How The Disney / Avatar Theme Park Deal Really Came Together

So when exactly does the story of The Walt Disney Company's desire to build a theme park version of James Cameron's AVATAR begin?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Seriously.

Okay. It's the Spring of 2011. And Thomas Staggs, the Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, is down at Disneyland reviewing the works that WDI has done on that theme park's soon-to-be-opened "Star Tours: The Adventures Continue" ride. And Staggs is very pleased with what he sees. The Imagineers have taken a 24 year-old attraction and -- through the use of 3D technology, digital high-definition video and a multi-branching ride film -- have created something entirely new. A sci-fi / fantasy-themed attraction which virtually guarantees that -- each time the Guests ride "Star Tours" -- they will then have an entirely different experience.

And while Tom is down at the Disneyland Resort, he also drops by the Cars Land construction site to see how that work was going there. And though this 12-acre addition to Disney California Adventure was still a full year away from opening to the public, Staggs just loves what he sees. How -- thanks to the great way that the theme park version of the Cadillac Mountain Range looms over this part of DCA and the terrific job which Imagineering did with building that full-sized version of Radiator Springs -- you really feel like you've entered the world of Pixar's Cars movies.

And as Tom was standing there... Well, he kind of wished that there was an intellectual property out there that would allow the Imagineers to take everything that they had learned from working on the "Star Tours: The Adventures Continue" project and the construction of Cars Land and then combine it. Create a hybrid, if you will. The theme park version of some sci-fi / fantasy world that the guests could actually enter. Where -- through the use of innovative ride systems and cutting-edge technology -- they could then have this incredibly immersive experience. One where it felt like the guests weren't just passively viewing, they were actually visiting this far-off place.

According to Company insiders, it was this exact moment that Staggs suddenly flashed on the idea of reaching out to James Cameron and seeing if this Academy Award-winning filmmaker might be interested in working with Disney to create a theme park version of AVATAR.

Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. / Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Dune Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved

So Staggs approaches his boss, Bob Iger, with this idea. And Disney's President and Chairman immediately gets behind this concept. To the point where Iger arranges for a breakfast meeting at the home of Jim Gianopulos, the co-CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment. Where together Bob & Tom pitched Gianopulos, Jon Landau and James Cameron on the idea of Lightstorm Entertainment & Disney maybe doing something special with AVATAR in a theme park setting.

Mind you, this wasn't the first time that WDI had reached out to James. As Cameron revealed in yesterday's news conference, he's made a couple of trips to 1401 Flower Street over the past 25 years.

"I toured around Imagineering, which I've done several times over the years and always sort of flirted with projects," James explained. "(So when Disney called), I thought okay, this will be about an attraction, a ride attraction for Avatar. Came over and met, and met Tom Staggs. And I quickly realized that their vision for this thing was far beyond what I had imagined, and I've got a pretty good imagination."

Yes, what the Imagineers are really looking to do with this IP was create an entire land for Disney's Animal Kingdom. One where -- through attractions, entertainment, shops, food and beverage -- the guests will then be able to immerse themselves entirely in the world of James Cameron's AVATAR. So as soon as James realized what Tom was actually proposing, he quickly got on board. More to the point, he got Jon Landau (who's the Chief Operating Officer of Cameron's production company, Lightstorm Entertainment. More importantly, the producer of AVATAR) as well as the folks at Fox Filmed Entertainment to sign off on and support this deal with Disney.

So what kinds of rides, shows and attractions can we expect to see? More importantly, when will the theme park version of James Cameron's AVATAR be opening to the public. At yesterday's press conference, Staggs basically said that it's really too early to get into specifics. "We are just beginning the development phase of this project," Tom stated. "But our Imagineers really are already dreaming up incredible ideas that guests of all ages are going to love."

That said, Staggs did admit that Disney is looking to begin construction at Walt Disney World in 2013. And if all goes according to the plan, the first guests will be able to experience some of the wonders of the theme park version of James Cameron's AVATAR in late 2015. Which is just about the time the third film in this series will be opening in theaters. (According to what Cameron said at yesterday's press conference, AVATAR 2 is now scheduled to open on Christmas Day 2014).

Of course, the other big question here (given that the original "Star Tours" has become a guest favorite at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris) is can we expect to see AVATAR -themed attractions to soon begin popping up at other Disney theme parks around the globe? The Company insider that I spoke with yesterday afternoon quickly put the brakes on that idea.

"Right now, we're just concentrating on what we're looking to build at Animal Kingdom," This unnamed-insider explained. "Honestly, this deal is so new and came together so quickly, we haven't really had a chance yet to discuss the possibilities with our international partners. Though I'd imagine we'll begin having those conversations with them very soon. See what we can possibly do with the AVATAR characters at those theme parks."

Yeah, this is an IP that -- if all goes according to plan -- will eventually have some sort of presence at all six of the theme park complexes Disney has built / is building around the globe. As Staggs put it yesterday, " ...we can't think of a better first home for an Avatar land" than Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida.

"And what might that land be like?," you ask. Well, again, given how early the Imagineers still are in their development of the theme park version of James Cameron's AVATAR, Tom didn't really want to get into any specifics. But that said, Staggs did talk at length about what happened when this movie was recently screened at WDI.

