Disney CEO Bob Iger introduced that Avatar is coming to Disneyland Resort. This publish shares all the things we all know thus far (which isn’t very a lot) plus commentary and rampant hypothesis about what this might imply.<\/p>\n
For starters, this got here throughout the Walt Disney Company\u2019s first quarter fiscal 2023 earnings name. As we\u2019ve already reported, Disney beat Wall Street estimates on the highest and backside line, with earnings per share (EPS) of 99 cents per share and income of $23.51 billion. Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line did significantly effectively, with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products revenues for the quarter rising 21% to $8.7 billion.<\/p>\n
With regard to the brand new Avatar expertise coming to Disneyland, right here\u2019s what Iger needed to say (this comes by way of the \u2018captions\u2019 function within the earnings name, which has a worse voice-to-text function than Siri, so excuse the errors):<\/p>\n
James Cameron\u2019s Avatar: The Way of Water,<\/em> which can be one of the crucial profitable movies of the quarter, grew to become the fourth greatest movie of all time globally with near $2.2 billion earned within the field workplace to this point. The world polarity of this movie will consequence within the creation of extra alternatives for followers to have interaction with the franchise.<\/p>\nThey have been doing effectively at Walt Disney World\u2019s Pandora: World of Avatar, in addition to in theaters globally and on Disney+, the primary movie is delivering very robust numbers. Today I’m thrilled to announce that we’ll be bringing an thrilling Avatar expertise to Disneyland. We can be sharing extra particulars on that very quickly.<\/strong><\/p>\nAvatar represents yet one more core franchise for the corporate and as you will have seen, time and time once more, we’ve got a singular method of leveraging artistic success.<\/p>\n
One factor the captions \u2018translation\u2019 does get appropriate is that Bob Iger known as this a brand new Avatar\u00a0expertise\u00a0<\/em>coming to Disneyland Resort, and never a brand new Avatar attraction or Pandora \u2013 The World of Avatar.<\/p>\nAs we\u2019ve identified numerous instances previously, Iger is a grasp wordsmith who’s nice at sticking to the script, and likewise is cognizant of what completely different phrases imply. (For instance, he bought the identify of \u201cPandora \u2013 The World of Avatar\u201d appropriate, relatively than calling it \u201cAvatar Land\u201d or \u201cThe Theme Park in Florida With Blue Alien Sex Cats By Jimmy C.\u201d)<\/p>\n
If this have been Chapek, we wouldn\u2019t be parsing phrases\u2013he wasn\u2019t as on-message and fumbled with phrases on a regular basis. In Chapek-speak, \u201cAvatar Experience\u201d may imply all the things from a brand new blue churro to a whole third gate.<\/p>\n
However, since this\u00a0is <\/em>Bob Iger, our guess is that \u2018experience\u2019 was chosen purposefully as a result of this isn’t a brand new attraction or land, however relatively, one thing else. What is anybody\u2019s guess. It may very well be a brand new Meta Quest VR recreation in Downtown Disney, an overlay of the Boudin Bakery Tour, walkaround mech swimsuit dude in Pixar Pier, or build-a-banshee store.<\/p>\nObviously, a few of these prospects are jokes. While an Avatar Experience (like a Meta Quest VR recreation) changing the outdated ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney makes a ton of sense, even that feels a bit on the small facet to tease on an earnings name\u2013and Bob Iger ended up mentioning this Avatar Experience\u00a0twice<\/em>. Once firstly of the decision within the quoted half above, and once more whereas answering an analyst\u2019s query on the finish.<\/p>\nGiven that and the consequential nature of this name as Iger\u2019s first again as CEO\u2013one detailing cost-cutting, restructuring, and his huge ambitions for the long run\u2013it appears unlikely that Iger would\u2019ve drawn consideration to an addition to Disneyland Resort except it\u2019s one thing of consequence. That\u2019s doubly true given how effectively Avatar: The Way of Water <\/em>has carried out and James Cameron\u2019s status as a demanding perfectionist. I don\u2019t assume he\u2019d be significantly glad with an Avatar-themed bread tour.<\/p>\nWith that stated, I\u2019m struggling to provide you with different methods Avatar may match into the present theme parks and lands at Disneyland Resort. Perhaps a nighttime spectacular or projection present? (Again, unlikely within the near-term provided that the Disney100 stuff simply began.)<\/p>\n
Maybe a reimagining of Hollywood Land that efficiently shoe horns Avatar in with out making it the fully-fledged (and thematically incongruous) Pandora \u2013 World of Avatar? There are presently a number of empty buildings within the backlot, and these may very well be transformed into Avatar experiences to extend capability. (One of the acknowledged targets of Iger and D\u2019Amaro, per the earnings name.)<\/p>\n
If the intention is rapidly rising park capability, related prospects contain using present areas. Another prime piece of actual property is the Innoventions constructing in Tomorrowland. That is basically flex house, and though it has a DVC lounge coming quickly, that received\u2019t take up your complete constructing.<\/p>\n
