Visiting Pandora World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom

Pandora at Animal Kingdom is a beautiful land on Avatar, 4.4 light-years away. From army-like bases to natural cuisine and the whole feeling of being connected to the planet, this bioluminescent land at Walt Disney World comes even more alive at night. And during the season, Animal Kingdom often stays open late enough that you can get a glimpse of this magical world against the darkness of the evening. If you’re ready to explore this amazing land at Animal Kingdom, here’s everything you need to know about Pandora!

Ok. We get it if you haven’t seen Avatar. We actually didn’t even watch the film until after we got home from Animal Kingdom. And frankly, you probably don’t have to watch it at all, if it doesn’t strike your fancy. It’s true that Disney does have like 4 more new Avatar films lined up before 2031, but we probably won’t be standing in any lines to see them. It’s not that we don’t love James Cameron alongside the rest of the planet, but really, you just have to be in the right mood. What we loved about Pandora is that it’s a completely different world than our own,  on a moon 4.4 light-years away, and this new land actually feels like it. 

How big is Pandora World of Avatar?

Stretching across 12 acres, much of Pandora at Animal Kingdom is taken over by greenery and trails. And of course, there are ample spaces used for rides, restaurants, trails, and more. Covered in bioluminescent spaces, Pandora has winding pathways on multiple levels, to help disperse crowds. But, it also has small pathways that allow you to take in the spaces. A pathway over the bridge, curved pathways to see special plants, and the drum circle and more cover the grounds beneath the Floating Mountains of Pandora. 

Where is Pandora in Walt Disney World?

First things first. Pandora World of Avatar is in Animal Kingdom. To get to Pandora in Animal Kingdom, you walk through the Oasis, towards the Tree of Life on Discovery Island. Once there, take the path to your left. You will see a walkway to the left, just before you get to Pizzafari. That is the path to Pandora World of Avatar. As you’re walking down this path you will see Tiffins and  Nomad Lounge to the right. 

Pandora is small. If you feel like you haven’t seen everything, honestly, you probably have. The area takes just a couple of hours to explore, though your ride wait times will extend that if you’re counting queue times.

Does Pandora World of Avatar Have Rides?

Yes! Pandora has two rides. Know that they are both still very popular and tend to have long waits. While the Na’vi river boat ride is typically a shorter wait, during busy times it can get over 60 minute wait time.  The simulated ride- Flight of Passage can sometimes have more than 120 minute wait. 

What’s in Pandora Animal Kingdom?

The charm of Pandora is all about the natural environment, the food, perfectly themed, the nighttime experience, and the rides. The Walt Disney World Imagineers absolutely outdid themselves with this land. Here’s a quick and dirty checklist of what your day in the Pandora World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom includes. We’ll get into all of these things in this post. 

• Valley of Moara: sights and sounds of the natural world with bioluminescence for the evening ours
• The Drum Circle: This drum space is part of an interactive experience and a show that happens throughout the day where you learn the way the Na’vi people connect with their planet. Lots of deep sounds, chants, and rhythm are part of this experience. 
• The Na’vi River Journey: This Pandora boat ride usually has low waits and offers a cool respite from the hot Florida sun. 
• Flight of Passage. This Pandora ride in Animal Kingdom usually sees a very long wait, as 120 minutes is a regular wait time. 
• Pongu Pongu Lounge: This little quick-serve counter has Pongu Lumpia and Night Blossoms.
• Satu’li Canteen: By far one of the best restaurants in Animal Kingdom, you can grab lunch and dinner here. 

Pandora Valley of Mo’ara

The Pandora World of Avatar Valley of Mo’ara. This place is sooooo Relaxing!!! Ok, Ok. we’ll admit we were there during a Passholder Preview so we weren’t battling crowds, but even up against crowds, you should still notice the peacefulness. In fact, you almost want to be a little quieter when you enter Pandora. The sounds of waterfalls run in the background, the sun peeks through the floating mountains, the plants are lush and colorful, and there are plenty of places to lounge. There’s a moss wall with a bench, a large outdoor eating area at Satuli Canteen, rocks to sit on near the waterfalls, and tree-lined paths that offer shade. And it truly does feel like a completely different world. 

Na’vi River Journey

The Na’vi River Journey is the Pandora boat ride that brings you through an underground calming cave-like experience on the boat. Na’vi River Journey is very beautiful, slow-moving, and relaxing, but it’s only about 5 minutes long. In general, we don’t wait for more than 45 minutes for this ride. It’s usually lower times in the mornings and evenings. So if you time it right, you should be able to grab a better wait time for Na’vi River Journey.

You will have this song from the ride stuck in your head all day. At the end of this ride, you realize the music has been coming from the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. The ride itself is tranquil and calm and a perfect retreat from the hot Florida sun. The purpose of this ride, like all of Pandora, is to remind you how we are all connected to the earth. This message mirrors Walt Disney’s own strong beliefs on conservation and supports his vision for Animal Kingdom.

