Disney CEO Bob Iger introduced that Avatar is coming to Disneyland Resort. This put up shares all the pieces we all know to date (which isn’t very a lot) plus commentary and rampant hypothesis about what this might imply. (Up to date January 25, 2024.)
The unique announcement got here throughout a Walt Disney Firm earnings name. Throughout that, Bob Iger reported that Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line did significantly properly, with Disney Parks, Experiences and Merchandise revenues for the quarter rising 21% to $8.7 billion.
Iger went on to say that he’s “very, very bullish” on the way forward for Disney’s theme parks. “We have now discovered that once we put money into rising capability, with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge being a very good instance of that and Pandora a terrific instance of that, we are able to develop our enterprise,” he continued. Iger indicated that in the event you have a look at the outcomes when Pandora – The World of Avatar was in-built Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the year-to-year development numbers by way of the quantity of people that visited have been “gorgeous.”
With regard to the brand new Avatar expertise coming to Disneyland, right here’s what Iger needed to say:
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Means of Water, which shall be one of the profitable movies of the quarter, turned the fourth largest movie of all time globally with near $2.2 billion earned within the field workplace to this point. The worldwide polarity of this movie will outcome within the creation of extra alternatives for followers to interact with the franchise.
They’ve been doing properly at Walt Disney World’s Pandora: World of Avatar, in addition to in theaters globally and on Disney+, the primary movie is delivering very robust numbers. Right this moment I’m thrilled to announce that we are going to be bringing an thrilling Avatar expertise to Disneyland. We shall be sharing extra particulars on that very quickly.
Avatar represents yet one more core franchise for the corporate and as you’ve seen, time and time once more, we have now a singular manner of leveraging inventive success.
Since this, Bob Iger and different Disney Parks leaders have repeatedly talked about an Avatar addition coming to Disneyland Resort. They’ve nearly all the time referred to it as an Avatar “expertise” and never as soon as as an attraction or land. This may increasingly appear to be a distinction with no distinction, however in Disney vernacular, it’s essential.
January 25, 2024 Replace: After a number of substance-less teases final yr, we have now our first information concerning the Avatar expertise at Disneyland Resort of 2024. This comes courtesy of Avatar producer Jon Landau, who was additionally closely concerned with Pandora at Walt Disney World, who shared the above photograph on Instagram with the caption: “Had a terrific day at Walt Disney Imagineering speaking concerning the future.” So as soon as once more, one other substance-less tease.
About the one materials replace we have now obtained on the Avatar expertise got here late final yr through the Worldwide Affiliation of Amusement Parks and Points of interest (IAAPA) Expo, when an Imagineer remarked offhand that the Avatar expertise coming to Disneyland Resort shall be at Disney California Journey.
Nevertheless, this was shortly ‘corrected’ by a consultant from Disney, who acknowledged that no announcement a couple of location for the Avatar expertise had been made on behalf of Disneyland Resort. That means that no matter was mentioned (or wasn’t) was not an official announcement.
Whereas there are different potentialities for the place the Avatar expertise might go at Disneyland Resort (see commentary beneath), the odds-on favourite is Disney California Journey. Final summer time, the corporate cleared out Stage 17 in Hollywood Land, which is a gigantic venue in part of the park that actually wants new life injected into it.
Stage 17 presents enough area for an interactive and immersive environmental exploration, like Avatar: The Expertise in Singapore. Disney has been exploring experiential displays, and searching for the best car for its personal manner of getting into that area of interest. Our robust suspicion is that the Avatar expertise coming to Disneyland Resort is an adaptation of Avatar: The Expertise from Singapore (it’s proper within the identify). If not and it’s going to be one thing extra, the Hollywood Backlot and its sound levels supply probably the most viable location for no matter that is going to be.
Mainly, our guess is that an Imagineer unintentionally let slip that the Avatar expertise goes to be in DCA, forgetting that the corporate hadn’t already revealed as a lot. Desirous to make a splashy announcement, Disney walked that again with the caveat that no matter was mentioned was not mentioned on behalf of the Disneyland Resort. Phew.
Previous to this, an article by D23 provided Avatar actor reactions to the announcement, with most providing what I can solely assume is feigned pleasure for the addition at Disneyland Resort. Right here’s a consultant quote from Bailey Bass, who performs Metkayina clan member Tsireya within the movie: “I’m over the moon concerning the Avatar growth to Disneyland [Resort]! As an enormous Disney fan and fan of the Avatar rides in [Walt] Disney World, I’m so excited for Avatar followers to have the ability to expertise the world of Pandora at Disneyland. I can’t wait to see what the Avatar and Disney group creates. I already comprehend it’s gonna be awe-inspiring, jaw dropping, and magical.”
