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

[TheMaxRebo]

Blech! That ain't beer! That's beer colored crap. Please tell me they have something better than that!?

Except it's green - so, um, green crap?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I don't think it's THAT flavorless. But it's definitely 4th on my list of the 4 custom beers available in Animal Kingdom. (1. Kungaloosh Ale 2. Mo'ara High Country Ale 3. Safari Amber 4. Hawke's Grog Ale.)

That Kungaloosh is tasty!

 

[AngiTN]

That Kungaloosh is tasty!

Yes, the Kungaloosh is very tasty

 

[AngiTN]

I don't think it's THAT flavorless. But it's definitely 4th on my list of the 4 custom beers available in Animal Kingdom. (1. Kungaloosh Ale 2. Mo'ara High Country Ale 3. Safari Amber 4. Hawke's Grog Ale.)

I am a beer snob. And not ashamed of it

 

[BuckeyeBama]

As for the leg restraints, I lift and run so have large calves, but the restraints didn't even touch my legs. Maybe it is because I did not place my foot flat on the side boards. I was up on my toes a bit as I wanted to sit straight up with my belly against the front cushion so I could really look around while riding. But I can see why measurements would be almost impossible. Consider that foot size, position and angle would effect where the restraints would touch your leg considerably. Now add height, calf dimensions and the fact that not everyone's calves are thickest at the same height from the ground, even if they are the same height.

All that said, for this ride WDW needed leg and back restraints or there is no way that it would be safe to operate. Fall forward off of your seat from the top level and you might not survive. And while the ratcheting click ideas sound feasible, they also sound like something likely to lead to more failure both locking and unlocking. For this stuff to be reliable, it needs to be as simple as possible.

 

[ChrisNY2]

I am a beer snob. And not ashamed of it

It does make cool photos!


But perhaps not as cool as the Stow Away Mary from Refreshment Port!

 

[wilkeliza]

It does make cool photos!


But perhaps not as cool as the Stow Away Mary from Refreshment Port!

For the love of g-d why are there chicken nuggets on it?!

 

[ChrisNY2]

For the love of g-d why are there chicken nuggets on it?!

It's a snack and a cocktail in one!

edit: Check these out! https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=interesting+bloody+mary+toppings&FORM=HDRSC2

 

[wilkeliza]

It's a snack and a cocktail in one!

That makes sense but seeing it stuck to the drink just makes me go What?.

 

[AngiTN]

It's a snack and a cocktail in one!

Uh, yeah. No.

 

[IrishNYC]

Can I say I'm more worried about lines to by the Banshee's than I am about riding FoP?


Blech! That ain't beer! That's beer colored crap. Please tell me they have something better than that!?

It's not even beer colored crap! It's green!

I am a beer snob. And not ashamed of it

Me too. I'm so picky about what beer I'll drink, and how cold it is. I'm a pain in the rear about beer.

But perhaps not as cool as the Stow Away Mary from Refreshment Port!

Now we're talking!

 

[AngiTN]

It's not even beer colored crap! It's green!


Me too. I'm so picky about what beer I'll drink, and how cold it is. I'm a pain in the rear about beer.


Now we're talking!

Good point, I didn't even pick up that it was green when I posted.
I am very picky about beer too. The darker the better
And definitely not green

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Joe Rohde posted to his instagram account a detail found in the FoP queue many people will overlook (putting the content it in spoilers but it isn't really a huge giveaway or anything, but just to be safe)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUQtM8bA-nh/

Spoiler

• joerohdeDetail you might walk past without knowing what you were seeing. When you're doing a biological population survey, you don't necessarily need to see animals in order to know that they are there. You need to see incontrovertible evidence that the animal is there. That includes scratch marks, scat and spray, fur, feathers, scales, and, of course, tracks. What you were looking at here is a "track trap," exactly like the ones we used on the Mission Himalayas #RAP survey expedition to Nepal and China. You can make one of these at home. Either put out bait, or find a pathway where you know small animals are likely to pass… They tend to like to move along edges of things, like your garden hedge, or the wall of your house. You make a kind of crowd- Control funnel leading to something like a sponge or a cloth that is soaked in black oil paint, or printers ink or stamp pad ink. These dry very slowly so they will stay wet enough all night long. Beyond the ink pad you place a piece of white paper. Everything that walks over the ink pad will leave footprints on the white paper. And you can identify the different species by checking their tracks against reference. You should put an ink pad on either side of the paper because animals go both ways. So see? You probably thought this was just Squigley junk on a piece of paper. But noooooooo! Why do that when you could create content? In the lab space for the Flight of Passage. #atdisneysanimalkingdom#animalkingdomdisney #pandora#flightofpassage #science #research#tracks #tracking #biology #wdw
• 1lorett1Totally awesome!
• laura.s.rahmanLove this detail, but I'm thinking I'm not so sure I want to know what skirts the edge of my house at night.
• everydayimagineersGreat story!
• gsalvenYou're an awesome teacher
• louprosperiYour Instagram feed is like a master class in Imagineering and placemaking.
• ahoulahanAmazing detail. Whenever I'm at DAK every little detail I see I stop and think "why is this here? What is this telling?". Totally inspired by your work, I know nothing is there by accident! Can't wait to see #pandora.

