AVATAR land coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[jt04]

Well so far he's been unable to get one sequel out let alone four.

Because he won't greenlight until he is happy. And he has said he is developing new tech for the project. Hey, sounds like the way Walt did things. And I am sure some thought Walt was difficult to work with too.

~quality will out~

 

[G00fyDad]

I don't give two ...(you know whats) about the movies. This land, when done, is going to be astounding regardless of the underlying theme. There may even be children walking through there amazed and not even know that the land is based off of a movie at all.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Well so far he's been unable to get one sequel out let alone four.

If you look at Cameron's track record, they are not many, if any, directors that are better at the box-office/cultural impact. Terminator was not a huge hit, but it was iconic. Terminator 2 and Aliens (even though he didn't direct the first Alien) are a couple of the best sequels ever. Titanic was the highest grossing movie of all-time, before Avatar took the top spot. It is weird to agree with jt, but I wouldn't doubt Cameron.

They Abyss is really the only one of his movies that fell a little flat. However, if it wasn't for the technical advancements of the Abyss, there would be no liquid metal effect for Terminator 2.

The man is a perfectionist and he love to "plus" things like Disney did. Project get bigger and more complex because he want them to be the best they can be. The fact that all 3 sequel scripts need to done before filming is another reason for the delay.

 

[MagicGoofy]

Well so far he's been unable to get one sequel out let alone four.

I'm a big movie buff and had to intervine when I saw this, he isn't just devolving one at a time, he is devolving all 3 so that he can shoot them back to back. It's not that he can't get one out its that he wants to get all three right and then put them out.

 

[bakntime]

I don't give two ...(you know whats) about the movies. This land, when done, is going to be astounding regardless of the underlying theme. There may even be children walking through there amazed and not even know that the land is based off of a movie at all.

Yep, how many people saw Song of the South? Not many, but that hasn't stopped Splash Mountain from standing on its own.

Pandora (or whatever they end up officially calling this land) won't need the movies to be its own successful entity. Quality details, immersive environments, fun attractions ... all of that can happen whether there are more movies or not.

 

[Incomudro]

When I went to WDW as a kid (just a year or so after WDW opened) I did not know what 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was.
I had never heard of it, and had not seen or heard of the movie.
This had no negative effect on me when we came upon the 20K attraction.
I asked my Father in awe what is was about, as he explained Captain Nemo to me.
We boarded the ride and I was transported away...
Sold.
A replica Nautilus sits on my desk as I write this.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Yep, how many people saw Song of the South? Not many, but that hasn't stopped Splash Mountain from standing on its own.

Pandora (or whatever they end up officially calling this land) won't need the movies to be its own successful entity. Quality details, immersive environments, fun attractions ... all of that can happen whether there are more movies or not.

Kids probably will not have seen the movie, but I can still hear them saying "Can we go to that place that glows in the dark?"

 

[oswaldmickey]

Spent a whole week at WDW. What I will say is....

You know what I saw?
Lots of Jurassic park shirts, Minion thingies, My little pony things, TNMT backpacks.

You know what I did not see?
Any Avatar anythings.

Avatarland will need to be a "Splash Mountain" to be great. Avatar boat ride will be compared to Pirates. However, the flying banshee ride should be able to be Soarin since it has newer technology and look at the lines for Soarin 8, 9, 10 years later?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Avatar was on television last night. It had been a while since I had really watched the movie for all of the little details that Cameron put in it. It was just as breathe taking as I remembered it in the movie theatre. If Disney can pull off what was accomplished in the movie, DAK will be in great shape. What I've seen so far with the pictures that the great members of this site have posted, they are putting in the details that is needed. Zsolt Hormay is doing the rockwork and we all know his past work. It will take this park to the next level.

 

[veritas55]

Well so far he's been unable to get one sequel out let alone four.

Foolish people said the same thing about the first Avatar, which was also pushed back years to further develop the technology. $2B later, all the doubters ate crow. (People also forget that Titanic was rumored to be a "disaster" and pushed back 6 months from summer 1997 to December because delays). Cameron and Co. have invested millions into the three sequels. The next one will be smash, I predict -- or at least I maintain it is silly to expect that it won't be, since all the prior data contradicts a negative prediction.

