AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

Festivus

Active Member
The cost estimate for the land is $500 Million. Is that considered a sizable amount for a project of this magnitude? How much is FLE or Carsland?
 

DisneyLeo18

Active Member
I used to visit every year (sometimes twice) but haven't been since summer of 2009 and no planned trip in the near future, basically since nothing new has been added. The FLE will get me down there again and I will definitely be making a trip if they do this right.

I will certainly be looking forward to the art work and construction leading up to this project. If done right, I could see the this trumping HP at least immersion wise.
 

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Good for you. My friends didnt.

Well clearly that makes all of the difference in the world.

Look at the numbers, the DVD/Blu-Ray Sales, the reviews, almost entirely positive.

I never got the mentality "I didn't like it, none of my friends did either, so clearly that means no one liked it"....please :rolleyes:
 

Glasgow

Well-Known Member
After reading hundreds of comments, I'm surprised to see some of the negative reactions and largely pedantic thinking with regards to having AK as the destination. I think the Avatar addition has HUGE potential to really be something special, quite possibly the greatest addition added to a Disney park in 20+ years. I've never seen the movie so these comments are strictly from an untainted outsiders perspective. Why will it be hugely successful?

- The fantasy based environment lends itself to almost unlimited and creative interpretation - true, it's not an original Disney concept but look at Imagineering's track record on non-disney based attractions; plus, other blue sky concepts that never made it off the drawing board can be integrated into this land more easily due to it's fictional/fantasy theme
- Quite simply, it's different .. different than anything currently in the parks so it adds a nice amount of variety to the attraction offerings
- Provides a nice influx of attractions to AK, which is sorely in need of help in that dept; also adds potential for longer park hours (yes, this could be any addition but I'm guessing these attractions won't involve live animals, making them more appropriate for nighttime hours)
- Potential for each franchise to feed off each other going forward, meaning higher potential for future spending in the parks (ie. Maint and R&D)
- Potential for new ride technologies to emerge in order to satisfy James Cameron's reqts

As I understand it, most naysayers see the partnership as a cop-out by Disney, perhaps an apparent laziness on the part of WDI. I think this is absolutely not the case - on the contrary, I feel like this unties WDI's hands and will allow them a much larger budget and freer creative environment. The Avatar name only buys the canvas - WDI has to figure out what to paint.
 

twinnstar

Active Member
Well clearly that makes all of the difference in the world.

Look at the numbers, the DVD/Blu-Ray Sales, the reviews, almost entirely positive.

I never got the mentality "I didn't like it, none of my friends did either, so clearly that means no one liked it"....please :rolleyes:

I never said that, did I?

I said JUST BECAUSE a bunch of people bought tickets, doesnt mean that they all liked it. And then I gave the EXAMPLE of me and people i know.

All I'm trying to say is some of you are making this film out to be like The Wizard of Oz, and its gonna go down in history as the best film ever made and its gonna be thebestthingintheworldOMG!!!! ...

....and ALL im saying is, not everyone feels that way. I'm not saying ALL or MOST even...just not ALL. And It would be nice for everyone to share their opinions, and discuss instead of you guys dismissing us as "haters". We have valid opinions just as much as those of you that enjoyed the film, and are excited about this land.
 

S.E.A.

Member
Well clearly that makes all of the difference in the world.

Look at the numbers, the DVD/Blu-Ray Sales, the reviews, almost entirely positive.

I never got the mentality "I didn't like it, none of my friends did either, so clearly that means no one liked it"....please :rolleyes:

sure it's a decent enough movie and the reviews are mostly positive but that doesn't necessarily mean that it inspires the same level of passion and love that a lot of other properties do. You don't see Avatar toys flying off the shelf at toy stores, or any serious fan movements going on. (All I've seen are things ridiculing the movie)

I imagine this will be a sleeper hit in that the quality will be amazing and it will draw the usual "look! something new!" crowds. But it won't on the level of Harry Potter land's opening. It's the difference between a popular movie and a cultural phenomenon.
 

RadioHead

Member
What movies?? More AVATAR Movies?? :hurl:

First off, just because you disliked the 1st, doesn't mean the 2nd and 3rd film will be any worse. Heck, you might even grow to love the Avatar franchise.

There'll be a new underwater setting for the 2nd film, and I'm not sure where the 3rd film is supposed to be set, but I'm guessing it'll be just as unique.

Plus there's a show in the pipeline as well. Fox is looking at Avatar as the next BIG franchise, and with an initial revenue of 2.8 Billion I would definitely want to expand the Avatar franchise, and make it a part of main stream culture.

I know many who scoffed at the 1st Indiana Jones, and thought nothing of it.

