With four Avatar sequels on the horizon, fans of James Cameron's sci-fi fantasy franchise have lots to look forward to. Unfortunately, the first follow-up to the director's 2009 record-breaking blockbuster doesn't land until late 2020.
Those who can't wait to revisit the blue-skinned Na'vi's homeland, however, can get their fix with a trip to Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom park. The Orlando, Florida vacation destination has added a 12-acre expansion dubbed "Pandora — The Land of Avatar."
Set several generations after the events of the film, the massive themed area invites guests to fully immerse themselves in the Valley of Mo'ara, an entirely new part of Pandora crafted specifically for the park.
We recently got a behind-the-scenes look at the new land, complete with access to its premier attraction Flight of Passage. The first thing that struck us when crossing into Mo'ara was its authentic feel. Drenched in details, the park takes Disney's notable ability to transport guests to a "whole new world" to a whole new level.
Populated by extraterrestrial flora and fauna, floating mountains, gushing waterfalls, and always-in-character Alpha Centauri Expeditions field guides, the expansion feels like a national park on an alien planet.
As impressed as we were with Pandora's ability to immerse us in its fiction during the day, the park's even cooler at night. Stunning bioluminescent effects breathe new life into the land when the sun goes down, presenting it in a way that's done little justice by photographs.
If you are exploring in daylight, however, The Na'vi River Journey – one of the land's two main attractions – delivers a taste of Pandora after dark. A serene boat ride through a bioluminescent rain-forest populated by Viperwolves and other native beasts, it blends engaging visuals and music to simulate guests meeting the sacred Na'vi Shaman of Songs.
Of course, more curious explorers can also spend their time sampling Mo'ara's exotic delicacies and beverages (we sampled the Hawke's green Grog Ale), adopting a baby Banshee, or simply listening to the tales and teachings told by the quirky locals and ACE guides.
Take flight
While we enjoyed exploring every corner of Pandora, discovering its various transcendent experiences and encounters, it was our time on the back of a Banshee that truly blew us away. A brilliant blend of seemingly bleeding edge motion-simulating technology and Cameron's beautifully-realized world, Flight of Passage makes similar theme park attractions seem about as thrilling as a spin on the old merry-go-round.
As the fiction goes, the "ride" pairs brave patrons with those flying dragon-like beasts from the film. Before equipping ourselves with a pair of 3D goggles and mounting what looks like a futuristic stationary bike, we strolled through a highly-themed, story-setting queue. The exterior part of the line is surrounded by breathtaking views of Pandora's lush ecosystem, allowing visitors to get a better look at its mysteriously floating masses or snap a selfie in front of a carnivorous Chalice Plant.
Once inside, though, the postcard-perfect views give way to fiction-building sets meant to prepare you for the flight. Overhead monitors show humans being matched with their avatar counterparts, a Na'vi floats in a water chamber, and a massive Banshee skull sits on display.
A number of in-progress lab experiments and training videos further sell the idea you're about to be neurologically linked to a Na'vi that's already soaring through Pandora's skies.
Upon donning our dimension-ratcheting specs and straddling the sci-fi bike, an enveloping, IMAX-like screen completely fills our view. We could break the immersion by craning our necks to catch a glimpse of other riders, but we didn't want to once our Banshee began hurtling forward. The journey starts with multiple pulse-pounding dips and dives through Pandora's forests and other parts of the absorbing alien world, but these seat-of-the-pants sequences offer just a taste of the thrills to come.
As we approach the planet's ocean, a whale-like creature crashes through the surface and consumes most of the screen. Our brush with the beast leaves us wet – from actual mist-spraying effects – but there's no time to worry about a moist t-shirt. As the sea monster falls back down, an enormous wave threatens to swallow us whole. Thankfully, our Banshee navigates through the rip curl, barely finding an exit before it can spit us out like a piece of seaweed.
Flight of Passage lets us briefly catch our breath inside a cave, but before we can fully appreciate the beauty of this interior area, the flying beast takes off with renewed urgency. The attraction then cranks the immersion further, pitting us against a rival Banshee and nearly getting us trampled by a stampede of creatures. The latter encounter is especially cool, as we're offered a whiff of dirt while nearly colliding with the beasts. On top of smelling fresh soil and being spritz by water, the experience puts you in the moment by bringing the Banshee to life beneath you; don't be alarmed by the gentle pulsating against your legs – that's just the winged behemoth breathing.
Packed with eye-popping details, heart-racing moments, cutting edge effects, and an unparalleled sense of speed and flight, Flight of Passage joins the ranks of premier theme park experiences like Universal's Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and Disney's own Soarin'.
It also earns extra points for its seat-of-the-pants pacing; while similar attractions offer sporadic thrills, Flight of Passage blows the wind through your hair, literally, from beginning to end. In fact, those prone to motion sickness may want to sit this one out – there's plenty of other fun things to do in Pandora that don't require riding atop a flying monster.
Whether you're an adrenaline junkie or casual adventurer looking to learn more about an alien world, it's worth getting your passport stamped in Pandora the next time you're in town to see Mickey Mouse.
Pandora: World of Avatar is open now at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.
