Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[truecoat]

Nah he isn't referring to a Banshee though hes referring to the larger Avatar sky animal - Great Leonopteryx - or a Toruk, the thing that is ridden

They were both ridden.

His comment reminded me of all the people that ask someone else to name a character in the movie. Uh, uh, big creature?

We'll have the blue cat people running around and the rhino things. Oh, and don't forget the floaty rocks!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I can only imagine that an alliance between Joe Rohde and James Cameron (with his alleged contract-mandated creative approval) would be a waking nightmare for the accountants tasked with budgeting this project.

Don't forget Bob Iger's ego. This needs to be as good as Wizarding World Phases I and II in his mind.

Bob Iger: A Walt in his own mind.

 

[SirLink]

They were both ridden.

His comment reminded me of all the people that ask someone else to name a character in the movie. Uh, uh, big creature?

We'll have the blue cat people running around and the rhino things. Oh, and don't forget the floaty rocks!

As much as I don't have a great deal of warmth for the Avatar project - it is more systematic of global society not wanting to retain information.

 

[Captain Neo]

I can only imagine that an alliance between Joe Rohde and James Cameron (with his alleged contract-mandated creative approval) would be a waking nightmare for the accountants tasked with budgeting this project.

Absoluetly. I was in the audience when John Lasseter was telling horror stories of how he would get into shouting matches with the "leadership teams" at Disney who wanted to keep cutting things out of the budget at D23.
I can't even imagine what is going to happen with a quality obsessed fiend like Cameron with Rhode egging him on.

I think the budget for Avatar land is something like $700 mil right? The land itself will probably cost 300 mil to make it resemble the concept art, with each ride costing at least 200 mil. I just hope they don't defund the Star Wars project or rumored Imagination redo to make up for expenses in building avatar.

At least DAK will finally be a fully realized park at that point. Something i've been dreaming of since the start. Although I was expecting dragons, unicorns, and dancing hippos not Banshees, Yetis, and thanotors

 

[ford91exploder]

Absoluetly. I was in the audience when John Lasseter was telling horror stories of how he would get into shouting matches with the "leadership teams" at Disney who wanted to keep cutting things out of the budget at D23.
I can't even imagine what is going to happen with a quality obsessed fiend like Cameron with Rhode egging him on.

I think the budget for Avatar land is something like $700 mil right? The land itself will probably cost 300 mil to make it resemble the concept art, with each ride costing at least 200 mil. I just hope they don't defund the Star Wars project or rumored Imagination redo to make up for expenses in building avatar.

At least DAK will finally be a fully realized park at that point. Something i've been dreaming of since the start. Although I was expecting dragons, unicorns, and dancing hippos not Banshees, Yetis, and thanotors

Hopefully Avatar land will bankrupt TWDC blowing 700Mil on something nobody cares about or wants to see again and finally TWDC may get back to it's roots under new leadership

 

[ford91exploder]

As much as I don't have a great deal of warmth for the Avatar project - it is more systematic of global society not wanting to retain information.

No it has to do with other than eye candy Avatar was a complete blank as a story, The novelty drove the box office now every crappy movie is done in 3D to try to overcome its stylistic problems (Michael Bey im looking at you)

 

[Captain Chaos]

Hopefully Avatar land will bankrupt TWDC blowing 700Mil on something nobody cares about or wants to see again and finally TWDC may get back to it's roots under new leadership

Can you stop acting like you know what everyone wants? Just because you don't want it doesn't mean no one does. Get over yourself. Oh and we'll see you on line when the land opens, waiting for the rides like everyone else.

 

[rudyjr13]

Hopefully Avatar land will bankrupt TWDC blowing 700Mil on something nobody cares about or wants to see again and finally TWDC may get back to it's roots under new leadership

Hey there! I'd like to see it. This will get me back to the park instead of skipping it again.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Avatarland, in all honesty may end up being the best work they've done. If it resembles the concept artwork people will be blown away and they will love it. I loved the movie for its absolute stunning visuals and this land looks to capture that. I know it's easy to hate Disney and get on them over their stupidity but this one might be really cool.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I just don't see how they are going to get a ROI on this project. The franchise is tepid at best in pop cultural minds. And there is little to no merchandising that ties in to crank up guest spending.

