I'm not 100% doesn't Disney already have a pocahontas ride?
Even though I found Avatar pretty boring story wise... it was incredibly good technology and art wise. And considering Disney are going to try and recreate that and that there was really a suicide talk line in America for people so depressed that Pandora was not a real place, I have a feeling this will be a very stunning and successful part of there park.
I
Walt Disney World - Disney's Animal Kingdom
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ReZourceman
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH. That is my reaction to some of the users in this thread - get a grip.
You can say what you want about Avatar but the world the movie has created is vibrant, beautiful and natural. It is an incredibly immersive idea/movie/theme, and fits in very well with Animal Kingdom.
I think Avatar is good/okay, but the idea of actually visiting a living and breathing Pandora? Thats incredibly exciting - because I am a fan of cool ideas.
You can say what you want about Avatar but the world the movie has created is vibrant, beautiful and natural. It is an incredibly immersive idea/movie/theme, and fits in very well with Animal Kingdom.
I think Avatar is good/okay, but the idea of actually visiting a living and breathing Pandora? Thats incredibly exciting - because I am a fan of cool ideas.
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dominoes
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Although I didn't really enjoy AVATAR, I think this is an amazing idea! Realistic animatronics, and maybe a robo arm system. I can think of many moments where the car can lear forward giving you an amazing look down...
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Nathan
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Highest grossing film of all time, but not that it matters, I didn't like it therefore it's an awful idea...
Facepalm.
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Facepalm.
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Maelstrom
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The below artcle indicates they plan on spending $500m on this land and aim to open in 5 years time! thats double Harry potter cost Universal. Thats a massive amount of money on on land!
news report from the Orlando Sentinel.
By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
4:34 p.m. EDT, September 20, 2011
The Walt Disney Co. plans to build a multi-attraction "land" based on the movie "Avatar" in Disney's Animal Kingdom as the first step in a broader licensing deal that will lead to similar attractions in Disney parks worldwide.
"Avatar is just a set of worlds that is really rich and offers so much to explore, we thought that offering a land-based approach gives us a much better opportunity to explore," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs said in an interview following the announcement.
Disney said it would begin construction of Animal Kingdom's Avatar land in 2013 and expects to open it to guests about five years from now. A company executive indicated that the price tag would be approximately $500 million.
The deal announced Tuesday gives Disney exclusive theme-park rights to use elements from the 2009 blockbuster and from sequels due out in 2014 and 2015. "Avatar," which was directed by James Cameron and grossed nearly $2.8 billion in worldwide box-office receipts, is widely considered one of the most valuable intellectual properties not already tied up by a theme park.
Click here to subscribe to the Sunday Orlando Sentinel for only 80 cents per week!
Disney said it plans to build multiple-attraction lands based on the film's fictional world of "Pandora," including themed food and merchandise, rides and entertainment. It's the same approach Universal Orlando has taken with its wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which has fueled huge attendance and guest-spending gains since opening in Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park last year.
Cameron said he initially thought Disney would want to build only an individual ride based on his film.
"I quickly realized that their vision for this thing is far beyond what I imagined," he told reporters. "It was kind of thrilling that they wanted to do a land and really bring the world of Pandora to life."
More Avatar lands would follow down the road. Disney currently has five theme-park resorts worldwide and is building a sixth in Shanghai, China.
"We obviously appreciate that this was a film that was enjoyed by millions globally. So it's now a global product," Disney Co. President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said. "We can clearly leverage the global interest in this property in multiple places, although we don't have any plans at the moment or specifics to announce to you."
Disney will license the rights from Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment studio and Fox Filmed Entertainment.
The Avatar land should provide a huge jolt in the arm for the 13-year-old Animal Kingdom theme park. The youngest of Walt Disney World's four theme parks has been criticized by some park fans for lacking attractions and not amounting to a full-day experience on par with the Magic Kingdom or Epcot.
The last major new ride added to Animal Kingdom was the Expedition Everest roller coaster, which opened in 2006. That ride cost more than $100 million.
A precise date hasn't been set for completion of the Avatar attractions in Animal Kingdom, but an opening sometime in 2016 could allow Disney to capitalize on a fresh wave of fan interest in the 'Avatar' film franchise from the two sequels currently in development. Cameron said the tentative plan is to release the first sequel around Christmas 2014 and the second around Christmas 2015.