Let's keep an open mind, than anything's possible. :sohappy:
 

twinnstar

Active Member
sure it's a decent enough movie and the reviews are mostly positive but that doesn't necessarily mean that it inspires the same level of passion and love that a lot of other properties do. You don't see avatar toys flying off the shelf at toy stores, or any serious fan movements going on. (all i've seen are things ridiculing the movie)

i imagine this will be a sleeper hit in that the quality will be amazing and it will draw the usual "look! Something new!" crowds. But it won't on the level of harry potter land's opening. It's the difference between a popular movie and a cultural phenomenon.

exactly!!
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Point of irony.....

So many people complain that Disney is always too late to the game making attractions based on IPs that are at the end of their life span. (ie American Idol, Kim Possible, etc) In this case Disney is in somewhat on the ground floor. Now people are complaining that Avatar has no track record, fan base, staying power, etc.

You can't have it both ways.

Is Disney taking a chance? Sure, but is that not what so many of you want them to do?
 

worldfanatic

Well-Known Member
A quick search just pulled up multiple Avatar fansites. Who knew? Just as millions of people neither know nor care about WDW fansites.

Mom's on point.

Pretty much all my friends don't believe me when I tell them about the HUGE number of people involved on WDW fansites.
They just assume it's just me and a bunch of ten year olds.
They're shocked when I show them the sites I follow.

AVATAR has a huge following as well.
You don't become the top grossing movie of all time because people are simply curious about it.
You need serious passion from fans to generate those numbers.

AVATAR 2 & 3 may or may not equal the original's box office.
But they will be MONSTERS none the less.
MONSTERS followed by an amazing new land in Animal Kingdom.

Haters, you've got the next 5 years to complain and explain why 'AVATAR + WDW' will fail.
So knock yourselves out.
Because after that, you'll be eating some SERIOUS CROW!
 

RadioHead

Member
sure it's a decent enough movie and the reviews are mostly positive but that doesn't necessarily mean that it inspires the same level of passion and love that a lot of other properties do. You don't see Avatar toys flying off the shelf at toy stores, or any serious fan movements going on. (All I've seen are things ridiculing the movie)

I imagine this will be a sleeper hit in that the quality will be amazing and it will draw the usual "look! something new!" crowds. But it won't on the level of Harry Potter land's opening. It's the difference between a popular movie and a cultural phenomenon.

No offense, but it's only 2011. The fact that people still remember Avatar, and there experience to Pandora say's alot for a movie that'll soon be 3 year's old.

To say, "It won't be on the level of Harry Potter" is a somewhat rash statement. If the land was opened today, then I'd agree with you. But the fact that there's 2 more movies coming, as well as a show series, then who knows where this is heading. It might be the next big thing. Who knows?
 

S.E.A.

Member
A quick search just pulled up multiple Avatar fansites. Who knew? Just as millions of people neither know nor care about WDW fansites.

So perhaps there are people who would go just to see Avatar land who would not go to see The Mouse?

There are also multiple fansites dedicated to rich heiresses' body parts, that's not really a measure of a film's popularity. All you have to do is go to various social networking sites to gauge a property's popular opinion.

The Avatar land will be an amazing treat to people visiting WDW along with the WDW enthusiasts who have been thirsty for something new. But I highly doubt that it will be a big mainstream attention-grabbing draw.
 

RadioHead

Member
Mom's on point.

Pretty much all my friends don't believe me when I tell them about the HUGE number of people involved on WDW fansites.
They just assume it's just me and a bunch of ten year olds.
They're shocked when I show them the sites I follow.

AVATAR has a huge following as well.
You don't become the top grossing movie of all time because people are simply curious about it.
You need serious passion from fans to generate those numbers.

AVATAR 2 & 3 may or may not equal the original's box office.
But they will be MONSTERS none the less.
MONSTERS followed by an amazing new land in Animal Kingdom.

Haters, you've got the next 5 years to complain and explain why 'AVATAR + WDW' will fail.
So knock yourselves out.
Because after that, you'll be eating some SERIOUS CROW!

I agree. I saw alot of kids in my neighborhood dress as the Navi people for Halloween. I saw alot of Navi action figures, and playsets in Toys R Us for the Holiday Seasons as well.

To be honest, it sounds like the people who disliked Avatar, have this somewhat skewed mindset in thinking that just because they hated it, so did everyone else. An that can't be further from the truth. There's a HUGE following for Avatar, there's pelothera of forum fan sites, and sites dedicated to the Avatar lore.

I'll agree at this point in time there's WAY more Harry Potter fans than there are Avatar fans. But how can you say that'll be the same in 5-7 years from now? Unless you have a magic crystal ball, I wouldn't talk...and neither should I for that matter. :animwink:
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
God willing, I'll still be around here in 5 years, and will be able to pull up this old thread - so I'll know who gets to eat the crow, and who gets to watch. :lol:
 

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