Anyone else at the Animal Kingdom 10 years ago?

[brentalex]

We were there in April of 98, but choose not to go to AK. Figured it would be a mob scene. One good thing was I remember being at the MK and even though it was spring break time for many in the northeast, the park seemed empty. We have some pictures, not digital can't post em, where it seems like we were the only ones in the park. We hardly had to wait in a line all day. The kids were 6 and 3 at the time, so they mostly wanted to be at the MK anyway, so it was a great time

 

[megbran]

We were there on our honeymoon also.We have been back every 3 yrs. since.Still love the amimal kingdom..

 

[SARMTY]

We were there on opening day - I still have several of the posters they were handing out free. I've kept them thinking that one day they may be worth something! I also have the t-shirts they sold saying "opening day". I remember that the Florida police made them open the park early because the line to get in the park was backed clear up to the highway!

 

[cboudre1]

We went to AK on April 6, 1998. It was a sneak preview available to hotel guest with multiday tickets or annual passes. It was $18pp plus a day off your pass. We went from 7am-7pm. We rode the Safari and Countdown to Extinction multiple times. We also got to see the Jungle Book show, which I loved and was gone when we went back a year later. The Discovery Boats also ran that day. There was no It's Tough to be a Bug. We had a great time that day.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

My family went on a soft opening and it was a mob scene! My sister and I actually wound up walking through the turnstiles and then walking right back out We decided to go to MK b/c the crowds were a bit much. I know everyone who stayed had a really great time though. I kind of wish I would've stayed just to see what it was like. It took me about nine years to ever get back to AK! We went to WDW, but for some reason always skipped AK. It's one of my favorite parks now!

 

[BriarRose59]

We were there August 14, 1998. AK is still my #2 park, MK being first. I love the animals on the safari and of course EE is awesome! My dd's were 10 and 7 then and really liked Dinoland. We still call Dinosaur by its old name because that is how we first knew it. Countdown to Extinction sounds so much more exciting. We have been lots of times and enjoy the improvements made over the last 10 years.

 

[Hiram_Hill]

I remember 'Countdown to Extinction' and the 'Disney Radio Cruise', which was, perhaps, the worst ride ever conceived in WDW history. It was like, 'Yep, and here's the big tree... oh, look, here's another side of the big tree... did you see the big tree? Oh, look, a big tree... OFF THE PORT BOW!!! BIG TREE!!!' Wow... really, really bad.

Also, a distinct lack of signage. I swear, we walked around for about 1/2 an hour trying to find the way out. Very, very poor signage. We had an exit interview when we left, and that was our main point to the nice guy who was conducting the exit interview.

Next time we went, whaddaya know? Signs everywhere. Nice. I know we weren't the only one's complaining about it, and it wasn't us specifically that got the signs in, but we did notice it was lacking and Disney corrected the issue.

It was before the little midway section 'Chester and (don't remember)Hester(?)' dinorama stuff... although, I gotta give it up for Primeval Whirl. That ride is crazy fun. Even if it is a midway ride, it's still fun!

We'll be back in May. Although, I'm about worn out on AK. It's just not all that to me. After I learned the locked the animals up on the Safari at night-time, that ride lost all appeal to me.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

We were there the first month it was open. I remember getting this Army green t-shirt with the tree of life that had animals in the tree. It was the coolest shirt until I spilled bleach on it. I think it was a promo tshirt and I have yet to find another one. It must have just been for the park opening.

 

[Poohbear123]

I was there in August of 98, and it was very HOT and I got lost SOOO many times due to NO SIGNS! Even the CM's were of no help, at that time. Needless to say, it left a bad hot taste in my mouth! Fast Forward to about 3 years later, and the park had bloomed, and now its my Second Favorite Park! I know it like the back of my hand, and love all the new additions and miss the boat ride to no-where.

 

[DisTeach1]

Don't you love how you asked if anyone else was in AK during opening day, April 1998 and all these people respond with "I was there in August" or 'I was there in October 1998". Duh, people. NOT quite the same as being there during opening day. Do you really have to tell your story that bad? Okay, I'll buy. I was there in November 1998-Woo hoo.

So, anyone else there during the original park opening? And no, attention grabbing hogs need not answer.

 

[DisneyCatMom]

After I learned the locked the animals up on the Safari at night-time, that ride lost all appeal to me.

They lock the animals up-how do they do that? That's a lot of animals to round up each night! I thought they just roamed.

My DH and I were there May '98 for our 2nd anniversary. It was my DH's first time to the World. I really don't remember a lot-just seems like there wasn't much to it. Only took a few hours to go thru the whole park. We weren't overly impressed at the time.

