AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[Dukeblue1227]

Sorry for being a broken record, but it doesn't MATTER. The question should be: Is this really a memorable and lasting ride/land? If the answer is proven to be yes, Avatar could be dated since it first premiered and it still wouldn't make the land any less everlasting. And as for Disney could do better? How do you know? We still haven't seen anything about this other than excited managers and shareholders, and some arguments between fans over the "righteousness" of the land.

This.



I think people are getting wayyyyyyyyy too worked up over them building a Land based on a movie.

For legitimately the past what... 7 years... at least 5 times a month one of them "Beastly Kingdom" threads pops up where someone says "Oh my god I just found out they were going to build this... WHY DIDN'T THEY!?"

For years people have been complaining that they shelved BK, and never opened it back up.

IMO... they're essentially doing exactly that... only doing so with a smarter business approach.

In Disney's eyes, as a business... is it better to build an original theme park land attached to no brand... or go into the project with one of the greatest film-makers out there, partnered with the highest grossing movie of all time (forget the ticket sales, just strictly talking dollars), and based on a movie with one of the most impressive CGI-worlds we've ever seen on the big screen.

The success of the park will strictly have to do with how well they are able to recreate Pandora, and how well they build an actual theme park land. It will have zero to do with the success of the movie Franchise.

And because of that, I don't think you could possibly pick a better enviornment to build a new land on.

While Star Wars would be "cool" it doesn't have anything to do with their original intent for AK to include mythical creatures and a mythical land... and I don't think you could possibly recreate a Star Wars Galaxy themed land as well as you could recreate Pandora.

IMO, Pandora will fit in perfectly with their original ideas for AK, and I think it will have the potential to make AK a full day park with a lot to offer for people of all ages while also attaching itself to a very successful brand name.

 

[fosse76]

Could not disagree more. I think the success of Carsland and the FLE added to the success of TWWoHP and the possibility Avatar's marketing survey's will be into the stratosphere will encourage even more capital spending.

It will definitely bring in more guests, without question. I just don't see it bringing in Harry Potter-level guests (i.e., people travelling from around the world JUST to visit this). Avatar doesn't have anywhere near that kind of following.

Orlando is about to see a tourism revitalization IMO. Especially if the economy rebounds in 2013.

Yes, because that Harry Potter flop didn't increase tourism at all! :hammer:

PS--I understood gate receipts are absolutely not part of the deal. Strictly merchandising and free marketing of the franchise. Is this the latest disinformation campaign from the d&g crowd? :brick: You guys are slipping.

You throw "gate receipts" into your anti_universal rants regarding Marvel all the time. They are both licensing agreements, no doubt with a fixed-percentage owed throughout the course of the license. Neither Universal or Disney are dumb enough to tie in royalty payments to gate receipts.

 

[fosse76]

In Disney's eyes, as a business... is it better to build an original theme park land attached to no brand... or go into the project with one of the greatest film-makers out there, partnered with the highest grossing movie of all time (forget the ticket sales, just strictly talking dollars), and based on a movie with one of the most impressive CGI-worlds we've ever seen on the big screen.

The success of the park will strictly have to do with how well they are able to recreate Pandora, and how well they build an actual theme park land. It will have zero to do with the success of the movie Franchise.

You just contradicted yourself. Is it because it's the highest grossing film of all time or is it because it's with the subjectively "greatest film-maker?" You, like many others in this thread, are putting way too much stock in the highest grossing film title. It doesn't hurt that ticket prices are practically twice what they were over the previous recordholder (Titanic), especially when the 3-D surcharge is added to 60% of ticketsales.

While Star Wars would be "cool" it doesn't have anything to do with their original intent for AK to include mythical creatures and a mythical land... and I don't think you could possibly recreate a Star Wars Galaxy themed land as well as you could recreate Pandora.

IMO, Pandora will fit in perfectly with their original ideas for AK, and I think it will have the potential to make AK a full day park with a lot to offer for people of all ages while also attaching itself to a very successful brand name.

Exactly HOW does an ALIEN WORLD fit into the theme of the Earth and its inhabitants? Avatar demonizes humans.

 

[Future Ape]

Up next: Planet of the Apes land!

Announcement: "We feel that Planet of the Apes is a perfect fit with Animal Kingdom because of its important message on not blowing up stuff. With this new land, we will give guests the opportunity to feel and touch the world the apes created."

 

[Dukeblue1227]

You just contradicted yourself. Is it because it's the highest grossing film of all time or is it because it's with the subjectively "greatest film-maker?" You, like many others in this thread, are putting way too much stock in the highest grossing film title. It doesn't hurt that ticket prices are practically twice what they were over the previous recordholder (Titanic), especially when the 3-D surcharge is added to 60% of ticketsales.



