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

[hiroMYhero]

Best things to do in Pandora?...

going in July.

You may have missed this Official Pandora thread so have Merged you.

The first posts have all the highlights and info regarding Pandora. Beyond that, everything is anecdotal. Don't hesitate to ask more specific questions, if you'd like.

 

[rastuso]

After having read pages of this thread this weekend as we were preparing to go yesterday, here are my thoughts. We came in from on site at Universal, so I rode both FoP and Forbidden journey in same day.

We are HUGE Harry Potter fans. We loved FJ when we first rode and were wowed. Yesterday, FoP blew everything I have ever ridden out of the water. It was the first time I have ever ridden a ride and been very sad that it was over. FoP is immersive, I only felt like I was on a ride when I turned my head because my daughter kept talking to me in excitement for what she saw. The screen wraps around the ride vehicles so well that you don't see edges. There is no distortion (except for the 3D glasses that I never can seem to see right through). The "motorcycle" part even gives you feedback that helps maintain that immersive experience. The sensory input outside of sight was fabulously done. Soarin and Star TOURs had a super powered super charged baby called FoP doesn't even come that close to covering it.

Now to FJ. My 10 year old daughter rode FJ for the first time Saturday. She was in awe. Sunday we did Pandora, she was in awe. Sunday afternoon we went back to FJ. She (and I) were underwhelmed. FJ you are in the ride vehicle, and I am aware of that at all times. I saw the edges of the screens in every transition from area to area. The flinging upside down and around sometimes felt as if it was done to be "thrilling" instead of necessary to the ride. We still liked it.

My family has also enjoyed Disney Quest and have ridden the Aladdin ride. FoP is so much better. It's been years since I did that one, but I remember that it was not something was impressed by.

Soarin is a flight simulator through scenic places. It does not have a CGI device drawing you to the center of the screen, or foliage acting like a frame to the screen, again to keep you focused on the center.

It's interesting how some people say it is all clear and you can't see the edges, while others say the edges are motion blurred most of the ride to keep you looking in the center, which obviously will make you think the edges aren't there.

Of course then the same people say you can clearly see the edges of Forbidden Journeys dome screens.

Biases are very biased.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Honestly, I don't care if this is bleeding edge or if draws in more fans like Star Wars. I loved it. I will ride it as often as I can. But I guess that haters just have to hate. It's what they do.

 

[mesaboy2]

There's one in LEGOLAND, CA. I just saw it.

seriously, come back after you've had a chance to experience it and tell us "where are the other" fully immersive rides like FoP? I'd love to go ride them too!

I'm assuming you mean Knights Tournament. Those KUKA arms are stationary and outside, not mounted to an Omnimover system, do not weave through practical sets, nor are they integrated with virtual screens that simulate flight. But otherwise, it's exactly like FJ.

I'll let this thread get back on track now, sorry for the diversion.

 

[cmarsh31]

Was anything announced about other AK attractions besides Pandora being open for evening EMH this coming weekend? I see they added an 11:45 pm showing of Rivers of Light this coming Friday and Saturday.

Yup - http://blog.touringplans.com/2017/0...ing-extra-magic-hours-disneys-animal-kingdom/

Looks like a few other things to do!

 

[Pawpsicle]

Good news! My Dad and I both tried the FoP test seat! I'm 6'4" and my Dad is 6'7". Our height is definitely more in our legs than our torso. It seemed like it was a tight fit for my Dad, but he said it was fine. A CM told me to make sure my Dad gets his legs all the way forward when we ride later. For me, I didn't feel tight at all. I actually didn't feel the leg restraints before a CM told me I was fine. I would classify us as more skinny than "pooh-sized."

Woohoo! Can I ask how much you had to bend your knees? I'm 5'10" with long legs, one of which doesn't bend much past 90, and I'm terrified it won't fit.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Woohoo! Can I ask how much you had to bend your knees? I'm 5'10" with long legs, one of which doesn't bend much past 90, and I'm terrified it won't fit.

I leaned forward, and I still had to bend my knee a little. I can't really say at an angle, but it was a smaller angle more than a bigger angle. I would still give it a try.

 

[rastuso]

It's the soarin ride platform revamped into rooms instead of chairs that swing up. Nothing special. Some kinks worked out like it's not as wide as soarin so the curve in the screen doesn't happen/distort. The seat, glasses and position helps take everyone except the screen out of view...

It's really the subject of the ride that is making this great. It's a cgi world but not done cheesy. It's going to appeal to people who want to hide in pandora, have a dragon to fly on, not be confined to a wheelchair, want to be in their video games or movies in general. It is fun and it's the first time there is a ride where everything comes together this well. I can't think of ride, including similars that is done that well. So people are going crazy and for disney it's raised the bar for a ride could be and I think that's the excitement...

Me personally, I'll ride it here and there when the line is reasonable or I'm with someone that wants to do it. That's how I ride soarin as well.

I think this may be the best review yet. And probably where Ill be. Full view flight simulating has been wowing audiences since IMAX started doing it decades ago. FoP simply takes out 70 percent of the seats, and adds a smooth motion base. That's why I can't get the WOW. You could theoretically create a touring motion base that could be placed over the normal seats in the center of a real IMAX theater, and create about a 90% FoP experience for probably about a million bucks.

 

[freediverdude]

I think FoP has been oversimplified in an attempt to give those who have not ridden an idea of what to expect with FoP. We can only say it resembles Soarin' and ST at the most basic motion simulator level and it has some 4D components like Soarin'. No, it is not a completely new concept as far as the type of ride, but comparing it to other "screen rides", especially those at Universal does a great injustice to FoP. I am not aware of any other simulator that has multiple movement "platforms" (the floor and the individual ride vehicles).

