James Cameron comments on the Avatar sequels.

[JohnWD]

One thing that I thought of:

Avatarland is in a really crappy section of AK. Meaning, if it's not something that is going to draw you to it because you seek it out, which I doubt will be a problem in the first few months or years for it just out of curiosity, it'll be forgotten.

Think about all the times you passed by the path to Camp Minnie Mickey without a second thought or even wondering, "What's back there?"

That problem doesn't have anything to do with Avatar, it's just a "dead space" problem parks can get. Places inside parks where people rarely venture. I think the Wonders of Life Pavilion suffered from it at Epcot and the Living Seas also suffers from it.

I remember Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. A buddy and I went to ride it soon after it opened. I knew the park layout as I used to live somewhat close to the park and would often visit it. We were seeking out Drachen Fire and, oddly, we had to "find" it. It wasn't anything obvious but kind of weirdly tucked away in a seldom used corner. Both of us thought it was a really odd placement.

Whether it were Avatarland or the original Beastly Kingdom area, I think the same problem would exist. If anything Avatarland will likely have a greater draw so it, in my head, is less likely to suffer from it. Still, I think it's a problem.

Just like Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain? I think you are over thinking this.

 

[GoofGoof]

One thing that I thought of:

Avatarland is in a really crappy section of AK. Meaning, if it's not something that is going to draw you to it because you seek it out, which I doubt will be a problem in the first few months or years for it just out of curiosity, it'll be forgotten.

Think about all the times you passed by the path to Camp Minnie Mickey without a second thought or even wondering, "What's back there?"

That problem doesn't have anything to do with Avatar, it's just a "dead space" problem parks can get. Places inside parks where people rarely venture. I think the Wonders of Life Pavilion suffered from it at Epcot and the Living Seas also suffers from it.

I remember Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. A buddy and I went to ride it soon after it opened. I knew the park layout as I used to live somewhat close to the park and would often visit it. We were seeking out Drachen Fire and, oddly, we had to "find" it. It wasn't anything obvious but kind of weirdly tucked away in a seldom used corner. Both of us thought it was a really odd placement.

Whether it were Avatarland or the original Beastly Kingdom area, I think the same problem would exist. If anything Avatarland will likely have a greater draw so it, in my head, is less likely to suffer from it. Still, I think it's a problem.

Good point, but it will now also be connected back to Africa as well. Camp Minnie Mickey was just a dead end. The land should be similar to Dinoland on the other side. Dinoland has it's own connection to the hub (Discovery Island) but it also has a direct connection to Asia which sorta creates an inner circle around Discovery Island and an outer circle through Dinoland to Asia. Actually, before EE was built and Asia was finished off there was no direct connection between Dinoland and Asia making Dinoland a big dead end too.
Here's the map today. Once Avatar is done there will be a path connecting north into Africa:

Here's what it looked like before EE:

 

[doctornick]

Yeah, I'm not really worried about Pandora being tough to find for people. CMM was never busy simply because there was little to do there -- honestly, some people might look at a guide map and say "a show and some M&Gs? Not worth it" and ignore it. But guests will seek out good attractions and, as mentioned, Pandora will have two entrance pathways which will help with guest flow anyway. You'll also be able to see some of the top of the land (floating mountains?) from the parking lot as you enter the park, so it will have a "weenie" effect from the moment anyone enters.

 

[flyerjab]

Once word gets around about the floating mountains, the bioluminescence of the flora at night and just the overall total immersive effect people will get, this expansion won't have any trouble attracting people.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The "tough to find" component was a setup for Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland. Never really an issue. Quality often wins out over guest ignorance. Soarin' is pretty hidden and lines for that are amongst the longest in the entire resort.

 

[omurice]

We may be able to see (and possibly hear) parts of this land from the bus loop entrance and the parking lot. Unless they plant eighty foot tall trees next to the parking, I don't feel like the floating mountains will ever be totally "hidden"!
At night it's likely these may be lit up too, for some of the night. It's going to be almost unavoidable, whether it's a visual intrusion or a "teaser". But I get excited seeing glimpses of the castle, space mountain, astro orbiter lights especially from the monorail, and sometimes seeing SSE or TOT from a distance is a goosebump moment. Hoping this will evoke same feelings. But is too early to tell...

 

[bee]

*insert awful joke about a Titanic sequel*