Avatar Coming To Disney's Animal Kingdom

ORLANDO (CBS4) – The lush world of Pandora from James Cameron's blockbuster hit movie Avatar is coming to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

On Tuesday the Walt Disney Co. announced that they had signed and exclusive deal with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the fantasy world of Avatar to life at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

James and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve as creative consultants on the project and will work side-by-side with Disney's Imagineers.

"I'm chomping at the bit to start work with Disney's legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of Avatar with an unprecedented sense of reality," said Cameron in a statement.

The agreement gives The Walt Disney Company exclusive global theme park rights to the Avatar franchise and provides for additional Avatar themed lands at other Disney parks.

"Avatar is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. Its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures, and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney," said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "We can't wait to give our guests the ability to journey to Pandora and explore the incredible immersive world of Avatar in person."

Construction is expected to begin in 2013.