I Was Wrong About Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom was far and away my least favorite park at Walt Disney World for the first decade-plus of its existence. Honestly, I was almost bitter at the park for squandering so much potential. It’s the most thematically-pure park, and had endless potential to leverage extinct and mythical creatures. (Updated September 21, 2025.)
Since becoming Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members, and Floridians (for 4 years), we’ve spent more time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As a result, my opinion of the park changed as compared to our first few visits together as adults. Now that we’ve had more time to slow down and appreciate Animal Kingdom on its own terms, I’ll admit that I was wrong about it.
Phrases like “I was wrong” are not the norm on the internet. The standard modus operandi is to establish a position, entrench oneself in that, and refuse to relent no matter what countervailing reason and opinion are offered. Sorry, fellow internet commentators, if I’ve broken some sort of unspoken code of conduct by admitting that I was wrong.
In my defense, while I will admit that I was wrong, I’m not saying I was totally wrong. In fact, several of my specific points are valid. What I was wrong about were my general conclusions about the park, and my general demeanor and attitude towards it.
Let’s take a look at why I am now an Animal Kingdom fan. And to be clear, I’ve been a DAK fan for well over a decade–this article was originally published 12 years ago to the week and has been updated several times since as DAK has continued to evolve, opening Pandora and Rivers of Light, closing the latter and Dino-Rama, etc.
To that point, let’s start with the latest update, which is actually a rare step backwards for Animal Kingdom…
2025 Update
Animal Kingdom is the park most removed from its last development cycle almost a decade ago, and it has lost more than it has gained since March 2020. It’s hurt by its reduced offerings and construction, and is the park far and away most likely to lose attendance to Epic Universe at Universal between now and 2027.
The next few years will be tough for Animal Kingdom before Tropical Americas debuts in 2027-2028. Already this year, all of Dino-Rama has closed, as has It’s Tough to Be a Bug. The Boneyard play area just closed, and DINOSAUR will go extinct in February 2026. Thankfully, Zootopia: Better Zoogether will debut and pick up some of the slack, but not much.
Animal Kingdom will only have 5 traditional rides from February 2026 until sometime in late 2027 when the first Tropical Americas attraction opens. To be sure, there are stage shows, atmospheric entertainment acts, and animal exhibits that help round out things. But people go to theme parks primarily for rides, and Animal Kingdom is undeniably light on them.
Ardent Animal Kingdom defenders won’t like to hear this, but guests are already voting with their wallets. Animal Kingdom adherents and converts (like us!) argue that average guests just don’t “get” the park. And as we’ll discuss below, there’s truth to that! But there’s also the reality that Walt Disney World waited way too long to start expanding DAK, and there’s also validity to its shrinking attendance.
To this point, Animal Kingdom is the worst performing park at Walt Disney World. During the last year for which data is available, it was the only park at Walt Disney World not in the top 10 for worldwide theme park attendance. Animal Kingdom ranked #16, with 8.8 million annual visitors.
It’s the only Walt Disney World park that didn’t hit the 10 million mark, and it had less than half the annual visitors of Magic Kingdom, the #1 theme park in the world. So even pre-construction, Animal Kingdom was the most-skipped park at Walt Disney World, with half of guests who visited the flagship castle park opting to skip DAK.
There’s a reason for that, and it would be disingenuous to pretend otherwise and claim that DAK attendance is low simply because it’s misunderstood. It would also be inappropriate to not offer an update to this post acknowledging as much, as a lot has changed at Animal Kingdom since we last visited this topic in 2019, and all of it has been for the worse.
Even Animal Kingdom’s most passionate fans would not contend that the park is as good today as it was in 2019. That’s simply an indefensible position. It’s worth keeping that in mind while reading the following, as this is an article that I would not write today. At least, not in such forceful terms.
I still love Animal Kingdom, but anyone who visits in 2025 or 2026 and doesn’t love it is not wrong and is not simply misunderstanding the much-maligned park. Animal Kingdom was better; Animal Kingdom deserves better. And thankfully, Animal Kingdom will be better by 2028.
