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

[missangelalexis]

How long a trip?

A week but our AK day is at the beginning of the trip. Cannot rearrange the schedule at this point.

 

[MyHappyPlace17]

They can still update and change hours.

For the end of October for PM emh:
24th: Epcot 9-11pm
25th: MK 9-11pm
29th: Epcot 9-11pm
30th: MK 9-11pm

Unfortunately, our 3 main Disney days have none scheduled. But I'm not so much concerned about EMH's specifically (although they are a nice perk). I'm just hoping to enjoy AK at night, whether it be a later closing time or EMH, I don't really care. With HS closing at 8pm, AK closing at 7 and most nights at MK closing at 7 due to Halloween parties, the opportunity to spend any significant time enjoying evenings in the parks is limited. Right now I'd just be happy to see AK's hours extended to at least 8p.

Today was our FP booking today. Staying onsite, so was able to book days 60 +5. We got FP for FOP on day 63 for a party of 7. There were more times available for the evening. The only other day I checked was day 65, which had FP starting at 2pm.

I'm so glad you posted this! After seeing the pp about not being able to get FOP at 60 days I was a little concerned.

 

[kimberwee]

Today was our FP booking today. Staying onsite, so was able to book days 60 +5. We got FP for FOP on day 63 for a party of 7. There were more times available for the evening. The only other day I checked was day 65, which had FP starting at 2pm.

You have given me a glimmer of hope! Our window opens Friday...keeping fingers crossed as we are also a party of 7 and the thought of trying to get FOP has me anxious.

 

[TulipMom]

I'm so glad you posted this! After seeing the pp about not being able to get FOP at 60 days I was a little concerned.

You have given me a glimmer of hope! Our window opens Friday...keeping fingers crossed as we are also a party of 7 and the thought of trying to get FOP has me anxious.

So glad I could be a beacon of hope today. He, he!

Seriously, though, I was convinced we wouldn't get FOP FP for our AK day and had been mentally preparing myself that we'd need to pop back over to AK just to ride this ride on our 6th day when we are moving hotels and have MNSSHP, etc. I was over the moon to find FOP FP so easily on our 4th day! (For clarity - by 4th day, I'm counting arrival day as Day 1. So our 3rd full disney day.)

I was logged in and ready to go and watching the clock. Logged into FP+ right at the strike of 7am and went straight through the prompts. Literally screamed to my husband when I saw it pop up. I've even went back to look at it several times while I was booking other days' FP, because I wanted to make sure I was seeing clearly. Hahaha!

Good luck!!

 

[johnnydakota]

Back from our trip (sadness) and just wanted to mention how awesome Flight of Passage is. I'm one of those people who always hears hype about things and then when I experience them I am let down but FoP is awesome.

Booked FPs at our 60 day window and then got lucky and managed to get more that day on the app. The line got to the bridge before the park had even been open an hour that day (August 15) and NRJ went down as we were in standby. Unfortunately, the animatronic was down so they just had the screen up. So disappointed.

The Night Blossom drink at Pongu Pongu is really good (unless slightly sour things bother you)- I got two of them.

 

[akayf]

Has anyone gotten on FOP line at closing recently? We are here now and despite trying at 60 days even though our AK day was on day 4, we did not get FP. I've been checking but no success.

I haven't been looking at wait times since we simply plan on getting there at 7:15 to rope drop it. However, since we successfully rode mine train the past 2 nights at close, I was wondering if we should just try that tonight. I don't expect as much success as we had yesterday(got in on the mine train line a little after 9:30 and jumped back on for 2nd ride just as they were closing the line) but we're thinking about it.

We are doing HS today and then were going to head to MK for EMH. But I'm wondering if we should change our plans.

 

[simnia]

Unfortunately for us, for our upcoming trip (we are really here for HHN) AK is our 1st (and only) day.

Sadly, Rope Drop isn't an option (we fly in that morning so already behind the 8 ball) and securing a FP for FoP isn't looking good. I will, of course, keep checking and checking but I've already warned DH that we may be hanging out in line for a bit.

 

[MightyKwinn]

Has anyone gotten on FOP line at closing recently? We are here now and despite trying at 60 days even though our AK day was on day 4, we did not get FP. I've been checking but no success.

