AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[G00fyDad]

There are no inherent issues with doing both at the same time (except for Uni using all the cranes in the southeastern U.S.

), but several people were saying the funds ear marked for Avatar were heading over to DHS for Cars. If, indeed, both are proceeding it may mean that Burbank is paying attention to Florida and sinking major money into WDW, which would be awesome.

I hope you're right, but the budget for Avatarland was initially 500 million. If they are only taking from that and not adding to it will that be enough for a proper Carsland/Incredibles Land? I would expect then to spend more than the 500 million on the DHS idea alone.

 

[aladdin2007]

Wait now... There is no denying that Soarin' is a slightly dated but beloved experience. If we are talking about a three dimensional version with more motion with digital projection at 60 fps and a full immersion queue with amazing show building - it absolutely will be a state of the art experience. IF we are talking 4K video... Holy cow.

True, IF. The ugly soarin queue is nothing to brag about. Hopefully they do something different if avatar is going to be the same style layout.

 

[G00fyDad]

I don't think this was ever supposed to be a Potter Swatter. Even though I'm not a fan at all of the HP movies, the theming of the area is great (except for being able to see the coaster) and FJ is awesome. The WWoHP will always attract a crowd, and it don't think it'll ever be swatted per se. It was a slam dunk for Uni. I don't think anything short of Beastly Kingdomme would be any kind of 'swat' at A.K.

What I think Disney can do, however, is to do a great rework of DHS. Give us a Pixar area with the Monsters Inc. coaster, RSR, move the B.A.H., get a new parade, and get this wonderful park up a notch. There are so many attractions/shows I like at DHS, but a make over would have me there more often, and for longer.

True. DHS has become a half day park for us. We do a morning at AK and then the evening at DHS. If they do even half the rumored additions then we'd make it a full day park.

 

[Tom]

I hope you're right, but the budget for Avatarland was initially 500 million. If they are only taking from that and not adding to it will that be enough for a proper Carsland/Incredibles Land? I would expect then to spend more than the 500 million on the DHS idea alone.

No.

 

[G00fyDad]

No.

I didn't think so either. If they intend to go with an expansion of DHS they need to put in at least a full 500 million, or more, to make it worth it.

 

[doctornick]

Wait now... There is no denying that Soarin' is a slightly dated but beloved experience. If we are talking about a three dimensional version with more motion with digital projection at 60 fps and a full immersion queue with amazing show building - it absolutely will be a state of the art experience. IF we are talking 4K video... Holy cow.

Agreed. I think people are far too quick to dismiss the Soarin' 2.0 ride. I think it's quite plausible for such an experience (especially with Cameron involved) to be a huge draw.

 

[RSoxNo1]

My timeline for improving the Animal Kingdom:

• April 1st, 2013: Take Dinosaur offline for 3 months. Fix broken effects, add new effects and figures, re-open as Countdown to Extinction/True-E ticket
• September, 2013: Re-Open Festival of the Lion King in Africa (not sure if that time frame is realistic) Begin construction of new mythical animal themed land on Camp Minnie Mickey Plot
• September, 2013: Close Maharajah Jungle Trek and Kali River Rapids. Maharajah Jungle Trek to be re-configured to a pathway that leads up into the area North of Asia, but also creates more room for a walking path back to Rafiki's Planet watch down the road. Kali River Rapids closes for as long as it takes to build additional track, also into the area North of Asia. Maharajah Jungle Trek re-opens with Giant Pandas, Red Pandas, Tigers, Komodo Dragons and the other offerings they currently have (feel free to bring back the Tapir).
• After re-opening of Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek, sometime in 2014: Close Expedition Everest to fix the Yeti and add new effects to the projection room and throughout the attraction. If it takes a year, so be it.
• 2016/2017: Mythical animal land opens with an Avatar E-ticket, and a family friendly mythical animal dark ride.

I suspect all of this can be done for less money than Carsland would cost.

