While you are in Animal Kingdom, you can take a trip to the exoplanetary moon, Pandora, from the movie Avatar. This area actually blends right in with the rest of Animal Kingdom, but you’ll know you are off world when you walk by floating mountains. For reference, the timeline you are in takes place about a generation after the movie.
Pandora replaced, what used to be, Camp Minnie-Mickey. Originally, this area was going to be based off of traditional mythical creatures, and it was going to be called “Beastly Kingdom.” In fact, many of Animal Kingdom’s signs and logos include a dragon in the picture, which shows that they had the intention of having a land based on mythical creatures. After many years of Beastly Kingdom not being realized, Pandora was finally announced. It is based off of a fictional world, with fictional creatures. So, in a way, it still serves the original purpose. Now, it is just based off of a movie franchise instead of traditional mythology.
Pandora might seem like an odd fit for a Disney park. It’s not a Disney movie (although Disney does own Fox now), but, somehow, the end product of this land fits right in with Animal Kingdom. Read on to find out what you will encounter in Pandora – The World of Avatar.
Attractions
Avatar Flight of Passage – Hop on a mountain banshee and explore the incredible landscape of this beautiful moon. This is a 3-D simulator attraction, with a giant screen around you, that will engage all of your senses (except for maybe taste).
Na’vi River Journey – Take a slow boat ride through a mysterious river. You will see plenty of glowing plants and creatures along the way.
Na’vi River Journey – The Shaman Audio Animatronic was down the day this picture was taken and was temporarily replaced with a screen
Dining
There are no table service restaurants in this land.
QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS AND SNACKS
Satu’li Canteen – An old RDA mess hall became a peaceful dining hall which showcases Na’vi art and cultural items. This restaurant features healthier “off world” food that is not the traditional theme park food you normal think of.
Pongu Pongu – This snack food stand features some unique drinks and snacks, including an oversized pretzel.
Satu’li Canteen – Photo by Theme Park Tourist
Shopping
Windtraders – This is the shop you’ll walk through at the exit of Flight of Passage. It contains Pandora and Avatar inspired merchandise and souvenirs. One very popular item here is a banshee that will sit on your shoulder.
Custom Merchandise
In Windtraders, you have the opportunity to create your own Avatar action figure. There is no need for an advanced appointment. If appointments are needed, they are made the day of on a first come first serve basis.
Characters
There aren’t any traditional characters in this land, but you will sometimes get to see the Pandora Utility Suit being piloted by a “Pandora scientist.”
Photo from http://www.magicguides.com
Conclusion
Pandora – World of Avatar isn’t as big as some of the other themed lands, but it is beautiful to walk through, and it contains one of the most popular rides in the park. This land comes alive at night, so you will definitely want to make sure to walk through it after dark. The glowing plants you see in the movie are mimicked in real life. This is a very popular land. Even though Avatar isn’t what you think of when you think of Disney, you definitely won’t want to miss out on exploring what Pandora has to offer!
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