"The timing seems to work out well in terms of the sequels," Cameron said. "Really, what we need to resolve is how much of the elements of the second and third films are incorporated into the Avatar land."
Although it prefers to use its own characters and franchises, Disney has licensed third-party content before for use in its theme parks. The company has deals for "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones" and "American Idol," among other properties. But Disney's use of those properties have generally been limited to standalone attractions or, in the case of Star Wars, an attraction plus a relatively contained surrounding area.
Disney's plans for Avatar appear far more ambitious. Staggs said the project would be similar in scope to "Carsland," a 12-acre themed area based on the Pixar animated films "Cars" and "Cars 2." When Carsland opens next year in Disney California Adventure, it will include multiple attractions, stores and restaurants.
It's an approach that has been phenomenally successful for Universal and "Harry Potter," which it licenses from author J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment. In addition to themed attractions, Wizarding World, which opened in June 2010, includes shops and eateries peddling fare from the Potter universe, from magic wands to mugs of butter beer.
Sales of food and merchandise in Universal's theme parks were up 90 percent during the first half of 2011 to $171 million. Attendance at the two-park resort soared 52 percent.
Staggs said it is possible that Disney's Avatar land will include food and merchandise based on items found in films, though he said the project is still in very early design phase.
Although Avatar is a science-fiction movie, the film is set on a lush, Earth-like planet with its own flora and fauna. Staggs said that made it a natural thematic fit with Animal Kingdom, which designers always envisioned as including mythical animals in addition to living and extinct ones.
"We just felt like Avatar was the perfect and most amazing mythical world we could think about exploring," Staggs said.
jrgarcia@tribune.com or 407-420-5414
news report from the Orlando Sentinel.
By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
4:34 p.m. EDT, September 20, 2011
The Walt Disney Co. plans to build a multi-attraction "land" based on the movie "Avatar" in Disney's Animal Kingdom as the first step in a broader licensing deal that will lead to similar attractions in Disney parks worldwide.
"Avatar is just a set of worlds that is really rich and offers so much to explore, we thought that offering a land-based approach gives us a much better opportunity to explore," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs said in an interview following the announcement.
Disney said it would begin construction of Animal Kingdom's Avatar land in 2013 and expects to open it to guests about five years from now. A company executive indicated that the price tag would be approximately $500 million.
The deal announced Tuesday gives Disney exclusive theme-park rights to use elements from the 2009 blockbuster and from sequels due out in 2014 and 2015. "Avatar," which was directed by James Cameron and grossed nearly $2.8 billion in worldwide box-office receipts, is widely considered one of the most valuable intellectual properties not already tied up by a theme park.
Click here to subscribe to the Sunday Orlando Sentinel for only 80 cents per week!
Disney said it plans to build multiple-attraction lands based on the film's fictional world of "Pandora," including themed food and merchandise, rides and entertainment. It's the same approach Universal Orlando has taken with its wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which has fueled huge attendance and guest-spending gains since opening in Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park last year.
Cameron said he initially thought Disney would want to build only an individual ride based on his film.
"I quickly realized that their vision for this thing is far beyond what I imagined," he told reporters. "It was kind of thrilling that they wanted to do a land and really bring the world of Pandora to life."
More Avatar lands would follow down the road. Disney currently has five theme-park resorts worldwide and is building a sixth in Shanghai, China.
"We obviously appreciate that this was a film that was enjoyed by millions globally. So it's now a global product," Disney Co. President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said. "We can clearly leverage the global interest in this property in multiple places, although we don't have any plans at the moment or specifics to announce to you."
Disney will license the rights from Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment studio and Fox Filmed Entertainment.
The Avatar land should provide a huge jolt in the arm for the 13-year-old Animal Kingdom theme park. The youngest of Walt Disney World's four theme parks has been criticized by some park fans for lacking attractions and not amounting to a full-day experience on par with the Magic Kingdom or Epcot.
The last major new ride added to Animal Kingdom was the Expedition Everest roller coaster, which opened in 2006. That ride cost more than $100 million.
A precise date hasn't been set for completion of the Avatar attractions in Animal Kingdom, but an opening sometime in 2016 could allow Disney to capitalize on a fresh wave of fan interest in the 'Avatar' film franchise from the two sequels currently in development. Cameron said the tentative plan is to release the first sequel around Christmas 2014 and the second around Christmas 2015.
