Chapter 15: Animal Kingdom
Tickets aren’t the only things to cut down on your cash. You’ll pay the
Disney park standard of $2 and up for a soda, $1.25 to $2.50 for bottled
water, $2.60 for an ice-cream bar, and $1.80 for a cup of coffee. If you buy
a soda, note that the park doesn’t provide lids or straws with its fountain
drinks. They’re not trying to make it difficult for you to walk around with
your soda — these items are banned because, in the hands of litterbugs,
they can become deadly to the wildlife. Another no-no: chewing gum.
You can make Advanced Dining Reservations (see Chapter 10 for details
on call-ahead dining) at Guest Relations just inside the entrance, though
it’s best to make them in advance by calling % 407-939-3463.
Hours at Animal Kingdom are from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m., but they’re
sometimes extended to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (though it’s rare).
Locating special services and facilities
In case you forgot to bring essential items, or if you need special assis-
tance while at the park, here’s a list of services and facilities that may
come in handy:
You can find ATMs in Animal Kingdom near Garden Gates Gifts to
the right of the park entrance. Cards from banks using the Cirrus,
STAR, and Plus systems are accepted.
The Baby Care Center is located near Creature Comforts on the
west side of the Tree of Life. As in the other Disney parks, you can
also find changing tables in women’s restrooms and some men’s
rooms. You can also buy disposable diapers at Guest Relations.
Disposable cameras and film are available throughout the park,
but digital supplies are limited.
The First Aid Center, which is staffed by registered nurses, is
located near Creature Comforts near the Tree of Life.
Lockers are located in Garden Gate Gifts to your right as you enter
the park. You can also find them to the left, near Rainforest Café.
Rent lockers for $7 a day, plus a $2 deposit.
A lost children center is located near Creature Comforts near the
Tree of Life. This area also is the site of same-day lost and found.
Kids age 7 and younger should wear name-tags.
Shop clerks can send your packages (at no charge) to the front
of the park at Garden Gate Gifts. Allow three hours for delivery.
If you’re staying at a Disney resort, you can have your packages
shipped there, though it may take a day or two to get to your room.
Pet care facilities are just outside the park entrance to the right.
You can board your pet for $6 a day (% 407-824-6568). The
Transportation and Ticket Center at the Magic Kingdom has
overnight boarding available for $11 ($9 for Disney resort guests).
Proof of vaccination is required.
228 Part IV: Exploring Walt Disney WorldRent strollers at the Garden Gate Gifts shop to the right as you
enter the park ($8 for a single, $15 for a double, including a $1
refundable deposit). Satellite locations are also throughout the
park. Ask a Disney employee to steer you in the right direction.
Rent wheelchairs at the Garden Gate Gifts shop that’s on your right
as you enter the park. Rentals cost $10 for a standard wheelchair,
and $35 (plus a $5 deposit) for electric carts. Ask Disney employees
for other locations in the park.
You can call % 407-934-7639 or visit Disney’s Web site, www.disney
world.com, to find out more about WDW properties.
Deciding between Animal Kingdom
and Busch Gardens
When Disney’s fourth theme park opened, it raised two questions: Is it a
first-rate park worthy of the same sticker shock as Orlando’s other major
parks, and when does the area have too many parks?
Well, when it comes to visitor volume and diversity of things to do,
Animal Kingdom ranks as one of the top two animal parks in Florida.
Busch Gardens ($56 per adult, $46 per child entry) in Tampa is the
other. Although I discuss Busch Gardens in Chapter 23, I’m going to talk
about it briefly here so that I can draw a few comparisons.
Animal Kingdom is as much a park for animals, a conservation venue, as
it is an attraction. The short of it is that its creatures aren’t as easy to
see; they’re given much more cover than at Busch Gardens, so when
they want to avoid your probing eyes and the heat, they can. Even in
high-profile areas, such as Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Disney goes
to great lengths to protect resident lowland gorillas, including a magnifi-
cent silverback, from prying eyes. The beautiful foliage used to create
that cover also means that Animal Kingdom is a lot prettier than its
Tampa rival.
Although I’m all for protecting wildlife, Animal Kingdom can do a much
better job of providing shade for the only species that doesn’t get much
consideration in the park — the homo sapiens who paid to get in. The
amount of cover given to tourists waiting in line is decidedly unimpres-
sive (a problem in all of Disney’s parks, in my opinion). Arriving early at
both parks, especially in summer, saves you the unpleasant experience
of languishing under a blistering sun.
