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Planning | Exploring Animal Kingdom
If you’re thinking, “Oh, it’s just another zoo, let’s skip it,” think again. Walt Disney World’s fourth theme park, opened in 1998, takes its inspiration from humankind’s enduring love for animals and pulls out all the stops. Your day will be packed with unusual animal encounters, enchanting entertainment, and themed rides that’ll leave you breathless.
A large chunk of the park is devoted to animal habitats, especially the forest and savanna of Africa’s Kilimanjaro Safaris. Towering acacia trees and tall grasses sweep across the land where antelopes, giraffes, and wildebeests roam. A lion kopje, warthog burrows, a zebra habitat, and an elephant watering hole provide ample space for inhabitants.
About 94 acres contain foliage like hibiscus and mulberry, perfect for antelope and many other species. The largest groups of Nile hippos and African elephants in North America live along the winding waterway that leads to the savanna. The generously landscaped Pangani Forest Exploration Trail provides roaming grounds for troops of gorillas and authentic habitats for meerkats, birds, fish, and other creatures.
Beyond the park’s Africa territory, similar large spaces are set aside for the homes of Asian animals like tigers and giant fruit bats, as well as for creatures such as Galápagos tortoises and a giant anteater.
Disney Imagineers didn’t forget to include their trademark thrills, from the Kali River Rapids ride in Asia to the fast-paced DINOSAUR journey in DinoLand U.S.A. Expedition Everest, the park’s biggest thrill attraction, is a “runaway” train ride on a faux rugged mountain complete with icy ledges, dark caves, and a yeti legend. Next up: Imagineers are building a new land in the former Camp Minnie-Mickey location based on the blockbuster film Avatar and expected sequels.
Although you won’t find a parade or a fireworks show, several live entertainment ensembles perform, including the popular Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe.
The only downside to the Animal Kingdom layout is that walking paths and spaces can get very crowded and hot in the warmest months. Your best bet is to arrive very early and see the animals first before the heat makes them (and you) woozy.
Just before the park opens, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and Goofy arrive at the iconic Tree of Life in a safari vehicle to welcome the first guests into the heart of the park. Let the adventure begin!
Planning
Getting Oriented
Animal Kingdom’s hub is the Tree of Life, in the middle of Discovery Island. The park’s lands, each with a distinct personality, radiate from Discovery Island. To the southwest, home of the former Camp Minnie-Mickey, Disney Imagineers are creating the new land of Pandora based on the Avatar film and upcoming sequels. The new area is expected to open in 2017. North of the hub is Africa, where Kilimanjaro Safaris travel across extensive savanna. In the northeast corner is Rafiki’s Planet Watch with conservation activities.
Asia, with thrills like Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids, is east of the hub, and DinoLand U.S.A brings T. rex and other prehistoric creatures to life in the park’s southeast corner.
If you’re staying on-site, you can take a Disney bus to the Entrance Plaza. If you drive, the $17 parking fee allows you to park at other Disney lots throughout the day.
Although this is technically Disney’s largest theme park, most of the land is reserved for the animals. Pedestrian areas are actually quite compact, with relatively narrow passageways. The only way to get around is on foot or in a wheelchair or electronic convenience vehicle (ECV).
Park Amenities
Guest Relations: This office will help with tickets at a window to the left just before you pass through the turnstile. Once you’ve entered, Guest Relations staffers in the Oasis can provide park maps, schedules, and answers to questions. They can also assist with dining reservations, ticket upgrades, and services for guests with disabilities.
Lockers: Lockers are in Guest Relations in the Oasis. Rental fees are $7 to $9 (depending on size) for a day plus a $5 key deposit.
Lost People and Things: Instruct your kids to speak to someone with a Disney name tag if you become separated. Lost children are taken to the baby-care center, where they can watch Disney movies, or to Guest Relations, whichever is closer. If you do lose your child, contact any cast member immediately and Disney security personnel will be notified.
Animal Kingdom Lost and Found.
