Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman, Bob Chapek, just gave an update on Pandora – The World of Avatar to the audience of Disney fans at D23’s Destination D event this weekend at Walt Disney World.
We now know the new expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is set to open in Summer 2017.
Details have been revealed about the land’s two main attractions, Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage.
This land will transport guests to a visually stunning world complete with floating mountains and bioluminescent plants. Here, guests will be able to experience two excursions that will truly push adventure to the next level. First, the family friendly Na’vi River Journey will send guests down a sacred river hidden within a bioluminescent rainforest. Their journey will end in an unforgettable encounter with a Na’vi Shaman, a figure who has a deep connection to the life force of Pandora. And second, the Avatar Flight of Passage excursion will offer the jaw-dropping experience of riding on a Banshee over the world of Pandora.
We also have just been told that the scaffolding has just been removed from the entry bridge into the new land, officially connecting the land with the rest of the park.
The Disney Parks Blog gives some more insight into the story. The storyline behind the new land explains that:
“This bridge was built during a time when a destructive company called the RDA came to Pandora. Now that they’re long gone, nature is breaking down evidence of their presence. This bridge will soon serve as an entry into the base camp of Alpha Centauri Expeditions, the eco-tour group that is preparing Pandora for future explorers and adventure seekers.”
The story of the bridge is only one part of a story that reflects the original mission of Disney’s Animal Kingdom–that of being a park that honors animals and natural environments “real, ancient and imagined.”
As already mentioned, the entire Pandora – The World of Avatar land is set to open in 2017.
Keep your eye on the Inside the Magic in the coming weeks for more updates on this amazing expansion.