When we planned our recent Walt Disney World trip over MLK weekend, I set aside plenty of time to visit Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Along with providing two new attractions, it appeared immersive and still connected to the park’s overall theme. I expected Pandora to be impressive, but I did not anticipate the insane amount of detail in this 12-acre land. Photos don’t do justice to how epic Pandora feels, particularly when you’re gazing up at the floating mountains high above the ground.
I recently offered extensive details on our day at the Animal Kingdom in my trip report blog, which included a large section on Pandora. In this post, I’ve included many photos from both our day and night visits during that day. It’s easy to get lost in the winding pathways through the trees, especially at night. Beyond the high-tech attractions, Pandora works as an inviting place to hang out and explore. Despite the huge crowds that are visiting this area, it doesn’t feel cramped in the common areas.
The Valley of Mo’ara
Located right in the middle of Pandora is the striking Valley of Mo’ara; the area immediately attracts your attention once you cross the bridge and enter this land. The floating mountains and waterfall are imposing but not standoffish. The area is so large that it’s difficult to grasp it all in a single photo. The shots below aim to present the epic scale along with the beauty of the walkways on the ground. The setting feels like it could be an alien planet, but it also connects to Harambe, Asia, and the rest of the park.
The Details
What makes Pandora work are the small touches that go well beyond what’s needed to draw guests. People come to see Flight of Passage, but they might stay to enjoy strolling along the lush paths. I can’t explain to you what most of these plants are in the Avatar world, but that really doesn’t matter. They create a lived-in environment that is a long way from your average theme park.
Pandora at Night
I’ve spent much of this post raving about Pandora, and that’s not going to stop now. This land is cool during the day, but it reaches another level at night. It might sound silly to use a word like bioluminescence to describe a manufactured theme park land, but it really fits here. We didn’t need to do either attraction that night; the draw is just hanging out in Pandora. I could easily grab a drink and spend hours just taking in the entire place. When you get the chance to visit Pandora, you must check it out at night.
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