AVATAR land - the specifics

[Bairstow]

Reading some of the YouTube comments on the River Journey....

Have we as a species devolved our attention spans so drastically, that it takes non-stop thrills, explosions, or being shaken up in front of simulators to keep us entertained? What is so wrong about a simple, slow-moving boat ride through forests..letting the detail & immersion do the work rather than having to always involve us as part of the experience? I don't need a sudden drop or a "You're the star" moment on every ride / attraction I go on. Sometimes a journey through a unique atmosphere with elaborate details is the only story needed.

In fairness, this stuff is based on a movie that featured scenes like this.

If you're 14 and go to six flags a lot, and you hear that Disney is building rides based on a sci-fi action blockbuster where the main character totes around a machine gun like Rambo, what are your expectations going to be?

 

[mergatroid]

And you would have praised it.

I think I've been relatively fair here. I praised the beauty of the land and the FoP queue quite a bit above.

With what specific aspect of my argument do you have an issue?

I find it a bit odd that you've questioned the interest in the film in a different thread and said "Presumably, someone who likes the film Avatar likes Na'Vi and would like to hang out with them" in this one. I just find it odd that you'd genuinely think that people going to this land would expect to hang out with the Na'Vi as they walk round. It would be difficult to do something like that and yet it's said as though you think people will be bothered by it or expect it. Kind of like somebody going to Potter Land and being upset there's not people flying on broomsticks as youn walk around.

I could be wrong and you may well be giving a fair representation of your views, and even if you're not you're perfectly entitled to say what you want. If I'm wrong I apologise but your posts kind of read like somebody trying to get little digs in whilst disguising them. Again even if you are that's fair enough, we're all different.

 

[mergatroid]

In fairness, this stuff is based on a movie that featured scenes like this.

If you're 14 and go to six flags a lot, and you hear that Disney is building rides based on a sci-fi action blockbuster where the main character totes around a machine gun like Rambo, what are your expectations going to be?

I think the FOP attraction is there to satisfy those folk more that the boat ride in fairness.

 

[Bairstow]

Has Disney affirmatively ruled out the possibility of walk-around character suits?

 

[wdrive]

Has Disney affirmatively ruled out the possibility of walk-around character suits

Yes it isn't happening.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I find it a bit odd that you've questioned the interest in the film in a different thread and said "Presumably, someone who likes the film Avatar likes Na'Vi and would like to hang out with them" in this one. I just find it odd that you'd genuinely think that people going to this land would expect to hang out with the Na'Vi as they walk round. It would be difficult to do something like that and yet it's said as though you think people will be bothered by it. Kind of like somebody going to Potter Land and being upset there's not people flying on broomsticks as youn walk around.

I could be wrong and you may well be giving a fair representation of your views, and even if you're not you're perfectly entitled to say what you want. If I'm wrong I apologise but your posts kind of read like somebody trying to get little digs in whilst disguising them. Again even if you are that's fair enough, we're all different.

I've been open about my opinions (many might say to a fault.)

I don't think there is much public interest in the film Avatar. The Disney Corporation, as evidenced by the fact that they just spent about a billion dollars to build an Avatar land, disagrees. I am asking why, if the Disney Corporation feels this way, they would not have come up with a way to allow guests to interact more fully with the films primary point of interest - the Na'Vi.

As I've stated elsewhere, allowing guests to visit a Na'Vi village and purchase goods from Na'Vi traders would be much more in line with the new immersive philosophy governing theme park construction (as evidenced in Diagon) than what we see in Pandora. Even Cars Land has several car characters that interact with and perform for guests outside of the confines of the ride.

The equivalent of the Na'Vi in Potter are witches and wizards. People go to WWoHP to see, interact with, and become witches and wizards, and the land obliges on numerous levels. I suspect, if the designers had come up with a backstory in which all the wizards and witches are hiding from guests and could only be seen in the rides, people might have been upset. In fact, Uni litters the stores and restaurants of WWoHP with the relatively obscure and minor creatures from the film. Even though Goblins are quite a minor part of the Potter stories, for instance, they have an AA Goblin from whom you can purchase goods - something Disney could have done with the Na'Vi.

