***Official*** Pandora: The World of Avatar Information Thread

[AngiTN]

Oh, there are no words to describe Pandora at night. No photo can possibly even come close to doing it justice. It is truly stunning

 

[dina444444]

Got in line to get in for EMH just before 10. I was in pandora by 10:30 and immediately went to the line for FoP for EMH guests. They started moving us into the queue at 10:50 and I'm currently in the last outside area before going into the caves and we are not moving.

 

[dina444444]

Entered into the caves area and we are now walking with no stopping. Will update with where we stop.

 

[dina444444]

Now stopped in the bioluminescence room.

 

[dina444444]

Line is now moving several feet every so many seconds almost through the bioluminescence room.

 

[freediverdude]

And I was replying to someone saying FoP is comparable to anything Potter. Both Potter rides were truly bleeding edge ride technology, absolute first of their kind, and still ONLY of their kind. For FoP, yeah, the video resolution is much higher, and the screen is larger in your view, and your viewing position is better, but simply stating the base tech is nothing remotely new. It's one of those horrible screen rides that Universal keeps doing. But it's Disney so it's phenomenal.

I'm well aware I'm in a minority that just doesn't get how amazing Soarin' is, but it's still considered one of the like top 3 rides in WDW in popularity polls, but I would rather ride Mr. Toad over Soarin'.

While I haven't ridden FoP yet, I understand that it's all looking at one screen while on a motorcycle type seat platform, correct? The Potter rides are way more than just screens, so I don't see how it's comparable. And Forbidden Journey has been updated recently with some sharper resolution on their screens. I'm sure it's a very cool ride, but it wouldn't be on the same scale as the Potter rides. And I also agree with you that while I think Soarin' is a nice ride, I never understood the mania over it. It's a pleasant fun ride like you're flying through the sky on a hang glider, but it's not particularly exciting.

Now with all that said, what should my strategy be this week to try to ride these for the first time? So far I've been unable to get a fastpass, and I really can't wait longer than about 2 hours, as I am by myself and won't be able to leave the line for a pee break or anything.

 

[Airb330]

Did FOP at 630 and it was awesome. 53 minutes with a FP+ but whatever. The land was themed well and not too crowded.

Did the first ROL tonight ("meh" to be kind) and rode Everest a few times afterwards. Saw the lines at 1030 wrapped all the way back to Africa...just to get into pandora at night. Nope no thanks. Hope everyone enjoyed it but I'm glad I'm back at my room already.

Disappointing it was that crazy at 11 PM (considering at 6pm it really was not). Didn't know Disney did that good of a job promoting the night time aspect considering I've heard 20 people a day say "I don't understand this app to fastpass nonsense."

Oh well next trip we'll see pandora at night.

 

[dina444444]

I'm now in the last switchback of the lab.

 

[poison ivy]

Wow, it's pretty clear our opinions of what is bleeding edge is are completely different.

You even thow in a swipe at Universal being screen rides (Forbidden Journey of all rides) while discussing the greatness of FoP.

I'm stunned really. And that's all I have to say about that.

A swipe for a swipe I guess. There isn't any need for comparison. Disney had no blueprints to follow here. And they took their time. That's the key. I walked away with an experience beyond any digital/virtual capability I had known. And i immediately wanted to ride it again. FJ didn't affect me that way. But you're right, everybody's different.

 

[dina444444]

Now in the final line for the link chamber.

Got let in for emh just before 10:30 and immediately got in the emh line for FoP.

FoP line was apparently cut off for the night about 15-20 minutes ago.

 

[HydroGuy]

Second day at Pandora...

I posted our experience yesterday here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/o...rmation-thread.3587311/page-265#post-57656000

I see another 12 pages on the thread from today and I am not going to read them tonight. So, again, forgive me if I am repeating what others have posted today.

One quick note this evening is that we saw George Kalogridis (current President of WDW) walking around Pandora taking things in. This was around 8PM. I recognized him as prior to WDW he was President of DLR and had a good reputation and I remember reading articles about him. I may have heard him speak at a D23 Expo. Can't remember. But I recognized him when I saw him.

Today we arrived at 5PM for an ADR at Rainforest Cafe. We had a FP for FOP at 5:45-6:45 and NRJ 6:55-7:55. Despite our telling the RFC we were in a bit of hurry and placing our entire order right we were seated, they were still slow and we had to rush through our entree. Got into AK at 6:30PM with the FOP FP window closing at 6:45!

There were no lines at the gates to enter AK at 6:30PM. There was a line of people to get into Pandora. We followed the guidance we got yesterday to tell the CMs an the Pandora entrance we had an active FP. They told us that they could not let us in, that we had to wait in the line with everyone else, and not to worry as our FP would be honored even if we were late. They told us the line to get into Pandora was moving steadily. I asked them if they were sure about the active FP thing as we had been let in directly yesterday (see my post at the top). They told us they were not doing that today and they were sure. We thanked them and got in line.

