There are two Avatar rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. Both are inside Pandora – The World of Avatar, but they are completely different experiences. Flight of Passage is the big thrill attraction and the one I would prioritize first, while Na’vi River Journey is a slow, family-friendly boat ride with no height requirement.
If someone says “the Avatar ride at Animal Kingdom,” they are usually talking about Avatar Flight of Passage. But Pandora actually has two rides, and I would plan them very differently depending on wait times, Lightning Lane access and who I’m visiting with.
The Two Avatar Rides at Animal Kingdom
| Ride | What it is | Height | Lightning Lane | My priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar Flight of Passage | 3D flying simulator | 44 in / 112 cm | Single Pass | High |
| Na’vi River Journey | Slow boat ride | Any height | Multi Pass | Depends on wait |
If I only had time for one, I would choose Flight of Passage. Na’vi River Journey is beautiful, but I have a harder time justifying a very long standby wait for it when Animal Kingdom has other experiences competing for the same time.
Avatar Flight of Passage Is the Pandora Ride I’d Prioritize
Avatar Flight of Passage is the headline attraction in Pandora. Disney describes it as a 3D flight over Pandora on the back of a mountain banshee, and that is a pretty accurate way to think about the experience.
Rather than sitting in a conventional ride vehicle, I lean forward on a motorcycle-like seat while the attraction combines a large 3D screen, motion, wind and other effects to create the sensation of flying.
I think the ride works because the movement itself is only part of it. The scale of the imagery and the sensation of diving and gliding through Pandora make it feel much bigger than an ordinary simulator.
Guests must be at least 44 inches (112 cm) tall to ride.
Is Flight of Passage scary?
I wouldn’t describe Flight of Passage as a traditional scary ride. There isn’t a roller coaster track or a giant physical drop.
But it can feel intense if I don’t like heights, motion simulators or the sensation of falling. The screen and ride motion do a convincing job of making it feel like I’m diving through the air even though the physical movement is much more controlled.
For someone who is comfortable with Soarin’ but wants something considerably more immersive and intense, Flight of Passage is a reasonable next step. Someone who gets motion sickness easily may have a different experience.
Flight of Passage Lightning Lane
Flight of Passage is currently a Lightning Lane Single Pass attraction at Animal Kingdom. It is not included in the standard Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Multi Pass lineup.
That distinction matters when I’m planning Pandora. If Flight of Passage is one of my absolute must-dos, I can either buy its Single Pass separately or build my standby strategy around it.
Disney Resort hotel guests and guests of certain other eligible hotels can currently purchase Lightning Lane passes up to seven days before their stay. Other guests can buy up to three days before their park visit.
For a fuller park-wide strategy, I use my Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane strategy.
Na’vi River Journey Is Almost the Opposite Ride
Na’vi River Journey has almost nothing in common with Flight of Passage other than the Avatar setting.
This is a slow boat ride through Pandora’s bioluminescent rainforest. There are glowing plants, creatures moving through the forest and the Na’vi Shaman of Songs near the end of the ride.
There is no height requirement, so this is the Pandora ride that works for babies, small children and guests who don’t want the intensity of Flight of Passage.
I particularly like it when the standby line is reasonable. The problem is that a visually beautiful five-minute-style boat ride becomes harder for me to recommend when the wait becomes one of the longest in the park.
Does Na’vi River Journey get you wet?
No. It is a calm indoor boat ride rather than a water ride like Kali River Rapids. I’m floating on water, but the attraction isn’t designed to splash or soak riders.
Na’vi River Journey is included with Multi Pass
Na’vi River Journey is currently one of the attractions available through Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom doesn’t currently divide its Multi Pass attractions into selection tiers, so I can choose Na’vi River Journey as one of my initial three Multi Pass selections if availability exists.
Flight of Passage vs Na’vi River Journey
If I’m choosing between the two Pandora rides rather than simply trying to ride both, this is how I look at it.
Flight of Passage is better for: adults, teens, thrill seekers, Avatar fans and anyone who wants one of Animal Kingdom’s biggest ride experiences.
Na’vi River Journey is better for: younger kids, guests who can’t meet the Flight of Passage height requirement, people who dislike simulators and anyone looking for a quiet indoor attraction.
If everyone in my group can ride both and time is limited, I prioritize Flight of Passage by a wide margin.
Which Pandora Ride Should You Do First?
If I’m entering Animal Kingdom without a Flight of Passage Lightning Lane and Pandora is my top priority, Flight of Passage is usually the ride I’d plan around first.
That doesn’t automatically mean I rush there blindly every morning. I check the posted park opening, Early Theme Park Entry if I’m eligible, current waits and whether I’ve purchased Lightning Lane.
If I already have a Flight of Passage Single Pass later in the day, I don’t need to spend my best morning time standing in that standby line. I might start somewhere else and use Multi Pass for Na’vi River Journey instead.
My Animal Kingdom rope drop guide is useful if you’re trying to build the entire morning around Pandora.
What About Pandora at Night?
Pandora is worth walking through after dark when Animal Kingdom’s hours make that possible. The land’s bioluminescent lighting changes the atmosphere considerably from daytime.
I wouldn’t say Na’vi River Journey itself becomes dramatically different at night because most of the ride is indoors. The bigger nighttime difference is outside in Pandora, where the lighting effects across the paths, plants and floating-mountain scenery are much easier to appreciate.
Animal Kingdom often closes earlier than the other Walt Disney World parks, so I always check the current Animal Kingdom hours before assuming I’ll get a long nighttime visit.
Pandora Has More Than the Two Rides
The ride count is small, but Pandora feels larger because the land itself is part of the experience.
The Valley of Mo’ara is a walk-through environment beneath the floating mountains, and I think it’s worth slowing down rather than treating Pandora as a hallway between two ride entrances.
There is also Satu’li Canteen for meals, Pongu Pongu for drinks and snacks, and Windtraders for Avatar merchandise.
If all you needed to know was the actual ride count, the short answer is two. I have a separate guide explaining how many Avatar rides are in Animal Kingdom, while this page is where I would compare which of those two rides deserves more of your time.
How I’d Plan the Two Avatar Rides
If Flight of Passage is a must-do and I’m willing to pay for convenience, I’d look at a Lightning Lane Single Pass and use my Multi Pass selections elsewhere, potentially including Na’vi River Journey.
If I’m not buying Lightning Lane, I’d make Flight of Passage the attraction I plan most carefully and fit Na’vi River Journey around the wait time I see during the day.
If I’m visiting with a small child who can’t meet the 44-inch Flight of Passage height requirement, Na’vi River Journey becomes the obvious Pandora ride for the whole family.
And if I’m choosing just one ride, Flight of Passage is the one I would make time for.
For everything outside Pandora, my complete Animal Kingdom ride list can help you decide what to prioritize next.
