Construction Begins on AVATAR Project for Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tom Corless

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Construction Begins on AVATAR Project for Disney’s Animal Kingdom

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Earlier this week, the long-awaited ground breaking ceremony was held in former Camp Minnie-Mickey for the AVATAR-themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. George Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort; Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, United States and France; Tom Staggs, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; a Na’vi; Jon Landau, AVATAR Producer; Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering; and Joe Rohde, creative executive, Walt Disney Imagineering, pose Jan. 8, 2014 during the ceremonial groundbreaking.

The area, which is being designed by Walt Disney Imagineering in partnership with “AVATAR” creator James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment, will be unlike anything ever experienced at a Disney park. Guests will experience the wonders of Pandora when they fly with banshees and explore a rich natural environment with mountains that float and interactive plants that glow at night.

“Disney’s Animal Kingdom is already home to some of our guests’ favorite attractions,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “With AVATAR, we are adding a spectacular new world and an exciting set of attractions unlike any our guests have experienced. The expansion now under way will make the park a true full-day, must-see experience.”

This week’s milestone is just the first step in a larger expansion for the park that will also include the debut of a new evening spectacular, as well as a nighttime version of Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Check out the video below for a look inside the ceremony:

6 thoughts on “Construction Begins on AVATAR Project for Disney’s Animal Kingdom”

  1. Its about time that construction started.

    I know disney like to take their time to get things right, but since this was announced. Universal orlando have announced and almost completed construction of the second harry potter theme park experience.

    That being said, I do hope that the bioluminescence works well

  2. Cool! I can't wait to see what they do with the nightime Pandora environment. I'll be interested to see how the banshee ride goes. I'm hoping for more Soarin'-ish or Forbidden Journy-ish and less Pteranodon Flyers-ish. Fingers are crossed that they have some sort of new tech to introduce.

  3. I have no desire to see the new avatar land but it will be nice if it helps thin traffic in the rest of the park.

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