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Pandora: World of Avatar Photos, Videos, & Reviews

Just experienced Pandora...

The Flight of Passage is a good ride. Definitely a Soarin' 2.0. I wanted to love this ride but I just didn't. To me it felt like a modern Universal screen attraction. I wish either the screen was curved more or the vehicles were angled in such a way that you couldn't really notice the riders next to you. It took kind of took me out of the experience. The 3-D on the ride was good, and the moving of the Banshee while you ride is cool, but this thing just doesn't compare to Forbidden Journey.(which some friends of mine compared it to.) I give the ride a B+.

River Journey was pretty, but way too short. What happened to this ride supposedly using the same tech as the Shanghai Pirates ride? It's just a standard boat ride. The visuals in the ride were cute...and it was decent, but I hated the Shaman's song and I was hoping for more animatronics. This one gets a C.

The shop and restaurant were nothing special. Being what they are I'll give them a C.

The land is beautiful. I give the landscaping an A. Overall, Pandora is a solid B attraction and a welcome addition to Animal Kingdom.

This does not make DAK a full day park though. Even waiting in super long lines for those rides and using fastpasses for a couple others, I've done almost everything in this park(minus Finding Nemo and Rivers of Light) and I will be leaving here in an hour or two. They need to add more to this park again soon.

Love the review, thanks!

One thing I do not get about DAK not being a full day...well, I always found such beauty in the paths, trails...the 'zoo' portions. I would think that folks who enjoyed exploring a fake moon would enjoy exploring a more 'real' nature experience....and that would fill a lot of time for the occasional visitor.
 
Love the review, thanks!

One thing I do not get about DAK not being a full day...well, I always found such beauty in the paths, trails...the 'zoo' portions. I would think that folks who enjoyed exploring a fake moon would enjoy exploring a more 'real' nature experience....and that would fill a lot of time for the occasional visitor.
Yes, I really agree with you. I love walking around the park, pausing, and looking at the beautiful paths, village, town & landscape scenes in the park. The problem though, is it appears most people rush attraction to attraction, or point A to point B in typical commando touring. I don't get it, but I really feel I'm in the minority of people who stop & enjoy the ambiance. So many beautiful areas, and so few stopping to enjoy them.
 
I got to visit Pandora last weekend for my first time. I only got to see it at night, using my EMH. I got to ride both FOP and NRJ. FOP blew my mind and wow, what a ride by Disney, I felt like I was there in Pandora and the video was so crisp. I felt like I was actually flying and the movements felt real to me. This was beyond Soarin 2.0 imo and I rode Soarin twice the next day. I highly suggest you go ride FOP, if you haven't yet.

NRJ was a cool boat ride, short and calm, had a fast pass for it, only waited a few mins to go on. I saw the line was at around 100 minutes and there is no way I would even think of waiting 45 min for the ride. It's good for what it is though.

The details and atmosphere of the land is A+ for me, loved the drums you could play on, the waterfalls were really nice. The food was so good, those boba tea's were delicious, the curry vegetable buns were delicious, had the chocolate cake and that was really good too. I can't wait to go back during the day next time.
 
I went to Pandora for what was probably my fifth time already yesterday. I ate at the Satu'li Canteen for the first time however and this is definitely up there in my top theme park quick service restaurants already. The pods, the bowls and even the kids hot dog that my sister got wrapped in some insanely good bread... yeah this place is good.

However, one thing stuck out to me while waiting in line, a theming detail on the walls. I didn't grab a picture, but there were photos screwed to the wall of Jon Landau and Joe Rhode EVERYWHERE with very obvious CGI Na'vi walking around the Valley of Mo'ara. They even went as far as to hang this very same picture up where everyone who waits in line will see it:

1503437_10151987122034064_572337495_n.jpg


So my question is WHY? It breaks the story of the land in so many ways. It completely broke immersion for me the second I started to see those photos.
 
I went to Pandora for what was probably my fifth time already yesterday. I ate at the Satu'li Canteen for the first time however and this is definitely up there in my top theme park quick service restaurants already. The pods, the bowls and even the kids hot dog that my sister got wrapped in some insanely good bread... yeah this place is good.

However, one thing stuck out to me while waiting in line, a theming detail on the walls. I didn't grab a picture, but there were photos screwed to the wall of Jon Landau and Joe Rhode EVERYWHERE with very obvious CGI Na'vi walking around the Valley of Mo'ara. They even went as far as to hang this very same picture up where everyone who waits in line will see it:

1503437_10151987122034064_572337495_n.jpg


So my question is WHY? It breaks the story of the land in so many ways. It completely broke immersion for me the second I started to see those photos.
Sounds like a case of big time egotism. (Reminds me of the MK exec., I think it was Holmes, who had his face imbedded into a portrait in NFL. I believe the portrait ended up being defaced by some unknown CM's.) :)
 
I went to Pandora for what was probably my fifth time already yesterday. I ate at the Satu'li Canteen for the first time however and this is definitely up there in my top theme park quick service restaurants already. The pods, the bowls and even the kids hot dog that my sister got wrapped in some insanely good bread... yeah this place is good.

