The C-Ticket attraction of Pandora is the Na’vi River Journey. This three and a half minute attraction is a beautiful ride where guests travel down a sacred river deep into a bioluminescent rainforest.
Na’vi River Journey Entrance
As with the entire Valley of Mo’ara ACE has tried to keep as low of an intrusion as possible and the entrances to both attraction are really only makes with a large totem created by the Na’vi and a small queue entrance staffed with ACE cast members.
Na’vi River Journey Queue
Queue of the Na’vi River Journey
The eight-seat reed boats float past exotic glowing plants and Pandoran creatures into the midst of a musical Na’vi ceremony.
Na’vi River Journey Boat
As the boat floats through the forest we encounter many types of creatures of Pandora along with seeing how beautiful the bioluminescent rainforest is.
Na’vi River Journey bioluminescent rainforest.
The journey finishes as we float past the Shaman of Song, the most advance Audio-Animatronic created to date. Thankfully, we were permitted to video some of the highlights of the attraction, but I must warn you no video can do this attraction justice you must see it for yourself!
The E-Ticket attraction is Avatar Flight of Passage. It has been a long time since I have taken more pictures of a queue, but this one is beautiful. Thanks to the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI) and ACE the long climb up to the mountain where the former AVTR project was created by RDA.
Avatar Flight of Passage Totam
Avatar Flight of Passage Queue Entrance
Avatar Flight of Passage ACE Fastpass+ Touch Point
Avatar Flight of Passage Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Banshee Totem
Avatar Flight of Passage Queue View
While both the Stand-by and Fastpass+ queues wind outside the mountain, once you get inside is where the biggest difference happens. The Stand-by queue travels through a Na’vi caverns, into where RDA mined which is now being reclaimed by the planet, and past a full size Avatar in its tank.
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Stand-By Queue
The Fastpass+ queue takes you in through RDA tunnels right to the merge point with the Stand-By with only a brief glimpse of the Avatar tank and none of the beauty as seen above.
Avatar Flight of Passage Fastpass+ Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Fastpass+ Queue
Avatar Flight of Passage Fastpass+ Queue
When both queues merge guest are sent to different levels to be moved into the DeCon Rooms before having their DNA matched with a Avatar already out on the back of a Banshee.
Avatar Flight of Passage Queue
Guests are giving Riding Glasses to help connect with their Avatar prior to heading into connect. These glasses are the next step in 3D glasses as the help you see everything.
Avatar Flight of Passage Ride Glasses
No photos or video are permitted after the briefing room, but I can tell you this attraction is worth the wait! If you took Star Tours and Soarin’ and cranked them up to 11, you would have a good idea of what Avatar Flight of Passage is. Still, once everything happens, you would be blown away. This is a perfect media-based ride — yes it is a movie ride, but how can you go wrong when it is based on the top-grossing film of all time? I am sure by now you have seen and heard the “you feel like you are on the back of a Banshee” media line but I am here to say…IT’S ALL TRUE! I have been on attractions all around the world and this one blew me away — you really do feel like you are flying through the world of Pandora.
Pandora The World of Avatar: Avatar Flight of Passage (Concept art, Walt Disney Imagineering)
One piece of warning for Avatar Flight of Passage: this is a motion-heavy attraction and not for guests who have a problem with Star Tours or Soarin’. It is also the first “size challenging” Disney attraction. Because of the seat dimensions, some larger (bigger body, chest, legs) and taller guests may not be able to enjoy this attraction.
Pandora The World of Avatar
My final thought of Pandora The World of Avatar is WOW! Having just come back from Tokyo DisneySea, I can say this would fit in perfectly in that park and that park is the ULTIMATE in Disney Parks. If I could I would post page after page of beautiful photos of this new area and I have not even seen it in its night mode when it is supposed to be the most amazing.
Amazing Cast Member of Pandora The World of Avatar
One of the most surprising aspects of Pandora was the amazing amount of knowledge the Cast Members have of this new land. Never have I been able to walk up to an employee of any theme park and ask a question and get more than a basic response. The cast of Pandora really do live in that world and are more then happy to share it with guests!
Pandora The World of Avatar opens to the public on May 27, 2017 only in Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World. For more information and how to book a vacation click HERE.
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