Disney’s most advanced animatronic ever is the highlight of the Avatar river ride
When Disney aired an Oscars commercial promoting Pandora: The World of Avatar earlier this year, attention turned towards the Na’vi that appeared at the end of the spot. I originally assumed it was a bit of uncanny valley computer-generated effects work, and then I learned that the creature was actually real — a next-generation audio-animatronic made by the team at Walt Disney Imagineering.
I had the opportunity to see the character, known as the Shaman of Songs, during a press preview of Disney’s new expansion land last week. She’s part of the climactic reveal in the Na’vi River Journey, a family-friendly “dark ride” that takes guests on a river tour through the bioluminescent forest of Pandora. Dark rides, which usher guests through…