side note/question:

Is "Rohde" pronounced like "Road" or like "Roadie"? I've heard it said both ways

 

[CAS239]

Couple things from my preview. And I can answer any questions possibly..even though I think this thread kind of hit everything lol

-FoP was indeed amazing. It's like Soarin on steroids.

-if you want to ride FoP multiple times during a preview or when it opens then I recommend riding back to back. I went back about an hour later for my second ride and wait said 15 min but it took me 1 hour to be off the ride

-Rode both rides twice. River was a walk on both times

-Rode FoP twice and didn't see anyone in my area not able to ride. However waiting in line I did hear someone talking about how they saw someone tall not be able to ride. I have no clue how tall the person was

-I'm 6 ft about 220 with muscular calves and I fit easily. Had about an inch of room behind my leg for the leg restraints. Wife is 5 ft and petite, she asked me if the leg restraints were going to come up and I had to tell her they already did.

-The preride videos tell you exactly what to do. But you just scoot all the way forward, sit, then slide up some more. Your chest will touch the padding and bring your knees as far forward as you can. It's not like straddling a motorcycle with your legs back, it's more like sitting in a school chair. My chest was against the cushion with my feet planted flat on the floor.

-I think the back restraint is much like Stitch, if you aren't sitting all the way forward it'll stop once it senses your back then you'll be a little loose. I made sure to stay snug to the front my second ride and I felt the breathing and moving effects more.

-One girl in my row was asked if she could bring her legs forward more so it could click. I looked over and she wasn't big but she brought them forward and clicked no problem. So just try to bring your legs as far forward as possible

-don't rule yourself out to ride. It's an amazing ride and if you can sit with your knees bent like you're sitting in a chair, then give it a try

-FoP blows massive amounts of air in your face to simulate flying and you get mists of water sprayed at you. Not a lot, but what you would experience if you were standing say near a waterfall and felt the mist. The smells are also amazing. It really does put Soarin to shame. It was so fluid and as life like as possible. They knocked this ride out the park

-I believe FoP is a 4.5 min ride which I was shocked by. I loved it.

-I heard only positive things about FoP from guests around me. One guy near me in the Canteen, I'd estimate around 30, was on the phone with his mom telling her it was like a mix of Star Tours and Soarin and that it was the best ride Disney has ever made. Everyone on both rides I did you could hear during the ride making sounds like they were amazed and got off the ride praising it pretty much

-FoP imo is hands down best queue at Disney.

-I recorded the FoP queue with no wait, at a normal pace it took 8.5 minutes

-River Journey was visually amazing. Slow water ride like It's a Small World, so no thrills..but the visuals are great.

-The theming of Pandora is amazing. The Disney team went above and beyond. Pictures really don't do it justice and it's a great atmosphere to experience. Outside and inside, there's detail that would take forever to catch.

-Pandora CM's were amazing. Not sure if it was just because it was AP previews (highly doubt it), but the CM's I encountered at the rides, in shops, quick service, or walking around..they were all above and beyond nice, super informative, excited, and clearly enjoyed being in Pandora and loving what they were doing. I've never had issues with rude CM's anymore, but all the Pandora CM's were just on another level.

-Satuli Canteen, we only got a beer, but the food looked amazing. Another guy sitting near me saw a CM walking by dressed a little fancier, he stopped him and asked if he was the manager, the CM said yes. The guest then told him that he didn't want to complain, instead he wanted to praise Disney for making such a great quick service. He said usually the Disney quick services aren't very good, but the Canteen tasted amazing and he thought the selection was fantastic. He said him and his wife thought it was the best quick service at any park.

