The newest addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is not just a new attraction, but rather an entire new land as part of a massive expansion project that had been in the works for several years.  It is open now and here are 7 Reasons Why you MUST visit Pandora - The World of Avatar:

1. Pandora is home to the Best Attraction/Ride at Disney World

Disney World's new best attraction is called Avatar Flight of Passage and it has soared to the top of the Disney Must Do List.  This incredibly well-themed attraction takes you into the world of the Na'vi, links you with an Avatar, and allows you to ride on the back of a Banshee for an experience you will not soon forget.

This is the FastPass that you definitely want to get as Stand-By Line waits are consistently in the 2-3 hour range.

2. The theming is amazing (and very photogenic)!

The Valley of Mo'ara, as it is known, takes immersive theming to a new level for Disney World thanks to Joe Rohde and his team of talented Imagineers.  From floating mountains to flowers, plants, and animals this land is nothing like anything you have seen before.  Through the winding paths you will discover numerous opportunities to explore the scenic wonders and capture incredible photographs.

With scenery like this it is not difficult to imagine that you truly have transported yourself to Pandora!

3. The most awesome audio animatronic figure ever created lives here!

Within the Na'vi River Journey you will have the opportunity to discover a breakthrough in audio animatronic technology.  The Na'vi Shaman moves and sings in a manner that will have you memorized.  This is a long way from the original Tiki birds!

4.  There are some really cool drinks here

At the Pongu Pongu Outpost you will find some cool looking drinks to explore.  Whether you try the non-alcoholic Night Blossom that mixes limeade with apple and desert pear topped with passion fruit boba balls or the more potent Mo'ara Frozen Margarita with Sauza Commemorativo Anejo Tequilla with strawberry and blood orange flavor topped with strawberry boba balls, you will discover an exotic drink that tastes as good as it looks.

For fun you can also try the Hawkes' Grog Ale that is green in color and not just for St. Patrick's Day.

5. The food at Satu'li Canteen is really good.

For a totally different theme park dining experience you can try the food at the Satu'li Canteen.  Featured menu items include a "build your own bowl" concept where you pick your choice of Protein (Slow roasted grilled beef, wood-grilled chicken breast, sustainable fish fillet, or chili-spiced crispy fried tofu), Choose your Base (Quinoa & Vegetable Salad, Mixed whole grains & rice, Red & Sweet Potato Hash, or Romaine & Kale Salad), Finally you choose your sauce to complete the bowl (Charred Onion Chimichurri, black bean vinaigrette, or creamy herb dressing).

6. The place looks totally different at night and becomes even more awesome.

At night the Valley of Mo'ara comes alive and appears (and sounds) differently than the day time.  It makes a great reason to come back to enjoy the different look and feel of the land.  Also great Photopass opportunities to capture memories of your family in Pandora.

7.  Cool gift shop with Banshees!

The special banshee souvenir was the talk of the Disney fans as soon as this land opened. They sold out instantly every time they were restocked.

Although they are a little easier to obtain if you visit now, they are still really cool and definitely worth checking out.  You will also find a lot of other amazing items unique to Pandora at the Windtraders shop.

Pandora - The World of Avatar is set to open this Summer at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but here are some images just captured to show the progress of construction.  The above picture shows a construction wall at the entrance to the new Pandora - The World of Avatar section of Disney's Animal Kingdom and a glimpse of the impressive floating mountains that were made famous in the movie.

Disney World guests are getting ready to step into what promises to be an immersive environment that will transport them into the world that James Cameron created with the help of both James Cameron and his team combined with the talents of Joe Rohde and the Disney Imagineers.

 

There are two highly touted attraction that will become must do's for guests:

• The family friendly Na’vi River Journey will send guests down a sacred river hidden within a bioluminescent rainforest. Their journey will end in an unforgettable encounter with a Na’vi Shaman, a figure who has a deep connection to the life force of Pandora. 
• The Avatar Flight of Passage excursion will offer the jaw-dropping experience of riding on a Banshee over the world of Pandora.

Shown above are different angles of the construction of the giant show building and the floating mountains of Pandora.  These can be seen by Animal Kingdom visitors, but you cannot get any closer to them at this point in time.

Excitement builds to see if the amazing Joe Rohde who led the original design team for the Animal Kingdom theme park again succeed with his skill at creating detail and story filled attractions and spaces that transport guests into the heart of the stories.