Living With the Land vs Na'vi River Journey

[UNCgolf]

Navi River Journey, to me, is top 5 worst attractions of all time. Yes, I get the animatronic is amazing but that’s what makes it so bad is that all this time and focus went into that one aspect that everything else was forgotten from queue, to story, to length, to memorability, etc ... where as Living with the Land is an iconic treasure and an attraction that would never be built again, at least under the current regime.

I really don't understand why so many people seem to feel this way. It's absolutely not good as it could/should have been in multiple ways, but it's such a lush, beautiful attraction that actually makes you feel like you're on a river on an alien planet. It's so much better than other recent Disney rides like Frozen Ever After and Little Mermaid even with its issues.

 

[Robbydj13]

I really don't understand why so many people seem to feel this way. It's absolutely not good as it could/should have been in multiple ways, but it's such a lush, beautiful attraction that actually makes you feel like you're on a river on an alien planet. It's so much better than other recent Disney rides like Frozen Ever After and Little Mermaid even with its issues.

Because if most of us want amazing visuals, there are HD movies for that. The ride provides ZERO fun. Maybe if they threw in a small drop or something like PotC or similar rides. There is just no fun in it.

 

[UNCgolf]

Because if most of us want amazing visuals, there are HD movies for that. The ride provides ZERO fun. Maybe if they through in a small drop or something like PotC or similar rides. There is just no fun in it.

Flight of Passage is an HD movie -- yes, of course it's more than only that, but the overall experience is a lot closer to sitting and watching a movie on a big screen than NRJ is.

Not all rides are supposed to be about physical thrill -- a ton of Disney rides don't have any physical thrill involved. In fact, many of the best rides Disney has ever built don't have it. Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, Horizons, etc., and I don't think many people ride Pirates because of one small drop. That's not why people love the ride.

NRJ certainly isn't close to being in that category of best Disney rides ever, and it has many issues, but lack of physical thrill isn't one of them. Even the ride it's being compared with here (Living with the Land, another all-time Disney classic) doesn't have any physical thrill.

 

[ppet]

Navi is an Ok little ride, But LwtL is a must do for me each trip. I also highly recommend the behind the seeds tour.

 

[aliceismad]

I think both have value. Navi is too short, but it is beautiful and relaxing and immersive. I think it gets a lot of flack because the line is usually so long.

LwtL is a lovely ride. I adore it. My husband thought it was interesting the first time but is more or less happy to skip it since.

 

[Robbydj13]

Flight of Passage is an HD movie -- yes, of course it's more than only that, but the overall experience is a lot closer to sitting and watching a movie on a big screen than NRJ is.

Not all rides are supposed to be about physical thrill -- a ton of Disney rides don't have any physical thrill involved. In fact, many of the best rides Disney has ever built don't have it. Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, Horizons, etc., and I don't think many people ride Pirates because of one small drop. That's not why people love the ride.

NRJ certainly isn't close to being in that category of best Disney rides ever, and it has many issues, but lack of physical thrill isn't one of them. Even the ride it's being compared with here (Living with the Land, another all-time Disney classic) doesn't have any physical thrill.

I get your points, but the fact remains, the ride is overwhelmingly being rated worse than Living with the Land. And a lot of that reason is the fact that all it has going for it is great visuals. Maybe in time it will get better, but the wait time doesn't match the ride experience and I think that is a lot of the issue.

 

[Dog Ate Mouse]

Sorry but hands down to living with the land:

Plus do the behind the seeds tour. It was educational and fun and truly enjoyed the work that goes into the Land in general.

 

[UNCgolf]

I get your points, but the fact remains, the ride is overwhelmingly being rated worse than Living with the Land. And a lot of that reason is the fact that all it has going for it is great visuals. Maybe in time it will get better, but the wait time doesn't match the ride experience and I think that is a lot of the issue.

Sure, I voted for Living with the Land too. It's better.

I just don't get thinking NRJ is one of the worst rides at WDW -- but as you (and the poster above you) mentioned, the wait times are a huge part of the problem. I think a lot of people would hate Living with the Land (and many other rides) too if it had 90+ minute waits. If you can divorce the wait time from the ride experience, it's a very relaxing, enjoyable ride (that is several minutes too short).

I almost certainly wouldn't like NRJ as much as I do if I had to wait that long to ride it either -- all my rides have been with a FastPass so it wasn't an issue.

 

[Robbydj13]

Sure, I voted for Living with the Land too. It's better.

I just don't get thinking NRJ is one of the worst rides at WDW -- but as you (and the poster above you) mentioned, the wait times are a huge part of the problem. I think a lot of people would hate Living with the Land (and many other rides) too if it had 90+ minute waits. If you can divorce the wait time from the ride experience, it's a very relaxing, enjoyable ride (that is several minutes too short).

I almost certainly wouldn't like NRJ as much as I do if I had to wait that long to ride it either -- all my rides have been with a FastPass so it wasn't an issue.

Fair point, but I also wouldn't waste a fastpass on it either. To me, its a ride you jump on if the wait is short or its raining....I don't see it as a must do.

