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

[mesaboy2]

FJ doesn't have 3D, does it? I know Gringotts does but have ridden FJ probably 100 times total and was fairly sure it didn't. Unless you mean your own glasses.

It does not. Wouldn't work well with the practical sets.

 

[Cinderella94]

So, with 3 days in. Next Monday, is it realistic to plan getting to Pandora at 7 to ride FOP and get back to MK by 8:00-8:15?

I don't think so. I haven't been to Pandora yet but with transit time I don't think I'd plan on this.

 

[poison ivy]

FJ doesn't have 3D, does it? I know Gringotts does but have ridden FJ probably 100 times total and was fairly sure it didn't. Unless you mean your own glasses.

Yes, I should have said "my" glasses. sorry. Universal Hollywood did open FJ in 3D but removed if after guest complaints.

 

[Lost Yeti]

So, with 3 days in. Next Monday, is it realistic to plan getting to Pandora at 7 to ride FOP and get back to MK by 8:00-8:15?

I wouldn't plan on that. I assume you have a FP+? If not, there's no chance.

It'd be a stretch to make it back by 8:15 even if it didn't include a visit to a brand-new high demand attraction.

 

[TygerHawks]

Thanks Yeah, didn't occur to me to factor transportation time for some reason. Have a FP for NJ but not for FOP, but will want to try it. Betting on high waits next week. Now, if I can convince my wife to start the trip at AK......

 

[Lesley Wake]

It does not. Wouldn't work well with the practical sets.

Yes, I should have said "my" glasses. sorry. Universal Hollywood did open FJ in 3D but removed if after guest complaints.

Yes, FJ in Hollywood was 3D for a time. I got to go to a preview and was so motion sick! I still rode it 2x though. The glasses were supposed to look like Quidditch goggles.

I then went back this year and was initially confused why I didn't feel as bad, then I realized it was no longer in 3D!

I think I will probably take some Dramamine before riding FoP!

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

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."

 

[rastuso]

curious if either of you have been on FoP yet.

As far as FJ using a high tech ride apparatus, the robotic arm mounted on a moving platform is nothing new. I couldn't find "bleeding edge" in these photos. A lot of empty walls relying heavily on the digital projection. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=forbidden+journey+ride+layout&fr=yfp-t&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AEr0I9dqtiw/TqYsa-L6Y4I/AAAAAAAAA1E/H-1vz6Rk8uU/s1600/ctxul.gif#id=0&iurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AEr0I9dqtiw/TqYsa-L6Y4I/AAAAAAAAA1E/H-1vz6Rk8uU/s1600/ctxul.gif&action=click

Disney has taken us to the next generation in the virtual realm.

Wow, you must sleep in Disney-Aid. I've never said I've ridden FoP. I don't need to to know it is Soarin' with a motorcycle ride seat on a minimal movement base. Now, apparently, according to a PP it's 100 times better than Soarin. Wow, if that's the case, it may blow me away, but I seriously doubt it.

I must assume you really haven't ridden FJ, or you would know you encounter Dementors, a huge Spider, a Dragon, and a full size Womping Willow, all practical. But yeah it has some screens too. Is it better it has multiple screens, or is FoP so amazing that it is simply ONE screen that you look at for the full four and a half minutes?

Oh, and where are the other robot arm rides like FJ? I'd love to go ride them. Are they at Shanghai or Hong Kong Disneyland? I haven't been to them yet. I am looking forward to Iron Man Experience though. The new bleeding edge ride at HKDL. I hear it's 100 times better than Star Tours, and also just has one screen, making it better, of course.

 

[rteetz]

Wow, you must sleep in Disney-Aid. I've never said I've ridden FoP. I don't need to to know it is Soarin' with a motorcycle ride seat on a minimal movement base. Now, apparently, according to a PP it's 100 times better than Soarin. Wow, if that's the case, it may blow me away, but I seriously doubt it.

I must assume you really haven't ridden FJ, or you would know you encounter Dementors, a huge Spider, a Dragon, and a full size Womping Willow, all practical. But yeah it has some screens too. Is it better it has multiple screens, or is FoP so amazing that it is simply ONE screen that you look at for the full four and a half minutes?

Oh, and where are the other robot arm rides like FJ? I'd love to go ride them. Are they at Shanghai or Hong Kong Disneyland? I haven't been to them yet. I am looking forward to Iron Man Experience though. The new bleeding edge ride at HKDL. I hear it's 100 times better than Star Tours, and also just has one screen, making it better, of course.

