Avatar Is Coming to the Animal Kingdom

Unlike many of my fake news posts this is isn't a joke.  See the press release below:

BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide is joining forces with visionary filmmaker James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world of AVATAR to life at Disney parks. Through an exclusive agreement announced today by Disney, Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of AVATAR first hand. Disney plans to build the first AVATAR themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.



“James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James’ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”

“AVATAR created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we’ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new AVATAR films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore,” said James Cameron. “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of AVATAR with an unprecedented sense of reality.”


The agreement announced today gives The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) exclusive global theme park rights to the AVATAR franchise and provides for additional AVATAR themed lands at other Disney parks. The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. James Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the AVATAR themed lands.


“This exciting new venture combines the world of AVATAR with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron,” commented Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the AVATAR motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”


“AVATAR is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. Its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures, and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney,” said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We can’t wait to give our guests the ability to journey to Pandora and explore the incredible immersive world of AVATAR in person.”


In addition to setting a global box office record, AVATAR has been hailed as one of the most innovative and visually stunning movies ever produced. With its advanced motion capture and 3-D digital projection technologies developed by James Cameron and his team, moviegoers were able to connect with the world of AVATAR in new and engaging ways.


This new venture complements Walt Disney Parks & Resorts’ strategic efforts to continue to invest in its core theme park businesses around the world while simultaneously expanding into other parts of the family vacation business.

I liked Avatar but I never pictured it in a Disney Park.  At least they are finally giving Animal Kingdom some much needed love.

Photo of the Week - Big Thunder Mountain Panoramic Shot

This photo is about 15 years old and was scanned so sorry about the quality. Just to show how old it is, it was taken with a Kodak Advantix camera. Believe it or not you can still find those on the used market.

One thing those cameras did great was their panoramic ability. I got some great photos over the years using that setting.

Attraction Review: The Circle of Life

When I was doing all of my attraction reviews I somehow forgot about this one. Maybe it was because I blocked it from my permanent memory.

The Circle of Life is a movie located inside the Land Pavilion. If you are walking in through the door it’s located on the right hand side of the building.

The theater itself is surprisingly large. I was really shocked at how big this theater was. I didn’t realize how much room there was on that side of the pavilion. The waiting area isn’t bad and there is a brief preshow displayed on some old school tube TVs. That was the first sign that this is an older attraction.

Inside the theater the seats seem like they are in decent shape and it’s comfortable enough. You’ll hear the cast member give the normal spiel about moving all the way down your row. You can ignore this for the most part. There just isn’t that much of a demand for this attraction. I’d be amazed if even during peak attendance days this becomes an issue.

Believe it or not I just described the good stuff. The movie is rather boring and very preachy. It’s all about man destroying the Earth. It starts with Timon damming up a river to build a new resort and Pumba trying to explain why that’s not a good idea. Please stop and think about that for a minute. Now think about where you are sitting. Hypocrites! I like Disney but that really cracked me up. Why not just make a movie that says “Don’t do what we did. It’s bad.” I realize Disney is a very green company now and they do a lot to support the environment so please send the hate mail somewhere else. I’m just saying it’s very ironic.

There is another problem with this movie beyond the fact that it’s preachy and boring. It suffers from NS also known as Norway Syndrome. Norway Syndrome is a disease that convinces you that by turning up the volume you make something more exciting. That’s why the movie in Norway is so loud. It’s also why this movie will almost make your ears bleed. It’s amazing the speakers don’t blow out.

If you like boring movies that are preachy and insanely loud, you’ll love The Circle of Life! If you like Pumba and Timon don’t see this movie because you’ll want to cry. It’s the same reason you shouldn’t go on Stich’s Great Escape if you like Stich.

If you really have nothing better to do or really want to be able to say you did all the attractions then go see this movie. Just don’t complain to me after.

CMDTA on His Own: The Tiki Room Under New Management

As I stood in line for the Tiki Room I asked myself why I was wasting my free time to see this subpar show. The only answer I could find was the fact that I had done this attraction every single time I had been to Disney World. I think this is the last time I’ll do this ride.

I’m a fan of the original Tiki Room so every time I see the new show it bothers me. It went from charming to loud and obnoxious. I sat in the wrong place. I was right next to a speaker. I really wish I had brought some ear plugs. It was brutally loud.

