Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)
Avatar Flight of Passage is a thrill-ride attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World. It is a top priority for most guests who meet the minimum height requirement. Given its popularity, with a few exceptions, you will likely have to wait a significant amount of time to ride.
Below, we’ll discuss experiencing Flight of Passage, which Disney describes as “Climb atop a winged mountain banshee for a breathtaking 3D flight over Pandora’s otherworldly landscape.” We’ll discuss the best time to ride this attraction and whether it’s worth an individual Lightning Lane purchase.
One of the most popular rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Flight of Passage, is based on the popular film series Avatar by James Cameron. Imagineer Joe Rohde worked closely with Jon Landau and James Cameron to bring this award-winning attraction to life. Flight of Passage has won awards for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project from the Visual Effects Society and a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement: Attraction.
Here are the quick reference details for Flight of Passage.
| Avatar Flight of Passage | Disney’s Animal Kingdom |
|---|---|
Location: | Pandora, The World of Avatar |
Disney Height Requirement: | 44″ |
Rider Switch: | Yes |
Early Theme Park Entry: | Yes |
Extended Evening Hours: | Yes (But these hours are rare at this park.) |
Lightning Lane: | Yes, has to be purchased separately from Disney Genie+. |
Ride Type: | Screen-Based Thrill Attraction |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Individual Seats |
| I recommend riding on standby at least once to see the extraordinary queue. | Yes |
Good For: | Tweens, Teens, Adults |
Scary Factor: | Medium |
Must-Do List: | High Priority |
Perfect For: | Thrill Seekers |
Special Mention: | We recommend riding via standby at least once to see the extraordinary queue. |
Accessibility: To experience this attraction, guests must transfer to a wheelchair and then to a ride vehicle. A transfer access vehicle and a transfer device are available. Audio description, video captioning, and assistive listening are available. Service animals are not permitted.
Avatar, Flight of Passage Review
Flight of Passage has some of the longest wait times at Walt Disney World. This headliner attraction easily has up to two-hour waits on a busy day. You will want to consider purchasing an individual Lightning Lane on the morning of your visit in order to secure the opportunity to experience it with a minimal wait.
We think that most of the attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are worth riding at least twice. Flight of Passage is one of them. If you plan to rope drop the park when it opens, you’ll want to head straight to this attraction. The queue for Flight of Passage sits toward the back of Pandora World of Avatar, next to Satu’li Canteen. The left side is the standby entrance, and the Lightning Lane is on the right.
Most guests entering the park at the rope drop will head directly to Flight of Passage. Waits will soon begin to build, and the attraction will remain busy throughout the day.
When you approach Flight of Passage, you’ll probably be in awe of your surroundings. The Valley of Mo’ara is a stunning place. From the outdoor portion of the standby queue, you’ll be able to take in tremendous views of the land as you cross the bridge toward the interior queue.
Entering the interior portion of the queue, you’ll find yourself in an area similar to a cave with ancient Na’vi carvings and artwork. The details of the area are all nicely done, and the experience is enhanced as you make your way toward your own Flight of Passage.
Eventually, the queue runs into a laboratory, and things get even more interesting. You’ll begin to see glimpses of a real Avatar in containment ahead of you. This area is part of the Pandora Conservation Initiative, or PCI for short. Most everyone who hasn’t previously experienced the attraction will stop for a picture. (If you elect to ride via Lightning Lane, you won’t see any of this. So, if you enjoyed the movie Avatar, we think this area is worth seeing at least once.)
After you pass this area, you’ll enter another large room before the boarding area. Then, you’re assigned a number to stand on during the preshow where scientist Dr. Stevens greets you on screen and explains the process of how the ride works. Moments later, you’ll step inside the genetic matching room or linking chamber. Here, he’ll ask you to move around so they can match you to an avatar. You’ll be able to see a unique version of yourself on the screen ahead as the system uses your “genetic material” to match you.
After this, you’ll enter the final waiting area, where Dr. Ogden, who created the Mountain Banshee Project, will explain more. You’ll be provided a pair of 3-D glasses to wear.
