See the 'Avatar' shaman, Disney's most advanced animatronic
It sings. It sways. Disney World brings a giant blue alien to life for its upcoming "Avatar"-themed land.
It's alive. Or at least it looks like it's alive.
Walt Disney World's "Avatar"-themed land will be home to a new animatronic figure that looks eerily realistic. A massive blue shaman based on the nature-loving aliens from director James Cameron's 2009 hit movie stars in a Disney video released Saturday. It will suck you into the uncanny valley.
The Na'vi Shaman of Songs will appear in the Na'vi River Journey attraction in Pandora, a 12-acre expansion of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida. The short video shows the alien swaying and singing. Its eyes blink and the robot displays fine motor skills. It's both compelling and a little scary.
Disney released a sneak peek of the shaman figure late last year in a video that left people wondering if it was a CGI creation, but the company confirmed it was actually an animatronic device.
The shaman is the "most complicated" animatronic figure out of Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney notes. Just be grateful you won't run into it in a dark alley somewhere.
Pandora -- The World of Avatar is scheduled to open May 27 so you can go get your mind blown in person.