***Official*** Pandora: The World of Avatar Information Thread

[Amy M]

I saw the perches at the park last week which could be purchased separately. Did not look at the price when we purchased our banshee as we decided to get the pouch to carry the banshee.

Thanks for the info. I'll check out the shop Disney Parks app. If I can't get it through there, I guess we will pick some up when we are there in July.

 

[rteetz]

Are you able to buy the perch separately? We bought some in June and are looking for a good way to display them.

You can buy them at the parks separately but online they are sold as one.

 

[Amy M]

You can buy them at the parks separately but online they are sold as one.

Good to know. Thank you!

 

[HBouchard]

8-9 hours to wait for a few minute ride. NO ride is that good. Honestly I can't think of anything I'd wait that long for other than a boatload of cash.

Soarin' is often shorter now with the third theater. I just looked and it's 35 minutes.





There are 8 seats on 3 floors so that is 24. If 7 couldn't ride that is 29%. Again others groups will have no issues but I still think it's looking like a bigger problem than any other ride at Disney. I saw a few comments today on twitter of folks who could not ride at the previews.

Placing a test seat will help you know before you wait in line you don't fit but it doesn't solve the issue that Disney has designed an attraction that leaves out a higher number of guests than they normally do.

I went to Disney in December 2017 and went on the ride with no problem. I just read the post about plus size people not being able to ride the Flight of Passage, I am going back to Disney in May and am nervous that this time I will not be able to ride the ride with my family. Is there any update on what they are doing for plus size guests?

 

[jreed]

All i can say us wow, what a ride!

We were in DW last week. Our first day there we went to AK. We arrived at the park around 8:15 and advanced to the entrance to Pandora. Once they let everyone in we were able to right FOP with about a 45 minute wait.

We came back one evening to see Pandora at night (arrived around 6:00). That time the wait time for FOP said 45 so we go in line. Ended up being 35 mins. We walked out of there and got right on the Na'vi River Ride (no wait).

I heard people talking about trying to get fastpasses 60 days out at 12:01 and they were all gone.

 

[Gus V.]

We finally got to experience Pandora last week, just got back from our trip yesterday...already feeling depressed! Lol. Just as everyone else has expressed the beauty of Pandora, I must say, there really isn’t a world like it. Truly unbelievable, breathtaking land! We managed to get fast passes for FoP for days 63 and 65 of our trip.

With two kids, 3 and 1, we were not able to rope drop to take advantage of low wait times. We got in line for Na’vi River Journey at around 9:30 and wait time was listed at 45mins. We ended up waiting an hour only to be told the ride was down. Cast members offered everyone fast passes, perfectly fine with us. The ride didn’t open back up until about 2:30 or so, at which point we decided to use our fast passes they had given us earlier. Fantastic ride, nice visuals and the Shaman is unlike any animatronic I’ve ever seen! Then our FoP fast pass window opened up, WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!! I can’t even put into words the experience this ride provides, in fact, I got to experience this ride 5 times and I’m still trying to process what I experienced!! Hands down best ride on property. I found my last ride to be slightly better than the previous 4 rides, it seemed as if I was more towards the middle of the screen, B2 seat 6.

All in all, fantastic addition to Animal Kingdom. I’m thankful to have experienced such a beautiful, thrilling ride and can not wait to go back in October! Also, on my last ride, I did standby 15 minutes before closing time and wait time was listed at 120 mins...I was in and out of the ride in one hour

 

[rteetz]

We finally got to experience Pandora last week, just got back from our trip yesterday...already feeling depressed! Lol. Just as everyone else has expressed the beauty of Pandora, I must say, there really isn’t a world like it. Truly unbelievable, breathtaking land! We managed to get fast passes for FoP for days 63 and 65 of our trip.

With two kids, 3 and 1, we were not able to rope drop to take advantage of low wait times. We got in line for Na’vi River Journey at around 9:30 and wait time was listed at 45mins. We ended up waiting an hour only to be told the ride was down. Cast members offered everyone fast passes, perfectly fine with us. The ride didn’t open back up until about 2:30 or so, at which point we decided to use our fast passes they had given us earlier. Fantastic ride, nice visuals and the Shaman is unlike any animatronic I’ve ever seen! Then our FoP fast pass window opened up, WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!! I can’t even put into words the experience this ride provides, in fact, I got to experience this ride 5 times and I’m still trying to process what I experienced!! Hands down best ride on property. I found my last ride to be slightly better than the previous 4 rides, it seemed as if I was more towards the middle of the screen, B2 seat 6.

