News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

[PiratesMansion]

Agree although adding two family friendly boat rides / indoor attractions with no height requirement is a big step in the right direction and addressing one of the parks biggest flaws IMO.

True.

Hopefully at least one of them will actually match up to the quality of some of the dark rides next door.

 

[wityblack]

I mean, I’m just sharing that is possible if they wanted to get rid of Hollywood Land entirely. Enough space to create a new layout, meandering or curved pathways, etc etc.

It’s doubtful, but you never know.

Here’s my Bluesky:

Assuming parades are done for with Coco,

I say tear it all down and turn it into “Buena Vista Gardens” with portals to Avatar and Avengers at each end, the Garden Theatre hidden at back of the park with proper theatre facade, add a flat ride in the park of some sort, a covered stage for outdoor shows or Disney Jr. stuff, outdoor garden restaurant, a few food stands. A pond or water feature.

Heck, get rid of the theatre and sneak in a garden Jolly Holiday dark ride. California to London?! Who cares anymore.

Why would parades be done for with Coco?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Why would parades be done for with Coco?

Well the current guess is that the parade building and parade gate will be gone. So no one knows where they’d store one, and how it would get off or on stage.

 

[wityblack]

Well the current guess is that the parade building and parade gate will be gone. So no one knows where they’d store one, and how it would get off or on stage.

Wow, if only there were two parade buildings in California Adventure!! But the gate being gone? How could Disney ever move a gate??

 

[BrianLo]

Wow, if only there were two parade buildings in California Adventure!! But the gate being gone? How could Disney ever move a gate??

Legitimate question, what are the two parade buildings?

 

[wityblack]

Legitimate question, what are the two parade buildings?

Other one is between Racers and Incredicoaster

 

[coffeefan]

I mean… if they levelled all of this, there is a lot of space…

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Yep, we need to look at the space as a blank canvas. It would also be possible to extend the Web Slingers building and have a more ambitious Spider-Man attraction there. It would cost money, but I'd argue they would make more money by using the space more purposefully.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Wow, if only there were two parade buildings in California Adventure!! But the gate being gone? How could Disney ever move a gate??

Wasn’t that one converted long ago to other uses? Does it still house any parades? I’m pretty sure World of Color has an HQ in that building?

And even if they can use the other parade building, how is it routed if this entire area is now a ride?

 

[mickEblu]

I think they made the right call holding off putting anything into the Disneyland’s expansion plot so soon, especially Avatar. As you and Disney Irish have pointed out, the series is relevant now. I’ve heard a multitude of sequels are planned, but personally I don’t think we’ll have a grasp on how relevant Avatar is until this December. While the last movie had record box office numbers, it also had a decade’s worth of distance for people to become curious about the series and miss it. The Fantastic Beasts films had similarly ambitious sequel plans, but poor box office stopped the series at two. It will be interesting to see if Pandora continues to hold filmgoers fancy, but Disney is wise to strike while the iron is hot.

I dunno. Is the “iron ever hot” with Avatar? I feel like it’s a big movie going spectacle that everyone shows up for and then is largely forgotten until the next movie. It’s an interesting phenomenon. I don’t think it sells a crazy amount of merch in comparison to other Big Disney IP. I do the think the settings from the movies make for beautiful and whimsical theme park lands which is what I care about.

 

[J4546]

same, i dont really care about avatar IP but the lands are gorgeous and have fun rides so Im all for them

 

[D.Silentu]

I dunno. Is the “iron ever hot” with Avatar? I feel like it’s a big movie going spectacle that everyone shows up for and then is largely forgotten until the next movie. It’s an interesting phenomenon. I don’t think it sells a crazy amount of merch in comparison to other Big Disney IP. I do the think the settings from the movies make for beautiful and whimsical theme park lands which is what I care about.

Fair question, but I called it hot because no matter what people think of the movies they have made a literal fortune. You are right on the money about the setting being ideal for a theme park, even for those who are lukewarm on the series. As for dedicated fans of the films, they must be out there but somehow I've never met one. I hope the movie set to release this year is at very least a decent moneymaker so that Disney remains enthusiastic about upcoming land.

 

[mickEblu]

Fair question, but I called it hot because no matter what people think of the movies they have made a literal fortune. You are right on the money about the setting being ideal for a theme park, even for those who are lukewarm on the series. As for dedicated fans of the films, they must be out there but I can't say I've met one. I hope the movie set to release this year is at very least a decent moneymaker so that Disney remains enthusiastic about upcoming land.

