Pandora Pre-Opening Standpoint Check-in?

[epcyclopedia]

On forums like this, particularly when a new ride or area opens, it seems there is a dinstinct change in tune from various posters.

So I'm curious - where do you stand on Pandora, right now, today, before it opens? Before all the photo reports and blogs and self experience?

I ask now because we've got about 48 hours or so until the first test groups start trying to break it.

I'll give it some thought and see if anyone else has any interest in this topic and hopefully get my thoughts in order and documented before I set foot in the place later this week.

 

[Nick]

I've always been someone who has been in favor of Pandora and it seems to look great, my biggest question is if the rides will meet the the quality of the theming. So I guess when it comes to rides i'm cautiously optimistic, but excited for the overall land.

 

[Miketheboss]

I've always been someone who has been in favor of Pandora and it seems to look great, my biggest question is if the rides will meet the the quality of the theming. So I guess when it comes to rides i'm cautiously optimistic, but excited for the overall land.

I think the rides will be great. The boat ride will be very slow and calm, which isn't a bad thing because AK needs attractions like that. I just don't think there will be much to do outside when compared to the WWOHP. I can see myself enjoying the landscape and plants but once I check out the shops, what else. The land doesn't look that big.

 

[snayberry]

I'm excited and have high hopes for the land. I should watch the movie again though.

 

[quinnmac000]

I stand by my original opinion especially now we got a glimpse of some of the stuff....its gorgeous, beautiful, ornate, unique but at the same time lacking that certain oomph. Very safe, no risk taking.

 

[Miketheboss]

I stand by my original opinion especially now we got a glimpse of some of the stuff....its gorgeous, beautiful, ornate, unique but at the same time lacking that certain oomph. Very safe, no risk taking.

Wouldn't you say creating "floating mountains" with waterfalls coming flowing off of them is ambitious/risk taking? Also, the fact that everyone will be riding on their own banshee. What is safe about what they have done? I just want to understand your critique.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Ok.. so.. thoughts as of right now...

Overall:
It looks like a big area but it seems like it doesn't have much to do within it. The layout seems a bit odd, and the area over by the dining and store seems to be very sparse. The rest of it just seems like a lot of really complex pathways that dont really lead to anything. Maybe it'll feel different in person, but it just seems like a lot of plants and fake plants.. neither of which impresses me at all. As for rockwork.. they seem to have blanchd out the rear mountains to the point where they're nearly white. I guess it'll look better than Kong in terms of realism.. I hope. I never felt Everest had its perspective done properly though.

Floating? Not at all. Not buying it. Waterfalls? Nope, the ones at Volcano Bay look to be much more impressive.

Rides:
Expecting the boatride to be short and "meh" but unoffensive. Maybe some pretty set pieces, but i dont expect any sort of emotional or interesting content.
The Flight of Passage I don't expect much from either, but it should be more interesting than the boat ride. Something akin to Soarin, maybe more bouncy like Simpson or Back to the Future.

Dining:
Really not sure, I'm expecting it to look better than it tastes from what we've seen. Would like to be wrong.

Shopping:
I don't anticpate wanting anything they have to sell. Like, I immediately wanted a wand and slytherin gear from WWOHP. I wanted stationary and a hoodie and a backpack and maybe even a robe. I've purchased all kinds of cauldron cakes, fizzing whizzbees, etc.. I might buy something if it's unique and such.. but nothing jumps out as a thing I'll want so far so I'm prepared to be underwhelmed.

Entertainment:
I will admit now that I'm utterly dreading this drum circle nonsense and possible blue weresmurf singing and dancing anywhere in my vicinity.

Overall Aesthetic:
The overall macrame and beadwork motif makes me think of old dusty quilts and bad remnants of the 70's. I have an immediate primal "ugh.. eww.." response to it, so we shall see.

Wouldn't you say creating "floating mountains" with waterfalls coming flowing off of them is ambitious/risk taking? Also, the fact that everyone will be riding on their own banshee. What is safe about what they have done? I just want to understand your critique.

As mentioned above.. i don't think they look like they're floating and I think the waterfalls are barely above the trickle of a garden sprinkler. They Volcano Bay ones are much more impressive.

As for riding a banshee.. I forsee it looking like the Aladdin VR simulation at DisneyQuest, so not really impressive to me.

 

[quinnmac000]

Wouldn't you say creating "floating mountains" with waterfalls coming flowing off of them is ambitious/risk taking? Also, the fact that everyone will be riding on their own banshee. What is safe about what they have done? I just want to understand your critique.

My comparison is based off what I know Disney is capable of, I think the mountains genuinely are a neat feature but its also based on perspective and can easily spoiled by the fact that you can tell the supports of the initial structure is pumping water into it causing the waterfall effect.