Flight of Passage is similar to Soarin’ at Epcot in some ways. It’s a screen-based ride in a theater with various levels. However, the loading area is private, and you won’t realize the setup unless you look to the right or left during the ride.
The ride vehicle for Flight of Passage is similar to mounting a motorcycle or bicycle. You’ll hop on, and in a few moments, a brace will come up behind you. This secures you in pretty snuggly. You will feel mild pressure on your calves and lower back. If If you haven’t ridden before, the extra restraint is a bit of a surprise. (Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom has a similar setup.)
When the ride begins, the room goes dark, and you’ll hear a humming noise as the individual screen on your banshee begins to light up. This is the part where you are linked to the banshee. Then, the screen ahead of you lights up as you plunge into the alien world on your rite of passage. It’s pretty incredible.
From my experience, the best times to ride Flight of Passage via the standby queue are either first thing in the morning or last thing at night. We typically like to get in line for Flight of Passage at around 5-10 minutes before the park closes. This works well because Lightning Lane ends at the park close. So you won’t have to worry about guests in the Lightning Lane going ahead of you. I like getting in line at the end of the night best because you don’t feel like you’re wasting valuable touring time standing in line. There’s also no need to worry about getting back to the room. Disney continues to operate buses until everyone has returned to their resort.
Is Avatar, Flight of Passage scary?
For those with a fear of heights, you might take into consideration that this attraction is a simulated flight experience. Granted, you are flying into a screen. The theater moves, and if you end up on a higher level, you will be able to look down, similar to a third-floor balcony setting.
Like similar thrill rides, I have seen a few children panic last minute. At this point, it’s good to reassure them that this is a normal part of the ride. From what I can tell, this is more of a fear of the unknown. Additionally, waiting in line for a long time can cause anxiety to grow.
Try to remember that children who become increasingly silent when approaching any ride might be internalizing their fears. Recently, I was riding, and a child next to me panicked when the ride first started. There’s this bit of a pause, and the computer tells you it is going to transform you into an Avatar.
You see a computerized reflection of yourself, and it begins to change to an Avatar. The poor child thought that it was real and exclaimed, “No, I don’t want to be that!” A part of me got a little tickled because I hadn’t heard that one before. But I also felt bad for her and was once again reminded that children are easily intimidated. They are also innocent and believe anything. As adults, we sometimes forget that.
Next, the room darkens, and you’ll begin transforming into a Na’vi so you, too, can ride a banshee. During this portion, a screen will appear before you on your ride vehicle. You’ll be able to see yourself before the screen ahead of you opens to the actual ride part.
When you begin your Flight of Passage, be prepared to be blown away by the scenes. It’s really beautiful and unexpected. Since I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the attraction many times, I always love to hear the responses of others nearby. You always know who hasn’t ridden before because it’s hard not to express yourself in some way.
After about three to four minutes, your theater will readjust back down, and the restraints will drop back behind you. A cast member will enter the room and direct you to gather your belongings and exit. Storage compartments are available at the back of each room for guests to store their loose items.
The Resorts Gal Spin on Flight of Passage
We give Flight of Passage the green light. It’s an attraction that most will want to do regardless of the wait. Make sure to use the tips provided in this ride guide for the best times to ride. We love Flight of Passage and feel like it never gets old!
Our traffic signals:
Green Light:
This is an attraction that you must do regardless of the wait. Or it’s an attraction that we deem suitable to experience anytime.
Red Light:
We recommend stopping to check the posted wait times and making a quick judgment call on whether or not to wait.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoy your Flight of Passage! For more attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you might enjoy the following:
Are you planning a Walt Disney World vacation? You might enjoy browsing the list of Walt Disney World Resorts. Some of our favorites include:
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Review
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Review
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Review
- Disney’s Yacht Club Review
In the Comments
Have you had the chance to ride Flight of Passage yet? Do you have any questions about this ride? Leave us a comment below and share your thoughts.
