Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), FlickrDisney World guests lost out at the Animal Kingdom theme park this week.
Since opening in 2017, Pandora – The World of Avatar has become one of the most popular areas at Walt Disney World. Inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar franchise, the immersive land transports guests to the moon of Pandora decades after the events of the original film, featuring floating mountains, glowing alien landscapes, unique dining, and two headline attractions: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
While Flight of Passage delivers a high-speed banshee flight simulator experience, Na’vi River Journey offers a much gentler adventure that appeals to guests of all ages.
A Peaceful Journey Through Pandora
Na’vi River Journey takes guests aboard a small boat that drifts through Pandora’s bioluminescent rainforest, where glowing plants, exotic wildlife, and the sounds of the moon create one of Walt Disney World’s most visually impressive dark ride experiences.
The attraction builds toward an encounter with the Na’vi Shaman of Songs, an extraordinarily lifelike Audio-Animatronic who uses music to celebrate Pandora’s connection to nature. The figure remains one of the most technologically advanced animatronics Disney has ever created and serves as the ride’s emotional finale.
Unlike its neighboring attraction, Na’vi River Journey has no height requirement, making it a popular choice for families with younger children and guests looking for a slower-paced experience.
Attraction Remains Closed on July 13
However, guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 13 found the attraction unavailable from the very start of the day. According to reports, Na’vi River Journey failed to open during Early Theme Park Entry at 7:30 a.m. and remained closed throughout regular operating hours. By the time Disney’s Animal Kingdom closed at 7:00 p.m., the attraction had never welcomed guests.
The extended downtime prompted warnings for guests planning to visit Pandora, with visitors encouraged to check the My Disney Experience app before making the walk to the back of the park.
An attraction closure of this length can have a noticeable impact on crowd distribution throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom. With one of Pandora’s two rides unavailable, many guests will seemingly shift toward Avatar Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and other major attractions, contributing to longer standby waits across the park.
Disney has not publicly announced the cause of the closure, and it remains unclear when Na’vi River Journey will resume normal operations. As always, attraction downtime can occur unexpectedly, and guests planning a visit are advised to monitor the My Disney Experience app for the latest operating status.
The loss of this attraction will cause increased disruption in an already-strained theme park. Animal Kingdom is deep into its redevelopment, with the former DinoLand U.S.A. area set to become the Tropical Americas-inspired Pueblo Esperanza by 2027. The new land will feature two signature attractions themed to the Encanto and Indiana Jones franchises, with Walt Disney Imagineering currently at work to bring the new experiences to future guests.
What is your favorite thing to do at the Animal Kingdom theme park? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