We've been back twice since then. We were there 2 years ago; the week after Everest opened and couldn't even get a FP it was so insane.

My kids school is within walking distance of a private zoo, (her class goes next Friday) so the animals really just don't do a lot for us.

 

[Figment's Friend]

They lock the animals up-how do they do that? That's a lot of animals to round up each night! I thought they just roamed.

My DH and I were there May '98 for our 2nd anniversary. It was my DH's first time to the World. I really don't remember a lot-just seems like there wasn't much to it. Only took a few hours to go thru the whole park. We weren't overly impressed at the time.

We've been back twice since then. We were there 2 years ago; the week after Everest opened and couldn't even get a FP it was so insane.

My kids school is within walking distance of a private zoo, (her class goes next Friday) so the animals really just don't do a lot for us.

No, it's not the animals on the savannah's! It's the animals from Affection Section are kept in pens at night!

 

[DisneyCatMom]

No, it's not the animals on the savannah's! It's the animals from Affection Section are kept in pens at night!

Thank goodness!
I just couldn't fathom not only how they would do that, but where would they put them. I mean it's not like they have a big ARK on property with the animals peacefully lining up 2 X 2.

 

[Figment's Friend]

Thank goodness!
I just couldn't fathom not only how they would do that, but where would they put them. I mean it's not like they have a big ARK on property with the animals peacefully lining up 2 X 2.

HAHA! Imagine the giraffe and CM's herding the scattering meerkats!! From the official website, it's under Facts or Additional info, somewhere on there. ---> http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=AffectionSectionAttractionPage

 

[SueM in MN]

We were there in April 1998 when they were doing sneak peeks for DVC members. It was awesome to be there for the opening of a new park.

We were there for the DVC sneak peeks too.
It was really cool to think we were there before the park actually was open to the general public.

Does anyone remember the boats there? I don't remember when they took them out, but I definitely remember them.

We liked them on our first ride, but were not too hot on them once they changed to Radio Disney all the time (it had been a restful boat ride before that - even though it didn't really go anywhere). The first trip, people were just excited to be able to see things like the Tree from a new perspective. I took so many pictures.

They lock the animals up-how do they do that? That's a lot of animals to round up each night! I thought they just roamed.

I don't know if they still do this with all the animals, they do call them in according to a book I bought after the opening. The book is called The Making of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Parkby
Melody Malmberg and was published in 4/98. The book is 192 pages with lots of original Imagineering drawings and photos. It talks about how they have evening paddocks for all the animals and each type of animal is called into their evening quarters by name and by a certain sound (like elephants had drums). It said that the animals are fed, examined and in some cases, bathed each night in their "back of house facilities".
They also talked about how they figured out which animals were the herd leaders for groups like giraffes and other hoofed animals. They put radio locator collars on the hers leaders and taught them to come 'home' to their back stage quarters each night so the other members of the herd would follow. I can't find it now, but I recall reading that they even trained things (I think it was bats and giant hissing cockroaches) to recognize their 'call sound' and come when they heard it.

 

[Hiram_Hill]

The tourguide says it on the train to Planet Watch.

We'd never taken the train out there b/c it just seemed like a waste of time. It's a petting zoo. You can do that anywhere.

As we passed the paddocks, the guide said what they were for and said that they were so the animals wouldn't harm each other at night.

Maybe the CM was mistaken. I'll make sure I ask when I'm there in May.

 

[beattyfamily]

Our first trip to Disney was in Sept 1998.

We went to AK for all of about 5 minutes. As soon as we got there, our then 2 year old fell asleep and it started to rain so we stayed long enough to take a couple of photos and then left.

 

[Cadillac_Dreamgirl]

We were there May 98'.........

I remember the heat ouch..it was hot.
The first ride was countdown to extinction, and i remember going in tthe queue and feeling great relief from the air conditioning. I also remember a CM dinosour expert giving a speech about dinosours in real life and comparing it to the movie Jurassic park. I also remember looking at Sue the dinosaour and experts cleaning it in an inclosed room or viewing area..

The safari was ok I guess. as we didnt see much of any animals.
I loved Its tough to be a bug..

 

[zippehsmom]

We were there also Honeymooning in Aug. 1998. I remember riding the Discovery River Boats, it was the longest line we waited in all vacation. Long, hot and miserable. But we enjoyed ourselves and had a great time. Still have our photo from "Countdown to Extinction"

 

[timmac]

I was there in 98, during the soft-open, for resort guests only. I seem to remember that there was the Safari ride, it's tough to be a bug, the bird show in asia, a trail or two, and that was about it. But we spent a lot of time there, since it was so unique and new... probably did the safari ride some 5 times that trip, at all different times of day.