The Wait is Over: Pandora – The World of AVATAR Opening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

From the creative mind of director James Cameron, Animal Kingdom has brought to life the fantasy world of Avatar’s Pandora. Pandora is located on the left side of the park just prior to entering Discovery Island. Upon entering Pandora – The World of AVATAR, you will cross a great bridge that welcomes you to the Valley of Mo’ara and the astonishing display of the floating mountains will take your breath away.

Attractions

Pandora – The World of AVATAR features two brand new, never before seen rides that are great fun for the entire family! Both rides are available for FastPass+ reservations starting May 27, 2017. First up is the Na’vi River Journey, which is a gentle boat ride that takes you deep into the Pandora rainforest. On this journey you will come face to face with the natural beauty of the rainforest including plants, animals, and the Na’vi Shaman of songs. This ride gives you a great opportunity to learn about the land and nature of Pandora.

Second, Avatar Flight of Passage is a ride that can only be described as out of this world! This ride pairs together great technology with even better story telling. Guests are biologically paired with their very own Avatar Na’vi hunter and are transformed into them! Once safely secured into the ride station, guests place on their 3D glasses and climb on to the back of their Banshee, a powerful winged creature. This breathtaking, 3D first person ride takes you through the mountains as you bond with your Banshee which represents an important rite of passage. Guests have compared this ride to that of Soarin’ at EPCOT because of its use of scents, large display screen, and light and refreshing spraying of water. One important thing to note for this ride is the height restriction of 44 in (122 cm).

Photo Opportunities

The first photo opportunity you are met with is with the iconic floating mountains as your backdrop. The four large floating mountains are the center point of Mo’ara and can be seen from almost anywhere in the park. Disney World photographers have several locations set with this background, although some photographers include interactive photos. These interactive photos have guests point and look surprised, and once these photos are uploaded onto your My Disney Experience account special effects are added to feature a flying Banshee.

Signature Beverages

Pandora – The World of AVATAR is home to two signature specialty drinks, one being the non-alcoholic Night Blossom, and the other being the Mo’ara Margarita. Night Blossom is a mixture of limeade with apple, desert pear, topped with passion fruit flavored Boba balls. The Mo’ara Margarita features Sauza Conmemorativo Añejo Tequila with strawberry and blood orange and strawberry Boba balls. There are also several other alcoholic beverages including 2 different ales, the Mo’ara High Country Ale and the Hawkes’ Grog Ale. All drinks are available in souvenir mugs. Pongu Pongu will be your stop when looking for a refreshing drink or a quick snack.


Pandora – The World of AVATAR has been under construction since January 2014 and its long awaited arrival is finally here! With the anticipated introduction, Animal Kingdom park hours have been extended from May 27th through July 4th 2017 staying open from 8am to 11pm!