AVATAR - Some Thoughts

Today, Disney announced that the movie franchise AVATAR was coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom.  The announcement came with mixed reactions.  At first glance, AVATAR seems like a bad fit for Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Hold a few shows and loose connections with attractions, the park does not have many ties with any movies.  DINOSAUR was originally called Countdown to Extinction and was reimagined to be loosely based on the film Dinosaur.  Festival of the Lion King, It's Tough to Be a Bug, and Finding Nemo: The Musical are all, of course, based on movies.  So when an entire movie-based theme park section is announced for Disney's Animal Kingdom, the news was not welcomed so graciously.


That's when the question arose: Is this Disney's answer to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter?  Probably, though it's doubtful that they truly expect it to have the same following and response as the Wizarding World has.  There are few franchises available that could possibly outdo the Wizarding World.  This is more likely an answer to the teenagers and young adults they lost due to the Wizarding World, though.  In fact, the deal between Disney and James Cameron is very similar to the deal between Universal and J.K. Rowling.


After examining the Avatar franchise and what the announcement meant, it could be great for the park.  The land has tremendous potential, if done correctly.  It's a huge announcement for many reasons.


1) "Pandora" would continue the theme of Disney's Animal Kingdom


Joe Rohde has stated time and time again that one of the biggest themes of Disney's Animal Kingdom is the "intrinsic value of nature."  This theme is also clearly seen in James Cameron's AVATAR.  While the creatures and characters and foliage of the film are fictitious, the theme of the movie is very real.  This theme is very prevalent, and for this reason alone, an AVATAR land fits in the park better than many other attractions that were welcomed with open arms.


2) A movie-based theme park land would draw in crowds

It's plain to see that a land based on a movie will succeed much more easily than a land invented for the park.  Fans of the film will flock to a theme park land to experience what they saw in the movie firsthand.  According to Wikipedia, the film made $2.78b in the box office, making AVATAR one of the best franchises to use for a theme park land.


Furthermore, the park needs more attractions.  It's Disney's largest theme park, and arguably has the least amount of things for guests to do.  Though the intent of the park was for guests to explore and discover, Walt Disney World visitors typically jet from E-ticket to E-ticket to "get their money's worth."  Disney's Animal Kingdom is often regarded as a "half-day park".  Pandora would change that, giving guests plenty to do while at the park.


3) The marriage of Disney and James Cameron (storytellers)


The biggest criticism of AVATAR was the storyline.  Most said the movie was visually stunning, and had some fun sequences, but the movie lacked a solid story.  Who better to assess this than the best storytellers in the business?  The marriage of Disney's storytelling and Cameron's characters and visuals would be a powerhouse.


4) The most beautiful theme park land ever?


Can you imagine walking through a dark indoor queue and being surrounded by the bioluminescent foliage of the film?  It has the potential to be the most impressive queue ever, I daresay better than Hogwarts.  Notice I said it has that potential.  Disney will likely not going to the extent that I'd like to see, but it could be very beautiful.


Similar to the little experiences at the Wizarding World (most notably, Ollivander's), Pandora could offer guests the opportunity to connect with attractions.  Not unlike the wand choosing you at Ollivander's, the Ikran/Mountain Banshee could connect with guests somehow.


5) Finally, E-tickets


Realistically, the last E-ticket that Walt Disney World received was Expedition Everest.  Toy Story Mania, The American Idol Experience, and Soarin' all far a bit short of such a title.  After hearing about all of the impressive expansions happening at Disney California Adventure, Hong Kong Disneyland, and others, Walt Disney World fans were yearning for some thrills.  Pandora can finally provide older fans with some thrills.  Fantasyland Expansion has been nice to follow, but few attractions will actually entice older visitors.  The expansion isn't intended for teenagers and young adults, but Pandora should draw that demographic for years to come.

Top 5 Things to Remember to Bring to the Parks

We've been there.  We know how it is.  You're hurrying to the parks and you need to be sure you have everything you need to ensure you have a magical day.  Don't worry, we're here to help.  Here is a list of the top five things you'll need to remember if you want a fun-filled day at the parks.

Colorful Ghost Costumes

5) Poncho
We will leave this one to personal preference, but this advice does come twofold.


