Pandora: The World of Avatar

Pandora: The World of Avatar is a themed area currently being constructed in the south-west portion of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The area will be based upon the fictional exoplanetary moon Pandora from James Cameron's Avatar film series, and will include Pandora's floating mountains, alien wildlife, and bioluminescent plants. Pandora: The World of Avatar is expected to span several acres and feature multiple attractions, entertainment, Audio-Animatronics, 3-D holograms as well as retail, food and beverage outlets. Construction began on January 10, 2014, with the land expected to open in Summer 2017.

History
In early 2011, James Cameron was approached by the Walt Disney Company's chief executive officer, Bob Iger, regarding the possibility of Avatar-themed attractions in Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Originally, discussions were held about creating an Avatar-themed attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, perhaps at the park's then-functioning Studio Backlot Tour. Instead, Tom Staggs suggested to incorporate the film into a newly designed "land" at Disney's Animal Kingdom to improve the park's attraction roster. On September 17, 2011, a long-term exclusivity deal was signed between Disney, Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment. This deal was officially announced to the public on September 20, 2011, on the Disney Parks Blog. The highlight of the announcement was that Disney's Animal Kingdom would receive a new themed area entirely devoted to Avatar. The area is set to cost approximately $500 million. Construction began in January 2014, with a planned opening date between three and five years later. The deal could see Avatar attractions added to other Disney theme parks in the future, however, there are no immediate plans to do so.

Design
Pandora: The World of Avatar is designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and Lightstorm Entertainment with Avatar producers James Cameron and Jon Landau also providing creative assistance. The area is being built in the former location of Camp Minnie-Mickey, which was originally earmarked for the Beastly Kingdom, a never-built themed land which would have been based around mythological creatures.

Disney showcased a first look presentation of the land at the 2013 Japan D23 Expo. In September 2011, James Cameron confirmed that a flying attraction featuring "3-D projections and creature designs that were cut from the original film" was a concept on the drawing board for the area. Pandora: The World of Avatar will include elements from the original Avatar film as well as its four, yet-to-be-released sequels.

Attractions
At Disney's 2015 D23 Expo, Walt Disney Imagineering confirmed two major attractions.


 * AVATAR Flight of Passage, a flying E-ticket simulator attraction, where guests will learn to fly with a mountain Banshee.
 * Na'vi River Journey, a boat ride attraction showcasing the native fauna and flora of Pandora, that will include Audio-Animatronics and small drops.