I haven't been looking at wait times since we simply plan on getting there at 7:15 to rope drop it. However, since we successfully rode mine train the past 2 nights at close, I was wondering if we should just try that tonight. I don't expect as much success as we had yesterday(got in on the mine train line a little after 9:30 and jumped back on for 2nd ride just as they were closing the line) but we're thinking about it.

We are doing HS today and then were going to head to MK for EMH. But I'm wondering if we should change our plans.

Hi, akayf! Did you end up trying FoP at park close? How did it go? We have a short trip in mid-October and haven't been able to get a FP so far. Getting in line for FoP close to 7:30pm (park close) is the current plan of action.

 

[threeboysmom]

Ugh. My 60-day window opened this morning and was ready to go right at 7 a.m. Started looking for FoP from the end of my trip coming forward, but no luck for any of my days. I'm so bummed.

Any tips for experiencing this ride without having to wait hours in line? Any time/day better than others?

 

[mtemm]

Ugh. My 60-day window opened this morning and was ready to go right at 7 a.m. Started looking for FoP from the end of my trip coming forward, but no luck for any of my days. I'm so bummed.

Any tips for experiencing this ride without having to wait hours in line? Any time/day better than others?

If you can rope drop and get there early enough to be toward the front of the pack you will be fine! Totally worth doing it. Yes technically you will still be waiting for the tapstiles to open and then again for rope drop, but it's not waiting around while the park is open and lines are building. For me that makes a huge difference, although many others feel waiting is waiting regardless.

 

[threeboysmom]

I've often wondered the different point of views. I've seen people write things like "I got to the turnstile at 7:00 a.m. and walked right on to FoP when park opened." Um didn't you just wait in line for 2 hours? Isn't that the same thing as getting into line at 10:00 a.m. and not getting to the front of the line until noon?

Unless lines get longer as day goes on? Although I just read something (maybe Touring Plans) that says the lines for FoP actually start to dwindle in the afternoon... not sure if that's true though.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've often wondered the different point of views. I've seen people write things like "I got to the turnstile at 7:00 a.m. and walked right on to FoP when park opened." Um didn't you just wait in line for 2 hours? Isn't that the same thing as getting into line at 10:00 a.m. and not getting to the front of the line until noon?

Unless lines get longer as day goes on? Although I just read something (maybe Touring Plans) that says the lines for FoP actually start to dwindle in the afternoon... not sure if that's true though.

But if you wait your 2 hours before the park opens, you still have the entire day left in the park. You haven't used valuable park time in a huge line.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've often wondered the different point of views. I've seen people write things like "I got to the turnstile at 7:00 a.m. and walked right on to FoP when park opened." Um didn't you just wait in line for 2 hours? Isn't that the same thing as getting into line at 10:00 a.m. and not getting to the front of the line until noon?

Unless lines get longer as day goes on? Although I just read something (maybe Touring Plans) that says the lines for FoP actually start to dwindle in the afternoon... not sure if that's true though.

Truth yes people wait in line but it does depend on your priorities and how you feel about your park ticket. Some people I can understand have no desire (or it's really hard with their traveling party) to get up at the crack of dawn just to stand in line and are fine waiting in line during actual park hours. And others are willing to wait a while prior to park time and use their actual park hours for other things.

Also consider park hopping. I really don't want to be using up most of my half day (there will be two of those so 1 full day total at AK) waiting in line JUST for FOP. We have a FP for last WDW park day but would like to see the queue thus that means standing in line.

So really it's all an individual type thing on what you want to do.

 

[mtemm]

I've often wondered the different point of views. I've seen people write things like "I got to the turnstile at 7:00 a.m. and walked right on to FoP when park opened." Um didn't you just wait in line for 2 hours? Isn't that the same thing as getting into line at 10:00 a.m. and not getting to the front of the line until noon?

Unless lines get longer as day goes on? Although I just read something (maybe Touring Plans) that says the lines for FoP actually start to dwindle in the afternoon... not sure if that's true though.

Yep it all depends on your viewpoint. We were able to get a fp for FOP so we rope dropped Na'vi, getting there early enough that we were fairly close to the front of rope drop. Then we pretty much walked on every other ride we did that morning. For us it was worth the early rise, but then we usually are up early. Dh made the point that if we weren't wanting to arrive till 9, he would have skipped FOP and done everything else we wanted then end the day waiting in the FOP line. It would have been a hotter wait but probably a similar length. Maybe a bit more...we got to AK at around 7:45 and we're off Na'vi by 8:50, would have probably been off FOP by 9:15 had we gone that route.

