Walt Disney World has permanently closed a personalized merchandise experience at its Animal Kingdom theme park. The custom Avatar action figure maker, located within Pandora – The World of Avatar, ceased operations after eight years, with its final day of service on October 1, 2025.
Key Takeaways
- The custom Avatar action figure experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom is now permanently closed.
- The attraction, which opened with Pandora in 2017, used facial scanning technology to create personalized figures.
- Its closure follows a significant price reduction earlier in the year, from $79.99 to $50.
- A similar personalized figure experience for Tron at Magic Kingdom also received a price cut, raising questions about its future.
- Disney continues to invest in the Avatar brand, with a new Pandora-themed land planned for Disney California Adventure.
Details of the Closure
The attraction, officially known as the Avatar Maker Program, was situated inside the Windtraders gift shop, the primary retail location in the Pandora section of the park. As of October 1, 2025, the dedicated space for this experience has been shut down, marking the end of its eight-year run.
The experience allowed guests to create a highly personalized souvenir. Using advanced facial scanning technology, a Cast Member would capture a guest's likeness, which was then used as the basis for a custom-made Na'vi action figure. This process was designed to be an interactive part of the visit to Pandora.
The Customization Process
After the facial scan was complete, guests could select several features to customize their figure. These options included different hairstyles, eye colors, and the unique stripe patterns characteristic of the Na'vi from the Avatar film series. Once all selections were made, the figure would enter a "growing" phase, which took approximately one hour. Guests could then return to Windtraders to pick up their completed, one-of-a-kind action figure.
By the Numbers
- Operational Period: 2017 - 2025 (8 years)
- Original Price: $79.99
- Discounted Price: $50 (a 37.5% reduction)
- Creation Time: Approximately 60 minutes
An Immersive but Underperforming Attraction
Disney designed the Avatar Maker Program to be more than just a retail transaction; it was intended as an immersive experience. The concept is similar to other premium souvenir workshops in the parks, most notably Savi's Workshop in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, where guests build their own custom lightsabers.
Comparison to Savi's Workshop
While both experiences offered personalized products, the lightsaber building at Savi's Workshop is a more theatrical and story-driven event involving a detailed show and group participation. The Avatar figure creation was a more straightforward, individual process focused on technology rather than narrative performance. This difference in execution may have contributed to varying levels of guest demand.
Despite its unique technology, there were indications that the Avatar experience was not meeting performance expectations. Earlier this year, Disney implemented a substantial price cut, reducing the cost of a custom figure from $79.99 to $50. Such a significant discount often suggests an effort to stimulate flagging sales or clear out inventory before a planned change. It had been rumored for some time that the attraction's popularity did not match Disney's initial projections.
Parallels with Other Park Experiences
The closure of the Avatar Maker Program raises questions about other similar offerings at Walt Disney World. A comparable experience, the TRON Identity Program, exists in the gift shop for the TRON Lightcycle / Run attraction at Magic Kingdom. This program allows guests to create a personalized action figure of themselves as a Program from the Grid.
Notably, the TRON figures also saw a price reduction earlier this year, mirroring the strategy used for the Avatar figures before their discontinuation. While Disney has not announced any plans to close the TRON Identity Program, the precedent set by the Avatar experience suggests that guests interested in the TRON figure may want to consider purchasing it sooner rather than later.
These premium, tech-based souvenir experiences represent a significant investment for Disney. Their success depends on a high level of guest interest to justify the operational costs, dedicated retail space, and specialized technology. The closure in Pandora indicates that the company is willing to phase out concepts that do not achieve sustained popularity.
The Broader Future of Avatar at Disney Parks
While this specific experience has ended, Disney's commitment to the Avatar franchise remains strong. Pandora – The World of Avatar has been a major success at Animal Kingdom since it opened in 2017, drawing large crowds with its marquee attractions, Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
The company is now planning a major expansion of the brand to the West Coast. A new Pandora-themed land is currently in development for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. This new area will be built inside the Disney California Adventure park.
"We're thrilled about the stories our guests will be able to experience at Walt Disney's original theme park destination," a company representative noted during the initial announcement of the California expansion.
Construction on the new land is expected to begin in 2026. To make way for this development, Disney will be permanently closing several existing locations, including the attraction Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue!, which is scheduled for closure early next year. The end of the custom figure experience at Walt Disney World appears to be a minor adjustment in the company's broader, long-term strategy for the valuable Avatar property.