To retrieve lost articles on the same day, visit or call Lost and Found, which is at Guest Relations. | Oasis | 407/938–2785.
Stroller Rentals: Garden Gate Gifts in the Oasis rents strollers. Singles are $15 daily, $13 multiday; doubles run $31 daily, $27 multiday.
Visiting Tips
• Try to visit during the week. Pedestrian areas are compact, and the park can feel uncomfortably packed on weekends.
• Plan on a full day here. That way, while exploring Africa’s Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, say, you can spend 10 minutes (rather than just two) watching vigilant meerkats stand sentry or tracking a mama gorilla as she cares for her youngster.
• Arrive a half hour before the park opens as much to see the wild animals at their friskiest (morning is a good time to do the safari ride) as to get a jump on the crowds.
• For updates on line lengths, check the Tip Board, just after crossing the bridge into Discovery Island.
• Good places to rendezvous include the outdoor Dawa Bar or Tamu Tamu Refreshments areas in Africa, in front of DinoLand U.S.A.’s Boneyard, or on one of the benches outside Expedition Everest in Asia.
Exploring Animal Kingdom
The Oasis
This entrance makes you feel as if you’ve been plunked down in the middle of a rain forest. Cool mist, the aroma of flowers, playful animals, and colorful birds enliven a miniature landscape of streams and grottoes, waterfalls, and glades fringed with banana leaves and jacaranda. It’s also where you can take care of essentials before entering. Here you’ll find guide maps, stroller and wheelchair rentals, Guest Relations, and an ATM.
Discovery Island
The park hub and site of the Tree of Life, this island is encircled by Discovery River, which isn’t an actual attraction but makes for attractive views from the bridge to Harambe and another between Asia and DinoLand U.S.A. The island’s whimsical architecture, with wood carvings from Bali, lends charm and a touch of fantasy. The Discovery Island Trails that lead to the Tree of Life provide habitats for African crested porcupines, lemurs, Galápagos tortoises, and other creatures you won’t want to miss.
You’ll discover some great shops and good counter-service eateries here. Visitor services that aren’t in the Oasis are here, on the border with Harambe, including the baby-care center and the first-aid center.
DinoLand U.S.A.
Just as it sounds, this is the place to come in contact with re-created prehistoric creatures, including the fear-inspiring carnotaurus and the gentle iguanodon. The landscaping includes live plants that have evolved over the last 65 million years. In collaboration with Chicago’s Field Museum, Disney displays a complete, full-scale skeleton cast of Dino-Sue—also known as “Sue”—the 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex discovered near the Black Hills of South Dakota.
After admiring Sue, you can go on the thrilling DINOSAUR ride, play in the Boneyard, or take in the Finding Nemo: The Musical show at the Theater in the Wild. Kids will want to try the TriceraTop Spin and the Primeval Whirl family coaster, which has spinning “time machines.” There’s no need to dig for souvenirs at Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures gift shop—all you need is your wallet.
Asia
Meant to resemble an Asian village, this land is full of remarkable rain-forest scenery and ruins. Groupings of trees grow from a crumbling tiger shrine, and massive towers—representing Thailand and Nepal—are the habitat for gibbons, whose hooting fills the air.
Africa
The largest of the lands is an area of forests and grasslands, predominantly an enclave for wildlife from the continent. Harambe, on the northern bank of Discovery River, is Africa’s starting point. Inspired by several East African villages, this Disney town has so much detail that it’s mind-boggling to try to soak it all up. Signs on the apparently peeling stucco walls are faded, as if bleached by the sun, and everything has a hot, dusty look. For souvenirs with Disney and African themes, browse through the Mombasa Marketplace and Ziwani Traders.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch
While in the Harambe, Africa, section, board the 250-passenger rustic Wildlife Express steam train for a ride to a unique center of eco-awareness named for the wise baboon from The Lion King. Young children especially enjoy the chance to explore these three animal-friendly areas.