Pandora- The World of Avatar at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom

Pandora- The World of Avatar has been an extremely popular addition to Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom since it opened in 2017. The two main attractions in the land are hugely popular featuring ground breaking technology and audio-animatronics putting it at the top of the list for Disney Park's most impressive additions.

Read our comprehensive guide to Pandora- The World of Avatar to learn about the attractions, dining, shopping, experiences, and how to score a FastPass+ for the rides.

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Attractions at Pandora- The World of Avatar

The two main attractions inside Pandora- The World of Avatar are the Na'vi River Journey and the Avatar Flight of Passage. 

These two rides are two of the most popular rides within the Walt Disney World resort since the opening in 2017 and with good reason- they are truly breathtaking.

The Na'vi River Journey is a dark-ride experience that takes guests on a river ride through the beautiful and glowing bioluminescent rainforest. This experience is suitable for guests of all ages and features breathtaking sights and animatronics.

The Avatar Flight of Passage allows guests to become an Na'vi and experience what it is like to fly ontop a banshee. Guests will board a simulated ‘mountain banshee' and get an up close look at the landscape of Pandora. This ride is extremely popular and guests of all ages love this experience. This ride does have a height limit of 44 inches or taller and is considered a thrill ride compared to the slow ride experience of the Na'vi River Journey.

Dining at Pandora- The World of Avatar

Satu'li Canteen is the main dining option inside Pandora- The World of Avatar. The menu offers a variety of veggie and meat inspired dishes and is categorized as ‘American Cuisine' on the Walt Disney World dining website. This quick service dining option is themed to look like a traveling supply store with a menu inspired by Pandora and guests will dine amidst a museum of land inspired treasures.

Pongo Pongo is a popular drink stand inside Pandora- The World of Avatar and it includes a variety of beverages from kid friendly to cocktails and brews for adults. They also sell quick snacks like french toast sticks in the morning and pretzels/spring rolls later in the day.

Since both of these dining options are quick service, you don't need to worry about making a dining reservation like you might for other dining locations inside Walt Disney World.

Shopping at Pandora- The World of Avatar

Windtraders is the main shopping destination inside Pandora- The World of Avatar offering a variety of souvenirs so guests can take a little piece of Pandora home with them. The merchandise all celebrates the flora, fauna and culture of Pandora. The store is designed to look like it has been overtaken by natural root structures that display the souvenirs inside the shop.

Experiences at Pandora- The World of Avatar

The name of the area that you experience in Pandora- The World of Avatar is the Valley of Mo’ara. This valley is home to the Na'vi, Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE) and scientists from the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI).

The land comes alive each night with exotic plants that glow with a bioluminescence light. Walking around Pandora is an experience in itself, day or night.

Other experiences include a Na’vi-built drum circle which contains instruments to play and Na’vi totems and other cultural items found throughout the land. Guests can also meet a Pandora Conservation Initiative scientist to learn about Pandora – The World of Avatar. These scientists will be wearing a larger than life Pandora Utility Suit as they chat with guests.

Guests can also become one with the Na'vi at Colors of Mo'ara Face Painting which offers Na'vi-inspired face painting.

How to Get a FastPass and Other Tips

Now this is the question of the hour as due to the high popularity of this land- it makes getting those must have FastPass reservations hard to come by.

The rules of FastPass+ are strict for the two rides offered inside Pandora- The World of Avatar. Guests can only book one Pandora- The World of Avatar attraction option per day. So you will need to choose between Flight of Passage or Na’vi River Journey for the days you want to spend at the Animal Kingdom park. Here are our tips to helping to navigate this popular land!

1. Use FastPass+ for Flight of Passage First

You can choose to spend two days at Animal Kingdom and then doing one ride per day to use FastPass for both of them. But if you are only planning on spending one day at Animal Kingdom, then we suggest using your FastPass reservation for Flight of Passage and doing the standby option for Na'vi River Journey. The Flight of Passage attraction is extremely popular and those standby lines will always be longer.

2. Set a Timer for Your Reservation Window

Guests staying on site at the Walt Disney World hotels get to make their FastPass+ reservations before off-site guests. Due to that advantage, guests that are staying on-site have a better chance of scoring a FastPass reservation for any of the rides inside Pandora- The World of Avatar. Guests that are staying on site at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel can make FastPass+ reservations up to 60 days in advance of check-in for the entire stay. Guests staying offsite can make reservations up to 30 days in advance of each day of their park visit. That 30 day difference can make or break the chance of you realistically getting a FastPass+ reservation for these popular rides.

Whether you are staying on-site or not, when the window opens for your time to make your FastPass+ reservation make sure you set an alarm for this exact time and be ready to book those reservations on your Disney account. Since these rides are so popular, the FastPass reservations run out quickly. You can also keep checking for canceled FastPass reservations to scoop up on the My Experience App so if you end up missing out, don't give up hope!

3. Use Extra Magic Hour

If you are staying on site, you also have the privilege of Extra Magic Hours which allows resort guests into the park one hour before the official opening. Getting there for Extra Magic Hour is a great way to experience both rides without even needing a FastPass reservation.

4. Get There Early

If you are not staying on site, I recommend making your Animal Kingdom day one that is NOT hosting Extra Magic Hour on that day so you have a better shot at getting there early and being first in line for either of these popular rides. Make sure to arrive at the park as early as possible- at least 30 minutes before the official opening time.

5. Spend Two Days at Animal Kingdom

If visiting Pandora- The World of Avatar is a top priority for your visit, then it might be worth to spend two full days at the Animal Kingdom theme park. This way you can reserve a FastPass for each day and take your time enjoying Pandora and the rest of the park.

Moral of the story? Do your research before planning your visit- this will help you avoid lines and maximize your time spent inside the Animal Kingdom.

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