On October 12th, Disney released concept art for Avatarland slated to open in 2016/2017. The project, which will replace the Camp Minnie Mickey area of Animal Kingdom, was initially announced in 2011 in response to the overwhelming success of Univeral's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The original timeline had construction beginning in 2013 with the area opening around 2015. As the years passed, Disney announced very little about the project, leading to rumors of breakdowns in negotiations with James Cameron and the potential for the project to be shelved indefinitely. These rumors were also spurred by the purchase of LucasFilms, leading many to believe the budget for Avatarland would be shifted to a new Star Wars themed area in the Studios (a project I believe Disney will move forward on in the next 1-2 years).
This announcement, however, breathes new life into the project, the opening of which will likely coincide with sequels to the movie. Most notably, the art includes a flying simulator ride (a la Soarin'), a boat ride, and a nighttime parade. The nighttime parade also indicates that Disney will be keeping the park open much later than it currently does. The park usually closes between 5pm to 7pm to minimize stress on the animals which are located in the back of the park and operating costs. Ideally, these attractions and this parade will provide enough content to keep families happily occupied for a full day.
