Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Really? I was with you right up to this point. I think you're incorrect in your estimate, Doctor." Perhaps. Either way it doesn't change my point.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I think there are two schools of thoughts here. The first being is Avatar going to be something that someone sitting at home would see advertised and be enough to make them book a trip to WDW? In that regard I would say no. It isn't going to be a draw that say Harry Potter is. The second is, would a wonderful, fully themed, new technology attraction themed to Avatar be popular? The answer to that is yes. Disney is full of great attractions that aren't themed to specific brand. Look at Soarin for instance. Not based on anything really but always has a long line. A good attraction is a good attraction. How many people really know that Splash Mountain is based on an old Disney movie that Disney refuses to release in the USA?
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn After they convert the Wonders of Life pavillion to a kids' bouncy house of course
Originally Posted By dshyates "After they convert the Wonders of Life pavillion to a kids' bouncy house of course " Haha, LUV'It!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Just do a Star Wars land for godsakes! Would that be so hard!?" It is kind of odd that never happened. TL at DL was slated to become just that at one point but morphed into TL '98.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I think a Superhero themed (marvel of course) land or park would be totally awesome too, but I'm just a nerd from Oregon, so I don't get much say in it. I'm also currently planning a 5 year old Superhero bedroom for my son's birthday present in November at his request, so I've got Superhero's coming out my butt right now too.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt <a href="http://technabob.com/blog/2012/04/29/star-wars-land-disneyland-paris/" target="_blank">http://technabob.com/blog/2012...d-paris/</a>
Originally Posted By dshyates "I'm also currently planning a 5 year old Superhero bedroom for my son's birthday present in November at his request, so I've got Superhero's coming out my butt right now too." You lucky girl! I'll leave it at that.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Hahaha! I really should stop and think before I hit the post button sometimes.
Originally Posted By unclejeff The Peter and the Starcatchers idea is brilliant for DHS! But with The Hobbit coming out in December, an announcement of adding a land at DHS with a hobbit village and Middle Earth would solidify WDW as the best theme park on the planet despite how popular the new HP attraction(s) wilI be. LoTR appeals to all age groups and we know for a fact that it is hugely popular and successful. Maybe WDW should just build a fifth park and include Peter and the Starcatchers, LoTR, and Narnia. I'd be in heaven! I think Avatar, if done correctly, will be popular and boost attendance/revenue, but how long will the craze last? I think it will be something like the newly-updated Star Tours: popular for about a year, but then fairly forgettable. My opinion: AK is not the right venue for Avatar, and Avatar isn't worth an entire land dedicated to it.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct I am in the minority. I love AVATAR and think it is a perfect fit for Animal Kingdom. AVATAR is very spiritual and Animal Kingdom is also very "all life is connected and respect each other" spiritual. The message of preserving our natural resources was an AVATAR message and it gels with with Animal Kingdom. AVATAR also offers a fantasy animal aspect with is needed to help round out Animal Kingdom's message. I found this on the web and already posted it, but I want to post it again. Read the list below and tell me how AVATAR is *not* a fit for Animal Kingdom!? Ten Metaphysical Lessons from James Cameron's Avatar All Life is Connected All Life is Sacred Interspecies Communication is Possible with Energy Listen to Your Intuition Death Is a Natural Part Of Life Reincarnation is Possible All Life Radiates Light A Greater Consciousness Communicates to Us Through Signs At its True Essence Science is Spiritual To See The Divine in Another is To Truly See Them Also, I remember a Discovery Channel show that hypothesized alternative animal evolution. It was very cool to image these very different looking but very possible animals. It was very cool. Do you know who was behind that show!? It was James Cameron and a lot of the animals they created based on real possible evolution were some of the animals in AVATAR. If people are not sci-fi fans I can see why they wouldn't 'get' AVATAR. I get the 'eh' reaction. Here is why AVATAR will work even if people are not fans of the film. I feel however Disney expresses this land, the land will *feel* real even though it will be a fantasy world. The AVATAR land will be an alternative interesting creative reality that feels possible and feels spiritual. The immersive environment will be very cool. I can't wait.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I read today that Imagineers Kathy Mangum has been named as executive producer for all WDW Attractions and resort designs. Having worked with Kathy closely I can say this is a wonderful move on Disney's part and make me hopeful that Disney is going to start making major investments at WDW. Also it looks like Festival of the Lion King will be closing in January to make way for Avatar. Plans are to move Lion King but there seems to be no immediate plans to do so.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I can't think of anything that I find more mind numbing than The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. Oh, maybe the Twilight saga. Snore....
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct <<<<<. Also it looks like Festival of the Lion King will be closing in January to make way for Avatar. Plans are to move Lion King but there seems to be no immediate plans to do so >>>> Closing the show without having a new venue up and running could be a way to cancel the current show's talents contracts. And they can re-hire at new rates. I have seen this happen in NYC theater.
Originally Posted By dshyates Disney to close their NY/Chicago DVC sales offices: <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-08-12/business/os-cfb-tourism-0813-20120812_1_disney-vacation-club-disney-california-adventure-walt-disney-world" target="_blank">http://articles.orlandosentine...ey-world</a>
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper This is from tirian, a knowledgeable Disney World source: <<Although I'm not '74 and don't have the full knowledge of this like he does, I can answer this question. It's a combination of both factors. Some of the current execs are retiring no matter what, but many of them are frustrated that their long-term plan of sitting on pixie dust and watching stupid tourists show up anyway has failed. It was inevitable: Universal has been adding substantial attractions while Disney simply raised prices. Tourists are smarter than they were ten years ago, and with online research many are choosing to cut a few days out of their WDW visits for a trip to Universal or Sea World. Guest survey responses are getting lower, with many of them claiming WWOHP as their favorite attraction. Theme park attendance has grown at every Disney park worldwide except Florida and Hong Kong. Plus, even though Universal will never reach the attendance levels of WDW, Uni is pulling in percentage gains while WDW dropped. Those numbers cannot be denied. Considering that WWOHP was just the beginning of Uni's Orlando expansion plan, WDW finally conceded that the FLE won't combat Potter or Transformers. FLE is a beautiful bandaid to fix the MK's current crowding issues and doesn't add much true capacity other than dining. Remember, we're discussing people in those TDO offices; the successful turnarounds at Uni and DCA have damaged TDO's pride. Nothing is currently greenlit to help Florida any time soon. Avatar is a long-term pipe dream at DAK; and the FLE, while lovely, merely addresses existing concerns. NexGen has already raised significant issues in its testing phases. Meanwhile, Uni has WWOHP, a Potter expansion, Transformers, and multiple updates on the way—and DCA has Carsland and significant performance gains. Good thing Florida has that enormous plastic hat in DHA to add MAGIC. Uni has the most cutting-edge ride in America. Remember all those hints I dropped about Staggs' visit and the closed-door meeting at DAK? Corporate and TDO have finally gotten serious about improving WDW.>>
