Less is Mo'ara?
Greetings, friend! Thanks for returning for the second part of our two-part series featuring the loos of Disney's Animal Kingdom's Pandora! If you didn't happen to catch the first part, fear not: click here to read part one (it's pretty juicy -- you don't want to miss it -- ed).
Oh, and hey, we've got a secret for you. Come in closer. A little closer. A little bit more.... Perfect! Ready for it? We'll put it in italics so you know when you get to the secret part:
We are so thankful that you've taken the time to visit the blog! Seriously, out of all the Disney Parks and Resorts websites you could be frequenting, you chose ours. Much gratitude to you for this and for your continued efforts to spread the word about our little project here! We here at the WDW Loo Review home office would've given up long ago were it not for your social media shares/likes, your comments and even the constructive criticisms. Thank you!
As you'll recall, when we last visited Pandora's Valley of Mo'ara, we reviewed the Pandora Eastside Loo. It was a clean affair with outstanding exterior theming that unfortunately didn't carry over into the interior. Will today's loo -- the only other one remaining in Pandora -- be a similar story? Let's find out!
Satu'li Canteen sits adjacent to what many have claimed the best theme park attraction ever: Flight of Passage. We'll leave the debate as to whether this statement is true to the ride experts; however, as the world's foremost authority on theme park loos, we can attest to the excellent theming of the Satu'li Canteen's loo exterior.
Squatting next to the hulking mecha Amplified Mobility Platform (AMP for those in the know -- ed), Satu'li Canteen is a mash-up of architectural themes. At once both industrial and primitive, this building single-handedly tells the story of the Valley of Mo'ara, a tale of Pandoran nature reclaiming the land once ravaged by Earth's Resource Development Administration (RDC) and its military might.
As we approach the Satu'li Canteen's loo, we find ourselves again (as we did with Mo'ara's other loo) drinking in the myriad exterior details. The RDC abandoned this facility years ago, and the wear and tear on this industrial complex is apparent. Concrete walls are cracking, rust stains abound, paint is flaking:
One only need take a look at the men's room door to see the toll years of neglect and disrepair have taken on our destination loo. Look at the rust, the pockmarked and cracked concrete (the state of repair here is almost as bad as that of Carousel of Progress -- ed). A great deal of care went into giving us the impression of an abandoned loo.
It's not all industrial despair here, though. Natural touches abound as Pandora begins the reclamation of this facility:
And check out this cool overhead lamp, dangling just outside the loo, no doubt crafted by a local Na'vi:
It's this kind of touch -- noticed directly or subconsciously -- that really sets the mood (and sets Disney Parks ahead of the competition -- ed)!
It's at this part of the review we usually head inside. That said, indulge us a moment to pause and reflect on the similarities -- thus far, anyways -- of this review when compared to our review of Pandora's other restroom. Both feature profoundly-themed exteriors, each teeming with touches that will likely require several trips to the loo for the average park guest to fully appreciate. We loved the Pandora Eastside bathroom's exterior, and despite taking myriad photos of its outside details, we're certain we missed many, many more.
If you've read our review of the Eastside Loo, however, you'll recall our disappointment upon entering. Though modern and clean, the theming stopped at the door, which was startling to say the least. Soooo ... what about this loo? Will we find ourselves enjoying a thoroughly modern loo in what should otherwise be a more rustic and primitive-themed evacuation experience?
Let's peek inside:
Sadly ... the answer is yes. Once again, compliments to the loo designers for the coordinated colors, modern tile and impressive air conditioning! Among those WDW restrooms in the running for clean, modern looks, this one is in our top three! It would look great planted in the heart of Epcot's Future World, but we're thinking it's unfortunately not a fit for Pandora. Now, don't get us wrong, we don't want to sit on a toilet made of twigs, using TP made of papyrus (no offense, ancient Egyptians -- ed), but, we would've appreciated this loo so much more if the same care that went into creating the exterior's motif went into that of the interior.
All longing for improved theming aside, the Satu'li canteen men's loo serves as a clean, well-appointed place to tend to nature's business. Four urinals are just hanging around for those with burgeoning bladders, each basin separated by a blue divider (blue is the overwhelming color here). Above the urinals, the eye is drawn to a colorful swath of small, square tiles which runs throughout the loo.
Here's a closer look at that accent strip:
Check out the sink station here:
Stone counter surrounds four basins (three tall boys, one shorty), giving users ample space to wash the Pandoran grime from beneath their nails. And wow! Look at that tile! What was a small accent strip above the urinals on the opposite wall floods the senses here! There's no escape!
By the way, as we washed our mitts here, our mind was drawn back to a similar scene at the Art of Animation Lobby loo. Can you appreciate the similarity? Seriously, compare the photo below with the one above!
Though not exactly the same, these two loos could be distant cousins!
Three stalls (one ADA-compliant) serve those who would prefer to sit, each one separated by -- you guessed it -- blue walls!
Looking into the ADA stall, we note ample everything: tons of space for assistive devices, cuatro-TP rolls and an entire sheaf of seat liners (Are seat liners quantified in terms of sheafs? -- ed). The walls here are lined with polished, grey rectangular tile ...
... while underfoot we find rectangles of taupe upon which to stand.
In case you thought infant guests might escape the blue motif, never fear! There's tons of tiny blue and seafoam squares to entertain young eyes whilst dirty nappies are swapped for clean ones:
And, as a parting shot, we head back outside to appreciate the presence of an AED and emergency phone (No doubt the former has been utilized numerous times on guests who have suffered cardiac arrest when seeing the wait time for Flight of Passage -- ed).
WDW LOO REVIEW RECAP OF ANIMAL KINGDOM'S SATU'LI CANTEEN PANDORA LOO:
Capacity: Medium. Not the largest of restrooms -- surprising given the vastness of the adjacent restaurant.
Cleanliness: Exceptionally clean
Theming: Exterior theming is excellent. Interior: think copy + paste of Art of Animation's lobby loo.
Companion Loo: No
Access: Very easy (once you wind your way past the 3 mile long line for FoP).
Overall Rating: 4/5 Urinal Wafers
Look, we don't want to seem picky here ... but, we are a blog devoted to reviewing the restrooms at Disney Parks and Resorts. Our job is to focus a critical eye on the on-property loos, and while we can offer high praise to the exteriors of both Pandora restrooms, the interiors simply fall short of expectation. Where are the faux rust stains, the roots of native flora reclaiming the lavatory, the piped-in sounds of dripping water and scurrying rodents? Joe Rohde, you and your team transported us to another world with the Valley of Mo'ara, only to ruin the effect by sucking us back to Earth immediately upon entering the restrooms! We expect more, and we know you can deliver!
That said, the Pandoran bathrooms at WDW are modern, clean and comfortable, which is more than can be said for several other on-property loos. Given this, we happily award 3/5 Urinal Wafers.
ADDENDUM (01/15/18): During our most recent visit to this loo, we heard the addition of the area music loop and ambient sound effects, piped in through ceiling speakers! This is a wonderful change, and, as a result, we gladly have changed our rating to 4/5 urinal wafers! Bravo, Imagineering!
Thank you, again, for taking the time to join us. As our second year of reviewing Disney Parks and Resorts restrooms draws near, we find ourselves full of gratitude for your generosity (along with other things like fresh urinal wafers, extra-ply toilet paper and toilet seat liners). Your willingness to share our reviews with friends, to leave comments for our editorial staff and to participate with guest review submissions leaves us humbled.
Thank you for a memorable 2017! Rest assured, 2018 brings with it a plethora of loo reviews for your reading pleasure!
Happy New Year, friend (oh, and bottoms down & thumbs up)!
Matt