AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[cheezbat]

These increases would be outrageous and unjustified.

Also, none of WDW's parks are worth $100 a day. That's not my opinion, it is a fact. There is no way to get $100 worth in a WDW park in one day.

While I think the current prices are outrageous at all central Florida theme parks, if I have to pay $100 to get in, the ONLY Disney park I would do so would be the Magic Kingdom. The other three are barely worth $50-$60 a day in my book.

What sickens me is that regional theme parks admissions range between $40-$60...and while I know they aren't up to Disney quality, most of them at least offer two or three times as many attractions as the Disney parks.

 

[Beholder]

Wonder what the tipping point will be? When a significant percentage gets priced out of WDW vacations? $100 for two or three people will have less impact, but for families of 4-6 or more, that's huge. And if nothing changes in terms of what's offered, then the "value" of that vacation will be scrutinized even more. Not questioning the right or wrong of it, or reasons, just wondering if/when attendance will start to drop?

 

[gindagonda]

Even though we liked the Casey Junior area, I agree that it's not as creative as it could have been. It's cute how the engine spurts steam about every 10 minutes(?) though. I like the idea of having two Dumbos and a more comfortable line, but overall that line and play area could also have been done better, in my opinion. I think the bathrooms and train station were done beautifully and I like that they added a lot of pretty landscaping and stone walls. I hope Avatar is done really well, unlike the darn Chester and Hester area. lol I also still shake my head every time I see the giant Mickey sorcerer hat blocking the view of the Chinese Theater in Disney Studios.

 

[RSoxNo1]

$100 prices or $100 value?

As a New England Patriots season ticket holder, I'm well aware of expensive sporting tickets. (Most expensive in the NFL!)

But how often do you hear people complain about how much it costs to go to a theater? Or a ball game? It's not right to use over priced tickets to justify other over priced tickets.

Except people are still willing to pay for them. The Patriots have an incredibly long waiting list for those season tickets. If you go to Green Bay, it's even longer. The Red Sox have sold out 800 consecutive games (so they say). There's demand for these things.

Disney feels that they essentially have the same waiting list that is willing to pay. If you and I aren't willing to pay anymore, they feel that they have a long waiting list of people who are. Time will tell whether they're right or not.

 

[rioriz]

Relative to other entertainment offerings the pricing makes sense. Theater tickets are more expensive or comparable, as are tickets to sporting events. Those entertainment offerings are 2-4 hours, compared to 8 hours + at a Disney park.

Excellent point...I cannot believe how much NFL and theater tickets are costing. A day at the ball park with food and drinks cost as much as a day in WDW does now and days

 

[rioriz]

$100 prices or $100 value?

As a New England Patriots season ticket holder, I'm well aware of expensive sporting tickets. (Most expensive in the NFL!)

But how often do you hear people complain about how much it costs to go to a theater? Or a ball game? It's not right to use over priced tickets to justify other over priced tickets.

Sorry but you hear it quite often from where I am at and in the news. ESPN just did an article complaining about the high cost of tickets in the league and that is why attendance is going down. In WDW ticket prices are going up and attendance is not being affected greatly

 

[Jedeye80]

Us from the rain lashed uk who don't visit as much will not really feel the day to day price difference that much.I go to watch my football team play ( Leeds United ) it cost me up to £34 for match ticket, £3 for a match day programme, £4.50 for a crappy burger and £3 a pint of beer. Now I wouldn't call Leeds entertaining and it only lasts 90 mins. I'm gonna guess in our money £££, a day ticket at Disney sets you back ££70-£80, I know which I'd rather be doing and my team is in the 2nd division!

 

[Jim Handy]

Sorry but you hear it quite often from where I am at and in the news. ESPN just did an article complaining about the high cost of tickets in the league and that is why attendance is going down. In WDW ticket prices are going up and attendance is not being affected greatly

Once a ticket hits triple digits its a whole different ballgame.

 

[fosse76]

Yeah, just move the world's second largest aquarium about 5 miles away...plus all of the thousands of fish...easy...

Where do you get that ranking? It's not even in the top 10.