One potential situation with all of those ideas is getting James Cameron on board. Again, he\u2019s a perfectionist. Longtime followers may recall that there have been appreciable delays between the announcement of Pandora \u2013 World of Avatar for Walt Disney World, and graduation of development. The rumors on the time instructed that Cameron and his insistence on high-quality points of interest performed a job. It\u2019s thus tough to see him getting on board with utilizing ugly, deserted buildings as a showcase for the Avatar franchise.<\/p>\n
Who is aware of, although. Imagineering\u2019s R&D lab has numerous cool ideas, and if they might reskin a type of to be the Na\u2019vi, possibly that may work.<\/p>\n
One out of left discipline reimagining concept (h\/t to Greg within the feedback) that I actually like is an overlay of Grizzly Peak. Well, I don\u2019t truly like the thought\u2013I really like Grizzly Peak and don\u2019t wish to see this occur\u2013however I believe it is sensible and is a viable overlay.<\/p>\n
Modeled after Northern California\u2019s National Parks, this space is basically forest and is sufficient of a clean slate that the Na\u2019vi may very well be weaved into Grizzly Peak comparatively simply. Soarin\u2019 may very well be redone to have an Avatar-based movie (though the thought of the points of interest is analogous, it couldn’t be the identical as Flight of Passage) and Grizzly River Run may have Na\u2019vi Audio Animatronics and different stuff added.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a extremely imperfect resolution, nevertheless it appears essentially the most wise out of the accessible choices if Imagineering goes to embark on a everlasting reimagining. Disney California Adventure is now primarily a \u2018studio park\u2019 second gate anyway, so a forest of Pandora theme would seemingly be deemed shut sufficient.<\/p>\n
Accordingly, it is usually attainable that this can be a new themed land or attraction that expands one of many present parks. We don\u2019t wish to foreclose that chance primarily based on semantics. After all, Bob Iger did guess huge on Avatar \u2013 The World of Avatar a number of years in the past and he was additionally behind the acquisition of twentieth Century Fox. Moreover, primarily based on his social media posts, it appears\u00a0<\/em>like Iger has a private affinity for Avatar and James Cameron.<\/p>\nAt this level, it\u2019s patently apparent that\u00a0Avatar: The Way of Water <\/em>is a rousing success, with James Cameron (but once more) proving his haters mistaken whereas filmgoers soil themselves in delight whereas having fun with the sequel. With a half-dozen or so sequels already introduced, it looks as if Avatar is a bona fide franchise that’s strategically necessary to Disney in the long run. While the media continues to hammer on (and be mistaken about) Avatar\u2019s lack of cultural affect, the flicks have been enormous hits that\u2019ll proceed to rake in billions on the field workplace.<\/p>\nIf this \u201cAvatar Experience\u201d coming to Disneyland Resort is a brand new attraction or land, it could make sense for this enlargement to happen at Disney California Adventure. We doubt that the remaining enlargement areas in Disneyland are sufficiently giant for an Avatar space or attraction. One left discipline chance is that an Avatar space may very well be a part of the illusory third gate that\u2019s been teased as a part of DisneylandForward.<\/p>\n
The prospects of DisneylandForward are actually thrilling<\/a>. However, it\u2019s actually all about paving the best way for future developments of an unsure nature by giving Disney extra autonomy over land use by enjoyable the DRSP. Up till now, Disney has primarily been saying, \u201cgive us authority to build whatever we want, then we\u2019ll tell you what, if anything, we\u2019re going to build.\u201d<\/p>\nAttaching concrete plans for Pandora \u2013 The World of Avatar to a brand new gate may make DisneylandForward extra compelling, and enhance the chance of its approval. That appears fairly far-fetched, however there aren\u2019t a ton of different nice\/attention-grabbing choices, and that may give DisneylandForward momentum.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, it\u2019ll be attention-grabbing to see how this performs out. My wheels are spinning as I concurrently write and ponder\u00a0\u201cwhat an Avatar Experience could mean for Disneyland?!<\/em>\u201d Check again for updates as we proceed to edit and develop the commentary primarily based on new particulars, ideas, and many others.<\/p>\nPlanning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets<\/a>. Learn about on-site and off-site accommodations in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings<\/a>. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews<\/a>. For distinctive concepts of issues that\u2019ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney<\/a>. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide<\/strong><\/a>. Finally, for guides\u00a0past Disney<\/em>, try our Southern California Itineraries<\/a> for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and lots of different SoCal cities!<\/p>\nYour Thoughts<\/h3>\n What do you consider Disneyland Resort getting an Avatar Experience? What kind do you anticipate this \u2018experience\u2019 to take? Think it\u2019ll be an attraction, clone of Pandora \u2013 The World of Avatar, Boudin Bakery Bread Tour overlay, or one thing else completely? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions\u2014even whenever you disagree with us\u2014is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!<\/p>\n