First images revealed of Disney's Avatar land

Walt Disney Co. unveiled the first artist renderings of Avatar land, the upcoming addition to Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom in Florida. Tom Staggs, chairman of Disney's parks division revealed the images Friday at a conference in Japan, the Miami Herald reported. "In the world of Avatar, guests will encounter awe-inspiring floating mountains and wander through a nighttime jungle of bioluminescent plants that are alive with light and sound. Guests will also discover what it feels like to soar into the sky riding a Banshee," he said. The park expansion is set to include a ride based on the Banshee, an flying animal characters ride in the film. Avatar land is expected to include nighttime entertainment, expanding the operating hours of Animal Kingdom, which typically closes around 5 or 6 p.m. local time, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported. The park is scheduled to open in 2017, the Herald said.