Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (An Attraction Guide)
Na’vi River Journey is an attraction in Pandora, the World of Avatar, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This slow-moving boat ride sends guests searching for the Na’vi people who inhabit the area. Below, we’ll discuss the specifics for experiencing the Na’vi River Journey during your Walt Disney World vacation.
For starters, Disney describes this attraction as:
On this visually stunning and mysterious river, you’ll glide through a series of caves and into a bioluminescent rainforest, alive with the sights and sounds of exotic plants and creatures on all sides—even overhead. Soon, you’ll join the legendary Na’vi Shaman of Songs, who demonstrates her deep connection to the life force of Pandora—and sends positive energy out into the forest through the power of her music.
Here are a few quick reference details for Na’vi River Journey.
| Na’vi River Journey | Disney’s Animal Kingdom |
|---|---|
Location: | Pandora, The World of Avatar |
Height Requirement: | Any Height |
Lightning Lane: | Yes, with Multi Pass |
Early Theme Park Entry: | Yes |
Great place to cool off in The heat of the day. | Yes (But it’s rare for this park to offer extended evening hours.) |
Ride Type: | Slow-Moving Boat |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Two rows per boat, 2-3 per row |
Rider Switch: | None |
Good For: | Everyone |
Scary Factor: | Low |
Must-Do List: | Medium |
Perfect For: | All Ages |
Special Mention: | This is a great place to cool off in the heat of the day. |
Additional Info: Guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to board the ride vehicle. An audio description and handheld captioning are available.
Make sure to check our one-stop Lightning Lane Guide to plan your attractions.
Ride Review
Na’vi River Journey opened in 2017 along with the rest of Pandora, World of Avatar. It has a standby queue and a Lightning Lane. The attraction sits near Avatar Flight of Passage. If you purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass to ride Flight of Passage, you might also select a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Na’vi River Journey close to the same time. That way, you can experience both attractions while touring the area.
A few rules are posted at the entrance and throughout the queue. Na’vi River Journey does not have a height requirement. But it’s important to remember Disney’s rules when riding with children. All children under seven must be accompanied by someone who is 14 years or older.
Most of the queue is under a large canopy, and a few fans blow overhead in the outdoor portion. But it can feel suffocating if you find yourself in a long line during the hottest part of the day. Of course, that’s anywhere outdoors in Florida, not just the Na’vi River queue.
When you get to the ride’s loading area, you’ll be assigned a row on one of the reed boats. Each party rides with their group. However, sometimes cast members will pack multiple groups onto the same row. So if you’re a party of one or two, don’t be surprised if you find yourself riding next to strangers. Typically, four people sit in a row, and there are two rows per boat. Two sets of boats are loaded at the same time.
A pleasant Na’vi tune plays in the background as you float down the river. The banks are surrounded by lush landscaping, flora, and wildlife. These large leaves overhead resemble giant lily pads. Look closely, and you might notice the footprints of creatures who roam the nighttime jungle.
Some of the exotic animals that call Na’vi River Journey home are woodsprites, fan lizards, viperwolves, and direhorses. Below, we see a few in a video projection that serves as one of the background scenes.
Toward the end of the ride, you’ll encounter the Shaman of Songs, who is singing the lyrics of The Shaman Song in the Na’vi language.
As you approach, the chant will become louder, and you will have a close-up view of the incredible animatronic.
You’ll then continue through the caves until you reach the unloading area.
Resorts Gal’s Spin on Na’vi River Journey
We give Na’vi River Journey the red light. You’ll want to pause, check out the wait times, and then decide whether or not to proceed. If the line is less than 30 minutes, we would likely wait. But anything over that might not be worth it unless you’ve never experienced it. It’s been our experience that many people use Lightning Lane for this attraction. So we often find ourselves waiting in standby longer than usual because so many guests are walking through the Lightning Lane while we wait.
Our main issue with Na’vi River Journey is that the ride lacks a backstory or present theme. It’s a peaceful and calming ride, but most wonder if they missed something. Unfortunately, you didn’t.
Resorts Gal Traffic Signals
Green Light
We give an attraction the green light if we consider it a must-do, regardless of the posted wait. We also give the green light for attractions we deem suitable to experience anytime. For example, some attractions have high capacities. Therefore, the lines continuously move and you shouldn’t have a long wait unless the attraction experiences downtime.
Red Light
We recommend checking the posted wait times for red light attractions. Then, make a quick judgment call on whether to wait, skip it, or return later. We also red light some attractions that we feel might not be suitable based on our experience.
For more attractions, you might enjoy the following:
- Winged Encounters Bird Experience
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond
- The Animation Experience at Animal Kingdom
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch Guide
Are you planning a Walt Disney World vacation? If so, you might enjoy reading over our Disney World Hotel Reviews. Some of our favorites include:
- Disney’s All-Star Sports Review
- Disney’s All-Star Music Review
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Review
- Disney’s Gran Destino Tower Review
For more on Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you might also like:
- List of Animal Kingdom Attractions and Entertainment
- Our Complete Guide to Animal Kingdom Characters
- Animal Kingdom Quick Service Restaurants
Or refer back to our Disney World Parks Planning Guide.
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