 

[fosse76]

what? Disney can't have their own set of Fair rides? they obviously did it to fill up space in Dinoland, but whatever. i love the ride itself, it's supposed to be like that.

I think people misinterpret what Walt was trying to offer with Disneyland. Many of Disneyland's attractions were/are standard amusement park fare. Some of which are themed better than their industry counterparts, others only slightly differently themed. Disney was concerned about the OVERALL experience, not necessarily the individual themed attractions. Much of what was at Disneyland wasn't really unique. What was unique was the OVERALL experience. Disney didn't invent the dark ride, or the carousel, or the sky ride, or the spinner, or the boat ride. He wasn't adverse to putting things in as long as they conformed to the theme he was looking for. Even the Matterhorn was only themed on the outside until they refurbed it to theme the inside as well.

 

[bunnyman]

Relative to other entertainment offerings the pricing makes sense. Theater tickets are more expensive or comparable, as are tickets to sporting events. Those entertainment offerings are 2-4 hours, compared to 8 hours + at a Disney park.

Agree completely. Two tickets in nothing better than average seats to a Broadway musical cost +$300 for the pair. Try taking a family of four on a ski vacation. Lift tickets for adults are now running about $85 per day to the larger mountains, and since they have such a short season they really get you with lodging rates and on-mountain food costs (i.e. 20 oz bottles of soda or water running north of $6). Living in the NY area we are well aware that WDW prices are actually not that bad compared to the cost of entertainment around here. Heck, to park at Yankee Stadium sets you back at least $25, and unless you want to sit in the nose bleed seats, the prices are up there as well.

 

[asianway]

$100 prices or $100 value?

As a New England Patriots season ticket holder, I'm well aware of expensive sporting tickets. (Most expensive in the NFL!)

But how often do you hear people complain about how much it costs to go to a theater? Or a ball game? It's not right to use over priced tickets to justify other over priced tickets.

Charge $150 and give me a true Disney experience, ala TDR, stop nickel and dining me with cutbacks, price increases, and general stagnation.

Ps: how happy do you think TDO is that the TDR advertising blackout was inked into the contracts so many years ago?

 

[bunnyman]

$100 prices or $100 value?

As a New England Patriots season ticket holder, I'm well aware of expensive sporting tickets. (Most expensive in the NFL!)

But how often do you hear people complain about how much it costs to go to a theater? Or a ball game? It's not right to use over priced tickets to justify other over priced tickets.

Actually, several times we've used comparative costs for vacation packages and not just ticket vs. ticket. Generally, when we've gone to WDW we're taking advantage of room discounts (i.e. 25% to 30% off rack rates, etc.). We've sat down and done price comparisons of say a week at WDW or a week skiing at a resort. Not always mind you, but when we've broken it down WDW is generally not worse and is sometimes better than ski trips. I use skiing because that is our other major destination vacation annually. When you factor in meals, lodging, etc., I've found that WDW isn't that bad. Using the theater or ball game analogy, the ancillary costs for things such as food and souvenirs usually favors WDW.

These are food price samples at Yankee Stadium (and two years old to boot, so I’m sure they’re much more today):

11 oz beer, "souvenir" cup: $9-$11-$13
"foot-long", 5" hot dog: $5
Prime Rib Sandwich: $15
$9 burgers,
$7 milkshakes,
$10 pulled pork/chicken sandwiches,
$15 deli meat sandwiches,
$10.75 cheese steaks,
$5 fries,
$9 burritos
$5.50 hot dogs
$6.50 ice cream sundaes

Some recent WDW prices and mind you the items generally include side dishes that are extra at a ballpark:

BBQ Pork Sandwich - served with fries or apple slices $9.39
Deluxe 1/3-Pound Angus Cheeseburger - topped with bacon, onion rings, and barbeque sauce served with french fries or apple slices $9.69
Chilled Chicken Wrap - served with your choice of fries or apple slices $9.39
Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Gold Peak Iced tea, Apple Juice, Light Lemonade $2.59, $2.89

 

[bubbles1812]

But what you see as a problem in direction and vision (Casey Jr.) others see as a nice little addition, and have absolutely no problem with it. Almost every park has a little water play area somewhere in it, and Casey Jr. is probably one of the most elaborately themed. I say they did a good job. They could've just put a couple of water jets in the concrete shooting water up like at DL or Downtown Disney.

