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Avatar Revealed in New Concept Art and Model for Disney’s Animal Kingdom

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Disney Parks Chair Tom Staggs was the first to reach out to Director James Cameron with the idea to bring the worlds of Avatar to life at Disney’s theme parks. At Japan’s D23 event, Staggs shared the most details yet about the exciting plans for the first Avatar-land to be built at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Currently scheduled to open in 2017, Avatar will take guests to the mythical world of Pandora, inspired by Cameron’s Avatar. The awe-inspiring land of floating mountains, bio-luminescence rainforests and soaring Banshees will become real for Disney guests to see, hear and touch. The Avatar-inspired land will be part of the largest expansion in Disney’s Animal Kingdom history.

Four pieces of concept art and one photo of Staggs, Cameron and Imagineer Joe Rohde were published. These appear to confirm many of the rumors about the land, including the presence of a boat ride and an emphasis on the bioluminescent glowing plants night effects that wowed so many in the movies. Guests will also be able to soar into the sky on the backs of a Banshee. The latter, is expected to be a motion platform projection movie experience similar to Soarin’ but with the latest digital technology (and most-likely 3D).

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Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Celebrates 1000th Grant

A welcome update on the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) from Beth Stevens, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, Environment and Conservation and former Disney’s Animal Kingdom Vice President. The DWCF has officially issued more than 1000 grants since it first started in 1995. 150… Read More »Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Celebrates 1000th Grant

New T-shirts and More Arrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Of the four major theme parks at Walt Disney World, Disney’s Animal Kingdom usually has the most stable product assortment. The same T-shirts (“Is that you Tigger?” and cuddly stuff animals sell over and over again. That’s not to say there isn’t great merchandise there is. Most of it can be found in Harambe Village’s Mombasa Marketplace.

So here are a few of the new (to me at least) T-sheets that I think will be flying off the shelf. This one you wouldn’t know was a Disney T-Shirt if you didn’t know where you bought it. But that’s ok. You know and that’s all that matters.

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Construction Update for Festival of The Lion King

Things are finally getting serious for the Avatarland expansion coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Last week Disney installed the portable offices for Imagineering and their contractors in a space over behind Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. But in order for construction of Avatarland to begin, Festival… Read More »Construction Update for Festival of The Lion King

Festival of The Lion King decamping to Africa in 2014

Disney once famously refused to acknowledge that they were building a new Disney Vacation Club resort next to The Contemporary even-though the blueprints had leaked months prior and everyone who flew by on the monorail every day could plainly see a multi-story building going up,… Read More »Festival of The Lion King decamping to Africa in 2014

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Photo Update

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Truth be told, it’s been too long since I made it back to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Different than other Disney theme parks in that the theme of nature inspired the Imagineers to create one of the most beautiful theme parks anywhere. There are always myriad little changes making it difficult to remember when some of the more major changes were made.

I do my best in this latest photo update but first your moment of theme park zen, a mother and son White Rhinoceros play on Kilimanjaro Safari

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Adventurers Outpost is New Home for Mickey & Minnie at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Fans wanting to see Mickey and Minnie at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will need to remember to head right after passing onto Discovery Island. The famous pair no longer reside in Camp Minnie Mickey, but instead have a new home at the Adventurers Outpost. The location,… Read More »Adventurers Outpost is New Home for Mickey & Minnie at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Photo Update

It’s been a long time since I managed to make it to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for a walk-about. A shame because it’s my favorite park. Not for the rides or parades, there are better elsewhere on property, but for the beauty of nature. I love how Disney Imagineers built their own story about nature while still allowing plenty of room for the real version to flourish. How the two layers interact with each other adds a lot to my enjoyment of the park.

So without further ado, here are some of the new, or new to me, things I spotted on my walk this weekend:

New maps and guides have been unleashed upon the park. I like the animal guide.

New maps and guides have been unleashed upon the park. I like the animal guide, might encourage people to stop and smell the roses.

Looks like the new character greeting at the Discovery Island Bazaar is almost ready to open.

Looks like the new character greeting at the Discovery Island Beastly Bazaar is almost ready to open. Sounds like the big day is tomorrow.

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