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Avatar Flight of Passage reviews, comments and questions
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Clyde Birdbrain
Unknown Member
So if I understand the layout of the theater correctly it looks like this: (please correct me if I'm wrong)
The two times that I rode FoP I was in seats 13 and 14 and both places were excellent viewing. I did not notice any distortion, like on Soarin' when you're on the side. I think we were on level 1 the first time and level 2 the second time.
You are assigned a seat number by a cast member. I was #13 on level B3. My view was excellent with no distortion at all.
Clyde Birdbrain
Unknown Member
Yes, that was so well done. The flashing lights really make you feel that you are being transported somewhere and no longer in the room where you sat down. My favorite part of the ride was the part with the whale and the wave. That was so exhilarating; I was really ducking when we went under that wave. And the water splashes in your face are so well timed. The wind and the water really add to the experience. Man, I want to go back and do it again.
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Castle Cake Apologist
Well-Known Member
Would you mind sharing that video? I'd love to see the ride system in action.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
For context, what do you think of Gringotts?
andysol
Well-Known Member
Omg- could you imagine media day if that's what happened because it wasn't ready? That'd be the greatest day of my life.
Regardless- Don't you dare put him on ignore. That first paragraph was so damned funny- and that wouldn't have existed if you ignored him.
Castle Cake Apologist
Well-Known Member
Omg- could you imagine media day if that's what happened because it wasn't ready? That'd be the greatest day of my life.
Regardless- Don't you dare put him on ignore. That first paragraph was so damned funny- and that wouldn't have existed if you ignored him.
Honestly, though!
brb1006
Well-Known Member
I heard some guests are able to do 3D/4D attractions while wearing 3D or 4D glasses over your regular glasses. Does it effect the special effects? Because I remember the 3D effects for Mickey's Philharmagic and Muppet Vision might have caused the 3D effects to look between blurry and half working. Or it could be due to the screens not being cleaned up or something. I'm just asking since my eye vision without glasses has been pretty fuzzy and usually keep my normal glasses on all day.
PizzaPlanet
Well-Known Member
Have they gotten all 4 theatets running at once yet?
I will have a chance on May 24, I will let you know.
flyerjab
Well-Known Member
I have ridden Gringotts several times and absolutely loved it. What I really appreciated about it was simply how different it was, and that seems to be something that UNI really tries to do with the Potter rides. It is a coaster, but it is so different. The way that it stops, simulates a fall, sends you spinning backwards. I really appreciated that and felt that it made it unique. I am also a big Potter fan myself and what I have found (as have many) that having a love or passion for the subject matter really helps people like a new ride or a new land. The one thing that didn't wow me as much as others was the queue. Maybe I am just spoiled by Disney queues, but I would rather have that one incredible AA like on NRJ as opposed to the rows of goblins that hardly move and just don't look good to me. Also, the quality put into the queue just isn't the same. I don't know how to explain it but I can tell that cutting corners will occur in the UNI queue so that the ride itself can really have funding thrown at it - which isn't necessarily bad.
For me, I would still place Gringotts and FoP in the same group of excellent rides. But I feel that the overall quality and experience of FoP is simply better. To me, the queues aren't in the same league at all. The length and story presented in the FoP queue is phenomenal as you change from primitive caves to the abandoned RDA facility and into the working labs of the Banshee Conservation Initiative. The difference for me is that UNI Creative had a well drawn-out idea of what they were making. With Disney, they used the movie as a template for designing the land, but they had to come up with such unique ideas for Pandora beyond the story arc of the movie, while also tying it in with the mission of DAK - conservation and the impact of mankind on the natural world. This is done beautifully throughout the queue, all while also providing you with the information you need to understand banshees, avatar technology, etc. To me, an avid Orlando theme park nut, I will be able to appreciate that effort. Most park goers won't even notice it, but it is definitely there. There is one point in the decontamination and genetic matchup room where the dorky scientist speaks about bad mining practices and the impact keystone predators - such as tigers, leopards, and in Pandora the banshee - have on the ecosystem. This to me is Imagineering at its utmost best, and something that places this ride and this land above Gringotts and DA (and I love both of them too).
The FoP ride is incredible. It is such an exhilarating experience that it blew me away completely. The straight down dives, the arching corkscrew after the pause in the glowing cave, the charge across the crashing waves, I really don't have words to describe how that felt (and as you can tell I am wordy - almost the polar opposite of @marni1971
). It is genius too, how you are forced into a forward-leaning position. And the build-up of nerves while sitting in a cycle position, locked in place with back and leg supports clamping you in, the bike itself shuddering like electric shocks are passing through it, really builds up the tension. The music is great and really adds that emotional element in the end when you are looking over the sea. Also, the image clarity and 3D caliber of FoP is much better than Gringotts. I saw absolutely no motion blurring and felt little to no motion sickness. The great part too is how mysterious of a ride it was since photos were not allowed and they released no information on the ride mechanism beyond it being a simulator. On my third ride I turned around and saw the entire ride vehicle floors drop about 6 to 8 feet on one of the dives. The amount of up-and-down and side-to-side movement is incredible, and the timing of wind and mist with what is happening on the screen is so well done. To me, this is the best ride in Orlando without question. The amount of hollering and yelling during the rides was hysterical. I couldn't help but do it myself when you would turn down into a dive or shoot up into the sky. Afterwards everyone was clapping and yelling. I can't wait to ride it again!