The best time to catch the animals out and about at Animal Kingdom
is in the early morning just after the park opens — usually 7 or 8 a.m.
(depending on the season) — or at closing as the day begins to cool.
Most animals are on the prowl at those times, not at midday (especially
229Chapter 15: Animal Kingdom
during the summer). Busch’s animals are far easier to see, regardless of
the time of day, as they have fewer places to take cover.
Animal Kingdom wins the battle of shows with humdingers such as
Festival of the Lion King. Although the Animal Kingdom has three — soon
to be four — thrill rides (and I’m being kind in including two of them in
the thrill category), Busch Gardens pulls ahead with six roller coasters
including SheiKra, the incredible new dive coaster, and Gwazi, a set of
dueling wooden coasters.
Busch is the better all-around park. New additions aside, many criticize
Animal Kingdom — fairly, in my opinion — for not offering enough to jus-
tify a ticket price comparable to Busch Gardens and the other Orlando
theme parks. But geographically speaking, you may not have or want a
choice between the two. Animal Kingdom is located right in the center of
the Orlando action, where you can find a ton of other things to do. Alas,
Busch Gardens is at least a 75-minute drive or shuttle trip from O-Town,
and the Tampa Bay area simply doesn’t have the draw of Orlando,
though it does offer cultural centers, museums, aquariums, and sandy
beaches. If you’re considering a trip to the Tampa Bay area, I recom-
mend buying a copy of Florida For Dummies or Frommer’s Florida (both
published by Wiley); both books have a wealth of information about
attractions, accommodations, and restaurants on the state’s Suncoast.
Checking Out Animal Kingdom’s
Top Attractions
The overall conservation theme in this state-of-the-art park is simple but
not subtle. Everywhere you turn, you find an environmental message,
including the park’s signs and the narratives of the tour guides on rides
such as Kilimanjaro Safaris. It’s this underlying theme that connects the
park’s rather diverse sections, where you’ll encounter everything from a
dinosaur-themed thrill ride to a kid-friendly zone where Disney charac-
ters hang out.
Animal Kingdom, like WDW’s Magic Kingdom, is set up on a hub-and-
spoke format with the Tree of Life (in Discovery Island) as its hub and
five other sections scattered around it. The following sections provide
you with a closer look at the six lands of Animal Kingdom. You can find
all the Kingdom’s attractions on the “Animal Kingdom” map on page 226.
The Oasis
The Oasis Exhibits is your introduction to Animal Kingdom, but a lot
of folks, itching to get to the action, launch their way through it, over-
looking the fact that this is one of the better places to see not-so-rare
animals early in the day. The lush vegetation, streams, grottoes, and
230 Part IV: Exploring Walt Disney Worldwaterfalls on either side of the walkway are good places to spot walla-
bies, miniature deer, anteaters, sloths, iguanas, tree kangaroos, otters,
and macaws. But a misty fog and the landscaping also give them room
to escape your eyes whenever they choose.
Discovery Island
After you pass through The Oasis, Discovery Island lies directly ahead,
with the park’s signature icon, the Tree of Life, in the center of it all.
Although you will find only three attractions, they are among the park’s
most unique features.
Discovery Island Trails
The Discovery Island Trail is another of the park’s animal-viewing areas,
a leisurely path through the root system of the Tree of Life (Animal
Kingdom’s 145-foot man-made tree described in detail later in this sec-
tion) and a chance to see real, but not-so-rare, critters such as axis deer,
red kangaroos, otters, flamingos, lemurs, galapagos tortoises, ducks,
storks, and cockatoos.
The best viewing times are early or late in the day, though I’d save this
one for later and head to the park’s few thrill rides first.
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
Take the walkway through the Tree of Life’s 50-foot base, grab a pair of
3-D glasses, and settle into a sometimes creepy-crawly seat. Based on the
Disney-Pixar film, A Bug’s Life, the special effects in this multimedia adven-
ture are pretty impressive. Although it may not be a good choice for kids
younger than 4 (it’s dark and loud) or bug haters. The attraction offers a
fun and sometimes-poignant look at life from a smaller perspective. After
you put on your bug-eye glasses, all your senses are awakened by the
stars, including ants, beetles, spiders, and — oh, no! — a stink bug.
I won’t say who, but more than one of my kids came out in tears, but for
reasons you may not expect. The simple sensory effects, mostly because
they occur unexpectedly and in the dark, terrorized even some of the
older ones. The issue my youngest had was with the bugs — he HATES
them.
