News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

[mickEblu]

I just want to point out Josh's quote from his letter to Parks and Resorts division

"Yesterday’s announcement of an Avatar experience coming to the Disneyland Resort is just one example of this."

I think we can safely wind Bob's Disneyland comment as a nothing comment. To me that means they either don't know where it's going yet (likely) or it's DCA.

But again the use of Experience I don't love. Either it's a we don't know what it is fully yet... or it's nothing special. Or I guess it could be in flux between a land and an attraction still. Experience under-promises.

True “experience” under promises but even mentioning an Avatar anything coming will already have expectations high. If it was something small they should have just announced it when they were ready. If it’s something small now people can only be let down. With all of that said he did also say “version of” which is why the speculation of bigger lands/ attractions is being talked about.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

I’m worried this project will replace an existing thing at the resort like Autopia or Submarine Voyage or Grizzly Peak, unless this project will be a replacement for the Star Wars Launch Bay or a part of the DisneylandForward expansion.

 

[D.Silentu]

Whatever this tuns out to be, and admittedly I am lukewarm about Avatar going into the parks, if it must come I have three criteria:
First, It must be efficiently placed, not taking over any current attraction space. Thankfully it seems this is something they are considering. Second, I do not want any kind of full land. Tempting as the aesthetics are, I would rather Avatar not take up so much space and exist as a contained experience. Third and finally, I do not want either of the attractions from Animal Kingdom. I've heard all the praise for Flight of Passage and while I wouldn't mind the ride system, I feel like California parks have been getting an 'other parks greatest hits' compilation of rides lately. I would prefer something original and hope that's what they have in mind.

 

[mickEblu]

Whatever this tuns out to be, and admittedly I am lukewarm about Avatar going into the parks, if it must come I have three criteria: First, It must be efficiently placed, not taking over any current attraction space. Thankfully it seems this is something they are considering. Second, I do not want any kind of full land. Tempting as the aesthetics are, I would rather Avatar not take up so much space and exist as a contained experience. Third and finally, I do not want either of the attractions from Animal Kingdom. I've heard all the praise for Flight of Passage and while I wouldn't mind the ride system, I feel like California parks have been getting an 'other parks greatest hits' compilation of rides lately. I would prefer something original and hope that's what they have in mind.

Agree with point # 1.

I also agree with point # 2 except for 2 places. I’d take a land or mini land as part of an Eastern gateway expansion or on the DCA side of Disneyland Forward. Anywhere else at DLR I’d prefer a single ride.

As for point # 3, I’m good with a plussed up NRJ for DCA. Most of us have been saying we want a boat ride in DCA for years. I think FOP would be kind of redundant in DCA proper but I’d probably give it a pass across the street in the Simba lot.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Agree with point # 1.

I also agree with point # 2 except for 2 places. I’d take a land or mini land as part of an Eastern gateway expansion or on the DCA side of Disneyland Forward. Anywhere else at DLR I’d prefer a single ride.

As for point # 3, I’m good with a plussed up NRJ for DCA. Most of us have been saying we want a boat ride in DCA for years. I think FOP would be kind of redundant in DCA proper but I’d probably give it a pass across the street in the Simba lot.

I think a Pandora land in Disneyland should be on the Disneyland Park side of the resort.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Agree with point # 1.

I also agree with point # 2 except for 2 places. I’d take a land or mini land as part of an Eastern gateway expansion or on the DCA side of Disneyland Forward. Anywhere else at DLR I’d prefer a single ride.

As for point # 3, I’m good with a plussed up NRJ for DCA. Most of us have been saying we want a boat ride in DCA for years. I think FOP would be kind of redundant in DCA proper but I’d probably give it a pass across the street in the Simba lot.

This is a great point. There's really nothing like NRJ at DCA and it would really benefit the park by rounding out the offerings and adding an attraction that's accessible for everyone.

River Journey isn't perfect, but it's precisely the sort of ride Disney fans say they want more of (though many have chosen to complain about it nonstop instead ). It's also a ride that they could greatly improve with a few small but thoughtful tweaks from a team that knows what they're doing.

Then again, I imagine even a direct clone would be better received out here than at DAK because DLR actually has ride capacity and the waits (hopefully) wouldn't hover around an hour the way they often do in Florida.

I wouldn't say no to FOP necessarily, but I really don't think the resort needs another simulator. ESPECIALLY if Pandora ends up being built in Disneyland proper.

 

[celluloid]

River Journey isn't perfect, but it's precisely the sort of ride Disney fans say they want more of (though many have chosen to complain about it nonstop instead ). It's also a ride that they could greatly improve with a few small but thoughtful tweaks from a team that knows what they're doing.

Capacity being good would be a change that would improve the experience 50 to 100 percent. The boat design was a bad choice.

 

[mickEblu]

I think a Pandora land in Disneyland should be on the Disneyland Park side of the resort.

Why do you feel that way?

