Since its debut in 2017, Pandora – The World of Avatar has been praised as one of Disney’s most immersive theme park lands. Towering floating mountains, cascading waterfalls, and bioluminescent pathways make guests feel as though they’ve stepped onto an alien moon. The land successfully captures the beauty and wonder of Avatar’s world, drawing visitors into its lush, otherworldly environment.
Despite its visual splendor, something feels missing. In general, Pandora lacks movement. There are no wandering Na’vi, no creatures prowling through the undergrowth, and no banshees soaring overhead. This absence of life contrasts sharply with the films, where Pandora is teeming with wildlife.
The Lack of Roaming Creatures and Characters
The moment you step into Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you are instantly struck by the scale of the land. The area fits surprisingly well into a theme park designed around the nature of our world. Imagineers did an excellent job of mixing unique plants and props to make it feel like you are in a truly living environment. However, people and animals are noticeably missing.
The Avatar films are about the Na’vis’ connection to the environment, particularly animals. Unfortunately, the only “life” you will find is in the land’s two attractions. While I personally like the look of Pandora, I rarely feel a need to stay or return after riding the two attractions. That is in contrast to other theme park lands where there is plenty of value in exploring the land. Worst of all, Pandora looks absolutely incredible at night, but it is in a park that is rarely open past dusk.
Looking at the lack of characters and creatures, Pandora suffers from some of the same problems as Galaxy’s Edge. On a positive note, at least Galaxy’s Edge does have some roaming characters.
Now, I know some may theorize that the problem is the size and scale of Pandora’s inhabitants. In reality, Disney could use stilt walkers for the Na’vi. Plus, there are plenty of options to incorporate other animals. For instance, Epic Universe will use a mix of robotics and costumes for Hiccup and Donkey Kong, respectively. Believing that you have truly stepped into a world is the selling point for Disney Parks, and having life-like characters roaming helps create that belief.
What Creatures Could Roam Pandora
One of the biggest missing elements in Pandora – The World of Avatar is the presence of roaming creatures. While the land itself is breathtaking, it lacks the dynamic movement that could make it feel truly alive. Imagine walking through the Valley of Mo’ara and encountering the incredible wildlife of Pandora up close just as visitors do in Avatar and its sequels.
Disney has the technology and creative expertise to bring several of Pandora’s creatures to life in engaging and interactive ways. Here are a few species that could seamlessly integrate into the land and how Disney could execute them:
Direhorse (Pa’li)
The Direhorse is a six-legged, horse-like creature that the Na’vi ride. It is one of the most iconic animals in Avatar and would fit naturally into the theme of a land that emphasizes a connection with nature.
Disney has successfully used puppet-based animatronics before, like the giant walking “Suitbot” in Pandora and The Lion King’s walking giraffes on Broadway. A performer inside a lightweight, articulated costume could create the illusion of a Direhorse trotting through the Valley of Mo’ara. A trained Na’vi “researcher” or “conservationist” could walk alongside, explaining the creature’s biology and behavior.
Viperwolves (Nantang)
Viperwolves are sleek, nocturnal predators that resemble Earth’s wolves but with elongated limbs and glowing eyes. While they are dangerous in the films, a tamer version could serve as a thrilling addition to Pandora’s ecosystem.
Disney could use a small, quadrupedal animatronic, controlled remotely or on a hidden track, to weave through the undergrowth. Additionally, puppet-based handlers, dressed as RDA scientists or Pandoran conservationists, could introduce a “trained” viperwolf for guests to observe. At night, glowing animatronic eyes in the brush could simulate the sensation of Viperwolves lurking just beyond sight.
Woodsprites (Atokirina’)
Woodsprites are the sacred, jellyfish-like seeds of the Tree of Souls. In Avatar, they float through the air and are revered by the Na’vi as spiritual messengers. While not a typical “roaming creature,” the presence of Woodsprites could enhance Pandora’s magical atmosphere.
Drones equipped with soft LED lights could create the illusion of drifting Woodsprites at night. Small, fiber-optic sculptures could be placed along walkways, glowing subtly and moving gently in response to wind or guest interaction.
Banshees (Ikran)
The banshees, or Ikran, are the vibrant, dragon-like flying creatures that Na’vi warriors bond with. These creatures are already represented in the Flight of Passage ride, but they are absent from the land itself.
A banshee would be the most difficult animal for Disney to pull off, but it is possible. A perched animatronic banshee could interact with guests from a hidden handler. Consider the dragon on top of Gringotts in Diagon Aley, but instead of a stationary figure, this one would move.
