AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

A big component of this is merchandise sales. Yes, it's very possible that the 2nd and 3rd movies turn this around, and this is a rare instant of Disney getting on the bandwagon before something exploded, but right now it doesn't seem to be the case. A simple search of walmart.com yields the following:
Searches:
"Star Wars": 1071 results
"Harry Potter": 353 results
"Iron Man": 271 results
"Avatar": 111 results (many of which are Avatar the Last Air Bender)

Also, note that most of the Avatar (not the Last Air Bender one!) merch on Amazon is on clearance. There were figures of the characters for like, a $1.99.

Wonder how many Star Wars figures get clearanced down to that price?

 

[George]

So...am I the only one who wants Avatarland in DAK and SW land in the Studios? I feel like we're talking about all these things like they're mutually exclusive. I think both franchises are close to perfect fits for each park. I would hope that the quality of theme park experience will generate local merchandise sales in the world. I'm not sure if there is any argument on the fact that SW, HP, and LoTR are the big 3 with respect to possible TP franchises at the moment....I have yet to see an argument to make me think that visiting Pandora won't be fun and immersive. I'm completely cool with this being the fantasy animal element of the park and think it may come out better thanks to JC's involvement. For the record, I'd also be cool with BK...A lot of the other things I've seen talked about don't work as well.

 

[Uncle Remus]

A big component of this is merchandise sales. Yes, it's very possible that the 2nd and 3rd movies turn this around, and this is a rare instant of Disney getting on the bandwagon before something exploded, but right now it doesn't seem to be the case. A simple search of walmart.com yields the following:
Searches:
"Star Wars": 1071 results
"Harry Potter": 353 results
"Iron Man": 271 results
"Avatar": 111 results (many of which are Avatar the Last Air Bender)

And at the end of the day, that's what it's all about.

 

[dcibrando]

… Avatar is animated though … like almost all of it was done by animators on a computer. I don’t get people lol.



Then again you could do the same with any attraction at Disney. Not everything is built to sell merchandise.

With the Walmart search reference Monster Inc has 53, Haunted Mansion has 53, all but 5 being random movies that are not related at all to the Haunted mansion, Muppets has 102, Little mermaid 62. But then again Pirates of the Caribbean had over 5,900 which beats Star Wars (sorry guys)
I think we’ve learned that Walmart is not really a great source for data, or that Disney needs to build an entirely new Disney World based solely on Pirates of the Caribbean. Its definitely one of the two.

Ya know as odd as it may sound, a whole land themed to pirates etc would probably have more draw than Carsland

 

[twebber55]

This has been discussed to death, and to be frank Avatar doesn't have the same popular culture impact the Harry Potter, Star Wars, or even Star Trek have had. There's no references made to Avatar, no memories of the story line, the only thing that was memorable about that movie is it had great CGI and bought 3D movies out into the mainstream (for better or worse).

Nobody CARES about avatar, even if it "sold" incredibly well, it was there and now it's gone.

well DHS already has star wars and im sure more to come and HP is at universal i dont really see where these involve avatar

here are my reasons avatar can and will be successful
1. big following (#1 box office gross, web sites dedicated to it, other movies reference themselves to avatar)
2.theme of conservation fits perfectly, living in harmony with nature etc
3. incredible eye candy

same 3 could be said about cars land

as far as merchandise its not a kids movie so obviously toys and such arent going to be sold but its not like we will say well the theme was great the rides were incredible but they didn't have any cool shot glasses for sale

for the record im really over arguing this...nothing new can be added....i say give it a chance when it opens and then judge it based on the attraction(s) not on the movie...quality is more important than IP

 

[ctxak98]

Yoou know...people on here claiming that avatar is never talked about and not popular.....where is that coming from? Yeah it might not be as popular as star wars, harry potter or pirates...but its not even begun the process of story yet. Its only touched the surface of what the land is about and how it starts. If harry potter only made one movie...then it would not be succesful! And if I remember correctly from when I was younger, when the first harry potter movie came out there was merchandise but I didn't sell well...not much merch for harry potter outside of wwohp anymore IMO. Still merchandise yes but....you mainly find the good stuff at universal.

So really if disney wanted too....avatar could sell really well to the park guests. I'm not saying they will because none of us really know what the land will entail! And I agree walmart searches are not a good tool to use when making a point. And to whoever wrote star wars toys on sale or something along those lines...you would be suprised at how many actually go very cheap(both in the package and out) on the web or collector stores....my brothers a collector and that's how I know these things.