 

[Jeremy P]

I THINK I read somewhere a couple of years ago that Disney was seeking out performers to portray the Na'Vi but clearly that was scrapped somewhere along the way (or I dreamed it but I don't think I did). I mean, I can't imagine it would be easy trying to dream up a "costume" of sorts that made someone 10 feet tall and still look proportional.
To be fair, we would probably all prefer it this way and that way we don't have to complain about how terrible the "stilt Na'Vi" look lol

 

[mergatroid]

I've been open about my opinions (many might say to a fault.)

I don't think there is much public interest in the film Avatar. The Disney Corporation, as evidenced by the fact that they just spent about a billion dollars to build an Avatar land, disagrees. I am asking why, if the Disney Corporation feels this way, they would not have come up with a way to allow guests to interact more fully with the films primary point of interest - the Na'Vi.

As I've stated elsewhere, allowing guests to visit a Na'Vi village and purchase goods from Na'Vi traders would be much more in line with the new immersive philosophy governing theme park construction (as evidenced in Diagon) than what we see in Pandora. Even Cars Land has several car characters that interact with and perform for guests outside of the confines of the ride.

The equivalent of the Na'Vi in Potter are witches and wizards. People go to WWoHP to see, interact with, and become witches and wizards, and the land obliges on numerous levels. I suspect, if the designers had come up with a backstory in which all the wizards and witches are hiding from guests and could only be seen in the rides, people might have been upset. In fact, Uni litters the stores and restaurants of WWoHP with the relatively obscure and minor creatures from the film. Even though Goblins are quite a minor part of the Potter stories, for instance, they have an AA Goblin from whom you can purchase goods - something Disney could have done with the Na'Vi.

It really isn't something that had crossed my mind to be honest but you seem to have put a lot of thought into it. I suppose if they wanted to add AA's outside the rides they could and maybe they looked at the practicalities of that? Not everything at WWoHP has to be copied though, that's not the only way to create lands.

 

[twebber55]

It really isn't something that had crossed my mind to be honest but you seem to have put a lot of thought into it. I suppose if they wanted to add AA's outside the rides they could and maybe they looked at the practicalities of that? Not everything at WWoHP has to be copied though, that's not the only way to create lands.

they did and logistically it didnt work

 

[Magicart87]

That animatronic of the Navi in water is impressive but I am so creeped out by it. The uncanny valley is strong in Pandora

I imagine it's already being tweaked, or will be. There's a slight macabre-feel about it that others have noted. I'm fairly sure they'll be addressing it. You know what it is? I think i's the lack of perceived oxygen, or breathe. There's the twitch of a leg here and there to show movement and life but dead things twitch too. I can see how certain people might perceive a mad-scientist Doc Frankenstein undertone to it, unfortunately.

I think it's the lack of a breathe tube that provides the visual disconnect. But would a breathe tube make sense? It is an Avatar right? Idk. I think too we're predisposed, conditioned to what a dead body looks like and this AA approaches that thanks in-part to it laying horizontal casket style. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

The uncanny valley and uneasiness some are sensing might can be fixed easy enough with a few more lights, bubbles, a possible breathe tube and a twitch of the eyes or something. Does it need to be fixed? I don't think it does personally but I understand those comments toward it. Not that they will (or should) but I wonder if they'll find a way to animate it more while still keeping it in a lulled stasis dream sleep.

 

[Jones14]

I imagine it's already being tweaked, or will be. There's a slight macabre-feel about it that others have noted. I'm fairly sure they'll be addressing it. You know what it is? I think i's the lack of perceived oxygen, or breathe. There's the twitch of a leg here and there to show movement and life but uh dead things twitch too. And there is a mad-scientist Doc Frankenstein undertone to it, unfortunately.

I think it's the lack of a breathe tube that provides the visual disconnect. But would a breathe tube make sense? It is an Avatar right? Idk. I think too we're pre-disposed, conditioned to what a dead body looks like and this AA approaches that thanks in-part to it laying horizontal casket style. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

The uncanny valley and uneasiness some are sensing might can be fixed easy enough with a few more lights, bubbles, a possible breathe tube and a twitch of the eyes or something. I wonder if they'll find a way to animate it more while still keeping it in a lulled stasis dream sleep.

