Avatar Land vs. Star War Land

[disneypearl]

Star Wars Land would be a lot of fun. I would look forward to it as someone who has seen the movies and enjoyed them, but don't consider myself a big fan or anything. DHS would be a great fit for it but I would still want plenty of room for any Pixar additions they could add. I tried to watch Avatar when it was on tv one day and couldn't watch more than an hour of it. I have no plans to watch any future sequel or try to watch the original one again.

 

[Bairstow]

OK, I will give you that.....but how much has the SW franchise made in total....includeing merch etc.? versus what Avatar has made total....includeing theater tickets, merch. EVERYTHING?.....not even close.

Just a hunch, but part of that might be because Star Wars came out 32 years before Avatar did.
Once again, Avatar made more money in its one release than all three Star Wars prequels.
Combined.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I don't want either one of them in WDW, frankly. There are actual Disney-created/adapted properties that have NOTHING (Mary Poppins, for instance). But of the two, SW seems more economically feasible. At least that property has recognizable characters. *shrug*

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Drop everything, build Star Wars instead.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

There are actual Disney-created/adapted properties that have NOTHING

Even better !!

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

I am excited about any new lands and attractions that Disney comes up with, but I just don't see how a fantasy movie-themed land about aliens fits into a theme park about animal conservation. I'm sure the imagineers will come up with something amazing for Avatar, but I think it will not seem right in AK, next to lands like Africa and Asia.

 

[captainkidd]

I think they should drop Avatar Land regardless.

 

[John]

Just a hunch, but part of that might be because Star Wars came out 32 years before Avatar did.
Once again, Avatar made more money in its one release than all three Star Wars prequels.
Combined.

Of course, obvious......just reinforces my belief that SW is an actual part of our culture. It is a much stronger brand now... then it was 32 yrs ago. All because Avatar made "X" amount of dollars dosnt guarantee squat. It dosnt hurt James Cameron is behind these movies but Hollywood is a funny buisness.......nothing is guaranteed...unless ofcourse we are talking about Star Wars. Lastly, your right this subject has been beaten to death....but the best quote I seen on the subject was......"just because McDonalds sell the most burgers dosnt mean they are the best"

 

[luv]

I don't care about either one. I liked Star Wars in the 70s and early 80s, but I'm over that.

I never liked Avatar.

If I have to pick one, I pick SW. The first one was a good movie AND it wouldn't ruin any part of the AK.

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

I think that everyone (or at least 90 percent) of people know the general Star Wars characters. Or at least Darth Vader. Whether they've seen the movies or not. Its part of pop culture. I don't think the same can be said for anything from Avatar. Avatar, unfortunately, is like the Disney movie Dinosaur that the AK attraction was at some point based on or themed with. Few people remember it, its not one of the 'vaulted' movies, and I don't remember it doing particularly well in the theaters.

Its been how many years later since Avatar's release? Does the general public really care if there's a sequel? If there's a third movie after that? Is it a property that's going to be a draw when there's a whole 'world' of it in AK?

I don't think so. At least not comparitively speaking. Star Wars has proven its still chugging along. Avatar...if there's nothing else playing opening weekend maybe it will do well. But I can't imagine very many people camped out to buy tickets like you always see with Star Wars.

I'm not a huge Star Wars fan in the least. I just think there's a ton more potential with the Lucasfilm properties. Put Indy in AK. He'd fit in any of the areas of the park. His only real presensce in DHS is a show that hasn't changed since it opened (GMR is just a scene or two so I don't count that as an Indy ride). Put all the Star Wars stuff in DHS. Seems simple enough to me.

 

[Gabe1]

I'll duck and hide but honestly I could do without either StarWarsLand or AvatarLand. Neither my cup of Disney.

 

[Bairstow]

Its been how many years later since Avatar's release? Does the general public really care if there's a sequel?

Avatar came out barely 2 years ago and made more money than any other movie in the history of cinema.
The answer to your question is probably "yes".

 

[Hakunamatata]

One really should not be comparing the first Avatar movie with the entire Star Wars cannon. It's like comparing a acorn with an oak tree.

A SW/Avatar comparison would only be reasonable at this time if you were comparing Episode 4 with Avatar, and to be honest, I don't think there was much prediction of SW being the epic saga that it has turned out to be after Episode 4 was released.

 

[Cody5242]

I voted for avatar!

