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

[Cole]

Regardless of how one feels about Avatar, it sure beats the life out of Camp Minnie-Mickey any day.

agree 100%

 

[TheLastAshen]

Guys, we're talking about a Disney Park, right? Every Disney park has at least one major themed land based around fantasy, right? Animal Kingdom is the one park lacking a Fantasyland. Avatar is a great way to fit something asthetically interesting for day and night with plenty of fantasy animals to go along with the Animal theme of the park. Weather or not the movie is relevant is irrelevant. The focus of the Pandora expansion is all about the animals of Pandora and their great environments. The purpose of Pandora is not to recreate or retell the story of the films but rather focus on its wildlife. Strip away the label and look at what we're getting, a gorgeous bioluminecent boat ride that will utilize great animatronics and beautiful technilogically advanced scenery and a state of the art flight simulator. I'm sure once you get to walk in for the first time and see floating mountians and glowing pathways you'll forget why you were so upset. If you don't like Disney's decisions then we all know all we have to do is wait a year till the next Universal thrill ride.

 

[rhino4evr]

I think there will be a lot of crow eating once this place opens up. I think there would be more excitement if Avatar 2 or 3 had already released to great success. I think the biggest issue, is that they are putting down so much money on a franchise that really hasn't started yet. At the end of the day, Avatar is still the higest grossing movie ever made, and it will attract crowds...maybe not the type of fans and fandom that Potter or Star Wars attracts, but I think the general population will be excited about it. If the Avatar sequels do take off, and the series becomes huge, then Disney's gamble will pay off big time.

I really hope that the flight similuator ride impresses though. I think if the ride is just "so-so", the excitement of this area will diminish quickly.

 

[twebber55]

with a traveling exhibit coming out next year as well as the cirque show coming out this year along with the 3 movies over the next few years the synergy for avatar will be fine...the land will be judged on its merits not what the movie is about
its a perfect fit for what they re trying to accomplish, brilliant really

 

[Porkchop]

I hate the "movie sucked so this land is stupid" line of thinking. What the hell does that matter about a land or ride? Is "Song of the South" some amazing movie thats relevant right now? Nope. Is Splash Mountain one of the best rides at MK? Yup!

Movie attached to Space Mountain? Tomorrowland (before it was built), etc etc. Let's get over the actual movie stuff. Will the land be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing? Most likely. Will they be adding one or two more rides to a park desperately needing rides? Yes!

Then that is all that should matter.

 

[kimlovesfl]

im not defending Disney, universal has a ton of momentum right now and will continue that going forward I just mentioned why Pandora is a better fit to DAK than Star Wars

They are going in 2 different parks; Star Wars fits perfectly in DHS, and the fact that that park seems to so desperately need SOMETHING is why I feel that building Avatar in DAK instead of Star Wars in DHS is a stupid business decision.

 

[Hatetofly]

I want to go on the record by stating I think Avatar"land" is going to be awesome and I truly believe it will make a run at being Disney's most immersive themed land yet. Well at least at WDW.

But...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I want to go on the record by stating I think Avatar"land" is going to be awesome and I truly believe it will make a run at being Disney's most immersive themed land yet. Well at least at WDW.

But...

Don't worry, it'll singlehandedly be the most important thing ever and better than Potter and Nintendo and F&F and Minions and Transformers and...

 

[blue180]

I wonder if Disney Management has ever regretted putting forth this idea of an Avatar land...I mean it was 2011 when it was announced and it says it'll open in 2017? How can you maintain steam and interest in a land for that long...

 

[Nick]

I wonder if Disney Management has ever regretted putting forth this idea of an Avatar land...I mean it was 2011 when it was announced and it says it'll open in 2017? How can you maintain steam and interest in a land for that long...

They were (and still are) betting on the sequels generating buzz again. The main problem with the announcement was it was announced WAY too early on. There was very little R&D done at the time of the announcement.

 

[shiekra38]

I wonder if Disney Management has ever regretted putting forth this idea of an Avatar land...I mean it was 2011 when it was announced and it says it'll open in 2017? How can you maintain steam and interest in a land for that long...

Doesn't matter...if Disney builds it, it will be heralded as the most amazing whatever to ever whatever whatever...The brand loyalty is sickening...

 

[Nick]

Doesn't matter...if Disney builds it, it will be heralded as the most amazing whatever to ever whatever whatever...The brand loyalty is sickening...

