An 'Avatar'-themed park is coming to Disney World next summer - here's how it will look

Construction first began on the Avatar-inspired land at Disney World in 2014.

It's being designed by Disney Imagineers and director James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment.

In February 2015, Disney Parks showed off the first concept art for the park which will transform Disney's Animal Kingdom into the world of Pandora.

Director James Cameron has been working closely with Disney to bring the world to life from his imagination.

The park will consist of hundreds of plants such as this one.

In 2015, Disney Parks showed off a cool carpet that will change colors as guests walk across it.

Here's a closer look at it lit up in the dark. Look at how the carpet reacts when weight is placed on it.

This looks like it will be part of the park's bioluminescent forest it teased in 2013. Here's a rendering for it at nighttime.

And here's how that will look in the daytime.

One of the rides in Pandora will take you on the back of a mountain banshee, the giant bird-like creatures the Na'vi ride in "Avatar."

Here's a look at the motion simulator ride behind the scenes. It will be called "Avatar: Flight of Passage."

It will allow guests to ride upon banshees with flying scenes shown on screens, similar to Disney's "Soarin'" ride. According to Variety, vehicles will move along to the action in a theater.

Source: Variety

 

 

"Riding the ikranay is a thrill," says Cameron. "You're gonna plunge, you're gonna dive, you're gonna see the world flying through it."

Here's concept art for a boat ride through the Na'vi's world at night.

"The Na'vi River Journey is this beautiful, lyrical ride into the bioluminescent forest," says Disney Imagineering senior VP of creative Joe Rhode.

Here are the floating mountains in "Avatar" the movie.

Here's how they'll look in Disney World.

The Disney Imagineers will make it appear as if they're floating up high.

Those won't be the only things to see in Pandora. The main restaurant will be named Satu'li Canteen and will also have Na'vi art and cultural items.

A store called Windtraders will sell science kits in addition to toys and other Na'vi items.

Pongu Pongu will serve other themed drinks in Pandora.

You can watch the latest behind-the-scenes video for "Pandora: The World of Avatar" below. The park will open in Animal Kingdom some time in summer 2017.