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Kman101
Well-Known Member
My ride on FoP took a long time because after the two (very well done) showrooms, they loaded us into the link chamber. We sat there for at least 10 minutes. No cast member in the room. (The girl next to me panicked looking down and seeing the floor of the screen so she and her father exited) So we then waited some more and there were issues with the chamber. So all of us had to move into a new chamber, but we had to go through the two showrooms AGAIN, after waiting in the decontanimation chamber for another 10 minutes. I can see where some panic sets in. I was starting to get uncomfortable stuck in the bike for so long. I was already a tad nervous as it was.
I think the process could be better but that's what previews and tests are for. But man this ride seems like it could have a lot of downtime with some theaters not working, etc. No wonder the queue is massive.
I think the process could be better but that's what previews and tests are for. But man this ride seems like it could have a lot of downtime with some theaters not working, etc. No wonder the queue is massive.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I have ridden Gringotts several times and absolutely loved it. What I really appreciated about it was simply how different it was, and that seems to be something that UNI really tries to do with the Potter rides. It is a coaster, but it is so different. The way that it stops, simulates a fall, sends you spinning backwards. I really appreciated that and felt that it made it unique. I am also a big Potter fan myself and what I have found (as have many) that having a love or passion for the subject matter really helps people like a new ride or a new land. The one thing that didn't wow me as much as others was the queue. Maybe I am just spoiled by Disney queues, but I would rather have that one incredible AA like on NRJ as opposed to the rows of goblins that hardly move and just don't look good to me. Also, the quality put into the queue just isn't the same. I don't know how to explain it but I can tell that cutting corners will occur in the UNI queue so that the ride itself can really have funding thrown at it - which isn't necessarily bad.
For me, I would still place Gringotts and FoP in the same group of excellent rides. But I feel that the overall quality and experience of FoP is simply better. To me, the queues aren't in the same league at all. The length and story presented in the FoP queue is phenomenal as you change from primitive caves to the abandoned RDA facility and into the working labs of the Banshee Conservation Initiative. The difference for me is that UNI Creative had a well drawn-out idea of what they were making. With Disney, they used the movie as a template for designing the land, but they had to come up with such unique ideas for Pandora beyond the story arc of the movie, while also tying it in with the mission of DAK - conservation and the impact of mankind on the natural world. This is done beautifully throughout the queue, all while also providing you with the information you need to understand banshees, avatar technology, etc. To me, an avid Orlando theme park nut, I will be able to appreciate that effort. Most park goers won't even notice it, but it is definitely there. There is one point in the decontamination and genetic matchup room where the dorky scientist speaks about bad mining practices and the impact keystone predators - such as tigers, leopards, and in Pandora the banshee - have on the ecosystem. This to me is Imagineering at its utmost best, and something that places this ride and this land above Gringotts and DA (and I love both of them too).
The FoP ride is incredible. It is such an exhilarating experience that it blew me away completely. The straight down dives, the arching corkscrew after the pause in the glowing cave, the charge across the crashing waves, I really don't have words to describe how that felt (and as you can tell I am wordy - almost the polar opposite of @marni1971
You've given some great reviews. I agree with all of what you've said about the land and both rides.
I also agree I think Gringotts is fantastic. I liked it a lot more than FJ which just beats you up IMO. It's great but I haven't felt that compelled to go on it again. I've done Gringotts many times so far.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
If only the screen based portions of FJ were like FoP.
OvertheHorizon
Well-Known Member
For those who have ridden, you know that you stand on a number (1 - 16) in the two pre-show areas. I was number 16. When I entered the ride area at FOP, I didn't immediately realize that there were two rooms (more like a divider between two spaces) with numbers 1 - 8 in the first area and 9 - 16 in the second area. I think they could speed up the load process if person #1 went ALL the way into the rooms with the ride vehicles. That would have taken valuable seconds off of the process. As I've noted elsewhere, my leg retraints would not lock and I had to leave. The process of trying to get me and one other person properly restrained took quite a while.
dreamfinder912
Well-Known Member
So I got to ride it a bunch of times at a preview and noticed that the screen/shield thing you look at before you "link: actually seems to pull up like a garage door and sits kinda curved above and behind you. The floor the 8 riders are on detaches from the back area where the stuff is stored, you can see the line on the floor once you realize that's what it is. The most i saw us "drop" was about a foot/foot and a half. the 8 people you're linked in with move together with you, but each chair also moves on its own, or seemed to anyway? Also, this isn't like Soarin where B1 moves X and A1 moves Y and you can see each other. you have to physically move to see anyone and believe me you wont even be tempted to the first time on.
