Pandora The World of Avatar – Sneak Peek

Pandora — The World of Avatar

For what has seemed like a lifetime this was the only view of Pandora available to guests, a few floating mountains from the entrance of Disney's Animal Kingdom. I, along with some of the local Florida media, was lucky enough to get an invitation to take the 4.4 light year trip to Pandora — The World of Avatar and I will tell you it is a trip I will never forget!

Taking a trip across the former bridge to Camp Minnie*Mickey, you step into a land that is breathtaking! The basic story is that we humans are visiting the Valley of Mo'Ara on Pandora thanks to a partnership with the Na'vi, natives of the planet, and the ACE - Alpha Centurion Expeditions to experience the land. For those of you that are the fans of the James Cameron’s record-breaking box-office hit, AVATAR, the new land welcomes guests to the lush world of Pandora long after the human conflict with the native Na’vi inhabitants has ended.

Once you are in the Valley of Mo'ara, the first thing you come across is the Flaska Reclinata. This huge plant not only "absorbs, condenses, and purifies atmospheric toxins on Pandora" but it is also interactive as guests are encouraged to touch it to help it do its job. In turn, it may spray guests with mist.

As guests continue down the entrance pathway they start to see remnants of the past conflict the Na'vi had with the Resources Development Administration, or RDA, as seen in Avatar.

Pandora — The World of Avatar consists of two attractions, one counter service resturant, one quick servce bar/beverage location, a merchandise/face paining cart, and one shop. All in all, this doesn't sound like much, but I have spent countless hours wandering this land and will again and again.

The first non-native location you come to when you enter the land is the Colors of Mo'ara, where guest can have their face panted based on designs inspired by Pandora or pick up some merchandise to help them fit in with the natives.

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One of the more unique locations in Pandora has to be the #MossWall. It may not have been planned to be, but weeks before opening day, this backdrop has become an Instagram-famous spot.

Pongu Pongu ("Party Party" in English) and Windtraders are part of the same old RDA facility that ex-pats (for expatriates), Earth tourists who loved Pandora so much they decided to move there permanently, and ACE have helped transform into a shop and local watering hole.

Pongu Pongu is also where you can get the lands signature drinks including the Night Blossom, a non-alcoholic frozen drink that is a mixture of limeade, apple and pear with passion fruit boba ball on top of course available in souvenir cup with glow cube for an extra charge.

Windtraders is not only the main place to get all things Pandora but is also where you are able to have your face sculpted onto a Na'vi possible figure for $74.95 and pick up your very own pet Banshee $49.95.

When the need for sustenance hits during your tour of Pandora, the land’s Satu’li Canteen (pronounced “Sa-too-lee”) is the place to go! With a wide variety of dishes — many of which are gluten free — everyone from the biggest foodie to the most picky of eaters will find something.

With everything from a great breakfast menu to a "create your own" bowl with up to 48 different paring options and even Cheeseburger Pods, there is something for everyone here.

Now I could go on and on about the land in general — and I will in the future — but for now, here is a short video with a few spoilers for the attractions.

For more on the attractions of Pandora head to the next page.

The C-Ticket attraction of Pandora is the Na'vi River Journey. This three and a half minute attraction is a beautiful ride where guests travel down a sacred river deep into a bioluminescent rainforest.

As with the entire Valley of Mo'ara ACE has tried to keep as low of an intrusion as possible and the entrances to both attraction are really only makes with a large totem created by the Na'vi and a small queue entrance staffed with ACE cast members.

The eight-seat reed boats float past exotic glowing plants and Pandoran creatures into the midst of a musical Na’vi ceremony.

As the boat floats through the forest we encounter many types of creatures of Pandora along with seeing how beautiful the bioluminescent rainforest is.

The journey finishes as we float past the Shaman of Song, the most advance Audio-Animatronic created to date. Thankfully, we were permitted to video some of the highlights of the attraction, but I must warn you no video can do this attraction justice you must see it for yourself!

The E-Ticket attraction is Avatar Flight of Passage. It has been a long time since I have taken more pictures of a queue, but this one is beautiful. Thanks to the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI) and ACE the long climb up to the mountain where the former AVTR project was created by RDA.

While both the Stand-by and Fastpass+ queues wind outside the mountain, once you get inside is where the biggest difference happens. The Stand-by queue travels through a Na'vi caverns, into where RDA mined which is now being reclaimed by the planet, and past a full size Avatar in its tank.

The Fastpass+ queue takes you in through RDA tunnels right to the merge point with the Stand-By with only a brief glimpse of the Avatar tank and none of the beauty as seen above.

When both queues merge guest are sent to different levels to be moved into the DeCon Rooms before having their DNA matched with a Avatar already out on the back of a Banshee.

Guests are giving Riding Glasses to help connect with their Avatar prior to heading into connect. These glasses are the next step in 3D glasses as the help you see everything.

No photos or video are permitted after the briefing room, but I can tell you this attraction is worth the wait! If you took Star Tours and Soarin' and cranked them up to 11, you would have a good idea of what Avatar Flight of Passage is. Still, once everything happens, you would be blown away. This is a perfect media-based ride — yes it is a movie ride, but how can you go wrong when it is based on the top-grossing film of all time? I am sure by now you have seen and heard the "you feel like you are on the back of a Banshee" media line but I am here to say...IT'S ALL TRUE! I have been on attractions all around the world and this one blew me away — you really do feel like you are flying through the world of Pandora.

One piece of warning for Avatar Flight of Passage: this is a motion-heavy attraction and not for guests who have a problem with Star Tours or Soarin'. It is also the first "size challenging" Disney attraction. Because of the seat dimensions, some larger (bigger body, chest, legs) and taller guests may not be able to enjoy this attraction.

My final thought of Pandora The World of Avatar is WOW! Having just come back from Tokyo DisneySea, I can say this would fit in perfectly in that park and that park is the ULTIMATE in Disney Parks. If I could I would post page after page of beautiful photos of this new area and I have not even seen it in its night mode when it is supposed to be the most amazing.

One of the most surprising aspects of Pandora was the amazing amount of knowledge the Cast Members have of this new land. Never have I been able to walk up to an employee of any theme park and ask a question and get more than a basic response. The cast of Pandora really do live in that world and are more then happy to share it with guests!

Pandora The World of Avatar opens to the public on May 27, 2017 only in Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World. For more information and how to book a vacation click HERE.

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