A Thread For All Those Who Love Animal Kingdom!!

[DutchsMommy]

I love the character meet and greet with Pooh and friends down the long walkway just before you enter *Dinoland (*=I am not 100% sure this is where we were). DH and I went on a solo trip and just happened by as they opened the character meet and greet. I love Eeyore, Pooh, tigger and gang and it was so great to go down and get pics with the characters with noone around....even DH got his pic taken which is a stretch for him LOL. And then standing around while another family came down with a 2 yo who saw Pooh and 'waddled' right over arms extended for a huge hug. I am not an abnormally sappy person but I actually had a tear/goosebumps because this 'magic' is what Disney is all about.

We also love just walking around watching the animals. We are zoo folks too - have APs for the Toronto Zoo which is about a 10 min drive from our house. DS loved the interaction - I think maybe because we have the APs there is no need to 'see everything' while we are there and we can just enjoy whatever happens. It's like that at AK - we also plan for at least 3 of our days there. It also doesn't hurt that DS is a Dino-Nut and LOVES the Boneyard/Chest and Hester's/DinoLand in general. The only draw-back is the looks we get coming home with a 2 ft long realistic foam dinosaur (or two) poking out of DS's carry-on!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

AK is my favorite park! I love the safari ride--to me that is the most peaceful place in the world (even if I've stood in line for 45 minutes to get there! I also love the Jammin' Jungle Parade. I'm one of the AK freaks who sings along with all of the parade music!

I can't wait to try EE. . .only 124 more days!

 

[caribear]

We love AK too! Especially during the non-peak times of the year when it gets cooler out.....it's just so beautiful! When we went on Kilamanjaro Safaris last week we saw so many animals! There was a new baby elephant that was so cute and both the lion and lioness were laying next to each other in the grass!!

 

[keypooh90]

I love all parts of Animal Kingdom form start to finish:
1. Walking through the oasis in the early morning and seeing all the cool animals
2. The Safari...love it love it love(all parts)
3. Maharajah and Pangani forest trek
Festival of the lion king(Wow!)
4. Flights of Wonder
5. Jammin'Jungle
6.Rafiki's Planet Watch
In fact, I hope to one day be a CM in the Wild!

 

[annej]

Absolutely love everything about it! the theme, the parade, the music, the shows, the animals! We have not found anything we do not like and we even have a DD who is 13!

 

[KPeterso]

Count me in as another AK lover!!!! I can't get enough. In a 10-12 day trip, we usually head over there 3 times. I love the safari, Maharajah Jungle Trek and Pangani Trails. It is just so much fun seeing all the animals. Also, Festival of the Lion King is an amazing show... We loved AK so much, that as a special treat on our last trip, we spent 4 nights at the AKL. We had all wanted to stay there a lot since the first time we set foot in AK. And now, we want to stay no where else ever again. I have never understood why people call it a half day park. It always makes me so mad because I think it is a multiple visit per trip park. We usually always go there our first full day!

 

[disgram]

AK is our second favorite park. It is so beautiful there. The themeing there is some of the best I have ever seen. We each have our favorite part. DGD loves all the rides and esp. the safari. I love the safari ride but have to say my very favorite is the gorillas. I can stand there for hours and watch them.
Yes, the paths are narrow and, yes it is hot there, but when we are there in the park, it is like we are away from the "real world" and all the problems are not with us.
There is a little trail that goes off to the right near FlameTree where there are tables and chairs, this area is very secluded and even cooler than anywhere else in the park...I guess it is for the smokers but even that is not a deterient as the smoke seems to disappear up and away. There doesn't seem to be many people here and it is a great place to go with a cold drink and sit and relax. AK is a very relaxed park. We don't feel rushed to see everything.

 

[pumpkinfish]

Shhhh...we need to keep this thread a secret!

I too, am a AK lover for our upcoming trip, this was my park choice for my b-day!!!

Some of my favorites have already been mentioned. But I also love walking down the paths around TOL hand in hand with my DH. It is such a romantic setting, and when we come across the little waterfall, we give each other a kiss!

Also, it irks my nerves when people talk about how much they HATE he themeing of Dinoland. To me, this is one of the best themed areas!! Yes, of course it looks like a carnival on the side of the road, but have those people REALLY paid attention to the details?
Have you noticed the ground? It is concrete with lines to make it seem as though it was set up on a parking lot. You see car(s) (I can't remember if it is one or two) parked alongside. Walk over to one car and you will see so many cool things inside! I won't tell you, so you will have to look for yourself! DH and I look in the car every trip to see if anything has changed

But yes...AK is for those who DO stop and smell the roses. Rafiki's Planet Watch was discovered by us 3 trips ago. Now, I ALWAYS have to stop by and find "Pepper" and brush him. How smart of Disney to make it a "brushing" zoo instead of hungry goats trying to trample you over to attack the 50 cent food you have in your hands.

We also always get awesome character interaction while visiting Camp Minnie Mickey. Last trip, I went in to watch FOTLK (DH wasn't feeling well and met me outside after show). When I came out, DH grabbed my arm and was laughing loudly. He explained that the characters had nobody visiting them, so he was playing around with Goofy and Chip and Dale! They were all chasing each other around. When DH brought me over to them, they all threw their arms up as if they hadn't seen me in years!