All in all, fantastic addition to Animal Kingdom. I’m thankful to have experienced such a beautiful, thrilling ride and can not wait to go back in October! Also, on my last ride, I did standby 15 minutes before closing time and wait time was listed at 120 mins...I was in and out of the ride in one hour

Glad to hear you had a great time!

 

[Gus V.]

Glad to hear you had a great time!

Thanks, we had a fantastic time!!

 

[Linkura]

Was at Pandora for the first time this Monday, a 7AM EMH day. Got on the bus at Pop- it was full- a couple minutes after 6 and got through security around 6:25. The couple turnstiles that were opened were backed up to approximately the ticket windows. Not a ton of people overall, but still a fair number. Maybe 6:35ish they opened the turnstiles. There wasn't really any guidance that I could see in terms of CMs directing people to Pandora, etc. Since I was going for NRJ, I took my time walking back there. It was stupefying watching all those people running to try to get to FOP, and probably having to wait quite a while anyway because they didn't arrive at AK early enough. Almost no one was going to NRJ. I remarked to the family next to me as we walked through the NRJ queue that I was glad I had a FOP FP, and they concurred. NRJ was a walk on, and I went on it twice with no wait (they didn't even make me walk the queue again) by 7:01. I could have gone on it a third time with no wait, but I'd experienced it both in the front and back rows and had had enough. After looking around Pandora for a few minutes, I went to get breakfast at Kusafiri. The line for FOP was already well past Tiffins by then.

I liked NRJ more than I thought I would. Surprisingly, I was more impressed by the projection screens as opposed to the Shaman. The screens are EXTREMELY crisp and clear- no other ride's projections come anywhere close. I would not be surprised if uninformed people thought the screens were animatronics. The Youtube videos do not do it justice. Otherwise, the ride is kind of slow and boring, but also relaxing. I would ride it at least once per trip personally. Would I feel the same way if I didn't walk on or had a FP? Certainly not. Anyone waiting for an extended period of time will be disappointed. But since I don't wait in lines, I liked it.

I had a 10:45 FP for FOP, but I was hungry before then, so I went to Sa'tuli Canteen for an early lunch. I used Mobile Ordering and it worked out great, got my stuff in just a couple minutes. I got the chicken bowl with potatoes and the creamy herb dressing, plus both desserts to try. The chicken bowl is EXCELLENT. It's cooked perfectly, very moist and tender and just delicious. The potatoes are a perfect match and also very tasty. I was not a fan of the dressing, but they had it mostly off to the side, so it wasn't touching most of the food anyway. But they gave plenty of it if you wanted to mix it in. The chicken bowl left me quite full, and I didn't have much room for the desserts. I did try both of them, but wasn't a huge fan of either. I think the blueberry cream cheese was better, but still nothing amazing. The chocolate cake was a little too bitter for even me, a fan of dark chocolate. I later confirmed that it was definitely the cake and not my losing my taste for dark chocolate after having and enjoying the dark chocolate dessert at CRT the next day.

Then I went to FOP. There was almost no wait in the FP line. As a solo rider, I was the last one in my group, #16. I was on level 2- didn't need to take any stairs. Did the preshows and such and it was time to ride. I was very concerned about motion sickness as people had said it was between Soarin- which is no problem for me- and Star Tours- which is a big problem for me. And I'd just eaten a big lunch. Turns out it was no concern whatsoever and I experienced no symptoms. The glasses are definitely a little too big- the people next to me were complaining too. I wear glasses and even they seemed a bit big just wearing them over the glasses. At the start of the ride, I had to hold onto the glasses or otherwise there was distortion, but for some reason that went away after a little bit and I stopped holding them.

The ride itself was extremely underwhelming for me. It is literally Soarin' over Pandora. I don't like Soarin' either, it's just not exciting to me. I am wondering if I don't like these screen rides because I am an avid video gamer. I look at computer-generated, detailed screens like this all the time. That's the only explanation I can think of as to why most people love Soarin' and FOP and I don't (my husband is also a gamer and didn't like Soarin' either). So yeah... I actually preferred NRJ! I would probably ride FOP again if it's not too much trouble, such as if I get a FP or something. But otherwise, ehhh. The people next to me told me they had waited 3 hours to ride- but at least they enjoyed it. There were a couple of tween girls coming up behind me in the next group and they asked me if it's a good ride. I told them that I probably wasn't the right person to ask, as I didn't like it, but that most people seem to really like it.

