Overheard today...
 

Today I spent the day at Disney World, and as I passed through the Animal Kingdom park I heard someone admiring the big tree of life they have there and she said something to the effect of "...the tree. It's like in Avatar..."

Made me smile and think of you all here on the board. It is a beautiful park and I had my own thoughts of Pandora, but it was good to hear it from someone else's mouth even in passing.

The tree she was discussing:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/...d3f8b63e7a.jpg
Tree of Life, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World by Mastery of Maps, on Flickr

That's nice. I really like the picture too.

Looks like a Baobab tree, if I'm not mistaken.

Adansonia Digitata

Adansonia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe that is what it's modeled after. :)

The "tree of life" isn't alive though just in case anyone is wondering.

"The Tree of Life is a massive fourteen story (145-foot (44 m)) tall artificial tree that has been the icon of Disney's Animal Kingdom since it opened on April 22, 1998. Engineered from a refitted Oil platform, it is located in the center of the park. Its leaves are made out of Kynar. On the exterior of it are carved images of 325 animals. Inside the Tree of Life is It's Tough to be a Bug!, a 3-D film hosted by Flik, from A Bug's Life. It is similar to the tree of Rafiki from The Lion King, though on a much larger scale. There is a hidden Mickey on this tree.
"

It's "one big damn tree". Haha.

Figures.

- Mikko

Hmm, shame it isn't real. Still, great that people realise the connection with nature in Avatar.

Yes, it's still Disney so it's not perfect... I wish the tree were real, but it also doubles as a building for a show. However the park is beautiful and the rest of it is real. Looking up at it from the base of the tree does feel like looking up at Kelutral. lol It's so huge.

There was a great message about preserving wildlife and the forests and I was happy to see the little kids getting into the story. Maybe if they learn it while they're small we have hope. Animal Kingdom even uses biodegradable paper straws and have recycling bins for other things everywhere in the park, which I appreciate their effort to try anyway. :)

Ive never been there, but the picture you posted makes it look really awesome. We need an Avatar theme park, now that would be awesome.

More info on Animal Kingdom here.

An Avatar park would be interesting. That should be a thread in itself. What would go in the park? Oh, someone make this discussion happen. Haha.

If it's modeled after a baobab then I could understand making it artificial, I think those things take a while to get big (not sure, though).

A refitted oil platform? Can you see the irony? (pun intended)

I've never been there, sounds pretty awesome though. And an Avatar theme park? Do want! :P