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Avatar coming to Animal Kingdom and more….


I am guessing by now you have all read the news about the deal Disney signed with James Cameron and Fox to bring Avatar to the Disney Parks around the world. They also announced that the first park will be Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. If you missed the announcement click here for the press release.

So what do you all think about this? I have to admit that I just watched the film a couple weeks ago and was not really impressed with it. I kept watching and then questioning how it made so much money.

It is hard to formulate an opinion that can be backed up at this time since there really were not that many details announced beyond the basics and there is a long timeline. On the surface my first reaction was disappointment. I was really hoping the next additions to Animal Kingdom would be more animals, like the rumored South American or Australian additions or even something like Beastly Kingdom. This seems like a stretch. I would have thought a more natural fit would have been the Studios (which is also in need of something new in my opinion). I guess the jungle and conservation theme do tangentially work with Animal Kingdom but still seems a stretch to me. And/or was expecting an announcement of how the Marvel Characters are going to start showing up in the parks.

Is basing such a big addition on a one hit wonder seems a bit interesting to me. The second and third films have not come out and it is an original story so no books to fall back on. So wonder what the staying power is? This really will not be known till the new films are released.

Also curious is how the announcement is for multiple parks… wonder if that means something heading our way to Disneyland? Or overseas where the film was also big?

The last unknown of course is what will the new land have. There was no concept art or hints as to what may be coming… so it will be fun to see how the Imagineers take this new property and create something for it. Where will it fit into the park and how will it transform Animal Kingdom? Will it finally allow for the park to stay open more into the evening hours?

Time will tell and in a couple years we will be able to render our opinion if this is wise or not… but for the time being I have more questions than answers or thoughts… What is your take??

3 thoughts on “Avatar coming to Animal Kingdom and more….

  • This may have something to do with Harry Potter, and the land that was built in Florida. Avatar being the number one movie of all time, could translate into good turnstile numbers. Doesn’t sound like a very Disney thing to do though. I hope it works out.

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  • The movie was ok, but it’s not a *Disney* movie. It’s more something I would expect to see at Universal Studios or a park like that. I hope it doesn’t make it’s way to Disneyland. They’d be much better off bring back a clasic like The Country Bear Jamboree than to bring in something like Avitar.

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  • I am extremely disappointed. At no point did I think Avatar was a good movie, even though I saw it in the theaters. I do feel that I’m in the minority about that opinion when talking with my friends. But, to put this product in the Disney Parks just scars me as something that would ruin the whole vibe of parks. I feel like if I were on Exp. Everest, I’d be thinking about how ridiculous it is that Avatar is around…thus destroying the theme and the overall experience. God, here’s hoping that it never gets into the Magic Kingom, DL, or DCA. I was never in favor of Marvel characters in the parks, but I’d much prefer them over Avatar.

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