Alternatively, drone technology could create the illusion of banshees soaring above the land during nighttime spectaculars. A Na’vi handler could also introduce a “young Ikran” puppet that moves and screeches in response to guests.
Prolemuris (Four-Armed Lemurs)
Prolemuris are small, lemur-like primates with two sets of arms that live in Pandora’s forests. They would add a playful, mischievous energy to the land. Audio-animatronic figures could be placed high in the trees, occasionally moving. Hidden projection mapping could even simulate their shadows leaping across rock faces. Disney could even make a small, interactive animatronic (like the robotic Grogu) to bring a young Prolemuris to life in a Na’vi researcher’s arms.
The Benefits of Adding Roaming Creatures
Bringing these creatures into Pandora would significantly enhance its immersion by:
- Making the land feel alive with movement, rather than just being a static set piece.
- Providing interactive storytelling moments that engage guests in Avatar’s world.
- Helping Pandora compete with Universal’s Epic Universe, which is set to debut massive roaming animatronics like a fire-breathing dragon.
While Pandora is already a stunning achievement in theme park design, the addition of roaming creatures would take its immersion to the next level. With the technology available today, it’s not a question of if Disney could make this happen, but whether they are willing to spend the money.
We have seen countless examples of Disney showing off groundbreaking technology to investors but never actually using it in the parks. Two years ago, Disney unveiled a bipedal Judy Hopps animatronic. However, that has yet to make it to a theme park. Similarly, Mandalorian and Hulk meet and greets used groundbreaking technology, but only stuck around for a limited time.
Building and operating these large and complex characters is insanely expensive. However, a land like Pandora truly deserves something groundbreaking. Adding characters and creatures from the film would transform Pandora from a set piece into the living, breathing world we saw in the films.
The Absence of Na’vi Characters
The Na’vi are the central part of the films but are nowhere to be found in Pandora. When you enter Pandora, it is natural to wonder if you can meet characters like Jake Sulley. Obviously, creating a roaming Na’vi is a difficult task. Still, there is an expectation that you will at least see one of the Na’vi during your visit.
Instead, Disney decided to focus on humans visiting Pandora for research purposes. While that is a solid way to approach the story, it is not a justification for leaving out roaming characters.
Some theorize that the Na’vi do not roam the land because they are nine feet tall. However, Universal Studios regularly has stiltwalkers outside of The Mummy interacting with guests. There are rumors that Disney did test stiltwalkers but gave up on the idea. If necessary, they could always resort to having an indoor meet and greet where the characters are in a sitting position.
Having these characters would provide much-needed interactions. By leaving out any characters from the film, it feels like Disney simply cheaper out like they did with the aliens in Galaxy’s Edge.
How Disney Could Improve Pandora’s Immersion
It’s no secret that guests love Pandora, and it is one of the best lands at Walt Disney World. However, it could benefit from some slight improvements. After all, the land opened in 2017, and it will soon be approaching its ten-year anniversary.
The great thing about the land in its current form is that it should not get outdated. The landscape should remain timeless, even as the attractions deep inside age. I would personally like to see some minor updates to the Na’va River Journey. With that said, Disney is unlikely to invest much time or money into these attractions since they are relatively new and command the highest waits in the parks.
To breathe a bit more life into Pandora, Disney should choose to add characters and animals to the land. This could create a bit of mystery and provide something new to see each time guests visit. These could also be seasonal or used as story-telling elements. Many people who visit Pandora have never watched an Avatar movie, so it’s important to create an environment and story-telling that resonates with everyone who visits the park.
One of the best ways Disney could implement new characters is with a simple meet and greet. While meet and greets don’t always provide a lot of energy to land, they can create invaluable memories and “Instagrammable” moments. Take Universal’s velociraptor meet-and-greet that often goes viral. All that encounter requires is a puppet and a talented employee to create memorable moments.
Conclusion
Pandora – The World of Avatar is a breathtaking achievement in theme park design, immersing guests in a vibrant alien ecosystem with stunning landscapes, bioluminescent pathways, and thrilling attractions. However, despite its visual splendor, the land lacks the dynamic movement of creatures and characters that could make it feel truly alive.
The addition of roaming creatures would take Pandora’s immersion to the next level. Interactive animatronics, drone technology, and puppetry could bring these creatures to life in ways that enhance storytelling and guest engagement. With Universal’s Epic Universe and Pandora’s ten-year anniversary on the horizon, introducing these elements would help Disney maintain its reputation as the leader in theme park innovation.
Pandora already transports guests to another world. Now, it just needs to breathe.