His point was that Casey Jr didn't have to just be "a nice little addition." I don't honestly have a problem with it in and of itself. It's fine. But seriously, can you not envision what they could have done instead? They could have gone the DLP route and made Casey into an actual working train. OR they could have put in another family friendly ride beyond Dumbo. Maybe a small water themed ride. But instead they settled on a small play area that will probably be replaced in about 10 years time after Disney realizes they don't want to deal with law suits from ridiculous parents anymore.

 

[bubbles1812]

Sorry but you hear it quite often from where I am at and in the news. ESPN just did an article complaining about the high cost of tickets in the league and that is why attendance is going down. In WDW ticket prices are going up and attendance is not being affected greatly

Not sure about that. While attendance hasn't fall it also hasn't really grown in approximately four years. The attendance increases have been so small to the point they are almost negligible. But...you are right that price hikes haven't decreased attendance at least. But there will be a breaking point. It's simply the law of economics regarding that and has been proven time and time again. And $100/day is certainly a big number for people to wrap their heads around. It'll be huge news when (not if, but when) they do that.

 

[threeyoda]

His point was that Casey Jr didn't have to just be "a nice little addition." I don't honestly have a problem with it in and of itself. It's fine. But seriously, can you not envision what they could have done instead? They could have gone the DLP route and made Casey into an actual working train. OR they could have put in another family friendly ride beyond Dumbo. Maybe a small water themed ride. But instead they settled on a small play area that will probably be replaced in about 10 years time after Disney realizes they don't want to deal with law suits from ridiculous parents anymore.

Ahh ok, now I understand.

 

[Lee]

I understand what you're talking about regarding the mission statement of the park, but to me a mythical animal is a mythical animal whether it's derived from Greek mythology or Cameron mythology. I don't feel that Cameron's creatures are any different than Lava Monsters or Giant Squids and I don't think any of those are much different than Dragons or Yetis.

I kinda disagree here...
Cameron's creatures are...how to put it...just not the same as a Yeti or a dragon of folklore or mythology. I see a difference between Cameron's "direhorse" and a "mythological" creature that has long been the subject of stories or myths, like a dragon, giant squid, yeti or unicorn.
Some creature Jim Cameron thought up a few years ago...nah...doesn't work the same for me.

I am eager to see what WDI can come up with for Avatar, but I would really like to see it going into another park.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I kinda disagree here...
Cameron's creatures are...how to put it...just not the same as a Yeti or a dragon of folklore or mythology. I see a difference between Cameron's "direhorse" and a "mythological" creature that has long been the subject of stories or myths, like a dragon, giant squid, yeti or unicorn.
Some creature Jim Cameron thought up a few years ago...nah...doesn't work the same for me.

I am eager to see what WDI can come up with for Avatar, but I would really like to see it going into another park.

Is it an different than the Lava Monster though? That (or another creature made up by imagineering) would have been the centerpiece mythical animal of a mysterious island land.

 

[dxwwf3]

I am eager to see what WDI can come up with for Avatar, but I would really like to see it going into another park.

When I first saw the movie, I couldn't help but think how perfect of a fit it was for the Animal Kingdom. As I have said before, I am looking more forward to this than anything since the New Tomorrowland of 94/95. Hopefully the budget will be what it should be and Disney can blow us away again.

 

[Lee]

Is it an different than the Lava Monster though? That (or another creature made up by imagineering) would have been the centerpiece mythical animal of a mysterious island land.

The centerpiece mythical amimal of Beastly would have been a dragon. Good old, reliable, been around for a thousand years dragon.
A lava monster wouldn't have worked at DAK, at least not for me. (Fine for TDS, though.)
A creature that was thought up by Jim Cameron five years ago...nope. Not mythological. No more than a T-100 is.