Last week I returned home from a vacation to the what some people call the most magical place on earth. That’s right you guessed it. I went to Disney world. My family spent the new year at Disney and Universal Studios Orlando trying to make the most of the winter break. The weather wasn’t the best and there were lots of people there but, I was impressed with Disney nonetheless.

The first day we arrived at our Disney resort we were met by the luxurious property with plenty of helpful staffers to guide us around and give us lunch recommendations. We decided to stay in the hotel and eat at the food court. While the food was expensive, it certainly didn’t disappoint with many options that satisfied everyone’s appetite. The weather was gloomy due to misty conditions, overcast skies, mild winds, and brisk temperatures.

Half of the family decided to go out and brave the weather to experience Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After walking through the park in the freezing rain we finally ended up in the Pandora section of the park modeled after the planet in the popular 2009 film, Avatar. There weren’t too many people in the park due to the weather so, the lines were significantly shorter than normal wait times.

We decided to take advantage of this and ride one of the two must do rides in Animal Kingdom, The “Na’vi River Journey”. On this ride, you are on a boat and you drift through the water in search of the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. The special effects and technology that Disney has used on this new ride are absolutely incredible. It’s an amazing ride that allows you to feel like you’re actually in Pandora.

After this fun ride, we were ready to call it a day. However, one of the workers told us that the best ride in the world was the “Avatar flight of passage.” People had waited almost six hours to ride it on Christmas day. And with the wait being predicted to be less than two hours, we decided that we had to take advantage of this opportunity. The line was constantly shuffling forward and after a quick wait, we entered into the side of a mountain.

The detail on both the inside and outside of the structure is incredible. The line snaked through an incredible building that depicts different scenes from the avatar movie. Leaving diehard fans like the man in front of us trembling in awe. In reaching the front of the line we have to go through a debriefing process before our mission. We are walked to holding rooms where a video plays giving you instructions and explaining the ride. Then you enter the ride and stow your belongings. You are then linked given glasses and linked with an avatar body that is riding on the back of a banshee.

The experience begins you fly throughout the world of Pandora as wind whistles past you and mist from the ocean sprays you as you take a low dip. Your senses are completely fooled as you actually feel like you are on the back of a giant bird. You are even able to smell the nature around you as you weave through the trees.

I didn’t want it to end. After leaving we all concluded that it was well worth the wait that was less than an hour and a half. Hopefully, Disney is in the cards again soon so I get to experience the Avatar Flight of Passage again.

If you haven’t checked out Disney in a while give them a try. It truly is a magical experience that has something for the whole family. I hope this encourages you to go take your own Flight of Passage as you create your Disney experience.