Walt Disney World Disney's Animal Kingdom Discussion Thread

[Mrlittle]

I'm excited for the extended hours and night show coming to AK. I just have a hard time with getting excited over Avatar land. I'm sure it will look amazing and I'll want to visit when it's done.

[Blue Turbo]

I wonder how they are going to add lights for the nighttime safari. Also that park needs more lights in general as it is very dark at night in there

[GrapesLie]

^I believe its supposed to open Early 2018 if I recall correctly. (may not be) 4 years of construction seems a bit long though.

[SuperShawn]

Extended hours = more time to ride Dinosaur!

 

dt

 

Yes!!!

 

And a dinner menu at Yak and Yeti!

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Oh cool! I was wondering when they were going to start. Great to see the first stages take effect. How long did Cars Land take from initial parking lot clearing ground work to opening?

 

Cars land construction was from July 8th 2009 to June 15 2012. So almost exactly 3 years, but we really hove no clue if Pandora will be on the same scale as Carsland. Though the project was announced a long time ago, and they are jut now starting to break ground, so maybe they have been doing a ton of work off site and it will go up quickly.

[Woodie Warrior]

I'd expect to see Avatar open in summer 2017, but that is just guessing. The new nighttime stuff I could see around early 2016. Lots of lights are going to be needed and it looks like the Tree of Life is going to get a lighting package as well. I'm guessing the new spectacular will be an animal-themed World of Color-type show.

[B.A.B]

I really don't understand how this is a good addition to the park. The story of this movie in general was stupid, but it still got good reviews for how amazing it looked and how it broke a lot of box office records. Theres no way that the next three movies will repeat that though which is why this land is so incredibly stupid in my opinion. I really hope this blows up in Disneys face.

[The Geek Mojo]

Avatar was an awesome movie. I can't wait for the sequels. I can't wait for Avatarland. Count me a fan...Disney will have a huge success with this.

[triggernel]

I really don't understand how this is a good addition to the park. The story of this movie in general was stupid, but it still got good reviews for how amazing it looked and how it broke a lot of box office records. Theres no way that the next three movies will repeat that though which is why this land is so incredibly stupid in my opinion. I really hope this blows up in Disneys face.

 

The story of Cars was stupid as well. It worked because it was pretty to look at, and was very translatable to a 3D landscape.

 

That being said, Cars sold a buttload of merchandise. I would bet it's a top five property of all time when it comes to merchandise sales. Avatar is nowhere near that, but supposedly the new films are going to have some more "kid-friendly" animals and weapons that will translate better to toys. I think we'll have to wait until the new movies to really tell what the land is going to be like. For now we can all just assume it will be pretty to look at, have some nice themed toilets, and have plenty of places to spend money.

[Nrthwnd]

I really hope this blows up in Disney's face.

 

Why? Just because you didn't like the movie?

I know you're entitled to your opinion, but still.

[arby]

Then there are others like my wife who upon hearing about Avatar land from me first asked: "So how many years will it take them to build that?" and then stated "We *need* to get down there as soon as this opens."

 

I thought the movie was decent but she absolutely loved it. There are other fans like her who will also make sure they go to experience this regardless of what it includes. I think it's a big win for Disney and it's a chance for them to bring something a little different to their parks. In the end I have no doubt that they'll work some of their Disney magic into it and make this a place that even non-Avatar fans will talk about.

[triggernel]

http://www.avatar-forums.com/ Well, here's 13,000 Avatar fans...

[Nrthwnd]

And Pandora is the obvious replacement "land" for Beastley Kingdome,

so let's just enjoy it, and hope it all works out, when it finally opens.

[Mstankow]

Also, Weta has some of the best artists out there. So it is awesome to see a land at a theme park with a bunch of stuff designed by Weta.

[window]

I'm really excited about of these additions to Animal Kingdom. There have been so many haters and doubters on pretty much every theme park forum that you visit ever since AVATAR was originally announced. Its as if some people want it fail, just because they didn't like the film?

 

If you're a theme park fan then surely you want to see investment and fantastic attractions / lands being built at theme parks, regardless of you actually liking the IP that it is based on? How can anybody complain about a park getting new attractions and extended opening hours?