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Why do you feel that way?

So DCA doesn’t have a land that would be considered "out-of-theme".

 

[Californian Elitist]

So DCA doesn’t have a land that would be considered "out-of-theme".

Too late.

 

[D.Silentu]

An idea occurred to me; apologies if this has been mentioned but missed by me. A reimagined Tomorrowland was supposedly close to being announced back at D23. Among the reasons discussed for their reluctance was the failure of Lightyear, which had a thematic role to play in the redesign. Have they now found their anchor sci-fi franchise? I wouldn't think the whole land would take aesthetic inspiration from Avatar, but it may fill in the gaps intended for Lightyear. Iger certainly would have buried the lead if this is the case and I acknowledge it's a long shot. However, food for thought.

 

[marni1971]

If it was something small they should have just announced it when they were ready.

We know that. But this is a company currently desperate for good PR with its core fans. I’m as intrigued and as concerned as anyone else.

 

[mickEblu]

We know that. But this is a company currently desperate for good PR with its core fans. I’m as intrigued and as concerned as anyone else.

True but if it’s a small experience it’s only good PR until the real news drops. After reading everything Iger said I’m starting to think he used the word experience to not spoil the announcement of it being a land and/ or ride. The “version of Avatar” coming means it should be at least a mini land and one ride.


From the article… “It was also heavily implied that this addition will be made without a loss in capacity to other attractions, as that was the core focus of the discussion at the time.” Granted heavily implied might be a stretch but it was during that part of the conversation. Of course we could be reading way too much into all this but let’s just play along. If it’s a “version of” Avatar coming (which implies something substantial) and we’re not losing capacity I don’t see how it goes inside Disneyland but I’m also bias as I don’t want them tinkering with Disneyland and also think any significant additions should go to DCA. All this to say, I’m intrigued and concerned as well but leaning more toward intrigued.

 

[BrianLo]

The more I think about it, the more I think it is probably somewhat meaty... but something Bob came up with, probably in a discussion with Josh no more than a few weeks ago. Hence 'something' is coming. Just like Bob announced Pandora all those years ago before Imagineering had even heard or started on it.

Likely with a brief conversation that they can't just clone Pandora and want to include a bit more related to the sequels. I doubt we'll see progress on this until fiscal 2025.

Meanwhile I hope and assume Bob will be somewhat down with forging ahead on the Marvel E-ticket. I think that's one of Iger's 'legacy' things he cares about enough to keep it moving.

 

[CaptinEO]

The more I think about it, the more I think it is probably somewhat meaty... but something Bob came up with, probably in a discussion with Josh no more than a few weeks ago. Hence 'something' is coming. Just like Bob announced Pandora all those years ago before Imagineering had even heard or started on it.

Likely with a brief conversation that they can't just clone Pandora and want to include a bit more related to the sequels. I doubt we'll see progress on this until fiscal 2025.

Meanwhile I hope and assume Bob will be somewhat down with forging ahead on the Marvel E-ticket. I think that's one of Iger's 'legacy' things he cares about enough to keep it moving.

Probably this, reminds me of July 2020s too soon announcement.

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

I would imagine either a pretty detailed walk through attraction with creatures, flora and fauna from the Avatar universe,

Given the popularity of Villains Grove at Oogie Boogie Bash, I could easily see a quick conversion of Redwood Creek Challenge Trail to a similar walkthrough themed to Avatar - all glow in the dark paths. (Kills theming cohesion of the land/park of course, but would be a fast, cheap way to create an "Avatar experience" in an area that otherwise doesn't generate a ton of traffic or $$$.)

 

[celluloid]

The more I think about it, the more I think it is probably somewhat meaty... but something Bob came up with, probably in a discussion with Josh no more than a few weeks ago. Hence 'something' is coming. Just like Bob announced Pandora all those years ago before Imagineering had even heard or started on it.

They wanted to announce something while the sequel box office was on every shareholder's minds as a hit.

 

[Stripes]

I think a Pandora land in Disneyland should be on the Disneyland Park side of the resort.

I do too. Pandora perfectly straddles fantasy and tomorrow. I know some (including myself to a degree) don’t want IP-based lands in Disneyland. But, it makes a lot more sense to me for it to go to Disneyland theme-wise and for capacity reasons. But that’s just me.

 

[No Name]

Riddle me this… how is Avatar 2 poised to become the third-highest grossing film of all time today, and yet nobody has ever shown up to @TP2000 ’s door on Halloween dressed as a Na’vi? Impossibru!!

Avatar is not an impactful franchise.

Avatar is dead in the water.

Tough stuff.

 

[TP2000]

Riddle me this… how is Avatar 2 poised to become the third-highest grossing film of all time today, and yet nobody has ever shown up to @TP2000 ’s door on Halloween dressed as a Na’vi? Impossibru!!

Trust me, I'm going to be waiting with Reese's baited breath this October 31st to see if the kids finally show up as blue aliens!