And lastly for those questioning the popularity pull of this land....I mean come on. Anything made in a disney park anywhere will be popular no matter what the heck it is! The point here is if we can find something that has some connection to the animal kingdom...that meets some creative criteria, then why not go with it over a new continent which will not be able to compete with universal at this point. It only makes sense! And I've seen the movie once remember every bit of the story so....if you can't remember it....its pretty sad if all you can recall is blue cats...which there were none of those in the movie.

So sorry for the rant but sometimes people on these forums make be crazy!!! But we are all entitled to our opinions as am I! I hope I don't get eaten alive now!

 

[twebber55]

Yoou know...people on here claiming that avatar is never talked about and not popular.....where is that coming from? Yeah it might not be as popular as star wars, harry potter or pirates...but its not even begun the process of story yet. Its only touched the surface of what the land is about and how it starts. If harry potter only made one movie...then it would not be succesful! And if I remember correctly from when I was younger, when the first harry potter movie came out there was merchandise but I didn't sell well...not much merch for harry potter outside of wwohp anymore IMO. Still merchandise yes but....you mainly find the good stuff at universal.

So really if disney wanted too....avatar could sell really well to the park guests. I'm not saying they will because none of us really know what the land will entail! And I agree walmart searches are not a good tool to use when making a point. And to whoever wrote star wars toys on sale or something along those lines...you would be suprised at how many actually go very cheap(both in the package and out) on the web or collector stores....my brothers a collector and that's how I know these things.

And lastly for those questioning the popularity pull of this land....I mean come on. Anything made in a disney park anywhere will be popular no matter what the heck it is! The point here is if we can find something that has some connection to the animal kingdom...that meets some creative criteria, then why not go with it over a new continent which will not be able to compete with universal at this point. It only makes sense! And I've seen the movie once remember every bit of the story so....if you can't remember it....its pretty sad if all you can recall is blue cats...which there were none of those in the movie.

So sorry for the rant but sometimes people on these forums make be crazy!!! But we are all entitled to our opinions as am I! I hope I don't get eaten alive now!

thanks

i always laugh when people say it sucks and wasnt popular
two movies came out advertising/comparing themselves with avatar..if its so unpopluar than why do this...in fact the only place i ve read anything remotely negative about the movie is on a disney board

 

[djlaosc]

So...am I the only one who wants Avatarland in DAK and SW land in the Studios?

Can I have both in DHS and Mysterious Island added to DAK?

 

[twebber55]

So...am I the only one who wants Avatarland in DAK and SW land in the Studios? I feel like we're talking about all these things like they're mutually exclusive. I think both franchises are close to perfect fits for each park. I would hope that the quality of theme park experience will generate local merchandise sales in the world. I'm not sure if there is any argument on the fact that SW, HP, and LoTR are the big 3 with respect to possible TP franchises at the moment....I have yet to see an argument to make me think that visiting Pandora won't be fun and immersive. I'm completely cool with this being the fantasy animal element of the park and think it may come out better thanks to JC's involvement. For the record, I'd also be cool with BK...A lot of the other things I've seen talked about don't work as well.

man what you said i think is perfect...both are perfect fits for their respective parks..

 

[Magenta Panther]

COMPLETELY agree with you here... just take a look at avatar merchandise... oh wait ...and there's your sign

Bravo! Avatar is already old hat. And there's a difference between "old hat" and "classic".

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

thanks

i always laugh when people say it sucks and wasnt popular
two movies came out advertising/comparing themselves with avatar..if its so unpopluar than why do this...in fact the only place i ve read anything remotely negative about the movie is on a disney board

Wasn't Avatar one of the first CG films to use 3-D? That sure helped its box office. I thought Avatar was OK to good, but being a Sci-Fi fan, the plot was kinda generic, and the "characters" were kinda forgettable, sort of how you forget the other actors' characters besides Sigourney Weaver in the Alien movies.

Kids want to be Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia . . . they fantasize about fighting Darth Vader, but I don't think any of the teenage fans of Avatar are having daydreams about dying and having their mind put into a blue person? Also, Sigourney Weaver's character in Avatar smoked—I think parents groups and others won't take a liking to Avatarland if their kids go to this area of AK and then want to buy the film.

I can't really describe the backstory for any of the characters in Avatar, kinda remember, now that I think about it, that the paralyzed guy is now stuck in a blue person's body. They'll have to do a flash-back for Avatar 2 as I think most people forgot!

