My experience was all thanks to Walt Disney World however, all opinions expressed are my own. This article contains affiliate links.
In case you have not picked up on it yet, my family is big in to Walt Disney World. We are Disney Vacation Club members and visit at least twice a year – despite the fact that we are all the way across the country in Upstate New York. Animal Kingdom has always been a half day park for us – full day if we decide to check out all the animals and take our time. But now things have changed. Honestly, we could probably spend an entire day in new part of the park, Pandora – The World of Avatar, especially taking in to consideration those pesky wait times that come along with brand new rides opening.
The Food
There are a couple of food places in Pandora – and I highly recommend trying them both out. Pick up a delicious frozen drink (that glows!!) at Pongu Pongu or sit down and have a full meal at Satu’li Canteen. We ate at Satu’li for lunch during our last visit – and the entire family loved their meals. So much so that we plan to go back during our next trip, and the next, and the next.
I had the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl and it was so good that I can’t stop thinking about it. My husband loved his Slow-Roasted Sliced Grilled Beef Bowl. The cool thing about these bowls is that you totally create your own! Just select your protein, base, and sauce – I went with chicken, rice, and garlic sauce. Yum! My young daughters were huge fans of the Cheeseburger Steamed Pod & Cheese Quesadilla. There are so many options there that the whole family is sure to find something they will love! I highly recommend it.
The Rides
There are two rides at Pandora – The World of Avatar and as of the time of writing this, you are only allowed to book a FastPass+ for one of them. It can be a hard choice to make, but if Flight of Passage is available, I suggest you pick that one up. There is really no way to describe this ride. The basis of the ride is that you link up with an Avatar to ride an ikran, or as we call them – a banshee. This ride has the feel of Soarin’, but way cooler. You will fly through Pandora and see many breathtaking sights. One of the coolest things is feeling the banshee’s belly expand on your legs as it breathes. I have never experienced anything like this before, and I was dying to get back on it the second I got off! There is a height restriction of 44 inches on this ride so our youngest could not ride. I cannot wait to take her on it when she is tall enough – she will LOVE it!
The Na’vi River Journey is amazing as well – and is a ride for all heights! On it you will take a boat ride through a magical Na’vi River – and it really feels like you are on Pandora. Be sure to take it all in and look around every aspect of the ride so you don’t miss a thing – be sure to look up as well! There are so many creatures to see – and you might even a few Na’vi! At the end, you will see the beautiful Shaman of Song – which was my youngest daughter’s favorite part. The truth is, the lines for both of these rides can get super long – but the wait for Flight of Passage can be double (or more!) the wait for Na’vi River Journey. When you visit Pandora, I highly recommend taking the time to do both, as they are both incredible in their own way.
The Shopping
One of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World is shop. You might even say I have a bit of an addiction when it comes to Disney Collectibles. So naturally I was really excited to check out Windtraders, the new store at Pandora that is full of exotic merchandise and souvenirs that celebrate the culture of Pandora. I was amazed from the moment I walked in to the store. There was so much to look at! From Na’vi cultural artifacts and animal toys to science kits and Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE) apparel, you’ll find something exciting for every member of the family here. They even have baby Banshees that you can adopt from the Rookery.
My daughters had a lot of fun making their own necklaces (for a REALLY good price too if you ask me!) and picking out one stuffed animal each. My oldest opted for a Na’vi baby, while my youngest chose a Prolemuris plush. They have been carrying them around with them everywhere since we got them. We were all really happy to take a few pieces of Pandora home with us.
The Ambiance
Trust me when I say take the time to look around as you walk through Pandora. I get it, you will want to rush to that ride that you don’t have the FastPass+ for – but look around. All of the little details will totally amaze you. The first thing you will see is the floating rocks. It is easy to be in awe of these as they are very well crafted. There are also lots of flora and fauna to check out – pretty much everywhere you look. You can tell that a lot of work was put in to making everything perfect. Pandora even has a certain smell to it. It truly is like you have stepped on to another planet.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.