 

[doctornick]

I am excited about any new lands and attractions that Disney comes up with, but I just don't see how a fantasy movie-themed land about aliens fits into a theme park about animal conservation.

Have you even seen the movie? The basic premise of Avatar is all about conservation and protecting natural resources.

 

[blueboxdoctor]

I don't really like either, but Avatar is by far worse, as it is Pocahontas in space and doesn't deserve the praise it gets (yes, the CGI was cool for the first 15 minutes but then you realize how awful the story/acting/script is). At least SW started off decent then it just went downhill (come on, what were those last 3 movies?).

 

[tomman710]

Avatar came out barely 2 years ago and made more money than any other movie in the history of cinema.
The answer to your question is probably "yes".

I doubt the answer is "Yes" ... Avatar may have the BO record but I'd wager a great deal that it's not in the public's awareness. In fact, I'd bet that if you tallied the total amount of sales from Avatar merch over it's entire existence it won't compare to any one month of Star Wars merch. How could I find those numbers?

I am not against Avatar coming to the parks, I agree with your point that Avatar will be completed faster than if they start over (even though I have no doubt that they have plenty of SW concepts already to go). I'd personally, if it's nothing or Avatar, I'll choose Avatar ... DAK NEEDS something.

However, one thing I have to take exception to is the argument that BO dollars equals popularity or public awareness. And I do not think anyone can argue (which I don't think you are based on SW life span) that Avatar would be more successful or popular than SW.

In short ... if it's build Avatar now or wait another 6-7 years for SW ... then I'd say go with Avatar, the parks cannot afford to wait but if it's build Avatar now or wait another 1-2 years for SW, then you have to wait ... do it with the property that has more of a rabid fanbase that will travel like Potterheads to visit locales they have dreamed about.

 

[danlb_2000]

I don't want either one of them in WDW, frankly. There are actual Disney-created/adapted properties that have NOTHING (Mary Poppins, for instance). But of the two, SW seems more economically feasible. At least that property has recognizable characters. *shrug*

Yes, but the people who would be most interested in those properties are probably already coming to Disney. By tapping into non-Disney properties you increase the chance of drawing in new guests.

 

[kittybubbles]

I voted for Star Wars based on personal preference. But what is best for Disney?

I often see folks mention that Disney is a business. I know that they are in the entertainment industry, but I would ague that they are in the advertising business (anyone remember what happened with Reesies Peicies sales after E.T.?) ESPN is where most of Disney's profits come from, sure a lot has to do with the fact that it is the most expensive channel (to the cable providers that carry it), but it has a lot to due the premium they charge advertisers for commercial space. (Anyone ever spend Christmas watching a two hour Disney Parks commercial?)

I recall being a kid and visiting the MK back when they had the A to E tickets, there were two rides that did not require a ticket. CoP was free as a tribute to Walt and the other was If You Had Wings. When I thought of why the Eastern Airlines ride was free, I came (to the personal conclusion that I was being entertained by a ride that showed me all the places that Eastern could take me....yes a commercial that I waited in line to see and it was complete with an eastern ticket desk at the conclusion of the ride.

Now, when I heard that Avatar was coming, I wondered how it was green lit when so many other ideas are sitting on a self somewhere...my mind concluded (I have no inside knowledge nor do I know any details on what the agreement is) that there is more to the Avatar deal then I know. My mind concluded that Cameron wants Avatar to be his Star Wars and that he would be willing to pay Disney for their help. This could be done by giving them a good deal on the merchandise sales or helping in development cost...heck I have heard that ESPN uses Cameron's production company for their 3D broadcast...to me it makes sense in this type of light when I hear that Disney passed on Harry Potter which I think translates to meaning that JK Rolling would not give up enough for Disney's taste.

So, as a stock holder in DIS, my answer is that I do not know enough to comment as to which one is less of a financial risk to the parent company. Disney already offers a lot of Star Wars merch (and now they are making more on it then they were before) so it might make sense as to why Avatar is (supposedly) coming to WDW.

For me, a theme park attraction seems to help keep a franchise going as I know my family is not that into Harry Potter, but we love what UNI has done and it has generated interest from my family that was not there prior to a visit to IOA...my daughter now owns an owl puppet purchased while visiting UNI.

 

[A113PoCfan]

Line for Avatar

Line for Star Wars

Point taken?