 

[Tom]

My timeline for improving the Animal Kingdom:

• April 1st, 2013: Take Dinosaur offline for 3 months. Fix broken effects, add new effects and figures, re-open as Countdown to Extinction/True-E ticket
• September, 2013: Re-Open Festival of the Lion King in Africa (not sure if that time frame is realistic) Begin construction of new mythical animal themed land on Camp Minnie Mickey Plot
• September, 2013: Close Maharajah Jungle Trek and Kali River Rapids. Maharajah Jungle Trek to be re-configured to a pathway that leads up into the area North of Asia, but also creates more room for a walking path back to Rafiki's Planet watch down the road. Kali River Rapids closes for as long as it takes to build additional track, also into the area North of Asia. Maharajah Jungle Trek re-opens with Giant Pandas, Red Pandas, Tigers, Komodo Dragons and the other offerings they currently have (feel free to bring back the Tapir).
• After re-opening of Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek, sometime in 2014: Close Expedition Everest to fix the Yeti and add new effects to the projection room and throughout the attraction. If it takes a year, so be it.
• 2016/2017: Mythical animal land opens with an Avatar E-ticket, and a family friendly mythical animal dark ride.

I suspect all of this can be done for less money than Carsland would cost.

I would flip your last two bullets, then it would be pretty darn close. I wouldn't take EE down until the future land opens.

 

[Ignohippo]

Actually, most people here did call it a Potter Swatter. lol

I don't recall a single person calling Avatar a Potter Swatter. I remember people saying Iger ans Staggs clutching at straws trying to come up with a franchise that could be WDW's version of Potter, but I don't think anyone on these boards is delusional enough to think that Avatar could actually have any impact on Potter.

 

[Ignohippo]

Most people never called Avatarland a Potter Swatter to begin with. The fact is most things can't be called a potter swatter. Harry Potter is in a league only something like a Star Wars land is capable of doing and that means nothing at AK really can be called a "true" Potter Swatter.

The only logical place for a Star Wars Land is DHS at this point.

Isn't it ironic that they went after Avatar to be WDW's "Potter", now they have it in Star Wars and yet (according to insiders - which I absolutely do not believe) nothing is being done to bring it to the parks?!

Of course that wouldn't help AK anyway because SW doesn't fit there (neither does Avatar, but I digress). AK would be much better served with either Beastly Kingdomme or a mini-land of dark rides based on classic Disney animated films (Jungle Book, Lion King, etc.).

 

[misterID]

If they waste that plot of land on one Soarin ride... Errrr, just build the Mysterious Island/Beastly Kingdom hybrid already.

 

[articos]

My timeline for improving the Animal Kingdom:

• April 1st, 2013: Take Dinosaur offline for 3 months. Fix broken effects, add new effects and figures, re-open as Countdown to Extinction/True-E ticket
• September, 2013: Re-Open Festival of the Lion King in Africa (not sure if that time frame is realistic) Begin construction of new mythical animal themed land on Camp Minnie Mickey Plot
• September, 2013: Close Maharajah Jungle Trek and Kali River Rapids. Maharajah Jungle Trek to be re-configured to a pathway that leads up into the area North of Asia, but also creates more room for a walking path back to Rafiki's Planet watch down the road. Kali River Rapids closes for as long as it takes to build additional track, also into the area North of Asia. Maharajah Jungle Trek re-opens with Giant Pandas, Red Pandas, Tigers, Komodo Dragons and the other offerings they currently have (feel free to bring back the Tapir).
• After re-opening of Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek, sometime in 2014: Close Expedition Everest to fix the Yeti and add new effects to the projection room and throughout the attraction. If it takes a year, so be it.
• 2016/2017: Mythical animal land opens with an Avatar E-ticket, and a family friendly mythical animal dark ride.

I suspect all of this can be done for less money than Carsland would cost.

Well thought out! Need to take into account the crowds and seasons. Cannot take CTX offline for peak summer.