I don't know, everyone I've shown has just talked about how real it looks.

 

[Goob]

This would be just so typical if they remove or tweak it just satisfy a few people who find it offensive. How about those people suck it up and move on. It's arguably the most groundbreaking AA WDI has ever done and some people are gonna ruin it for everyone else, potentially. Like I said, typical in this day and age.

 

[Magicart87]

I don't know, everyone I've shown has just talked about how real it looks.

Oh yeah it's pretty dope! Can't wait to see it in person. Remarkable effect. Really cool AA. How close do guests get to this thing? Pretty silly to be armchair imagining already but It would be really cool if guests could tap on the glass causing the Avatar to twitch. That would provide some awesome queue interactivity and could quell the the uneasey vibes, i think. Solid AA though looks super realistic.

 

[disney4life2008]

Maybe i am in the minority but i could care less about the que. As long as it is air conditioned. I would rather a thrilling ride.

 

[jaxonp]

I see the usual band of complainers are out in full force and have their powers dialed up to level 10. Good lord, at least stop complaining until you actually step foot in the place. So many experts, that say Disney should, woulda, coulda.. if you are not impressed with what you've seen then you need to adjust your perspective. Disney has killed it thus far. This place looks incredible. I can't wait for my AP viewing.

 

[CosmicPrincess]

This would be just so typical if they remove or tweak it just satisfy a few people who find it offensive. How about those people suck it up and move on. It's arguably the most groundbreaking AA WDI has ever done and some people are gonna ruin it for everyone else, potentially. Like I said, typical in this day and age.

I really hope they don't ruin the AA or anything! When I say that it creeps me out a bit, I in no way mean that I'm going to avoid the attraction or that it's going to make or break it for me!

 

[No Name]

Maybe i am in the minority but i could care less about the que. As long as it is air conditioned. I would rather a thrilling ride.

But surely you'd care about the queue, right?

 

[RSoxNo1]

All the usual caveats - very pretty, Shaman slick, FoP queue awesome...

I'm really surprised by two things. The first is minor: it seems like RJ only has an exterior, holding pen line. That's a bit weird.

The second thing is major. The shop and restaurant are very empty and generic. WindTraders in particular looks very much like all the shops on Discovery Island. It's odd to think that this land was opened after Diagon and Cars Land - it seems to hail from a different era. This is all especially odd, of course, because Disney's entire approach to WDW right now is governed by MM+, and that program is based on having interesting shops and restaurants for guests to drop money in while not waiting in line.

Hey, if Disney doesn't want to try and force people into stores I'm fine with the decision, but then they should really drop MM+ - that's it's primary justification.

Just throwing this out there: Could the generic setup of Satu'li Canteen almost be by design to keep people from camping out in the land? Not saying it's a valid excuse, but a possibility.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Agreed besides 3. Kali in my opinion isn't really suppose to be an E-ticket. It's a water ride, it's themed beautifully, has a pretty clear and educational message, and the main goal is to get you wet. What i think would be the best course of action is having Africa and Asia to get 1 or 2 more filler attractions. They already have there E-ticket. (Safaria in Africa, Everest in Asia.)

Kali has a great queue and it feels like the ran out of money for the ride. It's a mediocre rapid ride that could be so much more. I think they'd be better off removing it and re positioning the land to utilize the huge expansion area North of Asia.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think DAK is very much going to be the best done park at WDW, at least for a good while. MK is great, don't get me wrong and it's the original, but it's been "tweaked" so much over the years that it's a shadow of its formal self. Compared to DAK which will never have looked better come a month from now. The level of detail in "Avatarland" is really insane and that's on top of the already well done DAK.

Really, who would have thought 15 years ago that DAK would ever see such detailed theming in a new area that it would rival the ToL? I mean, if you enjoy the fruits this park has to offer from the trails to the thrilling rides, it will be a full day. Pandora might have been expensive to Disney, but we are the winners here. I'm excited to see this area of the park work itself in and grow over time.

I just had my cup of coffee today, can you tell? haha

It already was.