On the other hand, Katie (a cousin), thought the show was “really
funny.” Viewers experience some spritzes of water, blasts of air, and a
foul smell when the stink bug gets its revenge. The show’s finale, when
the on-screen insects run amok, definitely leaves you buzzing.
The Tree of Life
Like Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom (see Chapter 12 for more
details) and Spaceship Earth in Epcot (described in Chapter 13), the
14-story Tree of Life is a park icon. The man-made tree, and its carved
animals, are the work of Disney artists, teams of which worked for more
than a year on its carved, free-form animal sculptures. It isn’t as tall or
231Chapter 15: Animal Kingdom
imposing as those other icons, but it is certainly impressive. It has
8,000 limbs, 103,000 leaves, and 325 mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
insects, birds, dinosaurs, and Mickeys carved into its trunk, limbs, and
roots. Different animals appear or vanish depending on the angle from
which you view the Tree. One of the creators says he expects it to
become one of the most photographed works of art in the world.
Although passing up a detailed inspection of the tree as you enter the
park is hard to do (it is awesomely difficult to ignore), I recommend gawk-
ing only while standing in line for It’s Tough to Be a Bug! You’ll have time
for a more detailed look at the tree — if you so desire — on the way out.
Camp Minnie–Mickey
Youngsters love this place, though I don’t share their enthusiasm. It’s
a favorite hangout for Disney characters from the forest and jungle,
including Simba from Lion King and Baloo from The Jungle Book. Mickey,
Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, and other stars also make appear-
ances from time to time around this woody retreat, which was designed
to resemble an Adirondack summer camp. The lines for the meet and
greets are often excruciatingly long, and unless the kids insist on visit-
ing, I recommend avoiding waiting to meet with Disney characters here.
In addition to the characters, this land is also home to some of Disney
World’s best stage shows, including Festival of the Lion King, an exhila-
rating extravaganza.
Character Greeting Trails
If you’re traveling with children, this attraction is probably a must-do, but
be prepared for a long wait. A variety of Disney characters from Timon
and Winnie the Pooh to Pluto and Donald Duck shake your hand, give
hugs, allow photos to be taken, and sign autographs. Mickey and Minnie,
in recognition of their star status, get their own shaded pavilions.
Festival of the Lion King
This Broadway-style production at the Lion King Theater is the best in
Animal Kingdom and one of the top three productions in all of Walt Disney
World. The extravaganza celebrates nature’s diversity with a talented, col-
orfully attired cast of singers, dancers, and life-size critters who lead you
to an inspiring sing-along. Based loosely on the animated movie, this stage
show combines the pageantry of a parade with a tribal celebration. The
action takes place on the center stage and even around the audience.
Even though the pavilion has 1,000 seats, arrive at least 20 minutes early
to ensure you get a spot. The show lasts just under a half-hour.
Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends
The wait to see Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends can be nightmarish,
and the 15-minute show isn’t remotely close to the caliber of Festival of
the Lion King. In this presentation, Pocahontas and Grandmother Willow,
232 Part IV: Exploring Walt Disney Worldwith the help of some of the forest creatures (a raccoon, turkey, porcu-
pine, rat, and more), bring to light the importance of treating nature with
respect and protecting our forests. Young fans of the movie and of little
creatures will be most appreciative of the performance. If you must go,
go early. The theater has a mere 350 seats, but standing-room crowds
are admitted.
Africa
Enter through the town of Harambe, which means “coming together” in
Swahili. This area of Africa is a re-creation of an African coastal village
poised on the edge of the 21st century. The impressive whitewashed
structures, built of coral stone and thatched with reed brought from
Africa, surround a beautifully landscaped central marketplace that’s rich
with local wares and colors. After passing through the town, the various
trails lead you to Africa’s other rides and attractions.
Kilimanjaro Safaris
This attraction is one of the few rides and the best animal-viewing venue
in the kingdom. But remember: The animals are scarce during the middle
of the day, especially in the heat of summer.
You can wait 45 minutes or more in line at this attraction. Yes, using
FASTPASS (see Chapter 11) is an option, but it virtually eliminates the
chance of riding during the best viewing times. My advice: Skip FASTPASS,
get to the park a bit before its scheduled time to open, and make your way
straight here. If you simply aren’t a morning person, your next best shot is
to get a FASTPASS that lets you ride as close to the park’s closing as you
can get (so know ahead of time you will have to check back every so often
to get a pass that doesn’t have you returning mid-day!).
