If I was ever in charge of a theme park, you can be certain there would be dozens of atmospheric boat rides. Nearly every versions of "gently float through highly detailed show scenes in the dark" is going to be showing up on this list, save for one (maybe two depending on definition) that was essentially a long internal debate away from being No. 50.
(In total honesty, at this moment I'm experiencing regrets leaving it off. The bottom of this list was hard, y'all.)
I even loved Bugs Bunny's Gold River Adventure at Six Flags over Texas.
Thus, I will fight to the death in defense of Na'vi River Journey, even if I don't care one single bit about the film it's based on. In fact, when both attractions opened, I adamantly appreciated the boat ride more than the other one, preferring physical sets and water to screens and restraints. I still might, though I recognize the technical achievement there probably dictates it being higher on this list.
River Journey just does one of the best jobs of place making anywhere in the parks. It feels simultaneously otherwordly and absolutely real, with rich and beautiful sets. You don't have to care about Pandora or Avatar to appreciate the design, and enjoy the mode of visitation.
You start off traveling through a cave, evoking feelings of mystery similar to what is going to be detailed in a few posts. Winding around the corners, you'll see a gorgeous waterfall, and the color on the ceilings of the water refracting the light are jaw dropping. This is work nearly comparable to the start of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean, and that is honestly about the best praise you can get.
I'm also a sucker for bioluminescent fungi in caves. I just think it's such a fun, attractive, peaceful alien world concept. Seeing it here reminds me of the first steps into the depths of Tallon IV in Metroid Prime, which is a great feeling to relive.
Then it gets better! In the Listen to the Land article, I said, "also, if there was just a whole ride of jungle scenes on a boat, I'd like it." The setting of a water-based dark ride is absolutely perfect to create the setting of a rainforest floor, and I wish it was done more. The combination of darkness and water inherent to the ride system gets you there, and it's just a matter of making the details look cool.
River Journey makes the details look cool. The bends of river flowing along the forest floor are a place I just want to exist in forever. Plants are everywhere, various, and colorful. The silhouettes of creatures jump across the leaves above. Pleasant, calming, and wonderous, it's one of the most beautiful, and atmospheric segments of any theme park attraction on the planet. If it were longer, there's a good chance the number at the top of this article might be a single digit.
It doesn't particularly matter that the creatures you're seeing aren't based on reality, or might not even be based on a movie you like, because the feeling is there. A good dark ride takes you to a place you can't easily -- or at all -- see, but makes the experience fun and exciting, whether the details are specifically recognizable or not.
For me, the shaman at the end is less the highlight, and more the icing on the cake. The caves and the rainforest are what make River Journey an experience worth having. We can break out the "comfy" description again, to highlight how its safe, relaxing atmosphere is a perfect companion to the adventure and perceived-challenge that comes from Animal Kingdom as a whole.
But. . . the shaman is cool. Prior to the time of writing, I knew essentially nothing about her purpose in the attraction, or what she is supposed to be within the fictional universe, but as an animatronic she is stellar. Probably the most convincing animatronic in Walt Disney World, with an incredible range of movement, a seemingly complete lack of seams, and a perfectly programmed set of actions. Not being a stand in for a human helps keep her from crossing the uncanny valley, of course.
There are going to be some big thrills coming up on the list. Some attractions that test the limits of technology, put your stomach in your throat, either reproduce or create from scratch beloved universes, and do things you'd never expect from a ride system. Their presence, though, doesn't mean there isn't a place for a peaceful float through a beautiful rainforest.
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