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

[IzzyB]

so i showed this picture to my 17 year son and 13 year old daughter. my son didnt believe it was real, thinks its cgi or a drawing.
as far as what DH said im not sure i agree.... i think it will be carsland good im just not sure it will be DA good

I don't know. I tend to believe DH when it comes to these things. First off he has some good Disney connections. Second off, he is very critical of Disney. He used to be a huge fan, but as they started slacking he noticed and started to be very critical of them. If he says something positive about Disney I tend to listen based on how critical he is of them when they screw up.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I haven't been to AK in many years but will head over there when this opens. It looks great. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't know. I tend to believe DH when it comes to these things. First off he has some good Disney connections. Second off, he is very critical of Disney. He used to be a huge fan, but as they started slacking he noticed and started to be very critical of them. If he says something positive about Disney I tend to listen based on how critical he is of them when they screw up.

This. :thumbsup:

 

[Scott W.]

I don't know. I tend to believe DH when it comes to these things. First off he has some good Disney connections. Second off, he is very critical of Disney. He used to be a huge fan, but as they started slacking he noticed and started to be very critical of them. If he says something positive about Disney I tend to listen based on how critical he is of them when they screw up.

That's what I'm taking from this. I think Avatar is probably my most anticipated attraction for next year narrowly beating VB.

 

[darkridelover]

That's what I'm taking from this. I think Avatar is probably my most anticipated attraction for next year narrowly beating VB.

If it indeed does open next year. lol

 

[shiekra38]

While I think VB is much more interesting, I am excited to see how this turns out

 

[Ultranel]

Diagon Alley has about a year left as "King of Theme Park Lands".

Well, we'll see... but I have to say my expectation are really high. So when the time comes, lets keep in mind DA cost $400 millions to build and Avatar Land $1bn. So I think it's fair to expect a Pandora that is 2 1/2 times better than DA... Unfortunately when it comes to rides, Gringotts has already surpassed "Soarin' over Pandora" and "It's a small Pandora" combined, when it comes to ride tech. So I'm sure it will look pretty.... yeah it will look just pretty, but I really hope it will be jaw dropping at night, because that's the only thing I'm really looking forward to see from this land. I'm just not sure if it will meet my "2 1/2 times better" standard.

 

[Ultranel]

and BTW about the rock candy lollipops, one :thumbsup: and one :thumbsdown:. I think it is a great idea, BUT! only if this was built on the open grounds in the back between Everest and kali. If it was hard to look at the back of Everest every single time I enter the parking lot, I just cant imaging what this will do to my eyes :shock:. It's just not very Disney that's all. They really need to add a ring of trees around the parking lot to cover all these backstage look all over.... that's a joke, but still an OK idea

 

[SkiBum]

Backstage buildings don't faze me for some reason although it is nice when they are not visible from inside the park. I'm probably in the minority but it isn't as if I suddenly believe that I am on a different planet because I can't see the building. I do think that the rockwork looks amazing and will be awesome, especially at night. Regarding the rides, I think that the Flight ride could be awesome. It seems like it isn't just Soarin but is an advanced system from that base technology. The boat ride could be really cool with the trees, lighting, and projections (yes, I do like screens).

My only complaint is the cost. For $1.0B, DAK should have been able to add at least two more rides. The bloated budgets are incredible.

 

[IzzyB]

Well, we'll see... but I have to say my expectation are really high. So when the time comes, lets keep in mind DA cost $400 millions to build and Avatar Land $1bn. So I think it's fair to expect a Pandora that is 2 1/2 times better than DA... Unfortunately when it comes to rides, Gringotts has already surpassed "Soarin' over Pandora" and "It's a small Pandora" combined, when it comes to ride tech. So I'm sure it will look pretty.... yeah it will look just pretty, but I really hope it will be jaw dropping at night, because that's the only thing I'm really looking forward to see from this land. I'm just not sure if it will meet my "2 1/2 times better" standard.

Trying to say any land is going to be 2 1/2 times better than DA is unrealistic. Disney and Uni costs and budgeting can't be compared. They spend money differently and their costs are different based on their structures.

