Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[SJFPKT]

No, I disagree. There was actually a scientific study that studied the effects Avatar had on people. Under hypnosis, a scary percentage of people claimed that they experienced the scenes first hand and it was real. As a control, they asked them about scenes from other movies and no one claimed to have experience those in real life and that what was described were from movies. No other movie in history has had that kind of effect on people. Only a master film maker and a master work of art can achieve something like that

You're probably thinking about something like this guy Brian Weiss. Probably read a thread like this and are really confusing a bunch of stuff. It happens all the time you read two things and put them together.

http://www.avatar-forums.com/archive/index.php/t-2081.html

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Thank you for reminding me of the story an anonymous Cast Member told on 4chan months ago about how they knew someone in a meeting room with Meg Crofton and TDO discussing Avatarland and when the question was raised about if they could name any characters from the movie, the room was silent and Meg just shrugged.

 

[PeterAlt]

Scientific as in a research study documented in a professional journal, or "scientific" because it appeared in an online source, news organization, or magazine (something like Psychology Today)? Because there is a HUGE difference.

It also makes a difference in knowing where to search at.

Good point, if you take my statement literally. I meant scientific in the figurative sense. If it wasn't published in a journal, then the study wasn't scientific, by your definition. So, it may have been or may not have been. I don't know and don't care.

 

[some guy]

Thank you for reminding me of the story an anonymous Cast Member told on 4chan months ago about how they knew someone in a meeting room with Meg Crofton and TDO discussing Avatarland and when the question was raised about if they could name any characters from the movie, the room was silent and Meg just shrugged.

Where at? I've heard /co/ gets theme park discussions, but I never catch them.

 

[PeterAlt]

Well, I did find a related blog entry, which is neither scientific nor a research study:

http://blog.mn-hypnosis.com/2010/03/can-movie-avatar-cause-depression.html

Yes, that study cited by that blog is what I was talking about. Thank you for finding it!

 

[FigmentJedi]

Where at? I've heard /co/ gets theme park discussions, but I never catch them.

Yeah, it was on /co/ earlier this year.

 

[wm49rs]

Yes, that study cited by that blog is what I was talking about. Thank you for finding it!

There was no study cited by that blog post....

 

[PeterAlt]

This makes zero sense. You do realize Cameron has been making blockbuster films almost as long as Lucas has right? That's like saying "Steve Jobs is the new Bill Gates" or when I hear Millenials saying "Inception is our generations Matrix". The absurdity is so outrageous.

The difference is Lucas doesn't make blockbuster movies any more. Cameron still does. It's as if Lucas passed the Patton on.

 

[BaconPancakes]

The difference is Lucas doesn't make blockbuster movies any more. Cameron still does. It's as if Lucas passed the Patton on.

You mean the "baton"? lol...

 

[PeterAlt]

All this hatred to Avatar is upsetting. Not only are the haters being vocal and candidly expressing their hatred, but they are taking jabs at people who actually like the film. Imagine if Disney haters came here to express their love for Universal and then said Disney fans were idiots for liking Disney because Disney no longer invests in the parks like they used to. While they may be right about that, it is still no reason to instigate hate among people who like something. Stop the hate, keep it to yourselves, or go to a Hate Avatar board and express your hatred amongst others whom feel the same way and take pleasure in reading posts of shared hatred.

 

[71jason]

Ya know. You're wrong. Sorry. Don't wan't to be confrontational. BUT. I'm a local. I expect crowds. Especially on weekends. But I DO NOT expect the same crowds that leads to phased 2-3 closings at MK at Holidays. sorry. Disney does not and has not and will not prepare me for that in the middle of the off-season. I (sadly, reluctantly) do not sample as much as I would like. But to expect locals to just "deal with it" flies in the face of how Disney markets this event to US. I can know and understand how the cool culture smiles and laughs at the closures, most APers will not and will never understand. You may gain a feeling of superiority , temporarily. BUT without locals Epcot would be deserterdCOT 5-8 months out of the year at closing.

My point was this is the third year in a row, to my memory, with insane NYE like crowds on Saturday. I remember being persuaded into going last year, only to park in a lot so far out I'd never set foot in it before. I've had friends brave every Saturday this year--many of them who would consider themselves "Disney experts" which is what throws me--and all of them report just a sea of humanity.

