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WDW Animal Kingdom: General Discussion

Screamscape said:
2017 - PANDORA:
THE WORLD OF AVATAR
(2/5/14) I’m not sure how true this one, but we’ve heard it said that the boat ride going into Pandora: The World of Avatar may be somewhat similar in feel to Pirates of the Caribbean. The fantasy ride through the bio-luminescent world of Pandora may include encounters with animatronic creatures, very cool lighting and projection effects and perhaps a small drop or two along the way to keep things exciting.

That's definitely a bit more promising. This project was in danger of looking like it was all going to be boring screen based virtual-reality Snorin' crap.
 
An interview with James Cameron on SlashFilm suggests the official name of the new land will be: Pandora: The Land of Avatar.

And from James Cameron himself:

"It’s going to have floating mountains. It’s pretty cool. I've seen the model and the design work the Imagineering people have done is spectacular. They've got a quarter inch to the foot scale model of the whole park and I've looked at all the sight lines… it’s not a park, it’s a land within the park but a land is not just a ride. There will be several rides and a number of other attractions. It’s really just a place you’re gonna wanna go and hang out. It’s gonna be gorgeous. Of course it’s gonna be gorgeous at night and they’re using every new trick, every new bit of technology that they've created.

The animatronics for the Na’vi characters are gonna be fantastic. For example, their early animatronics would use 12 axis of motion and I think the most they've ever done was 32 axis recently. I think they’re up to 64 just in the face of the Na’vi characters. So it’s gonna be remarkable. They really see it as a major, major attraction."
 
Time for an Avatar construction update courtesy of themeparx.com:

avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom-2.jpg


avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom-6.jpg


avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom-7.jpg


avatar-land-disneys-animal-kingdom-8.jpg


You can see the rest of the photos at the above link.

:)
 
Not the greatest quality but a progress update courtesy of Screamscape:

db_2015_0117_AvatarAir1_6001.jpg


It appears that the 'plus' shaped concrete base/structure matches up with the leaked blueprints for the simulator ride. And the larger concrete base to the right is thought to be the boat ride.

:)
 
Well progress is certainly speeeeeding along.


*rolls eyes*

C'mon Disney, build something quickly for a change...
 
I should probably have pointed out that the above photo was taken in late December, apologies!

:)
 
With the next Avatar film being delayed until 2017, you do wonder how much of a rush they will be in to complete the area. I'm sure they would have hoped for a neater overlap than is on the table.
 
Screamscape have been sent a photo of one of the show buildings going vertical:

db_2015_0223_Avatar11.jpg


It's thought this is likely to be for the flight simulator ride.

:)
 
I had never realised how big a footprint this area was going to have. Such a shame because Animal Kingdom is by far my favourite Disney park, it's beautiful but this really won't fit in and will cheapen the overall theming of the place. Admittedly the Dinoland funfair area is the same and sticks out like a soar thumb but at least it's small and easy to ignore, the same can't be said for this.

It may however be popular with the public. Ratatouille for example, I thought was a very odd choice to theme a multi million euro dark ride on but it seems to have been a massive success even though I thought the film had been pretty much forgotten about. I hate to say it but if there are plans for an Avatar sequel this project could well be a hit. I still don't like it though.
 
I had never realised how big a footprint this area was going to have. Such a shame because Animal Kingdom is by far my favourite Disney park, it's beautiful but this really won't fit in and will cheapen the overall theming of the place. Admittedly the Dinoland funfair area is the same and sticks out like a soar thumb but at least it's small and easy to ignore, the same can't be said for this.

Have you seen the concept art?!? It is the same level of immersive detail as the rest of Animal Kingdom.
See http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...-of-avatar-to-life-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/ and http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ar-to-come-to-life-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/ for the pics.

I know Chester & Hesters looks cheap, but the theme is that it is a roadside attraction set up by Chester & Hester to expand their shop/gas stop, so the theming is what it is meant to be, even if it doesn't look as good as Africa.

Avatar should look much better than Camp Minnie-Mickey that it is replacing, that was definitly an area done on the cheap when the budget ran out.
 
I had never realised how big a footprint this area was going to have. Such a shame because Animal Kingdom is by far my favourite Disney park, it's beautiful but this really won't fit in and will cheapen the overall theming of the place. Admittedly the Dinoland funfair area is the same and sticks out like a soar thumb but at least it's small and easy to ignore, the same can't be said for this.

It may however be popular with the public. Ratatouille for example, I thought was a very odd choice to theme a multi million euro dark ride on but it seems to have been a massive success even though I thought the film had been pretty much forgotten about. I hate to say it but if there are plans for an Avatar sequel this project could well be a hit. I still don't like it though.

I know Avatar is not a popular IP choice for many people. I personally do not mind it if it brings good theming and rides. But I get that many do not feel this way and I understand why, it does kind of go against what Animal Kingdom is meant to be. I wish they had built the planned Beastly Kingdom as it would have been perfect for the park. Alas it will likely never happen.

However I do not see how it will cheapen the overall theming of the park? It's Disney, it is a huge project and it is clearly being done to a very high standard. It certainly won't be cheap. If you take away the fact that it is Avatar and just look at the concepts and models it looks like something never done before in any theme park in the world. I think the theming will be on a new level.