There are options, just decide what works best for your family. I do recommend riding someway somehow though, it's fantastic!

 

[Tonyz]

Hey guys! I've been reading different articles and compiling hidden "secrets" and details found throughout Pandora. Some of them seem really cool! I thought you guys might enjoy reading up on them and then looking for them when you're there!

1. The Valley of Mo’ara’s “floating” mountains aren’t exactly floating, but there’s a backstory for that. These mountains were floating but have crash landed onto the ground where they now rest. You can see the water stains from the waterfalls are actually askew, showing what orientation the mountains used to be in before they fell.

2. How do humans breathe on Pandora? As guests enter the land they encounter a large plant known as the Flaska Reclinata (or Baja Tickler). The plant is interactive and responds to guests touching it. The plant is one of many that helps detoxify the atmosphere, helping humans breathe in the otherwise poisonous air. Smack the glowing insides of the massive plant pod, set up by the Na’vi, and it spews steam and water.

3. Pandora is filled with lots of real waterfalls, but there are also two fake ones located near the very top of the very back of the land, on the facade for Flight of Passage. They fall slower than real water of that size to make them appear farther away and bigger, selling the idea of forced perspective.

4. You can find some squirting aquatic creatures in a lagoon opposite Flight of Passage. The aquatic creatures skate around on the surface of the water and if you come close they may feel threatened and spray you. And right behind those squirting creatures, if you look close enough, are some giant bugs.

5. In front of the Na’vi River Journey, just to the right of the main ride entrance, are a collection of large footprints embedded in the ground. These are full grown Na’vi footprints.

6. There’s a downed helicopter across a stream near the queue of the Na’vi River Journey (thanks rteetz!), covered in so much moss and vines you may miss it. This is a relic from the battle between the Na’vi and humans now rotting away and reclaimed by nature.

7. There are blue feather plants called puffball trees, and they get larger by absorbing toxins from their environment. They will burst once they are filled.

8. Listen to the background sounds: Hear an animal call out on your left and then hear an animal respond on your right. When the sun sets, the wildlife really gets loud.

9. There are 20-foot-tall woven totems throughout the land to represent different clans of the Na’vi.

10. As you’re exiting Flight of Passage, in the corridor on the lowest level, you may see three handprints in red paint. These are the handprints and initials of James Cameron, the director of the Avatar film, Jon Landau, producer of Avatar, and Joe Rohde, lead Imagineer for Pandora and all of Animal Kingdom.

A few for Satu'li Canteen and Pongu Pongu:

1. A tribal overlay has been given to what appears to be an abandoned, military mess hall, home to Satu’li Canteen, furthering the story of Pandora through setting. There are textiles of an alien tribal nation hanging from beams and standing in corners.

2. Shelves in the Canteen are filled with Na’vi cookware and utensils. Ten-foot “pillars” stand throughout the restaurant, some with rounded tops, others with more ornate prongs. These are Na’vi tools used for grinding berries and other food items in bowls.

3. Pongu Pongu (which means Party Party in Na’vi) is decorated with old military parts that have been turned into art. New signs are remade out of old signs that were once used by the military. See animals made from old metal parts. Gears and knives turned into colorful decoration.

4. At Pongu Pongu you will see a bunch of RDA Identification tags hanging up, and if you look closely you may even see one for Imagineer Joe Rhode.

 

[bluecastle]

October AK closing time updated to 8 pm! (not sure if anyone posted that here yet)

 

[tomlinson]

October AK closing time updated to 8 pm! (not sure if anyone posted that here yet)

That is such great news. Thanks for the update!

 

[threeboysmom]

But if you wait your 2 hours before the park opens, you still have the entire day left in the park. You haven't used valuable park time in a huge line.

Oooooooh NOW I get it! Duh!

 

[threeboysmom]

Since Oct hours expanded to 8, additional fast passes came available this morning. I saw availability every night of my Oct trip! Go!!

 

[WDWRook]

Got FOP FPs. I assume rope dropping NRJ is pretty painless and quit and we can arrive a bit closer to just before opening versus having to get there an hour before opening for those rope dropping FOP?