News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

[mickEblu]

Based on your tastes I don’t think you’d like Zootopia, but I was quite surprised by it. More bag of tricks than I expected from the 8th or 10th iteration of a ride platform. Some real practicality behind the train scene and the yoga scene that I’m not sure would pick up as well on a video.

Also based on your tastes - I’m overselling Pan. Not because of Mario Kart, but because of MMRR.

I think I might be pleasantly surprised with Pan but you could be right. Zootopia I’m sure would be better in person but I know it wouldn’t be my cup of tea. No matter how you slice it that Zootopia ride would be far inferior to what the Avatar boat ride (and land) would likely be. I’ve read seemingly hundreds of comments of people wishing we had Zootopia in the backlot. And although I can understand the concern with Avatars placement at DCA I don’t have enough OCD to prefer Zootopia in that spot no matter how much better it fits. The only way I’d be ok with Zootopia going there would be if they came out and said a grander version of Pandora was going somewhere else.

 

[BrianLo]

I think I might be pleasantly surprised with Pan but you could be right. Zootopia I’m sure would be better in person but I know it wouldn’t be my cup of tea. No matter how you slice it that Zootopia ride would be far inferior to what the Avatar boat ride (and land) would likely be. I’ve read seemingly hundreds of comments of people wishing we had Zootopia in the backlot. And although I can understand the concern with Avatars placement at DCA I don’t have enough OCD to prefer Zootopia in that spot no matter how much better it fits. The only way I’d be ok with Zootopia going there would be if they came out and said a grander version of Pandora was going somewhere else.

I didn’t even really follow the conversation, ha ha.

Yes the theoretical Pandora boat ride >> than SDL’s Zootopia and I think the latter is still great. I also think MMRR is great, so take that in lockstep when I say Pan is Excellent and SDL’s Pirates is amazing.

The Pandora boat ride could legitimately be in running for the best ride in the world. Slap a better queue on SDL pirates, maintain the perfect pacing/grandeur of Flight of Passage and incorporate exterior segments to a gorgeous land - now they are practically pandering to me.

 

[mickEblu]

I didn’t even really follow the conversation, ha ha.

Yes the theoretical Pandora boat ride >> than SDL’s Zootopia and I think the latter is still great. I also think MMRR is great, so take that in lockstep when I say Pan is Excellent and SDL’s Pirates is amazing.

The Pandora boat ride could legitimately be in running for the best ride in the world. Slap a better queue on SDL pirates, maintain the perfect pacing/grandeur of Flight of Passage and incorporate exterior segments to a gorgeous land - now they are practically pandering to me.

SDL Pirates looks amazing. Definitely Top 3 Disney ride worldwide I’m most eager to ride one day.

Now if they were to propose a Monsters (or Zootopia) E ticket coaster in the backlot I might fold. Haha. At that point I think the combo of the better fit + the much needed new coaster for DLR might make it worth it. I would just convince myself that the Pandora concept art was just that and we would end up with a ride and land only half as good as the art conveyed and our imaginations conceived.

 

[DLR92]

Based on your tastes I don’t think you’d like Zootopia, but I was quite surprised by it. More bag of tricks than I expected from the 8th or 10th iteration of a ride platform. Some real practicality behind the train scene and the yoga scene that I’m not sure would pick up as well on a video.

Also based on your tastes - I’m overselling Pan. Not because of Mario Kart, but because of MMRR.

Maybe it just me. But I could help notice most of the sets are very identical with Zootopia and MMRR.

 

[BrianLo]

Maybe it just me. But I could help notice most of the sets are very identical with Zootopia and MMRR.

The opening scene definitely, that’s kind of what I was spoiled on.

But the rest felt quite different. Based on the chatter and the amount of times they’ve used this platform, I was expecting something derivative.

Maybe it’s in a funny in between MMRR/Ratatouille zone. But generally I think Pooh, Mystic Manor, Rise, Rat, B&TB, aquatopia and Luigi’s are quite different attractions from one another. It’s surprising how much they’ve been able to reuse the same system and differentiate and still do new and surprising things.