Florida is well-known for its five-minute downpours.  For those who are not well-versed at reading the skies, it typically rains in Florida when there are thick dark clouds, scattered light clouds, or no clouds at all.  It would behoove anyone wanting to schedule their day to view a weather report before heading to the parks.  It would be wise to plan indoor attractions (most notably, air-conditioned dark rides) around when the weather looks unfavorable. You do however have the option to brave the elements and wear a poncho.  Of course, outdoor attractions do have specific weather operations that they must adhere to.  Most large coasters, for example, will close if lightning is spotted within a certain radius of the coaster.  If no lightning is spotted, you can ride in the pouring rain.  Just note that if it is pouring rain, you might feel like a bear robbing the mother of all beehives. 


Ponchos are also good for water rides.  Water rides, especially highly themed and story driven water rides, are fantastic theme park attractions.  But many people miss out on them because they do not want to get wet.  A great remedy for this is, of course, a poncho.  If you are with a large group, get matching ponchos so other guests think you are a visiting marching band or possibly a cheerleading squad.  Don't forget to take off your poncho while walking down the exit ramp of the water ride of choice to flaunt your superior intellect.

"Let Me Eat Your Crackers!"

4) Emergency Fanny Pack (see also Cargo Pants)
Fanny packs are great.  They are as high on the convenience scale as cell phone clips and Snuggies (and incidentally, just as high on the coolness scale).  Constantly reaching for a pocket or backpack to retrieve snacks or other desirables can strain the back.  It is much easier to reach for the waist to retrieve your belongings.  You can hold your head high as you stand in the Bag Line toting a pack too small to carry a water bottle.  Remember, you hold a status similar to owning the thinnest generation of iPhone.  People will envy you.


Cargo pants are great as well.  While you don't get the attention you would in the Bag Line, you can hold many of your necessary items in the large pockets.  After walking around for hours, it's always nice to reach down to a pocket and open a refreshing bottle of soda.

"You can make phone calls with this thing!"

3) Cell Phone
Ever since the emergence of cell phones in the late 1950's, the resources available to theme park attendees has been limitless.  Before cell phones, if Little Johnny got lost in the park, he would have to find his way back to a designated meeting spot that his parents assigned for such an occasion.  Little Johnny would have to wait there and hope his parents had time between attractions to look for him.  All of that changed with cell phones.  Now, Little Johnny can reach for his phone and tell Pa to pick him up at Captain EO.  


If you have a smartphone, a great big beautiful library of apps is available for you to use.  There is a large variety of apps covering many theme park related topics.  Some apps will tell you all of the park's information, including hours, events, and show times.  Some apps contain park maps to help navigate users through the park interactively.  Some apps show current wait times for attractions.  Some apps use live satellite feeds of the parks, detect a mass of same-color clothing, and map routes to avoid long lines by apparent touring groups.  Technology is a wonderful thing.

Try not to walk into this place with a credit card.

2) Money
According to a unanimous population surveyed recently, theme parks are expensive.  It's driven some to take extra jobs, fish for change at shopping mall fountains, and write articles during the evening hours (My resume can be found here).


Believe it or not, there are people that go as many as six months without ever visiting a theme park.  We asked TicketBot to crunch some numbers to calculate the average cost of visiting a theme park.  Including ticket cost for average trip duration, transportation, accommodations, parking, food, souvenirs, and other various costs, it costs about $75,082,132,644.91 for a family for four to visit the parks.


If you want to visit the parks on a budget, that is very possible.  Staying offsite is a great way to save some money, and you'll get the magic of arriving to the resorts every day of your vacation.  If we can offer one caveat, try not to go too cheap.  However, if you are really trying to pinch pennies, at least try to convince your children that the hotel is "themed" around Tower of Terror.

"I think we made a wrong turn..."

1) Brain
If this doesn't apply to you, please continue reading.  This is not meant to insult, but to provide real advice for your vacation.  Besides, we don't literally mean to bring your brain.  How can you leave your brain behind?  Science has not perfected brain transfer, yet.  Unless you are the result of a successful external-brain operation in addition to being a theme park enthusiast.  In that case, that's pretty cool.  Apply to be a Cast Member at Haunted Mansion, or maybe at Halloween Horror Nights.  Bring your brain.


Books are good.  Websites are good too.  Telephones are good as well.  You can use all three of these things to learn about theme parks.  All of the parks' information can be found, and it would be beneficial to learn the essentials.  The parks are magical, this much is true.  However, the magic is dependent on the guest.  Sound general advice would be to think of any adjective that could describe a theme park and plan accordingly.  Theme parks are big: wear comfortable shoes.  Theme parks are hot: dress comfortably.  Theme parks are crowded: Be patient and create a game plan.


