Disney World Reportedly Makes Millions From Broken Theme Park Ride

Walt Disney World Resort guests are voicing concerns over the state of one of the Central Florida theme parks’ most popular attractions, Avatar Flight of Passage. Despite ongoing technical issues, the Mouse continues to profit significantly from Lightning Lane passes purchased for the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park ride, frustrating many fans.

A Costly Ride Through Pandora

Avatar Flight of Passage, located in Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, has been a favorite among Disney guests since its opening in 2017. The ride uses 3D technology to immerse visitors in the world of the 2009 James Cameron film, simulating a thrilling flight on the back of a banshee. When it debuted, the attraction saw wait times of three to four hours.

Now, nearly eight years later, the ride remains immensely popular, with guests willing to pay $11 to $18 per person for a Lightning Lane Single Pass to skip the long standby line. For a family of four, that can mean spending up to $72 for just one ride. Pricey Lightning Lane Single Passes undoubtedly contribute heavily to the $720 million+ Walt Disney World Resort has made since introducing the paid line-skipping system.

Despite the premium cost, fans are increasingly noticing a decline in the attraction’s quality.

Technical Issues Persist on Avatar Flight of Passage

Over the years, reports of technical problems have surfaced. Fans have noted blurry projections, glitchy effects, and a lack of ride maintenance. These complaints recently resurfaced on Reddit, where Disney Parks fans discussed the ride’s ongoing issues.

Redditor u/ResponsibleAd2034 described their recent experience:

“I rode FOP today and noticed that the 3D was really struggling. Some parts it was nice, but for example in the dark cave. It actually just completely stopped working until everything started to glow, and the little floating flowers, which are meant to be a highlight of that scene just looked flat on the screen. The water sprayer also didn’t do anything for the entirety of the ride. I just figured I had some bad circumstances for some reason and mentioned it outside. The cast members kindly let me ride again. This time around the 3D was a little better, except the dark cave scene again, but now the mechanism between your knees that simulates the Breathing Ikran just kept clicking and clacking back and forth. One would assume my Ikran were having a panic attack. It was a little distracting.”

Other Disney Parks fans chimed in, sharing their observations of declining ride quality.

“I thought it was just me that the dark cave was wonky, glad to know someone else has noticed it,” wrote u/Appropriate-Turnip69. “It seems to get progressively worse each trip.”

“It’s a hot mess right now and it needs to be sorted,” u/tricky-possession-69 replied. “Pisses me off that it’s actually been going down the tubes for more than a year and no one seems to give a care.”

Even first-time riders have noticed issues. “I rode it for the first time last month and wondered if the blurriness was normal or if it was just my eyes,” said u/beansbeansbeans4.

A Missed Maintenance Opportunity?

Many Disney Parks fans believe Avatar Flight of Passage desperately needs a refurbishment. But some speculate that Walt Disney World Resort hesitates to close the attraction for maintenance due to the steady revenue it generates from Lightning Lane Single Pass purchases.

“They haven’t calibrated the projectors in a while and likely won’t, due to how much money the ride makes on LLSP,” said u/VisibleIce9669.

“This is the part that is most ridiculous,” u/sam-sp added. “These rides that are driving massive revenue from ILL should be at the top of the list for maintenance and ongoing updates.”

Walt Disney World Resort has not announced any plans to refurbish Avatar Flight of Passage, leaving guests to wonder how long these issues will persist.

Have you noticed maintenance issues on Avatar Flight of Passage? Share your experience with Disney Tips in the comments.