The year was 2009. I walked into the theater and purchased a ticket to see the movie Avatar and did not realize how large the line was to get into the theater. I waited and waited and waited until I was finally able to walk in and look for a seat, only to find out that the theater was oversold, and thus, I had to sit on the stairs. I would watch Avatar
Above: The Floating Mountains in Pandora
I then proceeded to beg my parents to buy it on DVD once it came out and I watched it so many times that I almost overwatched it like I did with Saving Private Ryan. The natural beauty of the moon of Pandora gleamed with fleshed-out biomes of alien wilderness which tied everything living together. This movie was innately warning of human destruction of the environment, and it did a damn-well great job.
It wasn't until a few years ago that Disney hinted at creating a new addition to their tiring Animal Kingdom: Pandora, the world of Avatar. I was ecstatic, shivering in my shoes at the prospect of Disney being able to recreate the universe, and knowing that it was Disney creating it made me feel so much more at ease. They are the masters of recreation after all.
Fast forward to this year. I have been blessed to be able to witness such a wondrous place in Animal Kingdom. For years I would not even go close to that park as it was not as thrilling as some of the rides in EPCOT and did not have the flair that Hollywood studios or the magic that Magic Kingdom had. Its beauty had been something forgotten. With the addition to the park, I have realized that the park's mystery has been re-envisioned. Animal Kingdom was truly back in the fold. It was full of natural diversity again.
"It was full of natural diversity again."
Pandora shot into the park, and with it came two new rides: Flight of Passage and Na'vi River Ride, both chock-full of the experiences that make Disney, well, Disney. Floating mountains, wondrous pools of gushing water and alien plants that look all too real are scattered with Disney's trademark passion around the area as themed food establishments help round out the experience. It was absolutely beautiful.
Above: The Flight of Passage Ride
Flight of Passage was my first ride of the two. I rushed to the park in the morning and got in right when the gates burst open to find that I was waiting in a queue that trailed from the ride all the way to the nearby area, Africa. I went on my phone and realized that this ride, due to its amazing properties, was designed to hold a line totaling a whopping six hours!
It weaved through a science facility dedicated to studying the behaviors of the local wildlife and the conservation of endangered species to a large outcropping of the alien plants and animals. We got to a point where you were put in a group of fifteen and ushered into a room where you were instructed by a scientist that you'd be getting your own avatar and banshee, which the ride matched you with making it fully interactive! Then you went into another room where a live cast member would play as another scientist and will help you get into the chairs above.
"This ride was designed to hold a line totalling a whopping six hours!"
At first the position and the devices reminded me of the light bikes from another Disney franchise, TRON, and thought that if they ever added a new area to EPCOT it would be such with a ride similar to this (If you are reading this Disney, LET IT HAPPEN). You would then put on shades, get strapped in, and then experience the ride. Note that I am not going to explain the ride because, well, it was arguably the best ride on the whole property (with the exception of Mission: Space. That's my favorite ride). All I'm going to say is that you traveled through many places and the room was full of rich, eloquent smells designed to make you forget that you were indeed on a ride and not flying on a banshee.
Above: Na'vi River Ride Advert
Na'vi River Ride was a whole-nother species against the Flight of Passage experience. It was a somewhat lackluster boat ride through certain aspects of the whole planet, highlighting the beauty and such. If you were to go to Disney, I would suggest this first before the Flight of Passage, if you can, because the Flight of Passage ruined every other ride I went on the rest of the day since it was so amazing.
Go to Disney. Go to the new Avatar addition to Animal Kingdom. It won't disappoint.