Pandora: World Of Avatar Reaction And What It Means For The Rest Of Walt Disney World.
Pandora: World of Avatar is the newest expansion to Walt Disney World, and the most important. The largest expansion to Animal Kingdom to date, there is enough here to be excited for. The new land is scheduled to open on May 25th, and combined with the newly added Rivers of Light and additional hours to the Kilimanjaro Safaris Disney is doing its best to make visitors start thinking of Animal Kingdom as a “FULL DAY” experience rather than the “HALF DAY” park it is now.
The goal of this new land is to create an interactive yet immersive experience, so visitors feel like they’re visiting this exotic world, billions of miles away from Earth. Does it live up to the expectation? First let’s get a bit of history.
While immersive seems like a logical way to treat an IP, it’s a relatively new idea to Disney. We have the “Park down the Road” to thank for it, with the ever popular (and ever expanding) Wizarding World of Harry Potter taking Theme Parks to new levels of interaction and immersive. We can go a step further then, and really thank J.K.Rowling herself, who originally wanted Disney to make a full park for her beloved book series, but later would allow Universal to create a “land” for it, replacing one of its Islands of Adventures into something new and magical, but also completely SEPARATE from the rest of the park. Rowling herself oversaw the land’s production, insisting not a single character from the rest of the parks be seen from inside the Wizarding World, and truly once you step inside, you’re nearly transported. The food, the employees, the merchandise and the rides all are themed directly to Harry Potter and the fans loved it.
Disney’s first major expansion since the Wizard World was revealed was the giant expansion of Fantasyland, while successful was not immersive or interactive. It felt as Disney as the day the park opened, and likely on purpose.
Avatar: World of Pandora doesn’t feel like Disney, and in a good way. Walking into the land (the preview only allowed access from one location and it’s unclear if there will be two once the land officially opens) the walkway is intentionally littered with large rock formations that feel at home in Animal Kingdom, but start to change as you get closer. They’re in your way of seeing the Valley of Mo’ara, the main area of Pandora, so when you finally turn the corner and see the exotic plant life and giant “floating” rocks in the sky, lush with (faux) green moss and waterfalls, the moment is nearly breathtaking.
The valley is filled with this giant floating mountain, bioluminescent plants that come to life at night (but are beautiful and very realistic during the day), a Na’vi drum circle for everyone to play, and totems and other interesting items throughout. The only connection it has to Disney World as a whole is a new Wilderness Explorer challenge, which is thankfully nearly on the outskirts, a smart move to keep it out of the way of the main area.
While it took me a few hours to realize it, there are no carts selling Disney merchandise or Mickey Bars or Popcorn the way you’d expect in nearly every other “land” at any of the Disney Parks. Immersive means not breaking the “character” of the land, and they do a great job at this.
The food offerings are not only exotic, they’re delicious, and served to you as exotically as possible. The quick service offerings at Satu’li Canteen are served in ceramic bowls that are almost outside of this world, and the food and drink are topped with boba balls to make them feel otherworldly.
The souvenirs are interesting as well. You won’t find a Mickey ear hat in the entire land, and gone are the usual trappings of plush Disney favorites. Instead you can find a plush animal from Pandora, weird lamps and science kits as the Alpha Centurai Expedition (the humans that are visiting this world) story lends itself to. The apparel is similarly themed, and the message is clear – get your safari hats with Winnie the Pooh somewhere else, Pandora is a place of science, nature and beauty. Keeping with the theme of the Avatar Flight of Passage ride, (more on that later) you can even turn yourself into an Avatar with 3D printed Avatar character. It’s interesting but expect to see the $49.99 interactive Banshees on the shoulders of many kids this summer as they happily traipse around the parks. The interaction with these creatures is the hightlight of the ride, and many will want to bring one home.
