AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[Jeff456]

I was literally shocked when I read this, didn't expect it at all, could be amazing though!

 

[mightynine]

Without being catty or bratty about it, I'd just like to chime in and say that I am not supportive of this expansion/endeavor at all. I've never seen Avatar, I will never see Avatar, and the addition of this into a Disney original theme park such as Animal Kingdom is against everything that I ever thought I believed in about Walt Disney World. To me, originality at WDI and WD Parks & Resorts is long gone.

Add me to the disgruntled group. And I AM in the target market segment for those who would "love" this new addition. Guess I am not cool enough...

Oh well, Disney. Seems like we are at an impasse yet again in my feelings towards you.

(Please don't flame me for my comment, I feel that in all the places I'd be able to post this in the Internet world, I'd feel the most comfortable doing it here.)

Then don't take my response as flaming you. But based on your logic, I'm going to assume you've never set foot in DHS.

I'm not a big fan of Star Wars, but I like Star Tours. I've seen a few Twilght Zone episodes, but that doesn't diminish my enjoyment of Tower of Terror. Muppetvision is always fun.

I've never seen Avatar, and I don't plan to anytime soon. But if there's a great ride or attraction experience, I'm going to check it out.

I just don't understand this thought process at all. And in my mind, the problem's on your end, not Disney's.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

In a minority of one in this house but I think its a great idea. Only thing disappointing is the projected time scales, worthy of a defence procurement project.

 

[juniorthomas]

My initial reaction: Mind. Blown.

I honestly don't get the hate for this. The People ate up the movie. It did nearly $2.8 Billion in business. It created a visually stunning world. As pointed out, it's even just a Disney story (Pocahontas) in futuristic alien drag. No, it wasn't "great cinema". But, honestly, most of Disney's movies aren't either---and yet those made for great theme park fodder. Likewise the Lucas franchises.

Well people hate it because it isn't Disney. Lots want anything in the park to be purebred.

I would think people would be willing to overlook that for the fact that a park that hasn't seen a lot of improvements is about to get something new.

 

[julia_]

I think this is great news.
Honestly, I did not like the movie at all and though it was extremely overrated. Disney's Animal Kingdom needs another land and I think the Avatar universe would be great. It's beautiful visually, the story has great concepts for rides and James Cameron is the perfect guy to introduce new technology to the park.
After all, we're talking about Disney's imagineers here, they know what they are doing.

 

[Stitchling]

I can't wait to see this! :sohappy:

 

[cynic710]

Then don't take my response as flaming you. But based on your logic, I'm going to assume you've never set foot in DHS.

I'm not a big fan of Star Wars, but I like Star Tours. I've seen a few Twilght Zone episodes, but that doesn't diminish my enjoyment of Tower of Terror. Muppetvision is always fun.

I've never seen Avatar, and I don't plan to anytime soon. But if there's a great ride or attraction experience, I'm going to check it out.

I just don't understand this thought process at all. And in my mind, the problem's on your end, not Disney's.

i was literally typing the same thing.

 

[powlessfamily4]

I love this idea!! I can't wait

 

[bferrara16]

Love the idea of expansion attention being paid to Animal Kingdom.

Hate the idea of it being Avatar themed.

(For the record, I saw and very much enjoyed the movie. I think this is just a cheap way of shoehorning the mystical creature idea of Beastly Kingdom into the park. I'm sure it will be easier to sell the Avatar name to the casual fan and financially thats what its all about, but thematically Beastly Kingdom seems to fit better. And that's a shame because AK is, in my opinion, the best executed complete theme of all the parks. I will keep my mind open though.)

 

[jmb2676]

Well, this is surprising. I thought the movie was terrible and I'm not sure this fits in AK but I'm willing to give it a shot. If the attractions are good enough I can look past the topic and just enjoy things for what they are.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Only thing disappointing is the projected time scales.

While understandable, we have to understand how this will all go down. Many projects we see today took YEARS to develop. But, because we didn't know they were being developed, it seems like they were planned and built over night. They just finalized the deal. While there might be SOME preliminary work already done to "seal" a deal with Cameron, the major planning starts now. So, we are seeing a project being designed in front of our eyes, so it seems like forever.

 

[artbell2]

Well people hate it because it isn't Disney. Lots want anything in the park to be purebred.

I would think people would be willing to overlook that for the fact that a park that hasn't seen a lot of improvements is about to get something new.

MGM Studios wasn't exactly Disney related either. EPCOT eventually became something else all together. The only park that really feels Disney is Magic Kingdom.

Mike

 

[ladydi]

I don't know how I feel about this. I liked the movie and am glad that something is being done for AK. But a whole land of avatar....really...

 

[Scuttle]

Will Joe Rhode be making a trip to Pandora to make sure the expansion correcty reflects actual Navi culture?:lol:

LOL that's funny!

 

[ms7479a]

The main complaints about Animal Kingdom are that it is not a full day park and there are not enough attractions. I think an Avatar land will solve both of these problems.

One of the things I enjoy most about Animal Kingdom is its tremendous theming and attention to detail. I think an Avatar land will continue this trend and immerse guests in an entirely new universe.

 

[bhg469]

Not a fan of avatar, A will still go and enjoy what it has to offer but, Im still gonna call it fern gully when I go there.

 

[wdwmagic]

Walt Street Journal article on this
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904194604576582931853726532.html

 

[DocMcHulk]

MGM Studios wasn't exactly Disney related either. EPCOT eventually became something else all together. The only park that really feels Disney is Magic Kingdom.

Mike

that's an interesting and and very valid point.

 

[JustInTime]

Ok. I am shocked. But I did say when the movie came out that Disney could do well with it in the theme parks. I need to find the thread. But how is it that NONE of this was leaked??

First: I think we know why ALL the big wigs were in Animal Kingdom last month. It's all becoming pretty clear.

Second: The Avatar World is going to be massive and the story is going to get better as it goes on. Filming starts next year for part 2 and 3 (they are filming them back to back) There is a TON of potential here.

Third: This is HUGE news for Disney fans. This is what my all time favorite park needs. And Pandora will fit perfectly. This is what we have been waiting for, folks.

I am still in shock after I read this. I honestly can't contain myself. I hope this is the start of a WDW Renaissance that we have been hearing about. I just walked in the door from a 7 day WDW trip and need to take this all in. Phew. Thanks Disney! You keep winning my heart.

 

[stitchcastle]

Yeah, that park needs some love, even if the addition of a film property would work better in DHS (or the addition of a space property would work better in MK. Or the addition of a nature property would work better in Epcot)

I have no interest in seeing the films, but it seems like a fun way to breathe new life into DAK.

(And yeah, papyrus is atop my list for worst typeface ever. People put all of their hate on Comic Sans, leaving nothing for papyrus. They should be disliked equally.)

Yeah the movie makes sense as an addition to EPCOT, not Animal Kingdom. It's just thematically wrong. Don't give me that nature respect thing tying into the land, no, Animal Kingdom is a tribute to Animals, creatures that have been an important part of the fabric of our collective minds and culture. You don't see kids running around pretending to be Na'vi. There's no big sub culture of Avatar fans, That movie is nowhere near culturally important enough to devote a land in Animal Kingdom for.

They could have easily made a Finding Nemo great barrier reef land and it would still fit in a billion times better than Avatar ever could.

Even visually, Pandora is just full of trees. That's it. Unless you build the whole land indoors where it's always nighttime and the fluorescent plants are glowing all the time, it will not be any visually different to Discovery Island. Plus its weenie is probably most definitely gonna be the Tree of Souls or something, we don't need another big Tree icon for the park.