Avatar Flight of Passage
{{Short description|Attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{use American English|date=April 2017}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Avatar Flight of Passage}}
{{Infobox attraction
| name = Avatar Flight of Passage
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Avatar Flight of Passage (33825577724).jpg
| imagedimensions =
| caption = Avatar in the standby queue
| location = Disney's Animal Kingdom
| section = Pandora – The World of Avatar
| coordinates = {{Coord|display=inline, title}}
| status = Operating
| cost =
| opened = {{start date|2017|05|27}}{{cite web|title=Pandora – The World of Avatar to Open May 27, Star Wars Lands Coming in 2019 - The Walt Disney Company|url=https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/pandora-world-avatar-open-may-27-star-wars-lands-coming-2019/|website=The Walt Disney Company|accessdate=February 8, 2017|date=February 7, 2017}}{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Thomas|title=Just Announced: Pandora – The World of Avatar Will Open May 27 at Disney's Animal Kingdom|url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/02/just-announced-pandora-the-world-of-avatar-will-open-may-27-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/|publisher=Disney Parks Blog|accessdate=February 7, 2017|date=February 7, 2017|archive-date=February 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208014130/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/02/just-announced-pandora-the-world-of-avatar-will-open-may-27-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/|url-status=dead}}
| type = 3D flying simulator
| manufacturer =
| designer = {{flat list|*Walt Disney Imagineering
| model =
| theme = Avatar
| music = {{flat list|*James Horner
| height_ft =
| sitearea_sqft =
| capacity =
| vehicle_type =
| vehicles = Link chair
| rows = 3 {{small|(between three levels)}}
| riders_per_row = 16
| duration = 4:24
| restriction_in = 44
| virtual_queue_name = Lightning Lane Single Pass
| virtual_queue_image = Lightning Lane Icon Logo.webp
| virtual_queue_status = available
| transfer_accessible = yes
| assistive_listening = yes
| cc = yes
| custom_label_1 = Audio-animatronics
| custom_value_1 = Yes
| custom_label_2 = Pre-show hosts
| custom_value_2 = Dr. Stevens
Dr. Jackie Ogden
}}
Avatar Flight of Passage is a 3D flying simulator attraction within Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Set in the Avatar universe, the attraction allows guests to take flight on a native mountain Banshee and soar across the landscape of Pandora.{{cite news|last1=Graser|first1=Marc|title='Avatar' Ride Coming to Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom|url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/avatar-ride-coming-to-life-at-disneys-animal-kingdom-1201376587/|accessdate=August 14, 2015|work=Variety|date=December 10, 2014}}
Cast
- Alison Blanchard as Dr. Ogden
- David Danipour as Dr. Stevens
Development
Work on Avatar Flight of Passage began in 2012 and involved staff from Walt Disney Imagineering, James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment, and Weta Digital. All of the footage in the ride is original, with Executive Producer Amy Jupiter revealing, "Everything you see in the attraction’s main show was original to this production. We were fortunate to be able to use the model and texture assets from the first film during our templating/visualization process. We were also able to use animation cycles for our [background] characters."{{Cite news|url=http://vfxvoice.com/avatar-flight-of-passage-a-cinematic-multi-sensory-3d-experience-that-soars/|title=AVATAR: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE: A Cinematic, Multi-Sensory 3D Experience That Soars|last=McGowan|first=Chris|date=June 25, 2018|work=VFX Voice|access-date=June 25, 2018}} Weta Digital provided the main ride film footage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/travel/pandora-avatar-film-disney-theme-park.html|title=Inside Avatar, the Theme Park Version|last=Murphy|first=Mekado|date=July 31, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 1, 2017}}
Ride experience
In the attraction's storyline, the humans and Na'vi are attempting to restore the banshee population to natural levels, after the mining tactics caused by the Resources Development Administration (RDA) generations prior. Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE) has reactivated the avatar program through the Pandora Conservation Initiative as a method of conducting research, and allows guests to link with an avatar to fly on an Ikran (known to humans as a "Banshee") to partake in the Na'vi's tribal coming-of-age tradition.{{cite news|last1=Porges|first1=Seth|title=Everything You Need To Know About Disney's New 'Avatar'-Themed Land|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2017/04/26/everything-you-need-to-know-about-disneys-new-avatar-themed-land/#3fe136b76d3c|accessdate=April 27, 2017|work=Forbes|date=April 26, 2017}}
Set within the remains of a former RDA facility, the attraction invites guests into the ACE lab where guests are linked to an "avatar" and fly aboard a banshee across the Valley of Mo'ara.{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-april-join-us-as-we-visit-disney-s-pandora-1493417022-htmlstory.html|title=What it's like to walk, ride and fly through Disney World's new Pandora park|last=Martens|first=Todd|date=April 29, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 1, 2017}}
The ride's visual effects are in 10K resolution at 60 fps stereo.{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2018 |title=AVATAR: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE: A Cinematic, Multi-Sensory 3D Experience that Soars |url=https://www.vfxvoice.com/avatar-flight-of-passage-a-cinematic-multi-sensory-3d-experience-that-soars/ |access-date=July 18, 2022 |website=VFX Voice Magazine |language=en-US}}
Warning cards
On February 27, 2018, after four incidents had occurred,{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/travel/disneys-avatar-ride-causes-woman-to-pass-out-according-to-new-report-on-theme-park-injuries |title=Disney's Avatar Ride causes woman to pass out, according to new report of theme-park injuries |publisher=Fox News |date=July 19, 2017 |access-date=July 19, 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-theme-park-injury-report-january-20180116-story.html |title=Disney: 2 health issues reported at Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, report says |publisher=Orlando Sentinel |date=January 16, 2017 |accessdate=January 16, 2018 }} Disney added warning cards for riders before entering the ride. The cards were similar to those on Mission: Space and warned riders about fear of heights, motion sickness, and the seating restraints.{{cite web|url=https://wdwnt.com/2018/02/photo-guests-riding-avatar-flight-passage-animal-kingdom-now-given-warning-cards/ |title=PHOTO: Guests Riding Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom Now Given Warning Cards |publisher=WDW News Today |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=February 28, 2018 }} These cards were removed in late 2018 and have been replaced with a pre-recorded message which communicates similar information to guests. The message plays only in the queue room immediately before the ride experience. Cast Members give a safety spiel with warnings before entering ride room.
Reception
Avatar Flight of Passage was ranked in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new ride of 2017 with 15% of the vote, to come in second place. The ride won the 2018 Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project.{{Cite web |title=Avatar Flight of Passage Honored with Industry Award for Outstanding Visual Effects |url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/02/avatar-flight-of-passage-honored-with-industry-award-for-outstanding-visual-effects/ |access-date=July 18, 2022 |website=Disney Parks Blog |language=en-US |archive-date=July 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718231830/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/02/avatar-flight-of-passage-honored-with-industry-award-for-outstanding-visual-effects/ |url-status=dead }}
| class="wikitable" |
| style="text-align:center; background:white;" colspan="500"|Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2017 |
|---|
| style="background:#white;"
! style="text-align:center;"|Ranking |{{center|2{{cite journal|title=Park and ride winners|journal=Amusement Today|date=September 2017|url=http://goldenticketawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017-GTA-Results.pdf|accessdate=July 30, 2020}}}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Commons category|position=left}}
{{Avatar (franchise)}}
{{Disney's Animal Kingdom}}
{{Disney rides}}
Category:Pandora – The World of Avatar
Category:Disney's Animal Kingdom
Category:Amusement rides based on film franchises
Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions
Category:Audio-Animatronic attractions
Category:Amusement rides introduced in 2017