With that in mind, here’s the case in favor of visiting Animal Kingdom, and appreciating the park in its fully glory as a different breed that’s unique from the other three parks at Walt Disney World…
Park Style & Structure
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a substantial departure from the typical Disney theme park archetype, and this fundamental difference in tone and structure causes many people to misunderstand the park. Conversely, this same difference in tone and structure does give Animal Kingdom its own group of fervent fans who call it their favorite park, many of whom take great offense to criticism of the park. We definitely fell into the former group for our first several years visiting Walt Disney World as adults.
When traveling to Walt Disney World for fun, we’ve basically renounced the commando style, but my ‘epiphany’ that we might have been missing something with Animal Kingdom didn’t come until, of all places, we first visited Disneyland Paris.
Since we weren’t sure if we’d ever be back there, we made a point to soak up as much of that park as we could, doing a lot in the way of exploring, savoring details, and even reading signs or “historical” placards throughout the park. It was an incredible experience and gave me a deep appreciation for Disney’s most beautiful castle park. I later dubbed it a park that’s like a fine wine, and is meant to be sipped, not chugged.
I realized that there was a good chance that Animal Kingdom was the same way, so on our next trip to Walt Disney World, we opted to spend two days there–more time than we spent in any other park. This ‘fine wine’ analogy definitely applies there, too. Simply put, Animal Kingdom is an ambiance park.
Much like World Showcase at Epcot, you can’t go in expecting to do a lot of exciting attractions. Rather, the joy of the experience is in the atmosphere, and in discovering little things that make the theme park a place, rather than a collection of rides.
To me, the atmosphere and these details are a big part of what separates Disney theme parks from other theme and amusement parks. If all you care about is running from attraction to attraction, why do Disney parks at all? There are better options for that.
In terms of “Disney Details,” Animal Kingdom ranks as some of Imagineering’s best work. It’s staggering, really, and even seasoned Animal Kingdom fans are likely to notice new things with each visit. Whether that be new placemaking elements, atmospheric acts, or even quiet corners you’ve somehow missed in the past, there’s a lot that gets missed by casual visitors there for a single day.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the park tone is manifested in the many winding animal trails throughout the park, some of which are listed as attractions on the park map, but many of which are not.
It’s going slowly through the Oasis (entry area) while arriving or leaving instead of racing on. It’s stopping to take a few minutes to watch a couple of animals play. It’s reading what one of the many posters plastered in Africa says, and thinking about how that relates to the theme of the area. It’s sitting back and watching a fountain flow while snacking. It’s all of these things and many more, all of which make Disney’s Animal Kingdom the most detailed and heavily themed park at Walt Disney World. What it lacks in nostalgia for most of us, it should make up for in character.
DAK Attractions
It’s safe to say that everyone knows about Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, and Festival of the Lion King. We think it’s fair to call these all moderately good to great attractions. In the cases of Dinosaur and Kali River Rapids, we think there’s some unrealized potential, but they’re still fun.
It used to be the case that we’d do these attractions (besides Kali River Rapids), eat, wander a bit, and call it a day. It wasn’t until this year that we did Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Feathered Friends in Flight, and Maharajah Jungle Trek. These changed our outlook on Animal Kingdom, as they provided additional hours of entertainment, and also contradicted the notion that Animal Kingdom didn’t do enough to distinguish its animal exhibits from a zoo.
Then there’s Pandora – World of Avatar. Probably not much need to fixate on this, as the expansion is a huge draw and what caused DAK’s attendance to surge back when it debuted. The Avatar area offers two new non-animal attractions that are the biggest draws in the entire park. It also helps tremendously that Avatar Flight of Passage is one of the best attractions in all of Walt Disney World!
Turning to the hidden gems or overlooked highlights, our favorites of these are definitely Feathered Friends in Flight, Maharajah Jungle Trek, and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. Feathered Friends in Flight is entertaining and engaging, with a bit of self-aware, cheesy comedy that works really well in the context of the show to balance out the serious conservationist message.
The intelligence of birds is on full display here, and it’s really quite impressive. It really is a great blend of Disney entertainment and wildlife, and a prime example of how conceptually strong Animal Kingdom is as a theme park. If you like that, be sure to not miss Winged Encounters in front of the Tree of Life.
