Pandora; The World of Avatar has been much anticipated for several years. This week I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at this new extension of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Let me take you through what I saw and learned.
First of all, the area is STUNNING. It is so incredibly visually impressive at every step of the way. The scenery, the vegetation, the sounds, the smells all transport you to another world. You cannot see or hear any other part of Animal Kingdom when you are within the valley of Mo’ara.
The land is made up of 2 rides; flight of passage and Na’vi River journey, a restaurant; Satu’li Canteen, and a store; Windtraders. There is also a beverage/snack kiosk and face painting. I got to experience all of these things and I am still processing how incredible each thing was.
First, lets clear this up. Animal Kingdom is a MUST on your trip. This is not to be skipped, this is not just a zoo, this is currently home to the best theme park attraction in Orlando; Flight of Passage.
Flight of Passage is like no other ride you have experienced. It is similar to Soarin in that you will look at a screen and feel movement, but that is where the similarities end. Riding on the back of a banshee you will see Pandora up close and it is beyond words. You NEED a fastpass for this ride. That being said, Fastpass is VERY hard to secure. Try for a later day in your trip and log in right at 7am on your 60 day window for the best chance at a pass. The queue is rumored to hold about 4-6 hours worth of guests. If you do not have a fastpass, extra magic hours, early arrival, and late nights are going to be key. Luckily Disney has extended hours and let on site guests have some extra time! There will be a single rider option; use this.
Na’Vi River Journey is a slow moving dark boat ride a la Pirates or Small World. It is relaxing, beautiful and fun for the entire family. Again, this is going to be long wait. However, since you have to choose your fastpass and cannot fastpass both Pandora attractions, you may want to stand by for this ride. Though boat rides are usually fast loaders, this ride only holds 6 guests per boat max which is significantly fewer people than the boat rides we are used to. Pay attention to all the details as you ride through as there are many and they are gorgeous.
Satu’li Canteen is a refreshing quick service offering. Ample indoor seating and fresh, interesting foods are going to catapult this dining option to the top of many lists. I got the cheeseburger pods and they were very good! The side chips were spicy and unique. You can look at a menu here and start dreaming about what you may want to eat! You will be able to order by phone making the entire process very easy.
They had unique beverages as well. I got the green beer and it was very good! I was impressed!
Windtraders is where you will want to go for all your Pandora merchandise! I adopted my own Banshee. They will walk you through the process of how to handle your banshee and it was a fun experience. Banshees come in multiple colors and are the latest fashion trend, many guest wearing them on their shoulders! You can even make your very own Avatar! I will be picking up my adopted Banshee today and will share photos of him!
The cast members are happy to tell you all about the land and will speak with you in the language of the Na’vi. From start to finish you will be immersed in this land. I expect high crowds here for months if not over then next few years. Plan accordingly and enjoy!
Let me plan your visit to Pandora! Jess@pixievacations.com