Versus something like Transformers, which very quickly is derivative for the second crack.

 

[mattpeto]

And our friend @marni1971 has weighed in too:

And

 

[mickEblu]

Oh crap. I knew it


With that said it would make sense. Why waste a precious expansion pad on Zootopia when you can not only fix the crappy backlot but also slide it in there sort of seamlessly. Kill two birds with one stone. Three birds really if they decide to give Avatar the room to breathe somewhere else.

From an attraction roster standpoint it would be disappointing though especially considering they went with another screen heavy non thrill ride for Avengers.

 

[marni1971]

From an attraction roster standpoint it would be disappointing though especially considering they went with another screen heavy non thrill ride for Avengers.

Happily Hot Pursuit isn’t screen heavy. More like Rise.

Should it happen of course.

 

[GravityFalls]

OR... they could place Zootopia's Marsh Market somewhere in the Disneyland Forward expansion plot with a path/bridge leading from behind Bayou Country.

I'm just throwing this out there to show that there are many ways to incorporate properties into this park. Zootopia is a huge property, I'm sure they want it at the Disneyland Resort. But that doesn't mean they are going to throw away their Avatar plans.

 

[Professortango1]

Happily Hot Pursuit isn’t screen heavy. More like Rise.

Should it happen of course.

Rise Preshow 1: Rey appears on a screen as does Po.
Rise Preshow 2: Ren and Hux on a screen.
Rise 3rd Scene: Stormtroopers on screen shooting at us blocking us from turbolifts
Rise 4th Scene: All enemies are represented by Stormtroopers on screens
Rise Transition from 5th to Elevator: Screen-based Kylo walking towards us
Rise 7th Scene: Multiple giant screens depicting space battle
Rise 8th Scene B-Mode: Screen
Rise Escape Pod: Screen-based motion simulator

I'd say that Rise is pretty screen heavy. What I'd give to have a few less static physical stormtroopers in the queue and more physical animatronics of Stormtroopers in the actual ride rather than all being on screens.

 

[mickEblu]

Happily Hot Pursuit isn’t screen heavy. More like Rise.

Should it happen of course.

Haha so you’re not hinting at anything?

Yeah the first time I saw a POV I thought it looked a combo of Rise and MMRR. The last four brand new attractions at DLR are MMRR, Webslingers, Smugglers Run and ROTR. Next up Avengers. Not to say they re all the same but a state of the art boat ride for Avatar and a coaster for Avengers would have been more appreciated considering the last 4 major attractions we’ve received at DLR are more media/ non thrill/ screen focused and that it’s been nearly 50 years since we’ve gotten a themed E ticket coaster.

 

[DrStarlander]

What I'd give to have a few less static physical stormtroopers in the queue and more physical animatronics of Stormtroopers in the actual ride rather than all being on screens.

What would have been amazing in Rise is if they had a Stormtrooper right in front of you get blasted and literally fly backwards (kind of like Stuntronics but really minimal, if any, articulation). More a crash test dummy. And behind the scenes it would be re-set like a bowling pin is reset. That would have been a Wow! moment. But the ride is awesome, I don't have complaints.

 

[mickEblu]

Rise Preshow 1: Rey appears on a screen as does Po.
Rise Preshow 2: Ren and Hux on a screen.
Rise 3rd Scene: Stormtroopers on screen shooting at us blocking us from turbolifts
Rise 4th Scene: All enemies are represented by Stormtroopers on screens
Rise Transition from 5th to Elevator: Screen-based Kylo walking towards us
Rise 7th Scene: Multiple giant screens depicting space battle
Rise 8th Scene B-Mode: Screen
Rise Escape Pod: Screen-based motion simulator

I'd say that Rise is pretty screen heavy. What I'd give to have a few less static physical stormtroopers in the queue and more physical animatronics of Stormtroopers in the actual ride rather than all being on screens.