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail is an excellent animal exhibit, as is the underrated Otter Grotto towards the front of the park. We tend to stop in the latter both upon entering and exiting the park since those little fellas can sometimes be tough to spot.
Maharajah Jungle Trek is a walk-through attraction, but it shouldn’t be dismissed as just a walk-through exhibit. Here, there are scenes that bring you up close to various animals, all while traversing through an elaborately themed Asian environment. While the animal encounters are great, as are the Cast Members here sharing information about them, the environments through which you walk (and even through which the animals roam) are the real star.
At one point it seems as if you’re going through the ruins of a remote temple that has existed for thousands of years, and details abound everywhere. Disney could have just let the animals be the show here, with utilitarian paths between them, but by going further and creating the environments, it feels like you’re an active participant in some sort of exploration. It’s difficult to articulate, but it works really well as an attraction and is very rewarding for guests who take the time to soak it all in.
Pick a half-dozen or so of these attractions, add in dining, roaming entertainment, and wandering around the park to enjoy its many details, and you have a day of entertainment that stacks up well to the other three theme parks at Walt Disney World.
Quietly Great Food Park?!
Speaking of dining, the case could be made that Animal Kingdom is sneakily one of the best food parks at Walt Disney World.
The consensus among Walt Disney World fans is that EPCOT is the epicenter of Walt Disney World’s culinary scene. And that’s probably true given the sheer number of its restaurants in World Showcase and beyond, plus the festival food booths that are present most of the year. EPCOT is probably home to a greater variety of good or better dining than any other park. I’m not going to be a contrarian and suggest otherwise.
But on a single visit, you cannot possibly eat all of that, and the argument can be made that Animal Kingdom has as formidable of a dining scene on a pound for pound basis. Satu’li Canteen and Flame Tree BBQ offer a better 1-2 punch for counter service restaurants than anything at EPCOT. Tiffins and Nomad Lounge are another exceptional 1-2 punch, arguably the best in-park Signature Restaurant and lounge anywhere.
Another under-the-radar pick is Tusker House, which offers the most diverse buffet spread of any character dining experience. Then there’s Yak & Yeti, which is sneakily great as a mid-tier table service. All of these picks are as good or better than their counterparts in EPCOT–and that’s not even the full restaurant roster!
The biggest (valid) criticism of Animal Kingdom’s cuisine scene is that it lacks the same level of snacking as EPCOT. No argument from me there, but DAK does have some underrated snacks, and again, more than any guest could eat in a single day (or even two!).
Start with breakfast at Satu’li Canteen after rope dropping Pandora – World of Avatar, schedule a table service meal (or two!) as a way to pace the day, and do some light snacking in between. With all of that, it’s easy to graze your way around the continents and turn DAK into a full-day park. Maybe a two-day park!
Half Day Park?
Just to underscore a point from the end of the last section: Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not a half day park. Despite the artificial limitation of shorter park hours, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not inherently a half day park. There’s plenty to do to fill a full day…or two!
The misconception concerning this status is likely perpetuated by theme park commandos, who race from E-Ticket attraction to E-Ticket attraction and try to complete parks in almost a checklist fashion. Experiencing Animal Kingdom in this manner is, flat out, the wrong way to do it. The main reason–that it’s an ambiance park meant to be slowly enjoyed–is set out above.
The other main reason is sort of related to that, and it’s the attraction distribution of Animal Kingdom. If guests are working from a ‘checklist’ of sorts, once they complete the big name attractions listed in the first paragraph of the “Attractions” section, what is left for them to do? The walk-through animal attractions and meandering trails, while very well done, don’t cater to the commando type because there is no instant gratification with these experiences.
This is their fault for viewing a theme park as a list of items to accomplish as quickly as possible, and not Animal Kingdom’s fault.
However, even for more patient guests, the walk-throughs and trails are similar enough to one another that at some point it’s understandable if fatigue from similarity sets in and they grow restless.
To avoid encountering this same fatigue ourselves, we’ve made sure to mix-in these walking and self-guided attractions with more “typical” theme park attractions. This definitely isn’t the most efficient way to experience Animal Kingdom, but it did nicely break up our days there. We think this is a good way to approach the park if you commonly find yourself ready to head for the buses around 1 pm.
