Cruise Along the Pandora River

There have been bits and pieces that have come along with news to the mysterious “Pandora,” also known as AVATAR-Land to some. Construction has been moving right along with the E-ticket type attraction based off the banshee flight simulator ride similar to Soarin’ that, according to Joe Rohde, imagineer extraordinaire, will be “considerably more thrilling” than the popular Epcot attraction.

According to Brady McDonald of the Los Angeles Times, a “D-Ticket” indoor boat ride will indeed be a part of the Pandora section of the park. The ride is described as one that “will take riders on a river journey through the illuminated forest of Pandora” by using bioluminescent trees and audio-animatronics. The animatronics should be more on the style of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and not that of the giant disco-ing yeti over in the “Forbidden Mountain.” Similar D-Ticket boat rides include Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise.

The new area of the park is still slated to open in 2017, but no month has been given to when it should start. The area will be tied to the trio of movies (Avatar 2 to be released in 2017, Avatar 3 in 2018) and James Cameron, director, writer and producer of the original film, will allow visitors to “live, eat and breathe” the land created in his movie.

Based off of the last quote, look for a quick service restaurant to open in that area in addition to the rides and I am hopeful we do not get to see what “Avatar Poop” looks like.