As for Ratatouille; a perfect ride idea for a Paris based theme park and it is no surprise that it has been a hit. Fits in perfecltly and is a decent ride.

:)
 
It won't cheapen the park and I suppose it does contain fantasy creatures and landscapes (even if they are aliens) which is I suppose what they were going for originally with Beastly Kingdom.

What annoys me is the movie theme being used in a non-movie themed theme park. Disney get away with things like, for instance, Frozen at EPCOT because they are using their own characters (but even then it irks me) but Avatar is totally weird! I read on Theme Park Tourist that Disney are trying to emulate the success of Potter and Springfield by building a totally immersive land, but where they're missing the point massively is that the Potter and Simpsons IP already had a massive fan base and their own presence in pop culture. The public were gagging for the likes of Hogwarts and the Kwik-E-Mart to be brought to life so that they could really explore the worlds that characters dear to their heart inhabit. Who cares that much about Avatar? Nobody. Of course there are those who like the film's but it just doesn't have the cultural importance to necessitate something like this.

So yes it will be beautiful and cool and awesome because Disney, but at the end of the day they're never going to get the reaction that Potter got because it isn't cherished in the same way.

Now if they were to bring the Star Wars-verse to life, then they'd have something spectacular on their hands!
 
I think it can loosely fit in with the mythological premise of the park, which was only really supported by the yeti. And I think unfortunately this is really the only large expansion pad remaining, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some more of Beastly Kingdom go abroad like Shanghai, most good Disney ideas get reused at some point, even Universal nicked some ideas from it!

With regard to Dinoland, it looks cheap because it was cheap. I think it was a last minute thing, the original idea was to have a large themed roller coaster on that site, on the scale of Everest. But it got abandoned alongside Beastly Kingdom due to budget problems. When they realised there was really only 5 attraction within the whole park, they quickly knocked up Dinoland and the mickey Minnie camp.

Here are a couple of concepts of the rollercoaster which would have been called the Excavator.

0121.Beastly_2D00_Excavator_2D00_3.jpg_2D00_500x0.jpg

4863.Beastly_2D00_Excavator_2D00_6.jpg_2D00_500x0.jpg
 
So yes it will be beautiful and cool and awesome because Disney, but at the end of the day they're never going to get the reaction that Potter got because it isn't cherished in the same way.

Now if they were to bring the Star Wars-verse to life, then they'd have something spectacular on their hands!

Yes I meant to bring this up also. They clearly want Avatar to be their answer to Universal and Harry Potter however there is no chance of it having the same impact. Harry Potter is a huge worldwide phenomenon and Universal have capitalised on it in every possible sense.

Disney have confirmed that new Star Wars attractions will soon be coming to their parks with possible annoucements at some point this year. I really would not be surprised to see a big new Star Wars themed are at Hollywood Studios as some point relatively soon; that could indeed be their answer to Universal and they could do some pretty specail stuff if they wanted to.

:)
 
^they also confirmed that any Star Wars attractions will be based on the new films only, so once again totally ignoring the rich pot of inspiration literally sitting there waiting for them to use. Fools.
 
I really would not be surprised to see a big new Star Wars themed are at Hollywood Studios as some point relatively soon;

By relatively soon I assume you mean 2021, with the speed Disney build at this is probably the opening year.

^they also confirmed that any Star Wars attractions will be based on the new films only, so once again totally ignoring the rich pot of inspiration literally sitting there waiting for them to use. Fools.

The new area will be a mixture of old and new movies, focused more on the later granted. But this was the main reason the original plans got scrapped as they were almost solely focused on the older movies.
 
I would argue that Star Wars won't be on the same scale as Harry Potter. The reason that HP was so successful as an IP was because people really wanted to go to the magical places so vividly described in the books and films. Star Wars by contrast has a lot of interesting characters but only a handful of iconic locations that would translate to a Theme Park environment, most of which have already been captured in the pre-existing Star Wars attractions. In this respect basing the new attractions on the new films (assuming they are successfully) might prove to be key.

Avatar on the other hand has Pandora. The films story might be mediocre but it's not the story they are recreating but the world of Pandora. Take out the brand association and Pandora represent any mythical world, and if it looks anything like the concept art it'll be way more impressive than the Beastly Kingdom was anticipated to be. Time the opening to align with the second film (even throw in an advert for it in the credits) and people will be desperate to go there.

Having said all the above Disney really don't need their own Harry Potter. They are Disney! That name alone already pulls more guests than any other franchise imaginable. Where else in the world does one brand attract so many people it has gained city status!
 
I don't see any other theme park IP area/ride ever being as successful and attractive as Harry Potter at Universal. They stuck gold and then some. The demand has been and continues to be huge. I'm sure it will be the same for a third Potter area/expansion.

Of course Disney is Disney and that is more than enough to have guests flocking regardless of new additons. The other week whilst we were in Blackpool a few of us went through all of the new from scratch rides that parks at Walt Disney World have recieved in recent years. The reality was not that many at all, in fact far less than you may imagine. But they can get away with it because they are Disney and the parks do have good established rides as it is. Universal's recent expansions in terms of rides and attractions has been for more intense.

:)
 
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