Is Phase 2 of Pandora: The World of Avatar ever coming to Animal Kingdom?

Ghost93

Ghost93

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Back when Pandora first opened, there was chatter about the possibility for future expansion of the land when the sequels came out, with a rumored attraction being some type of walk through that would allow guests to interact with animatronic Pandoran wildlife (with the centerpiece being a giant Toruk.

But D23 came and went and all we heard about Avatar was stuff related to Disneyland, not Disney World. Does this mean that a larger Pandora in Animal Kingdom is off the table, and that Disney will instead prioritize smaller Avatar lands throughout the world? Or does it just mean that an expansion has been pushed back? Does ANYONE have any insight as to what is going on with Pandora Phase 2?

Pandora is my favorite section of all of the Disney parks, so I would welcome any type of expansion and ways to keep it alive as long as possible.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
Ghost93 said:
Back when Pandora first opened, there was chatter about the possibility for future expansion of the land when the sequels came out, with a rumored attraction being some type of walk through that would allow guests to interact with animatronic Pandoran wildlife (with the centerpiece being a giant Toruk.

But D23 came and went and all we heard about Avatar was stuff related to Disneyland, not Disney World. Does this mean that a larger Pandora in Animal Kingdom is off the table, and that Disney will instead prioritize smaller Avatar lands throughout the world? Or does it just mean that an expansion has been pushed back? Does ANYONE have any insight as to what is going on with Pandora Phase 2?

Pandora is my favorite section of all of the Disney parks, so I would welcome any type of expansion and ways to keep it alive as long as possible.
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I think it’s simply a matter of prioritization. Depends if next funding cycle is moderate or more large for DAK. Since a Lion King ride is also somewhat competing and they probably will see more merch sales associated with the latter.

I really don’t think it’s off the table, just not the top of the pile. Pandora has the highest GSATs of anything across the entire WDW resort.
 
mattpeto

mattpeto

Well-Known Member
Ghost93 said:
Back when Pandora first opened, there was chatter about the possibility for future expansion of the land when the sequels came out, with a rumored attraction being some type of walk through that would allow guests to interact with animatronic Pandoran wildlife (with the centerpiece being a giant Toruk.

But D23 came and went and all we heard about Avatar was stuff related to Disneyland, not Disney World. Does this mean that a larger Pandora in Animal Kingdom is off the table, and that Disney will instead prioritize smaller Avatar lands throughout the world? Or does it just mean that an expansion has been pushed back? Does ANYONE have any insight as to what is going on with Pandora Phase 2?

Pandora is my favorite section of all of the Disney parks, so I would welcome any type of expansion and ways to keep it alive as long as possible.
Click to expand...
If Avatar keeps pumping out hits, we will get an expansion at Pandora.

A new FoP film would be cool too (keep the old one and randomize it like Star Tours.)
 
Ghost93

Ghost93

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
BrianLo said:
I think it’s simply a matter of prioritization. Depends if next funding cycle is moderate or more large for DAK. Since a Lion King ride is also somewhat competing and they probably will see more merch sales associated with the latter.

I really don’t think it’s off the table, just not the top of the pile. Pandora has the highest GSATs of anything across the entire WDW resort.
Click to expand...
Maybe it will depend on how Avatar: Fire and Ash performs. If it's another $2 billion hit, then an expansion may be more likely. If the franchise loses momentum and it somehow made only $1 billion or less, then maybe they would hold off.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
Ghost93 said:
Maybe it will depend on how Avatar: Fire and Ash performs. If it's another $2 billion hit, then an expansion may be more likely. If the franchise loses momentum and it somehow made only $1 billion or less, then maybe they would hold off.
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Maybe, but Bob is going full steam on DCA. I honestly think it’s just because Dinoland was already pretty formed on his return and Iger seems to be the big internal Avatar champion. Which, in all honesty, he does deserve credit for.

I think the third movie more informs the Paris expansion approval. Though I don’t imagine it missing in that market.

Plus they seem to be on a bit of a ‘get all our IP represented properly first’ spree. Incredibles, Inside Out, sort of Lion King or Coco are still big priorities for them. I’m sure I’m missing a few.
 
bwr827

bwr827

Well-Known Member
EricsBiscuit said:
Disney is crazy for not having done so already. 2 of the most popular films in history and an already popular area. The park’s attendance is collapsing because they have nothing new for it. They’re just so darn slow.
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They definitely need the investment in Animal Kingdom, and should bring back a nighttime show.

The park’s attendance “collapsing” is an exaggeration, unless you mean a very slow, multi-year decline. But the trend is not going in the right direction.
 
E

easyrowrdw

Well-Known Member
Raineman said:
They're gonna put it where Kilimanjaro Safaris is now, because it is a huge underutilized space that no one goes to.
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I’m thinking the animal trails. They’re hot, underutilized, cost too much to maintain, and Okapis just don’t move merch. Raze them. Add more Pandora, better yet, Zootopia.
 
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EricsBiscuit

EricsBiscuit

Well-Known Member
bwr827 said:
They definitely need the investment in Animal Kingdom, and should bring back a nighttime show.

The park’s attendance “collapsing” is an exaggeration, unless you mean a very slow, multi-year decline. But the trend is not going in the right direction.
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13.88 million to 9 million in 5 years is a collapse. Disney has let it happen because their leadership is incompetent.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Pandora definitely needs another attraction...or maybe two... Perhaps a water ride? Flume... rapids.... anything would be fine in WDW's hottest (temperature-wise) theme park...
 
horatiog

horatiog

Member
Bocabear said:
Pandora definitely needs another attraction...or maybe two... Perhaps a water ride? Flume... rapids.... anything would be fine in WDW's hottest (temperature-wise) theme park...
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Studios is WDW's hottest park, and it just occurred to me that it's the only one without a water ride of any kind.
 
Andrew25

Andrew25

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
Pandora definitely needs another attraction...or maybe two... Perhaps a water ride? Flume... rapids.... anything would be fine in WDW's hottest (temperature-wise) theme park...
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I actually think Epcot is with all of the concrete and very few shade structures

Anyway... Dinoland is definitely a priority over Avatar expansion, as well as another high-capacity family experience somewhere in Asia/Africa.
 
cjkeating

cjkeating

Well-Known Member
EricsBiscuit said:
13.88 million to 9 million in 5 years is a collapse. Disney has let it happen because their leadership is incompetent.
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Let's not forget pre-COVID DAK was WDW's 2nd best attended park and had steadily increased its attendance over a number of years surpassing DHS and then Epcot. Post COVID they have treated DAK like it was before Pandora.

They've removed entertainment from Africa, Asia, Pandora and Dinoland, the night safari, Rivers of Light, Tree of Life Awakenings [most of the year] Primeval Whirl [which I think damaged Chester and Hesters even when it wasn't open as it at least filled the land] along with park hours heavily reduced to 5/6/7pm close compared to 8/9/10pm. So little surprise the attendance has fallen...
 
Ghost93

Ghost93

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
cjkeating said:
Let's not forget pre-COVID DAK was WDW's 2nd best attended park and had steadily increased its attendance over a number of years surpassing DHS and then Epcot. Post COVID they have treated DAK like it was before Pandora.

They've removed entertainment from Africa, Asia, Pandora and Dinoland, the night safari, Rivers of Light, Tree of Life Awakenings [most of the year] Primeval Whirl [which I think damaged Chester and Hesters even when it wasn't open as it at least filled the land] along with park hours heavily reduced to 5/6/7pm close compared to 8/9/10pm. So little surprise the attendance has fallen...
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The best thing Animal Kingdom has going for it is the atmosphere as it doesn't have that many rides. The entertainment they've removed is a big part of that atmosphere.

Maybe they will extend the hours and bring that stuff back once South America land opens?
 

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