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

[twebber55]

On that score, I wonder when they plan on opening the Rivers of Light nighttime show? While I agree that Avatar will get more people into the park, that does not mean they will be able to keep people until later. World of Color was instrumental in keeping people in DCA and going hand in hand with Carsland it was a homerun.

im pretty sure spring of 2016...and i imagine the night time safaris around that time as well

pretty smart on disney s part.....adding these new things plus 5 new places to eat which the park desperately needed

 

[shiekra38]

Again, "fail" is never in the conversation. It's a new attraction in the theme park capital of the world. It'll do fine.

The question becomes can the land be popular enough to justify whatever ransom Disney paid Cameron and Fox for the rights to Avatar? If the land ends up giving the park a similar bump to what we saw with Everest (a million or so), the money shelled out to get the property looks like it's wasted as they probably could have gotten that bump from building an "Up" land, let's say. If it ends up boosting DAK by Potter-like numbers, it's obviously worth it.

I don't think the land will "fail" by any stretch of the imagination. The question becomes whether the expense for the property is justified.

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Eh, DAK's attendance is only 10 million -ish if you believe the TEA numbers, which is an incredibly small fraction of how many people they want to see that movie.

Very true, it will be successful...but ROI is the most important thing when it comes to a huge project like this...It's been said before, but I believe just because of where this is happening that it will already put it in to the range of successful at least

And Kingcooger, I argue that even at HHN the environments are pretty to look at, but that is another discussion haha

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Ooops misread ROI as ROL

 

[Shucker]

I dont know if they have all been pulled down, but I just tried to show my wife the "drone" footage over avatar and it looks like youtube has taken down the videos.

 

[rioriz]

I think it is pure fools denial to think that Avatarland will be anything but a success for AK....what if there was no Avatar attached to it and Disney decided to open up a lush mythical land based on new species of plants and animals and Blue aliens...would you still be crying failure then? Especially after seeing the plans for this expansion and hearing more and more of what the E and C ticket will be.

Just think of all the non movie rides that have rested on theming and storytelling that have been successful. Mystic Manor is the one that cmes to mind recently.

 

[shiekra38]

I think it is pure fools denial to think that Avatarland will be anything but a success for AK....what if there was no Avatar attached to it and Disney decided to open up a lush mythical land based on new species of plants and animals and Blue aliens...would you still be crying failure then? Especially after seeing the plans for this expansion and hearing more and more of what the E and C ticket will be.

Just think of all the non movie rides that have rested on theming and storytelling that have been successful. Mystic Manor is the one that cmes to mind recently.

You mean like a kingdom with lots of mythical beasts in it...that would be swell

I don't know if people are complaining (see Frozen at Epcot to see what complaining looks like)...rather..they are commenting on the knee jerk reaction and extremely long time table...

 

[Brian G.]

You mean like a kingdom with lots of mythical beasts in it...that would be swell

I don't know if people are complaining (see Frozen at Epcot to see what complaining looks like)...rather..they are commenting on the knee jerk reaction and extremely long time table...

Yeah, I don't think anyone has been saying the finished land will be a failure. Only gripes I've seen is the possible weak franchise source material and the length of the project (Counting Day 1 til finish.)

 

[Nick]

Yeah, I don't think anyone has been saying the finished land will be a failure. Only gripes I've seen is the possible weak franchise source material and the length of the project (Counting Day 1 til finish.)

It's a bit unfair to count from "Day 1" with this project. As it's always been told, no one but higher ups and a very select group of imagineers actually even knew about Avatar.

It was almost Pre-Blu Sky when they announced it. The problem was Disney announced it so soon.

 

[Hatetofly]

It's a bit unfair to count from "Day 1" with this project. As it's always been told, no one but higher ups and a very select group of imagineers actually even knew about Avatar.

It was almost Pre-Blu Sky when they announced it. The problem was Disney announced it so soon.

