Disney Gives Details of Pandora’s Exotic Ecosystem

Disney has been very forthcoming with behind-the-scenes looks at the creation of Pandora: The World of Avatar, with each new video highlighting an aspect of the creative process. The newest segment is focused on not only the fictional flora and fauna of the land, but on the interactions between them, and the formation of a fully functioning imagined ecosystem in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The video is below, but for those without the ability or inclination to watch it, here are some highlights:

• Rather than following any film story-line, Pandora was developed with the individual guest’s journey in mind. When it comes to theming, the creative team focused most on environment building for full immersion.
• Not content to just scatter imaginary plants throughout the land, developers formulated actual life-cycles and grow patterns for the greenery, so where and how each plant is placed has a basis in that organism’s natural tendencies.
• Guests will be able to interact with a special plant that is 20 feet-long and 15 feet-high. Given the look of the plant, that interaction will hopefully not involve the words “Feed me, Seymour!”
• Although you can expect to hear animals prowling the park in the background, the experience doesn’t end with a few sounds in the distance. Each effect is combined with others, so that what you hear is an ecosystem full of varied interactions between the plants and animals.
• As night falls in the park, the plants and animals will change their interactions accordingly. Not only will you see animals making their way through Pandora’s jungle, but you will also see bio-luminescent plants reacting to their presence.
• In this combined effort of Walt Disney Imagineering and Lightstorm Entertainment a mixture of practical and digital effects will work together to simulate the fully functioning ecosystem.

Here is the video, and join us for updates as new information is released:

Source/Image: Disney Parks Blog