The remaining are kind of the identical concept. The D23 piece goes on to point that though specifics concerning the Avatar expertise stay beneath wraps, it “guarantees to be as wonderful as these discovered at Walt Disney World Resort.” The article additionally quotes James Cameron, who mentioned he was “thrilled to speak with Bob Iger about extra alternatives for individuals to step into the wondrous world of Pandora.”
Added Jon Landau, accomplice and COO of Lightstorm Leisure and producer of the Avatar movies, “Along with Disney’s Imagineers, and with future Avatar movies already in manufacturing, we’re enthusiastic about the place we would give you the chance take future company.”
Some Disney followers have seized on the road that the Avatar expertise at Disneyland shall be “as wonderful” because the one at Walt Disney World, concluding that this implies it’ll be Pandora. We’d cease properly in need of that.
Learn in full, this text is clearly a puff piece, meant to generate pleasure amongst followers with out really saying something. There’s nothing essentially unsuitable with it–D23 is a fan membership and its position is sustaining momentum amongst Disney fans. That is in furtherance of that. Saying, “you would possibly need to mood your pleasure, as a result of this isn’t going to be nearly as good as Pandora at Animal Kingdom” wouldn’t serve that goal and can be at odds with the article as an entire.
What’s extra noteworthy, in my opinion, are the stealth edits that have been accomplished to the article. Initially, the article headline mentioned “Pandora Coming to Disneyland Resort.” That was up to date to “Avatar Expertise Coming to Disneyland Resort.” Likewise, at the least one actor quote was modified from mentioning Disneyland to “Disneyland [Resort].” The insistence on utilizing “Disneyland Resort” could possibly be a bizarre vernacular factor, or it could possibly be deliberate–as a result of this Avatar expertise will not be coming to Disneyland [Park].
Much more fascinating than this text is what occurred within the “background” on the identical time. Disney introduced that Bruce Vaughn is returning to co-lead Imagineering. Vaughn was the co-head of Imagineering throughout growth of the unique Pandora – World of Avatar, and could possibly be returning for his mission administration experience on that.
To that time, even through the earnings name Bob Iger was very deliberate in calling this a brand new Avatar expertise coming to Disneyland Resort. Not a brand new Avatar attraction or Pandora – The World of Avatar, and never coming to Disneyland Park.
As we’ve identified numerous instances prior to now, Iger is a grasp wordsmith who’s nice at sticking to the script, and in addition is cognizant of what totally different phrases imply. (For instance, he acquired the identify of “Pandora – The World of Avatar” right, moderately than calling it “Avatar Land” or “The Theme Park in Florida With Blue Alien Intercourse Cats By Jimmy C.”)
If this have been Chapek, we wouldn’t be parsing phrases–he wasn’t as on-message and fumbled with phrases on a regular basis. In Chapek-speak, “Avatar Expertise” might imply all the pieces from a brand new blue churro to a whole third gate.
Nevertheless, since this is Bob Iger, our guess is that ‘expertise’ was chosen purposefully as a result of this isn’t a brand new attraction or land, however moderately, one thing else. What’s anybody’s guess. It could possibly be a brand new Meta Quest VR sport in Downtown Disney, an overlay of the Boudin Bakery Tour, walkaround mech swimsuit dude in Pixar Pier, or build-a-banshee store.
Clearly, a few of these potentialities are jokes. Whereas an Avatar Expertise (like a Meta Quest VR sport) changing the previous ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney makes a ton of sense, even that feels a bit on the small aspect to tease on an earnings name–and Bob Iger ended up mentioning this Avatar Expertise twice. As soon as initially of the decision within the quoted half above, and once more whereas answering an analyst’s query on the finish.
On condition that and the consequential nature of this name as Iger’s first again as CEO–one detailing cost-cutting, restructuring, and his massive ambitions for the long run–it appears unlikely that Iger would’ve drawn consideration to an addition to Disneyland Resort until it’s one thing of consequence. That’s doubly true given how properly Avatar: The Means of Water has carried out and James Cameron’s status as a demanding perfectionist. I don’t suppose he’d be significantly happy with an Avatar-themed bread tour.
With that mentioned, I’m struggling to give you different methods Avatar might match into the prevailing theme parks and lands at Disneyland Resort. Maybe a nighttime spectacular or projection present?
Possibly a reimagining of Hollywood Land that efficiently shoe horns Avatar in with out making it the fully-fledged (and thematically incongruous) Pandora – World of Avatar? There are presently a number of empty buildings within the backlot, and these could possibly be transformed into Avatar experiences to extend capability. (One of many acknowledged objectives of Iger and D’Amaro, per the earnings name.)