After you reach the end of the very long and winding line, you’ll board a
rather large truck specially made for such an expedition, and set off on a
bouncy ride through the African landscape. Animals in the Safari include
black rhinos, hippos, antelopes, Nile crocodiles, zebras, wildebeests,
and lions that, if your timing is right, may offer a half-hearted roar
toward some gazelles that are safely out of reach. The animals roam
freely, occasionally crossing the path of the truck allowing a really up-
close view, but again, it’s far more likely to occur in the morning or
evening hours. Predictably, the theme is conservation. There’s even a
little drama — this, after all, is a theme park ride — as you and your
mates will help pursue some park poachers.
“The bumpy ride was fun and way better than having to walk around to
see the animals. Looking over railings isn’t nearly as fun.” I agree with
Nicolas — several giraffe came practically within arms length on this
ride. This one’s fun for the whole family, although very small infants
shouldn’t ride because of the bumps.
233Chapter 15: Animal Kingdom
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
You can get a good look at hippos, mole rats, and African birds on the
Pangani Falls Exploration Trail, but lowland gorillas are the main feature.
The trail has two gorilla-related areas: One is home to a family com-
prised of a 500-pound silverback, his ladies, and kids; the other has five
bachelors. Most people tend to rush through the trails, missing out on
the chance to see the giant apes, and the animals are not always cooper-
ative, especially in hot weather when they tend to spend most of the day
in shady areas out of view. But visitors who have good timing or who
make return visits are truly rewarded with up-close views (through
Plexiglas) of these magnificent creatures. A new Endangered Animal
Rehabilitation Centre that includes Colobus and Mona monkeys is one of
the latest additions to the trail.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch
This area of Africa includes Conservation Station, which offers a behind-
the-scenes look at how Disney cares for animals inside the park, as you
walk past a series of nurseries and veterinary stations. The problem is
that these facilities need staff members present to make them interest-
ing, and that isn’t always the case. Affection Section gives you a chance
to cuddle some friendly animals (including goats and potbellied pigs),
while Habitat Habit! has a trail that’s home to some smaller animals, such
as cotton-topped tamarins. Note: Take heed of the signs in the Affection
Section that instruct you to put all paper, including maps, away. Goats
love paper and will cause a stampede in an attempt to snatch your
paper products from you.
Asia
Disney’s Imagineers outdid themselves in creating the mythical kingdom
of Anandapur (place of delight) in the Asia section of the Kingdom, with
an exotic atmosphere enhanced by the crumbling ruins of an ancient
village, its temples, and even a maharajah’s palace, all decorated with
intricate carvings and artwork.
Expedition Everest
Animal Kingdom’s newest thrill ride is scheduled to make its debut in
2006. Guests will board an old mountain railway bound for Mount
Everest which, at 200 feet, will be one of Florida’s highest peaks. Passing
through bamboo forests, thundering waterfalls, and glacier fields, the
train ascends higher and higher to the snow-capped peaks of the moun-
tain. As you might expect, what starts out as a relaxing tour turns into
an exciting expedition as the train hits tracks that are mangled and
twisted. The train races frantically through the icy canyons and caverns
as you suddenly find yourself face-to-face with the Yeti (also known as
the abominable snowman). FASTPASS will be a necessity when the expe-
dition opens. There will be height and health restrictions, although no
information was available at the time this book went to press.
234 Part IV: Exploring Walt Disney WorldFlights of Wonder
This live-animal action show is a low-key break from the madness and
offers a few laughs, including Groucho the African yellow-nape, who
entertains the audience with his op-parrot-ic a cappella solos, and the
just-above-your-head soaring of a Harris hawk and a Eurasian eagle owl.
Other feathered stars include an American bald eagle and a crowned
crane.
Kali River Rapids
Whitewater fanatics may scoff, but for a theme-park raft ride, the Kali
River Rapids ride is pretty good — slightly better than Congo River
Rapids at Busch Gardens (see Chapter 23), but not as good as Popeye
& Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges at Islands of Adventure (see Chapter 19);
though the theme is more alluring here. This ride’s churning water
mimics realistic rapids and its optical illusions make you wonder
whether you’re about to go over the falls. The ride begins with a peace-
ful tour of lush foliage, but soon you’re dipping and dripping as your tiny
raft tosses and turns through the jungles. You will get wet (or, more pre-
cisely, soaked). The lines are long, but keep your head up, and enjoy
some of the marvelous art overhead and on the beautiful murals. This
ride has a 38-inch height minimum.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Disney keeps its promise to provide up-close views of animals with this
exhibit, whose setting is almost an attraction in its own right. Lush tropi-
cal foliage and bamboo grow amidst the ruins, architecture, and carvings
of Nepal, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. It’s some of Disney’s best thematic
work.
