AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[El Grupo]

I believe that Hollywood Studios should celebrate iconic times of Hollywood or genre's of movies. By doing so could transport the user to the iconic time and place.

The entry sequence and sunset boulevard accomplished this as well as any Disney park. Move the hat to outside the gates and that whole sequence works again.

Science Fiction - Star Wars and surrounding area - retheme the street where ABC commissary is located to a street of Mos Eisley and turn the commissary into the Star Wars Cantina. Finish the backsides of the Endor set pieces and put Jedi Training Academy in the Sounds Dangerous studio and theme the outside to some ruins.

Adventure - Indiana Jones and Echo Lake lead in (I still believe they could add the forrest element around the lake and do a small area expansion toward the parking lot). Add an adventure raft ride... Viola! Adventure genre.

Muppet Studio - zany. Go with the original idea. Move Pizza Planet to its rightful place across the park to Pixar Place. Give me Gonzo.

Animation and Pixar Place become an over the top step into the world of animation. Add the monster's inc lobby and building, but a dark ride for families. Go nuts. Rediculous.

Backlot becomes a superhero area because of the residential look and the New York Street look. Natural fit.

Missing Comedy - Mystery - Drama - Lots of possibilities other then "hot set because we didn't want to spend the money to build the back side."

I like your concept. After completing the CA expansion/refurb, I can only hope that Disney will train their sights on DHS. Time to revisit the park's theme, put the working studio concept completely to rest and determine what will be the focus going forward.

Build upon and reinforce those elements that complement the theme and reinvent or replace those that do not support it.

Then give it a relaunch similar to what CA will experience this Summer.

DHS seems like it could have much more potential if given much of the same attention that the Anaheim park has received. Maybe a Lasseter will take the lead.

 

[OldAndBusted]

I just want to have fun

When Animal Kingdom first opened, Disney preached with an really heavy hand. Man is evil! Man must repent! It was really annoying. Thankfully, they've toned down that message a degree or two. They swapped from trying to beat this message into your head with a big hammer to a small ball-pean hammer. It's still annoying, but not as hard to ignore.

Now with a land/attraction based on the Avatar film, I see Disney returning to this old tired message. Man is evil, man must repent. This kind of thing is tiring. We come to WDW to be entertained, not browbeaten. Speaking of which - isn't Habit Heroes about the worst thing Disney has done in ages? I can't imagine anybody happily planning to visit this new "attraction". "Wow Mom, can we go see the attraction where we're nagged to brush our teeth everyday? I want to do that first!"

 

[imagineer boy]

Yeah i think the Nostalgia Critic summed up that cliche message just perfectly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTg5Ldqm8ME

 

[Prototype82]

-sigh- Is there really a rumor of cancellation? I know universal could make Avatar come to life but let's face it. Maybe Disney isn't capable. (ignore my ranty mood)

 

[TRIFORCE89]

How reliable is the Disney Gossip blog? A couple of interesting rumours on there the last few days. Might not be true, but fun to read all the same.

- Avatar possibly shelved from Animal Kingdom, with Australia being developed instead
- Instead of Animal Kingdom, Avatar would be headed either to Aulani (huh?) or a Tomorrowland update at California and Florida (which would be the cloned version of course) dependent on the success of Fantasyland and Carsland

 

[Tom]

How reliable is the Disney Gossip blog? A couple of interesting rumours on there the last few days. Might not be true, but fun to read all the same.

- Avatar possibly shelved from Animal Kingdom, with Australia being developed instead
- Instead of Animal Kingdom, Avatar would be headed either to Aulani (huh?) or a Tomorrowland update at California and Florida (which would be the cloned version of course) dependent on the success of Fantasyland and Carsland

DG.com appears to be a nice assembly of copy/paste from stuff the writer read on forums like this one.

People are jumping to the conclusion that Avatar has been shelved, simply because Disney hasn't talked about it since the announcement. My opinion is that Disney really should have planned this out a tad better. If they wanted to tease everyone with the information, they should have at least pulled an all-nighter with Peter Ellenshaw to give us SOMETHING to look at. I just feel Disney was a tad premature in announcing something like this....in today's society, where we require instant gratification and have access to the world through our keyboards.