So What Is Wrong?
I’m not suggesting Animal Kingdom is without fault. Far from it. The biggest thing that’s wrong is the aforementioned attraction distribution. This might seem to fly in the face of what I said above, as I described Animal Kingdom as a different kind of theme park and it being guests’ own problem if they skip the brilliant animal-centric attractions.
While true, these things don’t change the fact that Animal Kingdom could use more traditional theme park attractions that further distance it from a zoo and provide better balance to its slate. In short, the park needs more rides. It needs more to ‘meet guests where they are’, give them counterprogramming between all of the trails & exhibits so they don’t get “animal fatigue.” It needs more to keep them in the park late, so Walt Disney World can justify later operating hours–and a nighttime spectacular (RIP Rivers of Light).
Beastly Kingdom would have accomplished this brilliantly. Its attractions could not have been anything featuring actual animals, unless Imagineering pulled off some sort of Jurassic Park-type feat and found a way to bring to life beasts that have up until now been mythical. (In which case, I doubt many people would be complaining about more “animal”-centric exhibits.)
Tropical Americas will help with this mightily when it debuts in 2027-2028, but even after that, the park will still be a few rides short of comporting with reasonable guests’ expectations. It’s really unfortunate that dinosaurs couldn’t coexist with Encanto and Indiana Jones.
We’re happy to see Dino-Rama go extinct, as that carnival was an embarrassment to the rest of the theme park, and truly disappointing given how much potential there is for a land themed to dinosaurs. So that removal is a net positive that will eventually elevate Animal Kingdom as a whole.
But the solution was building a worthy dinosaur themed land in addition to park expansion featuring Tropical Americas. Dinosaurs are our greatest national treasure, and it’s time Disney started treating them like it.
Suffice to say, Animal Kingdom could use some attractions about mythical or extinct animals that use Disney ride systems found in other parks. Not necessarily dark rides, but some sort of rides.
A few attractions like this would bridge the gap between Animal Kingdom and traditional Disney theme parks. Animal Kingdom would still have its own, unique identity, and would also have better balance and more ways for guests to break up their time in the park. If not dinosaurs of non-Pandorian mythical creatures, perhaps the rumored Lion King ride will come to Africa in the 2030s.
This list of qualms and areas that should be addressed might seem so long that it almost “swallows” the rest of the praise in this article, but it’s not. If it’s any consolation, my list of what needs to be addressed to perfect Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios would be far longer.
Overall, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is an excellent theme park that people under appreciate because it’s not what we’re used to experiencing. It is not perfect and it has clear room for improvement–but not necessarily any more room for improvement than Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Even without improvement, it’s a park that many of us could stand to spend a little more time enjoying and exploring, as it has a great deal of beauty that many Disney fans have never seen.
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Your Thoughts
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is unquestionably the most divisive theme park at Walt Disney World…where do you stand on it? Are you a fan of it, or is it your least favorite park? Think you’ll give some of its “lesser-known” attractions a chance? Hearing from you is half the fun, so share your thoughts in the comments!
We are going at the end of May, i was trying to figure out if the park staying open until 11 was really worth it once they announced that the River of Light was not going to be showing as planned. You have changed my mind, after seeing your beautiful photos I am looking forward of taking my own camera and try to make them as beautiful as yours!
I think some people just don’t get Animal Kingdom. It is my second favorite after Epcot and is by far superior to Hollywood Studios right now. People calling AK a half day park are clueless. I wonder if some people call it that because it closes earlier than other parks. As far as I’m concerned, presently Hollywood Studios would classify as a half day park. After TOT and TSMM, there is virtually nothing worth my time. I like Muppets 3D but I’ll admit it’s time for an update. There is so much to see and do at AK and people just need to slow down and take their time. There is so much to take in without even getting on a ride. It’s a gorgeous park! I realize it can get unbearable on those hot days so that could part of some people’s reasoning. I personally choose to go any time from Oct-Dec. It’s also amazing at night so I’m really looking forward to it staying open later.
