Avatar Flight of Passage is widely considered one of the best rides at Walt Disney World. Set in Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it lets you “link” with a banshee and fly across Pandora. You sit on a motorbike-style seat that breathes beneath you as the banshee does, and the huge 3D screen, wind, mist and scents make the flight feel astonishingly real.
| Location | Pandora – The World of Avatar, Disney’s Animal Kingdom |
| Ride type | 3D motorbike-style flight simulator |
| Height requirement | 44 in (112 cm) |
| Ride length | About 5 minutes |
| Opened | May 27, 2017 |
| Thrill level | Moderate (sensation of flying and diving; can cause motion sickness) |
| Lightning Lane | Check the My Disney Experience app for the current option |
| Rider switch | Available |
What the ride is like
The long queue winds through caves and a research lab, where you’ll see a floating avatar body in a tank before a short briefing. Once linked, you swoop over waterfalls, skim the ocean alongside whale-like creatures, dodge a predator and soar with a whole flock of banshees. The ride ends with a quiet moment of connection that many riders find surprisingly moving.
Tips
- Ride early, late or with Lightning Lane. Standby waits often exceed an hour.
- Hold on with your knees. You’ll feel the banshee move beneath you.
- Visit Pandora at night. The land glows after dark, and the floating mountains are lit up. Na’vi River Journey is next door.
Featured Photo: Avatar Flight of Passage (33825582954) by Theme Park Tourist, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
