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
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.
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