Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to fly on the back of an Ikran banshee over the mountains of Pandora?
Avatar Flight of Passage is unlike any other attraction at Walt Disney World. Guests are genetically matched to their own Avatar who will ride their virtual banshee soaring high above the Valley of Mo’ara in Pandora.
It’s easy to see why Flight of Passage, located inside Animal Kingdom, is one of the most popular rides across Disney World. It is truly an unbelievably incredible attraction that combines your sense of sight, smell, and sound in one action-packed experience.
Are you ready to conquer the banshee? Sivako – rise to the challenge!
Let’s get into our complete guide to Flight of Passage.
Avatar Flight of Passage Quick Facts
Description: While wearing 3D glasses, guests board a simulated ride vehicle to experience firsthand what it would feel like to fly on the back of an Ikran mountain banshee over Pandora. It is truly an unbelievable attraction that combines your sense of sight, smell and sound in one action-packed ride.
Location
You can find Flight of Passage in Pandora — The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom. Here’s the location on the map.
How to Ride Flight of Passage
Flight of Passage has a Standby Lane and a Lightning Lane. There is no Single Rider Line.
The standby lanes for Flight of Passage are the lowest first thing in the morning and sometimes at the end of the evening. The majority of the day you will find long lines at this attraction.
It is listed as an available attraction for Early Theme Park Entry. This means it will open 30 minutes before the official park open every day for Disney World resort guests (and select others) only.
Flight of Passage standby wait time jumps very quickly after park open and can see sustained wait times well over 90-120 minutes for most of the park day.
Do I need to use Genie+ At Flight of Passage?
Flight of Passage is not available with the purchase of Genie+.
For a shorter wait time, you will need to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane in the My Disney Experience app. Prices will vary depending on the day you visit the park.
Since this is one of the most popular rides at Animal Kingdom (and all of Disney World), we recommend purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane if this ride is a must do for you.
It’s hard to overstate the popularity of this ride, so if you have the budget to spend, this Individual Lightning Lane purchase is definitely recommended and absolutely worth it.
Due to the popularity of this attraction, many park guests make it a must-do during their park day. If you aren’t planning to be at the park at rope drop or taking advantage of Early Theme Park Entry you should plan to purchase a Lightening Lane return time for later in the day.
Make sure you check out our touring plans for Animal Kingdom for more Genie+ advice.
Rider Switch/Child Swap
You can use Rider Switch for Flight of Passage.
Rider Switch is Disney’s system that allows guests with small children to take turns riding bigger rides, while another person from their party waits with the little one.
Heading to the Navi River Journey which has no age or height restrictions, grabbing food at the land’s Quick Service restaurant, Satu’li Canteen, or taking in the beautiful sights of the Pandora land itself, are all great options to pass the time for non-riders.
What to Expect When You Ride
Queue
The queue for Flight of Passage is beyond elaborate. The Imagineers did a great job immersing you into the land of Pandora from the very start. The landscaping, lighting, scents and details are incredibly impressive. There is so much beauty to see and take in.
A portion of the line is outdoors, with the majority of the queue being indoors. It’s quite a long queue, especially if you are waiting in the Standby line, so prepare to walk.
Two of the best parts of the queue are the indoor section full of bioluminescence that glows in the dark and the lab section where you see the massive Avatar floating in a glass tube.
There are two pre-shows before boarding the actual ride. Before you enter the Avatar linking chamber, you meet college student and scientist in training Dr. Stevens, played by David Danipour with his viral meme sensation line, “And, uh, fly!”
The queue also has a pre-show area explaining the new technology that allows human riders to be matched with a Banshee. Prior to boarding you will also be provided with 3D glasses to wear during your flight.
Ride Vehicles
The ride vehicle can be compared to driving a motorcycle. They are also somewhat similar lines of the ride vehicles for TRON Lightcycle/Run.
You climb on as if you’re getting on a bike, press your chest forward, then you’re strapped in with a restraint that will push on your back and calves. You will feel tight and secure.
There are multiple ride vehicles lined up side-by-side (close enough to touch the person beside you), but guests board their own vehicle. There are 8 passengers per row.
You will wear your 3D glasses provided to you in the queue. There are cubbies located on the wall behind the ride vehicles where you can (and are required to) store all your personal belongings.
Due to the nature of the ride vehicle, some guests with a larger size or body shape have had issues sitting comfortably. There is a test ride vehicle outside of the main attraction for anyone to try out before getting in line.
Accessibility Information
Guests must transfer from ECV to wheelchair to enter the queue. Then you must transfer from wheelchair to the ride vehicle once you reach the boarding station.
Audio description and video captioning are available for guests with visual and hearing disabilities. Due to the nature of this ride, service animals are not permitted to accompany their owners.
Motion Sickness
Flight of Passage is a simulator type ride with soaring heights, drops, and quick turns. There’s definitely a chance motion sickness will occur.
The flying sensation feels very real, including a moment where the virtual banshee goes “upside down.” This is just simulated, the ride vehicle itself does not go upside down.