As we were waiting we saw another large group of people coming through a different line and I asked them what line they were in. They said they were being let through because they had active FPs. Ouch! So the CMs were wrong about that. But they were right that the line we were in for normal Pandora entry was moving steadily and by the time the "active FP" line came through we were almost through the line we were in. All in all we waited 10 minutes in this line so not too bad. We made it over to FOP FP right at 6:45 so no need to rely on the late FP being honored.

OK, so by the time we got past the FOP SB and FP merge and got into the first "room of 16", I asked the SB folks how long they had waited. And they said 5 hours. They were all wondering if was worth it and when they understood that we had ridden FOP yesterday, they asked us if it would be worth it. We told them it would be. After the rides was over they followed behind us on the way out and all agreed the 5 hour wait was totally worth it.

As far as FOP is concerned, today was our second ride and we were able to take it in better than yesterday. I will have to say it is now my favorite ride at WDW.

However, here is something to note FWIW. When I ride ST I am relieved when it is over because I start to feel a little queasy. When I ride Soarin I am always sad when it is over and wish it could go on for another 5-10 minutes. Zero queasiness. At the end of FOP I found I was relieved more like ST and not like Soarin. I felt a tiny bit of queasiness on FOP - nothing like ST but enough to make me feel "OK, I am ready for this to be over". For that reason FOP is not a slam dunk, way, way better ride for me than my other WDW favorites which are EE and RnR. As others have said, FOP IS intense at times. But it does rise to the level of my new favorite.

It took us about 45 minutes to get on FOP using FP. Yesterday at 12:06PM it was more like 10-15 minutes. Not sure why the FP line was so much longer today.

After FOP we rode NRJ with a FP.

Finally, we saw the 9:15 ROL tonight and then went quickly to ride EE after to get a night ride in. We had planned to try and get back into Pandora to see the night time version after EE. We found at 10PM that they were no longer allowing any guests into Pandora and were forming a line for the 11PM EMH. It was 10PM and the line was at Pizzafari at that point. We decided we did not want to wait an hour until 11PM to get into Pandora again. I took a few minutes to see if I could get lucky and score a second NRJ FP that I thought would allow us to get into Pandora right away. No luck. So we left AK around 10PM.

Finally, finally - while in the FOP FP line I met another DISer who I believe goes by @disneyfanforever . So that was fun.

 

[Airb330]

FOP was long for FP today. But it was great! We too waited 45+ minutes.

Hope everyone enjoyed tonight. Just want willing to wait at 1030 like some. I thought the line wouldn't be too bad just to walk around. Oh well, river ride FP+ tomorrow morning!

The land is really done well though. We were very impressed with it and FoP!

 

[Airb330]

Just got to AK. Pandora is not open for more guests right now. They will reopen it at 11:00

The line now, at 10, is at pizzafari

Yeah it was past there almost to Africa at 1035. We went back to the hotel haha, have fun tonight!!

 

[twinprincesses09]

Planning to RD FOP on our first day. Using rider switch but we'd both like to see the queue. Can our whole family walk through and then my husband use a chicken exit with our 1 year old or better yet do the rider switch right at the loading/unloading area?

One more question. Assuming DH and DS can't wait in the queue with us, what would happen if I waited in the queue with my 6 year old and she got scared and changed her mind about riding (on this or any other rider switch attraction) at the loading area? I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable separating from her to ride on my own but I'd hate to miss the ride. Would the CM's let me walk her down to her dad and come back? I don't think this will happen but I'm such a planner!

The CMs will not let anyone who does not meet the height requirement enter the queue, so you would not be able to take the 1 year old through the line to the chicken exit. I'm not sure about the answer to your second question. I think it might be up to the CM and how the loading area is set up for each ride. I have seen kids waiting near the loading area for their parents that are on the ride. Or the CM might decide to give you a FP to come back later without the child. Others may be able to answer this question better.

 

[Accident]

Drum Circle at 7:30pm opening day: (360 of course, scroll around to see what it looked like just before they stopped letting people in).

 

[freediverdude]

Wow, it's pretty clear our opinions of what is bleeding edge is are completely different.

You even thow in a swipe at Universal being screen rides (Forbidden Journey of all rides) while discussing the greatness of FoP.

I'm stunned really. And that's all I have to say about that.

I'm kind of agreeing with you. "Bleeding edge"?? The Aladdin virtual reality attraction at DisneyQuest had a motorcycle type vehicle and headgear for a 3D experience back in the 90s. This is just making the cycle move with the video and having a screen instead. That doesn't compare at all to the tech required for the Potter rides. Not to say that some of Disney's rides aren't high tech, rides like Dinosaur and Test Track come to mind, but this one doesn't strike me as one that required a bunch of new tech.