In regards to FP availability, I didn't see NRJ or FOP pop up while I was at AK on Monday. However, I was planning on having my last day- which was to be Wednesday- at MK, but I decided midday Tuesday that I would switch to AK. I had no problem getting FPs for FOP or NRJ for the next day- both showed up fairly quickly for morning times, and FOP actually showed up first! Unfortunately, though, my Wednesday night flight was cancelled due to the weather, and the only flight I could get on before the 10th was at 6am Wednesday. So my trip was cut 13 hours short and I didn't get to go to AK again. But I thought I would report on my FP availability findings anyway.

Thanks to everyone in this thread for all the great info that made my Pandora experience a breeze.

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

Quick question: Does the FOP Fastpass line is the same as the regular line in terms of details and experience?

 

[sachilles]

Quick question: Does the FOP Fastpass line is the same as the regular line in terms of details and experience?

No, not quite.

It also can vary early in the day, like rope drop.
There is an experimental lab room. We rope dropped and we were not routed through it, but went by outside the lab. Fastpass also bypasses it. During our fastpass return, we noticed the queue was routed through the lab. Other than that it's the same.

 

[dina444444]

Quick question: Does the FOP Fastpass line is the same as the regular line in terms of details and experience?

In the FP line you miss the bioluminescent room, the lab, and the room with the big mural on the wall.

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

@dina444444 @sachilles ugh I didn't know that
thank God I asked here then, because I was thinking about only trying with F+
now I gotta go through regular line to experience everything! lol
thanks guys

 

[dina444444]

@dina444444 @sachilles ugh I didn't know that
thank God I asked here then, because I was thinking about only trying with F+
now I gotta go through regular line to experience everything! lol
thanks guys

I recommend the regular line right at park closing. I did that in January and it took about 80 min at park closing to wait in the queue, go through the 2 pre show rooms, and ride the ride.

 

[Haley R]

Was at Pandora for the first time this Monday, a 7AM EMH day. Got on the bus at Pop- it was full- a couple minutes after 6 and got through security around 6:25. The couple turnstiles that were opened were backed up to approximately the ticket windows. Not a ton of people overall, but still a fair number. Maybe 6:35ish they opened the turnstiles. There wasn't really any guidance that I could see in terms of CMs directing people to Pandora, etc. Since I was going for NRJ, I took my time walking back there. It was stupefying watching all those people running to try to get to FOP, and probably having to wait quite a while anyway because they didn't arrive at AK early enough. Almost no one was going to NRJ. I remarked to the family next to me as we walked through the NRJ queue that I was glad I had a FOP FP, and they concurred. NRJ was a walk on, and I went on it twice with no wait (they didn't even make me walk the queue again) by 7:01. I could have gone on it a third time with no wait, but I'd experienced it both in the front and back rows and had had enough. After looking around Pandora for a few minutes, I went to get breakfast at Kusafiri. The line for FOP was already well past Tiffins by then.

I liked NRJ more than I thought I would. Surprisingly, I was more impressed by the projection screens as opposed to the Shaman. The screens are EXTREMELY crisp and clear- no other ride's projections come anywhere close. I would not be surprised if uninformed people thought the screens were animatronics. The Youtube videos do not do it justice. Otherwise, the ride is kind of slow and boring, but also relaxing. I would ride it at least once per trip personally. Would I feel the same way if I didn't walk on or had a FP? Certainly not. Anyone waiting for an extended period of time will be disappointed. But since I don't wait in lines, I liked it.

I had a 10:45 FP for FOP, but I was hungry before then, so I went to Sa'tuli Canteen for an early lunch. I used Mobile Ordering and it worked out great, got my stuff in just a couple minutes. I got the chicken bowl with potatoes and the creamy herb dressing, plus both desserts to try. The chicken bowl is EXCELLENT. It's cooked perfectly, very moist and tender and just delicious. The potatoes are a perfect match and also very tasty. I was not a fan of the dressing, but they had it mostly off to the side, so it wasn't touching most of the food anyway. But they gave plenty of it if you wanted to mix it in. The chicken bowl left me quite full, and I didn't have much room for the desserts. I did try both of them, but wasn't a huge fan of either. I think the blueberry cream cheese was better, but still nothing amazing. The chocolate cake was a little too bitter for even me, a fan of dark chocolate. I later confirmed that it was definitely the cake and not my losing my taste for dark chocolate after having and enjoying the dark chocolate dessert at CRT the next day.

