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

[ThistleMae]

So I'm just now getting around to planning our FP and haven't been paying attention recently. I understand that FoP is a very hard FP to get unless you book it for later in your trip. How about the River Journey--any easier?

I couldn't book until 30 days out and I had no problem getting ROL or Navi but I did go online at 7 a.m. each day.

 

[quikah]

As far as I remember the shaman was working when we went July 5. I wasn't aware of the screen replacement at the time, though i hope i would have noticed it.

 

[preemiemama]

I'm least familiar with the map of AK. It's only been a half day park for me and I always seem to get lost. I'm perfect at all three of the other parks, I just don't know why I have such a hard time navigating AK. There is lots of stuff there!

Exactly why I needed the help! I get lost in that park all the time...

 

[tookydo]

Just left animal kingdom. Shaman was working today.

 

[rteetz]

Just left animal kingdom. Shaman was working today.

Good to know thanks!

 

[Mlglass]

What time are they allowing guests in AK when the park opens at 9:00? We are going to be in AK Aug. 30, We were unable to get FOP fp, but do have 8:00 reservations at Tusker House...If we can head over to Pandora by 8:40 is that really enough the be able to ride FOP with out a terrible wait? Thank you for any insight!

 

[wdhinn89]

What do you do with your bags while on the FOP ride?

 

[Capang]

What do you do with your bags while on the FOP ride?

They go in bins behind the ride vehicle.

 

[vinotinto]

You know, so many folks have had different opinions, as expected. I'm leaving next week and am going to watch the Avatar movie again before I go...setting the mood for myself. I'm not the disappointed kind, so I think I'll love it no matter what. I see that Pandora is across from ROL....do you have to go to the tree of life to enter Pandora? I only have old park maps so I can't see the new routes, if any. It doesn't look like there are any shortcuts to get in.

I had seen the movie at the theater when it first came out and loved it, but I had not seen it again since then and my kids had never even heard of it. So, this past weekend, I rented it from Amazon. We all enjoyed it very much and I feel gives context to what we will see in the trip. I know there were lots of questions when Pandora was first announced about the appeal to different ages, etc., and I will say that my kids are very different from each other and we all usually like different things and yet, we all liked it. So, definitely recommend to rewatch it to get in the Pandora mood.

 

[ThistleMae]

Exactly why I needed the help! I get lost in that park all the time...

LOL...I'm glad I'm not alone! But this year I plan to conquer this. I'll have plenty of time there and plan do walk around with the distinct purpose of figuring out what my problem is. I'm always so turned around, and around and around. I never know where I am or which way to go!

 

[AngiTN]

I don't think anyone has given a 9:00 opening report yet, so here's our experience from Sunday, July 9 - 9:00 opening with no EMH:

I planned all along to get an uber, so I ordered one from the resort (SSR) at 7:40. As I was waiting on the uber, an AK bus pulled up but I waited on the uber since I already had him on the way and the bus would have still stopped at a few other internal bus stops on the way. I arrived right at 8:00 and got dropped off as close as you can get, which was nice. My daughter was already in the passholder line so I was a little closer than I would have been otherwise if she hadn't beat me there. All lines went back to at least the back of the ticket buildings by then.

Right at 8:20, they started scanning tickets and letting us in. We had great luck in our passholder line, definitely moving faster than the other lines. Our theory was that passholders would be more likely to know how to handle the ticket scanning process, and I think we were right. There were lots of big tour groups and those sometimes seemed to get hung up, along with families getting into a park for the first time and having trouble with fingerprints, etc.

Anyway, the group was walked all the way back to the bridge right past Tiffins. I believe they stopped the group right at the mid-point of the bridge. We were right at the start of the bridge. We watched as the area behind us got more and more full, finally filling up to where we couldn't see the end.

Right at 8:40, they started walking us all the way in. They directed anyone going to NRJ to the left and everyone else (at least 95% of the group) to the right toward FOP. It was extremely orderly - no running, no cutting in line unless someone stopped to take a picture, etc. Our group did stop at the FP entrance to start the clock on my daughter's disability pass (she was injured the day before we left and couldn't stand still for a long wait), and then got back in the standby line and walked on toward the ride. Activating the disability pass only took about 30 seconds but a good number of people passed us while we did that.

I didn't keep track of exact times for anything after that, other than looking when we exited and seeing that it was 9:07.

We then went to NRJ which posted a 30 minute wait, with touring plans saying that it would be 20 minutes. We rode standby, and the wait was at least 30 minutes, but probably no more than 35 max.

