animal kingdom

 

 

On April 22, 1998 Disney unleashed its newest theme park on the world in the form of Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Whatever you do, don't call it a zoo (they get touchy about that word around Animal Kingdom).

This newest venture marked a departure from what Disney had been turning out in the way of theme parks for many years.  Any park banking its success on "edutainment" was bound to have issues, and Disney knew it. Epcot proved it was effectively kryptonite for children, and Disney was challenged to make sure that Animal Kingdom didn't suffer the same fate.  In spite of some of it's early preachiness (and some unfair press about animal care at the park)- Disney's Animal Kingdom opened to generally good reviews. 

At a cost of nearly $1 Billion to complete, Animal Kingdom was an expensive theme park. In fact, one of the planned 'lands' for Animal Kingdom was eventually cut from development due to cost overruns in the budget. The never realized land was to be called the "Beastly Kingdom" and feature a myriad of rides themed around mythical creatures. The Imagineers who were laid off when the plans were scrapped, were eventually hired by Universal Orlando to build the Dueling Dragons coaster for Islands of Adventure - arguably one of the best roller coasters in North America.  Oops.

Animal Kingdom's 500 acres are home to some1700 animals representing 250 different species throughout the park. A ride on the Kilimanjaro Safari will give you a chance to see many of them as they take you through the African Savannah (though the jeeps you ride in will rarely slow down long enough to allow you a good picture. This has led us to refer to this attraction as the "Kilimanjaro 500"). 

As the Parks perennial Icon, the Tree of Life is truly a work of art in the best Disney tradition. At 145ft, this 14 story artificial tree has the images of more than 300 animals hand carved into it's trunk. The base of the Tree of Life is home to the 3D film "It's Tough to be a Bug" On your way to see the show, you will invariably encounter those holding up the line to stare at each and every one of the animals on the tree. Feel free to push those people to the ground and keep going :)

A good portion of Animal Kingdom's growth came with the opening of Asia in 1999.  The Maharaja Jungle Trek- which is a walking tour that features bats, komodo dragons, bats, deer, birds, did I mention bats?  The 'bat cage' is just plain creepy, and if you have an aversion to bats the way I do, you'll find this part of the walking tour uncomfortable. The second notable attraction in Asia is Kali River Rapids If you have trouble finding it, just look for the people going on the water ride wearing big yellow ponchos (to this day I can't figure out why you'd go on a water ride wearing a poncho - isn't just easier not to ride if you don't want to get wet?). As water rides go, Kali River Rapids is okay - like most attractions these days it's a bit too short, and keeping with Animal Kingdom's general preachiness, you learn about the evils of deforestation while riding on machinery and materials that will still be trying to biodegrade in 500 years.  Gotta love irony.

The newest Animal Kingdom attraction to grace the landscape in Asia is the incredible Expedition Everest. Opened on April 7, 2006 - the attraction features a two way track system that takes guests forward, then backward when attacked by the mythical yeti that guards the "forbidden mountain".  While technically a roller coaster, it's a roller coaster of the Big Thunder Mountain variety - which means it's family friendly. I don't do well on coasters at all, and I enjoyed this one thoroughly.


 

• DIS Photos -Expedition Everest
• DIS Discussion - Expedition Everest

Dinoland USA is home to another popular attraction that garners long lines and excited guests - of course I'm talking about the McDonalds concession at Restarauntosaurus  We travel from all over the country to come to Disney World and eat McDonalds.  At least get authentic crappy Disney fast food - you know, the whole "when in Rome" thing.  This section of Animal Kingdom park is also host to Dinosaur (formerly known as Countdown to Extinction). This is a fast paced, and somewhat jerky ride that's not recommended for those with back/heart conditions.  (For those who have experienced the Indiana Jones attraction at Disneyland this utilizes the same ride system).  While it can get a bit rough, this is one of the better rides you'll find at Disney World. 

There are also some unique dining experiences at Animal Kingdom (beyond the McNuggets of course).  The FlameTree Barbecue remains one of my steady favorites.  The St. Louis Ribs or smoked 1/2 chicken are both excellent.  While the Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom falls under the category of "unique", it unfortunately seems to avoid consistency like the plague.  This restaurant is a very 'hit or miss' experience, but it offers the only full table service venue at Animal Kingdom.  So, if you want to get waited on for lunch, you have to take your chances.

Flame Tree BBQ [Discussion]  [Menu] 
Rainforest Cafe [Discussion]  [Menus] 

Some advice.... In an effort to keep the animals on a strict schedule, Animal Kingdom normally closes earlier then the other Disney theme parks.   Therefore arriving first thing in the morning is usually recommended during peak season.  Kilimanjaro Safari and Expedition Everest get long lines very quickly, so be sure to hit those first, or at least get fast passes early in the day.

It should also be warned that Animal Kingdom is, for some unknown reason, the hottest place on the face of the earth.  The park is suspiciously devoid of shade, and while I'm all for authenticity in theming - it really doesn't need to be "Africa hot".  If you can, avoid this park during the summer season - it's just an unpleasant experience.  If you have to go when it's hot - HAVE A PLAN (and lots of water). The layout of Animal Kingdom is such that you're often forced to back track in order to navigate the park.  This adds a lot of walking to the list of things to be aware of before going.  A good pair of comfortable shoes will be your best friend at Animal Kingdom. You should also be sure to adjust your expectations to get the most out of this park.  Most of what you will experience here will have a general message of conservation.  While that's a good thing, and worthy of support - some arrive expecting a more traditional theme park experience and are invariably disappointed.  It's important to appreciate Animal Kingdom for what it is - do that, and you'll have a very enjoyable time in this very unique park.

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