Right I get that’s why you said it but “strike while the iron is hot” implies that they should open the land to take advantage of some big Avatar buzz. Im questioning if any sort of buzz exists outside of the 4-6 weeks it’s popular in theaters. Meaning I’m not sure trying to time the land opening during this small window of buzz should be determining the timing of a big long term investment at a theme park. I think it just comes down to the simple that the movies have made billions and it’s a proven hit over in Florida.

 

[D.Silentu]

I suppose a better way to put what I was saying is that there is no guarantee Avatar is going to remain as popular as it is in this moment. What that popularity consists of is debatable, as you've mentioned, but the movies are making money for now. If they were making less money I imagine the park project might be downsized accordingly.

 

[Disney Irish]

Right I get that’s why you said it but “strike while the iron is hot” implies that they should open the land to take advantage of some big Avatar buzz. Im questioning if any sort of buzz exists outside of the 4-6 weeks it’s popular in theaters. Meaning I’m not sure trying to time the land opening during this small window of buzz should be determining the timing of a big long term investment at a theme park. I think it just comes down to the simple that the movies have made billions and it’s a proven hit over in Florida.

But honestly does there really need to be any other reason? I mean I think the question of whether Avatar is a long term viable IP has long been answered just by those last two reasons alone. And with 3 other movies between now the 2031 I think that answers the question of the "why now", the idea of "striking while the iron is hot" is to keep the franchise going longer than the 4-6 weeks you talk about. "Hey you just watched the movie, now go experience the world of Avatar at either Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, book your vacation now".

 

[BrianLo]

Pandora still remains the most well regarded thing in all of WDW with the general public. The why now was more why 2 years ago - because of Way of Water and Iger really needed a win to focus on.

The three Iger legacy pet projects have long been Galaxies Edge, Pandora and Shanghai Disney.

 

[MistaDee]

If I’m reading the concept art correctly, this entire yellow area is not being redeveloped. That’s all the forested area. There’s the two blue tunnels leading to the monorail and the entrance building in red.

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If how I’m interpreting it is correct, I think that’s why it’s appropriate to say a portion of the backlot. Can you also enter the tunnel from the yellow? Yes perhaps, though hard to gauge. They’ve been very sneaky with the concept art.

Edit - and I made the monorail straight. But it actually curves there and that weird thing on the other side is the tunnel. They’ve just smudged it.


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Very late to the party, but just wanted to credit a really insightful post, I think this is most realistic of what I've seen. Interesting that ~5 years after Epic opens, Disney may be employing a very similar portal/world format to help solve this particular set of problems at DCA.

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I'm beginning to think the 'circular rocks' will be pushed as far to the north as possible, and the bulk of the attraction will be off to the east. The tops of those rocks will be pretty cool to see taunting you as you walk from the Harbor bridge along the esplanade. So close and yet so far!

I also think this arrangement @BrianLo has devised will make the tops of the rocks an enticing weenie for those leaving Avengers Campus.

This tracks for me, maybe not all the way back, but I'm excited to see how well the forced perspective and scale of the zone/land/area/experience can really be articulated.

Very curious to see some of the smaller areas facing away from us in the art. I think there's potential for a cool sea cave/cenote area:

or an above ground coral reef, maybe dry for wet?

or some cool giant mangrove type areas in that transition zone that might help break up the space.

I do worry that the land may look a little one-note, with the big water view being sorta the whole thing without enough little nooks and crannies to go explore and get into in the same way that the floating mountains over at AK can.

If they can supplement the big vista with some compelling smaller areas and not just a lazy "Pandora Canteen" makeover for some of the existing structures, I'm very much looking forward to getting lost in the alien world

Do we have any doubt that it will be? If they build their tentpole new land in view of the giant parking structure to look this way, who thinks they will go above and beyond this for a walkway from the less expensive parking lot?

I really hope it becomes part of the skyline you can see from the freeway, along with Space Mountain and Tower of Terror, I used to love always looking for them out the window.

Sadly you're probably right.

I just can't buy this as part of Buena Vista Street.

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We've essentially got a "stub" corridor, I don't see the ROI for Disney to be motivated enough to invest in changing this, but I guess thematically if I'm trying to make it work head canon wise, Buena Vista Street starts out more grounded in reality and LA. and as you progress down Hollywood Blvd, the architecture could transition towards the 30's, 40's and 50's to set up an era where science fiction (Pandora) and super-heroes (AC) were more prominent, and Disney Imagineers themselves were having an impact on the architecture of LA:

Assuming parades are done for with Coco,

Maybe with all the construction there'll be a parade pause, but I feel like this is a solvable problem for Disney if they really want a parade in DCA.

They could have the parade depart down Carsland, maybe widen a path or two if need be, then take a lap around Hollywood Boulevard and exit backstage between Hyperion/M:BO