It's beautiful, and I'm sure the attractions will be well done. I'm just not sure the demand is there in the franchise to justify the price tag.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I just don't see how they are going to get a ROI on this project. The franchise is tepid at best in pop cultural minds. And there is little to no merchandising that ties in to crank up guest spending.

It's beautiful, and I'm sure the attractions will be well done. I'm just not sure the demand is there in the franchise to justify the price tag.

This is a big part of what concerns me. Disney is highly reactionary and shortsighted. They would never question the content, just the scope. Walt Disney World is not going to improve if its big showstopper receives a tepid response because it'll just solidify the view that sticking to the status quo and only doing small additions is what really works [financially]. And I think that since Disney has had these images and footage for at least a month, meaning if there was a determination to do so, they could have released it in Anaheim, but they instead they chose Tokyo.

 

[rudyjr13]

I just don't see how they are going to get a ROI on this project. The franchise is tepid at best in pop cultural minds. And there is little to no merchandising that ties in to crank up guest spending.

It's beautiful, and I'm sure the attractions will be well done. I'm just not sure the demand is there in the franchise to justify the price tag.

I don't know. The Disney marketing machine just needs to kick into action and you will see it everywhere. I assume they are banking on the sequels to deliver. Hey maybe Cameron is kicking in some of those millions.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don't know. The Disney marketing machine just needs to kick into action and you will see it everywhere. I assume they are banking on the sequels to deliver. Hey maybe Cameron is kicking in some of those millions.

When was the last time any marketing group in Disney really delivered on a selling a product?

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Having spoken with Joe personally, I can guarantee you he is not the most excited about being forced to put Avatar in his park. However, he has actually enjoyed working with James Cameron. Joe would much rather work with James on Avatar than get a smaller project. In the presentation he's excited because it's actually something worth doing... but deep down he's not too happy with Avatar being shoehorned into his park.

 

[Captain Neo]

Hopefully Avatar land will bankrupt TWDC blowing 700Mil on something nobody cares about or wants to see again and finally TWDC may get back to it's roots under new leadership

please leave this thread

 

[Atomicmickey]

Having spoken with Joe personally, I can guarantee you he is not the most excited about being forced to put Avatar in his park. However, he has actually enjoyed working with James Cameron. Joe would much rather work with James on Avatar than get a smaller project. In the presentation he's excited because it's actually something worth doing... but deep down he's not too happy with Avatar being shoehorned into his park.

Thanks for sharing this. Not only is it first hand, but it makes the most sense.
Any creative loves to be pushed, and James Cameron is quite the pusher. If the
two can find their happy place, the collaboration will be (and looks to be) grand.

There is plenty in Avatar for Joe to bring his trademark detail to. Plenty--and
remember, he'll be privy to what's coming as well, 3 more movies of backstory,
creatures, environments, and characters, on the way . . . .

If I were a creative at WDI . . sure I'd like to do my own thing. But as a working
creative day to day, I don't mind playing in other people's sandboxes if they are
as cool as Avatar.

 

[gonnichi]

So after seeing all of the recent news about changes and additions coming to WDW can we assume that the master plan for WDW's future has been approved and things are starting to move forward ?

 

[ChrisFL]

Since we're at the point now where Avatar IS actually happening, I have to reassess my thoughts on this.

At least I can say that the plot line is SO simple, that it won't be difficult for people who may not be familiar with, or remember it in another decade, what it's all about.

As with much of AK, it seems that most of its draw may be the beautiful landscape more than the actual attractions

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I just looked up DAK's dedication, and while "mythical" is implied, I see nothing that would exclude Avatar from fitting the mission statement.

"Welcome to a kingdom of animals... real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn."
—Michael D. Eisner, April 22, 1998

 

[yeti]

Anyone have any ideas about the gadget being displayed three minutes into the new video? New ride system?