First Look: AVATAR to Come to Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

TimChat2 said:

From what the renderings/info so far it seems like Disney is taking some of the Avatar out of Avatar and focusing on the environments.

Brian Noble said:

I've said from the beginning that taking the Avatar out of it is exactly what they should do---and it looks like what they will do.

Agreed.

Which begs the question, If you're removing the Avatar from Avatar why create an Avatar area instead of your own bioluminescent-themed area?

Seems like they're covering their bases. Disney must feel like there's some value to the Avatar name - or at least think there could be with the sequels - but are keeping it vague enough to make the references as minimal as possible in case it's as much of a dud as everyone seems to predict.

It's not like Imagineering does things inexpensively, and based on the video (which is Pravda-esque, I know, but...) it sounds as though there are a few areas of expertise that Cameron's people have that WDI does not.

I'm not a big follower of the movie business. How did Avatar do overseas? Is it possible that Avatar caters to the foreign market as much as, or better than, the US market? And could that be the reason they seem to be all in on it for AK? I didn't go rushing out to see the movie but finally did and I was underwhelmed. It didn't scream "theme park attraction" to me, let alone theme park land. Ok, maybe the flying bit but how many different ways can you do Soarin'?

I think this may be a case of something that sounded like a great idea at a moment in time but now seems silly but maybe they are afraid of the embarrassment of pulling away so they will do it in spite of logic. You know, like most of the things that happen in the government sector.

wahoo skipper said:

I'm not a big follower of the movie business. How did Avatar do overseas? Is it possible that Avatar caters to the foreign market as much as, or better than, the US market?

$760 Million in the U.S.

$2.0 Billion everywhere else

http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avatar.htm

wahoo skipper said:

but maybe they are afraid of the embarrassment of pulling away so they will do it in spite of logic. You know, like most of the things that happen in the government sector.

Doubt it. Disney is nothing if not bottom line focused. If they thought it wouldn't work they would have killed it by now. Not saying it will work, I just don't believe that there is any amount of "embarrassment of pulling away".

Also, let's face it. Avatar is Staggs' baby and his launching pad to Iger's job. If there were internal objections from any quarter, he'd be listening to them to make sue he doesn't misfire when he's "this close" to the top spot.

Afraid of the embarrassment? I just have trouble buying the idea that senior executives of any company sit around saying "We stand to lose millions, but, golly, I'm just so afraid of being embarrassed....."

The movie's mostly about the visuals and has little substance.

Maybe a ride based on "Gravity" would peak their interest too.

I said this once in a similar thread some time ago, but it may bear repeating. It's a head scratcher, alright, but on NPR once they interviewed a popular culture expert and he listed the most popular things in the world. Number two on that list was Avatar, and when the reporter jokingly challenged him he cited worldwide figures in sales and cultural impact that were astounding. It lead me to believe right there that the story had to have had greater overseas impact than it did here, and even at the time of the interview it seemed as though Avatar had surely lost its relevance by then. And maybe those figures, as well as planned sequels etc., are enough for Disney to know they're on the right path with this. You just have to know they see big $$$ ahead someday.

Count me as one who didn't see the movie and didn't care, and maybe thats a shame. I heard from many friends that it was a good show. Regardless, the renderings make whatever they're planning to do look way cool. Maybe I'll gain an interest once I see it, who knows?

I think I said this too, but the number one most popular thing on earth was bananas.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Oh, you weren't singing, you were being serious. My bad..

He's obviously no Harlem Black Girl.

I think I may have opined my opinion before, but I did see Avatar, I was blown away by the film, and I am* excited to see what Disney can do with the property. Don't forget there are, what, two or is it three, sequels being shot.

I predict that Avatarland, at the very least, will be a moderate success for the park, and possibly much more. I mean, how many people saw Cars? Is the franchise a lodestar of popular culture? When's the last time you quoted a character from Cars? But Cars Land has been a smashing success for DCA, not because of the universal saturation of the product, but because Disney decided to do it right.

The only time Disney fails at anything is when they try to create something that isn't Disney. The more a project moves away from the Disney brand of magic, the more destined it is to fail. Hence, DCA's initial less-than-smashing success; as the park was designed to reincarnate a carnival feel, it was destined to tank--carnivals are the polar opposite of Disney on the amusement park spectrum, of course.

We'll see if all you naysayers are right, come 2017.

*Also, I seem to have come down with a minor case of italicitis...

"What? Did I forget to wipe my mud flaps?"

I say it all the time.

Cars made sense on every level. My kid has seen it dozens of times and has all kinds of Lightning McQueen crap. Where is the world-wide merchandising win for Avatar? Not at my local Target, that's for sure.

Jeff said:

Cars made sense on every level. My kid has seen it dozens of times and has all kinds of Lightning McQueen crap. Where is the world-wide merchandising win for Avatar? Not at my local Target, that's for sure.

Case in point. I went to Target in SoCal last weekend. Ahead of me walking in was Asian mom and 5-7 year old Asian boy. Boy tells mom, matter of factly, that he "would like to buy Cars toys".

It's a merchandising juggernaut, and the land was executed perfectly. Let's hope that 5 years from now, we'll look back on these threads and realize we're wrong about our predictions.

Aamilj said:
Maybe a ride based on "Gravity" would peak their interest too.

Movies can be thrill rides too.

Re: Cars
I didn't see Cars and have no interest in the movies, yet I travelled to and enjoyed Carsland at California Adventure. My wife also enjoyed it despite not being a little boy and not caring for the movies.

You know, I used to think this guy got the industry, but his insistence that hardcore fans matter is pretty off-base. Then again, this is the site that thought Mythos was the best restaurant in Orlando. Your appeal has to go beyond hardcore nerds to be successful. I don't even know if Avatar has hardcore nerds, let alone a rabid fan base that wants to buy... I don't know... what kind of merchandise would you even sell for this?

What kid wouldn't want his or her own neural queue? Those things will sell themselves.

I imagine they'll go with big swirly blue green mouse ears. That glow.
And pins.

Jeff said:

I don't even know if Avatar has hardcore nerds, let alone a rabid fan base

Dude...I'm willing to believe Avatar must have some sort of fan base purely based on the fact that bronies exist.

A Google search turned up a fanbase. You can learn Na'vi if you want to.