I really enjoy Animal Kingdom, but I recently wrote about why I believe the “half day” label is fair and it has little or nothing to do with the lack of attractions compared to other Disney parks. The biggest problem is one of time, since Animal Kingdom competes with the other Disney (and Universal) parks for limited vacation time, so you most people can’t devote a full day and certainly note two days to appreciating all the detail in any Disney park. I have an Annual Pass, so I can take a day to just wander the nature trails, but most visitors have only a few days to see Space Mountain and Small World or meet their favorite princesses and the price of a Disney vacation makes most guests feel they have to see and do as much as possible. So, if I spent more time in Animal Kingdom, then I have to spend less time elsewhere. The limited table service dining options and lack of a nighttime spectacular also provide incentive to spend evenings elsewhere, even if parts of the park are rather attractive in the dark. Lastly, one thing I did not write about, but is a significant concern is that walking in Animal Kingdom is tough. When I’ve traveled with my parents or with children I’ve noticed they get worn out faster walking this park. I don’t know if it’s the rough terrain or the hills the Imagineers crafted into the landscape, but it’s hard for folks to appreciate the walking trails when they’re too tired to keep walking.
I love Animal Kingdom; from my very first visit to the park, I have been in love. But I also a big animal lover so I really enjoy the exhibits and walk-throughs. The themeing is fantastic (I love Asia and Africa) but I do agree with you on the noted issue of attractions being spread out. I definitely get a work out in that park and always make sure to spend extra time there on every visit.
For anyone who has never had the curry from Tamu Tamu, I cannot recommend it enough. It is one of my favorite meals in the park. YUM! I also really appreciate the allergy kiosk, as someone who suffers from annoying food allergies and has to ask “what’s in this?” at every single place we eat. But Disney is the most accommodating in terms of allergies. It is the one place that I never feel like I miss out on the good stuff.
In terms of disagreement, and I realize I am one of the rare exceptions here, I LOVE Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama! I can’t even explain why; maybe it is the nostalgia and how much it reminds me of the street carnival set ups that I loved so much as a kid. I have a borderline obsession with all things circus and carnival related, though I have never played any of the games there. I think, aside from the giant lights and cheesy dinosaurs that I love to photograph on the rare late park nights… what really does it for me is Primeval Whirl. My guy and I always ride it several times each visit and giggle madly the whole time, we have so much fun there together, which could be part of why I love it so intensely.
I’ve always viewed attractions like the Oasis as something for the suckers who don’t know how to navigate a Disney Theme Park. I would laugh as I zipped past them running towards marquee attractions like The Safari and mumble under my breath “thanks for not filling up the lines on the “real” rides…hahahaha!!!!”
Your article is very interesting. Perhaps on my next visit to AK i will be more inclined to “stop and smell the roses” before knocking over innocent women and children admiring the parrots on my way to Expedition Everest…..perhaps….
When my husband and I went in October, 2013 our favorite thing was their new Wilderness Explorers club. It was based off of the movie Up and the character Russell. Kids (big and small) were given a book close to the entrance and then sent to adventure around the park and get as many stickers as you could. There was no prize for completing everything, but it had you going to the nooks and crannies in the park to find as much as possible. As an added bonus, you had to do the Explorer’s call too!
Both my husband and I love Animal Kingdom. While I agree that it could use some more actual rides, personally, I’d like to see them find ways to make it more inviting to couples. There are tons of things at Disney oriented towards the young and young at heart but not as much towards lovers, newlyweds, and longtime married couples.
Animal Kingdom with its “slow down and sip it” feel, already has a great potential for becoming just that. A place where you can enjoy something a bit more romantic and adventurous than the typical Disney markets to the public.
Epcot’s around the world showcase does this already in some ways but there is so much more room to expand on it in Animal Kingdom.
Maybe a “tunnel of love”/dark ride themed with animals seen at night? Or a restaurant with a dance floor? Or maybe that old boat ride would do better as gondolas? Or a place couples can leave tokens of love? Or even an environmental area where folks can learn or help wildlife?
This doesn’t mean it can’t be for families, but maybe the problem is who it might be better suited for.
That being said, I could also see potential for a more ride oriented area too for the rest of the family.