 

[dmw]

LWTL is a meh attraction for me. There are stage areas that are empty, or just have the big info signs. Going through the greenhouse is very cool, and especially fun at Christmas. It is the classic edutainment attraction that drew us to EPCOT back in the day. The Land in general is so much less than it used to be... almost sad to go there. It's not on our list of must do for each trip, but LWTL is so nice for the air conditioned comfort and being able to sit for a while.

NRJ is so much different. It is not about education at all. It is full of amazing details that I enjoy seeing and finding with each ride. I will not wait in line for NRJ, but if an FP is available, I will take advantage of that. Definitely the ride is too short.

But... I picked NRJ over LWTL.

 

[Robbydj13]

LWTL is a meh attraction for me. There are stage areas that are empty, or just have the big info signs. Going through the greenhouse is very cool, and especially fun at Christmas. It is the classic edutainment attraction that drew us to EPCOT back in the day. The Land in general is so much less than it used to be... almost sad to go there. It's not on our list of must do for each trip, but LWTL is so nice for the air conditioned comfort and being able to sit for a while.

NRJ is so much different. It is not about education at all. It is full of amazing details that I enjoy seeing and finding with each ride. I will not wait in line for NRJ, but if an FP is available, I will take advantage of that. Definitely the ride is too short.

But... I picked NRJ over LWTL.

I agree about the Land....used to be one of the first things I would head towards. Sadly, not anymore. I still enjoy it, but it has lost its luster. I always ride LWTL, but the excitement isn't over there anymore.

 

[mf1972]

despite my comments, i don’t hate NRJ. just found it disappointing. i’d prefer to see more animatronics vs screens & projections. for me, it’s a ride i wouldn’t mind skipping on a trip, but ride it every other trip. again, it’s visually impressive. i just feel they missed the mark on this one.

 

[HauntedPirate]

NRJ is a lot of visuals for the sake of visuals. Is there a story or a point to it all? LwtL is just in another world than NRJ, definitely something I could ride multiple times in a day and not get sick of it.

 

[UNCgolf]

NRJ is a lot of visuals for the sake of visuals. Is there a story or a point to it all?

I think that's right. The reason it works (at least for me) is that Disney hasn't really built much like it in 20 years. The visuals are important! They're certainly not the only thing that matters -- that's why NRJ isn't close to being an all-time classic (too short and not enough AAs being the biggest problems) -- but I'll take the visuals of NRJ over the cheap/sparse visuals and "story" of rides like Frozen Ever After or the Little Mermaid any day. I'll take it over an essentially unthemed coaster like Slinky Dog Dash, too.

 

[Robbydj13]

I think that's right. The reason it works (at least for me) is that Disney hasn't really built much like it in 20 years. The visuals are important! They're certainly not the only thing that matters -- that's why NRJ isn't close to being an all-time classic (too short and not enough AAs being the biggest problems) -- but I'll take the visuals of NRJ over the cheap/sparse visuals and "story" of rides like Frozen Ever After or the Little Mermaid any day. I'll take it over an essentially unthemed coaster like Slinky Dog Dash, too.

To each their own. I would ride Frozen or Slinky Dog many times before Id ride NRJ. Small world and NRJ might be a tie for me, and I hate Small World LOL

 

[UNCgolf]

To each their own. I would ride Frozen or Slinky Dog many times before Id ride NRJ. Small world and NRJ might be a tie for me, and I hate Small World LOL

Definitely. I think Frozen Ever After is terrible and would only ride it as a walk-on.

Slinky Dog is fun, but it's not really any different than what I could get at a regional amusement park as a relatively generic family coaster beyond the Slinky Dog car itself.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Living With The Land

 

[Skibum1970]

Sure, I voted for Living with the Land too. It's better.

I just don't get thinking NRJ is one of the worst rides at WDW -- but as you (and the poster above you) mentioned, the wait times are a huge part of the problem. I think a lot of people would hate Living with the Land (and many other rides) too if it had 90+ minute waits. If you can divorce the wait time from the ride experience, it's a very relaxing, enjoyable ride (that is several minutes too short).

I almost certainly wouldn't like NRJ as much as I do if I had to wait that long to ride it either -- all my rides have been with a FastPass so it wasn't an issue.

I would definitely not rank NRJ as the worst ride at WDW. As you said in a different post, it is a beautiful ride from a visual perspective. Lack of a story or purpose hurts it. I even think that with a small drop to get away from a predator mixed with a longer ride would improve it so much. The story could have been that we were going to the Tree of Souls with a finale being at the Tree with it lit up and the seeds of life floating around you.

Living With the Land has the great dark ride section, the informative section, and then the greenhouses which fits the original purpose of Epcot so well. I love the ride and definitely voted for it. Of course, I prefer all the original Epcot rides and wish Disney would go back to those ride types over the IP-related rides but that is a different forum discussion.

 

[TotallyBiased]

I've never ridden Living with the Land and still voted for it. I was brutally disappointed with NR, especially with something as impressive as FoP right next door. The animatronic at the end was the only saving grace but it wasn't worth the wait.

 

[Robbydj13]

I've never ridden Living with the Land and still voted for it. I was brutally disappointed with NR, especially with something as impressive as FoP right next door. The animatronic at the end was the only saving grace but it wasn't worth the wait.

Agree, too many people here aren't taking into account the wait and what it takes to ride it. The juice is definitely not worth the squeeze on that one.