Exactly HOW does an ALIEN WORLD fit into the theme of the Earth and its inhabitants? Avatar demonizes humans.

:lol:

Point: You.

I had a point I tried to make, clearly didn't make it.

Ah well... I tried.

I'M EXCITED FOR IT THOUGH AND DIDN'T LOVE THE MOVIE!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Up next: Planet of the Apes land!

Announcement: "We feel that Planet of the Apes is a perfect fit with Animal Kingdom because of its important message on not blowing up stuff. With this new land, we will give guests the opportunity to feel and touch the world the apes created."

Let the audio-animatronic poo-flinging begin!

 

[Dukeblue1227]

Oh, but sorry I didn't quite catch the first part of what you said...

I put zero stock in it being the highest grossing movie of all time.

Again, on me for failing to make my point effectively.

I think the environment itself of Pandora... that world... if recreated well would be the perfect addition to DAK.

Again, not talking about the movie or what the movie is about.

I mean POTC is a great movie, and a great ride... but when I go on the Ride I don't think about a movie that revolves around a drunk man and how that's a bad message to send to kids.

For the Disney-goer... I think Pandora will be great because of what it can potentially offer in terms of a theme park. Strictly a theme park.

From a Disney-business sense, I think it makes perfect sense for them to attach themselves to the brand and to such a successful film-maker.

But my overall view of this is as the Disney Movie-goer... and so no, I put ZERO stock in the movie's success... which WAS my original point. People putting too much stock in the theme park based on a movie.

Because you pointed out how the movie demonizes humans.

So that proves my point... the theme park itself should be based on what Pandora can offer theme park goers and not based on a movie about Aliens who fought humans.

Ugh, I can't make my point efficiently enough... but I know you missed it.

 

[Bairstow]

Exactly HOW does an ALIEN WORLD fit into the theme of the Earth and its inhabitants? Avatar demonizes humans.

So does Disney's Animal Kingdom.
It's a perfect fit!

 

[njDizFan]

As an DAK lover and purist, I am still on the fence about the decision. Great to have something huge and no doubt incredibly immersive coming to my favorite park but not quite there yet on the blending of themes.

I also dont think the past and future strength of AVATAR as a film/series should hinder the development of the land. There is plenty of substance existing to create a beautifully themed land and attractions. Who cares if the subsequent films don't do as well or the franchise fails to live the test of time.

On a side note I find the decision curious since Iger was always so gung-ho on synergy and merchandise. The does nothing to increase the Disney brand and AVATAR merchandice never really flied off the shelves.

All in all, I am very excited and can't want to see what's ahead but still just slightly curious to see the how well they blend an alien planet to such stark realism that currently exists.

 

[stitch2008]

Exactly HOW does an ALIEN WORLD fit into the theme of the Earth and its inhabitants? Avatar demonizes humans.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

IF you actually watched the movie, you would realize there were human characters who wanted to save Pandora. Sam, Dr. Augustine, Norm, and Tracey?

 

[imagineer boy]

So does Disney's Animal Kingdom.
It's a perfect fit!

Only Kali River Rapids when you think of it. Nothing else does.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

IF you actually watched the movie, you would realize there were human characters who wanted to save Pandora. Sam, Dr. Augustine, Norm, and Tracey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTg5Ldqm8ME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb2Dxqt1oag&feature=related

 

[djkidkaz]

Watched Avatar last night for the first time and it was "meh". I wouldn't watch it again. Not really excited for Avatarland anymore and my hopes are that its far enough out that it either gets cancelled or is shrunk down to more of a mini land.

The main problem I see with dedicating a WHOLE land to Avatar is that you can't have anything else in that land. This isn't like Beastly Kingdom where you could put all sorts of mythical animals. This is Avatar only. My guess is someone said "Hey Potter is making a killing down the road! We need to add a movie franchise to one of our parks to get the same effect."

This whole thing just seems like a knee jerk reaction to Potter. I wouldn't even be happy if they dedicated a whole land to a Disney franchise. You need to create a land and then have a bunch of different experiences within that land that fit the theme.

I just don't see how people can accept that Disney is using a huge chunk of land for a non-Disney franchise. To me this is the equivalent of them selling off chunks of land to the Four Seasons or Golden Oaks. I want Disney to use all their land for their genius. I want Disney to make a new resort for me to stay at, not sell off land and have someone else make a resort. I want Disney to use their own franchises and ideas to make new lands and attractions for me, not basically sell a chunk of land to Fox and agree to make an Avatar ride. At a bare minimum, I can only accept this in the Studios since its theme is based on movies. If your gonna do Avatarland, tear out the backlot tour and put it there. But Animal Kingdom is not the place for this in my opinion.