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Both times I was on FOP today, I noticed the audio queues to transition you to move (either to the next room or at the end of the ride) were immediate, but people weren't moving quickly. I think everyone's not used to this process yet. It may improve, it may not, but thrilled to have experienced it!
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Rode twice tonight. Haven't read any other reviews, so I went into this only knowing that the ride has been getting a lot of hype from some fans.
My advice is to lower your expectations. As far as E-tickets go, this one may disappoint if you’re expecting it to be one of the best rides in Orlando.
I know I was wishing for more, but it’s Soarin’ 2.0. The diehard fans may dispute that, but I guarantee that’s the way average guests will describe it: “It’s like Soarin’ with 3D.”
The queue is well done but overhyped. It’s got elements of the woodsy E.T. queue with additional black light painting. Nice atmosphere, but not much else in this part. This area is quite static; adding animatronics of some sort to the forest area would have given this section more interest.
The lab section is surprisingly compact. I really expected this to be a more sprawling area. The upper story of the room is hardly themed; this diminishes the feeling of a real work space.
The preshows are dry and already tiresome by the second ride. If Disney wants to push the envelope, figure out a way to improve on the preshows in these E-ticket attractions. The Gringott preshows are far more impressive than these.
The loading process is the most tedious I can recall. It makes Mission: Space look like an exercise in efficiency. The ride vehicles aren’t terribly comfortable while you wait for the restraints to move into place, and the glasses aren’t a snug fit making it feel like they could fly off during the ride.
The 3D is fine, but to my eyes it doesn’t look better than the 3D in Gringotts. In fact, in motion, the 3D of FoP had noticeable blur. For what it is, the 3D in Star Tours looks as good as the 3D in FoP.
The ride motion is fun, but it’s not intense. Nothing like the drops on Tower. I get why we don’t see the banshee head/neck in front during the film (it would look odd to have a row of those things side by side), but this also takes away from the experience. At least with the hang-gliding conceit, you believe that the glider is above you. It would’ve been a maintenance nightmare, but it’s really too bad they couldn’t figure out a way to add the Banshee to the ride vehicle. The row of vehicles also lack any kind of grandeur. This is just not an ideal way to start an E-ticket.
I guess I’d rate the whole experience a B, maybe lower if I had to wait more than 45 minutes. It’s certainly not worth a 2- or 3-hour wait, which it’ll probably maintain for this summer. I’m curious what average guests will think of it, because in many ways, I thought the ride itself was the most disappointing part of the entire land.
My advice is to lower your expectations. As far as E-tickets go, this one may disappoint if you’re expecting it to be one of the best rides in Orlando.
I know I was wishing for more, but it’s Soarin’ 2.0. The diehard fans may dispute that, but I guarantee that’s the way average guests will describe it: “It’s like Soarin’ with 3D.”
The queue is well done but overhyped. It’s got elements of the woodsy E.T. queue with additional black light painting. Nice atmosphere, but not much else in this part. This area is quite static; adding animatronics of some sort to the forest area would have given this section more interest.
The lab section is surprisingly compact. I really expected this to be a more sprawling area. The upper story of the room is hardly themed; this diminishes the feeling of a real work space.
The preshows are dry and already tiresome by the second ride. If Disney wants to push the envelope, figure out a way to improve on the preshows in these E-ticket attractions. The Gringott preshows are far more impressive than these.
The loading process is the most tedious I can recall. It makes Mission: Space look like an exercise in efficiency. The ride vehicles aren’t terribly comfortable while you wait for the restraints to move into place, and the glasses aren’t a snug fit making it feel like they could fly off during the ride.
The 3D is fine, but to my eyes it doesn’t look better than the 3D in Gringotts. In fact, in motion, the 3D of FoP had noticeable blur. For what it is, the 3D in Star Tours looks as good as the 3D in FoP.
The ride motion is fun, but it’s not intense. Nothing like the drops on Tower. I get why we don’t see the banshee head/neck in front during the film (it would look odd to have a row of those things side by side), but this also takes away from the experience. At least with the hang-gliding conceit, you believe that the glider is above you. It would’ve been a maintenance nightmare, but it’s really too bad they couldn’t figure out a way to add the Banshee to the ride vehicle. The row of vehicles also lack any kind of grandeur. This is just not an ideal way to start an E-ticket.
I guess I’d rate the whole experience a B, maybe lower if I had to wait more than 45 minutes. It’s certainly not worth a 2- or 3-hour wait, which it’ll probably maintain for this summer. I’m curious what average guests will think of it, because in many ways, I thought the ride itself was the most disappointing part of the entire land.