Other items:

• If you are in Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando or Disney's Animal Kingdom, the animal is likely real, unless it is a dinosaur, a yeti, or made of fiberglass.  Typically, audio-animatronics do not eat, run, and conduct business in front of guests.
• Usually, the 1:00 parade begins at 1:00.  The exception to this rule is if every parade float is broken.
• The people just behind you in line have been waiting almost as long as you have.  The people in front of you have been waiting longer.  Because of guest demand, theme park attractions use advanced technology, and as a result, a subject to breakdowns.
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is at Universal Studios Florida.  Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
• If your child does not do well with scary movies, do not drag them on a ride called Tower of Terror.
• Men in Black: Alien Attack was never Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a theme park land inside the Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal Orlando Resort.  There is no Harry Potter theme park anywhere in the world.
• Pirates of the Caribbean is in the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World.  It is not anywhere else in Orlando.  If you're looking for a different Pirates of the Caribbean, try California.

If you have any other questions, you can contact pretty much any theme park fan.  This is our hobby.  We're also available on Twitter at @thedailyticket and by email at thedailyticket@gmail.com and would be happy to answer your questions as best as we can.  Have a magical vacation!

Top 10 Disney Animated Films Missing From the Parks

If you've spent any time reviewing any anthology of Disney animated films, you will quickly begin to wonder why certain films were never turned into a themed attraction.  Some films seem to fit perfectly as a Fantasyland dark ride.  Others seem to beg to be transformed into an interactive experience.  Of course, we sent one of our anonymous correspondents from The Daily Ticket to Glendale, CA to go through the Imagineering library of past projects.  Once there, Dave found some great concepts that never saw the light of day.  Below, our correspondent lists the 10 best animation-to-attraction conversions from The Disney Files.

10) The Emperor's New Groove


The film that brought Disney 2D animation into the next century is nowhere to be seen in the parks.  As our correspondent found, there was an attraction planned for Disney's Hollywood Studios in the early 2000's based on the film The Emperor's New Groove.  A simulator type attraction, Kuzco's Groovy Getaway would allow guests to help Llama Kuzco break into the palace and transform back into a human.  It was to include a roller coaster-type sequence into Ymza's laboratory, and even had a special effect were guests transformed into different animals.


The problem was that a simulator attraction already existed in the park (Star Tours) as well as a 4-D show (Muppet-Vision).  This alone did not shelf the project, as duplicating attraction technology has never stopped Disney before.  Imagineers were not sure if the film's presence would have a lasting impact on the park.  They wanted to have an attraction that could have at least a ten-year staying power.  Ultimately, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! was built in its place.

9) The Fox and the Hound


The Fox and The Hound Adventure was a dark ride planned for Fantasyland.  Guests would board jalopy ride vehicles and ride through every memorable scene from the movies.  The animatronics were advanced for their time, and were scheduled to debut as the first A-100 figures with the new "compliance" technology.   Imagineers really wanted to preserve the emotions of the film and recreate them in the attraction.


The downfall of the concept was that Imagineers were too successful in preserving the emotions.  After putting together show pieces in an empty soundstage and playtesting the attraction, Imagineers found that riders were incredibly sad for the remainder of the day.  Riders wouldn't even eat anything until at least the following day.  For the sake of food and beverage sales, the attraction was never built.

8) Lady and the Tramp


As guests requested more and more experiences based on the famous films, Disney turned away from rides and searched for new ways to retell the tales.  One of the earliest concepts was a Lady and the Tramp Italian eatery.  Based in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, the experience would have added originality to the dining offerings at the park.


While the entire experience was set indoors, the dim lighting gave the atmosphere a nighttime setting.  The kitchen for the restaurant would have the facade of an Italian bistro, and the actual dining room was set "outside" in an alleyway.  The most popular offering would be the Spaghetti For Sharing, with extra long noodles for guests to recreate the famous scene from the movie.


Unfortunately, this only appealed to honeymooners and other couples.  Vacationing friends and families had no interest in a restaurant with a romantic atmosphere.  Disney is no stranger to guests that do not do proper research on experiences, and the company decided that the experience was not worth the guest relations paperwork.

7) Bambi


Another dark ride planned for Fantasyland was Bambi's Great Journey.  Like the other classic Fantasyland dark rides like Peter Pan's Flight and the defunct Snow White's Scary Adventures, Bambi's Great Journey would take guests through a linear retelling of the film.


Though the film is regarded as a classic, the attraction was not on the drawing board for very long.  No matter how the show script was written, it was difficult creating the meadow sequence without terrifying children.

6) The Princess and the Frog


Another eatery for Magic Kingdom, Tiana's Palace would have opened in Adventureland near the meet and greets.  Though scaled back from the film's version of the restaurant, Tiana's Palace would be situated in the New Orleans swamp and feature authentic Cajun cuisine.


The issue arose that Walt Disney World was essentially built on a swamp, and that the ecosystem associated with swamps would be a part of the restaurant naturally due to the location.  Theming is nice, but no one wants to fight mosquitoes while eating lunch.

5) Jungle Book


One of the first plans for Asia at Disney's Animal Kingdom was a roller coaster named King Louie's Tumbling Temple.  Quite similar to Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril at Disneyland Paris and Raging Spirits at Tokyo DisneySea, the attraction was to be an Intamin Looping Coaster based around the King Louie's temple scene of the film.  The experience would begin with a dark ride portion in which the trains would actually dance with the dancing animatronics, resulting in the whimsy of the coaster.  The trains would then ascend a lift hill and spiral, swoop, and loop around the temple.


Ultimately, the demise of the attraction was in the hands of an unnamed Disney executive.  The unnamed executive determined that Kali River Rapids would be a much more enjoyable experience, elaborating that there is a much bigger market for river raft rides than coasters.

4) Pocahontas


One concept that was looked at recently was Colors of the Wind, an Intamin Spillwater attraction based on the film Pocahontas.  The attraction was set for Disney's Hollywood Studios near the Animation Courtyard, and would make the attraction the park's first water ride.  Guests would board large "canoes" and travel through various scenes from the movie, culminating in a grand waterfall finale.


Budget constraints ultimately shelved this project.  At first glance, the concept seems like a terrific idea.  The issue was the waterfall finale.  Imagineers wanted an authentic-looking waterfall for non-riders to admire.  To construct a full-scale 80-foot waterfall with all surroundings, the attraction would need a footprint the size of a small theme park land, not to mention a budget of around $200 million.  Imagineers decided that Fantasyland expansion was probably a better use of money.

3) Tangled


Speaking of the Fantasyland Expansion, one of the earliest proposals was for a small section dedicated to Rapunzel.  The original planned called for three major locations to be represented: The Kingdom of Corona, The Snuggly Duckling Restaurant, and of course, a walkthrough of Rapunzel's Tower.


The Tangled section was replaced by other ideas in the re-imagined New Fantasyland.  In a first, it was actually the fans that silenced this idea.  Fans argued that three locations that are not geographically near each other in the Tangled universe cannot be near each other in the park, and should be appropriately spaced apart.  Imagineers succumbed to demands when they could only produce 134 examples of where these inaccuracies have been implemented.

2) Beauty and the Beast


Also planned for the original Fantasyland Expansion, Beauty and the Beast was to receive its own attraction.  Imagineers wanted to install a trackless dark ride stateside after a successful installation of Pooh's Hunny Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland.  The attraction would take guests around Belle's village and, for the majority of the ride, Beast's castle.

Due to a partial response to the success of the Wizarding World, Disney surveyed Universal fans to see if they liked the concept and might be swayed back to Disney property.  The general consensus was that since the ride was housed inside of a castle and used advanced technology, the Beauty and the Beast attraction was a total ripoff of Forbidden Journey.

1) Lilo and Stitch


In a shocking discovery, there is not a single attraction based on the 2002 hit film Lilo and Stitch.  There are a few mockups in The Disney Files with renderings of possible attractions, including a concept for a circular theater experience, but none of those concepts came to fruition.  Beyond a few appearances and promotional items, the characters of the film cannot be seen anywhere in the parks.  It's a shame that the lovable Lilo, Pleakley, Jumba, and of course the always adorable Stitch do not have their own attraction.


The ideal location for a Lilo and Stitch based attraction would be Tomorrowland, on the site of the old Alien Encounter show.  Sadly, that area has been vacant for some time.  We hope Imagineers can write a solid show for that area, and we plan to watch that space in the future.