Regarding budgets, have to go back and do the math. Disney actually did say $500mm publicly for the original announced Avatarland. So let's speculate: a true E-ticket currently costs (generally, on average) $100m-300m, minimum. It's Avatar, and it's Cameron, so you're going to be in or exceeding the top end without a doubt, meaning your primary ride is coming in near to $300-350mm. That only leaves $150-200mm for everything else - retail, dining, additional attractions and theming. That's not including the license fees, which come from a different pot. Now you can get a sense for how much buys what. Especially if it ends up in DAK, where the theming is incredibly detailed = 2x cost. They'll exceed the $500mm I'm sure, but even there, I'm not expecting a full new land to the effect of Carsland or another Asia. The numbers just don't support it these days.

 

[twebber55]

Isn't it ironic that they went after Avatar to be WDW's "Potter", now they have it in Star Wars and yet (according to insiders - which I absolutely do not believe) nothing is being done to bring it to the parks?!

Of course that wouldn't help AK anyway because SW doesn't fit there (neither does Avatar, but I digress). AK would be much better served with either Beastly Kingdomme or a mini-land of dark rides based on classic Disney animated films (Jungle Book, Lion King, etc.).

in my opinion there is no potter swatter period... HP is that good and will bring in droves in 2015 when HP 2 opens.. and this is just my opinion but you have a star wars mini land now and a month dedicated to star wars its not like they re doing nothing.... i m sure when the next wave of SW movies comes out you ll start to see movement on a land... to me it still comes down to the attraction regardless of the IP

 

[RSoxNo1]

I would flip your last two bullets, then it would be pretty darn close. I wouldn't take EE down until the future land opens.

I would think that the addition of Giant Pandas would make up for Expedition Everest being closed.

 

[twebber55]

I would think that the addition of Giant Pandas would make up for Expedition Everest being closed.

i just dont see that.. maybe because ive been to the DC zoo multiple times and have seen them...im still someone who goes to DAK thinking its a theme park and not a zoo because im paying theme park type prices not zoo type prices

 

[RSoxNo1]

i just dont see that.. maybe because ive been to the DC zoo multiple times and have seen them...im still someone who goes to DAK thinking its a theme park and not a zoo because im paying theme park type prices not zoo type prices

When the Edinborough zoo added pandas in December of 2011, and the attendance jumped from 536K to 800K. The addition of Everest resulted in a 1 million guest boost in attendance to DAK. I don't think it's reasonable to expect a similar rate of growth that the Edinborough Zoo had, but the addition of Pandas is a big deal to a lot of people.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-20588563

 

[SirLink]

I would think that the addition of Giant Pandas would make up for Expedition Everest being closed.

Great idea, best see how Shanghai Disneyland does first to allow for easier/harder Chinese negotiations for the Pandas(incl. fees, royalties on merch based on their arrival, etc)

 

[twebber55]

When the Edinborough zoo added pandas in December of 2011, and the attendance jumped from 536K to 800K. The addition of Everest resulted in a 1 million guest boost in attendance to DAK. I don't think it's reasonable to expect a similar rate of growth that the Edinborough Zoo had, but the addition of Pandas is a big deal to a lot of people.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-20588563

IDk i see your point but we already have multiple zoos with pandas i think the increase would be marginal who knows..would love to see them there though

 

[DocMcHulk]

James Cameron Focusing on Getting Atavar 2 out in 2015

"I'm deep into it and I'm living in Pandora right now," Cameron told Play Goes Strong in a new interview. "There is that start up torque where you feel it's coming to you. Then you build up momentum. That's when it gets fun. The characters talk and it's writing itself. I'm almost there right now. It's building fast."
......
"Last year, I basically completely disbanded my production company's development arm," Cameron told the New York Times in May of last year. "So I’m not interested in developing anything. I'm in the 'Avatar' business. Period. That's it. I'm making 'Avatar 2,' 'Avatar 3,' maybe 'Avatar 4,' and I'm not going to produce other people’s movies for them. I'm not interested in taking scripts."

 

[twebber55]

James Cameron Focusing on Getting Atavar 2 out in 2015

sets up nicely for a 2016 theme park addition