News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

[mickEblu]

I just wish they would give up on the theme and figure out what they want to do with the park. Mission BO bends over backwards to fit in the California theme. Radiator Springs still fits California. But unless they go the film set route, Avatar has nothing to do with the park they've built.

If we are going to get a shoe-horned Pandora land, I'd prefer it to replace Grizzly Peak. The park right now is IP-world, but still themed to California. If Avatar replaced Grizzly Peak, it would be the one area still not themed to an IP. While losing original attractions and lands isn't a good thing, at least the park would be consistent about having lands inspired by IP rather than a park inspired by California with lands themed to California aspects of IPs.

We’ve also had this conversation but I don’t think Mission BO bends over backwards to fit the California theme. Because of one lame backstory they posted on a parks blog once and Rockets “is that Disneyland” line that you don’t even get on every ride? That’s committing to a California theme? Putting a 20 story tall an alien fortress in DCA tells me the opposite.

 

[mickEblu]

Or we were never really that far apart to begin with, we just looked at things differently.

That’s deep bruh

 

[Disney Irish]

That’s deep bruh

I'm a deep guy bruh.

Ok back to Avatar.

 

[Consumer]

Doesn't appear that Disney agrees with you.

Then I won't spend my money there.

 

[mickEblu]

Then I won't spend my money there.

Wow did you purposely line up the shrug emojis? I Wish Disney had this attention to detail.

 

[choco choco]

All signs point this attraction going to DCA…

Not from the article I'm reading. This article quotes Bob Iger, saying [emphasis mine]:

Iger said it is the company’s “intention” to make it a new feature of Disneyland. “We’re thrilled about many potential new stories that our guests could experience in Walt’s original theme park, including the opportunity to embark on all-new Avatar adventures with a visit to the world of Pandora,” he said.

https://deadline.com/2024/04/bob-iger-avatar-disney-theme-parks-epic-universe-1235875125/

Seems like he's clearly pointing at Disneyland.

 

[Fox&Hound]

I know its greedy but I wish we got this in AK too??

 

[mickEblu]

Not from the article I'm reading. This article quotes Bob Iger, saying [emphasis mine]:



https://deadline.com/2024/04/bob-iger-avatar-disney-theme-parks-epic-universe-1235875125/

Seems like he's clearly pointing at Disneyland.

You’re very late to the party. Many signs and rumors point to DCA. It also doesn’t make any sense in Disneyland. DCA needs the draw/ capacity.

I think you’re reading too much into the “Walt’s original park” line. It just sounds nice to phrase it that way. Besides Disneyland and DCA are practically one park considering they re just 100 feet from each other .

 

[mlayton144]

Having trouble visualizing potential new space to fit this attraction(s) if it’s HWLand and the bus area. The show buildings would need to take up quite a large space , and the lagoon and water features , and you have the monorail area to contend with and then you look at the concept art and ask whether they are taking serious creative liberties with the scale in the blue sky drawing . Does it fit as depicted ?

 

[mickEblu]

Having trouble visualizing potential new space to fit this attraction(s) if it’s HWLand and the bus area. The show buildings would need to take up quite a large space , and the lagoon and water features , and you have the monorail area to contend with and then you look at the concept art and ask whether they are taking serious creative liberties with the scale in the blue sky drawing . Does it fit as depicted ?

I think there is some major creative liberty going on there but I also think that between all of the Hollywood Backlot and bus transpo area they have enough room for an E ticket boat ride, shop and a restaurant at the very least.

 

[mlayton144]

I think there is some major creative liberty going on there but I also think that between all of the Hollywood Backlot and bus transpo area they have enough room for an E ticket boat ride, shop and a restaurant at the very least.

Doesn’t it fit one of the DLforward plots on the west side better based on what we’ve seen in that art? Either way it looks like itncoukd be great if they build what they drew, and even happier it’s a different concept than AK so each coast gets something different

 

[mickEblu]

Doesn’t it fit one of the DLforward plots on the west side better based on what we’ve seen in that art? Either way it looks like itncoukd be great if they build what they drew, and even happier it’s a different concept than AK so each coast gets something different

Yeah all of those plots are bigger then where it’s likely going. I think they want to address DCA proper before branching out into the expansion areas across the street (DL Drive). Getting guests across the street and whatever else that project entails sounds like a much bigger undertaking.

