I was traumatized earlier this year when I tried the Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino, so when I saw that Disney’s new Pandora: The World of Avatar land had its own multi-colored neon beverage, I was wary. Yes, part of the fun of pretending to visit an alien world is seeing what its food and drinks are like, but the frozen “Night Blossom” — with its layers of purple and green, topped with orange boba balls — reminded me of a nightmare I was still trying to forget.
In the name of journalism, however, I faced my fear and decided to try it — and thankfully discovered the Pandora specialty was pretty good. According to the menu at the Pongu Pongu drink stand — that translates to “Party Party” in Na’vi — it’s made up of limeade, apple and pear flavors, with the passion fruit boba balls serving as the finishing touch. The Night Blossom offers the same kind of instant sugar rush that will be familiar to anyone that’s ever tried Butterbeer at Harry Potter’s Wizarding World, but it’s also a quick way to an instant brain freeze. When in the land of Floridian humidity, however, that proved to be a good thing.
Along with the Night Blossom, the Pongu Pongu stand offers a frozen strawberry “Mo’ara Margarita,” also garnished with boba balls, along with a green beer and a pineapple-and-cream-cheese spring roll. (In case you were wondering, Dasani water is also served on Pandora.)
The food and beverage options of the park represent a bit of a hedged bet when compared to the push towards full immersion that things like the floating mountains or the Flight of Passage ride offer. The main dining option is a place called the Satu’li Canteen, and aesthetically it fits. It’s built into the ruins of an old building left over from the days when the RDA mining company was trying to pull unobtanium from Pandora, and the interior feels like a place designed to accommodate the needs of space tourists.