 

[NoChesterHester]

DG.com appears to be a nice assembly of copy/paste from stuff the writer read on forums like this one.

People are jumping to the conclusion that Avatar has been shelved, simply because Disney hasn't talked about it since the announcement. My opinion is that Disney really should have planned this out a tad better. If they wanted to tease everyone with the information, they should have at least pulled an all-nighter with Peter Ellenshaw to give us SOMETHING to look at. I just feel Disney was a tad premature in announcing something like this....in today's society, where we require instant gratification and have access to the world through our keyboards.

They tried to get ahead of the story without having a story.

 

[Tom]

They tried to get ahead of the story without having a story.

Exactly.

You don't go dangling a carrot like that unless you have bits of carrot in your pocket to at least offer up. Disney should know better than that by now.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So as details of forward progress on this land trickle out, the conversation can shift towards what we would like to see in this land in terms of an attraction mix.

I really don't think the Carsland model (1 Mega-E ticket, 2 C-Tickets) will work with World of Avatar. If the budgets are comparable, I would think that 1 thrill ride and 1 non-thrill ride in the D/E range are probably a much better bet. I think the visuals of the land will be a draw, but I also think that if those of us that are indifferent towards Avatar want to enjoy the land, we also need to be sold on the attractions themselves. I don't think attractions of the scope of Flying Tires or Junkyard Jamboree would likely cut it. Those appear to be geared more towards children while World of Avatar likely won't be.

As for ride systems, I'd love to see something new. There's always the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride system for a family ride, and we've seen other concepts like the track switching attraction that wasn't created by Disney (the samples were done with Star Wars in mind). There was also the concept of the suspended cable car system that seemed to have a substantial range of motion.

Personally, I'd love to see a multi-dimensional coaster, but I'm not sure DAK needs something that intense.

In short, I think we need to see ride systems that haven't been seen before (or at least not stateside). Unless it's the 3rd ride in the land, I don't think a standard omnimover or heavily themed C-ticket (like Carsland) is really the way to go. I would much rather see quality over quantity here.

 

[GrumpyFan]

James Cameron has stated that he would like to see some kind of flying attraction, because that's one of the things people liked most about the movie. A variant of the technology used for Soarin' might be a possible solution, but I've heard rumor that this was nixed. I agree though, at least 1 E-class attraction, and a C-class is what I would expect to see. I can envision an attraction with some sort of flying involved as in the movie, but I really don't know what else they could base an attraction on from the movie, unless perhaps they look into the story/scenes from the forthcoming movies. I have read that Cameron wants to explore the oceans of Pandora in the next one. This could yield some new material for an attraction.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I was thinking about the oceans aspect, too. We know we're exploring Pandora's oceans in at least one of the sequels, and we know Cameron loves deep-sea diving. Maybe a subs ride? It would be completely different from anything else at DAK, and it's always nice to have a lagoon in your land. I wonder if WDI could improve the ride system to make it accessible and improve the capacity/throughput of the original subs if they had the chance to start from scratch?

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

I wonder if WDI could improve the ride system to make it accessible and improve the capacity/throughput of the original subs if they had the chance to start from scratch?

I think they already have at TDS.

 

[MichWolv]

I think they already have at TDS.

Completely different ride system, but it does serve the purpose of an accessible faster loading "submersible".

 

[Bairstow]

So as details of forward progress on this land trickle out, the conversation can shift towards what we would like to see in this land in terms of an attraction mix.

I really don't think the Carsland model (1 Mega-E ticket, 2 C-Tickets) will work with World of Avatar. If the budgets are comparable, I would think that 1 thrill ride and 1 non-thrill ride in the D/E range are probably a much better bet. I think the visuals of the land will be a draw, but I also think that if those of us that are indifferent towards Avatar want to enjoy the land, we also need to be sold on the attractions themselves. I don't think attractions of the scope of Flying Tires or Junkyard Jamboree would likely cut it. Those appear to be geared more towards children while World of Avatar likely won't be.

