PAX exclusive: a first look at Pandora - The World of Avatar

A star-studded ceremony marked the grand opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar last week, the newest addition to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Disney CEO Bob Iger was joined on stage by Avatar director James Cameron and the film’s cast on May 24 to officially open the new area, located inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, a few days ahead of the public unveiling on May 27.

PAX joined representatives from Air Canada Vacations and Disney Parks & Resorts Canada, as well as hundreds of international media, to get a first-hand look at the new attraction.

(From left) Cindy Charest, district sales manager, Walt Disney Company Canada; Nino Montagnese, managing director, Air Canada Vacations; Marlie Morrison, managing director – Canada & APAC, Disney Parks & Resorts Canada; Bryan Klompas, senior director - payload and planning, ACV; Selma Fiali, senior director – marketing & e-commerce, Air Canada Leisure Group; Luigi Ianello, senior director, strategy & business development, Air Canada Vacations.

Exploring a new world

Crossing the bridge from the Animal Kingdom’s central Discovery Island, guests are transported 4.5 lightyears from Earth into The Valley of M’oara, the central feature of Pandora highlighted by a chain of floating mountains and lush foliage, some earthbound and some fictional. While a relatively small area of the Animal Kingdom theme park, there’s a lot to take in and explore, with tons of hidden details; for example, a central log feature reveals a series of drums on closer inspection, which are fully playable.

Set 100 years after the events in the series’ first film (the first sequel is slated to be released in 2018, with plans for additional entries to follow), the new land boasts a future-past look where, in keeping with the movie’s eco-conscious theme, nature has begun to reclaim the land ravaged by the mining operations of the film’s Resources Development Administration: plants and vines have overtaken the concrete buildings and steel machinery (for example, a weathered and rusted door marked ‘washroom’ opens to a completely pristine facility inside) and tourism and conservation are the new industries; guests are informed of Pandora’s flora and fauna by tour guides from Alpha Centauri Expeditions and scientists from the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI), who are stationed throughout the land.

According to Ramit Kapoor, Walt Disney World’s manager of marketing strategy, the journey from concept to creation began in 2013, giving enough time for the company’s Imagineers to perfect the details.

“We’ve been on this journey for about four years now and you can see in the details in this new land, whether looking at the plant life or the mountains, that the intricacies associated with this land required some time,” said Kapoor, who described Pandora as “the crown jewel of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

“Even the technology associated with the attractions -3D and 4D sound and imagery – required time to build and we had to really understand the technology.”

However, there’s two very different sides to Pandora, and to see it only during the day is to miss perhaps the most spectacular aspect; while the extreme attention to detail is most visible in the sunlight, guests are treated to a bioluminescent lightshow after dark, in which the fictional landscape lights up as it did on screen. The mountains, surroundings and even parts of the ground itself come alive with different colours at night, giving guests a reason to make a repeat visit.

The overall theme of environmental sustainability has also been brought into the real world via Connect To Protect, a new promotion to mark the opening of Pandora; visitors exploring the new land will be able to access a mobile interactive adventure which will challenge guests to a series of ‘missions,’ resulting in donations from Disney Parks to the Disney Conservation Fund to support 10 endangered species.

Preparing for The Flight of Passage at Pandora - The World of Avatar

Wind and water

Of course, an addition to a Disney theme park wouldn’t be complete without some new rides and experiences for guests to try out.

The park currently features two attractions – The Flight of Passage and The Na’vi River Journey – offering two very different experiences, which Marlie Morrison, managing director of Canada & APAC for Disney Parks & Resorts Canada, said will ensure the appeal of Pandora to the entire family.

“Kids of all ages are going to love this,” Morrison told PAX, “and the two attractions are perfect for those seeking both thrills and something a little quieter.”

Located just inside the boundary of the new land, The Na’vi River Journey is a new take on the classic boat ride in the dark, taking visitors on a nighttime ride through the jungles of Pandora using phosphorescent lighting effects as seen in Pandora during the evening, along with a handful of animated and animatronic characters which bring the experience to life. With no bumps or extreme speeds, the experience caters to riders of all ages and constitutions.

However, this is contrasted with The Flight of Passage, arguably the star attraction of Pandora.

Situated at the top of the new land’s central mountain range, this ride allows guests to take part in the Na’vi ritual of flying on a banshee, dragon-like creatures which soar through the skies of Pandora. Before that, however, the attraction ramps up anticipation for the flight experience by leading visitors through a winding mountain tunnel, into a futuristic laboratory where they’re briefed on the flight experience and linked with their very own Avatar before preparing for takeoff. The extreme detail created by the builders and designers of Pandora is perhaps seen at its best here, with plenty of interesting nuances to keep guests occupied in what will undoubtedly be some long lines this summer, sure to include several frequent flyers eager to repeat the experience during their visit.

While the flight itself is only a few minutes long, the experience is fully-immersive; in addition to the 3D glasses required to take in the other-worldly vistas and action on-screen (from mountaintops and caves to lush rainforests and a roaring ocean teeming with giant aquatic life), environmental effects including wind, mist and even the scent of exotic plants bring it all to life, not to mention the somewhat-unnerving ‘breathing’ effect of the seat itself, designed to simulate a living creature underneath the rider.

Visitors looking for a little refreshment after their journey have a pair of options: Pongu Pongu, a drink stand offering Avatar-inspired beverages and the Satu’li Canteen, where diners can put together a meal in a bowl from a wide range of offerings, including several meat and vegetarian options, along with some unique dessert choices (the blueberry cream cheese mousse with passion fruit comes highly recommended).

Air Canada - now flying to Pandora

Ready to visit Pandora? According to Nino Montagnese, managing director of Air Canada Vacations, there are currently a number of promotions for travellers looking to explore the new world.

Currently, customers who book a Disney package in Orlando through ACV by June 11 can receive free airfare for up to two kids, for departures between June 1 and Dec. 17, 2017. The offer applies to new bookings only and is combinable with a free dining plan.

Travellers can also get a free dining plan when purchasing a non-discounted Walt Disney World Resort vacation package that includes a room at select Disney Resort hotels and a Magic Your Way ticket with the Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus option, on bookings made until Aug. 31.

Travel agents can also take advantage of an additional two per cent commission on air and Disney hotel packages in Orlando.

Full details on the promotions are available here.

For more information, visit www.disneytravelagents.ca and www.aircanadavacations.ca.

(Photos by Blake Wolfe and courtesy of Walt Disney World)

Pandora after dark