Its a matter of focus and balance.
I am new to your site and I LOVE this article! You’re totally right about AK being about the atmosphere. It’s my favorite park and I just love strolling around and enjoying the details. One of my favorite memories is from our last trip, which coincidentally was exactly when you wrote this article – and my daughter, me and my mom all got henna tattoos. It was such a unique experience, and afterwards we watched my (introvert) husband get pulled into a street show in Africa. It is such a special place and I absolutely treasure it.
P.S. You are spot on about Dinoland USA. It’s a shame.
So happy to see some love for AK! My husband and I went to WDW last year for our honeymoon. He’d been a few times as a child and to DLP during a study abroad year. I’d only been to a Disney park once–a day a Disneyland.
We loved all the parks, and Magic Kingdom was truly magical and nostalgic, but we both agreed, Animal Kingdom was our very close second favorite. We’re big fans of animals (my husband proposed after a day at the zoo), we liked the slower pace and wandering around the pretty parks, esp. for a honeymoon, Expedition Everest was a “scary” ride we both loved, and one of the few rides we made time to go back to over and over, and Festival of the Lion King was our favorite show by far. We finished off the day at AKL with a fabulous dinner at Jiko and animal-watching. That’s not AK proper, but it was a nice continuation of similar theming. If we were going back tomorrow, we’d spend the bulk of our time in MK and AK.
AK is one of my favorite parks. I love the animals. All though I think that Dino Rama is cute, I just don’t think that it fits in AK. Maybe in Magic Kingdom. But, not AK. It would have been nice if they had a Dinosaur Safari Ride. Kinda like the movie Jurassic Park. Or, maybe some sort of simulation ride? I heard that they were going to start soon building an Avatar area in AK. I wonder what types of rides & experiences they’ll be building. Another thing that they can do is build an area about animals that live in the water. They do have Nemo & Friend @ Epcot. But, this being AK why not build ride(s) about water animals?
Honestly, I think people are so critical. I admit Im a huge Disney fan, but I went to AK for the first time last year, and I was blown away. The tree of life is stunning! Its an amazing park filled with amazing detail and theme. The resturants were amazing as were the attractions, and of course the animals. I can not wait to Avatar Land is complete. P.s. Yak & Yeti resturant is amazing people!
(I’m just going to comment again even though I accidentally commented in a reply above, and I’m also taking the opportunity to fix a typo. Sorry about that!)
Thanks for this article! I love both this site AND Animal Kingdom, so I’m happy that you’ve come around to it.
I totally agree that AK needs some sort of end-of-day spectacular to round things out and tie in other parks, but I think there might be a good reason there isn’t one – the noise would upset the animals. Of course, there are ways around that, like not using fireworks and pyrotechnics, and I think it would be worth taking the time to figure out a spectacular endcap to the AK experience.
You know what I think AK needs? Indiana Jones. I just took my first trip to Disneyland, and I think the Indy ride would fit right in. I also think maybe – just maybe – the space that had been set aside for Avatar might be used for something Star Wars themed. Yes, it might just take over a big chunk of DHS, but I think adding it to AK would be so superior aesthetically. The transition from the environments of Asia and Africa to those of Tatooine, Naboo, and Endor would be pretty spectacular and, again, seamless. And a Star Tours “owned” dark ride taking you on a tour of the galaxy’s creatures – animatronic tauntauns and bantha? That’s a winner, right?
I love DAK! It is my second favorite park. MagicKingdom will always be my favorite. However DAK gives Disney World a whole new experience. Animals! Something none of the other parks offer. Who doesn’t love animals. I love that I can be a child again and escape reality in the fairy tale and fantasy that MK offers. But then I love how I can go to DAK and escape to a whole new place. A place that offers you to see and explore creatures of our world up close. The fake animals on the MK jungle cruise gets boring after a while. I love that at DAK the animals are doing something different every time you see them or their attraction. The way DAK decorated Africa makes me feel like I have escaped to An African village. I love walking through there. The ride Dinosaur is one of my favorites and my husband’s as we’ll even though it has broke down on me 2 times. I do agree that the dinoland is cheesy and should be changed. The 3D It’s tough to be a Bug is my favorite 3D show in Disney. It’s a very cool experience and neat theatre. The safari ride is great too. It’s not your normal Disney animated motorized ride. It’s real and it’s fun, even the cast member who drives the jeep says he sees something different every ride. This park is never a half day park for me. I like to take it all in and explore. DHS (my least favorite park) is a half day park for me. I also love the AKL and have stayed there numerous times. I love having a balcony overlooking the beautiful Giraffes and zebras. What other hotel offers this? The AKL is so beautifully Decorated as well. The only downfall is that this hotel is so far from everything else in Disney but DAK. I will most likely stay somewhere else next time I go.