 

[Scuttle]

I watched it last night as well and I'm not as excited as I was a few days ago. I feel like it's being forced a bit, but with that being said there is no doubt there is going to be some groundbreaking attractions. I can't even begin to imagine what is in the works right now. Like many others have said if the attractions are that amazing it doesn't matter what they are themed like.

 

[flavious27]

Could not disagree more. I think the success of Carsland and the FLE added to the success of TWWoHP and the possibility Avatar's marketing survey's will be into the stratosphere will encourage even more capital spending.

Orlando is about to see a tourism revitalization IMO. Especially if the economy rebounds in 2013.

PS--I understood gate receipts are absolutely not part of the deal. Strictly merchandising and free marketing of the franchise. Is this the latest disinformation campaign from the d&g crowd? :brick: You guys are slipping.

Are you commenting from the future? FLE and CL aren't even built yet, how could they even be considered as successes? Also, CL is in cali, so it won't have a direct effect on o-town spending.

Cameron is going to get a licensing fee, that number is going to be based on some kind of number as it relates to guest attendance.

By the same token, how does the long proposed Beastly Kingdom have anything to with this theme either, or for the matter the entirety of the Dinoland area?

Avatar simply fits in with the theme the park is trying to get across, and it makes much more sense in DAK than it does trying to shoehorn it in to an area of DHS.

I just don't think this is going to be a land to break the bank, most likely and hopefully we'll see more returns on the investment and lead to more development in the other parks.

Well the theme of the park is about the animals and their environments. So both beast and dino is based around those themes, though I would use the word loosely for dinoland. If Pandora and the blue skinned humanoids are somehow part of the theme, which I think would be a slap to them and whatever moral concept that cameron was passing along, then you would agree that the ewoks and endor would fit in also?

 

[wm49rs]

Cameron is going to get a licensing fee, that number is going to be based on some kind of number as it relates to guest attendance.

How do you know what the licensing fee is based on?

 

[flavious27]

How do you know what the licensing fee is based on?

What other figure are they going to use to base it on?

 

[njDizFan]

What other figure are they going to use to base it on?

I have no idea how they will determine the licensing fee but I thought a licensing fee was a set payment negotiated beforehand unlike a royalty fee which would be varying payment based on usage or attendance in this case.

 

[wm49rs]

I have no idea how they will determine the licensing fee but I thought a licensing fee was a set payment negotiated beforehand unlike a royalty fee which would be varying payment based on usage or attendance in this case.

That's always been my understanding as well. The variations in payment to Cameron in this case would be from the up and downs of merchandise sales....

 

[TP2000]

I watched it last night as well and I'm not as excited as I was a few days ago.

I haven't seen Avatar yet. It's not available as streaming on Netflix, and there are other discs I have in my queue I'm more excited about.

But last night I did a fun thing; I went to the Target website and searched for Avatar merchandise. There isn't much of anything Avatar for sale. But then when you put the search words "Disney Cars" or "Harry Potter" in to the Target website, you get a flood of merchandise. Harry Potter searches turned up a lot of books and some other merch (especially costumes) but the Cars stuff was the real tsunami of products. Target currently has clothing, toys (duh), costumes, coloring books, sheet sets, bath sets, backpacks, bedroom furniture, video games, DVD's and CD's, birthday party supplies, etc., etc. for Cars.

Here's the breakdown on merchandise currently available at Target;

Avatar - 12 Items for sale (five Halloween costume items, the rest DVD sets)

Harry Potter - 281 items for sale (many books, but also costumes, toys, home furnishings, and clothing)

Disney-Pixar Cars - 374 items for sale (in all categories except for maybe lawn care!)

It was the Halloween costumes that got me thinking about this. I have a very busy trick-or-treat neighborhood come October 31st. And I have never seen a kid dressed as a blue alien wearing a loincloth. I would remember that. The kids don't seem to go in for the Avatar scene much. I imagine that's something Burbank and Glendale suits will be pressuring James Cameron on quite extensively as he preps Avatar II and III.

 

[Bairstow]

I sure hope they don't.
Allowing merchandising concerns to trump the creative process is what allows awful claptrap like Cars 2 and the recent Star Warses to be made.

Not that I'm holding up Avatar as a shining example of modern storytelling, only that it makes me happy that merchandising does not seem to be concern #1 at Disney Management. For once.