Walt Disney World opens advance reservations for Pandora

March 24, 2017, 12:21 PM · Walt Disney World this morning opened reservations for a preview of its upcoming Pandora - The World of Avatar land at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Preview opportunities for the week of May 13-22 also were extended to Disney Vacation Club members.

Invitations to sign up for the previews were emailed to passholders and DVC members, and if you haven't checked your email and responded by now... it's probably too late. Passholders trying to sign up are reporting now that all slots have been taken for the event.

Disney's press event for the new Avatar-themed land runs from May 23-25, bringing us right up to the official public opening on May 27. So if there is to be a public soft opening for the land, it would either have to run concurrently with the AP/DVC preview, or start before May 13. That wouldn't be unheard of, especially since insider reports say that the land is near completion already.

Guests with a Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation now can start making Fastpass+ reservations for Pandora's two new rides: Avatar Flight of Passage and the Na’vi River Journey. Hotel guests can make Fastpass+ reservations for the stay starting 60 days before their check-in, so my math says that Pandora slots are open now for people whose stay starts May 23 or earlier. Fastpass+ reservations for those rides will open to the rest of on May 27 and can be booked up to 30 days in advance via Walt DisneyWorld's app or website.

Update: And if you want the VIP tour with the creative director who oversaw the development of the land, D23 has you covered. Tickets go on sale in April.

Replies (13)

March 24, 2017 at 1:50 PM · Robert Niles writes: "Invitations to sign up for the previews were emailed to passholders and DVC members, and if you haven't checked your email and responded by now... it's probably too late. Passholders trying to sign up are reporting now that all slots have been taken for the event."

I Respond: (Ahem) The themed entertainment industry's answer to 'Hamilton.'

March 24, 2017 at 2:26 PM · Booked our fastpasses this afternoon, but could only choose a fast pass for one or the other, not both new rides. Went for the Flight of Passage in the hope that the Navi River ride is a high capacity people mover and the lines aren't too long - I know there's not much chance of that but stranger things have happened!
March 24, 2017 at 3:54 PM · I was very disappointed that the preview days are ONLY on the weekend...so pass holders who are weekday holders or people who can't visits weekends due to work (like myself) automatically get the shaft.

Poor job Disney. Maybe I shouldn't have renewed my pass.

March 24, 2017 at 3:55 PM · So the Na'vi boo Mike Pence, too?
March 24, 2017 at 6:03 PM · We can only hope.
March 24, 2017 at 11:04 PM · I assume, thanks to tiering, that it wouldn't be possible to book FP+ for both Pandora rides on the same day?
March 25, 2017 at 12:55 AM · It strikes me that this offer is an indication that ride testing is going extremely well
March 25, 2017 at 1:23 PM · The technology is nothing new. Soarin 2.0 and Shanghai Pirates boats. It guess it's more about the execution.
March 25, 2017 at 1:36 PM · @Anton: It also has air conditioning, light bulbs and plumbing. So nothing new ... meh.

(Insert eye roll)

March 25, 2017 at 11:27 PM · If Pandora is anything like Shanghai Pirates, I'm excited.
March 26, 2017 at 11:38 AM · I hope there are surprises and that they have installed technology like we see in Mystic Manor and shanghai pirates!!
March 27, 2017 at 10:35 AM · I've got a reservation for Sunday, May 14th. I'm extremely excited for the River Journey and landscape. I might be a little biased given how much I love Disney dark boat rides (yes, even the Norway and Mexico pavilions).
March 29, 2017 at 10:22 AM · Well Disney didn't send me my email until 3pm that day by which time the AP bookings were long gone. I have to say that was badly handled, they would have been better off sending something that said "start booking your preview on such and such a date" a couple of days in advance.

This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Vacation deals

Park tickets

Subscribe by email

Subscribe by RSS

New attraction reviews

News archive