But, in any event, this land at AK clearly will maintain its own quality and interest totally independent of the movie

 

[Bparso87]

People who hate avatar land r basic people. The movie is not the best movie ever I actually hate the movie. But this movie was amazing in iMax 3d. If they can make that into a land then it will go over well. It is not about the story of the movie but the world it is in.

 

[Kamikaze]

Holy wow! That is a great camera/lens combination that he is using. This is going to be the sleeper hit of the expansions. I know that it can't surpass Star Wars, but man is this going to be incredible.

'Sleeper hit'? Do you even know what means? Its been talked about since 2011! It cannot be classified as a 'sleeper'. Especially once its close to opening and the hype train leaves the station full steam.

 

[Incomudro]

Does anyone else still believe that it'd be necessary for anyone to have seen or liked the movie Avatar in order to find this to be an amazing land?
"Beuler?!"

 

[doctornick]

'Sleeper hit'? Do you even know what means? Its been talked about since 2011! It cannot be classified as a 'sleeper'. Especially once its close to opening and the hype train leaves the station full steam.

Actually, given the relative lack of coverage (even on Disney centric boards) and the large amount of naysayers, I so think it could indeed be consider a "sleeper". There's probably more people talking about a Star Wars land that we know virtually nothing about and won't be built for a while than this Pandora expansion. Many people have either low or non-existent expectations about Pandora, which is pretty much the definition of what makes something a "sleeper".

 

[flyerjab]

'Sleeper hit'? Do you even know what means? Its been talked about since 2011! It cannot be classified as a 'sleeper'. Especially once its close to opening and the hype train leaves the station full steam.

Pretty sure I know what that means. To assure you of that, I will restate my intent.

Recently someone on the boards posted something about the Avatar project and ended the post with the phrase "for the three people that care." In my mind this expansion has not been looked upon favorably or with much interest by many people. Even when online opinions are taken, the % interest in this project has always been low. I think it is going to surprise a lot of people when it opens and is really going to increase park attendance.

The fact that it was announced in 2011 is significant to you. That's nice. Most people won't argue the fact that this particular project is not talked about a lot and has only recently seen an uptick in interest since D23 and some more recent photos that have appeared online. When it opens, public interest will skyrocket. Because it was announced in 2011 doesn't mean all that much if the interest has not been there all that much. That is going to change however.

 

[Hula Popper]

Pretty sure I know what that means. To assure you of that, I will restate my intent.

Recently someone on the boards posted something about the Avatar project and ended the post with the phrase "for the three people that care." In my mind this expansion has not been looked upon favorably or with much interest by many people. Even when online opinions are taken, the % interest in this project has always been low. I think it is going to surprise a lot of people when it opens and is really going to increase park attendance.

The fact that it was announced in 2011 is significant to you. That's nice. Most people won't argue the fact that this particular project is not talked about a lot and has only recently seen an uptick in interest since D23 and some more recent photos that have appeared online. When it opens, public interest will skyrocket. Because it was announced in 2011 doesn't mean all that much if the interest has not been there all that much. That is going to change however.

Spot on.

 

[danlb_2000]

'Sleeper hit'? Do you even know what means? Its been talked about since 2011! It cannot be classified as a 'sleeper'. Especially once its close to opening and the hype train leaves the station full steam.

Outside of the Disney fan community I doubt many people even remember this was happening.

 

[Zac Skellington]

I think there should be a new Avatar thread for those that said, "I'm never stepping foot in Avatar Land!". A place for them to repent.

 

[sedati]

I think there should be a new Avatar thread for those that said, "I'm never stepping foot in Avatar Land!". A place for them to repent.

Never underestimate how stubborn some members of this community can be. My favorite example was when Toy Story Midway Mania (at California Adventure) first opened. There was someone on the forums who was adamant about how terrible the idea of interactive rides was and that this ride would be terrible. She bragged about how when she got into the ride vehicle she simply crossed her arms and never even tried the cannon. She then gave the ride a terrible review satisfied that she had been right all along.

 

[danlb_2000]

Never underestimate how stubborn some members of this community can be. My favorite example was when Toy Story Midway Mania (at California Adventure) first opened. There was someone on the forums who was adamant about how terrible the idea of interactive rides was and that this ride would be terrible. She bragged about how when she got into the ride vehicle she simply crossed her arms and never even tried the cannon. She then gave the ride a terrible review satisfied that she had been right all along.

I am not sure what your point it, she was right.