As for ride systems, I'd love to see something new. There's always the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride system for a family ride, and we've seen other concepts like the track switching attraction that wasn't created by Disney (the samples were done with Star Wars in mind). There was also the concept of the suspended cable car system that seemed to have a substantial range of motion.

Personally, I'd love to see a multi-dimensional coaster, but I'm not sure DAK needs something that intense.

In short, I think we need to see ride systems that haven't been seen before (or at least not stateside). Unless it's the 3rd ride in the land, I don't think a standard omnimover or heavily themed C-ticket (like Carsland) is really the way to go. I would much rather see quality over quantity here.

Won't Universal's exclusivity contract for KUKA-based attractions have expired by the time Disney's ready to break ground on this thing?
Most people seem to agree that Forbidden Journey only scratched the surface of what robocoasters will eventually be capable of.

 

[stitch2008]

Won't Universal's exclusivity contract for KUKA-based attractions have expired by the time Disney's ready to break ground on this thing?
Most people seem to agree that Forbidden Journey only scratched the surface of what robocoasters will eventually be capable of.

I dont agree. I think robocoaster concept as a whole really doesn't have much in the way of legs. I WOULD agree if big guys like Intamin, Vekoma, Mack, and Premier were trying to figure out a way to create that kind of ride themselves. But from every indication, they have avoided the concept like the plague. :shrug:

 

[Bairstow]

I dont agree. I think robocoaster concept as a whole really doesn't have much in the way of legs. I WOULD agree if big guys like Intamin, Vekoma, Mack, and Premier were trying to figure out a way to create that kind of ride themselves. But from every indication, they have avoided the concept like the plague. :shrug:

None of the companies you listed have any expertise in robotics, particularly high-articulation industrial arms such as make robocoasters possible. They may be "big boys" in the traditional coaster and amusement ride industry, but when it comes to something with the complexity of Forbidden Journey they would be way out of their depth. Fanuc or ABB would be the ones to watch, though Kuka has a formidable array of patents that will keep them in the lead for quite a while.

 

[NoChesterHester]

So as details of forward progress on this land trickle out, the conversation can shift towards what we would like to see in this land in terms of an attraction mix.

I really don't think the Carsland model (1 Mega-E ticket, 2 C-Tickets) will work with World of Avatar. If the budgets are comparable, I would think that 1 thrill ride and 1 non-thrill ride in the D/E range are probably a much better bet. I think the visuals of the land will be a draw, but I also think that if those of us that are indifferent towards Avatar want to enjoy the land, we also need to be sold on the attractions themselves. I don't think attractions of the scope of Flying Tires or Junkyard Jamboree would likely cut it. Those appear to be geared more towards children while World of Avatar likely won't be.

As for ride systems, I'd love to see something new. There's always the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride system for a family ride, and we've seen other concepts like the track switching attraction that wasn't created by Disney (the samples were done with Star Wars in mind). There was also the concept of the suspended cable car system that seemed to have a substantial range of motion.

Personally, I'd love to see a multi-dimensional coaster, but I'm not sure DAK needs something that intense.

In short, I think we need to see ride systems that haven't been seen before (or at least not stateside). Unless it's the 3rd ride in the land, I don't think a standard omnimover or heavily themed C-ticket (like Carsland) is really the way to go. I would much rather see quality over quantity here.

Your synopsis is right on. Pandora is intriguing as a place, but as stated ad nauseum here as an IP Pandora doesn't yet have real chops. The attractions, theming, and imagery have to be truly compelling to have any staying power or pull.

I think at least one of the attractions need to have a bar raising new ride system. The other can be something we have already seen so long as it is compelling.

I'd love to see an indoor version of the generation 2 Pandora's box 3d coaster by Velkoma as the "flying" attraction stated so early on. Any variant of the Soarin' ride system will be a massive fail in my opinion.

As the other marquee ride I would hope to see a ground based attraction. Like Indy/Dinosaur's EMV through the jungle of Pandora wuth the climax being chased by one of those super predators. Too similar to Dinosaur? Maybe.