"The timing seems to work out well in terms of the sequels," Cameron said. "Really, what we need to resolve is how much of the elements of the second and third films are incorporated into the Avatar land."
Although it prefers to use its own characters and franchises, Disney has licensed third-party content before for use in its theme parks. The company has deals for "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones" and "American Idol," among other properties. But Disney's use of those properties have generally been limited to standalone attractions or, in the case of Star Wars, an attraction plus a relatively contained surrounding area.
Disney's plans for Avatar appear far more ambitious. Staggs said the project would be similar in scope to "Carsland," a 12-acre themed area based on the Pixar animated films "Cars" and "Cars 2." When Carsland opens next year in Disney California Adventure, it will include multiple attractions, stores and restaurants.
It's an approach that has been phenomenally successful for Universal and "Harry Potter," which it licenses from author J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment. In addition to themed attractions, Wizarding World, which opened in June 2010, includes shops and eateries peddling fare from the Potter universe, from magic wands to mugs of butter beer.
Sales of food and merchandise in Universal's theme parks were up 90 percent during the first half of 2011 to $171 million. Attendance at the two-park resort soared 52 percent.
Staggs said it is possible that Disney's Avatar land will include food and merchandise based on items found in films, though he said the project is still in very early design phase.
Although Avatar is a science-fiction movie, the film is set on a lush, Earth-like planet with its own flora and fauna. Staggs said that made it a natural thematic fit with Animal Kingdom, which designers always envisioned as including mythical animals in addition to living and extinct ones.
"We just felt like Avatar was the perfect and most amazing mythical world we could think about exploring," Staggs said.
jrgarcia@tribune.com or 407-420-5414
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oldgitBEN
aww while Im not a fan of avatar (I turned it off, got bored) I expected it would go to hollywood studios, you know, the movie themed park.
Rather gutted its going to animal kingdom, animal kingdom is such a breath of fresh air at disney, no major disney (or other) film tie-ins and a park not based around rides, more based upon its atmosphere. I could spend days wandering around that park admiring the theming and the beauty. I do wonder if Cameron and the finance forced disney into using AK.
The other issue with this is, AK cannot stay open past dusk for the animal well-being, how long til that gets forgotten in place of money.
I expect a groundbreaking / jawdropping attraction which will be disneys rival to harry potter, but I expect it to be the worst thing to happen at animal kingdom (yes worse than that hester and chester crap)
Rather gutted its going to animal kingdom, animal kingdom is such a breath of fresh air at disney, no major disney (or other) film tie-ins and a park not based around rides, more based upon its atmosphere. I could spend days wandering around that park admiring the theming and the beauty. I do wonder if Cameron and the finance forced disney into using AK.
The other issue with this is, AK cannot stay open past dusk for the animal well-being, how long til that gets forgotten in place of money.
I expect a groundbreaking / jawdropping attraction which will be disneys rival to harry potter, but I expect it to be the worst thing to happen at animal kingdom (yes worse than that hester and chester crap)
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AshleeK
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I think it's a great idea to have an Avatar-themed area. Whilst most of the internet seems content with just moaning about how they think Avatar is just Pocahontas/Dancing With Wolves mixed with The Smurfs, I for one liked it. Pandora is a very pretty environment, and even though there's just the one film there's plenty of potential for different rides, whether they be some sort of dark ride through the jungles, a roller coaster based on those flying things, or something based on the humans (although to me it would be a bit Halo-like).
It also makes sense to put it in Animal Kingdom. Avatar has a rather heavy theme based on nature, and seeing as Animal Kingdom is full of nature, it's a good fit. Not only that, but Disney have a great record of building decent attractions. I've never been to any of the Disney parks, and this is making me want to go even more!
It also makes sense to put it in Animal Kingdom. Avatar has a rather heavy theme based on nature, and seeing as Animal Kingdom is full of nature, it's a good fit. Not only that, but Disney have a great record of building decent attractions. I've never been to any of the Disney parks, and this is making me want to go even more!
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Mitch
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- Location: Reading / Southampton
I wasn't the biggest fan of Avatar, particularly in terms of storyline but I was really impressed with the visuals and the universe which were created. People who are shunning this down due to the film should consider that the new area will incorporate the universe and visual aspects of the film and not the storyline, which appears to be the main complaint. Most rides with an IP don't really follow the main storyline of the film, you only have to look at Spiderman and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey to realise that, therefore I can see this having potential.