If you don’t show up in the midday heat, you’ll probably see Bengal
tigers roaming an abandoned maharajah’s palace through a thick glass
barrier. Nothing but air separates you from dozens of giant fruit bats
hanging in what appears to be a courtyard. Some of the bats have
wingspans of six feet. (If you have a phobia, you can bypass this, but
know that the bats are harmless.) Guides are on hand to answer ques-
tions, and you also get a brochure that lists the animals you may spot.
You also have chances to see Komodo dragons, tapirs, playful gibbons,
and acrobatic siamangs, whose calls have been likened to someone in
the throes of pain or passion.
DinoLand U.S.A.
Located to the right, or east side, of Discovery Island as you enter,
DinoLand U.S.A. is Disney’s attempt to capitalize on the dinosaur craze
inspired by Jurassic Park and (ugh) Barney. You enter beneath Olden
Gate Bridge, a 40-foot-tall brachiosaurus reassembled from excavated
fossils. Speaking of which, until late summer 1999, DinoLand had three
paleontologists working on the very real skeleton of Sue, a monstrously
big tyrannosaurus rex unearthed in the Black Hills of South Dakota in
235Chapter 15: Animal Kingdom
1990. The paleontologists patched and assembled the bones here, mainly
because Disney helped pay for the project. Alas, Sue has moved to her
permanent home at The Field Museum in Chicago, but a cast replica of
her 67-million-year-old bones, called Dino-Sue on the handout guide
maps, is on display.
The Boneyard
The Boneyard is a great place for parents to catch a second wind.
Kids absolutely love the prehistoric playground, and there are plenty of
activities to wear them down a bit. They can slide and climb over a pale-
ontological dig site and squeeze through the fossils and skeletons of a
triceratops and a brontosaurus. They can even search the sands for
skeletal remains.
You have to be vigilant about keeping track of your kids here. The Bone
Yard is a large area, and although Disney staff monitors them at both
ends, kids play in a multilevel arena where tube slides can take them
from one level to the next in a heartbeat.
DINOSAUR
This ride hurls you through darkness in a CTX Rover time machine, past
an array of snarling audio-animatronic dinosaurs. Some kids may find
the dinosaurs (and darkness) frightening; adults might find them a bit
hokey. However, after Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR is as close as
Animal Kingdom comes to a thrill ride — a twisting-turning, and very
jerky, adventure in which you and 20 other passengers try to save the
last Iguanadon on Earth from an asteroid. Evolution, nature’s fragility,
and potential catastrophe are the punch lines in this lip-biting, armrest-
clenching ride against time. It features some very large lizards (such as
a 33-foot carnotaurus, named for its favorite food — meat).
Plus-size riders may find the seats uncomfortably narrow, especially
with the jerky motions of the ride.
“You felt like you were really being thrown around,” Ryan announced
after he got off. Austin called it “Awesome!” but added that it wasn’t as
scary as he thought it would be. Riders must be at least 40 inches tall.
DINOSAUR also has a list of warnings aimed at folks with neck and back
ailments. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like aboard a bucking
bronco, this rough ride is probably pretty comparable.
Primeval Whirl
Sometimes criticized for being too passive, Animal Kingdom jumped into
the coaster craze with Primeval Whirl. Primeval Whirl is a bit tame, and
it doesn’t have inversions, but it does have plenty of spinning action in
carnival-style, rider-controlled cars that whirl by asteroids and hokey
dinosaurs that pop up along the track. The ride has tight loops, short
dips, and a final spin that sends you into the gaping jaws of a fossilized
dinosaur.
236 Part IV: Exploring Walt Disney WorldThough this ride was originally supposed to enlarge the park’s appeal to
the kid set, Primeval Whirl has a 48-inch height minimum.
TriceraTop Spin
The principle behind this kiddie favorite is pretty much the same as
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Dumbo The Flying Elephant at WDW’s
Magic Kingdom (see Chapter 12). Cartoonish dinosaurs take riders up,
down, and all around. To the delight of the kids, a dinosaur occasionally
pops his head in and out of the central hub. Most young children, espe-
cially those ages 2 to 6, love it. Parents loathe the long lines.
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