We get it. You aren't impressed by pandora. That's great it's your opinion but everyone is entitled to their own and some are loving Pandora.

Also as for Kuka arms, universal has an exclusive deal with the company that made them. That's why you don't see them elsewhere.

 

[poison ivy]

Oh, and where are the other robot arm rides like FJ? I'd love to go ride them. Are they at Shanghai or Hong Kong Disneyland? I haven't been to them yet. I am looking forward to Iron Man Experience though. The new bleeding edge ride at HKDL. I hear it's 100 times better than Star Tours, and also just has one screen, making it better, of course.

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!

 

[rastuso]

I wish I could share the sediment but to me it was very amateurish. I don't think anyone at disney is known for their nightscapes aside from some glowing trinkets and strategic lighting. Add in letting a 4 year old paint the ground and toss in black lights and you have pandora at night... I think this is 1 place they forgot to really research as I've been in some stunning locations and that might be why this didn't impress me. I don't think it felt the same as the na'vi river ride so there is a consistency problem between a night ride to the shaman and what it looks like at night.

With that said, I'm not sure everything was on the first night.. I'm still confused about the lighting ceremony that appeared to be just another drum circle performance and thinking something went wrong and they didn't do it. The trees weren't lit but you start to leave pandora, especially on the harambe side and the trees are amazing.. it goes all around AK with the little "sprites in the tree" look as I call it.

Now there was some nice things going on.. The plants were well done and I wouldn't them amateur trinkets. The projections on the floating mountain were a little too subtle but interesting. nobody could really tell what we were looking at though. I assume the prominent one was a couple banshees nesting from where it was happening and how it looked like 2 heads moving around.

Nice to read an honest review. The ground everyone raves about looks like exactly what you said. And has ZERO to do with Pandora. Early, they were saying it would respond to your walking, but I didn't think that could be done reliably. Black lights, and plastic plants with lights in them is hardly some massive draw. With RoL getting Ho-hum reviews even from the mega diehard Disney does no wrong crowd, and the Pandora night version, it seems their going all in for night operations may be a big fail. But, it may make visiting Pandora a definite night thing, since all the people rushing to the park in the morning to hope to actually see a reasonable number of animals on the Trek will be wiped out come night time.

Is the entry plant with the , um, interactive participation, gone, or tiurned off? How that thing got through approvals I'ill never know.

 

[Accident]

Wow, you must sleep in Disney-Aid. I've never said I've ridden FoP. I don't need to to know it is Soarin' with a motorcycle ride seat on a minimal movement base. Now, apparently, according to a PP it's 100 times better than Soarin. Wow, if that's the case, it may blow me away, but I seriously doubt it.

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.

 

[Accident]

Is the entry plant with the , um, interactive participation, gone, or tiurned off? How that thing got through approvals I'ill never know.

It's been on but it's not interesting for more than 5 seconds.. if your touching it, you can't see what it does when you touch it and everyone right now is just rushing past it to see pandora and not stopping by it.

 

[Accident]

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.. I can't speak first hand or for the rides in pandora but she's had a great morning and finally got to replace her phoen case that broke the first time she tried to use it and we weren't allowed to go back in to return during previews.. (disney made good on it though, she got it swapped and they mailed her a gift card for more money than it was worth so she scored a $50 phone case for free).

We're going to hit HS for dinner and pixar but we plan to come back to AK late. Say hi if you see me. You won't miss me, I'll be the one honoring Bob today with an ecv and strange camera over my head driving around AK...

 

[JMSMommy]

I'm heading to Pandora in July....happy to read everyone's opinion regarding the simulation effect and how it compares to the Harry Potter rides and Soarin'. Heard some folks, way back, talk about Star Tours as well, and read very diverse opinions regarding motion sickness and whether the ride was smooth or jerky. So, not having experienced FOP yet, I thought I'd throw in my own opinion of the VR rides I've experienced and why I like or did not like them. I do love Soarin' and have to say it's my favorite simulated ride so far. I actually feel like I'm flying over an orange grove, a river and the ocean. Star Tours gives me a similar feel but not as up close and personal as Soarin'. In Soarin' I feel like I can reach out and touch something. Very immersive. I loved the feel of the Harry Potter set, it was like I was in the movie but the FJ ride was not for me. It was too fast, everything and everyone rushed past me too quick so I didn't get the feel of riding on a broom, it was more like the screen was just rushing by me. Other than the set, which was amazing, my favorite part there was riding on the train. But I would go back just to hang out there at night, it was just so meticulously done. King Kong's screen was a bit out of focus at times and I didn't get that close up, being right there kind of feeling but it did have some cool parts like when Kong grabs the vehicle...I think the ride needs improvement. The minion ride was fun, and done really well as far as feeling like I was inside the ride. I was surprised by this one. I do like Mission to Mars, the tame one...LOL...but it's not as exciting as Star Tours. And I like the fact that Star Tours has different sets, it makes me want to experience it more than once. So, all that being said, I hope FOP will put me right on the banchee, so I can turn and dive and rise as if I'm actually riding. I know VR is improving all the time and the new VR gaming systems will be growing and getting less expensive as time goes on. Thanks for all your perspectives....I love this thread!