The kids then rode again with the disability pass and I grabbed some excellent oatmeal from the canteen. It was right at 10:00 that they entered the line for FOP the second time.

Bottom line for us: Even though you still have to wait a good while, it was worth it for us to get there at least an hour early for the regular opening. FOP is AMAZING and well worth doing, but I can't fathom waiting in any line for 2+ hours. It was so much easier for us to wait about 45 minutes, but have it staggered between waiting to get into the park, then at the bridge, and then just a little in line. If I were to go back again for a 9:00 opening, I'd do it exactly the same way, except possibly shoot for getting there at 7:50.

Y'all have fun! FOP is truly astronomical.

What time are they allowing guests in AK when the park opens at 9:00? We are going to be in AK Aug. 30, We were unable to get FOP fp, but do have 8:00 reservations at Tusker House...If we can head over to Pandora by 8:40 is that really enough the be able to ride FOP with out a terrible wait? Thank you for any insight!

The above was posted a few days ago

 

[Nhebron]

I was able to snag 3 FOP fast passes for Aug 26th tonight after not originally getting any when my 60 days opened up. Had to rearrange my whole schedule and lost mine train fast passes.

 

[ThistleMae]

I was able to snag 3 FOP fast passes for Aug 26th tonight after not originally getting any when my 60 days opened up. Had to rearrange my whole schedule and lost mine train fast passes.

Unbelievable! I keep checking with no luck. Congrats!

 

[johnsonet]

Love reading all the reports. Can't wait to see Pandora in less than two weeks.
Just snagged 2 FOP FPs for our final day. Checking maniacally pays off

 

[yulilin3]

Was at AK last night. At 7pm they still had banshees and I was able to buy one for a friend that lives in TN. They had all the colors available
I also walked into Pandora after a night safari (btw still sucks), I exited the safari at 10:15pm and went to Pandora just to check the lines since I am not staying at a Disney resort, at 10:30pm FoP was 90 minutes, the line was still open, I did not check NRJ. The park had a 10pm to midnight emh hours

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Was at AK last night. At 7pm they still had banshees and I was able to buy one for a friend that lives in TN. They had all the colors available
I also walked into Pandora after a night safari (btw still sucks), I exited the safari at 10:15pm and went to Pandora just to check the lines since I am not staying at a Disney resort, at 10:30pm FoP was 90 minutes, the line was still open, I did not check NRJ. The park had a 10pm to midnight emh hours

What are your thoughts for a Safari around sunset time? FP right now is set for 6:55-7:55 and that day sunset is around 7:30.

 

[yulilin3]

What are your thoughts for a Safari around sunset time? FP right now is set for 6:55-7:55 and that day sunset is around 7:30.

Sunset is the best time, I don't see Disney keeping the late night safari for long. I went there right after Rol, so got to the Safari around 9:45pm, it was a walk on, the truck wasn't even full, had the full row all to myself. The only cool thing I saw that almost never happens during the daytime safari is that 2 lionesses and lion were clearly visible, although still sleeping

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sunset is the best time, I don't see Disney keeping the late night safari for long. I went there right after Rol, so got to the Safari around 10:45pm, it was a walk on, the truck wasn't even full, had the full row all to myself. The only cool thing I saw that almost never happens during the daytime safari is that 2 lionesses and lion were clearly visible, although still sleeping

Awesome thank you for your insight! My day is in September and right now AK closes at 9pm but I still figured sunset was a better option than when it had gotten dark dark and you confirmed that

 

[FosterA]

We have a FP scheduled tomorrow for Flight. Did the river ride already and it was stunning.
But...heads up, the test seat out front seemed broken plus no cast members around to help see if you fit. I think I'll be ok but I'm big on bottom as far as butt and hips go. My kid pushed the lever thing up but it just flopped around instead of clicking so not really sure. Did see about 5 CMs sort of looking at it and talking about it but none of them seemed to actually be working at the test seat.

 

[yulilin3]

We have a FP scheduled tomorrow for Flight. Did the river ride already and it was stunning.
But...heads up, the test seat out front seemed broken plus no cast members around to help see if you fit. I think I'll be ok but I'm big on bottom as far as butt and hips go. My kid pushed the lever thing up but it just flopped around instead of clicking so not really sure. Did see about 5 CMs sort of looking at it and talking about it but none of them seemed to actually be working at the test seat.

the test seat never clicked, it has an arrow and a green and red section, that's how they know if you are ok to ride or not