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Are the Disney Suits viewing Pandora as a success?
- Thread starter EPCOTCenterLover
- Start date
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
Unlike Mission Breakout on the other coast...
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind, Mission Breakout is also a more efficient attraction than Na'vi River Journey or Flight of Passage.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
I rode Everest at night for the first time ever on my recent trip and holy crap is it a different ride in the dark. Tough to even compare to riding it during the daytime, but I do think I preferred it at night. Certainly seemed scarier.
Also, on your last point, I think ToT also works better during the day because of the sudden contrast when the doors open and you see outside compared to the dark interior.
Disone
Well-Known Member
Did they tell the cast??
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NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
On the last day of September wait times on FoP crested 240 minutes. Hard to imagine that isn’t success by some measure (even if the capacity is low).
Everyone that has recently returned from a trip can’t stop raving about it to me. So even in the non-message board sect, it is deemed a hit.
Everyone that has recently returned from a trip can’t stop raving about it to me. So even in the non-message board sect, it is deemed a hit.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
They underbuilt a great ride. It's successful in as much as they built a great themed area with one great ride and one so-so one. It is unsuccessful in that they could be satisfying more people with those attractions.
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
I think it's clear that FoP is a success, ride-wise. The question asked here is whether Pandora is a success from a financial perspective, meaning that it was worth the money to acquire the rights to Avatar. It doesn't seem to be drawing extra travelers to the parks, but it is bringing people to the AK. So my guess (and it's just a guess) is that it's viewed as not the huge success that they had been hoping for (by drawing new visitors), but also not a major failure (in that it's spreading the crowds out more from other parks). So it's accomplishing an overall goal for the future of the parks, but in a somewhat underwhelming way. Maybe kind of a wash?
If it were up to me... I'd be cloning that ride mechanic immediately into DHS and Epcot (with the appropriate IP changes). Yeah, its throughput is low, but if you build enough of them it will do what WDW really needs: pulling people out of MK and into the other parks.
It would be just like the current coaster issue: the ones that exist all have relatively low throughput and long lines. And so, you just build more coasters: SDD, GotG:IU, possibly Excavator (with or without Indy).
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Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
To answer the original question, it depends on who you ask, and their definition of success. TDO is quite pleased with how things panned out. Burbank, not so much.
TDO didn't want the project and it was forced on them by Burbank. The fact that it isn't driving up the resorts numbers tickles TDO. And they are pleased that it is drawing some of the crowds away from DHS. So TDO is happy.
Burbank, even though they saw the writing on the wall as the IP faded during the lengthy process of getting this thing built, were hoping the "Disney Base" would at least show up for it. Instead, it is a "We'll see it when we go next" type of thing. The Disney fans are excited about it, but not enough to plan an extra trip. I bet the Mickey ride actually drives more traffic to the resort than Pandora did.
TDO didn't want the project and it was forced on them by Burbank. The fact that it isn't driving up the resorts numbers tickles TDO. And they are pleased that it is drawing some of the crowds away from DHS. So TDO is happy.
Burbank, even though they saw the writing on the wall as the IP faded during the lengthy process of getting this thing built, were hoping the "Disney Base" would at least show up for it. Instead, it is a "We'll see it when we go next" type of thing. The Disney fans are excited about it, but not enough to plan an extra trip. I bet the Mickey ride actually drives more traffic to the resort than Pandora did.
Jones14
Well-Known Member
Anecdotally, I can attest to that last portion. Everyone I know who has actually been to Pandora is eating the place (and especially Flight of Passage) up. The problem is, no one trusts that it’s going to be great until they see it for themselves. With Star Wars now two years or less away, and with Uni’s offerings pre-Nintendo looking the way they are, general consensus among my friends (who don’t already work at one or the other) is that now is the time to have a Uni pass, and that 2018/2019 is the time to go back to Disney.
Disney didn’t do enough on the east coast to remind people of how good they can be for a long time, and now they’re paying the price for it.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Avatar is an odd IP. For me personally, I saw the movie once in the theater and enjoyed it. I have tried to watch it on TV since then, and I can only make it about 10 mins. before I have to turn it off. I have less than no desire to see any of the sequels. And I mean that. As time has gone on, I have developed what I would call an active disinterest bordering on dislike for this IP.