Speaking of the ride, Avatar Flight of Passage is the home of many firsts for Disney World. It’s got to be the longest queue at Disney, and while I cannot find any remarks on the website to backup this claim there is nothing else like it at WDW. There is something like it down the road, and its similarity to the line at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a worthy one. Both feature queues that tell a story, and while the Harry Potter one is a bit more interactive, they both start on the outside of a fictional building and winds its way inside, with something new to see every step of the way. In Avatar Flight of Passage’s line is filled with lights that I am sure will add ambience at night (my preview was during the day) and a storyline of humans being gene spliced with an Avatar already in the field. As you get closer the lush landscape makes way for the ACE laboratory, with some amazing effects that are blink-and-you’ll-miss-them such as a tank filled with a creature that behaves different depending on how clean the water is. This effect is apparently created with ferro-liquid and is quite astonishing, and just shoved into the queue without much fanfare. There is an animatronic Avatar floating in liquid that moves so realistically you’ll almost cringe at the realism, and each piece of the laboratory actually goes with the story being told. I wanted to stay and play around and look at everything, but the line moved on too quickly during the preview. (This will likely not be an issue after opening weekend.)
Then you get to the ride itself.
There are two videos you must watch before the ride, explaining how to board, the 3D glasses and the idea that the ride is matching your DNA with that of the DNA of an Avatar. There are some neat video effects done here as well, and a possibility that in the future they could use photos taken in my Disney Experience and use them, but it’s impressive either way. Once sorted the ride vehicle is another first. It’s not easily explained, but the premise is like riding a bike (as explained in the videos), where you straddle a seat and put your hands on the handlebars. Once seated supports come from behind to strap you in on your back and behind each of your legs. It’s different but not at all uncomfortable.
The ride “begins” before it begins. You only see 16 people on your line with you, but it holds three levels worth so there’s a lot of people being strapped in at once and as your waiting for this to happen the ride vehicle itself starts to vibrate and make noises, a hint at the “creature” it will become. There is a display where you can see the connection process between you and the Avatar, and see a goofy live video of yourself as you wait the ride.
The display blinks brightly, grabbing your attention, but using an effect seemingly borrowed from The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror the solid wall that was once in front of you dissipates into blackness and stars as you are transferred into the consciousness of the Avatar.
The ride is not unlike Soarin’, but in much greater detail. The feeling of flying is much stronger and you can feel the animal as it lifts off, it’s wings are loud and in your ear, somehow, even as you take in the beautiful sights and sounds of Pandora. The trip is the same each time you ride, but be thankful as it is both beautiful and exhilarating. There are swoops and dives, as you travel through the land, and you’ll be tempted to cheer as you find yourself taking on the life of an Avatar.
The ride has a scent effect that is pleasant and mild, the smells of the jungle gently melt into the beautiful smells of the underground or the beach, and the water effect as you glide through a giant wave is perfect; a gently sea spray rather than the “spit on you” water effect seen in other rides.
There is a moment of pure beauty as you finally rest your Banshee on a perch overlooking a beautiful scene in Pandora and finally you are transported back to the ACE facility, and the real world.
It’s quite literally the best ride at Walt Disney World.
There is more to see in Pandora, but Flight of Passage is the main attraction. There is a boat ride, simulating some of the night effects of the land in case you’re visiting during the day, but despite the most advanced animatronic in Disney history it still seems lacking. It’s best used as an introduction to the land, and not the main event. Still, when all combined we have the most immersive Disney experience yet, one that sets itself apart of the other Disney “lands”.
Avatar: World of Pandora is more than just this land though, it’s a welcome change and a sign of what’s to come. It’s a big sign that Star Wars Land is going to be amazing; as Disney is not only willing, but ABLE to separate an IP land from it’s normal Theme Park fare. Expect this to be the new standard for immersive lands and as Star Wars Celebration’s panel indicated, expect an even higher level of interaction with promises that decisions on one attraction will change the way characters in another attraction behave with you.
For now, Pandora is great on its own, and a must-see Disney attraction as it truly takes Animal Kingdom into a full day park. So, Disney, as the Na’vi say “Oel Ngati Kameie” – or “I see you.”