"One of the things that we found when we screened (AVATAR) was that the scenes that people liked best were not the obvious things, like the big battle scenes, and that sort of thing. It was the creatures. It was learning to fly. It was being in the forest at night. The impression that we got was people just like to go to Pandora," Tom continued. "So here's an opportunity to use (our) animatronic technology, and all of these amazing craftsmanship and design capabilities of Imagineering, and possibly rolling in mixed-media, 3-D projections, holography. Whatever makes sense to build, bring this world to life and actually get to wander in it and explore it, and see things you didn't see either in the first film or in the subsequent two."

Long story short: If you like the recently-opened "Star Tours: The Adventures Continue" ride at Disneyland Park and WDW's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, then think about how much you're going to enjoy an attraction that not only flies you to a far-off place like Pandora but also allows you to exit that craft and go off and explore this world.

Well, that's what Disney is hoping to bring to Animal Kingdom in the not-so-distant future. So keep an eye on this Central Florida theme park. Because -- sometime in late 2015 / early 2016 -- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will have some brand-new competition. Thanks to the world of James Cameron's AVATAR.

Jim Hill is an award-winning entertainment writer who lives in New Boston, N.H. Over the past 30 years, he has interviewed hundreds of veterans of the animation and themed entertainment industry and written extensively about The Walt Disney Company. For more of his musings on movies, TV shows, books and theme parks, please check out his blog, jimhillmedia.com.

 

Follow Jim Hill on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jimhillmedia

Comments

[DISNEYfan]

12:52 AM on 11/05/2011

BAD idea Disney! Must be hurting from the competition but this ISN'T the way to go! Get a new idea!

[Rufus Frazier]

04:00 AM on 09/28/2011

I can see where Disney management would go for AVATAR in a big way - it parallel's "Atlantis" and "Pocahontas" in it's noble savage pillaged by the greedy white man theme. What's amusing is that the folks who enjoy seeing the evil white man get his comeuppance are most often the ones rooting for their own government to pillage the indigenous native population for their own land (for government projects or just to raise the tax base), their work (the taxes of half the population stolen to give to the other half ) and their liberty.

[Hardyman1966]

09:59 AM on 09/22/2011

God only knows what the tickets will be up to by the time all of this new product opens up.

[LLNYRN]

06:50 PM on 09/21/2011

This AVATAR project sounds like its taking the next major step in improving upon what SFX pioneer Douglas Trumbull has been doing for decades.

Sounds GREAT to me.

[BlackJAC]

04:38 PM on 09/21/2011

Will it feature fully-functional AMP suits?

[Wraithkelso]

04:16 PM on 09/21/2011

I'm 99% positive the biggest reason Staggs and Iger wanted this (probably more then Cameron) was to put them on an even playing field with Universal's Harry Potter section. But the difference is, Avatar is a mind blowing eye candy film with a lame story, harry potter is more about the story then the eye-candy effects.

[Clozure]

06:56 AM on 09/22/2011

The story is not lame if you know anything about geopolitical & big business events going on today. The story of Avatar is happening right now with logging and oil companies sweeping aside indigenous people in search of profit.

[apx]

11:19 AM on 09/22/2011

lol the analogies avatar makes to "real life" are pretty obvious sherlock

[crstimuli]

05:04 AM on 09/24/2011

Dude....the Avatar story was about government, racism, the tearing down of environment, war, hatred, love, companionship, tribal brotherhood..........did you really miss all of that? That was a deep & intellectual story by far one of the greatest ever that had to do with humanity.

[josh ee]

02:37 PM on 09/21/2011

Can you explain why Disney is making an Avatar attraction but not one based on the Marvel universe? Since they own Marvel it would probably be cheaper that dealing with FOX and Marvel is a more beloved property that would give them alot of different directions to make the ride.

[BlackJAC]

04:37 PM on 09/21/2011

If I had to guess, I'd say because Marvel cut some licensing deal with Paramount before being acquired by Disney.

[Paul Brune]

05:00 PM on 09/21/2011

Actually, the reason is that Marvel made a deal with Universal that lasts for several more years. Short reason is that Disney and Universal came to an agreement that Disney would not open any lands/rides based on Marvel characters until after Universal's agreement with Marvel ran out.

[RandyMan7027]

12:17 PM on 09/21/2011

Here's what worries me
---
(from Disney website):

"Staggs was most recently senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Walt Disney Company, where he oversaw the company's worldwide finance organization, corporate strategy and development, brand management, acquisitions, corporate alliances, investor relations, treasury and risk management activities, controller functions, information systems, corporate outreach, real estate and taxes... an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley & Co. before joining Disney."
---

IMO, anytime major CREATIVE decisions are being driven by accountants, statisticians, merchandisers, bankers and their ilk --instead of ARTISTS-- you risk some very bone-headed outcomes (i.e. "Disney America" (near Civil War battlefields in Virginia), California Adventure, Euro Disney etc).

An Avitar/ Animal Kingdom park seems to make sense and might just work. But once a guy like Staggs has such an epiphany, there's virtually no chance of him and others stepping waaay back and deferring to their creative professionals. Management repeatedly forgets that the Disney Company began with an ARTIST... not an MBA.

[Eric Cohen 1]

12:16 PM on 09/22/2011

It's symptomatic of all corporations now, top to bottom, management is being run by MBAs and the constant number crunching and spreadsheets miss the intangibles that ultimately can actually cost a company business. I will say that Staggs is quite an improvement over his predecessor from all reports over this past year, as he seems to truly enjoy and understand the product.