Here Is What We Know About Pandora – The World Of Avatar At Walt Disney World
May 27 marks the grand opening of a new “land” in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World: Pandora – The World of Avatar. Yes, it has been nearly ten years since James Cameron’s film, Avatar, which served as inspiration for the area, hit theaters but Disney is ready breath new life into the title and the movie’s world, Pandora. Loaded with two new attractions along with a variety of dining and shopping options, Pandora looks to be a something that sci-fi fans have dreamt of.
As you would expect from Disney, entering Pandora is an immersive experience. It is designed to make guests feel as though they truly have entered an alien planet. Pandora is “set” long after the conflict seen in the movie and the Na’vi and humans live in are now living in peace. Guests can look forward to seeing the world’s floating mountains (complete with waterfalls) and bioluminescent flora as they explore.
I know you want to hear more about the attraction so we will touch on those first. Also, I want to note that FastPass+ is available for booking for both of these attractions, provided you are visiting on or after May 27.
What I imagine to be the “E-ticket” attraction is the Avatar Flight of Passage. The thrill ride employs 3D and other special effects to give guests the feeling of riding their very own mountain banshee over the terrain of Pandora.
Pandora’s second attraction, Na’vi River Journey, can be seen in this article’s header image. The slow-moving boat ride provides up-close views of some the planet’s flora and fauna. The ride reaches its climax as the Na’vi Shaman of Songs performs a ceremony. This Audio-Animatronic figure is to scale with “real” Na’vi and measures over ten feet tall from a standing position.
Exploring Pandora is sure to build up an appetite. That is where the Satu’li Canteen located in the Valley of Mo’ara. Seeing as how you are in an alien territory, the food is certain to look a little different than what you might be used to and trust me, it does.
You can check out the full menu here but expect plenty of steamed buns (there is even a deconstructed cheeseburger one) and boba in places it has no business being. There are also several rice bowls and for the picky eaters, a less adventurous children’s menu. If all you want is a sip of something, you should check out Pongu Pongu, a specialty drink location.
So you rode rides, you ate food, what else is there? Well, shopping, of course! At Windtraders, guests will have the opportunity to view and hopefully purchase Avatar-themed products. Pandora will be the only place to buy these items. A nifty detail reported by WDW News Today is that unlike the rest of the property, Pandora will not have Disney Parks brands on their receipts and bags so as to maintain the feeling of being somewhere foreign. These items will instead carry the logo of Alpha Centauri Expeditions.
It looks as though this policy also carries over to their new merchandise. A quick look at the packaging for the new Na’vi Translator displays the Alpha Centauri Expeditions (or A.C.E.) logo in the upper right corner. We will be seeing many more of items with that image in the near future.
Disney will be churning out several new items that will interact with the world of Pandora. Remember how the landscape is bioluminescent? Imagine special shoes, and faux weapons (think spears and staves) that react to their environment. I am particularly intrigued the activity called “Banshee Connect,” in which guests can be matched to and bond with a robotic plush of the mountain banshees found in the Flight of Passage attraction. There will also be 3-D printing service called D-Tech “Avatar Me” that transforms guests into their Avatar counterparts and then prints out the result as a three-dimensional statuette.
What part of Pandora are you most excited to experience?
[sources: WDW News Today, Disney Parks Blog]