Flight of Passage

Flight of Passage is the other ride in Pandora. And highly sought after! This simulated ride takes on you a journey on the “back of banshee”. It’s truly one of the most amazing ride experiences. As a result, Flight of Passage regularly sees 2 hour wait times. The wait queue for Flight of Passage is amazing, however, so if it’s a hot day and you have time feel free to wait in line! You can snag a Lightning Lane Pass for Flight of Passage if you access the My Disney Experience App early enough to book one! Lightning Lane Passes open up at 7 am, and many are “sold out” by noon. 

The Wait Queue for Flight of Passage

The wait queue for Flight of Passage is pretty cool.  We were definitely those people stopping every 15 seconds to take a picture of something. As the ride is an inside ride you get a glimpse of a bioluminescent land. A walk-through of the Pandora conservation “lab” where they keep a life-size avatar. And a debriefing on how the ride will connect to your body as an Avatar is assigned to you.

Pandora World of Avatar Flight of Passage Ride

The  Pandora Animal Kingdom ride that is best known is Flight of Passage. This is essentially a virtual reality ride where you sit on a stationary bike-like chair and dive into the land of Pandora on the back of a Banshee. The Flight of Passage is supposed to be a rite of passage between you and your banshee. So as you sit in the bike chair there are little pulses that come from your banshee/ avatar body. Sounds weird but so cool. And really we can’t explain how magical the whole thing feels. It’s like a very strong hug that holds you while you fly through the most amazing digital world. If you’ve been on Soarin’ you’ll know there are breezes, splashes of water, and wonderful smells. You will find those same elements on this ride as well. Ya gotta get there and try it out. It’s sooooo amazing. 

How Long is the Line at Flight of Passage?

Very long. Typically between 90- 120 minutes. So we always recommend a Disney ride strategy. As in getting to the gate early, waiting with everyone else, and then walking very fast to the ride queue. On our last trip, we were at the gate at the opening, and the wait was still about 45 minutes, behind all the other guests who were also rope-dropping.  Other ride strategies are to wait until 12-2 pm hours when other guests are eating lunch or park hopping to their next park. Or grabbing a Lightning Lane Pass.

Rides at Pandora at Night

While the rides at Pandora, World of Avatar don’t change in the evening, it may be your best bet at shorter lines. Na’vi River Journey is a very short boat ride. Amazing, yes, but it kills us to stand in line for 1.5 hours for a 2-minute ride. This ride naturally has shorter lines in the evening. The same goes for Flight of Passage. While we love this queue, you can grab a Lightning Lane Pass in the My Disney Experience app if you’re willing to pay to skip the line.  Flight of Passage really is the most amazing ride. So if you can’t grab it sometime during the day, make it a priority to head to Pandora at Night. The line usually drops quite low right before closing. This is especially true for times when the Park is open longer. Like during the summer. 

The Pandora World of Avatar Drum Circle

While you can go beat on the drums hidden in the rock formations of the Drum Circle, it’s easier to enjoy when the drums actually ” turn on”. We sort of accidentally discovered this while taking pictures. And then watched as everyone went crazy running over to see how loud they could make the drums sound.

Pandora World of Avatar at Night Glows in the Dark

Look Down. The concrete-covered ground is laced with glow-in-the-dark elements, apparently, these are at their strongest around midnight so be there on a day when there are Extra Magic Hours. The plants glow, the floating mountains glow. Purples, Blues, and Fluorescent lights cover everything. If you want to get a glimpse of this in the daytime there’s an area inside the Flight of Passage that is part of the bioluminescent world.

Listen. At night especially, not only are things glowing but you can hear “animals” push aside plants to get through. Apparently, the plants actually interact with the unseen wildlife.

Animal Kingdom often closes early. This is most common in the winter months, with summer months often seeing slightly extended hours. So depending on when you are going to Animal Kingdom, you may or may not really be able to full see Pandora at night in Animal Kingdom. Which is a shame because we think this is when it’s at its best! Here are all the ways Pandora is different at night. 

How is Pandora, World of Avatar Different at Night?

During the daytime hours, you can see the floating mountains, the gorgeous scenery, and grab pics in front of the moss wall. BUT, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen this place lit up at night. Yes! It actually glows. Just like in the movie Avatar, a dull calm sweeps around this land as soon as night falls. With the hum of night creatures and waterfalls in the background, a soft blue glow weaves through everything from the ground up. 

The Sounds of Pandora

The “natural’ sounds of Pandora were great during the daytime. You could hear little animals in the landscaping and natural greenery. The waterfalls rushed through the background and the sounds of drums in the distance. At night the drum sounds intensify to mimic the heartbeat of the planet. Sounds of different creatures emerge in the landscape and the healers of the drum circle offer a nightly show. Gather around the drum circle near the small bridge to get the best views and feel the heartbeat of the music. 

The Sights of Pandora

What really brings the land alive at night is that everything glows in bio-luminescence. With plants that light up, lights behind waterfalls, and light coming up through the threads in the ground, the place almost doesn’t even need artificial lighting. 

Where Can you Eat in Pandora?

