How to de-Disney-fy a theme park land

Image: frikitiki, Flickr (license)

There are a lot of things that Disney does really well, like telling stories and crafting amazing spaces. But, one thing Disney has long struggled with is knowing when to get out of its own way.

When J.K. Rowling was putting the theme park rights to Harry Potter up for sale, Disney was the presumed favorites. Universal won, however, because Rowling was concerned that Disney would have Mickey Mouse parading down Diagon Alley in wizards robes, or Goofy would star an animated short about how to play quidditch. 

Disney, for all the things it does well, just loves to remind you all the time that you’re at Disney. It has instantly recognizable trash cans, for crying out loud. Things like attraction signs, park maps, and even souvenirs all have the visual trappings of “Disney theme park,” and for a land to be truly immersive, Disney has to be willing to give those things up.

Pandora: The World of Avatar was the first time Disney was willing to do that.

Image: themeparktourist, Flickr (license)

Instead of the usual signage, Disney opted for more subtle in-universe markings for attractions. It had cast members, in character as residents of Pandora, directing guests to the major attractions rather than having massive signs. Even the food and souvenirs were crafted to prevent breaking the scene — with special care taken to create items that could only be found in Pandora.

The result was that Disney managed to heighten the immersion even further, while proving to itself that it didn’t need the traditional Disney aesthetics to make a land successful. Mickey Mouse isn’t a necessity for selling something as cool as Pandora.

Galaxy’s Edge, therefore, will be the full beneficiary of this discovery by Disney. There will be no visual signifiers that you’re even on earth, let alone at a Disney park. All of the merchandise will be created specifically for Galaxy’s Edge, as will the food.

Above all else, Disney learned from Pandora that feeling transported to a new space is what guests want more than anything. Even if they don’t have a particularly strong connection to an intellectual property, if the design is vivid and immersive enough, guests will love it.

Disney pulled a rabbit out of a hat and made people fall in love with Avatar. Imagine what they’re going to pull off when they take what they learned on Pandora and bring it with them to the jungles of Batuu.