Avatar boat ride cancelled?

[MarkTwain]

Sounds like the "land" might now be down to the single simulator attraction, a restaurant, and some shops:

"Massive cost overruns with the MyMagic+ program in Florida, plus ominous budgeting issues looming for Shanghai’s woefully behind construction schedule, all sent Burbank bean counters diving under their desks in horror last fall. The result is that nearly every major addition for theme parks in North America is now shelved. Only a few concepts previously announced are moving forward, but in a downsized format. Avatarland for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it appears, has now been scaled back to one flying simulator ride, a handful of shops, and a restaurant. ... Also canned are any plans to do much of anything with Disney’s Hollywood Studios in WDW, or even consider anything for years at WDW’s Magic Kingdom once the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens next month."

Per MiceAge

In other news, Avatarland could now be as about as much of a land as Pixar Place is

 

[CTXRover]

I'm beginning to think MiceAge does not have the same solid sources that Al Lutz once had when he was the primary editor of the site. They still have some good information, but they have also been wrong on a number of things over the past year that they have had to back track on (i.e. Subs closing for good, LM ending to be redone with this latest refurbishment, Alice in Wonderland outside track to be significantly downsized, etc.).

They mention Shangai's budgeting issues, yet Disney and the Chinese government just approved an additional 800 million in the past 24 hours (perhaps published after MiceAge's latest update had been written) for additional new offerings to open with the park's grand opening. The cynic could say it is because of budget over-runs (which ties into their claims); however, a spokeswoman said specifically that the $800 million would flow entirely toward new offerings and that the deal in no way reflected budget overruns.

Plus, James Cameron in a recent interview in the past month mentioned two attractions.

Additionally, just this past week Scott Trowbridge was put in charge of a Star Wars studio at WDI (which goes against the above claim that all Star Wars attraction development is on hold...unless that is just for the North American parks).

Anything can change, particularly since nothing official on the attraction front has been announced for Avatar, but I don't take much from this. We shall see.

 

[twebber55]

I'm beginning to think MiceAge does not have the same solid sources that Al Lutz once had. They have been wrong on a number of things over the past year from reported insider information that they have had to back track on (i.e. Subs closing for good, LM ending to be redone with this latest refurbishment, Alice in Wonderland outside track to be significantly downsized, etc.). They mention Shangai's budgeting issues, yet Disney and the Chinese government just approved an additional 800 million for additional new offerings to open with the result. The cynic could say it is because of budget over-runs; however, a spokeswoman said the $800 million would flow entirely toward new offerings and that the deal in no way reflected budget overruns.

Plus, James Cameron in a recent interview in the past month mentioned two attractions.

Plus, just this past week Scott Trowbridge was put in charge of a Star Wars studio at WDI (which goes against the above claim that all Star Wars attraction development is on hold...unless that is just for the North American parks).

Anything can change, particularly since nothing official on the attraction front has been announced, but we shall see.

not even last month it was literally last week that Cameron made those comments about two state of the art attractions

 

[CTXRover]

not even last month it was literally last week that Cameron made those comments about two state of teh art attractions

You are correct. Thank you. I was looking for when that interview was from after I posted my reply. It was in fact very recent. You would need to believe that James Cameron either doesn't know of a change (which given reports of how detail oriented he is, would seem unlikely) or more likely there has been no change.

 

[twebber55]

You are correct, I was looking for when that interview was after I posted. It was very recent. You would need to believe that he either doesn't know of a change or there was no change.

ill take the words straight from the horses mouth over miceage (not condemning miceage because i enjoy it)

 

[MarkTwain]

I'm beginning to think MiceAge does not have the same solid sources that Al Lutz once had when he was the primary editor of the site. They still have some good information, but they have also been wrong on a number of things over the past year that they have had to back track on (i.e. Subs closing for good, LM ending to be redone with this latest refurbishment, Alice in Wonderland outside track to be significantly downsized, etc.). They mention Shangai's budgeting issues, yet Disney and the Chinese government just approved an additional 800 million for additional new offerings to open with the result. The cynic could say it is because of budget over-runs; however, a spokeswoman said the $800 million would flow entirely toward new offerings and that the deal in no way reflected budget overruns.

Plus, James Cameron in a recent interview in the past month mentioned two attractions.

Plus, just this past week Scott Trowbridge was put in charge of a Star Wars studio at WDI (which goes against the above claim that all Star Wars attraction development is on hold...unless that is just for the North American parks).

Anything can change, particularly since nothing official on the attraction front has been announced for Avatar, but I don't take much from this. Particularly with the "

I'm starting to wonder the same, sadly.

 

[DVCOwner]

I

"Massive cost overruns with the MyMagic+ program in Florida, plus ominous budgeting issues looming for Shanghai’s woefully behind construction schedule, all sent Burbank bean counters diving under their desks in horror last fall.

