Pandora: The World of Avatar Announcement, Construction, & Preview Discussion

[epcyclopedia]

Someone over at Magic was ranting that no bloggers were denied. Good to hear my sources on the ground are still better than the average Magic ranter.

And to note, I'm 6'2 240lbs and fit. But I also have a 36-38" waist and much of my length is in my torso (32" inseam), so it's all about how you hold weight and where.

 

[Alicia]

Someone over at Magic was ranting that no bloggers were denied. Good to hear my sources on the ground are still better than the average Magic ranter.

And to note, I'm 6'2 240lbs and fit. But I also have a 36-38" waist and much of my length is in my torso (32" inseam), so it's all about how you hold weight and where.

Yea, he says he fits on Mine Train, but barely, and that's my tightest fit for my hips.

He also says his issue was not being able to get his legs forward enough to be locked in. My calves aren't too big so hopefully I should be fine.

It's good to know you fit at 6' 2" so it's not just tall people, but body dimensions that can be the issue. Otherwise a lot of tall people would be pretty upset.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I didn't even have a "oo, we need to squish you in" moment or anything. They hit the button and we were all locked in place and off we went. And it didn't feel tight.

And I have relatively large muscular calves - so I don't think those are the problem.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I think we will see Universal and Disney continue the route of making theme park lands destinations Inside of the theme parks.

So far everything of Pandora points to this idea of must see and spend time here. Attention to detail is fascinating and family friendly. Looks like a homerun. Kudos Disney.

 

[rhino4evr]

If that were the problem that might work lol... unfortunately it's not lol

have they tried unplugging and then plugging back in?

 

[soarinwithmolly]

not sure if this is the right place to post, or if they have been posted already. (mods, feel free to move otherwise) but took a couple of screenshots from jenn tracker's snapchat of pandora.


(username is wearsmoonshoes if you want to view the videos for yourself)

 

[darkridelover]

From Joe Rhode. You'll have to read the whole caption by clicking on the photo. Great background on this queue item haha.

It just looked like shards of metal moving around by a magnet to me. The water versions of this effect were a lot cooler.

 

[Alicia]

Here's some more backstory, (click to go read the caption):

 

[GAcoaster]

Just got word back from my friend who was at the CM preview today. He liked it, but not wowed by it. Said Cars Land was much better.

Saw a guest get on a monorail today with one of those banshees on his shoulder. It's cute and I can see they'll sell well.

 

[epcyclopedia]

So.. going back to Satuli.. I still think it's weird looking.

First, the mass of hanging woven whatever the heck this that marks the transition from the dining area to the order/pickup area. It's like a weird reverse kelp forest.



That's not even all of it, just one of the lane widths of it I was able to get in a photo with the urroundings for perspective.

Then there are the seating areas along the perimeter of the building.. which in finishes and color are just so out of place.



Like i said, it reminds me of the Land pavilion.

The overall look just doesn't strike me as "alien" but moreso just odd choices that don't mesh well.



Outside.. I forgot to mention this was the line for Margaritas at Pongu Pongu.



And otherwise, these light fixtures aren't really for walkway lighting - all the ACE lights do that. These are blacklight floodlights and are spread throughout the land. Some are regular light, but some are distinctly blacklights.



The ACE lights for comparison... and i just noticed that bolt is about to fall out of the speaker shroud. Someone should call that in.



Nearby there's these hentai looking tentacle critter like possums in the tree. One of which is dead.



Inside again... most of these light fixtures had painters tape on them with numbers, showing the process of getting this ready still.



And finally: A water bottle filler! Which... didn't work yet. It's in the middle of the queue. It's as if to say "It's been two hours, you've got 2 more, refill your canteen"



One last thing - I was reportedly the first human being to purchase a pan flute souvenir cup.



Which, oddly, comes with a plastic straw. It's heavier plastic, but it doesnt have a stopper and comes easily out of the cup so it's likely to end up in an animal enclosure sooner or later.

Oh, and the chocolate cake is not worth it. Get the blueberry thing. And yes, that's a nearly finished margarita.

In the ride queue, there's a lot of these sorts of bulletin boards - and I cant decide if they're finished or if those banners inside are placeholders. They just look so odd like that.

 

[GAcoaster]

Outside.. I forgot to mention this was the line for Margaritas at Pongu Pongu.

The ACE lights for comparison... and i just noticed that bolt is about to fall out of the speaker shroud. Someone should call that in.

Call 8855!

And finally: A water bottle filler! Which... didn't work yet. It's in the middle of the queue. It's as if to say "It's been two hours, you've got 2 more, refill your canteen"

Nice touch but I can already hear a parent saying "maybe there's a potty in here somewhere" after their kid keeps drinking water the whole time they're on line.

 

[epcyclopedia]

There's apparently a crashed and overgrowth covered RDA helicopter in the ravine behind the oxygen turnip. Very few people go back there or look down in the ravine so it's like a little Easter egg.

This is why they need informational communication about the area. Left to my own devices I've already begun to spread the terms "hentai possum" and "oxygen turnip."

 

[violarum]

There's apparently a crashed and overgrowth covered RDA helicopter in the ravine behind the oxygen turnip. Very few people go back there or look down in the ravine so it's like a little Easter egg.

This is BY FAR my favorite element of the land. Creating it was something, aging it was another, and then when WDI stepped in and immersed it into the greenery, it really became something special.

 

[Eckert]

This is BY FAR my favorite element of the land. Creating it was something, aging it was another, and then when WDI stepped in and immersed it into the greenery, it really became something special.

Any pics of it?

 

[epcyclopedia]

Any pics of it?

I don't think any guests have taken a picture of it yet.

 

[darkridelover]

When you actually looked close at some of the details in the land, especially the "alien" plants, you can see some really questionable quality. I took this picture to show what I'm talking about. I'm sure these look ok from far away but this was in a planter next to the guests path. I could touch these without reaching. You can see the obvious quick paint job over mesh with no stem. There are thousands of these throughout the land. They aren't Disney Quality.

All of the sprayed on moss in the land literally crumbles off if you touch it. Once crowds of kids come through this place this will all be gone. You can see on the ground where the product is already coming off.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think saying there's thousands is being a bit disingenuous. There's like maybe 20.

They seem to only exist in this glade that is part of the FOP facade. And they aren't close to people or the path from everything I can tell. This is from the bottom looking up:



And this is from the upper terrace looking down:

 

[darkridelover]

On the bridge of the stand by queue they are all around you and very close. My point wasn't just about this specific type of fake plant but numerous ones throughout the land that looked less than the quality I expect. If you look at the blue phallic looking plants all around the land the leaves at the base of them have the same quality issue. If I'm close enough to something to snap a pic with my cell phone using no zoom then the quality better be there.

I think saying there's thousands is being a bit disingenuous. There's like maybe 20.

They seem to only exist in this glade that is part of the FOP facade. And they aren't close to people or the path from everything I can tell. This is from the bottom looking up:



And this is from the upper terrace looking down:

 

[GAcoaster]

All of the sprayed on moss in the land literally crumbles off if you touch it. Once crowds of kids come through this place this will all be gone. You can see on the ground where the product is already coming off.

I wonder what had been installed there and removed? It almost looks like Fastpass machines were there...

 

[darkridelover]

I wonder what had been installed there and removed? It almost looks like Fastpass machines were there...

Those are actually cool themeing details you can find throughout the land. If you look on some of the concrete walls you can see outlines where RDA equipment used to be but over time ACE and the natives have removed them. It furthers the story that something happened here long ago that no one wants to remember.