Avatar Land

Pandora: The Land of Avatar

Concept art
Location Disney's Animal Kingdom
Status Under construction
Opening date Early 2017[1]
Theme Avatar

Pandora: The Land of Avatar is a themed area currently being constructed in the south-west portion of Disney's Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It will be based upon the world created in James Cameron's film franchise.[2] Construction began on January 10, 2014, with the land expected to open in early 2017.[1][3][4][5]

History

In Spring 2011, James Cameron was approached by The Walt Disney Company's chief executive officer, Bob Iger, regarding the possibility of Avatar-themed attractions in Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.[6] Originally, discussions were held about creating an Avatar-themed attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, perhaps at the park's then-functioning Studio Backlot Tour.[7] Instead, Tom Staggs suggested to incorporate the film into a newly-designed "land" at Disney's Animal Kingdom to improve the park's attraction roster.[7] On September 17, 2011, a long-term exclusivity deal was signed between Disney, James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Fox.[6][8] This deal was officially announced to the public on September 20, 2011, on the Disney Parks Blog.[9] The highlight of the announcement was that Disney's Animal Kingdom would receive a new themed area dubbed Avatar Land.[2] The area is set to cost approximately $500 million.[6] Construction began in January of 2014,[3] with a planned opening date between 3 and 5 years later.[4][5] The deal could see Avatar attractions added to other Disney theme parks in the future, however, there are no immediate plans to do so.[10]

Design

Avatar Land is designed by Walt Disney Imagineering with Avatar producers James Cameron and Jon Landau also providing creative assistance.[8][11] The area will be an immersive world based upon the fictional exoplanetary moon, Pandora and will include Pandora's floating mountains and bioluminescent plants.[12] Avatar Land is expected to span several acres and will feature multiple rides and attractions, entertainment, audio-animatronics, 3-D holograms as well as retail, food and beverage outlets.[4][5][13] Although exact details of the attractions have not yet been announced or even devised,[14] James Cameron confirmed that a flying attraction featuring "3-D projections and creature designs that were cut from the original film" was a concept on the drawing board for the area.[6] Avatar Land will include elements from the original Avatar film as well as its three, yet-to-be-released sequels.[11]

Attractions

At the 2013 Japan D23 Expo, Disney revealed two major attractions.[1]

Location

Avatar Land is being built in the former location of Camp Minnie-Mickey,[15] which was originally earmarked for the Beastly Kingdom, a never-built themed land which would have been based around mythological creatures.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Staggs, Tom. "First Look: AVATAR to Come to Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom". The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cody, Anthony (22 September 2011). "Disney to build Avatar attractions at its theme parks". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Smith, Thomas. "Construction Begins For AVATAR-Inspired Land At Disney’s Animal Kingdom". The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Staggs, Tom (20 September 2011). "Answering Your Questions About AVATAR at Disney Parks". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Associated Press (21 September 2011). "Disney to Build 'Avatar' Attraction in Theme Parks". Fox News. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Chmielewski, Dawn C.; Keegan, Rebecca (21 September 2011). "Disney to license rights to 'Avatar' for theme park attractions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Barnes, Brooks (April 25, 2015). "Thomas Staggs: Disney’s Heir, Apparently". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chmielewski, Dawn C.; MacDonald, Brady (20 September 2011). "Details emerge on Disney's plans to bring 'Avatar' to its parks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  9. ↑ Smith, Thomas (20 September 2011). "AVATAR Coming To Disney Parks". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Australian Associated Press (22 September 2011). "Coming to Disney World: Avatar Land". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Weinstein, Joshua L. (21 September 2011). "James Cameron on 3D, "Titanic" and all things "Avatar"". Reuters. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Richwine, Lisa (21 September 2011). "Disney, Cameron to create theme-park "Avatar"". Reuters Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Clark, Jayne (22 September 2011). "'Avatar' land is coming to Disney World". USA Today. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  14. ↑ "'Avatar' attraction coming to Disney's theme parks". The Independent. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  15. ↑ "What’s Next for Disney’s Animal Kingdom". The Walt Disney Company. Disney D23. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.

External links