Disney Pandora Theme Park Will Not Be Like ‘Avatar’

COMMENTARY | The Disney Corporation has signed an agreement with filmmaker James Cameron to in essence recreate his imaginary world Pandora, depicted in his hit film “Avatar,” at Disney World, with construction starting in 2013.

Call it Pandoraland.

It was probably inevitable that an attempt would be made to render Pandora in the real world for people to visit and gawk at. “Avatar” lacked quite a few qualities that make up a good film, including a plausible plot, believable characters, and a theme that was not offensive. But the movie did more than make up for it with cinematography.

Particularly when rendered in 3D, the world of Pandora was gorgeous beyond the capacity to tell. There were instances of filmgoers who became depressed when the movie was over — the reality of Earth was duller than the fantasy of Pandora. That’s probably why the movie is the highest-grossing film of all time; it was a visual drug to which some people got addicted.

There will certainly be differences between the Pandora of “Avatar” and the one people will visit at the various Disney theme parks, starting with Disney World.

First off, Pandoraland will have a breathable atmosphere. The reason the human invaders had to implant their souls into the bodies of the 10 foot, blue, Smurf people is that otherwise they had to wear breathing equipment to get around.

Second, the various predators will certainly be benign, animatronic devices that will not eat the theme park patrons. That would be bad for business.

Third, if there are any 10 foot, blue, Smurf people about, probably also animatronic, they will likely be friendlier than the ones in the movie and less bigoted against people who depend on technology rather than nature to subsist. Hopefully some will be as cute as Zoe Saldana.

Finally, if there are human employees at Pandoraland, they will be friendly tour guides and not the obsessed, cantankerous scientists such as the one played by Sigourney Weaver. Nor will there be any marines who seem to have stepped right out of a liberal pacifist’s nightmare.

Pandoraland will likely do well. The Disney imagineers are very good at what they do. The idea of recreating alien planets at theme parks might catch on. Anyone for Duneland?

Sources: Avatar Heads to Walt Disney Parks! Coming Soon, Sept, 20, 2011

Avatar, Yahoo Movies


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