Pandora - The World of Avatar gets an official opening date

Feb 07, 2017 in "Pandora - The World of Avatar"

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Posted: Tuesday February 7, 2017 5:02pm EST by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger has today announced that Pandora – The World of Avatar will open at Disney's Animal Kingdom on May 27 2017.

No further details were announced, but it would appear that this is the official opening date, with various previews and soft openings likely before that date.

Pandora will feature a family friendly Na’vi River Journey, sending riders through a bioluminescent rainforest. Their journey will end in an unforgettable encounter with a Na’vi Shaman, a figure who has a deep connection to the life force of Pandora. Avatar Flight of Passage will offer guests a thrill-ride experience of exploring the world of Pandora atop a Banshee.

Guests will also be able to dine at Satu’li Canteen, grab a drink at Pongu Pongu or shop for Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits, and more at Windtraders.

Photo by CJ Berzin @BerzinPhotography. 'Pandora - The World of Avatar' aerial view.

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Ghost93Aug 13, 2022

Maybe they will extend the hours when Avatar: The Way of Water comes out if they feel Pandora at Night could be a better selling point for Animal Kingdom.

Stevie AmsterdamAug 13, 2022

Lucky you haha! I'm sure I will be impressed :D My last visit was in 2014 so there's so much new stuff to explore. And I'm bringing my best friend as an anniversary gift - it's her first time!

bhg469Aug 13, 2022

It's beautiful, you'll definitely be impressed.. Even though I live here I have yet to see it in the dark however.

Stevie AmsterdamAug 13, 2022

That's a great idea, thank you!

Stevie AmsterdamAug 13, 2022

What a disappointment. Pandora is one of the main reasons why I am going. However I still have hopes that they extend the September hours, as August closing hours are 8pm (but were initially 7pm when I looked in June).

MisterPenguinAug 13, 2022

Get on line for FoP at 7p. By the time you're out, it will be dark. Park closure isn't necessarily pushing everyone out right away. They just don't let anymore get on the lines for attractions. Plus, for some odd reasons, the stores stay open past closure...

bhg469Aug 13, 2022

It will not be dark enough by then unfortunately.

Stevie AmsterdamAug 13, 2022

I am visiting WDW in September and I noticed that Animal Kingdom closes at 7pm. I checked what time the sun would set around my dates and it would be around 7.25pm. Will I be able to see Pandora at night? Or will the area still be lit by sunlight? 🥺

Stevie AmsterdamJul 18, 2022

I’m not sure if another boat ride in that land is the best way forward to be honest. I read somewhere about an exhibition through to explore the fauna of Pandora, with a massive AA toruk at the end. That would be awesome and a great way to balance the already existing boat ride and FoP.

Skipper2Jul 17, 2022

I think another E ticket in Pandora using Shanghai POTC technology/ride system for the new movie would be awesome.

JoeCamelJun 03, 2022

All they have to do is change the screens on river journey

GoofGoofMay 18, 2022

How about half dark ride half log flume with a hill drop that brings you “underwater” moving through some show scenes that’s then followed by a bigger hill finale. No clue if there is room for something like that but if they use bigger boats vs the smaller splash logs it could actually be a pretty high capacity ride. I know there’s already a boat ride in Pandora but this would be faster paced with some sort of story and a little more thrill to it.

doctornickMay 17, 2022

So with the new movie being based heavily on the underwater world of Pandora, how about adding another ride that would be similar to the Tokyo subs in TDS where you see some underwater creatures and environments?

Professortango1May 05, 2022

Quite the opposite. Loved walking through Harambe and was excited to see a staged version of Lion King that matched the land. I had heard nothing but good things beforehand. Theatre was bare bones but that worked for me. I loved the costumes and energy of the live performers in the pre-show. Then, we get that opening directly from the soundtrack and my heart sank. Then when the 20 year old floats from Disneyland rolled out I knew we were in trouble. Maybe its a LA/Florida thing. I heard from a friend at WDW that the talent levels of performers they have access to is far more hit or miss than the LA adjacent Disneyland. My friend and I also experienced the shock of walking into the Hyperion at DHS to see Frozen. So very different than the Hyperion Frozen we had seen at DCA.