REVIEW: Drinks, Dessert, and Charm are on the Menu at Pongu Pongu in Pandora – The World of AVATAR

While visiting Pandora: The World of AVATAR during our special preview, we did get to drink and grab a dessert from the Pongu Pongu kiosk.

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Pongu Pongu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Quench your thirst the Pandoran way at an otherworldly pit-stop offering Na’vi-inspired refreshment.

Are your expeditions at Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey leaving you parched? Hike to the corner of Windtraders where you’ll find Pongu Pongu—when you spot a friendly expat serving out-of-this-world drinks, you’ve come to the right place.

Meaning “Party Party” in the language of the Na’vi, Pongu Pongu welcomes weary travelers to try our “bioluminescent” frozen cocktail, indigenous beers—or even a sweet snack you won’t find elsewhere!

While most of Pandora is simply huge and awe-inspiring to look at, I found fun and charm around this one corner of the land. Pongu Pongu exhibits a kooky character in a land heavily filled with conservation messages and fantastic plant-life.

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Pongu Pongu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Probably why Dinoland U.S.A. has always been my favorite area in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is because it doesn’t take itself to seriously, and neither does Pongu Pongu, understanding that its a drink stand run by a human tour company with the purpose of serving tourists.

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Pongu Pongu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

It has an eclectic charm with traces of the world’s heritage abounding. Even though you are in the remnants of a military facility, they are clearly long gone and now we’re just here to have a good time on vacation.

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Pongu Pongu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Pongu Pongu has two serving windows and no seating area, but it is just steps away from the outdoor seating area at the Satuli Canteen.

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I present the very first trash can pictures of Pandora: The World of AVATAR

So, how are the drinks and the long-advertised Lumpia snacks? Let’s find out…

Pongu Pongu Menu

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Pongu Pongu Menu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR

The menu includes one non-acloholic and one alcoholic frozen drink, two specialty beers brewed just for this land, the Pongu Lumpia dessert, and bottled water.

Night Blossom – Non-Alcholic Specialty Beverage ($4.99, $18.25 with souvenir cup and glow cube)

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Night Blossom – Non-Alcholic Specialty Beverage ($4.99, $18.25 with souvenir cup and glow cube)

Mixture of Limeade with Apple and Desert Pear flavors topped with Passion Fruit Boba Balls. Can be served in a souvenir Pongu Mug with glowing Unadelta Seed

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It is very sweet, but the mix of limeade, apple, and pear flavors make for a unique and refreshing combination. It is quite a bit more if you want the plastic souvenir cup and glow cube, but otherwise, I think it is a good value based on the size of the beverage. It also takes an awfully nice picture.

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The frozen drinks are concocted from these machines, which are surrounded by even more themed elements inside the kiosk

Mo’ara High Country Ale ($8.25 16oz, $9.50 22oz, $18.50 with souvenir mug and glow cube)

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Mo’ara High Country Ale ($8.25 16oz, $9.50 22oz, $18.50 with souvenir mug and glow cube)

Draft Beer 16oz. Rich amber color with a spicy Hop aroma and notes of Caramel, Toffee and Nuts

The high country ale is the darker amber colored beer. It’s a more bitter beer with notes of a nutty flavor and caramel and toffee. Though not as highly carbonated as the grog, it is still heavier than the average IPA, but doesn’t have the over-bitterness that a Jai Alai would have. There’s prevalent hop, but this isn’t a full IPA, and I’m not talking Indigenous Pandora Ale

Hawkes’ Grog Ale ($8.25 16oz, $9.50 22oz, $18.50 with souvenir mug and glow cube)

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Hawkes’ Grog Ale ($8.25 16oz, $9.50 22oz, $18.50 with souvenir mug and glow cube)

Draft Beer 16oz. Golden Ale with a brilliant green color and flavors of Wheat and Citrus followed by a creamy finish

Tasting notes are very carbonated, tastes like a lighter wheat beer with light citrus notes. Very drinkable, highly themed to the land. Slight creamy finish that isn’t as off-putting as it sounds, the beer is balanced but not overly crafty and shouldn’t be avoided by those without advanced beer palettes.

Pongu Lumpia ($4.59)

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Pongu Lumpia ($4.59)

A pineapple cream cheese spring roll

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Pongu Lumpia ($4.59)

This was what I was most anticipating from the food lineup on Pandora and I have to say it was just alright. Served warm, the spring roll doesn’t really hold together well after a bite or two. The flavor is there, and is certainly enjoyable if you like cream cheese and pineapple flavors. Your dessert money may be better spent inside of Satuli Canteen honestly and I’ll let you know once we (hopefully) get in there on Saturday.

PHOTOS: Specialty Drinks on Tap for Pandora – The World of AVATAR

Today, Disney has given us a look at some of the specialty drinks you will be able to purchase at Pongu Pongu and Satuli Canteen in Pandora: The World of Avatar.

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One of the drinks you can find, which is featured above, is the Pandoran Sunrise. It is a non-alcoholic drink mix of tropical juices blended with Powerade Melon – and you can get in the souvenir Satu’li Canteen Flute Flask. Banshee Chardonnay and Banshee Pinot Noir are on the menu by the glass, as well as a refreshing Dreamwalker Sangria with a splash of Blue Curaçao. These drinks listed above are only at the Satuli Canteen.

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These 2 specialty ales from Pongu Pongu  on the menu and are the Hawkes’ Grog Ale that has  a fruity hop character (a taste of apricot and peach, a hint of wheat on the finish), and Mo’ara High Country Ale, which is a malty amber ale with the aroma of herbal spice hops and tastes of caramel, toffee, and nuts.

If you go to the walk-up counter at Pongu Pongu, you can also find the Night Blossom, which is a frozen drink, a non-alcoholic mixture of limeade with apple and desert pear flavors topped with passion fruit boba balls. You can purchase it in a souvenir Pongu Pongu mug with a glow cube as well. The walk up window will have the 2 Pandoran ales on tap, as well as the Mo’ara Frozen Margarita, which is another frozen drink with Sauza Conmemorativo Añejo Tequila with strawberry and blood orange flavor topped with strawberry boba balls. That drink can also be purchased in a souvenir cup.

Pandora: The World of Avatar opens May 27th, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

LEAKED PHOTOS: An Inside Look at Pandora – The World of AVATAR as the Finishing Touches Are Applied

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:

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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.

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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.

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Above and below, a better look at the boat vehicles for the Na’vi River Journey attraction.

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Above, we get another look at one of the bioluminescent floors in the land.

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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.

PHOTOS: First Look at Specialty Food and Drink & More Details on Dining in Pandora – The World of AVATAR at Animal Kingdom

Disney has finally released more details on the dining options in Pandora: The World of AVATAR. While we don’t have the full menu just yet, the photos below mark our first look at the specialty food and drink items that will inhabit the land.

A dish from the Satu'li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

A dish from the Satu’li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Satu’li Canteen

Indulge in the art and culture of the Na’vi while dining inside this former RDA mess hall, only at Pandora – The World of Avatar.

Navi blueberry cheesecake, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Navi blueberry cheesecake, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Pictured above is the Na’vi blueberry cheesecake served with passion fruit curd.

A dish from the Satu'li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

A dish from the Satu’li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Discover healthful dishes and familiar flavors from another world—wholesome grains, fresh vegetables and hearty proteins.

Between your aerial adventures on Avatar Flight of Passage and family-friendly voyages aboard Na’vi River Journey, tuck inside the Quonset-hut structure called Satu’li Canteen—long ago an RDA mess hall, now a peaceful dining facility adorned with Na’vi art and cultural items.

A dish from the Satu'li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

A dish from the Satu’li Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Owned and operated by Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE), Satu’li Canteen supplies travelers all the comforts of home—courtesy of a unique, fast-casual menu that’s been crafted from Pandora’s natural abundance.

Featuring international-inspired cuisine, vegetarian options and specialty libations, it’s the perfect place to refuel as you venture through the Valley of Mo’ara.

Pongu Pongu Refreshments

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Wet your whistle at this popular drink stand run by an expat who fell in love with Pandora – The World of Avatar… and never left.

Lumpia from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Lumpia from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Pictured above is Lumpia, a crispy pineapple-cream cheese spring roll that will be offered at Pongu Pongu.

Quench your thirst the Pandoran way at an otherworldly pit-stop offering Na’vi-inspired refreshment.

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Are your expeditions at Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey leaving you parched? Hike to the corner of Windtraders where you’ll find Pongu Pongu—when you spot a friendly expat serving out-of-this-world drinks, you’ve come to the right place.

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Drinks from Pongu Pongu, Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Meaning “Party Party” in the language of the Na’vi, Pongu Pongu welcomes weary travelers to try our bioluminescent frozen cocktail, indigenous beers—or even a sweet snack you won’t find elsewhere!

Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 27, 2017.

PHOTOS, VIDEO: New 6-Minute Behind the Scenes Look at Pandora Reveals More Than Ever Before; Banshee Is a Virtual Reality Ride

If you stayed up to watch ABC’s Nightline last night, then you saw the most comprehensive and impressive preview to date of Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The 6-plus-minute tour shows everything from Flight and Passage and the Navi River Journey, to the food and floating mountains of the land. Take a look:

Revealed in this video, it appears that the Banshee image that was leaked to us was just a test seat used at Walt Disney Imagineering during the early development of the Flight of Passage ride. Instead, guests will sit in a row in the seats pictured below and experience a “virtual reality” thrill ride.

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In the interview, Landau states “This is where people will be able to link with a Banshee and actually fly across Pandora.” The pre-show experience matches you with your own personal Avatar. Guests then sit in the attraction in “link chairs” that connect to the Banshees virtually, which is all very similar to the film where humans become Navi people through Avatars. Nightline goes on to call the attraction a “Virtual Reality experience”, leading us to believe it will be a Soarin’-type ride system with 3-D and virtual reality technology at play to make you feel like you really are flying on the back of this creature. The link chairs do no have backs, so you will be seated as if you were riding a Banshee, but in the safety of seats with plenty of protection from falling.

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The 6-plus-minute behind the scenes look is fascinating and shows way more than just these clips about Flight of Passage, so make sure that you check out the whole video above. You’ll even see more of the fantastic nighttime bioluminescent glow of Pandora… and its drinks…

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Pandora: The World of AVATAR opens May 27th, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.