Be sure to check out our guide on motion sickness that’s filled with additional information and tips.
On The Ride
Are you up to take on the challenge of taming a wild mountain banshee? Sivako, rise up! Here’s what to expect on your Pandora flight.
You were matched with the right Avatar per your genetic code in the linking chamber and ushered into the room with the ride vehicles. After storing your belongings and boarding, pay attention to the screen on your vehicle. You will see the progress as the link sequence is initiated.
Bright lights flash and a warp speed, time travel motion occurs. You have just traveled to the land of Pandora. You can feel your banshee flying underneath you as you take in the sights and sounds surrounding you.
A fellow Navi waves you to follow and your banshee takes off into a deep dive down the tree. It’s amazing that you can feel the breeze and smell the scent of the fresh waters as you fly through the tree tops and past a beautiful waterfalls.
You reenter the forest following the Na’vi ahead of you. Take a deep breath of the earthy oak moss scents as you soar through the vivid green landscape. At the edge of the forest you spy ocean water ahead. The fresh tropical scents and ocean breeze surround you as you fly over the waters.
Watch out! The Nalutsa, a huge whale like giant, jumps out of the water almost swallowing you whole. You nearly escape but are forced to enter a tunnel wave which nearly collapses on you. The weather turns grey and then come the choppy waters and ominous music.
You glide back into the forest thinking you have escaped danger. When all of a sudden an aggressive Ikran banshee swoops in to attack you and the fellow Na’vi flying. It attempts to capture you in its sharp claws. You escape by diving deep down past the mountain and into a dimly lit cave.
Bioluminescent lights glimmer and plankton like creatures begin to glow as you hear the echos of water droplets and a softer instrumental music plays. Take in the fresh, floral and clean scent, as you enjoy a break from flying in the tranquility of the cave.
Your banshee slowly lifts off the rocks and begins its ascent out of the cave into a beautiful sunset scene of the land of Pandora. You go for a couple twists, turns, and “upside down” loops on your banshee as it joins the rest of the group ahead.
Breath in the fresh smells of rain and earth as you fly over a herd of beasts running through the muddy forest. A few more daredevil turns and you find yourself soaring high above Pandora in the most breathtaking finale of any attraction before reentering a warp speed travel back to earth.
Is Flight of Passage Kid-Friendly?
Flight of Passage is a thrill ride. There are very real sensations of free falling and going upside down.
You’re also strapped into an individual seat. There is no lap sitting. If little ones get scared, you won’t be able to get out or move to comfort them. So even if your child meets the height requirement, you may want to prepare them for this in advance.
There is a test ride vehicle outside of the attraction entrance you may want to try out with little ones before boarding to ensure they are comfortable riding on their own.
We have a full guide on several other things that might scare little ones at Disney World.
Strollers
Strollers are not permitted on the Flight of Passage ride or inside the queue. Before entering the queue you can park your stroller in the designated area near the ride entrance or with a non-rider.
History
Flight of Passage opened alongside the entire land of Pandora at Animal Kingdom on May 27, 2017.
Pandora — The World of Avatar was the largest addition in the history of Animal Kingdom. It’s a remarkable land filled with lush plants, beautiful waterfalls, and vivid colors. If you’ve seen the movies, the details of the land are on point.
The addition of Pandora was first announced in 2011. Then, at the 2013 D23 Expo, fan-favorite Imagineer Joe Rohde explained the premise behind the main attraction, what would later come to be known as Flight of Passage.
It wasn’t until the D23 Expo in 2015 where the actual name of the E-ticket attraction, Avatar – Flight of Passage, was finally revealed.
When the ride was initially teased, it drew comparisons to Soarin’ at Epcot. The two rides are similar in the sense of using a simulator flight system combined with scents dispersed in the air to match with the scenes. Flight of Passage, however, is much more of a thrill ride with its soaring heights, deep dives, and quick turns.
Also, due to the unique ride technology, you’re able to actually feel the virtual banshee’s lungs breathing beneath you. The details are so incredible.
Other Fun Details
- After passing through the caves in the beginning of the queue and before the bioluminescent area, pay attention to the walls and see if you can spot the following: “JC Shoring 08.016.54.” This stands for James Cameron’s name and his birthday, August 16, 1954.
- If you exit on the lowest level corridor, you may see three handprints in red paint with the initials JC, JL, and JR. These are real handprints left behind by James Cameron, the director of the movie Avatar, Jon Landau, producer of the film, and Joe Rohde, lead Imagineer for Pandora and all of Animal Kingdom.
- You may think the Avatar you are linked with is totally random, but it’s not! It is based loosely on cosmetic features and it’s supposed to match you a little. Also you may get matched with a different Avatar each ride, which may impact your ride slightly so no two rides may be exactly the same.
- Play Disney Parks is available here via the app. You can play while you wait in line and help with conservation efforts as a wildlife hero. This free mobile app is only available for select attractions and allows guests to pass the time as they play games, trivia, and earn achievements along the way.
- Flight of Passage (and the entire land of Pandora) was inspired by James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar.