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

[Alicia]

Now I really want to try the Steamed Pod for breakfast with Scrambled Egg, Bacon, Spinach and Pickled Vegetables.

Breakfast Menu for Satu’li Canteen at Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom | Disney Parks Blog

 

[twebber55]

so for the folks who have been to Pandora did the land meet your expectations?
Did you have a change of opinion once you visited the land?

 

[Alicia]

so for the folks who have been to Pandora did the land meet your expectations?
Did you have a change of opinion once you visited the land?

I knew I would like the rides, food, and merchandise... I wasn't expecting to be blown away so much by the land itself. I think that really exceeded my expectations. There's a lot more in the land to see than I was expecting based on aerials and what could be seen over the work walls. All told I spent 4 solid hours in the land, and very little of that was in line for rides. And I was sad to leave and cannot wait to get back because there's still areas of the land I haven't even seen yet. Lots of us have been leaving reviews in the review thread if you want hear more, but seems like this exceeded everyone's expectations in some way, shape or form.

 

[JoeCamel]

Now I really want to try the Steamed Pod for breakfast with Scrambled Egg, Bacon, Spinach and Pickled Vegetables.

Breakfast Menu for Satu’li Canteen at Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom | Disney Parks Blog

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Glad I just had lunch. You and your food porn

 

[Nick]

so for the folks who have been to Pandora did the land meet your expectations?
Did you have a change of opinion once you visited the land?

You can read my full review I wrote earlier in the review thread, but the gist is this:

FoP surpassed expectations
NRJ underwhelmed (I guess I was expecting some sort of story)
Food surpassed
Atmosphere is amazing. Photos don't do it justice.

Now did my opinion change? I would say it changed slightly for the better, but only because the food and land atmosphere is so strong. I definitely need to do NRJ again for a better opinion.

 

[Eckert]

How long until the landscaping is trampled, the moss is picked off, gum covers the rock work, and trash fills the plant beds? :frown:

There's no other area in the four Disney parks that has been abandoned like this, so never.

 

[adjjb]

What is the purple on the french toast?

 

[epcyclopedia]

What is the purple on the french toast?

Literally a dollop of the blueberry "food formerly known as cheesecake" interior.

 

[adjjb]

Literally a dollop of the blueberry "food formerly known as cheesecake" interior.

Interesting. lol Thanks.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Interesting. lol Thanks.

The yellow schmear on the plate is the top blob on the not-a-cheesecake as well.

 

[Talking Head]

You can read my full review I wrote earlier in the review thread, but the gist is this:

FoP surpassed expectations
NRJ underwhelmed (I guess I was expecting some sort of story)
Food surpassed
Atmosphere is amazing. Photos don't do it justice.

Now did my opinion change? I would say it changed slightly for the better, but only because the food and land atmosphere is so strong. I definitely need to do NRJ again for a better opinion.

Funny, I'd reverse the two rides.

FoP has become overhyped IMO. For a C-ticket, the boat ride is quite lavish.

 

[Nick]

Funny, I'd reverse the two rides.

FoP has become overhyped IMO. For a C-ticket, the boat ride is quite lavish.

I definitely need to give NRJ a few more rides as I did like how beautiful it was, I guess I was just expecting some sort of story so that sort of left me wanting more.

As for FoP, I knew very little about the actual ride experience going in so it may be overhyped, but my opinion wasn't influenced by anything. I was just expecting something akin to "Soarin Over Pandora" and imo, it's that and more. I had the same feeling that I had the first time I got off of FJ when I got off FoP, I was overwhelmed and was itching to go back on at the same time. Not saying that the ride is as good as FJ, but that I had the same feeling. When I think about my top rides in Orlando, Spidey and FJ are always 1 & 2... after that, I don't think I have a clear order, but ToT, Gringotts and now FoP fill out my Top 5.

 

[epcyclopedia]

We were chatting about the flora and fauna and guide books in the review thread, but Disney has announced a new interactive offering.

‘Connect to Protect’ introduces a new interactive way to protect animals on Earth and explore Pandora – The World of Avatar

As the May 27 opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar draws closer, we are excited today to share a new interactive way to explore the immersive new land of Pandora and support conservation efforts on Earth. Connect to Protect is a new mobile adventure that invites Guests to participate in conservation ‘missions’ with a digital scientist while exploring the incredible Valley of Mo’ara and helping protect the habits of at-risk animals here on Earth.

Upon entering the land, Guests using the My Disney Experienceapp will be invited to instant message with one of the moon’s ecological specialists, Fitsimti “Fits” Buckley. Fits will guide them around Pandora, showing off some of the more exotic elements of the environment and sharing important messages about conservation along the way that can be applied both on Pandora and here on Earth.

