Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 and became the 4th gate at Walt Disney World. The incredible imagineer, Joe Rohde was the creative mind behind the park and its associated hotel Animal Kingdom lodge.
The ‘Tree of Life’ standing at 145 ft tall, is the park icon for Animal Kingdom. You can walk the discovery island trails and try to spot some of the over 300 animals carved into its roots and body. These animals come to life during the evening projection show which can be watched from Discovery Island at the front of the park.
Animal Kingdom is actually classed as a Zoo and is home to over 2000 animals across 200 species. Being a zoo there are no evening fireworks and the park normally closes not long after sunset to allow the animals to rest.
In the original design concept there was going to be a mythical beasts section to the park but this was never built. However you can still spot a dragon in the main entrance sign!
Animal Kingdom covers over 580 acres and is the largest of the Walt Disney World parks.
As you enter the park, there is no mistake that you are becoming one with nature. You are surrounded with greenery on all sides and realise how quiet a theme park can be. The ‘Oasis’ section of the park is home to Anteaters and Babirusa’s which are sometimes overlooked as people rush into the center of the park.
Once you pass through the ‘Oasis’ section you come to ‘Discovery Island’. Here you will find not only the incredibly impressive ‘Tree of Life’, but also ‘It’s tough to be a bug!’ a 4D film experience based on Timone & Pumba from the Lion King. An excellent attraction to pass the time in the air conditioning.
‘Island Mercantile’ & ‘Discovery Trading Company’ are your main shops for the park and also one of your pin trading locations. ‘Discovery Island’ is also where you will find ‘Tiffins’ the signature dining restaurant and the every popular ‘Flame Tree BBQ’
When you enter this area look out for the ‘Wilderness Explorers’ booth where you can pick up a guidebook to the animals within the park and different locations you can visit to learn more about them and earn different ‘Wilderness Explorer’ badges
From ‘Discover Island’ you can cross the ‘Discovery River’ into each of the other 4 sections of the park.
From ‘Discover Island’ we are going to take the first bridge on the left and enter ‘Pandora - The World of Avatar’. And when you question how good Disney are at themeing and immersion just visit ‘Pandora’ and you will be blown away.
This land is incredible during the day with its completely different soundscape and lighting and even the planting to mimic and alien world. But at night, the land takes on a completely different feel and the bio-luminescent plants and decorations create a world you will never forget.
You don’t need to have seen the film’s to understand the land, but it does help. The two rides in this section ‘Na’vi River Journey’, a relaxing boat ride through the world and ‘Flight of Passage’ an incredible 3D simulator ride on the back of a banshee are must do’s. And we have paid for the individual lightning lane for ‘Flight of Passage’ to ensure that we have been able to ride it.
The themeing doesn’t stop with the landscaping and planting. The food from ‘Satu’li canteen’ is also unique and the cheese burger boa buns are a must try item.
The price of entry to this theme park is worth every penny even if you spend all day in this one section!
‘Pandora’ is the only section of the park without any animals in it.
The next section on our tour along ‘Discover River’ is ‘Africa.
As you walk from one section of this park to the next, the transition from one to the other is never jarring. The planting and even smells encapsulate the real geographic location.
The ‘Africa’ section is home to the largest selection of animals. The ‘Kilimanjaro Safari’ is the closest you will come to wild animals without visiting Africa itself. Your open sided safari tour can last up to 30 mins as you wind your way around the savanna to see Zebra’s, Giraffe’s and Lions to name a few. The ‘Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail’ is an opportunity to see the family of Gorillas run around their vast enclosure as well as my personal favorite the Hippo’s.
From ‘Africa’ we can head into either into Asia or hop on the train to ‘Rafiki’s Planet Watch’.
‘Rafiki’s Planet Watch’ is an often overlooked area of Animal Kingdom as you need to board a train to get to it. This section also closes earlier than the rest of the park due to the ‘Affection Section’ where you can interact with domesticated animals like goats and pigs.
Our favourite part of ‘Rafiki’s Planet Watch’ is the ‘Animation Experience’ inside the ‘Conservation Station’. This imagineer led animation class teaches you how to draw some of the wonderful animals featured in Disney films. Another wonderful aspect of this area is learning about how Disney cares for the animals and you can also see into one of the veterinary areas.
If you have time in your busy park day to visit this area of the park you won’t be disappointed, and you will feel completely surrounded by nature.
When you enter the ‘Asia’ section of Animal Kingdom the first thing you notice is the screaming! Don’t panic the tigers haven’t escaped their enclosure, however the Yeti has!
‘Expedition Everest’ is the only rollercoaster inside the park, and by the far one of the scariest on property. It boasts some of the longest lines and is one of the main reasons people by Genie+ in this park.
For a slower pace you can walk the ‘Maharajah jungle trek’ and see the tigers, gibbons and exotic birds native to the Asian continent.
The ‘Yak & Yeti’ restaurant is a popular place for lunch, however make sure you make those dining reservations early. But don’t worry if you can’t get in as you could always visit the ‘Yak & Yeti local foods cafe’ for a quick bite.
Our final stop around Animal Kingdom is ‘Dinoland USA’.
This section is undergoing some major renovation and Disney are yet to announce what is happening behind those construction walls.
One attraction you will no longer see is ‘Kite tails’, the short lived animal shaped kite display that took place on Discovery river. At the time of writing nothing now takes place on the river and the amphitheatre style seating is available to relax on during the day.
If you would prefer to sit indoors and sing your heart out, then your best bet is to see the live action story of ‘Finding Nemo - The big Blue and Beyond’. This update show now includes aspects of both ‘Finding Nemo’ films with some incredible puppetry and special fx.
The ‘Boneyard’ & ‘TriceraTop Spin’ are family friendly attractions, but tucked away in the corner you will find ‘Dinosaur’. This dark ride takes you on a journey into the past to save a dinosaur from extinction.
Animal Kingdom is an incredibly immersive park and the addition of ‘Pandora’ only strengthens the desire to visit this park. The only thing to bear in mind is that this park closes around sunset every day, the earliest of all the parks. Therefore you are better off making the most of either the early access option, if you are staying in a Walt Disney World hotel, or to rope drop the park to make sure you can get everything done. As the park closes so early, if you have a park hopper ticket you can then make your way to another park. If you time it right you may even make it in time for the fireworks!