In terms of story, Avatar 2 will have to introduce some new characters, macho military guys no doubt, and I guess they'll have blue guys on the planet, but what besides having G.I. Joe fight the Smurfs, what else can they do for plot?

 

[ChrisM]

Wait, Magenta Panther doesn't like Avatar?

Holy s***. Who knew?!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

here are my reasons avatar can and will be successful
1. big following (#1 box office gross, web sites dedicated to it, other movies reference themselves to avatar)
2.theme of conservation fits perfectly, living in harmony with nature etc
3. incredible eye candy

Last time I checked, Disney doesn't own the rights to Avatar. I don't think the deal with Cameron is that Disney now gets the profits associated with Avatar, just that they would get to build Avatarland, and get a slice of any merchandise sold.

A Star Wars land would be pure profit for the company. I think Avatar 2 could flop, the 3-D craze is over, and Avatar as a film sort of is a self-contained story, not like Star Wars where Darth Vader flies off at the end and you get a sense of a bigger universe.

Oz and Alice had great eye candy, so do a lot of things in the computer generated world, just look at all the worlds of Star Wars. But recreating stuff, especially organic CGI stuff, is hard, doubt that Avatarland will make people feel like they are in Pandora. Putting up a rock archway and adding some funky looking plants doesn't sound terribly exciting to me.

 

[ctxak98]

Last time I checked, Disney doesn't own the rights to Avatar. I don't think the deal with Cameron is that Disney now gets the profits associated with Avatar, just that they would get to build Avatarland, and get a slice of any merchandise sold.

A Star Wars land would be pure profit for the company. I think Avatar 2 could flop, the 3-D craze is over, and Avatar as a film sort of is a self-contained story, not like Star Wars where Darth Vader flies off at the end and you get a sense of a bigger universe.

Oz and Alice had great eye candy, so do a lot of things in the computer generated world, just look at all the worlds of Star Wars. But recreating stuff, especially organic CGI stuff, is hard, doubt that Avatarland will make people feel like they are in Pandora. Putting up a rock archway and adding some funky looking plants doesn't sound terribly exciting to me.

so they build both and have to blockbusters on property! I don't get how this is relavent

 

[George]

Can I have both in DHS and Mysterious Island added to DAK?

I love the MI concept and wouldn't mind it in DAK. I don't think it works quite as well thematically as BK or Avland, but I wouldn't complain at all if they did this. My guess is that in DHS they're going to expand Pixar Place. I just hope they don't do it at a glacial pace and I've never understood the reticence to expand SW.

 

[ctxak98]

Wasn't Avatar one of the first CG films to use 3-D? That sure helped its box office. I thought Avatar was OK to good, but being a Sci-Fi fan, the plot was kinda generic, and the "characters" were kind of forgettable, sort of how you forget the other actors' characters besides Sigourney Weaver in the Alien movies.

Kids want to be Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia . . . they fantasize about fighting Darth Vader, but I don't think any of the teenage fans of Avatar are having daydreams about dying and having their mind put into a blue person? Also, Sigourney Weaver's character in Avatar smoked—I think parents groups and others won't take a liking to Avatar land if their kids go to this area of AK and then want to buy the film.

I can't really describe the backstory for any of the characters in Avatar, kind of remember, now that I think about it, that the paralyzed guy is now stuck in a blue person's body. They'll have to do a flash-back for Avatar 2 as I think most people forgot!

In terms of story, Avatar 2 will have to introduce some new characters, macho military guys no doubt, and I guess they'll have blue guys on the planet, but what besides having G.I. Joe fight the Smurfs, what else can they do for plot?

OH ! My! GOODNESS! I have never seen such backwards thinking. SERIOUSLY!? anyone who refers to it as GI joes fighting the smurfs clearly just doesn't want the area because YOU personally don't like AVATAR and don't want it there for YOUR personal reasons. I am sorry but Disney world is about bringing in enormous amounts of people and people with different tastes! so you don't like Avatar...fine but Don't bash it for the people that do! not everyone has to like everything!

I don't think kids necessarily want to become part of the NAVI but In terms of the planet in general yes I would say some people dream about living there or visiting Pandora...I mean its beautiful why wouldn't you!? The movie is not about dying and being transformed as you can be a normal human walking around on the planet too. Its about Preserving the environment and being connected with nature, which IMO is a very important message at this day and age with all the deforestation, global warming and other pollutants out there.