If you’ve never see this show before, don’t. It’s not worth your time. This ride really needs some help. It needs to be moved to the Polynesian and reverted to its original format.

There is no reason to see the current version of this show. I doubt even old people would could find a way to enjoy this show.

Oh wait! I’ve thought of a time you should see this show. If you are about to suffer heatstroke and can’t make it to the hall of presidents.

Photo of the Week - It's Not a Monkey

Disney has always tried to combine learning and attractions when it can. The original Epcot was proof of this. You can still find examples throughout the parks. Animal Kingdom tends to be one of the best places outside of Innovations to find attractions that try to teach.

CMDTA on His Own: Swiss Family Tree House

My wife had no desire to do the Swiss Family Tree House. Her feet were blistered and her legs hurt so the idea of climbing the tree house wasn’t going to fly. A few days later I climbed up the Disney Classic.

One thing that the Tree House really needs is for the water to be running. The last two times I’ve done this attraction the water hasn’t been running. The running water really gives this attraction a wow factor.

Even without the water running the tree house still has some charm. I loved the movie and thought idea of living in a tree house of that scope was the best thing ever. Even to this day as I walk through all of replicated rooms and locations I would still love to have a house like that.

Even if you don’t care about Swiss Family Movie you should still check out this attraction. Why? The view you get from the tree house is unique. You’ll be amazed by what you can see from up there. Most people overlook that because they are just running through the attraction. Don’t make that mistake. Take your time and look around. You’ll be glad you did.

Beauty and the Beast Live

I’d never really thought about going to go see Beauty and the Beast Live in Disney’s Hollywood Studios but my wife and I were trying to kill some time while we were waiting for our fast passes to become valid. We walked in and took our seats with about five minutes to spare.

One of the best things about this show is it is really live. I know that sounds dumb and the name should have told me that. However, the actors actually sing. After seeing Voyage of the Little Mermaid I was surprised by that.

If you like Beauty and the Beast you will love this show. It has a number of the big songs from the movie. It has most of the characters from the movie too. The costumes are spot on. There are no real special effects. It’s much more a traditional stage show.

The length of the show was good. It came in around thirty minutes. So they didn’t have to really butcher the story like they did in the little mermaid.

I do have one complaint but it’s not really related to the show. Once you are a few minutes into the show, SHUT THE DOOR!!!!! DO NOT let late comers in. I can’t even tell you how many times I had to move, stand up, or lean to see what was going on because people showed up late. The worst case was someone who chose our row to sit in and we all had to stand up to let them in. This happened during the final scene. THE FINAL SCENE! Why?!? They saw about two minutes of the show.

Overall I will do this attraction again. It was worth doing. I will sit closer to the stage next time to avoid as many of the late comers as I can.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

I had very low expectations for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I thought it was going to be a kids show and that my wife and I would be bored stiff. I was proved wrong.

The queue room for the show is great. They hit the theme right on the head. The decorations are funny and fit perfectly with the Little Mermaid theme.

The first major scene is Sebastian and friends doing “Under the Sea.” This scene is jaw dropping. All the actors are dressed in total black and the puppets light up under a black light. The most amazing part of this scene is how they manage to make the puppets seem like they are swimming and the overall movements. It’s amazing that the actors don’t get in the way of the puppets and that they don’t trip over themselves. I was tempted to watch the entire show twice just to see this scene again.

The rest of the scenes are decent but it’s very obvious everything is lip synced it takes a little out of the show. The effects in all parts are amazing but when they do the water effects the first three or four rows get really wet.

One disappointing was the show was missing a “Kiss the Girl” scene. I bet that would have been awesome. Because it’s missing, the show jumps from Ariel giving up her voice to Ursula being killed which is about two thirds of the movie.

One warning to parents, Ursula might scare younger children. She is rather creepy.

Overall, go see this show. It’s great.

The Problem with Planning

I’ve heard some people complain that attractions are not timed correctly. They feel that an attraction is coming out after the fact. Two good examples are Pooh and American Idol.

Pooh had made a little comeback in the early to mid nineties. I don’t know what caused it but I remember people liking Pooh. For Disney to time the opening of Pooh correctly they would have had to open Pooh around 1994. Instead it opened years later.

Idol opened about three years too late. A lot of people have scratched their heads trying to figure out the timing. Why would you open a big attraction when what it’s based on seems to be waning?

