AVATAR Coming To Disney Parks Disney Parks Blog
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I'm not going to lie...I actually checked to make sure it wasn't April Fools Day.
Actually I'm kinda torn. I saw the movie once, in theaters, and that's all I really need as far as Avatar is concerned (I'm not really a fan of "______s rule, humans drool" movies). I think I would love to see a Pandora-inspired land serving as the setting for the Beastly Kingdom because Pandora was breathtakingly beautiful to look at.
At the same time...have these people completely forgotten that Pandora was an utterly hostile environment for humans? If the animals didn't kill you the plants would...as long as your breathing device held out. :P
I think quite a bit of simplification and "dumbing down" the story is going to be needed to make this themed land palatable for all ages...
This is a huge announcement. I think this is a big move on Disney's part to do a "Lucaslike" partnership with Cameron. This is a great response to Harry Potter across town.
I will repost here what I posted on their Facebook page when I got the update:
This is as random as the pointless Narnia exhibit, though at least that was your property. Avatar belongs at Universal, not WDW. And while you're at it, cart over the Marvel superhero characters on your way there. What are you people thinking???
I agree Supernova. Even Narnia would be a better choice. What the **** made them decide on Avatar?? I can't see this working well at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by supernova
narnia at least has ties to disney....
I agree that Narnia does have ties to Disney and that Avatar definitely threw me for a loop when I first heard it. But where would they put Narnia? There isn't much room at DHS right now and to go along with the whole conservationist themes at DAK, I can see Pandora looking pretty great down the road. Strange choice at first thought but I can see it being successful. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by eeyore79
I love it supernova, hit the nail on the head. THERE IS NO NEED FOR DISNEY TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO HARRY POTTERLAND!!! I believe WDW is doing fine without this. I would have liked to see Disney create a new land based on Disney creative property, or Lucasfilm property (Indiana Jones land makes as much sense in AK as Avatar).Quote:
Originally Posted by supernova
[QUOTE=DisneyMatt;975540]. THERE IS NO NEED FOR DISNEY TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO HARRY POTTERLAND!!! I believe WDW is doing fine without this.QUOTE]
And you see Disney does need an answer to Harry Potter. Potter is a new generation similar to Star Wars. Even Disney knows that and they know Fantasyland will only be a one time draw for some guests. Yes it will keep the little girls entertained and some of the ladies with Princess in their hearts, likely not a big repeater for families of boys especially with teens. Fantasy will be beautiful to walk through. To me likely it will be Mermaid, possible coaster and move on, if even that. I find it weak that Disney is bringing their own Butter Beer to their new land, yep weak and lacks imagineering. When I saw their butter beer I was like really? You're Disney and you're going to copy HP lands trademark of their land, really?
Avatar could be an answer to the demographic that FL will not address. It could also get Guests who only hit AK every two or three trips or hit AK for a few short hours. Disney's goal has been to make it an all day park.
This could do it, if it is done right. While it might be fine as is to some guests Disney wants that park to develop like the other 3 have.
[QUOTE=HauntedGabe;975545]Not to hijack the thread but what's Disney's answer to Butterbeer?Quote:
Originally Posted by DisneyMatt
[QUOTE=HauntedGabe;975545]Quote:
Originally Posted by DisneyMatt
The thing is avatar= not even CLOSE to harry potter. I saw avatar and ever really liked it...but I had zero interest in watching it more than once and would have no interest in visiting its land. If I were already in Disney I'd see the land for sure, but never make a special trip for it. I agree they needed SOMETHING, and especially something for boys, but avatar? I've read all the harry potter books a dozen times, watched all the movies in theaters, and then bought them and have re-watched them at least once... I've seen people with Harry Potter themed weddings even! My 6 year old nephew and my 50-something year old mother in law love it equally. It's something a lot of people will make a special trip to Florida to see. Sure, tons of people liked avatar... but it is NOT even close to being on the same scale and does not have a story that will stay popular for as long. Harry Potter really is similar to Star Wars if anything.
I think Disney is trying to stay relevant to the young boys like Star Wars. Narnia's franchise is not really relevant now. I agree that the following for Potter dwarfs the popularity of Avatar, but there are 2 sequels coming out. I dosen't have the Disney connection, but neither did MGM when they partnered with Disney either. Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time.
Narnia has a lot of mythical creatures, couldn't they build a Narnia in DAK in stead of Avatar? It could almost be like a Beastly Kingdom.
Disney is taking a bit of a risk banking on not only the past but future popularity of the Avatar franchise, but they opted not to even produce the third movie in the Narnia series. Another production company made that movie. I don't think they are or want to be tied to Narnia anymore. Just for the record, I thought the Narnia stories and movies were awesome and they could have done so much in the theme parks with them, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen.
maybe its just me, but until this announcement i had forgotten about avatar! it was hyped up when it came out, but after that not so much.
in 10 years when this project is finished and opened....will the movies be as popular as the first one was? i dont see it having a long standing appeal like star wars or harry potter has. just my opinion. its not necesarily "family friendly" or has the mass appeal. i know i watched it and enjoyed some of the scenery but the story was soo long and drawn out,