Five Things to Love About Disney’s Pandora: World of Avatar

When Disney announced plans to add Pandora: World of Avatar to the Animal Kingdom theme park years ago, I was skeptical. Thousands of others were too. Yes, Avatar smashed box office records by grossing $2.8 Billion. It also claimed three Oscars out of nine nominations. Writer and director James Cameron was still “king of the wooorld!” But Avatar was released in 2009 and Disney made the announcement in 2011. By that time, I had already forgotten the plot. How did Pandora have anything to do with Animal Kingdom, or Disney for that matter?

Fast forward to a visit to Animal Kingdom in 2016. While entering the park and riding Expedition Everest I caught a few glimpses of Pandora’s floating mountains under construction. Even with scaffolding, they looked incredible. My opinion started to shift. Could Disney really pull this off?

In short, yes. Emphatically, yes. Disney opened Pandora: World of Avatar on May 27, 2017. It’s pretty much awesome. Gobs of people have already written about it, so I’ll keep my contribution (kinda) short.  Here are five things to LOVE about Pandora: World of Avatar, even if you don’t think you will:

(1) You don’t have to know anything about the movie.

You do not have to remember anything about Avatar to thoroughly enjoy Pandora: World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Even if you’ve never seen the film, you’ll find something to hold your interest. It’s like entering another world: a lush, tropical, beautiful world. There are trails, waterfalls, floating mountains and exotic plants galore. Even on crowded days, there are enough quiet spaces to break away from the traffic and admire the spectacular views. Silly me for questioning how the land could tie into Animal Kingdom. It’s a natural fit for the park’s overall “exploration + conservation” message.

The details from the film are definitely there.  You’ll find plant species, geographic locations, lab equipment, Na’vi language phrases and more from the film throughout the land. It’s just not a prerequisite for enjoying the space.

(2) Na’vi River Journey

One of two ride-on attractions in the new land, the Na’vi River Journey is a slow-moving, indoor boat ride. The boat winds through various scenes with various lighting effects, video projections, animatronics and more special effects than I can adequately describe. The bioluminescent colors are exquisite and peaceful. The details are plentiful. I suspect you could ride it several times and still miss something.

If you don’t get the chance to see the rest of Pandora at night, the Na’vi River Journey offers a great substitute. It’s also a perfect complement to the more ambitious Flight of Passage attraction (mentioned below), because guests of all age groups and adventure-levels can enjoy it.

(3) Satu’li Canteen

The Satu’li Canteen “quick-service” restaurant in Pandora offers a welcome variety of food options beyond typical Disney fare. The space is themed to represent an abandoned RDA mess hall. RDA is the the company that exploited the resources of Pandora and attacked the Na’vi (blue people!) in the film. The restaurant is now operated by Alpha Centauri Expeditions or ACE. You’ll see the ACE logo throughout Pandora, which adds to the theming and separates this portion of the park from the rest of Animal Kingdom.

The diverse menu offers bowls that include a base (rice, quinoa & vegetable, potato hash or kale mix), protein (chicken, beef, fish or tofu) and sauce (chimichurri, black bean vinaigrette or creamy herb). The bowls include a smattering of boba balls, which taste like little explosions of liquid sweetness. The restaurant also offers “pods” which are really glorified hamburgers and sandwiches, wrapped in cool looking bread.  I would suspect the specific offerings to vary over time as Disney discovers which combinations are most popular. You may want to sample some of the more unique offerings before they disappear.

Satu’li Canteen also offers advanced ordering through the My Disney Experience app.

(4) Night views

As beautiful as Pandora is during the day, it’s almost more so at night. There are lighting effects and details everywhere you look, including glowing plants, illuminated water features and sparkly pathways. The colors are lovely and closely resemble the land portrayed in the film.

Add some tribal music, fruity beverages and various outdoor performers and you’ll probably want to linger in the space for a while. Disney is offering Extra Magic Hours to resort guests every day this summer from 11PM to 1AM.

(5) Avatar Flight of Passage

I saved the best for last. As much as I love the overall theming, this ride takes Pandora: World of Avatar over the top. The first time I experienced Flight of Passage my face hurt from smiling.  If you enjoy Disney’s Soarin’ attractions, odds are pretty good you’ll like this one too.

The Flight of Passage attraction provides guests with the opportunity to fly winged creatures called banshees throughout Pandora. The simulation ride utilizes motorcycle-like seats, 3D glasses, blasts of air and a giant video screen to achieve the effect.  The elaborate pre-boarding area explains the process of linking with your personal avatar for the flight. After you board your “banshee”, you’ll soar over cliffs, dodge waves and fly among the floating mountains. It’s thrilling and fantastic. The seats even expand in and out periodically to simulate the animals’ breathing. Even the queue is amazing, with winding paths through elaborately decorated caves, laboratories, glowing forests and numerous backdrops from the film.

If you don’t enjoy thrill rides, use your Fast Pass+ for the Na’vi River Journey instead. Sadly, Disney only lets you choose one Pandora attraction for your Fast Pass+ selections.

Just so you won’t think I drank too much Na’vi Kool-Aid, there are a few things I didn’t like about Pandora. For one, the queue for the Na’vi River Voyage is a little dull. Although the ceiling is interesting, the rest of the space reminds me of the cattle run, er, standy-by line for Jungle Cruise. Moo.

I was also a little disappointed at the lack of Na’vi people. There are only two animatronic versions throughout the land. It’s not a deal breaker, but a bit surprising. Imagine the missed selfie opportunities!

Overall, there’s a lot to love about Pandora: World of Avatar. I’ve listed five, just to keep it simple. If you have thoughts to share or questions about an upcoming trip, please let me know in the comments below.

Until then, I think I’ll go watch Avatar again and try to relive a little Pandora magic at home.