 

[MistaDee]

I just wish they would give up on the theme and figure out what they want to do with the park. Mission BO bends over backwards to fit in the California theme. Radiator Springs still fits California. But unless they go the film set route, Avatar has nothing to do with the park they've built.

If we are going to get a shoe-horned Pandora land, I'd prefer it to replace Grizzly Peak. The park right now is IP-world, but still themed to California. If Avatar replaced Grizzly Peak, it would be the one area still not themed to an IP. While losing original attractions and lands isn't a good thing, at least the park would be consistent about having lands inspired by IP rather than a park inspired by California with lands themed to California aspects of IPs.

I don't think this would be remotely viable given the prominence of the Grand Californian Hotel and the premium price it commands. Disney isn't gonna want to cheapen that experience or have to consider retheming the whole hotel to match the new land

This would also require the parks central icon to take some new form which would underscore the identity crisis even further. Plus you have the additional expense of trying to make changes to an area with extensive rockwork...

Yeah I don't see how this makes a lick of sense - all in the name of "IP consistency?" - does not compute on any level by my reckoning

 

[BrianLo]

I thought it would be contingent of DL Forward to take advantage of the extra space from the bus dropoff.

Sorry, that’s what I meant. ‘Parking garage’ was my oversimplification of the Eastern Gateway project.

 

[Professortango1]

I don't think this would be remotely viable given the prominence of the Grand Californian Hotel and the premium price it commands. Disney isn't gonna want to cheapen that experience or have to consider retheming the whole hotel to match the new land

This would also require the parks central icon to take some new form which would underscore the identity crisis even further. Plus you have the additional expense of trying to make changes to an area with extensive rockwork...

Yeah I don't see how this makes a lick of sense - all in the name of "IP consistency?" - does not compute on any level by my reckoning

Yeah, who would want to stay in a hotel room that overlooks Pandora? NOBODY ever said that they would love to live there.

If I want to stay at a hotel that looks into a natural wilderness, I'll just go to Yosemite. People are at Disney because they want fantasy.

And Grizzly Peak was abandoned as the park's icon. It never caught on the way the Fun Wheel and Carthay Circle Theatre have. Most people think its a wolf.

 

[Disney Irish]

Then I won't spend my money there.

I’m not sure many hold your same convictions on this topic.

 

[Professortango1]

@Professortango1 just to show you I wasn’t trying to be rude or dismissive here is our last conversation about this subject from November 2023

View attachment 776887

No worries, I appreciate that. I didn't mean to be as snarky as it was.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

For those who are skeptical, compare this Blue Sky sketch for "Beyond Big Thunder" at Magic Kingdom with the new art for Avatar at Disneyland:

There's a reason one is so much more developed and detailed than the other - and it's not for the fun of it.

As always, reality never completely matches the concept art 100%, but this Avatar rendering isn't exactly speculative. Unlike Beyond Big Thunder, which is still also a very real project but whose attraction menu was (and maybe still is?) very much in flux at the time the image was released.

 

[BrianLo]

For those who are skeptical, compare this Blue Sky sketch for "Beyond Big Thunder" at Magic Kingdom with the new art for Avatar at Disneyland:

View attachment 776903


View attachment 776904

There's a reason one is so much more developed and detailed than the other - and it's not for the fun of it.

As always, reality never completely matches the concept art 100%, but this Avatar rendering isn't exactly speculative. Unlike Beyond Big Thunder, which is a very real project but whose attraction menu was (and maybe still is?) very much in flux at the time the image was released.

Here’s Animal Kingdom’s. It’s fairly baked concept art. Not perfect, but the broad details are the same

 

[mickEblu]

For those who are skeptical, compare this Blue Sky sketch for "Beyond Big Thunder" at Magic Kingdom with the new art for Avatar at Disneyland:

View attachment 776903


View attachment 776904

There's a reason one is so much more developed and detailed than the other - and it's not for the fun of it.

As always, reality never completely matches the concept art 100%, but this Avatar rendering isn't exactly speculative. Unlike Beyond Big Thunder, which is a very real project but whose attraction menu was (and maybe still is?) very much in flux at the time the image was released.

The most artistic liberty i see in the concept art is the fact that guests are walking around on the foliage and the ocean/ mountains off in the distance. Circled in red below. Other than that it seems doable even if it won’t likely be as grand or beautiful in real life.