News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

[DrStarlander]

Fantasyland '83 is a masterpiece, but in the modern era the crowds and strollers in this area of FL make it too congested, and it's a main cross-park route So one tweak I'd love to see is a solution to this, but I don't know what that would be. Dumbo moving would be the obvious solution but it's tied thematically to Casey Jr.

 

[BrianLo]

Arendelle I'm ok with even though I think it would be sort of redundant with Fantasyland. I also feel that it being the 5th iteration at this point and just the amount of time that has passed from the height of the franchises popularity make it less of a big deal. Not the best use of that precious Anaheim land IMO. The atmosphere looks pleasant though. They could certainly do worse. Zootopia I just cant find any upside.

I think frozen is inevitable for Disneyland’s Foward plot. Also… it could support a proper mountain coaster. I don’t mean Hong Kong’s. If they want to differentiate the offerings. Three lands around a lagoon would be a very nice usage of space in Disneyland Forward.

So Moana… and then…

 

[BrianLo]

For what it is worth, I suspect none of what we see are clones.

This seems to be a very specific Josh driven strategy.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Fantasyland '83 is a masterpiece, but in the modern era the crowds and strollers in this area of FL make it too congested, and it's a main cross-park route So one tweak I'd love to see is a solution to this, but I don't know what that would be. Dumbo moving would be the obvious solution but it's tied thematically to Casey Jr.
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Yeah - just not really anywhere to put it.

 

[britain]

Reading between the lines of the dancing non-answer Mazloum gave regarding Tomorrowland, I think this is the situation:

New TL is dependent upon a decision about motor cruise / subs.

How much of Motor cruise / subs is changed for New TL is dependent upon a decision about Fantasyland expansion.

Fantasyland expansion is dependent upon DL Forward decisions (specifically Arendale).

DL Forward decisions are dependent upon whatever IPs warrant larger swaths of land and yet can wait another 5-15 years before actually opening.

These DL forward decisions are basically going to be determined by whatever D’Amaro prioritizes once he’s officially the CEO.

 

[coffeefan]

I think if they want to utilize some of the space better just a one off BatB ride (and mandatory shop/ restaurant) would be the better move for Fantasyland as it would fit in more seamlessly. If BatB doesn't go into Fantasyland it's almost certain it will not get a ride unless a third gate is built. They're not building BatB land but I could see them adding an attraction to Fantasyland or a World showcase type park.

I think frozen is inevitable for Disneyland’s Foward plot. Also… it could support a proper mountain coaster. I don’t mean Hong Kong’s. If they want to differentiate the offerings. Three lands around a lagoon would be a very nice usage of space in Disneyland Forward.

So Moana… and then…

They can reheat TDS nachos and do a "Renaissance Springs" for the DL Forward plot. Then we could have BatB, Aladdin, and The Lion King as the main E-tickets and have other IPs round out the land.

 

[BrianLo]

They can reheat TDS nachos and do a "Renaissance Springs" for the DL Forward plot. Then we could have BatB, Aladdin, and The Lion King as the main E-tickets and have other IPs round out the land.

It just must be made for a North American audience. Which means depth and shops. Not facades housing a ride, bathroom, one dining experience locked behind a paywall.

Less new fantasyland / fantasy springs and more the pearls of Hong Kong’s minilands.

I realize the irony that I’m praising Disney Adventure World over Fantasy Springs, but I kind of am.

 

[Disney Irish]

I think it's been a while since I heard any rumor BatB rumor for DL but it would make a lot of sense all things considered. I'd prefer it on the hill on the FL Theatre side though. Maybe the restaurant where Motor Boat is.

Remember the original rumor was Arendelle in FL Theater and BatB in the Motor Boat. Now obviously things have changed and Arendelle is more likely to be a DLForward project. But things could align and still have that be the plan. But BatB attraction is something I can see Josh pushing, given he likes new technology and I can't see him wanting to not showcase things like Beast's transformation in DLR. Which is why I think its inevitable for it to come here. Plus if they find a way to include BoG that would be a huge gain for DLR as it needs another TSR (as discussed by some in the Coco thread).

 

[britain]

It just must be made for a North American audience. Which means depth and shops. Not facades housing a ride, bathroom, one dining experience locked behind a paywall.

Less new fantasyland / fantasy springs and more the pearls of Hong Kong’s minilands.

I realize the irony that I’m praising Disney Adventure World over Fantasy Springs, but I kind of am.

I think you’re making sense. The Disney Adventure World expansions are a big step up from WDS. The Fantasy Springs expansions are a lateral-to-downward step for the rest of TDS.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

It just must be made for a North American audience. Which means depth and shops. Not facades housing a ride, bathroom, one dining experience locked behind a paywall.

Less new fantasyland / fantasy springs and more the pearls of Hong Kong’s minilands.

I realize the irony that I’m praising Disney Adventure World over Fantasy Springs, but I kind of am.

