Giant Panda's at Animal Kingdom?

[rioriz]

Probably holds little truth but everyone's favorite Scream! site is reporting that Disney Managment is trying to work out a deal to bring Giant Panda's to AK in the near future!

Anyone else heard this rumor? If true it would be awesome and I definitely could see it taking over Conservation Station!

 

[ADP2]

Greeeaaat! Giant Pandas for Pandora....

 

[wdwmagic]

I think certain animals have always been on the wish list since day one. Panda's are definitely in that list.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I wouldn't be surprised if this stemmed from our show this week. Jim Hill mentioned on our show this week that the plot North of Asia could be home for Pandas as their may have been a handshake deal for the Animal Kingdom when Shanghai opens.

All things considered this could all be fantastic for crowd distribution at DAK in 2016-2018. If they open a Panda exhibit around the same time they open Pandora, that park is going to become incredibly popular overnight.

 

[GLaDOS]

All things considered this could all be fantastic for crowd distribution at DAK in 2016-2018. If they open a Panda exhibit around the same time they open Pandora, that park is going to become incredibly popular overnight.

Pandas would excite me more than Avatar, and would probably get me in the park before I consider going for Avatar.

 

[Zac Skellington]

Isn't the area North of Asia, a little large for a Panda exibit? Seems to beg for a whole new land, there.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Isn't the area North of Asia, a little large for a Panda exibit? Seems to beg for a whole new land, there.

Yes, that area is huge, and would be more than sufficient space for giant pandas. Just looking at the layout at the San Diego Zoo and you can see that while they need a substantial amount of space, that expansion pad would still have plenty of room.

 

[powlessfamily4]

I would love to see this happen. I love Giant Pandas and I am fortunate enough to live in ATlanta GA. Zoo Atlanta houses 5 Giant Pandas and they are soo amazing. The baby cubs are adorable!! You can watch them on the panada cam. http://www.zooatlanta.com/1212/panda_cam I would love to see Disney do this. It would probably take years to work out the agreement with China. China retains ownership rights to all Giant Pandas, because they are condsidered national treasures, and allow the zoos to lease them. Plus a TON of money has to exchange hands (were talking millions and millions) and an agreement reached as to when they go back. Atlanta has been so successful at breeding the Pandas, China renews their agreements and allows them to keep them at the zoo. We really don't want to send our cubs back

 

[NoChesterHester]

Strong possibility. It would be great for the park.

I really don't understand the utter fascination however. I've been to several zoos with pandas and understand they are popular, but there are plenty of other really amazing animals. Gorillas for example are far more entertaining to me. Just my own preference.

I hope that Disney is able to cut a deal with the Chinese Government to get the Pandas. It is a sure success and attendance driver.

 

[Thurp]

Think of all the plush they'd sell!

 

[wdwfan4ver]

It would be great for the Park if it happens. After Avatarland and getting giant Pandas, I really don't see new attractions getting added for AK in a while except for refurbishing Expedition Everest, unless they are planning to get a rid of Chester and Hester's.

 

[NoChesterHester]

unless they are planning to get a rid of Chester and Hester's.

I'd gladly change my handle if that happened...

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Personally, I have some issues with the Chinese government, with the payment for panda's, and with the idea that species can be the property of a single government. So for those reasons I do not need to see panda's in AK.

Sorry for bringing politics in this.


Other than the considerations above, in general I would love more animal exhibits in AK. Anything!

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Strong possibility. It would be great for the park.

I really don't understand the utter fascination however. I've been to several zoos with pandas and understand they are popular, but there are plenty of other really amazing animals. Gorillas for example are far more entertaining to me. Just my own preference.

I hope that Disney is able to cut a deal with the Chinese Government to get the Pandas. It is a sure success and attendance driver.

Actually they are plain BORING. Yeah they look nice and that's about it. We have Giant Pandas in our Zoo and I don't understand what the fuzz is all about. Most time of the day they do absolutely nothing but lying around without moving or any other sign of life. You could fake them easily by placing an AA with very basic moving possibilities instead, no one would see a difference.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Pandas are cute and people still perceive them to be critically endangered. Recently there has been a much greater success rate in captive breeding, substantially helping their numbers.

The guy at screamscape sent us a twitter message saying he didn't get the info from our show, but considering that Jim mentioned this as more of a hypothetical, I really think Screamscape's "anonymous" source was simply referencing something Jim Hill said.

As for the likelihood of this happening - it makes a bunch of sense, and I would love for it to happen, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[steve2wdw]

I've always thought that as Disney negociated it's deals for theme parks in China, that Pandas for AK would be part of the deal.n Hopefully there's some truth in this "rumor".

 

[The Duck]

There are currently only 4 zoos in America with giant pandas. The National Zoo in Washington D.C., the Memphis Zoo, the San Diego Zoo and Zoo Atlanta. The last that I had heard is that the cost for "leasing" a pair of pandas is approx. one million dollars a year for a ten year visit. After ten years, the pandas (and any cubs) return to China unless another deal can be made. The zoos that have participated are few but they plan on increased attendance as well as increased revenue from plush, t shirts etc. One down side is that giant pandas are extremely sensitive to heat, so an elaborate air-conditioned indoor exhibit would be essential for most of the year for central Florida. Luckily, The Mouse rakes in lots of cash so such an exhibit could be feasible.

 

[dixiegirl]

Pandas would excite me more than Avatar, and would probably get me in the park before I consider going for Avatar.

I agree here, still don't like the whole avatar thing, but thats me , does absolutly nothing for me.

 

[djkidkaz]

I agree here, still don't like the whole avatar thing, but thats me , does absolutly nothing for me.

I agree. Give me pandas over Avatar!

 

[Hakunamatata]

I agree. Give me pandas over Avatar!

Not me. Give me a well done, highly themed, immersive environment from a blockbuster movie......Ill look at Pandas online.