Pandora has two places you get food. The Pongu Pongu counter is a small, walk-up quick-service dining location. And the Satu’li Canteen, themed to a mess hall is where you can find lunch and dinner in Pandora; one of the best restaurants in Animal Kingdom park. 

Pongu Pongu

They have Pongu Lumpia which is one of our favorite snacks at Animal Kingdom. This Disney snack is basically pineapple and cream cheese wrapped in pastry, like an egg roll. It’s light and delicious. Pongu Pongu also has Night Blossoms, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. If you’ve been to the Flower and Garden Festival and tried the Violet Lemonade, it’s basically the same thing. A little sour, a little sweet, and in Pandora, they put boba on it. If you don’t love boba balls (tapioca balls) just ask for it without them. 

Satu’li Canteen

The main restaurant in Pandora with indoor and outdoor seating is Satu’li Canteen. If you’re looking for a healthy meal, you can find power bowls, salads, and Paleo and Vegetarian-friendly options. You can customize your power bowl to your liking and we truly think this is one of the best lunches in Animal Kingdom. And we love that it’s different than anything else you’ll find at a quick service restaurant in the Disney parks.

Food in Pandora Animal Kingdom includes some of our favorites, including one of the Best quick-service restaurants in Animal Kingdom. Satu’li Canteen offers out-of-this-world food. What we loved most about this food is its “bowl” food. So a nice combo of greens and cabbage and just freshness all around. We got the chimichurri sauce as an add-on, and it was awesome. G got the cheeseburger pods, which were interesting to say the least. Don’t be fooled; the pod is actually made up of bread dough, so it will still taste like a bun. There are vegetarian and gluten-free options here too. Check out the full menu for Satu’li Canteen. 

What’s the Best Time to Visit Pandora in Animal Kingdom?

Unless you’re rope-dropping Flight of Passage, we recommend you visit Pandora at night. Though Animal Kingdom isn’t always open later, on evenings in the summer, you can take advantage of later hours. We cannot recommend this enough. Heck, even if you do rope drop Flight of Passage, this area of the park still gets rather crowded in the afternoons, so go back in the evening. Not only is everything beautifully lit up, but the entire atmosphere is completely different. Even if you just stop by for a few minutes, it’s worth the trip. Watch the drum circle. This may not be your cup of tea, but it is a fun addition to the entertainment there. Stay for a minute or stay for the whole show. You can also head to the many areas across Pandora World of Avatar that have light displays. You can even find these on the ground and snap a picture. 

Does Pandora have special Merchandise?

You bet! If you want to spring for the cost of adopting a banshee, you can head over to Wind Traders to get a banshee of your very own. Wind Traders is the gift shop you’ll go into after exiting Flight of Passage. And people go crazy over the little interactive banshees that sit on your shoulder. These souvenirs get really pricey but if you’re an Avatar fan, it’s an absolute must-have.

What are the Best Photo Ops in Pandora Animal Kingdom?

Pandora is so beautiful that of course there are tons of photo ops. We love the Moss Wall, pictures in front of the Floating Mountains, and beautiful waterfalls. You can also find any cute place for a family photo as there are PhotoPass photographers everywhere in Pandora. They too can help guide you to the most popular spots for photos. Don’t have a photo pass? They’re happy to take a pic for you with your phone or camera.

Moss Wall

You’ll find this one because even the Photo Guy knows it’s a cool spot. It’s green and pink moss on a wall across from the Large robot standing outside Pongu Pongu. This has made our Disney Walls of Instagram list, and we’ll surely find a few more next time we visit.

The Photo Ops in Pandora at Night

One of the coolest photo ops can be had at a small cave space to the right of the drum circle area. This space is covered in blue veins that run across the ground. Even if you just go to grab the cool Black Light Pictures, its worth it:)

Pandora supports Animal Kingdom’s Conservation Mission

If you have a Facebook account you can go on a conservation mission in the app. When you walk into Pandora, a message will pop up from your Disney app asking if you’d like to go on a mission. You have to have Facebook messenger enabled to play. This is not really as much of a “game” as it is a series of questions. But, if you complete a mission, $10 will be donated to the Disney Conservation Fund and the missions take about 5 minutes to complete.

The Future of Pandora

While die-hard Walt Disney World folks have said this new land won’t last, we don’t know that we can agree. There must be some momentum here fueling those new Avatar movies on the way. And the rides alone will make you want to connect with the planet more and more. The Conservation efforts here for the environment also have some strong activism behind it. So, chances are Pandora is here to stay. Whatever happens, we can’t recommend this place enough. Do whatever you gotta do to get there. 

Everything you Need to Know about Pandora Animal Kingdom

Our number one piece of advice would be to talk to the cast members. There are so many details happening in this land, that you really don’t want to miss it! And they can give you so much cool insider info that you won’t find too many other places. Take your time. While you could finish here in a couple of hours, don’t feel like you need to. Take your time, the beauty in Pandora is really in the details. And if you do happen to be stuck in a 2-hour queue, put your phone down and notice all the little things that the Walt Disney World Imagineers have created for you.