-If you have motion sickness, FoP might get to you. But don't watch any ride videos as it's nowhere near what it's like being on it. My wife wife hates Star Tours, she's iffy on Soarin but rides it..while she didn't care for FoP due to minor motion sickness, she didn't get sick. Couple parts she had to close her eyes and she said only way she rides again is with other new people with us another date that haven't experienced it. She hates feeling her stomach drop, so that played a big part in her not caring for it so much

-The lack of signage is no big deal. Once you're in the park you can find everything just fine

 

[CAS239]

Joe Rohde posted to his instagram account a detail found in the FoP queue many people will overlook (putting the content it in spoilers but it isn't really a huge giveaway or anything, but just to be safe)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUQtM8bA-nh/

Spoiler

• joerohdeDetail you might walk past without knowing what you were seeing. When you're doing a biological population survey, you don't necessarily need to see animals in order to know that they are there. You need to see incontrovertible evidence that the animal is there. That includes scratch marks, scat and spray, fur, feathers, scales, and, of course, tracks. What you were looking at here is a "track trap," exactly like the ones we used on the Mission Himalayas #RAP survey expedition to Nepal and China. You can make one of these at home. Either put out bait, or find a pathway where you know small animals are likely to pass… They tend to like to move along edges of things, like your garden hedge, or the wall of your house. You make a kind of crowd- Control funnel leading to something like a sponge or a cloth that is soaked in black oil paint, or printers ink or stamp pad ink. These dry very slowly so they will stay wet enough all night long. Beyond the ink pad you place a piece of white paper. Everything that walks over the ink pad will leave footprints on the white paper. And you can identify the different species by checking their tracks against reference. You should put an ink pad on either side of the paper because animals go both ways. So see? You probably thought this was just Squigley junk on a piece of paper. But noooooooo! Why do that when you could create content? In the lab space for the Flight of Passage. #atdisneysanimalkingdom#animalkingdomdisney #pandora#flightofpassage #science #research#tracks #tracking #biology #wdw
• 1lorett1Totally awesome!
• laura.s.rahmanLove this detail, but I'm thinking I'm not so sure I want to know what skirts the edge of my house at night.
• everydayimagineersGreat story!
• gsalvenYou're an awesome teacher
• louprosperiYour Instagram feed is like a master class in Imagineering and placemaking.
• ahoulahanAmazing detail. Whenever I'm at DAK every little detail I see I stop and think "why is this here? What is this telling?". Totally inspired by your work, I know nothing is there by accident! Can't wait to see #pandora.

side note/question:

Is "Rohde" pronounced like "Road" or like "Roadie"? I've heard it said both ways

It's pronounced like "Roadie". And his Instagram does have great insight

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's pronounced like "Roadie". And his Instagram does have great insight

Thanks! That is what I thought butbsuring all the Pandora could berate I was hearing it as Road several times so wanted to confirm

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

As for the leg restraints, I lift and run so have large calves, but the restraints didn't even touch my legs. Maybe it is because I did not place my foot flat on the side boards. I was up on my toes a bit as I wanted to sit straight up with my belly against the front cushion so I could really look around while riding.

This is helpful to know -- thanks!

-I'm 6 ft about 220 with muscular calves and I fit easily. Had about an inch of room behind my leg for the leg restraints. Wife is 5 ft and petite, she asked me if the leg restraints were going to come up and I had to tell her they already did.

-The preride videos tell you exactly what to do. But you just scoot all the way forward, sit, then slide up some more. Your chest will touch the padding and bring your knees as far forward as you can. It's not like straddling a motorcycle with your legs back, it's more like sitting in a school chair. My chest was against the cushion with my feet planted flat on the floor.
...

-One girl in my row was asked if she could bring her legs forward more so it could click. I looked over and she wasn't big but she brought them forward and clicked no problem. So just try to bring your legs as far forward as possible

This is all helpful to me -- thanks for taking the time to detail all of this out!

 

[nicki.momof3]

From what I have read this ride has some limitations on the size of the rider. Has anyone (pooh sized) been on it yet and what was your experience. I would hate to get to the front of the line and not be able to ride. How embarrassing.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Some seem fine and some don't I suppose it's how "Pooh sized" you are.

