The countdown has begun for the opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar and the big question is how long will guests endure the wait to be one of the first to check out Animal Kingdom’s newest land.
Disney Imagineers designed a queue for Pandora that will hold six hours’ worth of guests – a clue that the theme park is expecting a huge crowd for the May 27 grand opening.
Long waits for new attractions are the norm, however, passholders and media have seen lines that stretch anywhere from two to four hours during technical rehearsals during the past two weeks.
Both Avatar Flight of Passage and the Na’vi River Journey rides only have moderate capacities, which will drive up wait times for these attractions.
But rides are not the only wait at Pandora.
During rehearsals, guests flocked to the Banshee souvenir experience, where plastic banshees can be adopted for $50. The line for this experience ranged from 30 minutes to an hour – and that’s with limited guests are in the park. When Pandora officially opens, the wait time may double or triple.
Another sticky wicket, is the wait for Satu’li Canteen, the only inside restaurant in Pandora. The indoor dining space is cramped and with temperatures hitting the mid-90s in Central Florida, eating outside may not be an option.
Disney has debuted its Mobile Order that allows guests to order and pay for meals on-the-go within the My Disney Experience app, bypassing the initial line at the restaurant. However, there will still be some waiting, as guests must tap an “I’m here” button in the app when they arrive at the restaurant, which will notify the kitchen to prepare the ordered items.
Can you imagine if all lunch guests arrive at high noon and hit the “I’m here” button at once?
So go to the opening but be forewarned, pack a picnic, devices for the kids to play during the wait and plenty of cold water.