What time does Pandora light up?

[4Rfamily]

Trying to plan out our AK day. We are going at the end of June and the posted closing hours are 8:30. Touring plans indicates that nighttime experiences are not available with that closing time. If we wouldn't see it anyways, I will probably just cut our day a little shorter so we can get the kids to bed sooner for our next day. What time do they light it up?

 

[kylenne]

Trying to plan out our AK day. We are going at the end of June and the posted closing hours are 8:30. Touring plans indicates that nighttime experiences are not available with that closing time. If we wouldn't see it anyways, I will probably just cut our day a little shorter so we can get the kids to bed sooner for our next day. What time do they light it up?

It depends on when sunset is. Usually they start it around then, and it's a gradual change.

 

[Brett Wyman]

It will definitely be much later in June than other times of year. But once dusk sets in it will be visible.

 

[4Rfamily]

It depends on when sunset is. Usually they start it around then, and it's a gradual change.

It depends on when sunset is. Usually they start it around then, and it's a gradual change.

My search shows sunset at 8:27pm for that day. If they start it then, I guess we could see something if we linger in the land a while. What are the lines like at Na'vi at park close?

 

[RememberWhoYouAre]

It doesn't get dark until about 8:30pm in June, but AK may extend hours. If they move closing to even 9pm, you'll be able to see and appreciate the lighting effects even more.

 

[kylenne]

My search shows sunset at 8:27pm for that day. If they start it then, I guess we could see something if we linger in the land a while. What are the lines like at Na'vi at park close?

Posted wait times are always much higher than actual waits at park close. FoP is usually around 25 minutes or so to the preshow if you get in right before official close. I can't imagine NRJ being as long as that.

 

[cgattis]

At 8:30, stuff will be lit up, but some things will be more impressive than others, just because of the lighting conditions. It won’t be dark enough for any of the special photos until after 9:00, so I’d say that’s what they consider fully lit. Honestly, we did rope drop last June and wanted to stay for total dark, but we were really hot and tired by then and with the serious lack of food options in the park at night, we were getting kinda grumpy. My kids are teens, so if yours are small, it may not be worth it to hang around.

 

[RememberWhoYouAre]

My search shows sunset at 8:27pm for that day. If they start it then, I guess we could see something if we linger in the land a while. What are the lines like at Na'vi at park close?

Yes, linger!
We've usually see Navi with a posted waited time of 30 min or less at closing time. Really depends on crowds that day, sometimes the line does look 30 min, sometimes it's practically a walk-on.
The closer you can stay to 8:45-9pm (or later), the better Pandora will look lit up!

 

[4Rfamily]

At 8:30, stuff will be lit up, but some things will be more impressive than others, just because of the lighting conditions. It won’t be dark enough for any of the special photos until after 9:00, so I’d say that’s what they consider fully lit. Honestly, we did rope drop last June and wanted to stay for total dark, but we were really hot and tired by then and with the serious lack of food options in the park at night, we were getting kinda grumpy. My kids are teens, so if yours are small, it may not be worth it to hang around.

Thanks. My kids are 9 and 4. We are planning to RD on a EMH day but also a midday break for rest/naps so hopefully that would help. But we are planning a HS RD the following day so just weighing nighttime Pandora vs earlier bedtimes. Although we have 3 HS days and only 1 AK. We did Pandora at night in 2017 but my son was only 1 so I'd love for him to experience it a little older.