 

[Skibum1970]

Though the intensity might be a bit too much, one of the new B&M Wingriders would create the flying sensation. Theme it to riding one of the flying reptiles (Sorry, couldn't remember what they were) with swooping turns around obstacles such as towering rock formations. It could use a standard launch system to avoid disguising the lift hill. The coaster wouldn't have to have multiple inversions, or any inversions, but would benefit more from smaller hills and 90 degree turns.

 

[stitch2008]

None of the companies you listed have any expertise in robotics, particularly high-articulation industrial arms such as make robocoasters possible. They may be "big boys" in the traditional coaster and amusement ride industry, but when it comes to something with the complexity of Forbidden Journey they would be way out of their depth. Fanuc or ABB would be the ones to watch, though Kuka has a formidable array of patents that will keep them in the lead for quite a while.

The companies I mentioned could bring in people to help them create a robotic industrial arm if they desired. B&M has brought in consultants to help create their first LSM coaster. Intamin brought in people to help start their wooden coaster and dark ride brands. Vekoma has several WDI/Uni creative people working for them; which has led to their more unique product catalog.

Point is, the Intamin's and Vekoma's of the world can do everything Fanuc and ABB can do. They could come up with their own patented arm system and call it their own. You'd be surprised how many patented things in the industry are just spin offs of other patented things. And they could probably do it better. Thing is, they don't want to. They have all looked into the concept and don't buy into it. Vekoma is the only company who attempted anything close to a robocoaster when they made Pandoras Box. But no one was buying the idea, so they had to go back and redesign the entire thing.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the robocoaster. Many aren't. I just dont see it being pushed in the future.

 

[stitch2008]

Your synopsis is right on. Pandora is intriguing as a place, but as stated ad nauseum here as an IP Pandora doesn't yet have real chops. The attractions, theming, and imagery have to be truly compelling to have any staying power or pull.

I think at least one of the attractions need to have a bar raising new ride system. The other can be something we have already seen so long as it is compelling.

I'd love to see an indoor version of the generation 2 Pandora's box 3d coaster by Velkoma as the "flying" attraction stated so early on. Any variant of the Soarin' ride system will be a massive fail in my opinion.

As the other marquee ride I would hope to see a ground based attraction. Like Indy/Dinosaur's EMV through the jungle of Pandora wuth the climax being chased by one of those super predators. Too similar to Dinosaur? Maybe.

Pandora's Box 2.0 is a bit different from the promo video that's available. That's according to sources I have, cause no one except Vekoma and Efteling park in the Netherlands knows for sure what 2.0 looks like.

Apparently, the ride no longer has any of the robotic components that exist in the promo video. The new version is basically a ride car attached to a motion base. The base has the car roate 360', as well as various ranges of pitch and roll. That car and motion base is attached to a lift mechanism that can raise and lower the car. The rest is the same. The lift will move around a building and the ride car will stop at different cells. The advantage of this new version is that capacity is higher and there aren't as many moving parts. So it's cheaper, more reliable, more maintenance friendly, and has a higher capacity.

You say a Soarin ride would be a massive fail. I'm not so sure. I wouldn't say that till I hear some reports on Vekoma's I-Ride; which is basically Soarin. The apparent difference is I-Ride has a greater range of motion then Soarin. And it can be customized to do various other things. Personally, I think you've got a better chance of seeing PB 2.0 then I-Ride, but still.

Though the intensity might be a bit too much, one of the new B&M Wingriders would create the flying sensation. Theme it to riding one of the flying reptiles (Sorry, couldn't remember what they were) with swooping turns around obstacles such as towering rock formations. It could use a standard launch system to avoid disguising the lift hill. The coaster wouldn't have to have multiple inversions, or any inversions, but would benefit more from smaller hills and 90 degree turns.

Banshees. I think a Wingrider from B&M would be a great attraction if B&M would make some modifications. Getting sand inside the supports would reduce the roar that B&M coasters have. Id also like to see them cover up the train a little more so you couldn't see the ARD's hitting the train. B&M is close to making a launch coaster of their own. But I'm not sure if we'll see that here. It's possible though. I'm sure B&M would love to open their own launched coaster down the street from Hulk; considering how they feel about the Hulk's launch.