I think Jackie wrote an article on wdwinfo.com describing this. I think the test vehicle should be there this week or so

 

[disney1474]

Couple things from my preview. And I can answer any questions possibly..even though I think this thread kind of hit everything lol

-FoP was indeed amazing. It's like Soarin on steroids.

-if you want to ride FoP multiple times during a preview or when it opens then I recommend riding back to back. I went back about an hour later for my second ride and wait said 15 min but it took me 1 hour to be off the ride

-Rode both rides twice. River was a walk on both times

-Rode FoP twice and didn't see anyone in my area not able to ride. However waiting in line I did hear someone talking about how they saw someone tall not be able to ride. I have no clue how tall the person was

-I'm 6 ft about 220 with muscular calves and I fit easily. Had about an inch of room behind my leg for the leg restraints. Wife is 5 ft and petite, she asked me if the leg restraints were going to come up and I had to tell her they already did.

-The preride videos tell you exactly what to do. But you just scoot all the way forward, sit, then slide up some more. Your chest will touch the padding and bring your knees as far forward as you can. It's not like straddling a motorcycle with your legs back, it's more like sitting in a school chair. My chest was against the cushion with my feet planted flat on the floor.

-I think the back restraint is much like Stitch, if you aren't sitting all the way forward it'll stop once it senses your back then you'll be a little loose. I made sure to stay snug to the front my second ride and I felt the breathing and moving effects more.

-One girl in my row was asked if she could bring her legs forward more so it could click. I looked over and she wasn't big but she brought them forward and clicked no problem. So just try to bring your legs as far forward as possible

-don't rule yourself out to ride. It's an amazing ride and if you can sit with your knees bent like you're sitting in a chair, then give it a try

-FoP blows massive amounts of air in your face to simulate flying and you get mists of water sprayed at you. Not a lot, but what you would experience if you were standing say near a waterfall and felt the mist. The smells are also amazing. It really does put Soarin to shame. It was so fluid and as life like as possible. They knocked this ride out the park

-I believe FoP is a 4.5 min ride which I was shocked by. I loved it.

-I heard only positive things about FoP from guests around me. One guy near me in the Canteen, I'd estimate around 30, was on the phone with his mom telling her it was like a mix of Star Tours and Soarin and that it was the best ride Disney has ever made. Everyone on both rides I did you could hear during the ride making sounds like they were amazed and got off the ride praising it pretty much

-FoP imo is hands down best queue at Disney.

-I recorded the FoP queue with no wait, at a normal pace it took 8.5 minutes

-River Journey was visually amazing. Slow water ride like It's a Small World, so no thrills..but the visuals are great.

-The theming of Pandora is amazing. The Disney team went above and beyond. Pictures really don't do it justice and it's a great atmosphere to experience. Outside and inside, there's detail that would take forever to catch.

-Pandora CM's were amazing. Not sure if it was just because it was AP previews (highly doubt it), but the CM's I encountered at the rides, in shops, quick service, or walking around..they were all above and beyond nice, super informative, excited, and clearly enjoyed being in Pandora and loving what they were doing. I've never had issues with rude CM's anymore, but all the Pandora CM's were just on another level.

-Satuli Canteen, we only got a beer, but the food looked amazing. Another guy sitting near me saw a CM walking by dressed a little fancier, he stopped him and asked if he was the manager, the CM said yes. The guest then told him that he didn't want to complain, instead he wanted to praise Disney for making such a great quick service. He said usually the Disney quick services aren't very good, but the Canteen tasted amazing and he thought the selection was fantastic. He said him and his wife thought it was the best quick service at any park.

-If you have motion sickness, FoP might get to you. But don't watch any ride videos as it's nowhere near what it's like being on it. My wife wife hates Star Tours, she's iffy on Soarin but rides it..while she didn't care for FoP due to minor motion sickness, she didn't get sick. Couple parts she had to close her eyes and she said only way she rides again is with other new people with us another date that haven't experienced it. She hates feeling her stomach drop, so that played a big part in her not caring for it so much

-The lack of signage is no big deal. Once you're in the park you can find everything just fine

Excellent review...thank you!!
I can't wait to see this new land. We were there on May 7th and of course you can see some of the floating mountains from where the bus drops you off. Even that doesn't do it any justice.
About FOP and some of the sudden drops. I think I would be fine with those but do you shoot straight up after the drops? I ask because thats where ToT gets me sick. the sudden up AND down.
Going again in august and can't wait!!!