I live 12 miles from DAK and I haven't been down to see it yet. I'm pretty sure that had they opened a new land at DAK with no IP at all, I would have already gone to see it. To be fair, I haven't been to Volcano Bay yet either, but that for totally different reasons. I would like to spend the day at VB, but this Summer was CRAZY there. I am planning a VB day next week though and my first visit to HHN this year.
I live 12 miles from DAK and I haven't been down to see it yet. I'm pretty sure that had they opened a new land at DAK with no IP at all, I would have already gone to see it. To be fair, I haven't been to Volcano Bay yet either, but that for totally different reasons. I would like to spend the day at VB, but this Summer was CRAZY there. I am planning a VB day next week though and my first visit to HHN this year.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I couldn't be more pleased!
JustInTime
Well-Known Member
Just putting my two cents in. I went to AK last Tuesday and it was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it. And this is for a random day of the week in September. FoP never had wait times under 3 hours. Safari had close to 2 hour waits all day. There were times I could not move in the park. I have gone every year since the park opened and haven’t seen it that crowded ever. So the new attractions are absolutely driving up the attendance numbers.
great point and with international travel way down who really knows how bad WDW would ve had it this summer so an 8% increase in attendance is probably a good thing
I believe Pandora will be a 'slow burn.'
Except for a small percentage of folks, everyone is really thrilled with FoP and extremely impressed with the land. And the food is excellent, too. I can't see anyone who ever got a chance to ride FoP (except for that small percentage) would ever make another trip to WDW without firmly intending to go to Pandora again as part of the trip.
So, yeah, this is exactly what TDO wants: a strong pull so that visitors make DAK a must-see part of the trip, rather than doing MK two, three, or even four times in one week.
Except for a small percentage of folks, everyone is really thrilled with FoP and extremely impressed with the land. And the food is excellent, too. I can't see anyone who ever got a chance to ride FoP (except for that small percentage) would ever make another trip to WDW without firmly intending to go to Pandora again as part of the trip.
So, yeah, this is exactly what TDO wants: a strong pull so that visitors make DAK a must-see part of the trip, rather than doing MK two, three, or even four times in one week.
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
It has made DAK a must-see part of the trip -- I think that's true. And FoP is very good, and the land is creative and immersive. And they redistributed some crowds. So yes, those are all good things. What many of us are wondering is whether they could have accomplished all these things without Avatar (and the money it cost).
HauntedMansionFLA
Well-Known Member
Curious - what were the night time effects that seemed to not be working at this time. There have been several reports about it. The mapping on the floating mountains?
sedati
Well-Known Member
Beyond the rides, I'll add that I saw plenty of kids with their faces painted and the gift shop was booming. But I was really surprised at how popular the food was, both with the general public and with my own traveling party. Satuli seemed packed all day. I wanted to try the blue cheesecake and offered to buy one to split, but my companions were intrigued by the menu and we ended up ordering full meals for everyone which then led to drinks from Pongu and some lumpias.
I'd expected to spend a lot more on food and snacks in the Wizzarding World. I finally got my Butterbeer along with a few candies that proved disappointingly fairly generic. The food there seemed fairly standard fare, but none of it was really calling to me on a hot-hot orlando day.
I think Pandora's been hitting all quadrants (though nighttime still needs work- not bad, but not the wow that was expected.) It isn't just the sights and the rides, but it's opening wallets as well. I think those who have seen it will spread the word when they get home. Suits should be happy.
I'd expected to spend a lot more on food and snacks in the Wizzarding World. I finally got my Butterbeer along with a few candies that proved disappointingly fairly generic. The food there seemed fairly standard fare, but none of it was really calling to me on a hot-hot orlando day.
I think Pandora's been hitting all quadrants (though nighttime still needs work- not bad, but not the wow that was expected.) It isn't just the sights and the rides, but it's opening wallets as well. I think those who have seen it will spread the word when they get home. Suits should be happy.
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