The Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort is my wife’s favorite park by far and I must admit, it’s on my top 2 list. Some folks imagine it to be like a big zoo but it’s so much more than that. It’s an adventure that takes you through many different cultures all in one place. The animals you will encounter are an added bonus to your visit. So, let’s take a walk through the Animal Kingdom and discover what you will see and experience there.
When you enter the park you will be in the Oasis of the Animal Kingdom. This is where you will begin your journey. You will most likely see anteaters, exotic boars, macaws, and a few other amazing animals. Cast members are also in this area holding small cages containing things like big hairy spiders!
From here you can go to your left or the right and enter Discovery Island. The first thing you will see is the amazingly huge Tree of Life. Under the Tree of Life you can see the hilarious 3-D show, It’s Tough to be a Bug. Kids and adult alike really enjoy this. Lots of surprises in this show so stay on your toes! Surrounding the Tree of Life there is an entire landscape of beautiful things to see. Galapagos tortoises, lemurs, cotton-top tamarins and a host of exotic plants and flowers.
Our next stop is always Africa. The big attraction here is the Kilimanjaro Safari. This is an open-air safari vehicle ride that takes you on an expedition through the African savannah. Get your camera ready because you’re about to get a close-up look at giraffe, gazelles, elephants, rhinos, lions, and more that are roaming freely in their natural habitat. It’s truly an amazing experience. You might want to get a Fast Pass when you come off the ride so you can do it again later. The best times to do this are in the morning and in the evening when the animals are being fed. In the middle of the day they are likely to be napping and not so active. After this, head over to the Pangani Forest and Exploration Trail to see all kinds of birds, fish, gorillas and an underwater hippo viewing area.
One thing that a lot of people miss, and we forget about at times, is Rafiki’s Planet Watch. You’ll hop on a train for this one and be taken to see where the animals are cared for when they need medical attention or just to get a check-up. It’s really amazing! There is even a petting station here so the kids can pet some rare animals.
And last but certainly not least, we head into Asia. One of the most amazing things for me to do here is to ride Expedition Everest. This is a roller coaster ride you will never forget! But there is so much more here. Flights of Wonder is a normal stop for us. This is a bird show in an outdoor setting that you will really enjoy! There is also the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The highlight of this area are the tigers! You can get pretty close to them and they love posing for pictures….when they are not sleeping that is. If you have cats you know their favorite thing to do is sleep. So you have to catch them at just the right time when they are awake and playing. If you’re really hot you might want to hop on the Kali River Rapids. I have to warn you though, you WILL get SOAKED on this ride. Not just a little damp, SOAKED!
There are also a variety of wonderful shows to see in the Animal Kingdom like Finding Nemo – The Musical, and of course there are parades as well. Oh! And if the little ones get bored with all the animals, there is a special place just for them called Dino Land. It’s got lots of great rides for the kids and for adults as well so be sure and check that out while you’re there.
Whew! I don’t know about you but I’m tired! That’s just a quick trip through the Animal Kingdom. There are many more things to do and see there as well as plenty of places to shop and grab some lunch or dinner. I hope you have enjoyed the trip and we’ll take another walk through a Disney World park real soon. If you have any questions or would like to book your family trip to the Walt Disney World Resort please give us a call. Remember, we don’t charge any fees, our services are totally free! We’ll talk to you soon!
