrows? Unobtanium (that's far too expensive for most tourists, and there is so little of it!)?


.

I think the products for avatar are prob gonna be reallly cool

 

[AcidPop]

From THEME PARK TOURIST

A water ride would actually be pretty neat. Someone refresh my memory, though - did we see any aquatic creatures/bodies of water in Avatar?

 

[Exotic Ego]

A water ride would actually be pretty neat. Someone refresh my memory, though - did we see any aquatic creatures/bodies of water in Avatar?

The only body of water i remember was the water falls on the floating rocks... And i have no idea where they lead too :look: