When Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom launched Pandora – The World of Avatar, we knew we needed to make a visit right down to Orlando to test it out. After watching the “making of” movies on the finish of the Avatar film, I used to be surprisingly excited for an individual that doesn’t spend lots of time in theme parks.
Since I’m not an enormous fan of rides, I hadn’t anticipated a theme park go to this a lot since our first time on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando. But the theming and craftmanship seemed so in depth that I had excessive expectations.
Well, these expectations have been met and exceeded! Hands down, we thought Avatar Flight of Passage was the most effective journey at Animal Kingdom — heck, it’s undoubtedly the most effective journey at Walt Disney World! It is not any shock this made it to the highest of the record for our greatest rides at Disney for teenagers too! (Although we haven’t had an opportunity to go to Galaxy’s Edge but.)
Pandora – The World of Avatar
But first, let’s look inside Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom — or Avatar land or Pandora land as some would possibly name it. Opened in May 2017, Pandora raised the bar and expectations for all future “lands”.
When you enter Animal Kingdom and get to the central “Tree of Life”, hold a left and comply with the crowds to Pandora – The World of Avatar. You will first encounter the Valley of Mo’ara and can be instantly entranced by the floating islands and the eye to element given all through this part of the park.
It undoubtedly helps to have lately seen the film in order that every thing has a little bit of a well-recognized look.
You will need to make a beeline for Avatar Flight of Passage as a result of that’s the place the traces are the longest. But don’t fear, it’s completely well worth the wait (I did inform you it’s the greatest journey in Disney World proper?)
Avatar Flight of Passage Ride Guide
Everything about Avatar Flight of Passage is superb from begin to end. When we joined the queue (at 7:30 am earlier than the park was even formally open), we have been informed to anticipate a 1.5 to 2-hour wait. I don’t assume we stood nonetheless for longer than a minute or two all the time and we completed the journey earlier than 9:00 am.
On a return go to, we purchased particular occasion tickets to Animal Kingdom After Dark and we have been in a position to journey Flight of Passage a number of occasions in a row with zero wait — it was so well worth the ticket worth! See this information for the right way to journey Avatar Flight of Passage with out the wait.
All all through the primary a part of the queue you’re busy wanting left and proper taking within the elaborate environment and the floating islands of Pandora.
Once you progress contained in the constructing, you’re greeted by the glowing vegetation of Pandora as you wind your manner by means of the boundaries of the road.
Soon, you enter the lab and are launched to the scientific research of the world of Pandora. It helps to have seen the film right here as a result of it is going to make much more sense.
Again, the extent of element is gorgeous. Everything seems to be like actual scientific samples and gear — particularly right down to the Na’vi “Avatar” floating in its tank.
In case you haven’t seen the film, the premise of the journey is that you may be linked to a Na’vi Avatar, similar to what occurred within the film. So you may be mentally linked with a Na’vi, taking up their physique as your individual. Once linked, you’ll participate within the coming-of-age ritual of using a banshee (a dragon-like creature.)
You are taken into particular person rooms in teams and assigned a spot to face. You are then “scanned” and matched with an Avatar. It is a really cool expertise that’s much like a Kinect the place you see the define of your physique and also you see in case you are a “match.”
Next, you’re shuttled into the subsequent room to see your Avatar match and given directions about using a banshee. When you’re entered the journey room, you first retailer your belongings in a cubby after which mount the journey automobile the identical manner you’d get on a bike.
In reality, in some methods it’s much like using a bike simulator arcade sport that leans back and forth.
You lean ahead into the journey automobile and put in your flight “goggles” (3D glasses.) Almost instantly, you’re immersed on the earth of Pandora. You simply neglect that you’re on a simulator journey as a result of the world offered in entrance of you is so actual.
On your flight, you dip and lean and “fly” throughout the attractive world of Pandora. The graphics are gorgeous and the journey engages almost all your senses. As you fly previous water, you are feeling the spray of the mist.
As you cease within the nighttime forest, you may odor the air round you. But essentially the most superb impact is that if you pause, you are feeling the banshee respiration beneath of you as you are feeling the stress pushing out and in in opposition to your legs. I’ve by no means skilled something prefer it.
As we exited the journey, all let’s imagine was “WOW!”
The solely draw back was that I did get a bit little bit of movement illness throughout a number of the flying scenes and want to shut my eyes once in a while. It wasn’t that dangerous although as a result of I nonetheless rode the journey a number of occasions in a row after we did Animal Kingdom After Dark.
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Satu’li Canteen
You might need to seize a meal on the Satu’li Canteen, situated simply outdoors of the Avatar Flight of Passage journey exit. I seen that they comply with an identical expediting course of that I noticed in Universal’s Volcano Bay.
First they’ve greeters at hand you a menu and as soon as making a decision, you’re directed to a cashier to position your order after which a station to select up your meals. It wasn’t crowded in any respect after we have been there however I think about this course of is useful at lunch and dinner when it’s crowded. They additionally provide cellular ordering by means of the My Disney Experience app.
We have eaten each breakfast and dinner on the Satu’li Canteen and thought each have been excellent for theme park meals. A wholesome and attention-grabbing number of choices with very beneficiant parts.
After fueling up, we headed out to check out the second journey in Pandora — The World of Avatar.
Na’vi River Journey
Unfortunately, the road on the Na’vi River Journey journey doesn’t transfer as rapidly or is sort of as entertaining as Avatar Flight of Passage. Luckily, most of it’s shaded and often, the road isn’t as lengthy both, however it would be best to control the My Disney Experience app to test for wait occasions.
This is a quite simple journey and appropriate for all ages, however nonetheless an incredible expertise. You will board a ship for a gradual and peaceable cruise by means of the Na’vi River, the place you will note the glowing vegetation and creatures of the rainforest.
Then you may be entertained by the tune of the animatronic Na’vi Shaman of Songs. The journey is over fairly rapidly however it’s nonetheless a lot extra immersive than different Disney rides.
Afterward I heard some folks complaining concerning the journey not being well worth the wait however I used to be nonetheless impressed. You might not need to wait hours, however undoubtedly give it a strive.
Take a search for your self:
Make positive you give your self time to benefit from the different points of the Valley of Mo’ara, just like the Na’vi-built drum circle and totems that may be discovered all through the land.
And even if you happen to come early to beat the crowds, it would be best to discover time to return at night time to see the bioluminescent vegetation mild up.
Tips for Visiting Pandora at Animal Kingdom
- Arrive early. Even if the park opens at 8 am, you’ll need to arrive by 7:30 am. Chances are, they may allow you to by means of the gates and you may be within the queue earlier than the park opens.
- Head straight to Avatar Flight of Passage — traces close to the opening might be as much as 270 minutes so it would be best to hit this primary.
- Stay at a Walt Disney World Resort — it will get you the “Extra Magic Hours” so you may have time in Pandora with fewer crowds. Although, proper now these further magic hours are from 11pm to 1am so it could not work as nicely in case you have youthful kids.
- Purchase a Lightning Lane cross for Flight of Passage to shorten your wait.
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Note: We got one-day media passes to expertise the Disney Parks and facilitate this overview. All opinions are my very own.