Agreed it’s just that ROTR offsets this with the scale, giant set pieces… and a few animatronics. That AT AT scene does a lot of heavy lifting and goes a long way in influencing our perception of the attraction while also adding a semi physically thrilling moment.

Also agree on the static stormtroopers. Less would be more there. Feels like a museum.

 

[Distorian]

Whether it's Avatar or Zootopia, I'm indifferent. Neither appeal to my interests nor do I find any of the pre-exisitng attractions of these franchises exciting. These changes do nothing to get me into DCA. Now maybe if they copied that Tower of Terror ride from Florida, I would consider paying for admission to the park...

 

[mickEblu]

Whether it's Avatar or Zootopia, I'm indifferent. Neither appeal to my interests nor do I find any of the pre-exisitng attractions of these franchises exciting. These changes do nothing to get me into DCA. Now maybe if they copied that Tower of Terror ride from Florida, I would consider paying for admission to the park...

You don’t think the avatar boat ride (and land) looked cool? Fit and placement aside.

 

[Professortango1]

Whether it's Avatar or Zootopia, I'm indifferent. Neither appeal to my interests nor do I find any of the pre-exisitng attractions of these franchises exciting. These changes do nothing to get me into DCA. Now maybe if they copied that Tower of Terror ride from Florida, I would consider paying for admission to the park...

If they copied the TOT from Florida and then gave it the updates our DCA version, then I'd buy a pass for DCA alone. Give us the great facade Florida has, the improved script and pacing we had, and updated effects for the 5th Dimension sequence and I'm there.

The Zootopia land looks more interesting than the actual ride, but that's because I find the world building aspect of Zootopia to far exceed the actual main characters and plot. I'd much rather ride through a POTC style Zootopia ride where we ride past little comedic tableaus and passed into the different biomes rather than following Judy and Nick (yawn.)

Same with Avatar, which is why the boat ride adventure sounds appealing to me, even if the attraction would be better suited to replace Subs/Autopia with us taking a "transport" from TL to Pandora.

If they could update TL and build an Avatar attraction to tie in and bring life to the land while also choosing Zootopia for the DCA backlot, I think it would improve both parks in ways which complement their respective parks/lands rather than breaking them for a quick fix.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

If the event Zootopia takes over Avatar's spot, they will do a different themed trackless ride and a second attraction in the former Muppet theater. But it wouldn't be a 3D show since those run their course fast at DLR.

 

[marni1971]

I'd say that Rise is pretty screen heavy. What I'd give to have a few less static physical stormtroopers in the queue and more physical animatronics of Stormtroopers in the actual ride rather than all being on screens.

I’d say it’s less screen heavy than say El Eio Del Tiempo. Plus Rise and Zootopia have AAs as well as lavish sets.

 

[TomorrowlandWall]

Same with Avatar, which is why the boat ride adventure sounds appealing to me, even if the attraction would be better suited to replace Subs/Autopia with us taking a "transport" from TL to Pandora.

If they could update TL and build an Avatar attraction to tie in and bring life to the land while also choosing Zootopia for the DCA backlot, I think it would improve both parks in ways which complement their respective parks/lands rather than breaking them for a quick fix.

For the record, all signs point to current plans still being in place for Avatar at DCA.

But If they replaced the Subs with “Avatar: Way of Water” it could be a way to update Tomorrowland and keep the same spirit of a Walt original. I love that idea. Also Zootopia is a much better fit with DCA’s vibe. And I expect we will see that land on the west coast sooner rather than later. D23 is coming soon. Who knows.

 

[DL-fan]

If the event Zootopia takes over Avatar's spot, they will do a different themed trackless ride and a second attraction in the former Muppet theater. But it wouldn't be a 3D show since those run their course fast at DLR.

Does anyone put it past Disney to try and catch the Zootopia craze by placing “Better Zoogether” in the Sunset Showcase Theater in the meantime?