As for the banshee, I really think the BTS for good morning america where they showed the ride vehicle really turned off my opinion.Even if you move down into a animatronic banshee, you aren't really riding a banshee. You are sitting in a chair. The lack of supports also suggest that this isn't as physically intense. I think the thing that probably surprises people is while you lean forward you feel air bladders inflating and deflating to create breathing which isn't that next gen just a really cool feature as well as other elements through the ride seat.

I think the highlight will just be walking around and hanging out. I hope they have benches because I could see myself hanging out with friends and just chatting while taking a break in the park in this area compared to other areas of Animal Kingdom.

I know I seem hard on Disney and like Universal more, I like both brands equally. Universal is just the C student who keeps getting A imo while Disney is the A student who is getting A minuses and B+s.

 

[epcyclopedia]

My comparsion is based off what I know Disney is capable of, I think the mountains geniunely are a neat feature but its also based on perspective and can easily spoiled by the fact that you can tell the supports of the initial structure is pumping water into it crashing the waterfall effect. As for the banshee, I really think the BTS for good morning america where they showed the ride vehicle really turned off my opinion.Even if you move down into a animatronic banshee, you aren't really riding a banshee. You are sitting in a chair. The lack of supports also suggest that this isn't as physically intense. I think the thing that probably surprises people is while you lean forward you feel air bladders inflating and deflating to create breathing which isn't that next gen just a really cool feature as well as other elements through the ride seat.

Yeah, and how long until those air bladders break, like the joysticks at M:S.

 

[Miketheboss]

My comparsion is based off what I know Disney is capable of, I think the mountains geniunely are a neat feature but its also based on perspective and can easily spoiled by the fact that you can tell the supports of the initial structure is pumping water into it crashing the waterfall effect. As for the banshee, I really think the BTS for good morning america where they showed the ride vehicle really turned off my opinion.Even if you move down into a animatronic banshee, you aren't really riding a banshee. You are sitting in a chair. The lack of supports also suggest that this isn't as physically intense. I think the thing that probably surprises people is while you lean forward you feel air bladders inflating and deflating to create breathing which isn't that next gen just a really cool feature as well as other elements through the ride seat.

I see what you mean but there's supposedly a feature of the ride that is a major spoiler. Don't open the spoiler unless you want to be surprised. I wish I didn't know it.

Spoiler

If reports are true, the wall in front of you lifts up and the banshee is in font of you, so you technically are sitting on one.

 

[quinnmac000]

I see what you mean but there's supposedly a feature of the ride that is a major spoiler. Don't open the spoiler unless you want to be surprised. I wish I didn't know it.

Oh yea i knew that already but you might want to fix your spoiler tag because it tells the spoiler.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think my primary concern with the area is going to be - and this applies to much of AK - "omg it's hot and there's nowhere to go inside and cool off."

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

My only concern is how much the land has to offer. I really like everything else I've been seeing though.

 

[twebber55]

On forums like this, particularly when a new ride or area opens, it seems there is a dinstinct change in tune from various posters.

So I'm curious - where do you stand on Pandora, right now, today, before it opens? Before all the photo reports and blogs and self experience?

I ask now because we've got about 48 hours or so until the first test groups start trying to break it.

I'll give it some thought and see if anyone else has any interest in this topic and hopefully get my thoughts in order and documented before I set foot in the place later this week.

when are you heading in to the land?
looking forward to your thoughts

 

[twebber55]

My only concern is how much the land has to offer. I really like everything else I've been seeing though.

agree with this
will this land be able to keep my attention for 3 hours or so

 

[twebber55]

Ok.. so.. thoughts as of right now...

Overall:
It looks like a big area but it seems like it doesn't have much to do within it. The layout seems a bit odd, and the area over by the dining and store seems to be very sparse. The rest of it just seems like a lot of really complex pathways that dont really lead to anything. Maybe it'll feel different in person, but it just seems like a lot of plants and fake plants.. neither of which impresses me at all. As for rockwork.. they seem to have blanchd out the rear mountains to the point where they're nearly white. I guess it'll look better than Kong in terms of realism.. I hope. I never felt Everest had its perspective done properly though.

Floating? Not at all. Not buying it. Waterfalls? Nope, the ones at Volcano Bay look to be much more impressive.

Rides:
Expecting the boatride to be short and "meh" but unoffensive. Maybe some pretty set pieces, but i dont expect any sort of emotional or interesting content.
The Flight of Passage I don't expect much from either, but it should be more interesting than the boat ride. Something akin to Soarin, maybe more bouncy like Simpson or Back to the Future.