If the intention is shortly rising park capability, comparable potentialities contain using current areas. One other prime piece of actual property is the Innoventions constructing in Tomorrowland. That’s primarily flex area, and though it has a DVC lounge, that solely takes up a small portion of the constructing.
One potential situation with all of those ideas is getting James Cameron on board. Once more, he’s a perfectionist. Longtime followers would possibly recall that there have been appreciable delays between the announcement of Pandora – World of Avatar for Walt Disney World, and graduation of development. The rumors on the time advised that Cameron and his insistence on high-quality points of interest performed a job. It’s thus tough to see him getting on board with utilizing ugly, deserted buildings as a showcase for the Avatar franchise.
Who is aware of, although. Imagineering’s R&D lab has a whole lot of cool ideas, and if they may reskin a type of to be the Na’vi, possibly that will work.
One out of left subject reimagining concept that I actually like is an overlay of Grizzly Peak. Properly, I don’t really like the thought–I really like Grizzly Peak and don’t need to see this occur–however I believe it is sensible and is a viable overlay.
Modeled after Northern California’s Nationwide Parks, this space is essentially forest and is sufficient of a clean slate that the Na’vi could possibly be weaved into Grizzly Peak comparatively simply. Soarin’ could possibly be redone to have an Avatar-based movie (though the thought of the points of interest is analogous, it couldn’t be the identical as Flight of Passage) and Grizzly River Run might have Na’vi Audio Animatronics and different stuff added.
It’s a extremely imperfect resolution, however it appears probably the most wise out of the obtainable choices if Imagineering goes to embark on a everlasting reimagining. Disney California Journey is now primarily a ‘studio park’ second gate anyway, so a forest of Pandora theme would doubtless be deemed shut sufficient.
Accordingly, it is usually doable that it is a new themed land or attraction that expands one of many current parks. We don’t need to foreclose that risk primarily based on semantics. In any case, Bob Iger did guess massive on Avatar – The World of Avatar a number of years in the past and he was additionally behind the acquisition of twentieth Century Fox. Furthermore, primarily based on his social media posts, it appears like Iger has a private affinity for Avatar and James Cameron.
Avatar: The Means of Water is a rousing success, with James Cameron (but once more) proving his haters unsuitable whereas filmgoers soil themselves in delight whereas having fun with the sequel. With a half-dozen or so sequels already introduced, it looks as if Avatar is a bona fide franchise that’s strategically necessary to Disney in the long run. Whereas the media continues to hammer on (and be unsuitable about) Avatar’s lack of cultural influence, the films have been big hits that’ll proceed to rake in billions on the field workplace.
If this “Avatar Expertise” coming to Disneyland Resort is a brand new attraction or land, it might make sense for this growth to happen at Disney California Journey. We doubt that the remaining growth areas in Disneyland are sufficiently massive for an Avatar space or attraction.
One left subject risk is that an Avatar space could possibly be a part of the illusory third gate that’s been teased as a part of DisneylandForward. The chances of DisneylandForward are actually thrilling. Nevertheless, it’s actually all about paving the best way for future developments of an unsure nature by giving Disney extra autonomy over land use by enjoyable the DRSP. Up till now, Disney has primarily been saying, “give us authority to construct no matter we would like, then we’ll inform you what, if something, we’re going to construct.”
Attaching concrete plans for Pandora – The World of Avatar to a brand new gate would possibly make DisneylandForward extra compelling, and improve the probability of its approval. That appears fairly far-fetched, however there aren’t a ton of different nice/fascinating choices, and that will give DisneylandForward momentum.
In the end, it’ll be fascinating to see how this performs out. Based mostly on their latest public statements and interviews, it’s fairly apparent that CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro have massive plans for future growth on the home parks. That is one thing we cowl at size in Bob Iger Needs to Construct Large Expansions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It’s fairly clear that main issues are on the horizon. The questions are what and the place, and it might appear that “Avatar” and “Disneyland Resort” are two of the imprecise solutions.
I’ve gotta admit, I used to be initially skeptical that this could quantity to an precise addition of substance (or permanence), however I’m changing into more and more satisfied that’s the case. I wouldn’t be in the slightest degree shocked if no matter occurs happens in phases, with a short lived “expertise” main as much as the debut of a large-scale land, with each being introduced concurrently on the 2024 D23 Expo in Anaheim. We’ll proceed monitoring this creating story and supply updates and evaluation as extra particulars are revealed, so keep tuned!
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Disneyland Resort getting an Avatar Expertise? What kind do you count on this ‘expertise’ to take? Suppose it’ll be an attraction, clone of Pandora – The World of Avatar, Boudin Bakery Bread Tour overlay, or one thing else fully? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even once you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
