Pandora opening- what are they working on?

[Sophie_inBflo]

I was just watching the sneak peeks on Good Morning America and the View... it looks like it's really close... It's hard to believe that Disney would have this place finished, but keep the doors closed. Any idea or speculation what they're still working on? (I know they won't officially open before the published date, but it sure seems like they could open a few weeks earlier for previews...)

These sneak peeks have actually piqued my interest- to visit Pandora, at least. I still have no desire to watch any of the sequels! lol

 

[rteetz]

If you noticed we have not seen the dining areas or gift shop parts yet. I assume and based on the last set of aerial photos we have that area is still being worked on. The rides do appear to be finished.

 

[TampaDisFan]

I was just watching the sneak peeks on Good Morning America and the View... it looks like it's really close... It's hard to believe that Disney would have this place finished, but keep the doors closed. Any idea or speculation what they're still working on? (I know they won't officially open before the published date, but it sure seems like they could open a few weeks earlier for previews...)

These sneak peeks have actually piqued my interest- to visit Pandora, at least. I still have no desire to watch any of the sequels! lol

Also, they're probably doing TONS of testing. I was at Cars Land the week it opened and the ride was braking down constantly. The same was true with Frozen (as well as the Harry Potter rides over at universal).

The facade may be complete and the rides may be rideable, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily ready to be run a couple hundred times a day, every day.

 

[rteetz]

Also, they're probably doing TONS of testing. I was at Cars Land the week it opened and the ride was braking down constantly. The same was true with Frozen (as well as the Harry Potter rides over at universal).

The facade may be complete and the rides may be rideable, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily ready to be run a couple hundred times a day, every day.

True, however the rides have been rideable for some time now. I'd imagine they are very close if not ready to begin testing for full day operations. I don't believe that dining and shopping areas are ready for that though.

 

[TampaDisFan]

True, however the rides have been rideable for some time now. I'd imagine they are very close if not ready to begin testing for full day operations. I don't believe that dining and shopping areas are ready for that though.

I hope that's correct. I'm an AP and I go often. I'd love to stumble upon a soft opening.

Do we have any idea how they'll handle FP+? Will they have them starting the first day?

Also, I noticed that the soft openings for RoL were posted on FP+ the morning of. Do you think they'll do that with these two rides? Or just have someone standing at the fence randomly pulling people in?

 

[rteetz]

I hope that's correct. I'm an AP and I go often. I'd love to stumble upon a soft opening.

Do we have any idea how they'll handle FP+? Will they have them starting the first day?

Also, I noticed that the soft openings for RoL were posted on FP+ the morning of. Do you think they'll do that with these two rides? Or just have someone standing at the fence randomly pulling people in?

If we base it on Frozen and 7DMT, both opened FP 30 days before they opened.

As for soft opening FP, it depends on what the soft opening is. They might just randomly let people in or do something more organized.

 

[TampaDisFan]

When you say

If we base it on Frozen and 7DMT, both opened FP 30 days before they opened.

You mean you could reserve FPs 30 days in advance for the first day of operation?

 

[rteetz]

When you say



You mean you could reserve FPs 30 days in advance for the first day of operation?

Correct, however we don't know if that is what they are going to do yet.

 

[TampaDisFan]

Correct, however we don't know if that is what they are going to do yet.

Ok cool. Thanks.

I hope they do that.

 

[Spaceguy55]

With the amount of advertising and sneak peeks this week I would think they would want to sell some rooms too. FP+ at 30 days would help.
Maybe an announcement on earth day ..that would be about 30 days
oops

 

[rteetz]

With the amount of advertising and sneak peeks this week I would think they would want to sell some rooms too. FP+ at 60 days would help.
Maybe an announcement on earth day ..that would be about 60 days

Well that might happen, however with recent attraction openings they have waited to release FP until the 30 day mark instead.

 

[lpizzuro123]

We will be down first two weeks in May and are AP holders. We would love to get into the area. I am interested in the rides - but honestly I would just love to walk through the area.

 

[Willow1213]

While the area looked mostly there, I noticed a lot of the barriers around the walkways looked incomplete. I can imagine there are lots of places in queues or like rteetz said, the shops and restaurants. The food tasting sections of the GMA video were in a test kitchen, not the restaurant.

 

[Owl X]

They will most likely have to increase the number of cast members in Animal Kingdom for the Pandora opening.
So new employees will need to be hired and trained. Plus existing employees will have to train in the new area.

 

[rteetz]

They will most likely have to increase the number of cast members in Animal Kingdom for the Pandora opening.
So new employees will need to be hired and trained. Plus existing employees will have to train in the new area.

That's already well underway.

 

[anthony2k7]

In other news........ apparently Avatar 2 has been delayed yet again. Will it ever really release??

 

[TampaDisFan]

In other news........ apparently Avatar 2 has been delayed yet again. Will it ever really release??

This is not surprising. James Cameron likes to really push the bounds, technology wise, with everything he does. Pandora looks amazing. I'm sure he knows what he's doing with the movies.

 

[jaxonp]

This is not surprising. James Cameron likes to really push the bounds, technology wise, with everything he does. Pandora looks amazing. I'm sure he knows what he's doing with the movies.

Yea, people need to learn to trust the man that has the 2 highest grossing films of all time.

 

[TampaDisFan]

Yea, people need to learn to trust the man that has the 2 highest grossing films of all time.

Exactly. Also with Pandora, obviously I haven't been there yet, but it looks like it was unbelievably well designed. I bet Cameron had a lot to do with that. He probably really pushed Disney to do it right.

 

[jaxonp]

Exactly. Also with Pandora, obviously I haven't been there yet, but it looks like it was unbelievably well designed. I bet Cameron had a lot to do with that. He probably really pushed Disney to do it right.

For years, way before his involvement with Disney and before Avatar, he was known as a perfectionist and massive control freak. I'd imagine he spent a lot of time fighting to get his way... So, far it looks incredible.