Dining:
Really not sure, I'm expecting it to look better than it tastes from what we've seen. Would like to be wrong.

Shopping:
I don't anticpate wanting anything they have to sell. Like, I immediately wanted a wand and slytherin gear from WWOHP. I wanted stationary and a hoodie and a backpack and maybe even a robe. I've purchased all kinds of cauldron cakes, fizzing whizzbees, etc.. I might buy something if it's unique and such.. but nothing jumps out as a thing I'll want so far so I'm prepared to be underwhelmed.

Entertainment:
I will admit now that I'm utterly dreading this drum circle nonsense and possible blue weresmurf singing and dancing anywhere in my vicinity.

Overall Aesthetic:
The overall macrame and beadwork motif makes me think of old dusty quilts and bad remnants of the 70's. I have an immediate primal "ugh.. eww.." response to it, so we shall see.



As mentioned above.. i don't think they look like they're floating and I think the waterfalls are barely above the trickle of a garden sprinkler. They Volcano Bay ones are much more impressive.

As for riding a banshee.. I forsee it looking like the Aladdin VR simulation at DisneyQuest, so not really impressive to me.

i like that you re going into this with low expectations
as the great Rudy Giuliani would say under promise over deliver

 

[rhino4evr]

Ok.. so.. thoughts as of right now...

Overall:
It looks like a big area but it seems like it doesn't have much to do within it. The layout seems a bit odd, and the area over by the dining and store seems to be very sparse. The rest of it just seems like a lot of really complex pathways that dont really lead to anything. Maybe it'll feel different in person, but it just seems like a lot of plants and fake plants.. neither of which impresses me at all. As for rockwork.. they seem to have blanchd out the rear mountains to the point where they're nearly white. I guess it'll look better than Kong in terms of realism.. I hope. I never felt Everest had its perspective done properly though.

Floating? Not at all. Not buying it. Waterfalls? Nope, the ones at Volcano Bay look to be much more impressive.

Rides:
Expecting the boatride to be short and "meh" but unoffensive. Maybe some pretty set pieces, but i dont expect any sort of emotional or interesting content.
The Flight of Passage I don't expect much from either, but it should be more interesting than the boat ride. Something akin to Soarin, maybe more bouncy like Simpson or Back to the Future.

Dining:
Really not sure, I'm expecting it to look better than it tastes from what we've seen. Would like to be wrong.

Shopping:
I don't anticpate wanting anything they have to sell. Like, I immediately wanted a wand and slytherin gear from WWOHP. I wanted stationary and a hoodie and a backpack and maybe even a robe. I've purchased all kinds of cauldron cakes, fizzing whizzbees, etc.. I might buy something if it's unique and such.. but nothing jumps out as a thing I'll want so far so I'm prepared to be underwhelmed.

Entertainment:
I will admit now that I'm utterly dreading this drum circle nonsense and possible blue weresmurf singing and dancing anywhere in my vicinity.

Overall Aesthetic:
The overall macrame and beadwork motif makes me think of old dusty quilts and bad remnants of the 70's. I have an immediate primal "ugh.. eww.." response to it, so we shall see.



As mentioned above.. i don't think they look like they're floating and I think the waterfalls are barely above the trickle of a garden sprinkler. They Volcano Bay ones are much more impressive.

As for riding a banshee.. I forsee it looking like the Aladdin VR simulation at DisneyQuest, so not really impressive to me.

maybe you should just stay home?

 

[Mad Dog]

I think the land fits well in AK, is beautiful, and will be a nice plus addition. The attractions seem to be good, but not great. The walk through the grounds, and interactions, should be fun & entertaining, but I don't see myself spending more than a hour or so in that area, minus the attractions. Not much interest in store (s) or food, which is sparse. Bottom line is I will probably visit AK more than in the past due to Pandora, but it does not seem to be the equal of Diagon in totality of things to do,entertainment & immersion into the theme , story & world. I still spend hours upon hours exploring & enjoying the ambiance of Diagon, and I am not a HP book or movie fan.

 

[Joel]

I loved Avatar the movie; I was one of those that truly was moved by the technological aspects, as well as the story/visual design. Because of my love for the movie, I have always been super excited for this land. Everything I've seen so far has met or exceeded my expectations, except for there only being 2 rides. Cannot wait for this to open, already have fast passes for weekend after opening.

 

[GadgetGuru]

I'm not going to be booking a trip to AK just for Pandora (unlike both Potters). But, the land looks great and I'm excited to see it, whenever that may be. I really think the boat ride will be the killer attraction in the land, but I find it strange how little we've heard about the big Flights of Passage ride. Could easily be the breakout hit of the land.