 

[dina444444]

Second day at Pandora...

I posted our experience yesterday here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/o...rmation-thread.3587311/page-265#post-57656000

I see another 12 pages on the thread from today and I am not going to read them tonight. So, again, forgive me if I am repeating what others have posted today.

One quick note this evening is that we saw George Kalogridis (current President of WDW) walking around Pandora taking things in. This was around 8PM. I recognized him as prior to WDW he was President of DLR and had a good reputation and I remember reading articles about him. I may have heard him speak at a D23 Expo. Can't remember. But I recognized him when I saw him.

Today we arrived at 5PM for an ADR at Rainforest Cafe. We had a FP for FOP at 5:45-6:45 and NRJ 6:55-7:55. Despite our telling the RFC we were in a bit of hurry and placing our entire order right we were seated, they were still slow and we had to rush through our entree. Got into AK at 6:30PM with the FOP FP window closing at 6:45!

There were no lines at the gates to enter AK at 6:30PM. There was a line of people to get into Pandora. We followed the guidance we got yesterday to tell the CMs an the Pandora entrance we had an active FP. They told us that they could not let us in, that we had to wait in the line with everyone else, and not to worry as our FP would be honored even if we were late. They told us the line to get into Pandora was moving steadily. I asked them if they were sure about the active FP thing as we had been let in directly yesterday (see my post at the top). They told us they were not doing that today and they were sure. We thanked them and got in line.

As we were waiting we saw another large group of people coming through a different line and I asked them what line they were in. They said they were being let through because they had active FPs. Ouch! So the CMS were wrong about that. But they were right that the line we were in for normal Pandora entry was moving steadily and by the time the "active FP" line came through we were almost through the line we were in. All in all we waited 10 minutes in this line so not too bad. We made it over to FOP FP right at 6:45 so no need to rely on the late FP being honored.

OK, so by the time we got past the FOP SB and FP merge and got into the first "room of 16", I asked the SB folks how long they had waited. And they said 5 hours. They were all wondering if was worth it and when they understood that we had ridden FOP yesterday, they asked us if would be worth it. We told them it would be. After the rides was over they followed behind us on the way out and all agreed the 5 hour wait was totally worth it.

As far as FOP is concerned, today was our second ride and we were able to take it in better than yesterday. I will have to say it is now my favorite ride at WDW.

However, here is something to note WIW. When I ride ST I am relieved when it is over because I start to feel a little queasy. When I ride Soarin I am always sad when it is over and wish it could go on for another 5-10 minutes. Zero queasiness. At the end of FOP I found I was relieved more like ST and not like Soarin. I felt a tiny bit of queasiness on FOP - nothing like ST but enough to make me feel "OK, I am ready for this to be over". For that reason FOP is not a slam dunk, way, way better ride for me than my other WDW favorites which are EE and RnR. As others have said, FOP IS intense at times. But it does rise to the level of my new favorite.

It took us about 45 minutes to get on FOP using FP. Yesterday at 12:06PM it was more like 10-15 minutes. Not sure why the FP line was so much longer today.

After FOP we rode NRJ with a FP.

Finally, we saw the 9:15 ROL tonight and then went quickly to ride EE after to get a night ride in. We had planned to try and get back into Pandora to see the night time version after EE. We found at 10PM that they were no longer allowing any guests into Pandora and were forming a line for the 11PM EMH. It was 10PM and the line was at Pizzafari at that point. We decided we did not want to wait an hour until 11PM to get into Pandora again. I took a few minutes to see if I could get lucky and score a second NRJ FP that I thought would allow us to get into Pandora right away. No luck. So we left AK around 10PM.

Finally, finally - while in the FOP FP line I met another DISer who I believe goes by @disneyfanforever . So that was fun.

I spoke to a cm tonight around 6:30 after I got off the ride and they said they had had some breakdowns in some of the theatres which made the FP line back up.

 

[rteetz]

I spoke to a cm tonight around 6:30 after I got off the ride and they said they had had some breakdowns in some of the theatres which made the FP line back up.

I figured that was the case. Amazing how yesterday the rides worked really well then today experienced issues.

 

[rastuso]

And the sad thing is, a Dinosaur is a poor knockoff of Indy, which is 20 years old. Disney got out of the bleeding edge ride business in the US about then.

Hopefully Star Wars changes that, but I don't know. Looks like it has at least one of those dreaded Universal screen rides.

 

[rteetz]

And the sad thing is, a Dinosaur is a poor knockoff of Indy, which is 20 years old. Disney got out of the bleeding edge ride business in the US about then.

Hopefully Star Wars changes that, but I don't know. Looks like it has at least one of those dreaded Universal screen rides.

What the heck is bleeding edge?