Then I went to FOP. There was almost no wait in the FP line. As a solo rider, I was the last one in my group, #16. I was on level 2- didn't need to take any stairs. Did the preshows and such and it was time to ride. I was very concerned about motion sickness as people had said it was between Soarin- which is no problem for me- and Star Tours- which is a big problem for me. And I'd just eaten a big lunch. Turns out it was no concern whatsoever and I experienced no symptoms. The glasses are definitely a little too big- the people next to me were complaining too. I wear glasses and even they seemed a bit big just wearing them over the glasses. At the start of the ride, I had to hold onto the glasses or otherwise there was distortion, but for some reason that went away after a little bit and I stopped holding them.

The ride itself was extremely underwhelming for me. It is literally Soarin' over Pandora. I don't like Soarin' either, it's just not exciting to me. I am wondering if I don't like these screen rides because I am an avid video gamer. I look at computer-generated, detailed screens like this all the time. That's the only explanation I can think of as to why most people love Soarin' and FOP and I don't (my husband is also a gamer and didn't like Soarin' either). So yeah... I actually preferred NRJ! I would probably ride FOP again if it's not too much trouble, such as if I get a FP or something. But otherwise, ehhh. The people next to me told me they had waited 3 hours to ride- but at least they enjoyed it. There were a couple of tween girls coming up behind me in the next group and they asked me if it's a good ride. I told them that I probably wasn't the right person to ask, as I didn't like it, but that most people seem to really like it.

In regards to FP availability, I didn't see NRJ or FOP pop up while I was at AK on Monday. However, I was planning on having my last day- which was to be Wednesday- at MK, but I decided midday Tuesday that I would switch to AK. I had no problem getting FPs for FOP or NRJ for the next day- both showed up fairly quickly for morning times, and FOP actually showed up first! Unfortunately, though, my Wednesday night flight was cancelled due to the weather, and the only flight I could get on before the 10th was at 6am Wednesday. So my trip was cut 13 hours short and I didn't get to go to AK again. But I thought I would report on my FP availability findings anyway.

Thanks to everyone in this thread for all the great info that made my Pandora experience a breeze.

I am so glad we weren't the only ones!! DH and I normally skip Soarin' because we just think it's boring and we kind of got the same vibe from FOP. Would I do it again? Yes. But I'm so glad we had a FP for it because I would've been very upset if I waited more than 45-60 minutes for it. We have the VR headset at home for DH's Samsung phone and honestly, FOP felt about the same as doing that. I will add that I brought an UA sweatband and that was SUPER helpful in keeping my glasses on. Those things covered my entire face! lol

 

[Linkura]

I am so glad we weren't the only ones!! DH and I normally skip Soarin' because we just think it's boring and we kind of got the same vibe from FOP. Would I do it again? Yes. But I'm so glad we had a FP for it because I would've been very upset if I waited more than 45-60 minutes for it. We have the VR headset at home for DH's Samsung phone and honestly, FOP felt about the same as doing that. I will add that I brought an UA sweatband and that was SUPER helpful in keeping my glasses on. Those things covered my entire face! lol

I haven't even used VR and I still thought it was pretty lame!

 

[rteetz]

I haven't even used VR and I still thought it was pretty lame!

To each their own but I feel FoP was much better executed than a VR headset. The ride is also much more intense than Soarin. Different ride vehicles and more movement. I find it hard to compare to Soarin because of that.

 

[rteetz]

I am so glad we weren't the only ones!! DH and I normally skip Soarin' because we just think it's boring and we kind of got the same vibe from FOP. Would I do it again? Yes. But I'm so glad we had a FP for it because I would've been very upset if I waited more than 45-60 minutes for it. We have the VR headset at home for DH's Samsung phone and honestly, FOP felt about the same as doing that. I will add that I brought an UA sweatband and that was SUPER helpful in keeping my glasses on. Those things covered my entire face! lol

I have done VR on several occasions and I don't see how the two are the same.

 

[Linkura]

To each their own but I feel FoP was much better executed than a VR headset. The ride is also much more intense than Soarin. Different ride vehicles and more movement. I find it hard to compare to Soarin because of that.

It is more intense than Soarin', for sure, but it I felt only slightly less underwhelmed.

 

[Haley R]

I have done VR on several occasions and I don't see how the two are the same.

You must not use a swiveling computer chair in your vr experiences lol