After completing one or more missions, Guests will unlock a $10 contribution from Disney Parks, through the Disney Conservation Fund, or a $5 contribution just for discussing conservation. Those Guests will then get to choose how that contribution will help protect or restore habitats important to one of 10 threatened categories of animals: apes, elephants, butterflies, coral reefs, cranes, monkeys, rhinos, sea turtles, sharks & rays, and tigers.

 

[Talking Head]

I definitely need to give NRJ a few more rides as I did like how beautiful it was, I guess I was just expecting some sort of story so that sort of left me wanting more.

As for FoP, I knew very little about the actual ride experience going in so it may be overhyped, but my opinion wasn't influenced by anything. I was just expecting something akin to "Soarin Over Pandora" and imo, it's that and more. I had the same feeling that I had the first time I got off of FJ when I got off FoP, I was overwhelmed and was itching to go back on at the same time. Not saying that the ride is as good as FJ, but that I had the same feeling. When I think about my top rides in Orlando, Spidey and FJ are always 1 & 2... after that, I don't think I have a clear order, but ToT, Gringotts and now FoP fill out my Top 5.

That's the kind of overhyping that's going to leave lots of people disappointed. You said something similar in the review thread.

FJ was a jaw-dropping new sensation. The ride motion was groundbreaking. This is literally Soarin' with a little more ride motion. How is this anywhere near the newness of FJ?

The "drops" in Flight are so mild they don't even take your breath away. It's again just like Soarin' - the motion is mild and not as visceral as FJ.

Another problem I have with the ride are those scenes where you pause action to take in the scenery. Except you're taking in a big movie screen. Which we've all done at the local IMAX.

Also find it interesting there are so many complaints about the boat ride's lack of story. Flight has the same issue, but fewer people sound bothered by it. If someone has a problem with one it seems they should have a problem with the other.

 

[epcyclopedia]

There's literally a small group of people who seem to think FOP doesn't move and has no drops.

You seem to be in that group.

I don't know what overstimulation, ADHD drugs, narcotics, etc.. is leading to this result but the truth and fact is that the ride vehicles moves a lot, almost constantly, and physically to a degree greater than the FJ vehicle. It cannot swing side to side like a FJ vehicle or tilt you back, but it can drop you a good distance farther than a FJ is capable of doing and does so multiple times in the ride.

I'm sorry you're dead inside, or your internal barometer of movement is so offkilter, but the ride moves and we have proof.

 

[violarum]

I'm becoming increasingly concerned with the lack of understanding some people have with the stories on these attractions. There is intentionally just a baseline story onto which you impose your own tale. It helps with imagination. Arguably the most lauded Disney ride in history, Haunted Mansion, has no set storyline besides the base, which is that it's a tour. Attractions do not have to have complex stories for them to be great and/or successful.

 

[Talking Head]

There's literally a small group of people who seem to think FOP doesn't move and has no drops.

You seem to be in that group.

I don't know what overstimulation, ADHD drugs, narcotics, etc.. is leading to this result but the truth and fact is that the ride vehicles moves a lot, almost constantly, and physically to a degree greater than the FJ vehicle. It cannot swing side to side like a FJ vehicle or tilt you back, but it can drop you a good distance farther than a FJ is capable of doing and does so multiple times in the ride.

I'm sorry you're dead inside, or your internal barometer of movement is so offkilter, but the ride moves and we have proof.

The visceral sensation of FJ dwarfs the feeling of Flight. You can't seriously be denying that.

No one said the ride doesn't move. I said the sensation is so limited that it doesn't register as a thrilling, breathtaking experience.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The visceral sensation of FJ dwarfs the feeling of Flight. You can't seriously be denying that.

No one said the ride doesn't move. I said the sensation is so limited that it doesn't register as a thrilling, breathtaking experience.

To you. To you and a minority of other people. But you can continue to think the others who have ridden it and even the local legit printed press who ride nearly every ride that opens in Orlando are wrong - when they specifically call it a drop that takes your breath away in their articles

 

[UNIrd]

I'm becoming increasingly concerned with the lack of understanding some people have with the stories on these attractions. There is intentionally just a baseline story onto which you impose your own tale. It helps with imagination. Arguably the most lauded Disney ride in history, Haunted Mansion, has no set storyline besides the base, which is that it's a tour. Attractions do not have to have complex stories for them to be great and/or successful.

No one cares until the Disney fanboys start to get on about how Universal rides lack story or they're convoluted. Then we bring out the great Disney rides with zero story, which now may include FoP.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I'm thrilled at the prospect of the end of the "STORY STORY STORY" imagineering.

But Navi River Journey lacks the proper counterpoint which is tableau. There is no distinct scenic breakup of the ride.. it's jut a big flow of things in a cave. FOP does vignettes, which for all intents and purposes is tableaus in that format. The River Journey? Dunno, i still think it's about the Navi version of a hallucinogenic vision quest because of the items they chose to showcase but no one in WDI wants to admit it.