Oh-ho, there is some biiiig news for this Saturday morning as Disney released the renderings of the upcoming and awaited Avatar land!!!
It seems that WDI has decided to play a max the Avatar "vegetation" card - extraterrestrial vegetation in this case - and considering that we are at Animal Kingdom it's probably the best to do indeed. Not a lot of details on the rides but as rumored there is a boat ride which should be particularly magical at night and a "flying" ride where guests will "fly" with the Banshees!
Below, Tom Staggs announcement and after each rendering, in ital, my own feeling about them. Also, click on each artwork to see them in high-res!
"From the moment AVATAR was released, people were captivated by the mythical world of Pandora. When we announced that we’d be working with James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment to bring this world to life in our parks, we felt certain that this partnership and combination of talent and imagination would produce an experience unlike any other ever created.
Our combined team has taken huge steps forward in “imagineering” Pandora as a real place for our guests to see, hear and touch. At the first-ever D23 Expo in Japan, we shared an early glimpse of the plans for AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park and I wanted to share some of these breathtaking images and a short preview of what’s to come with all of you."
As i said above WDI is playing the extraterrestrial vegetation "card" and it will be interesting to see how they will do to create vegetation from another planet, it might be less simple than you can think. You'll note that the spectacular "floating mountains" will also be there, of course here probably not totally "floating" for gravity reasons, except if they do some go them like themed balloons.
"As these concept renderings show in epic scale, in the world of AVATAR guests will encounter awe-inspiring floating mountains and wander through a nighttime jungle of bioluminescent plants that are alive with light and sound. Guests will also discover what it feels like to soar into the sky riding a Banshee".
Above is the expected boat ride which should be particularly spectacular indeed at night with all the bioluminescent plants. Considering that Animal Kingdom is the most "contemplative" of all DIsney Parks - almost as much a "vegetation kingdom" than an "animal" one - i think it's pretty smart from WDI Imagineers to play this vegetation card. Chances are that there will be some thrill moments during the ride, not revealed yet. Also, you'll notice that there is no rooftop on the boat which may look surprising as it is raining quite often in Florida. No rooftop could mean that the ride might be stopped when it will rain. Of course there might be one at the end, but not shown here on the artwork for artistic reasons.
And here is the expected flying simulator ride. Most probably a "Soarin' " kind of ride but all the question is to know how will look the simulator itself. Sure, they can do easily one which will look like the one of Soarin' - and it'll be probably the best for ride capacity - but i have the feeling that James Cameron would prefer a more designed one. Of course the best would be if guests would be seating upon recreated Banshees which could even have some Audio-Animatronics parts for the neck, head and wings, but considering their size it might be difficult to put enough guests on them to have an adequate attraction capacity.
Above, James Cameron with Tom Staggs and WDI Imagineer Joe Rhode in front of an Avatar model.
And there is a "one more thing" as Tom Staggs also announced new nighttime entertainment for Animal Kingdom! :
"And the new AVATAR-inspired land won’t be the only change coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As part of the largest expansion in the history of the park, we’ll be adding all-new entertainment experiences, including a new nighttime spectacular where live music, floating lanterns, water screens and swirling animal imagery all combine to bring a show to Discovery River that will delight our guests and truly cap off their day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park will introduce more nighttime entertainment as well, including live performers on Discovery Island (pictured above) and a new nighttime version of the Kilimanjaro Safaris".
You'll note on the above rendering the glowing effect on the Tree of Life which might be a way to introduce the Avatar bioluminescent vegetation effects which for sure will amaze AK guests when the Avatar land will finally open in 2017.
Artworks and picture: copyright Disney
20 comments:
That nighttime show is something Dak needs. And i must say it looks impressive. I think the Avatar project is growing on me.
This looks great!
The Avatar boatride looks like another "Trackless" system? Like Aquatopia in TDS?
The boas has 2 rows of people with each row 3 people and as Mystic Manor and Ratatouille use the system, Aquatopia has it with water, I think this will be that!
The land will be amazing. Pandora will be awesome at Animal Kingdom.
Very exciting!
But I think you've missed something about the boat ride. Surely it's an indoor ride like PotC, so that it will always be dark, and no roofs needed in case of rain?!
It looks ambitious. I'm glad to see Disney's investing in their WDW theme parks with some serious additions to keep them fresh and relevant. Avatar and Nighttime DAK is an excellent idea. Thanks for the update.