Given how the TDR business model has always leaned heavily into retail, I’m actually very surprised they chose to have just one shop in Fantasy Springs. It definitely feels like a big missed opportunity not to include a smaller shop in each of the mini-lands.

 

[DrStarlander]

Yeah - just not really anywhere to put it.

I thought about for a moment: since it's flying elephants maybe they could be up high above Casey Jr. so it's a weenie in the sky (with some mountains and a circus tent backdrop). Queue entry from about where the old Skyway station was. That could allow a nice vantage point for a picture spot and grandparent benches, plus a fenced in stroller parking island. Just spit-balling.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Given how the TDR business model has always leaned heavily into retail, I’m actually very surprised they chose to have just one shop in Fantasy Springs. It definitely feels like a big missed opportunity not to include a smaller shop in each of the mini-lands.

Not to mention the shop is at best a generic hotel shop … built to be used by in park guests.

My biggest issue with fantasy springs is it felt lifeless. It’s gorgeous, the detail immaculate, but unless you can get on one of the rides, there’s nothing really going on.

No shops to explore … entertainment … it’s gorgeous but… needs more?

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Not to mention the shop is at best a generic hotel shop … built to be used by in park guests.

My biggest issue with fantasy springs is it felt lifeless. It’s gorgeous, the detail immaculate, but unless you can get on one of the rides, there’s nothing really going on.

No shops to explore … entertainment … it’s gorgeous but… needs more?

Both Frozen and Tangled especially needed more room to breathe and something extra to explore like the Jolly Roger/Skull Rock in the Neverland area.

 

[britain]

Not to mention the shop is at best a generic hotel shop … built to be used by in park guests.

My biggest issue with fantasy springs is it felt lifeless. It’s gorgeous, the detail immaculate, but unless you can get on one of the rides, there’s nothing really going on.

No shops to explore … entertainment … it’s gorgeous but… needs more?

Is the Skull Rock there explorable? Or is it just the Jolly Roger ship and is that all there is?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Is the Skull Rock there explorable? Or is it just the Jolly Roger ship and is that all there is?

You can walk onto the Jolly Roger, there’s some photo op stuff, and then you can go behind / in skull rock.

But not really anything crazy exploratory.

 

[wityblack]

I was writing a lot of exactly what you were saying. My main framing was about how there are Vibe lands that people want to hang out in, and Novelty lands (for lack of better word) that people want to visit to see it, because it's a wonder to behold...but then leave (because it's not actually that comfortable to be there for a long time, it may be sensory overload, the design may be interesting but endistancing, it may not be relatable to us humans in terms of settling into and occupying the space).



I posted a while back, an Imagineering idea of re-branding Hollywood Blvd. as Disney Animation Ave. here. This to me was a pragmatic approach to leveraging what's there already and giving the street more focus and gravitas, and achieve brand-burnishing at a low cost. It's not my ultimate dream for that acreage but a cost-managed enhancement similar to what's happening at DHS.



I think the industry is learning that there are upsides and downsides to single IP lands and is (hopefully) becoming more choosy about when/how to use them.


Avenger's Campus wasn't an interesting environment when they built it, and they've doubled-down on that lack of interest recently:
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Compare that above to what they've built elsewhere:
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Marvel fans can easily list out the fantastical options that were available to Disney. Avenger's Campus sadly lacks ambition and creativity and investment. Even the new building. The land could still be made cooler with some fairly low-cost enhancements to tell the story of where we supposedly are, as I describe here. So I don't think it's that fans that are wrong, I think Disney has failed to manifest Marvel Avengers in the park well and not learned from their recent past.

Unrelated, but having the mountain behind Hong Kong Disneyland really elevates that land. That same type of greenery is in the movie too, it's so perfect.

 

[DLR92]

I have a wishful thinking Avatar will go away. I think it one of the worst move to place in DCA. I want to see original ideas not tied so much into Disney intellectual properties.

 

[mickEblu]

I have a wishful thinking Avatar will go away. I think it one of the worst move to place in DCA. I want to see original ideas not tied so much into Disney intellectual properties.

I think it’ll make for a great theme park land. Just a really odd phenomenon. You have this movie franchise that makes a gazillion dollars, already has a beautiful/ popular land at WDW, is perfect for a theme park and yet so many people are actively saying they don’t want it at DLR. Most people’s issue unlike yours isn’t its placement at DCA. It’s the disinterest with the franchise outside of the event type nature that drives everyone to see it in theaters. It’s not that they hate Avatar as much as it is that Disney has such a beloved and vast library of IP and Avatar is just not at the top of the list of IP they want to see come to life as attractions.

 

[Distorian]

Ideally, California Adventure should be about California.

 

[Disneyland/DCA]

If it HAS to be a purchased ip, I wish they just did Ice Age and tied it in to the La Brea tar pits.