However, one thing stuck out to me while waiting in line, a theming detail on the walls. I didn't grab a picture, but there were photos screwed to the wall of Jon Landau and Joe Rhode EVERYWHERE with very obvious CGI Na'vi walking around the Valley of Mo'ara. They even went as far as to hang this very same picture up where everyone who waits in line will see it:

1503437_10151987122034064_572337495_n.jpg


So my question is WHY? It breaks the story of the land in so many ways. It completely broke immersion for me the second I started to see those photos.
They're actually playing characters in the backstory of ACE. You may notice a couple of those people from the original groundbreaking have been replaced with different people (people that resigned or left the company.)

New version of photo, note the differences (Landau's hair mainly!)
P1110460.jpg


That's not Jon Landau, it's a character he's playing named "Marshall Lamm." You can see to the left of the groundbreaking pictures, the following framed photos and documents. The whole story reads from left to right. The groundbreaking photo is near the end of the story, on the right...

P1110461.jpg


This is a photo of Marshall... notice the CG hair... this is because it is not Landau, he's just playing a character in the story.
P1110469.jpg


Here is a letter to the board members of ACE, explaining that a deal with the Na'vi has been struck. It even goes into detail about an old RDA facility and mess hall they can utilize for tours.
P1110462.jpg


Here's Marshall and ACE employees placing the Mo'ara sign with the Na'vi when they struck the deal:
P1110465.jpg


And here's a letter from Marshall to his wife for some reason, explaining how happy he is to have made the deal:
P1110467.jpg


If you follow the story to the right it shows some of the unique sights of Moara, and this image of the Na'vi helping to open up that weird air cleaning plant a little more for us:
P1110443.jpg


The opening team for Pongu Pongu:
P1110448.jpg


And this Navi dude is showing us the sacred place of song. Nice dude.
P1110450.jpg


Now, my favorite part, is if you go allll the way to the left side, even before the Marshall photos and even before the entrance from the line to get food, on the very left wall, is a sort of prequel to Satu'li.

Here we see the mess hall in its original state, when the RDA was using it:
P1110422.jpg


Love that they took the time to do these. At first I didn't like the framed photos on the walls when they added them after previews. But I've come to appreciate what they're going for with them.
P1110424.jpg


P1110423.jpg


And one last final photo.... alll the way to the right, passed allll the photos on the main wall, near Mobile Order pickup, are the last sets of photos. These simply show the natural beauty of Pandora. I think they're implying that Marshall and ACE are good people, and are not here to destroy like the RDA, but to enjoy instead. Or maybe just pretty pictures of plants. Either way, a nice ending to a photo-essay on the walls of the quick service in a new theme park land.

P1110427.jpg
 
They're actually playing characters in the backstory of ACE. You may notice a couple of those people from the original groundbreaking have been replaced with different people (people that resigned or left the company.)

New version of photo, note the differences (Landau's hair mainly!)
P1110460.jpg


That's not Jon Landau, it's a character he's playing named "Marshall Lamm." You can see to the left of the groundbreaking pictures, the following framed photos and documents. The whole story reads from left to right. The groundbreaking photo is near the end of the story, on the right...

P1110461.jpg


This is a photo of Marshall... notice the CG hair... this is because it is not Landau, he's just playing a character in the story.
P1110469.jpg


Here is a letter to the board members of ACE, explaining that a deal with the Na'vi has been struck. It even goes into detail about an old RDA facility and mess hall they can utilize for tours.
P1110462.jpg


Here's Marshall and ACE employees placing the Mo'ara sign with the Na'vi when they struck the deal:
P1110465.jpg


And here's a letter from Marshall to his wife for some reason, explaining how happy he is to have made the deal:
P1110467.jpg


If you follow the story to the right it shows some of the unique sights of Moara, and this image of the Na'vi helping to open up that weird air cleaning plant a little more for us:
P1110443.jpg


The opening team for Pongu Pongu:
P1110448.jpg


And this Navi dude is showing us the sacred place of song. Nice dude.
P1110450.jpg


Now, my favorite part, is if you go allll the way to the left side, even before the Marshall photos and even before the entrance from the line to get food, on the very left wall, is a sort of prequel to Satu'li.

