My daughter “adopted” a banshee.
Not really. More like we paid an exorbitant amount of money for a toy that isn’t even remote controlled. But I have to say, it IS really cool. And by the way, they ran out the next day. At over $50 each, you’d think they would last, but not even a month after opening and they are all gone. Originally, there were many colors to choose from, but by the time we visited there was only these really cute blue ones. And like I said, those were gone by the next day. The banshee magnetically attaches to your clothing, resting on your shoulder and with the help of a squeeze trigger mechanism, you can manipulate the creature on your shoulder. It’s pretty cool. I was disappointed to find out that no discounts apply to these “premium” items. I don’t know of any merchandise in the park that is exempt from discount for being a “premium” item which is disappointing and something they should preface before you get to the register since it is such an exception to the rule.
But that’s not the only cool stuff they have at Windtraders. If you were going to cosplay as a Na’vi, there is no better place to go. You can find headwear, light sticks, jewelry, and even a tail if you need one. The build-your-own Na’vi necklace is a nice touch. For $19.99 you get a necklace cord and you may choose up to 8 beads and either a feather or a crystal as a centerpiece. A totem or sentiment can be added for $6.99 more and if you want more beads or crystals or feathers you just have to pay for them, but overall it’s nice and will likely be popular.
Of course, the highlight is probably the “make your own avatar” action figure. At $74.99 it is also a “premium” item – again something Disney dropped the ball in sharing with guests – and is created in your likeness from an image scan of your face. Created for you on the spot, it takes only about 30 minutes to make and is boxed in a case similar to the containment tubes in the film. As you can expect there are shirts, hats, mugs and other souvenir items you’d likely expect, but the one I liked the most was the light up phone case. When your phone rings and the face lights up, the case will light up and features an image of Pandora on the front. Pretty cool.
Overall, if you want to bring Pandora home with you, you’ll find something to your liking. They even have Annual Passholder exclusive Magic Bands. Overall, Windtraders is almost as impressive as the floating mountains for its scope and quality. A bit pricey and unfortunately your discounts don’t work, but a great selection of fun stuff for all ages.
Disney Nerds 