AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[RadioHead]

This is exactly what Animal Kingdom needs. It's perfect. Avatar is a tale of a lush land, fantasy creatures, environmental themes...It fits the bill perfectly. No lie, I have chills right now.

I still think at the end of the day, this land will only make this a 3/4 day park.

I still think there needs to be a new land (in the far future of course), that provides a few more dark rides, and some e-tickets. Because right now I can count the amount of attractions on my hands.

But no doubt this will be a HUGE step forward for AK. HUGE.

 

[bkgrim]

I can believe what I am reading. You people have spent 2 years witching and complaining about Disney not putting anything into the parks and they turn around and do it. But you not witch about what they might put in. Give them a chance. This might be a great place to put it and who knows you just might like it.

 

[wdwmagic]

I've heard a few reports claiming that the project will range from the 600-800 million mark. One article say's there are 2 routes. The 500M< range, and the 700M+ range. One going all the way out, while the other take a more conservative approach.

Anyone know any final figures?

From what Tom Staggs is saying they are still at blue sky, so not even close to getting a figure on the budget yet.

 

[S.E.A.]

How, pray tell, does Avatar fit with Epcot or Magic Kingdom?

Epcot is about technology on one side and world cultures on another. Both of which are a long stretch for Avatar.

Magic Kingdom turns up with nothing either. Turn of the century, the future, fantasy (generally fairy tales), colonial era, the wild west (featuring an Avatar-in-AK size stretch of Splash Mountain, I might add), and an ambiguous land which would appear to represent a variety of exotic locations on earth.

sounds pretty easy really, epcot is about the future, and mk has tomorrowland, avatar takes place in the future.

you could probably put pandora to replace the indy racers and have space mountain act as a sort of lift-off for the space ships travelling to pandora, a place of fantasy that leads in naturally to fantasyland.

 

[CTXRover]

Man, Pandora sounds great! I can't wait to go!
[Youtube]GBGDmin_38E[/youtube]

Thanks for posting this. I felt that this video shows the potential of this land and the beauty that could be recreated with enough money and resources. I have no idea what they have planned, but animatronic versions of any of those animals shown would be so cool on a ride or other experience. I didn't even remember all those creatures being in it.

 

[FigmentJedi]

sounds pretty easy really, epcot is about the future, and mk has tomorrowland, avatar takes place in the future.

you could probably put pandora to replace the indy racers and have space mountain act as a sort of lift-off for the space ships travelling to pandora, a place of fantasy that leads in naturally to fantasyland.

I don't see how the land of blue furries would blend with Fantasyland all that well.

 

[Captain Neo]

After reading the FAQ it sounds like these guys just made the deal and haven't even begun even blue sky work for the project yet. Don't expect to see anything Avatar related in the parks until the later half of this decade!

 

[RadioHead]

From what Tom Staggs is saying they are still at blue sky, so not even close to getting a figure on the budget yet.

Am I also right in assuming we won't see this land open until 2018 and beyond? Because in the Q & A he said that a project like this normally takes 5 years to construct.

Since it's scheduled to break ground in 2013, add 5, and you get 2018. Yikes that's a long way's away.

I don't even know if I'll be alive at that point.

 

[S.E.A.]

I don't see how the land of blue furries would blend with Fantasyland all that well.

the same way fantasyland and tomorrowland fits in together next to each other. if you have the world of Avatar as a full land in between those two, it'll be a smoother transition.

 

[Figment571]

If Avatar goes in Animal Kingdom, can we also have a Doctor Who/Torchwood sci fi, space time continuum for Epcot?

Hey well that franchise does have a million more times depth than Avatar. I have actually thought it would be a good fit for Disney. I mean it has a long history and was revived and is thriving. And you know, Fezzes are cool.

 

[CTXRover]

Am I also right in assuming we won't see this land open until 2018 and beyond? Because in the Q & A he said that a project like this normally takes 5 years to construct.

Since it's scheduled to break ground in 2013, add 5, and you get 2018. Yikes that's a long way's away.

.

He said 5 years to design and build. Assuming design starts now (I still imagine that some blue sky had already been done since Cameron mentioned that what they presented him really impressed him on the scope they wanted to take), we're looking to at least late 2016 probably. It is a long way off, but in the meantime, we still have the large Fantasyland Expansion to look forward to and this will be opening in the right amount of time after that is completed.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

already could imagine a fly-through coaster through the cliffs, a walk-through of a light-up tree, possibly something to do with those crazy mech-warrior suits. goodness the ideas are endless!

This would be the perfect opportunity for Disney to finally include an inverted coaster in one of its parks! (Something along the lines of Great Bear at Hershey Park or Montu at Busch Gardens, Tampa) Disney can definitely capitalize on this movie franchise. In fact, I think Avatar will stand the test of time longer than Harry Potter. We don't know what the plans for this land are, but I'm assuming you'll enjoy it all the same even if you haven't seen the movie(s). The theme doesn't fit perfectly with the traditional AK that we know today, but Disney will definitely make it work, and this sounds like just the thing AK needs to become a full-day park.

 

[RadioHead]

sounds pretty easy really, epcot is about the future, and mk has tomorrowland, avatar takes place in the future.

you could probably put pandora to replace the indy racers and have space mountain act as a sort of lift-off for the space ships travelling to pandora, a place of fantasy that leads in naturally to fantasyland.

Sounds as much fitting as it does in AK. None of those examples really screamed THIS FITS!!!!!!!!!

Except maybe DHS. But any film works there.

 

[wdwmagic]

Am I also right in assuming we won't see this land open until 2018 and beyond? Because in the Q & A he said that a project like this normally takes 5 years to construct.

Since it's scheduled to break ground in 2013, add 5, and you get 2018. Yikes that's a long way's away.

I don't even know if I'll be alive at that point.

I assume that his 5 years is including time already spent during the last year on this. I think basically at the moment, like the budget, it is to early to put a timescale on this with more accuracy than a year or so.

 

[MaryJaneP]

I don't even know if I'll be alive at that point.

Really?

 

[SleepingMonk]

In fact, I think Avatar will stand the test of time longer than Harry Potter.

Because all those best selling Avatar books will be around for decades.




Oh wait...

 

[S.E.A.]

Sounds as much fitting as it does in AK. None of those examples really screamed THIS FITS!!!!!!!!!

Except maybe DHS. But any film works there.

i'm looking at it more from a story point of view, it'll be hard to explain why there's a different planet next to the other dak lands.

 

[Captain Neo]

Am I also right in assuming we won't see this land open until 2018 and beyond? Because in the Q & A he said that a project like this normally takes 5 years to construct.

Since it's scheduled to break ground in 2013, add 5, and you get 2018. Yikes that's a long way's away.

I don't even know if I'll be alive at that point.

He said five years from design and design is beginning soon. Still don't expect it before 2016 more likely 2017.

 

[SleepingMonk]

i'm looking at it more from a story point of view, it'll be hard to explain why there's a different planet next to the other dak lands.

It won't be another planet...it will be a training platform to prep you for your journey to Pandora.

:drevil:

 

[Captain Neo]

They may launch the area in 2018 to celebrate DAK's 20th. Anniversary celebration