Nation & World News

'Avatar,' other changes outlined for Disney parks

May 2, 2015

From nighttime safaris in Animal Kingdom to the creation of the world of Avatar --  changes are coming to Orlando's Disney theme parks.

Disney officials offered a preview of what they call "the coolest summer ever" Friday.

"The largest element of our Animal Kingdom expansion is an entirely new land based on James Cameron's epic, Avatar, the number-one box-office film of all time," Walt Disney World's George Kalogridis said.

Disney's Imagineering team, along with Cameron, will create floating mountains, glowing forests and a banshee ride based on the movie.

Disney officials said they have doubled the size of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom and changes at Animal Kingdom will allow it to be open not just during the day, so attractions like the Rivers of Light and Kilimanjaro's Safari will extend into the night.

Other enhancements include over-the-water bungalows at the Polynesian Village Resort, one of Disney World's original resorts.

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