News Avatar Experience coming to Disneyland

[Figments Friend]

No more an eyesore than a fake Swiss mountain or a giant LED lit Ferris wheel (from its backside).

The floating mountains are fiberglass molds mounted on giant steel girders themed as vines.

Yes, the Anaheim politicians like to claim that they've created a "World Class Resort District!", but the reality in most of that area is far from "World Class". West Anaheim's precious sightlines beyond the Ball Road Overpass from the ARCO station and Bedbug Motel North Maingate will survive that aesthetic onslaught of a Pandora Land expansion if it happens southeast of that intersection.

The Gorgeous World Class Resort Streetscape Before Pandora Ruins It By Rising Above That Days Inn (3.1 Stars On Google!).
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Looking closer at that Days Inn on the southwest corner of Ball Road and Disneyland Drive, I had no idea there were still motels in the 2020's that had those sticky polyester bed covers. It's a "2 Star" hotel, but even with those lowered expectations it's customers rate it 3.1 stars. Something tells me the sightlines to the west beyond that roaring overpass aren't going to be a problem for this place...

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Or, if Pandora goes in the Simba parking lot as part of DCA expansion across Disneyland Drive, here's the view it will impact looking north on Disneyland Drive. You can call this view a "World Class Resort Distric!" all you want, but it still doesn't make it worth worrying about.

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Oh my gosh….major flashbacks.
My second trip to Disneyland back in the early 2000s I actually stayed at that Days Inn.
The rooms look huge in that photo, and bright.
I can speak from experience that this is not the case!

I lived, but would not consider staying there again.
The Alamo Inn was BETTER, believe it or not!
Seriously, I’ve stayed there twice and had no issues.

-

 

[TP2000]

Oh my gosh….major flashbacks.
My second trip to Disneyland back in the early 2000s I actually stayed at that Days Inn.
The rooms look huge in that photo, and bright.
I can speak from experience that this is not the case!

I lived, but would not consider staying there again.
The Alamo Inn was BETTER, believe it or not!
Seriously, I’ve stayed there twice and had no issues.

-

Something tells me those bedspreads in the photo I posted were there when you checked in back in '02.

When my nephews were courting their now-wives, they would often stay at the Candy Cane Inn which they used as a base camp for SoCal adventures. I visited them there a few times, and it was actually quite nice. Very pleasant vibe and very clean.

There should always be a broad range of options and price-points for visitors to Disneyland. Not everyone can stay in the Mount Whitney Suite at the Grand Californian. A young family, or young couple, or single traveler just wanting a Disneyland fix needs an affordable option without staying in Fullerton.

But when folks start claiming that these budget motels around the park are somehow worthy of worrying about their sightlines and "Backside of Pandora" views, I can't help but chuckle. Heck, the Howard Johnson's has actually made a killing the last 20 years from their off-brand and Imagineering-UNapproved viewpoint of the Matterhorn! And God bless 'em for it, because I love that Mattercam!

 

[Door Coaster]

So, just dropping in - we're sure this is porting the Avatar land from WDW and not just a smaller thing?

 

[drizgirl]

So, just dropping in - we're sure this is porting the Avatar land from WDW and not just a smaller thing?

I think they would have used the word "land" in the announcement if that's what they were doing. "Experience" says something completely different to me.

 

[Californian Elitist]

So, just dropping in - we're sure this is porting the Avatar land from WDW and not just a smaller thing?

The only thing that has been confirmed is that this project will have the Avatar IP tied to it. That’s it.

We’ve gotten pretty much nothing beyond that.

 

[Magicart87]

Isn't "Experience" code for Meet and Greet? That with maybe an Avatar Yourself thing and merch opportunities... I really can't see them going all in on a ride right now.

 

[KingMickey13]

From how they are presented this, it’s almost certainly at least a ride.

 

[abaker1975]

Though in reality it doesn't matter - it would be nice if for once WDW could keep it's unique attraction. I look at Disneyland with its two parks and WDW with its four parks and really wish WDW's parks had the same attraction density. Disneyland is choc full already - WDW's parks are crying out for more capacity.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Though in reality it doesn't matter - it would be nice if for once WDW could keep it's unique attraction. I look at Disneyland with its two parks and WDW with its four parks and really wish WDW's parks had the same attraction density. Disneyland is choc full already - WDW's parks are crying out for more capacity.

