Things are not going well for The Walt Disney Company in regards to Pandora and Avatar coming to Disneyland Resort.
During the April 3rd Disney Shareholders Meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger claimed to share an image from an upcoming Avatar and Pandora expansion for Disneyland Resort. Disney’s announcement of a major Pandora expansion drew serious skepticism given that the one location for serious expansion had been ruled out via headlines from the prior 24 hours. The one major spot to plop Avatar down is where Autopia is currently located.
Skepticism and disappointed mounted once shareholders found out that the art presented for the expansion is — once again — not necessarily indicative of what will be built eventually (if ever). According to Mickey Views, the art is only “creative inspiration for this possible new destination.”
At Disney's 2024 Annual Shareholder meeting, CEO Bob Iger shared this new art of a Disneyland Avatar experience. He calls this art "creative inspiration for this possible new destination." This suggests this art does not even take into account the limitations of a real site. pic.twitter.com/lMAA4rJ9g0
— Mickey Views (@MickeyViews) April 3, 2024
This is not the first time that Disney has produced “blue sky” concept art as if it is a real capital expenditure coming to the parks when it might more appropriately be called a corporate dream. Disney previously announced “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad” which has since not shown to have any real impact on future expansion realities.
Art from Disney’s “blue sky” Beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This did not turn out to be a real expansion thus far based on any reality.
For all we know at this point, the Avatar concept art could point to a painting on a wall inside a 500 square foot exhibit. Shareholders and Disney Parks guests should begin to seriously criticize any efforts by The Walt Disney Company to pass off potentiality as actual investments on the way. There’s simply too much track record of being fed vaporware theme park dreaming.
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