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

[Eric]

As a completely unbiased opinion (basically...I don't give a crap), I think some are being a bit hard on Avatar. When this was announced, absolutely NOTHING had even started. And while Avatar is not my favorite franchise by any stretch, a good ride is a good ride. Avatar has the potential to be translated into a great theme park area, it all depends how far Disney is willing to go with it.

I definitely agree with the fact that a good ride is a good ride. I could really care less what its themed to.

The problem is, is that Disney isn't willing to go very far with this. When was the last time Disney created a "good ride?" I guess Everest could be argued, but it's kind of gone to crap now. The likeliness of TDO giving this what it needs is unlikely. Plus add a mediocre franchise to the mix and it creates a sour taste in most people's mouths.

 

[Thor]

I definitely agree with the fact that a good ride is a good ride. I could really care less what its themed to.

The problem is, is that Disney isn't willing to go very far with this. When was the last time Disney created a "good ride?" I guess Everest could be argued, but it's kind of gone to crap now. The likeliness of TDO giving this what it needs is unlikely. Plus add a mediocre franchise to the mix and it creates a sour taste in most people's mouths.

There is a difference with creating a good ride and Park ops letting it go to hell. I am sure WDI can create many amazing attractions. And let's face it, even value engineered ones are pretty damn good. The problem comes once WDI turns it over to Park ops and they let effects sit broken, turn them off, allow AAs to remain broken, and generally open attractions that are not show ready. I'm sure WDI would be able to create one heck of an Avatar ride, even with budget cuts and things removed. But, in six months, we'll all be here screaming because TDO refuses to fix a main effect or AA in the attraction.

 

[Eric]

There is a difference with creating a good ride and Park ops letting it go to hell. I am sure WDI can create many amazing attractions. And let's face it, even value engineered ones are pretty damn good. The problem comes once WDI turns it over to Park ops and they let effects sit broken, turn them off, allow AAs to remain broken, and generally open attractions that are not show ready. I'm sure WDI would be able to create one heck of an Avatar ride, even with budget cuts and things removed. But, in six months, we'll all be here screaming because TDO refuses to fix a main effect or AA in the attraction.

I understand completely. WDI is capable of amazing things (DisneySea!). However, TDO doesn't allow WDI to create the best possible attraction they can.

 

[jtsalien]

I have no sympathy for Disney, because this is all they're dangling out there for fans. If this wasn't ready, they should be pushing out something, anything else. But they hang this Avatar thing out there on a end of a stick, and wonder why people gnaw at it.

 

[Shellemonster]

So what's the current informed consensus on James Cameron being the cause of this area's delay? I imagine he is giving management hell over any changes or cutbacks or Disneyfication of his franchise. And I just love this quote I read the other day about him working on T23D,

"And then suddenly a voice goes, “Who the (f-word removed) are you?!” It’s James Cameron’s voice. The guy goes, “Well, I’m vice president so-and-so.” Cameron goes, “Well, okay: The train has left the station, that’s what we’re doing, we’re here as a courtesy to show you what we’re doing. We’re not here to look at your notes. End of subject.” He’s a two thousand pound gorilla. There’s no way that guy or anyone else could say anything."

full interview here, great read, http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2012/12/t2-3d-battle-across-time-story-behind.html

 

[Hatetofly]

I understand completely. WDI is capable of amazing things (DisneySea!). However, TDO doesn't allow WDI to create the best possible attraction they can.

Who's your source?

 

[Splatter]

By the time that Avatar is finished, Animal Kingdom will have gone nine to ten years without a major attraction of any kind. Even if Avatar is at a potter level of awesome, it will never have the same merch appeal, and will only be able to get Animal Kingdom out of the attendance drop it will receive over the years and back on par with what it was attendance wise right after Everest opened.

 

[Eric]

Who's your source?

James Cameron himself. :sneaky:

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

James Cameron is full of himself. If you read the T2-3D article you'll know what I mean.

[video=youtube;67MRiMT9cnE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67MRiMT9cnE&sns=em[/video]

 

[JungleSkip]

I understand completely. WDI is capable of amazing things (DisneySea!). However, TDO doesn't allow WDI to create the best possible attraction they can.

Just an FYI, the vast majority of people who designed TDS don't work for Disney anymore.