WDW has plenty of unique attractions that aren’t found at the DLR.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

WDW has plenty of unique attractions that aren’t found at the DLR.

Yes I agree. While they aren’t as easy to go to because the parks are further apart and some parks could use more they definitely have a long list of rides not in DL.

 

[Dr.Cheeto]

It's not going to happen, but just throwing it out there that I'd so much rather have Tony Baxter's Jolly Holiday Mary Poppins ride concept or Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast than Avatar, especially within Disneyland park. I wonder if either of those ideas could fit within the Fantasyland Theater area.

 

[celluloid]

It would be a nice surprise of something different and knocking out of the park could be done,
but the realistic side of me based on company's recent efforts are at best we are getting a smaller cloned version of Pandora, possibly just Flight of Passage.

And at worst, we get something really off the wall that does not stick the landing.

 

[Henry Mystic]

I really hope it's Pandora with at least Flight of Passage.

 

[TP2000]

So, just dropping in - we're sure this is porting the Avatar land from WDW and not just a smaller thing?

Honestly, none of us have any clue. We're just sort of guessing based on smarmy PR wording from scripted executive statements.

From how they are presented this, it’s almost certainly at least a ride.

Yeah, I kind of think that too. But then, they're just so untrustworthy now. You can't trust them regardless of the otherwise normal English language they use in public statements and prepared remarks.

After all, this is a company that just described this basic hotel pool as "One-of-a-kind!"...

I mean, technically, I guess it is "one-of-a-kind" since maybe no other hotel pool has ever existed with those exact dimensions?

But should you really put your corporate reputation on the line like that? It could be a Sheraton in Myrtle Beach, from the looks of it.

It's not going to happen, but just throwing it out there that I'd so much rather have Tony Baxter's Jolly Holiday Mary Poppins ride concept or Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast than Avatar, especially within Disneyland park. I wonder if either of those ideas could fit within the Fantasyland Theater area.

Mr. Baxter's Jolly Holiday Mary Poppins ride could definitely fit in the Fantasyland Theater plot. It's about two acres. Or roughly 20,000 square feet smaller than the Small World ride warehouse building.

Wild Midnight Question: Look just south of the Fantasyland Theater on that Google Map above. Does the legal team at the Santa Fe Railroad, now the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, know that Disneyland still has a road labeled SF&DL Road?

That road was the original route of the trackbed of the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad that operated that route until 1966 when the addition of Small World pushed the park's boundaries north, and operated at Disneyland under that corporate sponsorship from 1955 until 1971 (when Santa Fe ended it's passenger service and switched to a cargo only railroad, and thus had no use for passenger PR).

 

[TP2000]

And at worst, we get something really off the wall that does not stick the landing.

For some reason, I like that scenario the best!

And can you imagine how much fun we'd have here making fun of it?!?

 

[Dr.Cheeto]

Maybe the Avatar Experience will end up being an indoor spinner ride like Mary Poppins in Epcot!

"Welcome recruits! Avatar 3 releases in 2 weeks and the visual effects aren't finished yet! Step into your giant Coffee Cups and whirl thru the Weta Workshop in a caffeinated work frenzy before James Cameron gets to the review meeting! And watch out for those union busters out there- won't be getting any OT for those extra hours worked if they catch you. Oh yeah, and one more thing- good luck out there!"

 

[CaptinEO]

Based on the company's stock prices I expect a Navii Churro Cart in Tomorrowland.

 

[Suspirian]

Based on the company's stock prices I expect a Navii Churro Cart in Tomorrowland.

Blue Navi sticks with cream!

 

[Phroobar]

Blue Navi sticks with cream!

 

[chadwpalm]

Based on the company's stock prices I expect a Navii Churro Cart in Tomorrowland.

It is kinda funny that as soon as Avatar 2 was a hit they latched on to it and mentioned it pretty quickly. Still no updates to what the new Marvel ride will be, especially since the Marvel movies haven't been doing very fantastic dollars-wise.