I think this may be something from a few months ago. At least for Shanghai, Disney yesterday announced that they are on budget on the Shanghai Disneyland Project and are even going to be adding some additional money to increase the number of rides that will be in the park for the opening day in late 2015.

 

[BubbaQuest]

... Avatarland for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it appears, has now been scaled back to one flying simulator ride, a handful of shops, and a restaurant. ...

I noticed this too and was surprised it was not a prominent headline. I was hoping people here would have more info. Seems way too early to know either way, but still depressing that talks about Avatar cutbacks may already be swirling around the mouse house.

 

[BrianLo]

I'm beginning to think MiceAge does not have the same solid sources that Al Lutz once had when he was the primary editor of the site. They still have some good information, but they have also been wrong on a number of things over the past year that they have had to back track on (i.e. Subs closing for good, LM ending to be redone with this latest refurbishment, Alice in Wonderland outside track to be significantly downsized, etc.).

They mention Shangai's budgeting issues, yet Disney and the Chinese government just approved an additional 800 million in the past 24 hours (perhaps published after MiceAge's latest update had been written) for additional new offerings to open with the park's grand opening. The cynic could say it is because of budget over-runs (which ties into their claims); however, a spokeswoman said specifically that the $800 million would flow entirely toward new offerings and that the deal in no way reflected budget overruns.

Plus, James Cameron in a recent interview in the past month mentioned two attractions.

Additionally, just this past week Scott Trowbridge was put in charge of a Star Wars studio at WDI (which goes against the above claim that all Star Wars attraction development is on hold...unless that is just for the North American parks).

Anything can change, particularly since nothing official on the attraction front has been announced for Avatar, but I don't take much from this. We shall see.

My take away from their articles seem to be they "know" something is up with certain projects and things are upcoming (i.e. subs, mermaid, fantasyland dark rides, Shanghai needing "money" etc.), but they are trying to connect the dots themselves and are making the wrong conclusions. A lot of the in between conclusions seem to be guess work on their behalf presented as fact.

The core themes are there, but the message is getting a bit jumbled, so don't trust everything as gospel.

The Fantasyland Dark rides probably can be trusted at this stage. Star Wars is "delayed" but in so far as they have reshuffled the teams and likely a source they had was moved from the project and thus what they were working on was shelved. Clearly a Star Wars project is happening eventually.

 

[Mawg]

I hope this isn't true. I was looking more forward to the boat ride than the flying simulator.

 

[Atomicmickey]

Why would they say it? Who would have told them? If they didn't actually hear something,
why make something up?

Basically, even if they are wrong, there's some reason--some chain of communication--that
led to them typing that and publishing it.

So, why?

 

[Malin]

Disney has a press event coming up. I hope it will provide an update on the Avatar project. MiceAge will seriously look bad if Disney mentions the boat ride. I don't have much respect for the site anymore but to make a statement like it has with regards to the Avatar project. You would think it must have some kind of reliable source for the news. Because it's such a strong statement to make. And one you can't really make an excuse for if it turns out to be wrong.

 

[AndyS2992]

Ugh such a disappointment, if they aren't going to do it properly then don't it at all.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

Personally I would prefer them to can the entire land, do some development and come up with Australasia instead. Much better suited then a one time blockbuster that they're trying to resurrect.

A one ride land would be terrible, I don't think even a two ride land is acceptable.
Surely the entry point for any new large scale land should be a minimum of two major rides and one or two smaller rides....then add the restaurants and shops.

 

[Mawg]

Agree with other posters, if only one ride, can the project. Save the money and use it on something else. Me to my wife, let's go to that new Avatarland. Her, why, we don't have a fastpass for the flying ride and there is nothing else to do there but look at plants that glow in the dark or eat a drumstick from a 6 legged dog or shop in a gift shop for a nice Loin cloth to wear around the pool.

 

[jt04]

Why would they say it? Who would have told them? If they didn't actually hear something,
why make something up?

Basically, even if they are wrong, there's some reason--some chain of communication--that
led to them typing that and publishing it.

So, why?

They always have bashed attractions potentially coming to WDW that they know they will never get. It is a consistent pattern from Disneylanders. Can't say I blame them for being envious of WDW.

 

[AndyS2992]

Additionally, just this past week Scott Trowbridge was put in charge of a Star Wars studio at WDI (which goes against the above claim that all Star Wars attraction development is on hold...unless that is just for the North American parks).

Disneyland Paris is supposedly getting a Star Wars themed land at the back of Discoveryland so he could be working on that.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

This report is a mashup of at least three separate articles that have been printed over the past year ,NONE of them in the past 6 months....In this case, its just outdated, and incorrect, information.

 

[ToTBellHop]

What utter rubbish. Miceage was never The Source for WDW news but it seems they have lost what few sources they have (even their DL news is spotty now).

 

[Jose]

What utter rubbish. Miceage was never The Source for WDW news but it seems they have lost what few sources they have (even their DL news is spotty now).

Miceage said the mermaid refurb would include rework of the ending scene... YEAH