Okay, that feeling of almost being able to reach out and touch the orange grove? It is there on this ride but also in 3D. I think you will love it. If you haven't ridden the new Soarin' lower your expectations a bit as the transitions are more flinch inducing and the camera distortion on the screen is distracting. Makes me sad. I miss the old version now.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Dropping in to remind everyone that sharing your opinion of Pandora and FoP and its tech is fine when presented in a civil manner and not attacking anyone and their viewpoints.

Thanks and carry-on!

 

[rastuso]

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

What is the 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 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.

Is a 4K simulator film the game changer? Pretty sure Fallon is 4K, as is the new Soarin.

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?

Speaking of POVs. I noticed none of them are monetized on YouTube. Is Disney finally wisening up to all the people who make a living off or their IP?c

 

[Guyton dis lover]

Best things to do in Pandora?...

going in July.

 

[rastuso]

Completely agree anyone who loves Disney will be excited to come see a new land no matter what the theme. And they did pull off something beautiful that can be enjoyed by everyone. But will it compete with HP or SW in terms of fan base?

I do think you may be a small group that would travel to Disney just to see Pandora if you were not a Disney fan. Lucky for you, you are both. HP brought Universal HP fans that were not Universal fans and SWL will bring SW fans who are not Disney fans, therefore tapping a market. Pandora will bring already existing Disney fans or just theme park fans in general looking for something new. The IP itself, minus being a Disney or theme park fan, likely has a very small market. As long as Disney is providing a good product, unique merchandise and good food .. the land is a hit for them.

Disney already heavily caters to Star Wars fans at Studios. SWL will be insanely crowded, making Avatar look like the opening of the third Soarin theater. But over time, I don't think it will bring many new visitors. Especially with the same rides opening on both coasts at the same time. Pretty sure THATs a first.

 

[yulilin3]

Wow, you must sleep in Disney-Aid. I've never said I've ridden FoP. I don't need to to know it is Soarin' with a motorcycle ride seat on a minimal movement base. Now, apparently, according to a PP it's 100 times better than Soarin. Wow, if that's the case, it may blow me away, but I seriously doubt it.

I must assume you really haven't ridden FJ, or you would know you encounter Dementors, a huge Spider, a Dragon, and a full size Womping Willow, all practical. But yeah it has some screens too. Is it better it has multiple screens, or is FoP so amazing that it is simply ONE screen that you look at for the full four and a half minutes?

Oh, and where are the other robot arm rides like FJ? I'd love to go ride them. Are they at Shanghai or Hong Kong Disneyland? I haven't been to them yet. I am looking forward to Iron Man Experience though. The new bleeding edge ride at HKDL. I hear it's 100 times better than Star Tours, and also just has one screen, making it better, of course.

Nice to read an honest review. The ground everyone raves about looks like exactly what you said. And has ZERO to do with Pandora. Early, they were saying it would respond to your walking, but I didn't think that could be done reliably. Black lights, and plastic plants with lights in them is hardly some massive draw. With RoL getting Ho-hum reviews even from the mega diehard Disney does no wrong crowd, and the Pandora night version, it seems their going all in for night operations may be a big fail. But, it may make visiting Pandora a definite night thing, since all the people rushing to the park in the morning to hope to actually see a reasonable number of animals on the Trek will be wiped out come night time.

Is the entry plant with the , um, interactive participation, gone, or tiurned off? How that thing got through approvals I'ill never know.

Just once again reminding that there is no need for sarcasm.
And just because someone has a negative opinion on something that you have already decided you don't like doesn't mean theirs is the only honest opinion because it's the same as yours. It is their opinion, that's it.
I enjoyed the night feel in general, I saw plenty of people enjoying it and saying "wow, amazing" beautiful, breathtaking" it's a personal opinion.
Again, I think we all know that you already dislike the land in general and don't think FoP is anything amazing or worth riding, that's fine. No need to belittle someone else's thoughts just because they are contrary to what you believe.