Also...food for thought from Leemac over at Laughing PLace. (FYI at one point he was working fairly high in the Mouse House. Dunno where he is now)

I'm totally perplexed as to why Vaughn chose that particular image. I was trying to rack my brain as to when I first saw it and it was definitely in the summer.

The "What's Next?" was cancelled when Media Relations realized that there was nothing to announce and felt the need to try and scramble something together which became this odd presentation. It would have made more sense just to cancel the whole thing.

I've lost count how many different incarnations of this stupid land have been milled in the shop. It doesn't seem to be any further advanced in the nearly three years since we first started working on it.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Three years since they've started working on it? That doesn't add up with what we've heard from people saying it was a surprise announcement with no work done; it was 'trust' upon WDI. Very weird.

At a place like WDI, lots of good and BAD people have been shown the door since TDS. DCA, DL, and HKDL show that they can still do good work.

 

[JungleSkip]

Three years since they've started working on it? That doesn't add up with what we've heard from people saying it was a surprise announcement with no work done; it was 'trust' upon WDI. Very weird.\

Yea. It's certainly weird. I tend to put a bit of stock into what Leemac says considering he was or is inside the company.

 

[twebber55]

what i find interesting is that the people who dont want avatar really try to spin it any way they can to make it seem like it may not be coming

for example, people commenting on james camerons look of disappointment in the picture

 

[Jymmymack]

what i find interesting is that the people who dont want avatar really try to spin it any way they can to make it seem like it may not be coming

for example, people commenting on james camerons look of disappointment in the picture

I'm one who said that I would welcome it as a theme park attraction and I HATE the movie. And yet still, I don't feel like it's coming to fruition in any practical or concrete incarnation at the moment. Also, Cameron is NOTORIOUS for being an unhappy collaborative partner. There's no spin on that.

 

[twebber55]

disney has always been on record as construction starting in 2013 so if 2013 comes and goes and no construction then im in agreement

 

[Hatetofly]

At this point almost anything with a decent budget is more than welcome at AK!

 

[jtsalien]

At this point almost anything with a decent budget is more than welcome at WDW!

Fixed it for ya buddy! :thumbs:

 

[Hatetofly]

Ahhhhhh very good

 

[JungleSkip]

Okay, so the last post, the guy was trying to exaggerate/be funny. Says it feels like it's been 3 years. But there was work going on before the announcement. Here's the clarification:

My attempt at exaggerated humor. It hasn't been three years - but feels like it.

The announcement was made in September of last year but work had been done on the concept over the summer - Rohde was nowhere near it as he had Aulani and vacation. Nothing stuck but TOS wanted to know what could be done on the concept.

Worth saying that this was almost the complete opposite of what happened with Potter. Potter was a protracted negotiation that saw WDI working on numerous concepts whilst the discussions were taking place. Rowling and her reps wanted to see specific concepts before closing the deal. Avatar came about because of an offhanded remark between Iger and Cameron over lunch last summer. Neither of them stopped to consider whether it was an appropriate fit to DAK or whether it would be possible to render those worlds.

 

[Dr. Emmett Brown]

There is a difference with creating a good ride and Park ops letting it go to hell. I am sure WDI can create many amazing attractions. And let's face it, even value engineered ones are pretty damn good. The problem comes once WDI turns it over to Park ops and they let effects sit broken, turn them off, allow AAs to remain broken, and generally open attractions that are not show ready. I'm sure WDI would be able to create one heck of an Avatar ride, even with budget cuts and things removed. But, in six months, we'll all be here screaming because TDO refuses to fix a main effect or AA in the attraction.

I can guarantee you it's not Park Ops that let the rides deteriorate. Park Ops show up to work, boot the ride up, run it all day, then turn it off at the end of the night and go home. That's about it. If you're gonna blame anyone for deterioration of attractions at WDW, blame whoever's refusing the work orders and just flat out ignoring the problem (maintenance management and whoever's in charge of their funding for repairs). Management determines show-readiness and takes into account broken show pieces. No attraction can stay 100% show ready forever. Things break all the time. Blame whoever's in charge of allocating funds to attraction maintenance, not Park Ops.

Maybe if a certain AA had a serious fault that resulted in a part controlling the majority of the motion breaking but it didn't affect the ride itself, would you as a manager refuse to run a multi-million dollar attraction during the day just because one of the AAs is broken? Take into account, when you shut down a ride, you lose a pretty good bit of park capacity and therefore, daily profit.