Giant Panda's at Animal Kingdom?

Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
RSoxNo1 said:
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.
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I can just picture how that conversation went:

Iger: "So it's a done deal?"
Chinese official: "Oh yes"
Iger: "I hate to ask, but since we're building this park which will likely make bucket loads of $$$, ya think maybe you can throw in a few Panda's?"
Chinese official: "I guess we have could spare a few"
Iger: "Thanks, we really needed them for this park we have in Florida. It'll make it sound like we're actually adding something there until AVATAR opens. Did you hear that there will be an AVATAR land at Animal Kingdom???? Did you???? And James Cameron...we got him too!!!! Can you Believe it! ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS I AM?!?!?!!?"

And that's how the story goes.. :lol:
 
GLaDOS

GLaDOS

Well-Known Member
hakunamatata said:
Not me. Give me a well done, highly themed, immersive environment from a blockbuster movie......Ill look at Pandas online.
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And we'll watch Avatar online.*

See...that works both ways.

*(Actually I won't, because the movie is a snore outside of theaters)
 
Prototype82

Prototype82

Well-Known Member
This would be an extraordinary addition to "Asia". I find this rumor somewhat believable. There's definitely a lot of potential for a themed habitat. I'd love to see this happen. The full potential of AK might just be met in the not so far future so I'll keep my fingers crossed on this one.
 
nytimez

nytimez

Well-Known Member
The Duck said:
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.
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Yes. This. Apparently, there were panda discussions years ago but Disney backed away due to those terms, according to a friend at AK (a long-timer who works with the animals).

Along with those costs to China come with the highly specialized cost of panda care, like the insane amounts of bamboo they eat.__He told me there's multiple staff members in Atlanta who do nothing but find bamboo to buy -- because in addition to the large amounts of it, the pandas won't eat just "any" bamboo. And they won't stick to one kind of bamboo.

And along with hiring people to find the bamboo and then paying the people who own it, you have to hire a specialized staff to care for the pandas.

It starts getting into silly money even beyond the fees paid to the Chinese and the fact that you don't even get to keep to panda or the cubs.
 
DVCOwner

DVCOwner

A Long Time DVC Member
I think with Disney expanding role in China, Pandas may be in the works as it might draw people from the US to China when Shanghai Disneyland opens.
 
powlessfamily4

powlessfamily4

Well-Known Member
Empress Lilly said:
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!
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Well..... they do it to protect the Pandas. If they had not enacted the law making them National Treasures and taken the steps to protect them they may possibly be extinct by now. They only exist in China so I can see how the Chinese government would have had to be the ones to do it. :brick: The Chinese government uses the money for Panda research and care. I am thankful they took the steps to protect them instead of allowing them to be hunted to extinction.
 
Skippy's Pal

Skippy's Pal

Well-Known Member
Spike-in-Berlin said:
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.
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I've visited the pandas at the National Zoo in DC, and I have to agree. Once the novelty value has worn off, there really isn't much to see unless there's a (more active) baby panda around. Also as another poster pointed out, they would need a huge infrastructure (a/c and all) to support them, and it's hard to see how that could be integrated into the naturalistic AK setting - not that it couldn't be done, but at the end of the day, it seems to me that it would be a huge effort and ongoing expense for an "animal star" that would be residing in a world of its own. Of course, the Vinylmation possibilities would be endless . . . . .
 
F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
Skippy's Pal said:
I've visited the pandas at the National Zoo in DC, and I have to agree. Once the novelty value has worn off, there really isn't much to see unless there's a (more active) baby panda around. Also as another poster pointed out, they would need a huge infrastructure (a/c and all) to support them, and it's hard to see how that could be integrated into the naturalistic AK setting - not that it couldn't be done, but at the end of the day, it seems to me that it would be a huge effort and ongoing expense for an "animal star" that would be residing in a world of its own. Of course, the Vinylmation possibilities would be endless . . . . .
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Because, you know, Lions, Cheetahs, Okapis, Lions, African Elephants, otters, zebras, kangaroos, crocodiles, etc. don't need any special care! :veryconfu
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Skippy's Pal said:
I've visited the pandas at the National Zoo in DC, and I have to agree. Once the novelty value has worn off, there really isn't much to see unless there's a (more active) baby panda around. Also as another poster pointed out, they would need a huge infrastructure (a/c and all) to support them, and it's hard to see how that could be integrated into the naturalistic AK setting - not that it couldn't be done, but at the end of the day, it seems to me that it would be a huge effort and ongoing expense for an "animal star" that would be residing in a world of its own. Of course, the Vinylmation possibilities would be endless . . . . .
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While everything you said is correct, every zoo on the planet wants a giant panda because they are a huge draw. If Disney could get one they would do and spend whatever they needed to because they know that they would make their investment back times 100 times over.
 
Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
Master Yoda said:
While everything you said is correct, every zoo on the planet wants a giant panda because they are a huge draw. If Disney could get one they would do and spend whatever they needed to because they know that they would make their investment back times 100 times over.
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In merchandise sales alone........not to mention the draw from locals in the short term.
 
powlessfamily4

powlessfamily4

Well-Known Member
Master Yoda said:
While everything you said is correct, every zoo on the planet wants a giant panda because they are a huge draw. If Disney could get one they would do and spend whatever they needed to because they know that they would make their investment back times 100 times over.
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But China wouldn't give them just one... they would have to take two. Don't they have to go in pairs? It was my understanding that they are not just "zoon" exhibits but actual breeding programs. I could be wrong, but I thought theere had to be 1 male only and then 1 or more females. Never 2 males so there is never competition between them.
 
MissMorrow

MissMorrow

Active Member
Count me in as one who doesn't get the Panda fascination. They are super cute, but all they do is sit there and eat bamboo! Give me monkeys any day. Endless entertainment.

But don't get me wrong, I would not at all be opposed to a Panda addition to the AK. I just prefer the tigers and the monkeys.
 
Unplugged

Unplugged

Well-Known Member
Perhaps a bus driver misheard an executive's intention as "Getting Disney a Giant Panda expressly for AK", when the executive was trying to address the dining needs and actually stated "Getting Disney a giant Panda Express for AK". :lookaroun

:ROFLOL:
 

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