Also, you can't say anything that is not open is or isn't better than Gringotts. I personally think Shangai PoTC kicks the butt of Gringotts and I haven't even seen it in person. This boat ride uses the same technology. Now I am NOT saying the boat ride will be better than Gringotts. Just saying you can't compare things not open just on tech being used.

As I stated before, when DH praises something Disney is doing I stand up and listen.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I get the impression this is the first Disney project in forever that has not cut major corners.

 

[twebber55]

I get the impression this is the first Disney project in forever that has not cut major corners.

Similar to jk rowling JC has high standards
Yet another reason im excited for this project.
I know for a fact the boat ride has been plussed quite a bit from the original idea back in oct 2014

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Similar to jk rowling JC has high standards
Yet another reason im excited for this project.
I know for a fact the boat ride has been plussed quite a bit from the original idea back in oct 2014

There is a danger to this. Disney has spent so much money on this project if it does not show a healthy return in attendance and profit they might not ever do anything like this again.

 

[Mad Dog]

There is a danger to this. Disney has spent so much money on this project if it does not show a healthy return in attendance and profit they might not ever do anything like this again.

I think the expansion will look beautiful in the evening & the two attractions will be good. But, it will be difficult to make an investment that size back. The attendance kick would have to be astronomical, and I doubt they'll make it back on merch. and food sales in the vicinity of Harry Potter. It's not much of a merch. & food IP. Do I think it will give them a healthy attendance jump? Yes, in the vicinity of 1 to 2 million, but not Potteresque. Will, it come close to making it's expenditure back? Nope .................Of course, this is all just my unscientific opinion, sprinkled with some business logic.

 

[quinnmac000]

I actually doubt there will be an revenue making attendance jump. Remember how the nighttime offerings were supposed to increase Animal Kingdom's attendance and how awesome and great it was suppose to be then the nighttime safari was not great, along with River of Lights not working so they did that horrible Jungle Book show along with rest of the nighttime offering turning out not to be worth while. I see this as just a continuation.

The plants are fake built with fiber optics instead of crossbreeding to create real genuine bio-luminescent plants as real bio-luminscent plants do actually exist (mainly moss and fungi based plants but still)....due to the fact they are interactive you have to add in the cost of repairs as they will get destroyed and stolen. And the consistent problems with Disney AAs lately also lead me to believe though those avatar AAs are technologically advanced they will stop working faster than the yeti and Olaf on the first two days of Frozen ever After.

 

[twebber55]

I expect a cars land type jump maybe 15% or so if not more

 

[IzzyB]

You can't compare this summer with Avatar. ROL was supposed to be running and it is not. So some people (like me) skipped going. So the attendance bump never came. Avatar will increase attendance. Enough to make back 1B? Heck no. But I don't think this will be the end all be all. Too many other projects already green lit. I think Star Wars will be the test. If that does not do well (which I think is not even a possible scenerio) then that would stop Disney from future projects like these 3 lands they have coming up.

Also, outside of the Yeti, what AA issues are they having? And Yeti is more an issue of the structure it is sitting on. Olaf worked when I went and I went 2 weeks after it opened. The AAs in Mine Train work fine. The new ones in Mexico are awesome. So while at the beginning I expect issues (with any new ride) I don't expect long term issues with the AAs.

 

[Mad Dog]

I expect a cars land type jump maybe 15% or so if not more

Good number. That would be about 1.6 million. That's doable.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I don't think a perceived failure of Pandora will kill other projects. It will mean projects of that scope, scale and budget will be very unlikely to happen. Projects will go forward being much more cost-conscious.

I do think the combination of Pandora and rivers of light will help Animal Kingdom. Just not as much as the accountants would like.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't think a perceived failure of Pandora will kill other projects. It will mean projects of that scope, scale and budget will be very unlikely to happen. Projects will go forward being much more cost-conscious.

I do think the combination of Pandora and rivers of light will help Animal Kingdom. Just not as much as the accountants would like.

No doubt. But I think they will avoid situations like this where they were "somewhat coerced" by a hard to work with collaborator. I would think that, in the future, huge land projects will only be IP's (like Star Wars) that they have complete control of. ....One worry though, is that Star Wars is so ambitious, it may reach a point where it goes "way" over budget, and Disney starts cutting stuff out.