Pandora - The World of Avatar offers two attractions, the thrilling e-ticket experience Flight of Passage, and the gentle family-friendly boat ride, Na'vi River Journey.
The approach to Na'vi River Journey is spectacular. To get to the ride, you pass through the incredible landscape of Pandora. Floating mountains, waterfalls, and exotic Pandora flora surround you.
Near the entrance, a totem, woven by the Na'vi (the indigenous people of Pandora), invites guests into the grottos towards the river, and an eventual encounter with the Shaman of Songs.
Unlike most theme park lands, the attractions of Pandora have no visible buildings, and a very minimal entrance. Both Na'vi River Journey and Flight of Passage have simple FastPass+ and Standby entrances, set up by the Alpha Centauri Expeditions eco-tour company hosts who make trips to Pandora possible.
The vast majority of the Na'vi River Journey queue is outside with no air conditioning. It is covered however, and equipped with overhead fans.
Despite being mostly switchback queue space, the area is full with what looks like local Na'vi decor - most of it being overhead.
Passing through the exterior queue, the line moves into a small cave-like grotto, which is also the location of the FastPass merge point. Here guests are divided into groups and directed to the loading dock gates.
Each boat holds eight guests, with two rows of four seating. The loading process works much like any other water attraction, such as Splash Mountain or Frozen Ever After. Numbered gates automatically open to allow boarding.
The boats themselves are nicely detailed. Designed to look like they are made of reeds, there are no restraints, or any storage areas for personal items. The story goes that Alpha Centauri Expeditions built the rafts using Na'vi techniques.
After a short safety message, the boat leaves the dock and enters the rich environment of a bioluminescent rainforest.
Passing waterfalls, your boat is greeted by a Na'vi warrior who grants passage to the human voyagers.
The boat ride is extremely smooth, with the free-floating boats rarely bumping the guide-rails, and very little stacking of boats together.
As you travel further along the river, more animals appear, each traveling in the direction of the river. Along with the sounds of animals, music begins to be heard.
Although not audio-animatronics, the projected animal figures are impressive, especially in their setting of a bioluminescent environment. Their appearance integrates well with the glowing look of the rainforest.
The journey builds to an encounter with the remarkable Shaman of Songs. Like most Na'vi, she is nearly 10 feet tall.
Music is central in Na'vi culture. Guests observe the shaman in the midst of a musical ceremony, playing an instrument and singing. Through her music, the shaman sends positive energy into the rainforest, telling of the sacred bond with nature that Na’vi and humans share.
Designed and built by Walt Disney Imagineering, the Shaman of Songs figure is the most advanced and complex animatronic ever seen in a theme-park.
The number of movements on the figure is impressive, with facial expressions being particularly life-like. Cheeks and even eye-lids are all in constant motion. This is one of the first animatronics to be able to convey real emotion.
Sadly, the encounter with the Shaman doesn’t last long, and marks the finale of the river journey. Rounding a corner, the boats return to the unload area.
A short walk through a cave returns you to the valley outside.
Na'vi River Journey can be compared to the recently opened Frozen Ever After at Epcot. Both boat rides feature break-through animatronics, although the Shaman surpasses Elsa in our opinion. River Journey is the gentler of the two, featuring no drops or any thrill component. Unlike the park's other water ride, Kali Rapids, you do not get wet - something that will please those who enjoy boat rides without being soaked at the end.
Bioluminescence is one of the take-home points of the Avatar movie, and River Journey gives guests the opportunity to experience that day or night. This is especially useful for families with young children visiting during the summer, when darkness and bioluminescence in the valley outside will not be visible until late in the evening.
There is no question that Na'vi River Journey is a must do in Pandora, especially on a first visit. It is relaxing, subtle, and a nice change of pace from a hectic theme park day. The Shaman of Songs is spectacular, and has to be seen to be believed. But her presence leaves us wanting more. Imagine a version of Na'vi River Journey full of Na'vi figures built to the same level as the Shaman of Songs. A 2017 version of Pirates of the Caribbean - Na’vi style.
Ultimately, River Journey will be one of those attractions that divides guest opinion. Some will say it has no story and lacks purpose. Others will appreciate its understated beauty and simplicity.
What most will agree on though, is the real star of Pandora is Flight of Passage, which we’ll be reviewing next.
You can take a full ride-through of Na'vi River Journey, which officially opens May 27 2017, in the video below.
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