24 May 2017
Disney delivers 'the impossible' with debut of Avatar land at Animal Kingdom
BY Tom Anstey
Disney has celebrated the launch of its new Avatar land at Animal Kingdom with the operator marking the occasion by hosting a ‘Dedication of Pandora’ at the Orlando theme park.
Based on the world of the 2009 Avatar movie, the striking ‘Pandora – The World of Avatar’ covers roughly 12 acres (48,500sq m) and feature multiple rides and attractions, entertainment, audio-animatronics, 3-D holograms as well as retail, food and beverage outlets.
The Valley of Mo’ara is the US$500m (€446m, £386m) attraction’s backdrop, with its seemingly floating mountains and bioluminescent rainforests creating an iconic attraction for Animal Kingdom.
“At Disney we have a ‘how do they do that standard’,” said Disney chair Bob Iger speaking at the dedication. “We love to build things, to create things, and people look at these creations and say ‘how did they do that?’ I cannot give a better example of that then what we’re standing in front of right now.”
Avatar director James Cameron worked with Disney on the creation of Pandora at Animal Kingdom, with Iger saying that his vision helped to “deliver the impossible.”
“James Cameron could easily be a Disney Imagineer, I wish he would be a Disney Imagineer,” said Iger, speaking on the creative process for the park. “He does the impossible again, and again and again, merging wonderful storytelling with mind-blowing technology, creating experiences that no one has seen before. Avatar is a prime example of this.
“Working with James and his team was a dream come true for all of us as we pushed the limits of creativity and innovation to bring the digital world of Pandora to the real world of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”
The new attraction covers 12 acres (48,500sq m) and has two signature rides. The flying simulation – Avatar Flight of Passage – features 3-D projections and creature designs cut from the original film, while the family friendly Na’vi River Journey takes guests into a bioluminescent rainforest in search of the Na’vi Shaman of Songs.
“Thanks to this collaboration anyone can visit Pandora in all of its majesty,” said Cameron. “Animal Kingdom, a park based on a deep respect for nature, is the perfect place to connect Pandora to our world, helping both to inspire us to understand, and to respect the natural world and our place in it.”
Disney’s next major launch will be its first Star Wars Land, which opens at Hollywood Studios some time in 2019. Pandora – The World of Avatar opens to the public on 27 May.
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