I'm not saying you have to like it--you don't even have to understand it, because I don't. But to pretend that last Saturday or (come the reports tomorrow) today was unusual is simply no longer the case. F&W draws near capacity crowds. Anyone who thinks differently is out of touch with reality in WDW these days.

But the way, I don't laugh at the closure--I avoid it. I just think treating wall-to-wall crowds on Saturday at F&W these days is like a breathless report that MK might close for capacity on December 26 or that the 10/31 MNSSHP sold out a month early. Maybe the general public can be surprised but if you care enough about the parks to create an account here, you should be aware at this point.

 

[doctornick]

All this hatred to Avatar is upsetting. Not only are the haters being vocal and candidly expressing their hatred, but they are taking jabs at people who actually like the film. Imagine if Disney haters came here to express their love for Universal and then said Disney fans were idiots for liking Disney because Disney no longer invests in the parks like they used to. While they may be right about that, it is still no reason to instigate hate among people who like something. Stop the hate, keep it to yourselves, or go to a Hate Avatar board and express your hatred amongst others whom feel the same way and take pleasure in reading posts of shared hatred.

Um, doesn't that happen on here?

 

[71jason]

All this hatred to Avatar is upsetting.

There's a huge gap between hating Avatar and recognizing that, record-breaking box office aside, it didn't enter the pop culture zeitgeist in a way other movies have.

Brother Bear outgrossed The Little Mermaid. Kids still line up to meet Ariel--how many could even name the little boy turned bear in the more successful movie?

 

[BaconPancakes]

I didn't know there were hardcore Avatar fans until I came to this message board. Its like discovering the mystical unicorn.

 

[doctornick]

There's a huge gap between hating Avatar and recognizing that, record-breaking box office aside, it didn't enter the pop culture zeitgeist in a way other movies have.

Agreed. And there's also a huge gap between recognizing that Avatar didn't enter the pop culture zeitgeist in a way other movies have and suggesting that it will not be a worthwhile theme park land. The former is not required to make an enjoyable and accessible theme park area.

 

[71jason]

Two random observations:

(1) Wristbands are fine as room keys, and they probably work well in theme park gift shops modeled after Wal-Mart. But in "grown up" places where you're expected to tip--nice restaurants, bars--the whole process is kind of silly and redundent.

(2) When the Grand Floridian is running near 100%, it doesn't have the infrastructure to absorb the extra DVC rooms about to open. It was short-sighted building the real world equivalent of a stand-alone hotel without its own pool, food service, bar, etc.

 

[doctornick]

I didn't know there were hardcore Avatar fans until I came to this message board. Its like discovering the mystical unicorn.

I haven't gotten the sense that there is really any "hardcore" Avatar fans on these pages. I think most people defending the addition are in the realm of folks who simply enjoyed the move and think it makes for a potentially good canvas for a theme park area. There are even some folks who said they did not like the movie or even haven't seen it at all who think that it is a reasonable addition.

 

[BaconPancakes]

Someone was saying how Avatar is the best movie in the world because everyone is having dreams about it. I would say that is pretty "hardcore".

 

[71jason]

Agreed. And there's also a huge gap between recognizing that Avatar didn't enter the pop culture zeitgeist in a way other movies have and suggesting that it will not be a worthwhile theme park land. The former is not required to make an enjoyable and accessible theme park area.

I don't entirely disagree. How many guests who ride Splash Mountain ever saw Song of the South? And while Lilo & Stich is one of my favorite Disney movies, SGE ... just ugh.

That said, if you're basing a theme park attraction off an IP, I imagine it's easier to use one with compelling characters (whose names you can actually remember) and a memorable plot. Nothing is guaranteed in life, but it increases the odds in your favor.

 

[doctornick]

That said, if you're basing a theme park attraction off an IP, I imagine it's easier to use one with compelling characters (whose names you can actually remember) and a memorable plot. Nothing is guaranteed in life, but it increases the odds in your favor.

The most significant "character" in Avatar was the beautiful and memorable scenery and landscapes and that's precisely what I think they will focus on in DAK. People may not remember Jake Sully but they do remember the floating mountains and bioluminescent plants and, I would argue, those things have entered the public consciousness as being a enduring legacy of Avatar.

The key for making Pandora at DAK work is to effectively replicate the visual impact of the theatrical world and make people feel like they are walking there and experiencing it first hand. I'm skeptical about how well it will work, but if it can be pulled off, I don't think the trite plot and character development of Avatar will be an issue.