Upcoming Announcement?

[BrianLo]

Thanks for the update @lentesta! I don’t mind Zootopia in that specific area in all honesty.

I hope for two things- 1 Not a Clone and 2- Pandora has simply switched sites and still will be built.

1 is disappointing and also represents a strategic shift, 2 is a massive downgrade.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I'm ok with "AND Zootopia", not so much "Zootopia as a replacement for Avatar."

I get it from a financial perspective; but to me there is no universe where a Zootopia attraction is more interesting than an Avatar attraction.

 

[denyuntilcaught]

I would think, sure, switch out the IP lands, but declining Avatar box office when the third in a series still made $1.5B is insane to me. It also proves the shortsightedness of these choices - should the live action Moana not do as well as Moana 2, will DAW pivot again? (Assuming the rumor is true...)

 

[DisneyDad55]

I don’t know a single person that wants Avatar in DCA. This would be a huge win.

 

[Disney Irish]

I don’t know a single person that wants Avatar in DCA. This would be a huge win.

You have a bunch of people here who do.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I don’t know a single person that wants Avatar in DCA. This would be a huge win.

*waves hand*

 

[mickEblu]

I'm leaning more that it could be that Zootopia is not replacing Avatar in the Backlot, but rather is the first project to be announced for Simba lot. This would be a perfect future land for the 2030s as Zootopia 3 will be releasing between 2030-2032.

This doesn’t really make sense to me. All the rumors and energy is pointing to a change. Not just an addition. Cramming Avatar in the backlot only to put Zootopia (which would be a perfect fit in the backlot) in the big empty lot across the street doesn’t make any sense.

 

[DisneyDad55]

You have a bunch of people here who do.

I bet if we took a pole of people who are DLand focused people (not WDW focused people who visit DL) it would be 70/30 against having Avatar at all in CA. I think it would be closer to 90/10 against having it in the Hollywood Backlot.

Let it be a WDW thing.

 

[DL-fan]

Is it though? Seems to be a lot of smoke. Even Martin is hinting at it.

Who’s Martin?

 

[wityblack]

I don’t know a single person that wants Avatar in DCA. This would be a huge win.

Guess you don't know me.

 

[Disney Irish]

This doesn’t really make sense to me. All the rumors and energy is pointing to a change. Not just an addition. Cramming Avatar in the backlot only to put Zootopia (which would be a perfect fit in the backlot) in the big empty lot across the street doesn’t make any sense.

It makes perfect sense if you take Disney at their word, which even you indicate is still viable. Because it’s really the only way to keep everything on track and not extending existing announced projects into the mid-2030s. Because we know that Disney isn’t announcing a project for it to then be completed more than a decade later, which is what would happen with Avatar moving.

 

[Disney Irish]

I bet if we took a pole of people who are DLand focused people (not WDW focused people who visit DL) it would be 70/30 against having Avatar at all in CA. I think it would be closer to 90/10 against having it in the Hollywood Backlot.

Let it be a WDW thing.

I don’t know what a poll would say, nor does it matter since we don’t get a say here. Nor was it even the point. We clearly have posters here who have already verbalized they want Avatar in DCA and for it to be in the backlot. So even if YOU personally don’t know anyone, there are people who do want this.

 

[coffeefan]

I bet if we took a pole of people who are DLand focused people (not WDW focused people who visit DL) it would be 70/30 against having Avatar at all in CA. I think it would be closer to 90/10 against having it in the Hollywood Backlot.

Let it be a WDW thing.

That's completely at odds with how Disney operates. Disney tends to expand popular franchises across the world, such as Frozen, not restrict them to one park. Also, most people don't regularly frequent more than one Disney park, even among the fandom.

 

[wityblack]

I don’t know what a poll would say, nor does it matter since we don’t get a say here. Nor was it even the point. We clearly have posters here who have already verbalized they want Avatar in DCA and for it to be in the backlot. So even if YOU personally don’t know anyone, there are people who do want this.

I was a naysayer at first. But I truly think the experience will convert a lot of haters.

 

[mickEblu]

It makes perfect sense if you take Disney at their word, which even you indicate is still viable. Because it’s really the only way to keep everything on track and not extending existing announced projects into the mid-2030s. Because we know that Disney isn’t announcing a project for it to then be completed more than a decade later, which is what would happen with Avatar moving.

Right which is why I’ve maintained that it’s more likely Avatar would be cancelled (or postponed) than moving to the Simba Lot. Anything could still happen but it looking like Zootopia might be going in the backlot. Of course the big wrench in the theory is Disney’s comment saying Avatar isn’t delayed but as I said earlier if they were to announce this change at D23 I doubt they face any backlash. From feedback I’ve seen, the reception would be overwhelmingly positive. Especially if “a bigger better Avatar” is coming in the future is announced with it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Right which is why I’ve maintained that it’s more likely Avatar would be cancelled (or postponed) than moving to the Simba Lot. Anything could still happen but it looking like Zootopia might be going in the backlot. Of course the big wrench in the theory is Disney’s comment saying Avatar isn’t delayed but as I said earlier if they were to announce this change at D23 I doubt they face any backlash. From feedback I’ve seen, the reception would be overwhelmingly positive. Especially if “a bigger better Avatar” is coming in the future is announced with it.

Given that the person who said it is now the Parks Chairman (and likely knew they were moving into that position when they said it) I seriously doubt there is a major change coming from what was said. But yes anything is possible and could still happen, I just doubt it at this point.

 

[mickEblu]

Given that the person who said it is now the Parks Chairman (and likely knew they were moving into that position when they said it) I seriously doubt there is a major change coming from what was said.

I’m not saying there was a change after his announcement although for all we know there could have been. I’m saying they could have been lying as they know worst case most people will be happy with this change anyway.

 

[Disney Irish]

I’m not saying there was a change after his announcement although for all we know there could have been. I’m saying they could have been lying as they know worst case most people will be happy with this change anyway.

I wouldn’t put money on that or hold my breath on that being the case.

 

[mickEblu]

I wouldn’t put money on that or hold my breath on that being the case.

We’ll see. I was pretty much on an island a couple weeks ago and look how much steam this has all picked up since. With all of that said clearly I’m the one going out on a limb as smart money would still bet with what the company is actually telling us.

 

[Disney Irish]

We’ll see. I was pretty much on an island a couple weeks ago and look how much steam this has all picked up since. With all of that said clearly I’m the one going out on a limb as smart money would still bet with what the company is actually telling us.

I’m 100% certain Zootopia is coming to DLR, just not replacing Avatar in the backlot. So all this steam is likely coming from a different direction than people think it is.