Walt Disney Imagineering Releases New 'World of AVATAR' Concept Art

DizneyFreak2002;2448524 wrote: BINGO!!!

I bet if you polled people coming off of Splash Mountain, half wouldn't have any idea it was from Song of the South... But it pulls in large crowds cause it is a great, well done, well themed ride...

Avatar/Pandora will be the same... As long as the land is well themed, and the rides are well worth it, the people will come...

Well said! Do it well, people will come!

I'm all in, big Disney and Avatar fan so it's a win-win for me !! I hope after the avatar park is done they build an avatar themed DVC resort with the big blue people running around and floating bungalows on rocks in the sky !!

P.S - I think Avatar is just as much Disney as Star wars, marvel, Indiana jones, Etc...

I have no problem with "non Disney movie" ideas in the parks. I'm a big fan of the attractions that aren't Disney IP. But something... SOMETHING... about Avatar the movie itself just irks me. I can't put my finger on it. Yes I saw the movie and yes it was extremely lame and predictable. But I don't think that's what bugs me the most about it coming to AK.
I think what bugs me most is this. Of ALL the things Disney could do, of ALL the things they could come up with, they go with a sub-par movie franchise that has almost no fan loyalty and decided to toss it haphazardly into Animal Kingdom.
I feel let down.
I feel disappointed, in the similar way that folks feel let down as Frozen is plopped into Epcot. Sure, it may end up being a good ride. But it feels like Disney is out of new ideas and just doesn't care anymore. That's what bugs me. Rehashing old rides with James Cameron's ideas... What happened to Disney being a creative leader?
Yeah, if the rides are awesome I'm sure I will queue up for them now and again. But it wI'll be because, well, there's nothing better to do.

I think there will be many interesting things about this new addition to AK. Avatar is not my favorite but I liked it. The storyline is very good and I like the environmental messages.

We experienced a night light show at Longwood Gardens during a recent summer. The different lights and types of lighting were very magical and we really enjoyed all the different areas the artist set up. I think this new area at AK will be like that in some ways. I can't wait to see what Disney Imagineers do.

Not thrilled with the mountains in the sky artwork but maybe the final product will be more like being in the clouds.

tjstrike;2450517 wrote: P.S - I think Avatar is just as much Disney as Star wars, marvel, Indiana jones, Etc...

Except that Star Wars and Marvel are now owned by Disney. Avatar was released by 20th Century Fox. I'm not sure about Indy as it was released by Paramount of Lucasfilm so I don't know if the franchise was included with the 2012 Disney/Lucas deal. Regardless, both Indy and Avatar had great directors with great stories.

Buttercup;2452345 wrote:
I think what bugs me most is this. Of ALL the things Disney could do, of ALL the things they could come up with, they go with a sub-par movie franchise that has almost no fan loyalty and decided to toss it haphazardly into Animal Kingdom.

I understand your feelings, but I believe you're wrong about the movie having no fan base. I think its problem is that it was released more than five years ago, and the next movie won't be coming out for another two years.

As far as fans, Avatar is the all-time top grossing movie in the United States. Ever. Adjusted for inflation, it's 14th. For those kinds of numbers, there have to be an awful lot of people who liked it.

As for the art, it's a little strange, but interesting and intriguing, I think. I'm hopeful that Disney can tap into Pandora's mystery and bring some of that magic back.

Buttercup;2452345 wrote: But it feels like Disney is out of new ideas and just doesn't care anymore. That's what bugs me. Rehashing old rides with James Cameron's ideas... What happened to Disney being a creative leader?

It's been like that for a while... Pretty much happened right after they 'finished' AK and laid off most of their imagineers. They haven't been a leader in quiet some time. Universal has been the one pushing in Central Florida for a while, Disney is playing catch up.

DizneyRox;2452461 wrote: It's been like that for a while... Pretty much happened right after they 'finished' AK and laid off most of their imagineers. They haven't been a leader in quiet some time. Universal has been the one pushing in Central Florida for a while, Disney is playing catch up.

I would argue that Universal is playing catch up. They are doing a bang up job of it too. Disney better get their act together or they will lose even more people to Universal Orlando every year.

I'd like to see them playing catch-up a bit faster.

They've got interesting intellectual property that could be used - Wall-E, for example, in a dark-ride that runs you through the levels of the Axiom. Or the world of Big Hero Six. (Heck, imagine the marketing on Baymax alone...)

I understand that development's expensive, but the cost of NOT developing new experiences will be a lot more in the long run...

I just don't understand investing that kind of money in a lukewarm franchise.
There's been ONE film released to date...the next one may flop.

Why not invest in something that has some "teeth"? Something that's proven?

They could've pushed Star Wars land to the front burner...a franchise that has mass following and appeal. Or actually built a REAL "Pixar Place".
My opinion is that DHS needed a lot more work than AK.
Avatar isn't the draw that Harry Potter or Star Wars is. Those franchises have cult followings. I can't say I've ever heard anyone say "Man, I'm so excited for the new Avatar movie to come out!"

:shake:

:drum::: Always interested in something new!

disneypastor;2452743 wrote: I can't say I've ever heard anyone say "Man, I'm so excited for the new Avatar movie to come out!"

:shake:

Man, I'm so excited for the new Avatar movie to come out!

Pandora is a potential visual feast right up Disney's alley, particularly for night time (missing area for AK). Environmentalism and conservation fits the theme of Animal Kingdom. Avatar was a serious money-maker. Disney plans to release a new movie almost right at the time of the new area of the park.

It all fits.

best,

...................john

WiltonJohn;2452808 wrote: Man, I'm so excited for the new Avatar movie to come out!

Pandora is a potential visual feast right up Disney's alley, particularly for night time (missing area for AK). Environmentalism and conservation fits the theme of Animal Kingdom. Avatar was a serious money-maker. Disney plans to release a new movie almost right at the time of the new area of the park.

It all fits.

best,

...................john

Well said! I agree completely. :thumbsup:

I guess I don't understand how people can say that it doesn't have a following. Has anyone ever actually researched and seen the records it actually broke? Okay, it didn't hit Frozen records, but it made a boat load of money. And does actually have a huge following including super fan fiction stories all over the internet, a huge appearance at comic con's and such. Just because some Disney fans didn't like the movie, doesn't mean it never grew an outside Disney fan base.

TinkerbellT421;2454157 wrote: I guess I don't understand how people can say that it doesn't have a following. Has anyone ever actually researched and seen the records it actually broke? Okay, it didn't hit Frozen records, but it made a boat load of money. And does actually have a huge following including super fan fiction stories all over the internet, a huge appearance at comic con's and such. Just because some Disney fans didn't like the movie, doesn't mean it never grew an outside Disney fan base.

Yeah, but it doesn't have a pop culture following HERE. It has not permeated through several levels of age brackets. Kids don't know what the heck it is and most adults just don't care that much about it. My parents didn't see it. My kids didn't see it. I didn't see it. My husband did and he hated it. Most people either have no idea what it is all about or just don't really care because it was NOT a huge "thing", at least here in America. Avatar land would have been FAR better received if it was going into one of Disney's Asia parks. Remember that the majority of the world population resides in Asia. Those overseas box office numbers are due to HUGE interest in the Asian market. For whatever reason, this film was huge over there.

My major gripe is that with ALL the material in its canon, Disney instead chose to partner up on such a bizarre movie choice to host an entire land. It really just smacks of a knee jerk reaction to the Harry Potter collaboration that Disney lost out on because they wouldn't give Rowling creative control. It comes off like a pathetic attempt to try and one up.