Here we see the mess hall in its original state, when the RDA was using it:
P1110422.jpg


Love that they took the time to do these. At first I didn't like the framed photos on the walls when they added them after previews. But I've come to appreciate what they're going for with them.
P1110424.jpg


P1110423.jpg


And one last final photo.... alll the way to the right, passed allll the photos on the main wall, near Mobile Order pickup, are the last sets of photos. These simply show the natural beauty of Pandora. I think they're implying that Marshall and ACE are good people, and are not here to destroy like the RDA, but to enjoy instead. Or maybe just pretty pictures of plants. Either way, a nice ending to a photo-essay on the walls of the quick service in a new theme park land.

P1110427.jpg
I had a sneaking suspicion you may have the answer :lol:

I actually did see the letter while in line, but didn't spend enough time to read it and wasn't taking pictures. I still am not sure i'm in love with this forced backstory, but I can appreciate it slightly more knowing the whole story behind it now.
 
I had a sneaking suspicion you may have the answer :lol:

I actually did see the letter while in line, but didn't spend enough time to read it and wasn't taking pictures. I still am not sure i'm in love with this forced backstory, but I can appreciate it slightly more knowing the whole story behind it now.
I like the RDA mess hall pics the most. It's like hey! That's where we are now! It tells the backstory without having it feel forced.
 
What an ego maniac move. This reminds me to Castaway's "Captain Bob Iger's Rentals" sign as soon you get off the ship... :rolleyes: and BTW! if that is truly Pandora, Aren't they supposed to wear masks? Pandora's air is lethal to humans, is it not?
 
What an ego maniac move. This reminds me to Castaway's "Captain Bob Iger's Rentals" sign as soon you get off the ship... :rolleyes: and BTW! if that is truly Pandora, Aren't they supposed to wear masks? Pandora's air is lethal to humans, is it not?
The plants around the land (vein pods) along with the big plant at the entrance of the land "Detoxify the atmosphere on Pandora, maintaining stability in the environment". The entrance plant (Flaska Reclinata) "absorbs, purifies and detoxifies atmospheric toxins on Pandora".

Or so the story goes according to the Pandora field guide they handed out during AP Previews. This land takes place roughly 100 years after the events of the first Avatar film as well, which is something to take into account. Things have changed, which is why us puny humans can link to Banshees without getting killed.
 
I don't see anything wrong with incorporating people who worked on the land in the land somehow. Usually they just put names on windows. My friend's dad worked on JAWS and his name was on a door at the cannery for example, as foreman, so to remain in story.

And I keep in mind that Landau doesn't work for Disney. He was their guest on this project, representing the film's production company. Clearly he was having a ball helping the imagineers on the new land and this was their way of honoring all his contributions. It's a little silly, but I don't think this was a case of someone being vain. More like a way to say thank you from the creatives at Disney.
 
I like the Drum Circle Show a lot more in person than on YouTube. Kids love the interactive elements in the middle. I like the musical elements and little bits of backstory thrown in. And it really adds to the overall atmosphere of the area. Here's my video of the whole show from my last visit. It was a REALLY hot day, but the performers did a great job regardless.


This is basically the same show from China at Epcot. Same drummers too.
 
The plants around the land (vein pods) along with the big plant at the entrance of the land "Detoxify the atmosphere on Pandora, maintaining stability in the environment". The entrance plant (Flaska Reclinata) "absorbs, purifies and detoxifies atmospheric toxins on Pandora".

Or so the story goes according to the Pandora field guide they handed out during AP Previews. This land takes place roughly 100 years after the events of the first Avatar film as well, which is something to take into account. Things have changed, which is why us puny humans can link to Banshees without getting killed.
LOL there's away a magical answer to everything huh?

So is it “A long time ago… in a Pandora far far away”? or is it “In a distance future ahead… in a Pandora far far away”? Are those pics from the future? Or are the next 4 Avatar movies more of a documentary of the past history of Pandora? and btw I’m just joking around :)
 
The plants around the land (vein pods) along with the big plant at the entrance of the land "Detoxify the atmosphere on Pandora, maintaining stability in the environment". The entrance plant (Flaska Reclinata) "absorbs, purifies and detoxifies atmospheric toxins on Pandora".

Or so the story goes according to the Pandora field guide they handed out during AP Previews. This land takes place roughly 100 years after the events of the first Avatar film as well, which is something to take into account. Things have changed, which is why us puny humans can link to Banshees without getting killed.
Except if you removed the gas that all species and plant life on a planet use or are used to from the atmosphere, it would render the environment unstable and kill off most living things on a planet. So scientifically speaking, this is a terrible explanation as to why we can breathe on Pandora.
 
Or are the next 4 Avatar movies more of a documentary of the past history of Pandora? and btw I’m just joking around :)
I mean, technically since we're supposedly in the far off future of Pandora, I guess the following films actually would qualify as the "history of pandora" :lol:
 
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