Disney’s latest theme park expansion is literally out of this world

Before we get to visit Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land, there’s going to be another brand new land at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and it’s calling our name. Animal Kingdom is expanding with an area based entirely off of James Cameron’s Avatar, and finally we’ve got some magical new details about what we’re going to find inside.

Disney has been teasing Avatar Land since 2011 — SO LONG! —  and there hasn’t been much information as to what we’ll find inside. Some details were revealed this past summer at the D23 Expo in California, but it wasn’t nearly enough to hold us over till we can meet a Na’vi IRL. On Friday, all that changed when, during a D23 Expo in Japan, the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Reports, Bob Chapek, dropped some even more Pandora info.

One of the brand new attractions in the area will be a family-friendly boat ride for guests of all ages. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the Na’vi River Journey will take riders on an adventure down a “mysterious, sacred river hidden within the bioluminescent rainforest. The full beauty of Pandora reveals itself as the canoes pass by exotic glowing plants and amazing creatures.” This river journey ends with you meeting a Na’vi shaman, who “sends positive energy out into the forest through her music.”

Yeah, we can get on board with this idea. The only thing is that the attraction is canoe based. As in, paddle your own canoe, maybe? The information released from Disney doesn’t exactly specify if you’re going to be charting your own course with some oars, and Disney has used canoes in attractions before. If that’s the case, hopefully a little arm workout won’t deter you from embarking down the Pandora river.

All of Avatar Land is set to open in 2017, but it’s never too early to start packing for this vacation.

(Image via Disney.)