Do we need to watch Avatar....

[MJ6987]

....before we experience Pandora in 60 or so days time?

I’d rather not as from what I’ve heard it’s not very good but if it will enhance the experience I’m willing to try and sit through it.

Thanks

 

[Cece_Kay]

I did not watch Avatar prior to riding FoP and still enjoyed it. Navi River I was kind of confused but that did not take away from my ride experience. Don't think I would have found it anymore amusing had I seen the movie. My Mom on the other hand, did watch and just had a better appreciation for the land and understood the Navi River theming better. It's really you call. I don't think not seeing it will take away from your experience but seeing it might enhance it.

 

[Hopefully]

No Absolutely not necessary. You can enjoy the attractions if you have not seen the movie
That said, I had no desire to see the movie. I had seen clips and I just wasn't interested. But I watched, enjoyed it, and understood the land a bit move

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

I don’t think it’s neccessary to watch the movie to enjoy Pandora.

But, I do believe it will enhance the land/attractions if you can put things you’re seeing in context and really appreciate what the Imagineers have created.

 

[WEDWDW]

I don’t think it’s neccessary to watch the movie to enjoy Pandora.

But, I do believe it will enhance the land/attractions if you can put things you’re seeing in context and really appreciate what the Imagineers have created.

Agree-ANYTHING at WDW will enhanced by having seen the Movie or by knowing the backstory,but everything can still be enjoyed at some level.

For example,IllumiNations can be "enhanced" by knowing the backstory,but most Guests enjoy it just fine without knowing ANY of the backstory!lol

 

[AngiTN]

Honestly, I have a different suggestion. Watch AFTER your trip. It will make you appreciate the attention to detail that they put in to every nook and cranny in the land. You don't even really have to so much like to movie, or watch the whole thing if you don't want to. Just catch bits and pieces. Especially any of the Navi scenes. There is one where the human Jake Sully, when he's in his Avatar form, first joins with a Banshee (there's a whole ceremony involved where they choose each other) and it's so similar to Flight of Passage it's amazing. I didn't notice it all that much until I watched the movie after I'd gone to Pandora and ridden FoP several times.

 

[annemce118]

I did watch the movie before I went and it helped.

 

[slpeters]

Definitely not. It may be because I wasn't a huge fan but I honestly don't feel like having seen the movie even really helped me enjoy it more at WDW. I still thought the land at AK was amazing!

 

[gharter]

You don't have to watch the movie before to appreciate the detail in the land. For FoP, the pre-show sets it up well so it makes sense. Navi doesn't really have a pre-show or setup to it, so could be confusing.
Watching the movie before enhances the experience as it feels like you are in Pandora from the movie. It adds to it, but isn't a must.
Similar to the Harry Potter area. You can appreciate it without ever reading the books or seeing the movies. But having done that ahead of time enhances the experience.

 

[Mome Rath]

I'm a big fan of the movie and of the land. My honest opinion is that it will enhance Na'vi River Journey, but FoP needs no enhancement to enjoy it. Being a huge fan of the movie has made me absolutely fall in love with FoP. If you hate Sci-Fi I can see why you wouldn't want to watch it, but if you like Sci-Fi or are neutral toward it, I'd recommend it.

 

[FCDub]

What do you have to lose? If you don’t like, it you can turn it off.

 

[loves to dive]

No, I did not watch it before I went the first time. In all fairness though, I was with my son who had seen it and he did explain some of the stuff to me while were waiting in line but it wouldn't have mattered had he not done so. I have watched it since and while it did help to explain a little more, it really wasn't necessary.

 

[g-dad66]

I did watch the movie before I went and it helped.

Same here. I think it enhanced the experience to have some familiarity with the setting.

 

[SaintsManiac]

No

I've never seen it and I love Pandora very much. It surprised me, honestly.

 

[disneysteve]

You don't need to watch the movie. You can enjoy Pandora just fine without having seen it. The movie isn't very good. You also don't mention if you have kids but keep in mind that the movie is not kid-appropriate.

I did not watch Avatar prior to riding FoP and still enjoyed it. Navi River I was kind of confused

We've seen the movie and we were confused too. The ride really makes no sense. I think Disney blew the budget on FOP, which is great and a must-do, and had nothing left for Na'vi. That ride is a one-and-done to most people. I might ride it again if it was a walk on but I wouldn't wait in line or waste a FastPass on it.

So no, don't bother with the movie if you don't care to see it.

 

[HopperFan]

No.

I never saw it (I tried but only got a short way in ...).

DS saw it in theaters; thought at the time the color and visual was beautiful but the story more Fern Gully.

We went to AP Preview together.

We both loved FoP - it was fun and beautiful but could have been any fantasy forest / land.

We both felt a bit lost in Navi'. While visually beautiful there it really made little sense if you wanted a story, even DS who knew the movie felt they had dropped the ball. He said a narrator in a speaker in the boat would have helped. It's a ride with GREAT detail to take in an enjoy, and leave it at that.

My understanding that the land is in a different time from the movie and there are no Navi' there so it's new even to those who saw the movie. I think Cameron is still picking out cameras for his next shoot so not holding my breath for the next one to help any either.

 

[ShadeDK]

Luckily, they've designed FoP to have 150+ standby wait times so the curious guest can just watch the movie in its entirety in line right before they ride.

All kidding aside, the movie isn't necessary to enjoy Pandora - and I like the suggestion above of waiting to watch it until afterwards to appreciate what they did. Those who see the movie beforehand can be a bit confused since Pandora is supposed to be set sometime after the movie (and to explain why there are no Navi wandering around outside). Pandora can be enjoyed on its own and the movie really just fills in some of the details. If anything, all the noise, explosions and destruction in the second half of the movie create an appreciation of the peacefulness of Disney's Pandora (which is the point - but the movie isn't necessary to put an emphasis on that).

 

[JerseyJanice]

I’ve never been able to watch the movie without falling asleep. I found the story difficult to follow so it bored the heck out of me.

But anyone can enjoy the beauty of Pandora at Animal Kingdom. My family really enjoys the Navi River boat ride. FoP was a bit too thrilling for my taste, but I would still recommend to anybody to try and get a Fastpass for it and experience it for yourself.

 

[g-dad66]

Luckily, they've designed FoP to have 150+ standby wait times so the curious guest can just watch the movie in its entirety in line right before they ride.

 

[Mome Rath]

The story for Pandora at AK is that it is years (about a century) after the movie has happened and now humans are working with the Na'vi in order to fix the damage that was caused during the movie, now there is ACE (Alpha Centauri Expeditions) to take humans to Pandora. So, for example, outside of Pongu Pongu there is the AMP (Amplified Mobility Platform, basically a mech weapon featured in the film) that was abandoned and left behind. The Na'vi are still there, hence, the Shaman of Songs in the RJ ride. That ride is to connect people to the world of Pandora in the sense that it lets you see how everything fits together and shows off the beauty of Pandora when we don't "fight against it."