Last September, I ended a horrendously long 16-year WDW drought – but that’s a whole other story. Point is, when I arrived, DAK wasn’t necessarily something I was looking forward to. It was the only WDW park that I hadn’t visited, which definitely peaked my interest; on the other hand, I’m not really a zoo/wild animals person, so I was struggling to get my excitement level ramped. After spending the better part of a day, I was incredibly impressed with the theming, but I wasn’t sold.
It wasn’t until return trips to DAK in March of this year, that I had a change of heart and mind. The more time I spent at DAK, especially after witnessing the identity crisis that is DHS, the more appreciation I had for its special charms. While it may not yet have the number of attractions it needs, it’s got character and ambience to spare. This is a park to savor and marinate in all the details.
I do mourn for Beastly Kingdom – I understand the economic and pop cultural importance of building attractions around IPs, but Disney has always excelled at creating vital and engrossing attractions based on original concepts, and Beastly Kingdom was the perfect opportunity to continue that legacy.
As for Avatarland, I have to agree with you, Tom – I don’t think it’s going to happen. Yes, they’re clearing that land, but I’m not convinced it’s ultimately for Avatarland. That movie isn’t even remotely in the current pop consciousness, nor has it been for some time. The film itself wasn’t popular because of the setting and the characters, but for the, what was at the time, revolutionary technology. I can’t imagine building an entire land on an IP that pop culture has basically tossed in the bargain bin.
I think that DAK is a park that grows on you, especially if you’re not really into animals. The more time you spend there, the more you like it. At least, that’s what we found happening. (Oddly, we both love animals, so I’m not sure why it took us so long!)
As for AVATAR Land, I find it humorous whenever someone emphatically states that it is happening, and points to minor site prep. Perhaps these fans, don’t have a history with the company, but here’s some fodder for Google for them: Equatorial Africa, David Cooperfield’s Magic Underground, Port Disney, WestCOT, Disney’s America, Beastly Kingdom, Dick Tracey’s Crime Stoppers, Discovery Bay, etc.
…and those are just things that immediately come to mind, all of which had concept art released at some point (many of which had earth moved and more) and most of which were killed FURTHER into development than AVATAR Land.
There have been numerous reported tensions between James Cameron (who has a reputation in Hollywood for being very difficult to work with) and Disney leaked from both camps. The fact that this land was announced two years ago and not a single piece of concept art has even been released for it speaks volumes to me. As do the evasive answers from Iger and Staggs when asked questions about it.
I’m not saying definitely that it won’t happen because I don’t think there is a definitive answer. Obviously, that cuts both ways…the idea that anyone would say “for sure” that it is happening is preposterous. No one who isn’t subject to an NDA knows for sure–and even they probably don’t know “for sure” since there’s still plenty of time for it to be killed or moved forward.
I don’t think it’s going to happen, but that’s just my gut.
Don’t forget Hyperion Wharf! But yeah, something about the whole Avatarland thing just doesn’t feel right. It almost seems like for whatever reason it was prematurely announced – especially considering there’s been no concept art for it, etc.
Where do I start?
“It really is a great blend of Disney entertainment and wildlife, and a prime example of how conceptually strong Animal Kingdom is as a theme park.”
1. Flights of Wonder is not actually a Disney show. It is contracted out by Disney to an outside animal entertainment company. Just FYI. It is a great show, however!
“I won’t even bother speculating on what “that one” proposed land would do for the park, as it is highly divisive, and rekindling played out controversy over it is not the point of this article. Plus, despite its limited presence at last month’s D23 Expo, I don’t believe it’s actually happening.”