I understand the hesitation to trust the reviews so far as they may lack objectivity. However, saying it's not much of an improvement over Back to the Future goes way too far on the other side of the spectrum.

Bottom line: FoP required new technology, is a game-changer in the motion simulator realm, and it is the most intricate attraction developed by Disney...and it's not even close.



When was the update done? I was there November '16 and thought the screens were kind of crummy.

You'd be best served by rope dropping FoP. NRJ gets under a 2hr wait at times, but I don't see FoP dropping below 2 hours for a long time.



Enjoy the rest of the park . Normally I'd tell you to keep an eye on the wait times but it seems like FoP reaches a max and stays there the whole day. There may have been some fluctuation yesterday, but that's going by MDE. I gathered from yesterday's reports that most waited about 4 hours. NRJ seems to fluctuate a bit more as the hype isn't there. I would just make sure, if you want to see it at night, to get in there early before they close access to guests until EMH begin.

The update to FJ was around that time to early this year I think. Well Disney enthusiasts say everything is the most intricate Disney has ever done and a new game changer and so forth, that's usually just part of the Disney spin. You'll get over that someday. It's kind of similar to the Apple enthusiasts and their addiction, I know because I used to be both of those. But you get over it eventually and see the reality over the brainwashing.

 

[Cinderella94]

It is impossible to give a review of a ride you haven't ridden. I know it's not my place to say, as I'm not a moderator, but opinions on FOP vs other rides, some not even at Disney, are in my opinion clogging up this thread from Q&A of actual Pandora issues and making it more difficult to read.

 

[Lost Yeti]

What is th game changer element, in your opinion? An air bladder that fills up a few times in your seat that you may not even notice? Is FoP in 8k and I'm unaware of that(like it would matter)? How is something everyone says is somewhere BETWEEN Soarin and Star Tours be a game changer? Does not compute.

Yup, FoP has better video than Forbidden Journey. Universal really screwed up there, although to be fair, it was filmed right before 4K became a thing, and it would be difficult to update now without a time machine for the actors.

There is a LOT of hyperbole around how FoP is SOOOO much better than Soarin'. 100 times better. A game changer. Are you all keeping something secret? Are all the POVs editing out this part? Or is it simply not true?

You're right, "game changer" is a little strong. I'm having a hard time coming up with the right term, but "raised that bar" as @Accident mentioned is appropriate and as would "sets a new standard" regarding motion simulation and immersion.

However, that was probably the only hyperbole in my post. My comment on new tech and intricacy is not hyperbole - that is fact. Disney did not take Soarin' or ST and revamp the mechanics or just improve timing and add a fancier screen. This is new. Mobile platform on top of mobile platform is pretty cool.

As others have said, you'll just have to try it. You'll never get the "WOW" by looking at POV videos and reading text for a "4D" motion simulator.

 

[rastuso]

The update to FJ was around that time to early this year I think. Well Disney enthusiasts say everything is the most intricate Disney has ever done and a new game changer and so forth, that's usually just part of the Disney spin. You'll get over that someday. It's kind of similar to the Apple enthusiasts and their addiction, I know because I used to be both of those. But you get over it eventually and see the reality over the brainwashing.

Do you include the "Coke is amazing, Pepsi is too sweet, and you are a horrible person for liking it" crowd in that too?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Is this right or is MDE not updating??

 

[rastuso]

View attachment 240629

Is this right or is MDE not updating??

Wow!

 

[CounselorX]

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).

This might be a dumb question, but are they actually playing the drums? There's a few times they hit the drums and there is no audible sound as a result, which makes me wonder if they're just syncing their movements to a recorded song.

 

[Lost Yeti]

Just a heads up my daughter has been at ak.. It's been a couple hours but around 11:30 she walked right in, right into the store and exchanged something. She's been walking on rides around AK. I suspect the crowds sat and sunday have most stay away today and she's been loving ak..

That's really good to hear. Heading that way later this week and hoping things will have died down a little bit. Would love to get multiple EE rides in.

 

[SueM in MN]

Woohoo! Can I ask how much you had to bend your knees? I'm 5'10" with long legs, one of which doesn't bend much past 90, and I'm terrified it won't fit.

somewhere earlier in this thread someone posted they saw a young woman using a wheelchair who tried the test seat. The poster indicated she was not able to be her leg even to 90 and still was able to fit.
I don't remember it saying how tall she was.
It's definitely worth a try.

 

[yulilin3]

somewhere earlier in this thread someone posted they saw a young woman using a wheelchair who tried the test seat. The poster indicated she was not able to be her leg even to 90 and still was able to fit.
I don't remember it saying how tall she was.
It's definitely worth a try.

that was me, I saw that. The girl was not very tall though, probably 5'

 

[Lost Yeti]

View attachment 240629

Is this right or is MDE not updating??

Just saw a picture on twitter from the start of the queue stating 85mins for FoP. I'd take advantage of it if you're there!

 

[Pawpsicle]

somewhere earlier in this thread someone posted they saw a young woman using a wheelchair who tried the test seat. The poster indicated she was not able to be her leg even to 90 and still was able to fit.
I don't remember it saying how tall she was.
It's definitely worth a try.

that was me, I saw that. The girl was not very tall though, probably 5'

Thanks - will definitely give it a shot. I'll be hitting the exercise bike hard over the next few weeks to try and improve my bend before we get there!