News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland Resort

BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
Locations can and do change. Especially since I think Pandora is still somewhat a bit earlier in the design process than alluded to. It was only really started from scratch in Jan 2023.

But I think given the recency of multiple sources spilling details on the land, that were really quite quickly verified by Disney indirectly with the new concept art, it's a bit foolish for us to speculate that it has moved. We'd need something a bit more concrete other than well wishes.

Pandora's connection to DL Forward was always tied into the Eastern Gateway project. So while Bob mentions it as tied to DL Forward, a project like Avengers, that theoretically should launch first, is clearly not.
 
MagicWDI

MagicWDI

Well-Known Member
But the Eastern Gateway was never truly dependent on any rezoning proposals included in DisneylandForward. I mean, the project, albeit the smaller project that kept the former ICE building intact, was already rolling back in 2017. It would've been finished years ago if it wasn't cancelled (scary thought, indeed) due to pushback. The expanse pad for Hollywood Backlot was already in the works and would've been ready for any expansion by now. If Avatar was slated for this spot (not saying it is or isn't, was or wasn't) it could've gone thru even if the DisneylandForward rezoning didn't happen.

But now... now we have the possibility of an even bigger Avatar experience and the Hollywood Backlot expansion pad could be used for... Zootopia maybe? Just spit balling here.
 
M

MistaDee

Well-Known Member
Ismael Flores said:
I think a hint could have been something Bob said several days back.

He said something about Avatar going to Anaheim but the size of the experience would be determined depending on whether disneyland forward was approved.

That statement sounded like no matter what they wanted to get Avatar in the parks. Problem most likely was that the area for it was not large enough for what they wanted to do.

The Disneyland forward approval now gives them the option to still build the land at an expanded footprint since the shuttle area can now be relocated as soon as the new shuttle area is built. They can do that before the parking structure is even finished.

If that is the case it will be interesting to see how quick they move on building the pedestrian bridge over Harbor because that would be a key element. The new shuttle area can be built fairly quick since it is mostly flat construction work on an existing parking lot
Click to expand...

Yeah I think you're right on the money, will be interesting to see where construction begins.

MagicWDI said:
But the Eastern Gateway was never truly dependent on any rezoning proposals included in DisneylandForward. I mean, the project, albeit the smaller project that kept the former ICE building intact, was already rolling back in 2017. It would've been finished years ago if it wasn't cancelled (scary thought, indeed) due to pushback. The expanse pad for Hollywood Backlot was already in the works and would've been ready for any expansion by now. If Avatar was slated for this spot (not saying it is or isn't, was or wasn't) it could've gone thru even if the DisneylandForward rezoning didn't happen.

But now... now we have the possibility of an even bigger Avatar experience and the Hollywood Backlot expansion pad could be used for... Zootopia maybe? Just spit balling here.
Click to expand...

Isn't that "pushback" entirely the reason why DisneylandForward became such a carefully coordinated, marketed effort for Disney to work with Anaheim? From my limited understanding, the original Eastern Gateway plan still needed approvals from Anaheim that have now been folded into DisneylandForward.

So it's not entirely accurate to say it wasn't dependent on rezoning proposals specifically when it's more about Disney's overall strategy for managing the city of Anaheim and its constituents, which is much of what DisneylandForward represents.

britain said:
They also might be waiting for good news on the Marvel movie front to THEN say, “And we’re making progress on the E-Ticket!”

Way of Water was like the last box office hit they’ve had.
Click to expand...

This is my suspicion as well - seems like a very short-sighted way to manage very long-term park investments but maybe they're just hoping for the "synergy" an attraction announcement for a big box office Marvel film might provide DIS on the stock market...
 
MagicWDI

MagicWDI

Well-Known Member
MistaDee said:
Isn't that "pushback" entirely the reason why DisneylandForward became such a carefully coordinated, marketed effort for Disney to work with Anaheim? From my limited understanding, the original Eastern Gateway plan still needed approvals from Anaheim that have now been folded into DisneylandForward.

So it's not entirely accurate to say it wasn't dependent on rezoning proposals specifically when it's more about Disney's overall strategy for managing the city of Anaheim and its constituents, which is much of what DisneylandForward represents.
Click to expand...
I see this becoming a chicken and the egg scenario.

Let's just say this. If DisneylandForward did not pass, Disney could still move forward with an Eastern Gateway project. However, they could not continue with theme park expansion west of Disneyland Dr or retail into Toy Story.

So no, the Eastern Gateway is not dependent on DisneylandForward the same way the rest of the resort expansion is.

Disney conducted the whole process of the first project all wrong (as well as with the 4-star hotel announcement at the same time the original Easter Gateway project was cancelled), but that doesn't mean this project needed DisneylandForward to pass. They could've later revived the project with better outreach and workshops, which they should've done from the beginning.
 
M

MistaDee

Well-Known Member
MagicWDI said:
I see this becoming a chicken and the egg scenario.

Let's just say this. If DisneylandForward did not pass, Disney could still move forward with an Eastern Gateway project. However, they could not continue with theme park expansion west of Disneyland Dr or retail into Toy Story.

So no, the Eastern Gateway is not dependent on DisneylandForward the same way the rest of the resort expansion is.

Disney conducted the whole process of the first project all wrong (as well as with the 4-star hotel announcement at the same time the original Easter Gateway project was cancelled), but that doesn't mean this project needed DisneylandForward to pass. They could've later revived the project with better outreach and workshops, which they should've done from the beginning.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think we're on the same page - just semantics at some point.

Was just trying to say that Disneyland Forward is the better outreach and workshop approach. It's not just the re-zoning, it's the affordable housing and cash payments etc that represent the new approach to relations with Anaheim.
 
A

AZDLR

Member
Ismael Flores said:
I think that if they intend to finally remodel tomorrowland it will most like not be until they go ahead and do the refurb for Autopia ride. They would probably like to close a good section of the land and work from there.

Didn't Disneyland forward proposal also state that the investment minimum has to be used for entertainment that would increase attendance and capacity? So I wonder if doing a layover on rides would even justify increase capacity unless they also add another attraction. I just really hope it is not Tron. The ride looks like fun but it really seems short
Click to expand...
The problem is any TL refresh where there is an Autopia is going to be a disappointment. That ride is never going to be tomorrow again unless the cars are flying and it takes up way too much land for a ride people are not excited for. If you wipe out Autopia and shorten the Monorail to just around the perimeter of the space you free up a ton of real estate. Take out the dumb Nemo subs ride and wipe out that wasted space building used to meet star wars characters and you have a massive transformation which is what TL really needs. Personally I would love Avatar and Tron because they both will not be aged out like the current rides. I do agree however that a longer version of Tron is needed. Rode it for the first time at MK and it was awesome but way too short.
 
D

DCBaker

Premium Member
Original Poster
Concept art for Avatar:

DLR_Avatar_Experience_Aerial-1536x866.jpg
DLR_Avatar_Attraction-scaled.jpg
GUqzHkeWQAA5fO4.jpeg
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom