THEME PARKS AWESTRUCK IN DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM By Amy Nance ® My kids saw James Cameron’s Avatar recently, falling swift and hard for its gorgeous world populated by Na’vi and flying banshees. So when I told them Disney’s Animal Kingdom ®— land of roaring rapids, Na’vi Shaman of Song and one awesome safari—had conjured up an actual Pandora world, their bags were packed. We visited the park and Pandora – The World of AVATAR on a misty morning. The clouds overhead provided a perfect setting for an entrance into another planet, and aft er crossing one rusted, moss-splotched bridge over a river too dark to be in Florida, we did just that. An otherworldly forest full of insect sounds surrounded us, complete with woven hangings that, according to my husband, were definitely ceremonial. Fog rolled off a brook and animal rustlings emanated from deep within. “I bet the next planet we find will look like this,” my son Jude, 8, mused. We arrived at the floating mountains, took selfies in front of waterfalls and touched trees glowing with glassy color and peculiar hair. Willa, 10, located AVATAR Flight of Passage , Pandora’s centerpiece ride, right away. We found ourselves in a research colony, about to link up to our own avatar to ride a banshee for “research purposes.” Other kids and parents were in the room with us, none of us sure what to expect. “Do we get beamed up?” one parent asked. Eventually, we climbed onto a motorcycle-like bike (our banshee), put on 3D glasses and were off , plunging and diving through the mysterious Pandora. We swooped through a corkscrew wave as a cool mist dusted our faces. We skimmed over a stampede of beasts, and a cloud of dirt rose up, the smell of it hanging in the air. It was four minutes of nothing any of us had ever experienced before, ride-wise. “Let’s go again!” Willa cried aft erwards. We wobbled over to Pongu Pongu , a refreshment stand, and got bioluminescent drinks before shopping Windtraders , the attraction’s store, where Willa made a Na’vi necklace. Next, we boarded Na’vi River Passage , a breathtaking boat ride through nighttime Pandora. Jude tugged excitedly on my arm so many times I wondered if he might be short-circuiting. The ride was like a work of art, Nick and I agreed aft er. It was tempting to stay in Pandora all day, but Willa reminded us that there was still Expedition Everest , Asia’s roller coaster. As we approached, she leaned into her brother: “Some people say you can hear the screams from miles away.” Aft er careening through the Himalayas, we spotted lions on the safari and cowered in our seats during the DINOSAUR ride. We hit Kali River Rapids , the kids boldly going without ponchos. “Let’s get soaked!” they yelled. Finally, we settled into a booth at the Rainforest Cafe ®, agreeing to go back to ride the banshees again aft er dinner. For research purposes, of course. Pandora – World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park ©Fox ©Disney 14 Kissimmee Destination Magazine 2018
Experience Kissimmee 2018 Kissimmee Destination Guide: Page 14
