The Banshee Rookery inside of Windtraders in Pandora is completely empty as of 10:45am on June 3rd, 2017
The Banshee Rookery inside of Windtraders in Pandora is completely empty as of 10:45am on June 3rd, 2017
According to guests visiting this morning, there were a few Banshees on the shelves when the day started, but now there are none. Cast members are telling guests it will be a few weeks until more are in stock (take that for what its worth). Either way, it is clear that Disney sold way more of these neat toys than they ever expected to.
The full contents of a Banshee Rookery box, and the optional perch.
If you are unfamiliar with what these are, you can check out our review of them here. The product was selling well during previews, but it wasn’t uncommon to wait 30-60 minutes just to enter Windtraders over the first week of it being open to the public. Guests would then have to wait another 15-30 minutes if they wanted the full Banshee experience, but Disney was also offering “grab and go” pre-boxed Banshees at temporary tables inside of the shop all week.
We will continue to provide updates on the status of the Banshee Rookery as many a guest have told us they were looking forward to doing this on their first trip to Pandora. Well, some guests will have to wait a little while longer.
Apparently, some photos from inside of Pandora: The World of AVATAR were leaked and are now being shared on social media. In the photos, we get a better look at the current state of the Valley of Mo’ara, Pongu Pongu Refreshments, the Navi River Journey, and more.
All of the photos come from @logantmiller on twitter:
The first photo appears to take us beneath the floating mountains in the Valley of Mo’ara, among some of the woven artwork of the Navi people.
Next, we take a look at Pongu Pongu refreshments, home of the Lumpia dessert and fine beverages. The hula skirt is sadly not installed on the big mech suit yet.
Above and below, a better look at the boat vehicles for the Na’vi River Journey attraction.
Above, we get another look at one of the bioluminescent floors in the land.
A themed sign shows remnants of the RDA mining compound, likely the building that now houses some of the queue for the Flight of Passage attraction (in story).
Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 27th, 2017.
Disney today shared a sneak preview at another item that will immerse guests in their in-park experience like never before and connect them to Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The item is called the Na’vi Translator.
“This device was originally developed by Alpha Centauri Expeditions founder Marshall Lamm,” explained Cody Hampton, product developer. “The Na’vi have no written language, so the translator will be a helpful tool for any human visiting Pandora. Guests using the translator can learn how to pronounce 90 Na’vi words using interchangeable translation cards. The device also lights up at night, which makes it perfect for nighttime explorations on Pandora.”
The Na’vi Translator set will come packaged with 15 translation cards. The device has a clasp that extends up to 12-inches and can be attached to a belt or backpack.
Additional translation cards will be sold in trading card packs, each containing eight randomly selected cards. There are some common cards such as Nouns (Blue) and Adjectives (Purple). Other cards will be less common to find in the trading packs including Animals (Orange), Phrases (Aqua), and Landscapes (Tan). The rarest cards are Plants (Green) and Gear (Yellow).
“When selecting the words and phrases for this set, we thought about the most essential words a guest might use when exploring another country on Earth,” continued Cody. “My favorite word is ‘Ikran’ which means ‘Banshee.’ I must have said that word hundreds of times while developing products for Pandora [laughs].”
Cody partnered with Lightstorm Entertainment and Dr. Paul Frommer, creator of the Na’vi language for “Avatar,” to acquire audio recordings of spoken Na’vi words for the translator.
This product and more will be available May 27th when Pandora: The World of AVATAR officially opens to guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Disney is starting to release more information to the cast members who will be working in Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, giving us the scoop on some things we didn’t know we would encounter when the area opens on May 27th, 2017.
Floating mountains grace the skyline while exotic plants fill the colorful landscape inside Pandora – The World of Avatar, which opens May 27, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (Kent Phillips, photographer)
Reportedly, there isn’t much in the way of signage for the attractions in the land, as it would impede on the natural environment around the two rides (in story). Na’vi totem poles will be used to convey to guests what the attraction is they are entering the queue for. Whether or not this means there will be wait time signs or not remains to be seen. Also, there will be no Mickey icon readers for MagicBands as it would not make sense on Pandora, so expect custom readers or ACE crew members with iPads I suppose.
The Wilderness Explorers attraction at Animal Kingdom will be tied into the land as well, adding two more pages for guests to obtain while they are on Pandora.
Supposedly, the Na’vi River Journey attraction will feature only one Audio-Animatronic Na’vi creature, the Shaman character we were already introduced to. She will be seated along the riverbank in a crossed leg pattern, but if she were to stand, she would clock in at over 10 feet tall. There will however be additional “AAs” of some of the wildlife on Pandora.
Windtraders, (pictured here) travelers can find Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits, and more.
Regarding merchandise, AVATAR products will only be sold in Pandora and not anywhere else in the park. There will also be specific daytime and nighttime merchandise, such as flip flops, staffs, and spears that interact with their surroundings in the land in the evenings. Disney Parks branded bags and receipts will also not exist on Pandora, instead, everything will be branded to Alpha Centauri Expeditions.
The D-Tech “AVATAR Me” station that can be somewhat made out in the store concept art is apparently a real thing, similar to when Disney offered the service where guests could become a Jedi or a Stormtrooper. There is also a “Banshee Connect” service where you will be matched with a tiny plush version of the beast; a robotic creature that you can take home with you for a price.
The stores will include a bead station where guests can make their own bead necklace or bracelet. As well, the Na’vi artifacts that will be for sale will be actual, hand painted props.
We will share more tidbits like this with you as we inch closer to the opening of Pandora: The World of AVATAR on May 27th, 2017.
Walt Disney World annual passholders will be getting a first-look at Pandora: The World of AVATAR with exclusive previews of the land scheduled to happen in just-a-little-over two weeks time.
Floating mountains grace the skyline while exotic plants fill the colorful landscape inside Pandora – The World of Avatar, which opens May 27, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Pandora – The World of Avatar will bring a variety of new experiences to the park, including a family-friendly attraction called Na’vi River Journey and new food & beverage and merchandise locations. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kent Phillips, photographer)
Online registration should open very soon for annual passholders to sign up for one of two preview dates for Pandora: The World of AVATAR, April 8th or 9th, 2017. It is possible that more preview dates will be scheduled later, but these appear to be the first two, at least.
Rumor has it that there will be some restriction on “technology use” for guests who partake in the preview, perhaps a ban on photography and video recording, but we will have to wait and see exactly what that means. Again, this preview would be over a month and a half before the official opening of the land to guests.
As the project is still being finished up, these dates can still change, but it seems the previews will take place before the month of April 2017 is over, at the latest.
Disney will finally be rolling out mobile advance ordering for counter service restaurants, and they will be doing it May 27th at their very newest.
Satuli Canteen inside Pandora: The World of AVATAR will be the very first restaurant at Walt Disney World to open with the feature.
Mobile ordering allows you to pay for meals on-the-go with the My Disney Experience app, bypassing the queue to order in the restaurant. Using the app, you can select any of the menu items, customize them as you wish, and pre-pay for the meal. Arriving at the restaurant, guests will simply tap “I’m Here”, which will notify cast members to prepare the meal. When it’s ready, you will be alerted in the app to pick up the food at a designated service window. Only credit card payments will be accepted for this service, with Dining Plan guests still having to use the normal queue, at least as of right now.
Look for familiar dishes with a twist in the fast-casual restaurant, with bowls that allow diners to customize their lunch or dinner. Diners start with a base of quinoa and vegetable salad; red and sweet potato hash; mixed whole-grain and rice or romaine and kale salad. Next is either with wood-grilled chicken, slow-roasted beef, sustainable fish or chili-spiced fried tofu. And the bowl is finished with charred onion chimichurri, black bean vinaigrette or creamy herb dressing.
The menu also offers steamed “pods” – bao buns with either cheeseburger or vegetable curry and served with root vegetable chips and crunchy vegetable slaw.
For little ones, there’s an option of grilled chicken or beef, fish or tofu with greens or rice; a hot dog wrapped in Parker House dough; cheese quesadilla, or a steamed “pod” (cheeseburger bao bun).
To read more about the food at the Satuli Canteen, click here.
Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens May 27th, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Today, Disney is sharing the incredible backstories and more information on many aspects of Pandora: The World of AVATAR ahead of its opening on May 27th, 2017:
The Story of ACE
Just like some Cast Members work for the Kilimanjaro Safaris tour company in Africa, or the Kali River Expeditions and Himalayan Escapes in Asia, the Cast Members in Pandora will work for a tour company as well. Alpha Centauri Expeditions, or ACE, is the eco-tour company that brings us to Pandora through a partnership with the Na’vi. Their mission statement: “Our dream is that all those who crave exciting adventures in nature can find that with ACE. We look forward to helping you discover the wondrous beauty that the world of Pandora has to offer.”
Founded by Marshall Lamm, ACE hosts travelers and also provides lodging, food, merchandise establishments, pathways, bridges, safety railings, lights, fans, informational and safety signs, river transportation, as well as park guides who know all about the land, flora, and fauna within the Valley of Mo’ara on Pandora.
The Na’vi
When you visit Pandora – The World of Avatar, you are visiting a specific regional area of Pandora, the Valley of Mo’ara. The native inhabitants, the Na’vi, live in distinct clans throughout the moon of Pandora. Mo’ara is home to the Omaticaya clan.
Here are some key phrases in the Na’vi language you might want to know before visiting:
Kaltxi [kahl-T’IH] means “Hello”
Irayo [ee-RAH-yo] means “Thanks”
Rutxe [roo-T’EH] means “Please”
Oeru syaw [WEH-roo syow] means “My name is “
Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE)
Dining
Pongu Pongu was originally built by a former RDA employee who fell in love with the natural splendors of Pandora. Eventually, he built a place where his fellow Expats could gather and socialize. He even placed a retired RDA-era AMP suit outside the building as a sort of landmark. The Na’vi named the place, “Pongu Pongu”, which means, “Party Party,” because of all the wild and memorable times both humans and Na’vi have had together there. The owner eventually collaborated with the ACE tour company to transform this eccentric building into a place for tourists to visit and wet their whistles. Filled with Pandoran treasures and RDA relics, it has quickly become a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike.
The Satu’li Canteen was once the main mess hall of a large RDA base located in the Valley of Mo’ara but now the canteen is owned and operated by the ACE tour company. A restaurateur hired by ACE has redesigned the once utilitarian Quonset hut structure into a beautiful museum-like dining room. Featuring Na’vi art and cultural items, the Satu’li Canteen now reflects a new friendship and cultural understanding that exists between the humans on Pandora and the indigenous Na’vi.
The interior has been transformed, with the colorful Na’vi items filling the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Most of the items were gifted to humans by the Omaticaya clan living in Mo’ara. Hand woven tapestries, natural Pandroan elements, and even cooking tools can all be found inside the restaurant along with sketches and photographs on the walls that help explain their significance. With this unique display of cultural items, the Satu’li Canteen visually represents the positive influence the Na’vi have had on the humans living and working on Pandora.
Shopping
Located at the exit of the Flight of Passage attraction, Windtraders is an old building that used to be part of the base during the conflict between the Na’vi and humans. When ACE took over the old facility, they stripped the interior to just a shell and redesigned it to celebrate the natural world of Pandora. The feeling in the shop is a combination of a national park’s visitor center, a cultural center, and a science museum. The store offers a range of items including science kits, explorers gear, items that feature natural bioluminescence, realistic and plush versions of Pandoran creatures, clothing, and various cultural items from the Na’vi. Many of these Na’vi items come from Na’vi traders that travel all over Pandora and visit with various clans.
Colors of Mo’ara is run by local expats, as wild and eclectic as the creatures they paint. This facepainting kiosk features authentic Pandoran markings – perfect for those arriving to Pandora or ending their visit wanting a memory of their time spent there.
Attractions
Flight of Passage
The Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI) is a group of scientists who study the world of Pandora. A specialized subset of PCI has inherited and refined the Avatar program which is now offered for tourists. Thanks to PCI scientists and technicians, Guests can connect to their own avatar and fly over Pandora on the back of a mountain banshee. A Na’vi guide helps guests experience their own Na’vi rite of passage.
Na’vi River Journey
With the help of ACE, guests board a woven reed boat and journey down a river into a sacred bioluminescent rainforest. Along their journey they discover the Shaman of Songs; a Na’vi with a deep connection to Eywa (the Na’vi diety). Drawing on the natural energy of Pandora the shaman creates a magical, unified harmony that echoes throughout the entire rainforest and beyond.
Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens May 27th, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
Disney has released some new b-roll footage of Pandora: The World of AVATAR in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The clips include some different views of the Valley of Moara and the Navi River Journey attraction, including a good look at the 8 passenger boats for the ride:
Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens May 27th, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
