‘Avatar’ (2009)
20th Century Fox. All rights reserved/Courtesy Everett Collection
Disney surprise-revealed concept art for its proposed Avatar land in California’s Disneyland at the company’s shareholder’s webcast Wednesday, celebrating what it called a piece of “inspirational art” that is “only just the beginning.”
The art, later also released on the Disney Parks Blog, shows an outdoor lake with guests standing at the shoreline, peppered with boats and a large waterfall. Fictional Pandora creatures surround the humans, and a tall outcropping of rocks frame the lake in a scene emblematic of the world created by writer-director James Cameron. The scene also looks similar to Disney World’s Pandora: The World of Avatar, which opened in Florida’s Animal Kingdom in 2017.
“We were thrilled to unveil a piece of inspirational artwork developed for a potential new Avatar experience at the Disneyland Resort,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney experiences wrote. “We are excited about the stories our guests could experience at Walt’s original theme park destination after approval of DisneylandForward — including the chance to experience all-new Avatar adventures with a visit to Pandora.
Last week, the Anaheim City Planning Commission voted to approve sending Disney’s DisneylandForward plan to the City Council. The proposal, part of Disney’s plan to invest $60B in its expansion of theme parks globally, would transform the flagship park via extensive expansions and the addition of mixed-use amenities.
“Avatar is the latest example of how we are looking to create new and innovative ways to bring our powerful stories to life,” D’Amaro wrote. “Over the past decade, we’ve delivered massive, immersive experiences at our destinations around the world, including new lands and attractions based on Star Wars, the Avengers, Pixar and more.”
D’Amaro also noted that “all of this is just the beginning — there are so many stories in our library yet to be explored.” He concluded, “As we turbocharge Disney Experiences over the next 10 years, we’re investing aggressively and thoughtfully to give you more of what you love. There has never been a more exciting time at Disney Experiences. I’m looking forward to having you on this journey with us.”
