Disney previewing Avatar at Animal Kingdom

We're going to a passholder preview on 5/15. I'm wondering if I'll "get it" without seeing the movie.

I have tried and tried and just can't get jazzed up for this. From what I have gathered, the events of the movie and all of the yet to be released sequels take place in an entirely different time period than the theme park land will. I know some of my Cast Member friends have gotten to walk around and try the food, and I'm just not at all jealous that I don't work there anymore and can't preview it. I am more excited to head north and go ride Magnum for the umpteenth time this weekend at Cedar Point. I hope it proves me wrong and is an awesome experience, but so far it looks like just another slow boat ride and screen ride to me.

I know I've been the guy banging his "This is going to be awesome and everyone else is wrong" drum for a while, but...

...based on the preview pictures and videos I've seen, it looks awesome and everyone else is wrong. The level of detail and lushness of the environments alone look worth seeing, although early reviews of the rides have also been very very positive.

I don't think one needs to see the movie. The movie featured an amazing fantasy world. If they captured that, then one can be impressed by the detail and the theming.

matt. said:

I know I've been the guy banging his "This is going to be awesome and everyone else is wrong" drum for a while, but...

...based on the preview pictures and videos I've seen, it looks awesome and everyone else is wrong. .

That is my absolute hope. That I have been wrong for 3 years and this will be awesome. I didn't renew my AP at the end of the cycle last year, opting for a Universal AP and a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass, so I won't be seeing it right away. I'm not convinced yet, and my "Disney is perfect and can do no wrong" friends won't be able to convince me. But if I start seeing reviews on here and from a few of my former Disney colleagues that it really is worth the hype, I will absolutely find a way to go check it out after the initial crowds drop to be proven wrong.

I've been questioning renewals on and off, but living two miles away and seeing countless friends and family from around the country visit, I feel like I'm stuck getting AP's for life. :) And to be honest, we get a lot out of it during the Epcot festivals.

When I left the company in 2014 I got the Weekday Select option. At the time, it was under $200 and had a number of blockout dates and didn't include parking. But it worked perfectly for what I used it for; after work visits to Epcot for food and Studios for rides. My days off of work are Friday and Saturday, so I was able to spend plenty of Fridays going with folks who are Cast Members or passholders that had the parking option. My renewal expired in August 2016 and I just couldn't renew. Under the new price points, all passes include parking now but the nearly $300 pricetag just isn't worth it for me. Maybe after not going for a couple years I will be ready again, but right now I am content with frequent short trips to Universal. Now if I had a kid, it would likely be a totally different story. And when all the Studios stuff is open in a few years, I am sure I will be more than ready to go back.