So that is the ONE secret I am giving away to you all: Go visit the characters at Camp MM during the FOTL shows. Everyone is inside to see the show, and their are no lines to get pics and autographs. You might even get to have a character chase you

 

[swtnikki]

I love Animal Kingdom too. Festival of the Lion King is possibly the best Disney attraction there is. I always have tears in my eyes when I see it, even though I haven't been down to Disney in years. The safari's awsome too, along w/the whole feel of Animal Kingdom itself.

 

[CanadianPaco]

We love Kali! On our first trip, we rode it 5 times. On our second trip, we did it 7 times! Next year, we're going for 10! And Tusker House for lunch! Fantastic!
I have to agree about the Tree of Life - it is simply amazing!!

 

[Wenda]

I was so glad to find this thread.
I get so upset hearing people say that Animal Kingdom is boring and should be skipped. It is tied with MK for my favorite park.
My favorite is the tigers. I could watch them all day. They seem to enjoy people watching and they pose when the cameras come out.
My second fav is the safari. Last trip was just DH and me and we went right to the safari and got a fast pass, them went thru the stand by line and rode. When we got back the fast pass was good and we went right on again. We saw a lot of different animals the second time. We leave for WDW in two days and maybe I will go for 3 or 4 in a row this time!!!
Going with just DH is the best - he is just at WDW because I want to go so whatever I want to do is fine with him.

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

Ok, I already posted on this, but I forgot to mention my overwhelming love for FlameTree BBQ! When we went in Oct., we had the Dining Plan, and we tried this for the first time. It was great! We sat down by the little "lake" and watched the characters come by on the boat!

 

[bells]

We loved Ak with its slower pace .The pets corner was nice for the kids to pet the goats etc, also the parade is lively with lots of characters coming up to the kids. With the addition of Everest AK is a must !!

 

[asa'smom]

This is my favorite disney park. I just love the detail they have put into this park. It laid back and a easy park to move around in. The Festival of the Lion King is great. Don't forget Neil (waiter)at Donald's Breakfast who if you are lucky enough to get him. Just start the day off in a special way. Very informative one of the best at Disney.

 

[Carys]

I LOVE Animal Kingdom! Oh my, where to begin...

1. The themeing. I love how they've done so much of the themeing using nature - the way they've built up the planting, the way the rubbish bins are made from trees particular to each 'world area,' the way they created a natural environment for the animals on the safari instead of going for a more zoo-like cage, bars, and concrete habitat route - look around on the ground next time, instead of using ugly fences to separate the areas, I noticed they used much less obtrusive low thorny stuff to discourage animals from moving past their sections.

2. Camp Minni Mickey - the first day I was at AK, it was raining and the FOTLK show was on and I stumbled by accident into the character area. There was NO-ONE at Mickey, and this was my very first time ever 'meeting' him - he looked so dapper in his Christmas outfit, and was such a sweetheart I also got to meet Minnie and Goofy with one or two people in front of me - barely even qualified as a queue!

3. The shows - the bird shows, FOTLK, the now defunct Tarzan Rocks. I had no idea AK had these things, and kept 'stumbling' into them - so much fun! AAh weeeeeeoooweeeeoooweee owimbaweh! (or however it's spelt) I have a neat videoclip of one of the 'birds' taking flight on the solo wire-harness, and flying through the air.

4. Dinosaur - I rode this thing 8 times. It's a good level of intensity for those like me who aren't adrenaline junkies and don't enjoy roller coasters so much, and it was dark and noisy so I felt free to get into it with WHOOPing around the jerking corners and RAAAAWRing at the dinosaurs as we passed each one

5. It's a bug's life - how CUTE! I loved the surprises in this, especially the tactile ones (I wont spoil it for those who haven't seen it). They caught me Completely by surprise!

6. The eating's pretty good there too, counter service wise. I'd love to see a table service restaurant added inside the park, maybe in the Asia area - a Thai restaurant would rock!

Sigh...oh to be back there

 

[paladin]

Yeah, what you all said!

I love AK and we generally go several times during a visit to WDW. I am always amazed by folks who don't like it - I think it is wonderful and never get tired of it.

Also, it irks my nerves when people talk about how much they HATE he themeing of Dinoland. To me, this is one of the best themed areas!! Yes, of course it looks like a carnival on the side of the road, but have those people REALLY paid attention to the details?

I agree - I love Dinoland. It looks like a carnival because it is supposed to - the details are great.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just remembered one more thing for my fellow AK lovers. Go to the Pocohontas animal training show. I can't comment on the regular Pocohontas show, I've never seen that one, but once or twice a day, they have an animal training show, where they train new animals that are going to be in the show, as well as give a little extra training to those animals who haven't performed very well in previous shows (ever wonder how they get the racoon to walk exactly where and how he's supposed to, without detouring?). When I went, the training show was offered twice that day and I went to both shows. Each show has different animals, so it's not the same. The shows that are going to be animal training shows are labeled in the guidemap.