To John: Could be an indoor boat ride indeed but it doesn't look really like it'll be. But i remember now reading somewhere that it could be partly indoor, partly outdoor...
Mark my words: this will be a first "trackless" attraction for the US parks. No PotC or IASW copy, but think Aquatopia with part of it indoor ;)
Just my guess, but I think I'm right :D
I wasn't excited about this land before ,but that concept art looks spectacular. I hope the Star Wars project is as good.
Which has a greater following Avitar or Star Wars? Just worried about my stock and this expenditure.
Of cours has Star Wars a greater following, does Avatar has following at all? Don't think so.
I posted the same "trackless theory" on the Disney parks blog, but they didn't publish it, hahaha, says enough, doesn't it? ;)
Yes, Tom there is at least two sequels of Avatar coming in 3-4 years, may be even three.
Yes, the sequels are coming, but are there any Avatar "fans"? As the first movie was a great success partly because it was the first "real" and big 3D movie. That was new and everybody wanted to see that.
Star Wars has thousands or hundred-thousands or maybe millions of fans.
That's what I meant, maybe I didn't understand the question ;)
@ Tom: I hope it won´t be trackless - just uses up a *lot* of money, and does not add anything to the experience, especially in a boat ride, where you cannot see the "track" anyway, if it´s done right. And that the Disney blog did not publish your comment does not say anything at all - all they have ever published are insipid "can´t wait!" comments and useless "Will be there in 2015 -will it be open by then?" questions... I am not exagerating here, the comment section really is a bad joke, they should be ashamed of it...
@Jones: haha, that's true! The Disney parks blog comments are often "stupid", something more than "OMG, I wanna go there" will be confusing for the visitors I guess ;). Well, at least it's good they have this blog.
About the trackless thing, it's just a guess, I love speculating and I'm happy you comment on it. I for me love the system, but didn't care much for Aquatopia. If this Avatar ride will be indoors and with water, you are right that you won't be able to see the track, but still I think it's a possibility. Also because they have 1 new attraction with the technology that just opened and another one on it's way, it's a technology that's "current" and it's never been used in a US Disney Park.
Wow! Those renderings really look spectacular, almost too much to believe!!!
The scale of it all looks almost unbelievable!1 I can't even imagine how much it would cost to build it all, especially with those massive floating mountains, that I really hope won't be themed balloons, because I can't imagine themed balloons being believable as floating mountains, and the maintenance would be really complicated.
Looking at the renderings, I also think that the boat ride will be indoors John, and I hope that it won't use the trackless ride system, as Aquatopia doesn't look like a river, it looks that we are indeed just over a thin water mirror, and I don't know if they can use this system and make it look like the boat is in deep waters.
Also the last thing I want to see is these boats spinning like Aquatopia, which for me is a dull ride and only makes me motion sick...
Finally I must say that I also think that this money would be MUCH better invested in a Star Wars land (by the renderings I'm imagining a at the very least US$ 1 billion project) and I like Star Wars 1,000 times more than Avatar, but I guess that Disney executives don't share our opinion on this matter...
Don't worry, Marco, you'll get too the Star Wars land who should be announced anytime soon. And the budget will probably be more or less the same than for the Avatar land!
Thanks for the info Alain!
Are you talking about Disneyland or Disney Hollywood Studios? If as I think you are talking about DHS that is excellent news and I'm EXTREMELY impressed!!! In that case Disney is REALLY investing in Florida!
With both Avatar and Star Wars Lands as impressive as those renderings, Disney will finally pass ahead of Universal again!
I just wish they were a little bit faster in Florida... I'm going to WDW on New Year's and I'm afraid I won't see neither the Seven Dwarfs Coaster, nor the My Magic+ wrist band; and how long ago were those projects announced??!!
I'm talking of both Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Anaheim, Marco. Both will get a Star Wars land and stay tuned on D&M as you'll know soon more about them, and when.
Thanks for the info Alain! I always stay tuned on D&M!
By the way, I think that a Star Wars land is a GREAT idea in Florida, probably the best idea Disney Parks and Resorts had for decades, but I don't think that it's a very good idea in Anaheim, because as much as I love the Star Wars franchise, I don't like the thought of turning Tomorrowland in a Star Wars land; for me that area of the park is supposed to be an area dedicated to future visions, science fact, new technologies... and not to a single science fiction movie franchise (no matter how great the franchise is).
I'm afraid to say, Marco, that they won't let you the choice: DL Tomorrowland will mainly become a Star Wars Land...
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