So...about that big dead elephant in the room....

[orlando678-]

Europe, South America, North America, Oceania, Fantasy, insects, the seas and so on would make AK much better in my opinion

 

[Goofyernmost]

I'm actually more disappointed that the park never followed through with its fantasy animal plan. They already have a dragon in their logo. I know it has nothing to do with awareness or anything, but fantasy is a timeless theme they could have played with, instead of Avatar which is an already faded fad.

I never really looked at Avatar as a fad as much as it was a "look". A mystifying vision. No one that I know of ever wanted to be blue, however, the scenes created were really different and interesting. If they do it properly (big IF) it could be fascinating even for people that have never seen the movie. It doesn't need anymore of a previous fan following then the original Imagination with the Dreamfinder and Figment. Never seen before but still very entertaining.

 

[jakeman]

Disney attractions are no stranger to having the occasional morbid touch.

The problem with that scene in the Safaris is, as others have noted:

1. It wasn't subtle.
2. There was no way to play it off as "amusing".
3. No family would know to expect it.

Pirates of the Caribbean (especially at Disneyland) has plenty of skeletons throughout the ride on full display, but their shock value is muted slightly by how amusing they are. The way they are arranged or posed gives it a sense of comic relief, or at least of fantasy.

Haunted Mansion has even more morbid humor and "dark" moments, but most families here know to expect it. If the wolf howling outside wasn't clue enough, the attraction has "Haunted" in its name. And again, the scenes themselves have a sense of being amusing.

Rides like Mr. Toad's or Pinocchio's at Disneyland have some dark implications as well, but in this case they're fairly subtle, and you have to have an adult understanding of the world to truly appreciate what's going on. Kids can still enjoy them.

The dead elephant wasn't amusing, it was just disturbing and heavy-handed. No family would know to expect that on a ride where they were expecting to just see some animals, and didn't have adequate information in advance as to whether that part of the ride was something they'd want their toddler to see.

Early days of DAK was very serious about the message, to the point where it did kind of trump "fun".

 

[blueboxdoctor]

I never really looked at Avatar as a fad as much as it was a "look". A mystifying vision. No one that I know of ever wanted to be blue, however, the scenes created were really different and interesting. If they do it properly (big IF) it could be fascinating even for people that have never seen the movie. It doesn't need anymore of a previous fan following then the original Imagination with the Dreamfinder and Figment. Never seen before but still very entertaining.

True, but I guess my issue is Avatar is one of the worst movies I ever had to sit through, so all I can think of is how awful it was. Yes, the cgi and all that was good, but the actual story and acting was nothing short of pathetic.

 

[raven]

Anyone have video of the original finale of the safari? In particular the Jeep flying by on the opposite side of the bushes near the end where the gunshots were heard?

 

[Goofyernmost]

True, but I guess my issue is Avatar is one of the worst movies I ever had to sit through, so all I can think of is how awful it was. Yes, the cgi and all that was good, but the actual story and acting was nothing short of pathetic.

I can't argue with that. The only thing I will say is that there is a big difference between a full length movie, (which did well, btw) and a few minute attractions that will be the case in DAK. If they cannot duplicate some of the more spectacular visions of the movie in that small space and time, then they really need to sell off the theme parks and go into a more suitable field. Something that requires no imagination or vision. Something like some sort of procrastination institution.