Save the date! May 27th is the day that amusement park enthusiasts will get to see what Disney and James Cameron have had in the works since 2011. The 2009 fiction-fantasy movie will be represented through immersive experiences, food, and rides within a 5-hectare terrain inside the already existent Animal Kingdom theme park, at Walt Disney Resort in Florida. Avatar-like life forms and details have been developed alongside Lightstorm Entertainment since the purchase of the land back in 2014.
“Discover an all-new land that celebrates the magic of nature” is Disney’s opening title for a new set of attractions that will offer adventures for the whole family, a taste of the most exotic dishes and flavors of Pandora, and a promise of long lasting memories. The Alpha Centauri Expeditions, the eco tour group created by Disney Destinations exclusively for this purpose, presents the exploration of Mo’ara Valley and a journey down a Pandoran river! Guests can enjoy themselves at the Satu’li Canteen to “indulge in Na’vi art and culture” or at Pongu Pongu bar for some downtime while being tended to by the “one of the moon’s eclectic expats”.
New videos offer a sneak peek at the attraction
Earlier this week, some videos surfaced to the press, showinf¡g the impressive experience the new park integrations will host starting later this month. Animation-fandom website Inside The Magic shared the first glimpse at the Avatar inspired rides, even when waiting in line, since the first thing to see is an animatronic Na’vi being created.
Visitors can wander through a so-called ‘Flight of Passage’ area that could be linked to the physical transformation of the avatars – which guests witness beforehand – and ride atop a banshee, a coming of age ceremony in the movie, that is experienced on a “link chair” which mimics the flying movement.
Inspired by the highest-grossing film of all time, the World of Pandora will be bringing to life corporeal transformations of turning into the mythical creatures, bioluminescent rainforests, floating mountains and a river. The Na’vi River Journey, for instance, is a ride that brings the guests on a trip through the magical lands and forest up to an encounter with a Na’vi Shaman.
Inside The Magic also revealed footage of an animated walking exploration of the land available for guests.
Although the original movie is about to turn a decade old, it has set a path for four sequels, the first hitting the screens in 2020 and has been more than enough for Disney Imagineers to engine whole different parts of Pandora-land. Also, there is a talk of a video game in developing stages, based in the fantasy world.
Director Imagineer Joe Rohde has said that there is no need to see the movies in order to understand the dynamics of the park since it doesn’t follow a storyline but showcases a world as real and parallel to ours. It has been revealed that some things change from day to night, like the sounds of creatures and the lighting and color of plants. Top of the line design is to be expected from this project, considering Rohde took his team to Hawaii, Bali, and China for visual inspiration into landscapes and culture.
A ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ attraction is on the way, too
Also this summer, Marvel Comics’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ will be center stage in a ride named “Mission: Breakout!” to be opened at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim. The attraction is designed as a prison breakout story in which the main characters have been captured and need to work with Rocket Raccoon in order to escape. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ is a more recent work and has actually just launched a sequel this year.