Video: James Cameron Explores Prototypes Of Avatar Land's Fake Pandora

A new tease for Animal Kingdom's anticipated new addition.

By Brendon Connelly /

Every few months the Disney Parks YouTube channel will update with something on Avatar Land, the upcoming attraction being built for the Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida. We're years away from the 'land' opening to the public, so the teases are generally vague and minor, but this latest one at least gives us a look at Fake Pandora's fake Pandora plants. You'll also see James Cameron walking around, pointing and nodding, the better to let us know that he's 'hands on' and giving all of the elements of Avatar Land his personal approval.Some glow in the dark lichen isn't the kind of advertisement that a good, clear look at a fancy Mountain Banshee ride would be, but this simple, ground-level stuff is going to be instrumental to creating the all-round 'trip to Pandora' effect that the imagineers are going for. If they get that right, the attraction will provide a great experience, and that will lead to meaningful word of mouth. Having said all of that, I think we might see something a bit more substantial in the next update. A big fake rock wall fake floating in the air, maybe? Avatar Land started production over a year ago and is about two years away from opening. That's if it sticks to schedule, anyway. All things Avatar have had a habit of sliding further and further back on the calendar as time rolls on. By the original plan, Avatar 2 would have been released in late 2014 though, in actuality, it's still some months away from production.