Unfortunately, I do see this as being a sort of rushed-in deal to compete with Wizarding World down the road, I don't like that Animal Kingdom has gone for an IP, but I can see how it would fit in with the park, particularly as both preach a message about conservation of the environment. (Despite how woeful it becomes.)
Also, Animal Kingdom is in DIRE need for attractions, it's by far my favourite Disney Park, it just needs more stuff to do and as fab as Everest, Dinosaur and the Safari is, it's simply not enough for a day.
Unfortunately, I do see this as being a sort of rushed-in deal to compete with Wizarding World down the road, I don't like that Animal Kingdom has gone for an IP, but I can see how it would fit in with the park, particularly as both preach a message about conservation of the environment. (Despite how woeful it becomes.)
Also, Animal Kingdom is in DIRE need for attractions, it's by far my favourite Disney Park, it just needs more stuff to do and as fab as Everest, Dinosaur and the Safari is, it's simply not enough for a day.
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Benzin
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Desperate reaction to Potterland's sucess...
Animal Kingdom doesn't need attractions/rides... It had enough for me 9 years ago before Everest... The animals are as much part of the day as the rides... Although I wouldn't say no to Beastly Kingdom, because at least that had creativity and merit on not being a over-hyped pretentious film that brought the annoying over-priced fad of 3D (again) to everyone...
Honestly, I don't like it... But the only reason this is getting attention is because of the name... Which is why it stinks of actual desperation against Universal... Does Disney even NEED a second name to get the punters in? Even with Star Tours and Indy at the Studios... I would actually rather another Pixar area (which I also think are over-saturating the parks but that's another topic) than Avatar...
It might be nature based, but AK is realistic... Even Beastly Kingdom would probably have been realistic... And not full of floating rocks and the other silliness that film has...
Animal Kingdom doesn't need attractions/rides... It had enough for me 9 years ago before Everest... The animals are as much part of the day as the rides... Although I wouldn't say no to Beastly Kingdom, because at least that had creativity and merit on not being a over-hyped pretentious film that brought the annoying over-priced fad of 3D (again) to everyone...
Honestly, I don't like it... But the only reason this is getting attention is because of the name... Which is why it stinks of actual desperation against Universal... Does Disney even NEED a second name to get the punters in? Even with Star Tours and Indy at the Studios... I would actually rather another Pixar area (which I also think are over-saturating the parks but that's another topic) than Avatar...
It might be nature based, but AK is realistic... Even Beastly Kingdom would probably have been realistic... And not full of floating rocks and the other silliness that film has...
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Jubby
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I for one liked Avatar the film. The storyline was very cheesy and has been done a million times, but the world they created was amazing - the main reason so many went to see it (in 3D 
) - so this new land should look stunning.
I do though share the same dissapointment intially that Animal Kingdom will be having an IP land, rather than something comletely new and unique, however I don't think it will be too bad if they make one very important step which is to call it PANDORA and not AVATAR land. Then this would provide a big enough gap from the films and allow the new land to be in the world of pandora and totally forget the films storyline.
I can see the rumoured dragon coaster being converted into this theme as though riding one of those bird things from the film. I hope they can do the flying islands somehow and also do a great dark ride. Also, the 2nd film is supposedly going to be more water/sea based, so this could be the basis of a ride/area.
I guess this puts an end to the rumours that Terminator 2 at Universal was to be replaced by an Avatar ride.
) - so this new land should look stunning.I do though share the same dissapointment intially that Animal Kingdom will be having an IP land, rather than something comletely new and unique, however I don't think it will be too bad if they make one very important step which is to call it PANDORA and not AVATAR land. Then this would provide a big enough gap from the films and allow the new land to be in the world of pandora and totally forget the films storyline.
I can see the rumoured dragon coaster being converted into this theme as though riding one of those bird things from the film. I hope they can do the flying islands somehow and also do a great dark ride. Also, the 2nd film is supposedly going to be more water/sea based, so this could be the basis of a ride/area.
I guess this puts an end to the rumours that Terminator 2 at Universal was to be replaced by an Avatar ride.