The big thing to remember in both cases is the risk / reward. Opening Pooh in 94 would mean you’d have to start planning it around 91. Construction is typically is fastest step. It takes a long time to develop a ride and get it off the drawing board. In 91 the Pooh thing had barely started if it had started at all. In 91 the idea would have seemed foolish. It would have been a huge risk.

What if Disney had opened Idol a few years ago? Big risk. The first season was huge. The second season was big too. However, how many TV shows, especially reality shows, last more than three or four seasons? Disney could have found itself opening an attraction for a canceled show. By waiting they know the show will be around for at least a few more years and they found a sponsor to pay for it. In other words – low risk.

In both cases if Disney could have opened them during the peaks of Idol and Pooh they would have attracted far more people but that just wasn’t possible. Despite the rumors, Disney does not have a crystal ball or a time machine (yet). If they did do you think they would have opened Stich’s Great Escape, overhauled Journey Into Imagination, or opened any of the other shockingly bad attractions over the years?

The Tomorrow Land Speedway

When I was a kid I enjoyed the Speedway located in Tomorrow Land. What kid doesn’t like driving fake car? Back then it was the only chance I go to do anything like that. Even though I have those fond memories I have to stop and ask – Why does this still exist?

There are so many reasons to scrap this attraction. Here are the main ones:

- Not unique. Up until the early 90’s this was fairly novel. Now there are so many similar rides everywhere you can’t even fathom it. They are everywhere and many of them don’t have a bar that keeps you on track.

- It’s huge. Do you know how many attractions you could fit in that area?

- It’s ugly. This is one of the ugliest attractions in Disney World. The only ones that beat it are the Dino Land USA midway rides.

- It kills the theming – What is futuristic about this thing? It fits in nowhere.

- It’s loud. Nothing like a few dozen lawn mowers running near you.

- It Stinks. It really smells bad. Who wants to smell exhaust fumes in the Magic Kingdom.

- The Queue is painful. Why is it painful? Because it’s boring, it’s slow, it’s loud, and you stand there and inhale exhaust fumes while you are waiting.

Do you really need anymore reasons? Keep in mind, I have fond memories and I’m more then willing to put this ride out of its misery. It’s not like Alien Encounter, Horizons, World of Motion, the original Journey Into Imagination or Mr. Toads wild ride. This ride is bordering on embarrassment.

Disney and Miracle Ear – The Conspiracy to Deafen America

As a teenager I either didn’t notice or didn’t care. As an adult I found it annoying and at times painful. What am I talking about? The insane volume levels on nearly every ride at Disney World.

I’ve lost about a third of the hearing in my right ear. I never thought I’d be happy about that until I went on some of the rides at Disney World and thought to myself “Holy Poo Flinging Monkey’s that’s loud!” I can’t imagine what those rides would have been like without hearing loss. I’m guessing it would have been similar to stabbing yourself in the ear with a dull pencil.

There were two rides in particular that really stood out – The Universe of Energy and Dinosaur. I think the Universe of Energy tries to compensate the fact that it’s as boring as watching slugs race on a cold day by being louder than a nuclear detonation. Someone decided that Dinosaur needed to be scarier so they made it ten times louder. Well guess what? You failed! Volume doesn’t make something scarier it makes it more annoying. For instance at the end of Dinosaur when that thing roars at you and they take your picture half the people are just looking at the thing with an annoyed look on their face, a girl is crying because her ear drums were just blown out, and my wife making a pained face while trying to shy away from the sudden sonic boom. No one was really scared by it.

I’m trying to figure out why you’d put so many scenes on so many rides and attractions that easily pass 90db. After thinking about it for some time I came up with a few:

1. Disney did a survey when the National Association of the Deaf (http://www.nad.org/) was visiting the parks.

2. The “Greased Deaf Guy” from Family Guy is one of the head Imagineers.

3. Too many AARP members complained that they couldn’t hear anything before they remembered they left their hearing aides in their rooms because everything is so loud in Disney World.

4. Miracle Ear gives Disney World an annual kickback if 80% of their rides break 100db

The most interesting thing is that Disney hasn’t tried to capitalize the volume levels. If they charge $20 for a crappy plastic poncho then they could easily charge $10 for a $1 pair of ear plugs. That might sound funny but just wait. Someone from Disney will read this and the next time you go to the parks they’ll be selling a selection of ear plugs with your favorite Disney character on them near every attraction!