Walt Disney himself said Disneyland will never be finished. He said “It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” That quote could not be true today than when he said it all those years ago, except this time it can be in reference to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.
Avatar, the highest grossing movie of all time, has been seen by thousands of people in Baltimore and millions throughout the world. Now, guests can begin to look forward to traveling to Pandora as Disney just released information to bring the motion picture to life.
The following is the official press release in which Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Iger and Tom Staggs announce a long-term creative partnership with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the fantasy world of Avatar to life at Disney Parks.
“Avatar created a world which audiences can discover again and again, and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we’ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before,” James Cameron says. “With two new Avatar films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore. I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our Avatar universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear and touch the world of Avatar with an unprecedented sense of reality.”
“The agreement announced today gives The Walt Disney Company exclusive global theme park rights to the Avatar franchise and provides for additional Avatar-themed lands at other Disney parks. The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. James Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the Avatar-themed lands.”
“This exciting new venture combines the world of Avatar with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron,” comments Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. ”While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the Avatar motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”
“Avatar is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. Its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney,” Tom Staggs, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says. “We can’t wait to give our guests the ability to journey to Pandora and explore the incredible immersive world of Avatar in person.”
“In addition to setting a global box office record, Avatar has been hailed as one of the most innovative and visually stunning movies ever produced. With its advanced motion capture and 3-D digital projection technologies developed by James Cameron and his team, moviegoers were able to connect with the world of Avatar in new and engaging ways.
This new venture complements Walt Disney Parks & Resorts’ strategic efforts to continue to invest in its core theme park businesses around the world while simultaneously expanding into other parts of the family vacation business.”
Additional reporting from Disney Parks Blog and D23.