Edited January 13, 2014 by window

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^This. Even if some aspects of the film(s) fall flat to people, it still had a very detailed and immersive environment that would still hold as a draw for visitors when it opens to visitors.

 

People bring up the comparisons to Cars Land because it could be very similar. I was never a fan of the franchise, but I really enjoyed what they were able to do with what I thought was just an 'okay' film series.

[cedarpointer]

Im don't like the film at all but I hope that this new land will bring more guests to the park. I hope that Avatar fans like the expansion as much/more then the Harry Potter fans liked Potter Wizarding Land of Wonderment. #RIPJaws

[cfc]

I'm really excited about of these additions to Animal Kingdom. There have been so many haters and doubters on pretty much every theme park forum that you visit ever since AVATAR was originally announced. Its as if some people want it fail, just because they didn't like the film? If you're a theme park fan then surely you want to see investment and fantastic attractions / lands being built at theme parks, regardless of you actually liking the IP that it is based on? How can anybody complain about a park getting new attractions and extended opening hours?

 

I have little desire to see Avatar, but the Animal Kingdom expansion might give me a reason to watch it some night. If the new land and attractions turn out well, I'm OK with that. I wasn't a big fan of Cars, either, but I did like Cars Land at DCA.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

I have little desire to see Avatar, but the Animal Kingdom expansion might give me a reason to watch it some night. If the new land and attractions turn out well, I'm OK with that. I wasn't a big fan of Cars, either, but I did like Cars Land at DCA.

 

As someone who doesn't watch a lot of movies, often times I see/experience the theme park version of whatever movie franchise a given attraction or entire land is based off of first. Then I go back and watch the movie(s) the ride/land was based off of. Usually I end up liking what I saw at the parks a lot more than the actual movie(s).

 

Unfortunately with Avatar, I have seen the movie already and wasn't too thrilled with it. I remember in the beginning someone was describing Pandora as the worst possible environment for humans, or humans could never survive in such a hostile environment, or something like that. Now Disney is going to be inviting families with their kids into this same environment, to say nothing of how Avatar is a very intense not really kid-friendly movie. I'll be curious to see how these issues are reconciled.

[Woodie Warrior]

Avatar's plot is weak but the setting and effects are stunning to look at. This land isn't about being immersed in the story of Avatar, it is about being immersed in the beautiful setting of Pandora.

 

I really hope this blows up in Disney's face.

Like what Nrthwnd said, you are entitled to your opinion, but I don't get why anybody would want a park to fail. You may not like Disney or something, but I doubt this will "blow up" in their face.

[Condor]

I remember in the beginning someone was describing Pandora as the worst possible environment for humans, or humans could never survive in such a hostile environment, or something like that. Now Disney is going to be inviting families with their kids into this same environment, to say nothing of how Avatar is a very intense not really kid-friendly movie. I'll be curious to see how these issues are reconciled.

 

I don't really see an issue. Pandora as a hostile environment for humans pertains to characters within the film, not the audience. And what are some other potentially dangerous environments for humans that Disney has already adopted for its parks? How about Mt. Everest, outer space, and the center of the earth? Those all play just fine with families and always will. Is not the whole point of themed lands the ability for guests to interact with a place they likely never could in reality?

[Wes]

Cars wasn't a great movie but the land is great and looks amazing. I expect the the same for Avatar.

[better_by_design]

As someone mentioned above, when I told my wife what they're building, she asked "When does that open? We have to go see that when it opens."

 

Why? Because she loves Avatar? Not at all. She's not a fan of the first movie, and I'd probably have to drag her to a sequel.

 

She IS, however, a big fan of DAK, and adding some spectacular looking new rides, a whole new area, and especially a night time show is going to make her favorite park at WDW so much better that it's guaranteeing we visit when it opens.

 

Isn't that the whole point, rather than second guessing how many fans the movies have?

[SharkTums]

^No, the point is we have more time to eat at Yak & Yeti!

[Meteornotes]

^And more time to ride Dinosaur!

 

dt