Your guide to Pandora, Disney’s new ‘Avatar’-inspired land
The wait is almost over. Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens to the general public Saturday. Walt Disney World’s newest land was inspired by the characters, mind-set and lush planet of the 2009 film “Avatar,” directed by James Cameron. Our guide to Pandora should help visitors navigate the largest expansion in the theme park’s history.
WHERE ARE WE? Theme is everything to Disney’s Pandora. The story line of the land is that visitors are traveling from Earth to the far-off planet of Pandora, home of the Na’vi people. (the elongated, blue-skinned beings you’ve seen.) The setting is years after the conflict in the film, so you’re not entering a war zone. Enough time has passed that the Na’vi are ready to show Earthlings a part of their world, the Valley of Mo’ora.
WHAT WE WILL SEE? It’s an extraordinarily green space, loaded with Pandoran vegetation. Green moss and other colorful growths are taking over, obscuring structures left by the land-raping villains in the film. But what you’ll likely notice first are the floating mountains, sort of inverted pyramid-shaped mounds looming above the land. (They provide some shade too.)
WHAT WE WILL NOT SEE? The Na’vi are not walk-around characters at Disney’s Pandora, which would be an awesome photo op but, let’s face it, a casting challenge. These guys are like 12 feet tall. However, you will spy the big blues in both rides and, of course, in the gift shop.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE RIDES? There are two: Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage. The first is a boat ride for all ages, not so much scary as very dark, broken up by bursts of bioluminesence. The adventure builds up to the reveal of the shaman of songs, a very blue, very large (though not Yeti-sized) animatronic.
On Flight of Passage, the idea is that you’re riding your very own banshee, a flying predator with which the Na’vi have personal connections. They take visitors on a (simulated) trip above Pandora, which looks remarkably like the new Disney World land only it keeps going and going, eventually reaching the sea. The attraction is like a reconfigured version of Soarin’, but with more multisensory effects and no dangling feet.
In a departure from usual Disney practices, there is no signage indicating the two rides. Walk toward the FastPass+ indicators.
WHAT TO BUY, WHAT TO BUY … Windtraders, the main gift shop, is attached to the exit of Flight of Passage. All the products are Pandora-driven, including robotic banshees that perch on your shoulder, various T-shirts featuring natural scenes, mugs, jewelry, beaded key chains and Na’vi translation trading cards. You might also munch from a bag of blue-tinted blueberry almond popcorn. Or you can take home a 10-inch Na’vi action figure that looks like you in an elongated, blue way.
A smaller outlet includes face-painting and items such as an attachable Na’vi tail (Disney sells a Tigger version elsewhere), glow-in-the-dark percussion and Na’vi-inspired headbands, the Pandora version of mouse ears.
WHAT TO EAT: Satu’li Canteen has set up shop in an abandoned Quonset hut. The fare is Na’vi-esque: Natural and low-fat. It’s a counter-service restaurant, but visitors can work around that by ordering through the My Disney Experience app. This is new to the resort and will be spreading out from Satu’li to other WDW outlets. A drink stand called Pongu Pongu (translation: Party Party) serves up green beer and multicolored frozen drinks.
WHEN TO GO: Pandora debuts Saturday, but Disney has no ceremony or “ta-da” moment scheduled. (Even daytime pyro might wreck the theme, no?) The park opens at 8 a.m. Saturday. Of course, it’s Memorial Day weekend, so all attractions should be busy. Despite the soft openings and passholder previews, first day of a Disney land is likely to draw a crowd. What’s the Na’vi word for “perfect storm”?