This still falls under the gripe of length of the project lol

 

[Disneyhead]

I am one that is not thrilled with it's inclusion into DAK. It really doesn't fit with the mission statement of the park. Pop culture fantasy sci-fi isn't mythical. Mythical creatures are born from the myths and legends of historical societies. There is an intellectual depth and gravitas that comes with the weight of history that Avatar fails to bring to the table.

But hey, it'll be pretty.

Avatar fits DAK about as well as Wall.E does. Wall.E was all about conservation.

 

[shiekra38]

I am one that is not thrilled with it's inclusion into DAK. It really doesn't fit with the mission statement of the park. Pop culture fantasy sci-fi isn't mythical. Mythical creatures are born from the myths and legends of historical societies. There is an intellectual depth and gravitas that comes with the weight of history that Avatar fails to bring to the table.

But hey, it'll be pretty.

Avatar fits DAK about as well as Wall.E does. Wall.E was all about conservation.

I'm with you

IMO Epcot = Wall E ; HS = Avatar....give me Beastly Kingdom for AK

 

[Disneyhead]

It doesn't really bother me though, all the WDW parks will be Magic Kingdoms in the end. That's what people go to WDW for. And that is the obvious way to give the MK some relief crowd-wise.

I am more bothered by the inclusion of the countries of Arendelle and Princesslandia into World Showcase and 20 ridiculously expensive "bungalows" blocking the view of the MK from the Poly beach. Unfortunately, the bungalows will be there FAR longer than the BAH.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I am one that is not thrilled with it's inclusion into DAK. It really doesn't fit with the mission statement of the park. Pop culture fantasy sci-fi isn't mythical. Mythical creatures are born from the myths and legends of historical societies. There is an intellectual depth and gravitas that comes with the weight of history that Avatar fails to bring to the table.

But hey, it'll be pretty.

Avatar fits DAK about as well as Wall.E does. Wall.E was all about conservation.

This x100. Would love someone to toss that back at Rohde

 

[twebber55]

This x100. Would love someone to toss that back at Rohde

Rodhe and many of the imagineers are thrilled with this project

 

[JungleSkip]

Rodhe and many of the imagineers are thrilled with this project

You've spoken with them?

In the current WDI climate and setup, any imagineer is thrilled to have a project that gives them job security for 6 years. Especially Rohde who has to be next in line for the Tbax "retirement":

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Rodhe and many of the imagineers are thrilled with this project

Totally miss my point here. Joe defends this project under the conservation message, asking if he'd add wall e too shows holes in a blind following of that line of thought.

 

[twebber55]

You've spoken with them?
In the current WDI climate and setup, any imagineer is thrilled to have a project that gives them job security for 6 years. Especially Rohde who has to be next in line for the Tbax "retirement":

Actually i may know a guy....

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Obviously i would think most reasonable fans would understand a difference between wall E and avatar and how it fits into DAK
But again its a pointless debate and we ll just jave to wait until 2017 to decide if it fits aethetically and thematically into the park

 

[Nick]

This still falls under the gripe of length of the project lol

tbh, if they didnt announce it until say, last year, people would've complained about lack of new additions in DAK anyway so either way they lose. Sure, they could've added another ride in the mean time, but that's a whole other conversation.

 

[Brian G.]

tbh, if they didnt announce it until say, last year, people would've complained about lack of new additions in DAK anyway so either way they lose. Sure, they could've added another ride in the mean time, but that's a whole other conversation.

OK? But that still doesn't change how everything has happened so far.

 

[Nick]

OK? But that still doesn't change how everything has happened so far.

The point is, plans for an entire land take time. When they announced it, they had none.

In a world where things make sense and executives make smart decisions, that wouldn't have happened. But it did. They wanted to try and take press from Uni and it blew up in their face.

Other than the delay, which was only caused because DESIGNING the land is a necessary step in the process, I don't see what else they've done wrong. Maybe a little lack of details so far, but we know the gist of things and they are opening a nighttime show/nighttime safaris next year.

I just think a lot of the complaining about Avatar is without reason. They told us blatantly in 2011 it would open in 2016... that's been put off by one year. Point being, we knew then it wasn't going to be a quick-to-open land. So the complaining just seems a bit silly from time to time.