HONESTLY its not that bad of a movie people. Get over it! if you don't want to go to Avatarland once its completed, NO ONE IS FORCING YOU. Just saying!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

so they build both and have to blockbusters on property! I don't get how this is relavent

James Cameron would make the profits off of any Avatar film in theaters, meaning that Avatarland would be essentially advertising a non-Disney property, and one that might grab attention away from Star Wars. The only benefit to Disney would be higher attendance at AK, and perhaps they get a share of stuff sold in Avatarland, and that's it.

If the company wants to pump Animal Kingdom's attendance, there are other things they could do to draw in guests, such as by using some of their properties. I'd rather seem a "Brave" ride with bears and themed to medieval Scotland, or Australia-land, and there are probably hundreds of ideas they could pursue.

Bog Iger was freaked out about Potterland, and wanted to stick it to Universal that Disney could go out and buy a big name and turn it into a land. Meaning, the decision was made in haste, and was made to help WDW compete in Orlando. Iger is more a 'Universal' guy than a Disney guy, he obviously wasn't thrilled about Carsland, but I think Carsland shows the brass that Disney properties work just fine in the parks if given a big enough budget.

 

[michmousefan]

I can't really describe the backstory for any of the characters in Avatar, kinda remember, now that I think about it, that the paralyzed guy is now stuck in a blue person's body. They'll have to do a flash-back for Avatar 2 as I think most people forgot!

In terms of story, Avatar 2 will have to introduce some new characters, macho military guys no doubt, and I guess they'll have blue guys on the planet, but what besides having G.I. Joe fight the Smurfs, what else can they do for plot?

Cameron has said that the Avatar sequels will take place on Pandora (a large part of it in the oceans of Pandora; he's planning on doing underwater motion-capture) *and* on the other planets/moons in the whole Polyphemus (that's the big central planet of which Pandora is one of the moons) system. So he's got a rather large canvas to paint upon.

 

[ctxak98]

James Cameron would make the profits off of any Avatar film in theaters, meaning that Avatarland would be essentially advertising a non-Disney property, and one that might grab attention away from Star Wars. The only benefit to Disney would be higher attendance at AK, and perhaps they get a share of stuff sold in Avatarland, and that's it.

If the company wants to pump Animal Kingdom's attendance, there are other things they could do to draw in guests, such as by using some of their properties. I'd rather seem a "Brave" ride with bears and themed to medieval Scotland, or Australia-land, and there are probably hundreds of ideas they could pursue.

Bog Iger was freaked out about Potterland, and wanted to stick it to Universal that Disney could go out and buy a big name and turn it into a land. Meaning, the decision was made in haste, and was made to help WDW compete in Orlando. Iger is more a 'Universal' guy than a Disney guy, he obviously wasn't thrilled about Carsland, but I think Carsland shows the brass that Disney properties work just fine in the parks if given a big enough budget.

That's not the point. Things on property are not competing with eachother!? what!? Star Wars would help Hollywood studios and Avatar would help Animal Kingdom.

BRAVE first off does not fit well into Animal Kingdom and second....would not be popular enough to draw huge crowds. You have to think of the bigger picture and I am almost positive Avatar has more fans than Brave!

 

[twebber55]

Last time I checked, Disney doesn't own the rights to Avatar. I don't think the deal with Cameron is that Disney now gets the profits associated with Avatar, just that they would get to build Avatarland, and get a slice of any merchandise sold.

A Star Wars land would be pure profit for the company. I think Avatar 2 could flop, the 3-D craze is over, and Avatar as a film sort of is a self-contained story, not like Star Wars where Darth Vader flies off at the end and you get a sense of a bigger universe.

Oz and Alice had great eye candy, so do a lot of things in the computer generated world, just look at all the worlds of Star Wars. But recreating stuff, especially organic CGI stuff, is hard, doubt that Avatarland will make people feel like they are in Pandora. Putting up a rock archway and adding some funky looking plants doesn't sound terribly exciting to me.

might want to check again because they have the theme park rights

do you really think a man of camerons talent who made avatar 1 which made 2.8 billion (with a B) is going to fail?

thats why i compare avatar to carsland...great fit theme wise and great eye candy..nobody came out of alice and Oz like they did when they saw avatar

do you realize avatar made more money then the three star wars prequels combined? and i m not a star wars hater (im 40 grew up with it and like them)

to each his own but im looking forward to looking floating mountains, rock work, bioluminescent flora and fauna with a conservation message

just give a chance when it opens and then judge