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NeilHD
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I enjoyed Avatar after seeing it recently for the first time. My initial thought on the land was that it should have gone to Hollywood Studios being a film franchise, but it does make a better fit at AK actually. AK is all about nature and conservation, and the Avatar message fits in well with that, and the overall jungly-feel of Avatar imagery would fit in nicely with AK. Also, HS is hard enough to do in a day as it is (so many shows!) without adding an entire new land. AK could most easily absorb a new land and still be do-able in a day. Although I always liked AK for it's relative lack of attractions - it always made for a nice relaxing day.
Don't forget there is already a film-themed ride in Dinosaur there. Disney has always been about movies, so I don't have a problem with more IP-based areas.
And I'm sure that we will get a new dark ride to rival, or possibly even beat, Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure. Which is something Disney now desparately needs.
Don't forget there is already a film-themed ride in Dinosaur there. Disney has always been about movies, so I don't have a problem with more IP-based areas.
And I'm sure that we will get a new dark ride to rival, or possibly even beat, Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure. Which is something Disney now desparately needs.
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CoasterCrazyChris
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I'm worried the Tree of Life will be torn down for an Avatar style one...
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Thorpefandan
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Does it seem likely to anyone that Disneyland paris might see an Avatar park as their 3rd?
It\'s Big Bob, it\'s Big Bob, it\'s Big Bobs radio show.
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Sam
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Bleh, will Expedition Everest be the last truly creative major Disney ride to not use an IP?
Avatar was an incredibly tedious film. Without Sigourney Weaver I would have actually fallen asleep. At least Bug's Life and Dinosaur! were IPs actually set on planet earth (which is what Animal Kingdom should be all about).
Has anyone read the plans of Kingdom of Beasties (see Unfinished Disneylands)? It sounded amazing! I seemed to remember a suspended coaster with dark ride section set around a LegoLand-style castle.
Avatar was an incredibly tedious film. Without Sigourney Weaver I would have actually fallen asleep. At least Bug's Life and Dinosaur! were IPs actually set on planet earth (which is what Animal Kingdom should be all about).
Has anyone read the plans of Kingdom of Beasties (see Unfinished Disneylands)? It sounded amazing! I seemed to remember a suspended coaster with dark ride section set around a LegoLand-style castle.
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Chris W
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The thing about Beastly Kingdom is that a lot of imagineers who were working on it left to work for Universal Creative.
A few years later an inverted rollercoaster based on Dragons and with a castle for a station opened at Islands of Adventure
A few years later an inverted rollercoaster based on Dragons and with a castle for a station opened at Islands of Adventure
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cookiee_munster
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i didnt get excited about this announcement what-so-ever. in fact i groaned, i wonder what Joe Rhode thinks...
this is all in reaction to Universals Harry Potter land, i really think it hasn't been that well thought out. At least with Beastly Kingdom it was filled with their own ideas and not based on an I.P. The plot of land intended for Beastly Kingdom is now Camp Minnie Mickey, because of budget cuts Beastly Kingdom wasn't built and so they had to fill the land with something. the other piece of land to the north east of the park was intended to be part of an extension of Kali River Rapids and another land, possibly Australia.
So there's two lands where it could go. i for one would rather it didn't have a themed land etc, and more of an experience with conservation at the heart of the story, kind of something similar to what you'd find at EPCOT something fun, but you also get to learn and experience stuff.
this is all in reaction to Universals Harry Potter land, i really think it hasn't been that well thought out. At least with Beastly Kingdom it was filled with their own ideas and not based on an I.P. The plot of land intended for Beastly Kingdom is now Camp Minnie Mickey, because of budget cuts Beastly Kingdom wasn't built and so they had to fill the land with something. the other piece of land to the north east of the park was intended to be part of an extension of Kali River Rapids and another land, possibly Australia.
So there's two lands where it could go. i for one would rather it didn't have a themed land etc, and more of an experience with conservation at the heart of the story, kind of something similar to what you'd find at EPCOT something fun, but you also get to learn and experience stuff.
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BigAl
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Sam
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The IP won't last, like Dinosaur. But at least with Dinosaur, the ride is basically a dinosaur ride, and can work without any knowledge of the film. This will be a lot more specific. I know it's the highest grossing film of all time, but I never see it referenced in memes or popular culture, like Harry Potter or the Pixar films. Do even the people who like Avatar really care about Avatar that much...?
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