Not really. Even by the biggest of Disney supporters, FLE has received a pretty overwhelming "meh". TLM did get the DCA update so it is definitely better, but there's no denying SDMT leaves you wanting more and BatB should've gotten a ride instead of a interactive M&G, no matter how "cool" the tech/animatronics are.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Not really. Even by the biggest of Disney supporters, FLE has received a pretty overwhelming "meh". TLM did get the DCA update so it is definitely better, but there's no denying SDMT leaves you wanting more and BatB should've gotten a ride instead of a interactive M&G, no matter how "cool" the tech/animatronics are.

There are those who still say it's great and perfect. On time. Exactly what WDI wanted. Disney at it's best. Just as people say WDW has never been better and has nothing to worry about with Potter, Nintendo, F&F, and Kong, but man they're anxiously waiting for the arrival of Avatar and Star Wars to settle their nerves....

 

[mainejeff]

Disney really blew it big time by not building a BATB ride. Can you imagine using much of the same technology that Mystery Manor uses including the trackless ride system? I can picture the classic ballroom scene with Belle and the Beast dancing while your ride vehicle twirls around them.......*sigh*.

 

[Nick]

There are those who still say it's great and perfect. On time. Exactly what WDI wanted. Disney at it's best. Just as people say WDW has never been better and has nothing to worry about with Potter, Nintendo, F&F, and Kong, but man they're anxiously waiting for the arrival of Avatar and Star Wars to settle their nerves....

Well, being honest, even with all of the additions and excitement at UOR, they are still far away from making Bob Iger worry. The market share is still too small.

All of these rides will increase attendance at both parks, which is great, but the big things that will start to really get Disney's attention big time is Volcano Bay, additional hotels, and a potential future third park. Those three things could add up to people spending a lot more time and money at Universal, possibly shifting from Disney hotels to Loews at Uni and the Water park could add an extra day away from WDW and tack on an extra day at Uni.

So while I say they aren't an immediate threat to WDW's business, they are huge down the line if WDW doesn't start to add more new attractions more often, especially at DHS and DAK. Those are the parks I assume people would cut from a WDW vacation if they had to right now to spend more time at Uni. DAK obviously has Avatar and RoL on the way, but it still needs more. DHS is just a trainwreck and nobody should go there.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I love Universal but they're far from making Disney worried. Disney is one of the companies that runs the world. Universal Studios is a part of Comcast, a meh cable provider. Hell, Universal ain't even the #2 entertainment company to Disney (that would be Merlin). Disney's not growing as rapidly as Universal, but even so, their small incremental revenue percentage increases squash Universal's much larger percentage growths in terms of pure dollars being made. Yeah, they're slow and lazy but that they're worried about Universal is a big misconception. As a fan, it sucks, but from a business perspective, it's actually pretty swag that they literally can do the bare minimum and still come out on top by leaps and bounds.

 

[NJBrandon]

Hell, Universal ain't even the #2 entertainment company to Disney (that would be Merlin).

Complete nonsense. The top six parks in North American attendance are all Disney parks. Guess which company owns 7, 8, and 9?

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Being an entertainment company means more than just having highly-attendes theme parks in Nort America tho

 

[NJBrandon]

^Lol did I say solely in North America? Also keep in mind that an entertainment company is comprised of much more than just theme parks. Check the facts, they're out there. Merlin is #2 to Disney.

Silly me for discussing theme parks on a theme park forum. And I guess I'm crazy to think that a company that produces world-class theme parks is a bigger threat to Disney than a company that does wax museums.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

I hate the "movie sucked so this land is stupid" line of thinking. What the hell does that matter about a land or ride? Is "Song of the South" some amazing movie thats relevant right now? Nope. Is Splash Mountain one of the best rides at MK? Yup!

Movie attached to Space Mountain? Tomorrowland (before it was built), etc etc. Let's get over the actual movie stuff. Will the land be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing? Most likely. Will they be adding one or two more rides to a park desperately needing rides? Yes!

Then that is all that should matter.

I get what you are saying but you named off things that may not have had a movie or show before them but they were original and unique not rented from someone else. Avatar was a 15 minute of fame movie. It proved to have no staying power beyond initial hype and media run. The toys were clearanced out of Walmart quicker than Duck Dynasty. This is Hollywood elites stroking each other's egos. I would have preferred a move of all things Indy to AK including a ride along with a revamped show. It fits AK much better. They could have come up with a new land based off Ayers Rock from down under and done the area with a better representation native species from there and New Zealand while the inside of the Rock being an indoor attraction. I'm not against Avatar, it's a better fit at Studios.