So, this happened today.
First reactions:
- REALLY HAPPY for DAK.
- Perfect opportunity missed for an Apple-style Keynote.
- What if Avatar 2 & 3 tank?
- Even if you saw Avatar in the theaters 10 times, you’ve still spent significantly less time on Pandora than someone who’s read the whole Harry Potter series has spent in Hogwarts (with way less depth).
- Predictions on Animal Kingdom’s attendance in 2016? DAK was only 1 million visitors behind Epcot in 2010.
UPDATE:: check out this extremely prescient comment by William Bruce, a Betamouse listener, in response to Episode 48 – Flying Entertainment Vehicles:
To me the flying entertainment vehicles in the patent reminds me of the Ikran (Flying Dragons) from the Avatar movie. Do a google search for them and compare to the patent drawings and you’ll see a lot of similarities including a pilot riding the vehicle. Could the huge success of the WW of Harry Potter at Universal be prompting Disney to license a major IP like Avatar to add to one of the parks? The idea would fit in extremely well with Animal Kingdom’s conservation theme or even Hollywood Studios. Avatar Part 2 and 3 are already being worked on and will probably be more successful than the first installment. Just wishful thinking but that’s what came to mind when I looked at the patent.
I like this summary. People bemoan AK as a “half day park” – that’s true if you are counting sunlight and darkness evenly. True, the park closes at 5 pm. But it’s not like the park opened at noon. Anyway, the point is that AK needs attractions that can operate at night, and by adding an Avatar section without real animals, suddenly you can add a handful of additional attractions that operate at night (along with Everest, Dinoland).
I think you point about attendance is apt. Most Disney Fans have no idea that AK draws (slightly) more than Hollywood Studios and as you pointed out nearly as much as the much larger (“all day”) Epcot.
The most apt point is the keynote item. I am SOOO glad I did not spend $$ to go to D23. Why would you hold an event like that and within less than a month announce two very new and unique additions to the park. First Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom, and now this. I’d be demanding a refund…
Kevin- I never even thought about D23. WOW, you are right. Guaranteed this deal was on the table for a while and it took too long to get the details worked out.
I hate when people call DAK a half day park. If you go on all the attractions, see the shows and do the walking paths, you spend a good 8 hours there. BUT yes, they will probably alleviate that stigma.
Thanks for the thoughts! I’m a huge fan of DAK. I’ve always wanted more of it.
Great point re: the Expo, especially if you just wanted to go for the announcements. I mostly went for the social, so I had a great time.