2. If you’re referring to Avatar land, it IS happening, no matter what your opinion is. Camp Minnie Mickey is being closed, and Festival of the Lion King is in the process of being moved to Africa, if it hasn’t move already.
“Additionally, maintenance is not where it should be in Animal Kingdom. The Yeti and nets around the tree of life are the prime examples of this, but smaller issues abound throughout the park.”
3. The Yeti will never be fixed. It is physically impossible unless the entire ride is completely disassembled, as the mountain was built around the mechanics for Yeti. It’s not going to happen.
4. I don’t know what “nets” you’re referring to, but it is likely that if there are such nets, they are in place either for guest or animal safety.
“The other main reason is sort of related to that, and it’s the attraction distribution of Animal Kingdom.”
5. Once Avatar land opens, there will be more attractions on that end of the park. However, you must keep in mind that this park deals with real, live animals. It would not necessarily be in the best interests of many of these animals to have loud roller coasters and screaming guests stressing them out all day, every day. Disney takes its animals’ welfare seriously, as do its Animal Programs cast members.
“The point remains, though, that Animal Kingdom could use some attractions about mythical or extinct animals that use Disney ride systems found in other parks. ”
6. See #2
That being said, I do agree that DAK is a hidden gem, and that so many guests don’t get the experience out of it that they could because they just don’t take the time to experience or they just flat out don’t know what it’s all about.
2. See my reply to JT.
3. This is flat out wrong. An urban legend that has been rebuffed by Imagineers (including Joe Rohde at the recent D23 Expo).
4. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, why are you addressing them?
I’m so glad you have changed your view of AK! It is MY personal favorite Disney park. I love going down to WDW and have been about 12 times in my life (I’m 25), I’ve seen the parks change a lot for better and for worse, I even remember River Country! I believe Animal kingdom was an excellent Disney decision! Yeah, the whole “zoo” feeling is not typical for the rest of Disney but that’s the point. Every park is different and is SUPPOSED to be different for a reason. AK has a lot of hidden gems and a lot of potential as well. after all, it’s really not that old. So you can’t expect it to be perfect. Hopefully more people will follow your lead in giving AK a second chance as your disney opinions seem to Influence a lot of people’s disney travels. I would HATE to see the park close or turn into something else.
I can’t understand people that don’t like AK! I’m glad you changed your view a bit. I’m a huge Disney details person and this park is so beautiful! Every park has the tiniest details in the tiniest corners and most people walk right by them, it’s so sad to me. I’m a huge animal lover and that’s part of the reason I love AK, the good rides are fantastic and the shows and walk throughs are just beautiful. I just got back from a trip and we went to AK only one day and it rained from 3 til closing, we stayed but I felt SO jipped! We went over to Rafiki’s planet watch and spent some time in the affection section with the goats, sheep and piggies which seems silly since you can do that at home but it was so great! Disney magic doesn’t even fail in a “petting zoo”. My boyfriend and I are really considering the Wild Africa Trek tour next time we’re there! I’m not really sure what’s going on with the whole Avatar themed land but I’m not sure I like that too much.
I love that you compare it to World Showcase–that’s an excellent observation! I never thought of it that way, but yes, I agree, that’s how you should approach Animal Kingdom. Spot on!
I appreciate Animal Kingdom more every time I visit, but I just can’t seem to fall in love with it. If there is any park that gives me that worn out, drained, I need to go take a rest sort of feeling, it’s AK. I do love Flights of Wonder, Festival of the Lion King, and Kilimanjaro Safari. I think it’s an aesthetic thing that causes me not to love the park- I am more of a Yacht Club/Grand Floridian person as opposed to Animal Kingdom Lodge / Fort Wilderness.
The heat and amount of walking at Animal Kingdom can make it difficult. I think it can be tough to love, too, if you’re not really interested in nature. I think that’s another reason why it would strengthen the park if it had fleshed out extinct and mythical creature worlds. Everyone loves dinosaurs and unicorns! 😉
AK is definitely a favorite for us. And if you love it, you should definitely try Wild Africa Trek. Pricey but worth every penny.