An honest review of Animal Kingdom

[gert]

We love, love, love Animal Kindgom! It is a park that is meant to be explored leisurely rather than rushing from one attraction to another. The theming and details of the park are spectacular! It is meant to be spread out the way it is so guests can find adventure as they wander. It's a multi-day park rather than a "half day" park for us.

Different strokes for different folks. It's a good thing for me that those who think it's a half day park will spend their time elsewhere.

This! My daughter & I love Animal Kingdom. It's such a nice break from our normal commando style touring. We especially love talking to the cast members about the animals and visiting Rafiki's Planet Watch.

 

[Cherinva]

Different strokes for different folks. I think Animal Kingdom is beautiful...now I will admit, the last time I was there, all I did was walk around, wait while my DBF went on rides and have lunch....I have found that I don't care for the food places there, so this next time we plan to eat at Rainforest Cafe. But I love walking around the tree of life and this time I plan to take in a show while my family is on the rides.

I also feel it's a half day park, depending on the lines but it can also be very relaxing if you take it at a slower pace.

 

[disneynutsss]

There is a drive thru safari at Great Adventure in New Jersey, but I don't like it too many stories of peoples cars being dented and weather stripping being ripped up by the monkeys.

as soon as i read that she had a local drive through safari i thought "must be in NJ!"

all the damage was from the monkey section, which you could avoid if you wanted to. but about 5 years ago they fenced the monkeys in, so no more damage.

i have to admit, i loved the monkey area!!

i have had a season pass to Great Adventure for about 18 years now and have frequented the park since it opened. Have done the Safari a million times, but I still love AK's. it is a different experience, not to see the "dangerous" animals behind fences/bars

i like AK well enough, but we dont go on every visit.

 

[Danibelle]

Another honest review of AK - It is awesome! Please don't go there. The lines will be shorter for the rest of us who love it

Totally agree! This park is beautifully themed and the shows are very enjoyable!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I live in Canada/Ontario, and I can tell you that we definitely have a drive thru safari! Its pretty cool.

Anyway OP, i understand what your saying. AK isnt for everyone. Some might say there isnt a lot to do compared to other parks. We love animals, so we have a blast over there. My fave is the Nemo show. I like it better than Lion King to be honest. I love the safari. But your right about the rides, there isnt much to choose from. Im not a fan of the dino section either.

I'm in Texas and we have them here, as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

Somehow I knew before I even opened this thread that the OP was going to be negative. Which suits me just fine, as it means one less person ahead of me in line for Everest, Dinosaur, Primevel Whirl, It's Tough To Be a Bug, and all the other great rides and attractions.

 

[GadgetRick]

Can't say that I disagree with most of what the OP has written.

We've been going to AK since they first opened and I've always felt the same way...

• Park is too hot (not sure why it seems hotter than anywhere else)
• Too far away from everything (not sure why it seems to take the busses so much longer to get to/from there as it's really NOT that far away from everything)
• Attractions are, well, very boring by Disney standards. The safari ride is ok but, well, it's not all that good compared to what you can see in various zoos around the country. EE is kinda lame. Rapids ride is cool (literally) but I don't always want to get soaked (potentially) while walking around the park. Dinosaur ride is just not all that great (and a bit loud and I LIKE loud stuff). Bug's Life is interesting but, with small kids it's a bit much for them.
• I've never been one to enjoy most of the shows in WDW. Just not my thing. The bird show is really cool but, well, I've seen it way too many times already.
• Most importantly, the whole park is just too darn preachy for me. Ok, I get it! Save the Earth! But do they have to smash it in your face the WHOLE time?

I understand why a lot of people like AK but I'm just not one of them. We go there about once a year now and just skip it most of the time we go. Even the kids don't find it terribly interesting either and they LOVE animals.

I find the Jacksonville Zoo to be much more interesting (with more interesting animals). Also, the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine is much more interesting.

It's a shame as I had such high hopes for AK when they announced it.

 

[GadgetRick]

Oh and I agree the food choices are rather lame there. Try having a decent breakfast there. Unless things have changed, all of the restaurants who serve breakfast (in the park) do character breakfasts.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

I'm a zoo junkie and have yet to be to a zoo that I found remotely as appealing as Disney's Animal Kingdom. I really enjoy the park.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Put me in the category of people who love zoos and just aren't into Animal Kingdom. I get the whole "nahtazu" concept, I just think it is a bad one. Rather than insisting that you are not a zoo, why not be "Disney does a zoo"! Let's face it: Any kind of theme park idea that Disney ever took and ran with has always been head and shoulders above the competition. They are very, very good at what they do. If Disney would quit with the whole "Nahtazu" concept and turn it in a zoo with these amazing other features (Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest, fun dining experiences, etc.), I could see it easily rivaling Epcot for the number 2 park, if not completely overtaking it. It needs more animals, though. It needs to get both an Antarctica and Australia area. Antarctica could have a fantastic penguin and sea lion show and a great bobsled ride based on Club Penguin (are they still trying to get this to take off?). Australia could have another water ride (because I agree that it just seems hotter here) based on the EAC where you are riding on turtle shells. Get some Koalas (very few zoos in America actually have koalas) and kangaroos.

Just my $.02

 

[Grandmatoniko]

as soon as i read that she had a local drive through safari i thought "must be in NJ!"

all the damage was from the monkey section, which you could avoid if you wanted to. but about 5 years ago they fenced the monkeys in, so no more damage.



I guess great minds think alike LOL...I thought of Great Adventure too as soon as I read this. I live 20 minutes from there and we do the season pas every year.
But onto the other subject...AK...I could take it or leave it. I don't think it is that great but will admit we do have fun when we go.

 

[GadgetRick]

I'm a zoo junkie and have yet to be to a zoo that I found remotely as appealing as Disney's Animal Kingdom. I really enjoy the park.

Ever been to the San Diego Zoo?

 

[ilovebassets]

I'm a zoo junkie and have yet to be to a zoo that I found remotely as appealing as Disney's Animal Kingdom. I really enjoy the park.

Same here. In the past 12 months we've been to a couple of small zoos (Chattanooga and Atlanta) and a couple of big zoos (Miami and Bronx). I don't see how they compare to AK.

 

[goofy4tink]

Isn't that DHS on 5/19? Sorry about your expirence

Yeah, that's pretty much my thought as well!!! I now tend to spend more time in AK than in DHS...and I stay at BW!!! Go figure.

Can't say that I disagree with most of what the OP has written.

We've been going to AK since they first opened and I've always felt the same way...

• Park is too hot (not sure why it seems hotter than anywhere else)
• Too far away from everything (not sure why it seems to take the busses so much longer to get to/from there as it's really NOT that far away from everything)
• Attractions are, well, very boring by Disney standards. The safari ride is ok but, well, it's not all that good compared to what you can see in various zoos around the country. EE is kinda lame. Rapids ride is cool (literally) but I don't always want to get soaked (potentially) while walking around the park. Dinosaur ride is just not all that great (and a bit loud and I LIKE loud stuff). Bug's Life is interesting but, with small kids it's a bit much for them.
• I've never been one to enjoy most of the shows in WDW. Just not my thing. The bird show is really cool but, well, I've seen it way too many times already.
• Most importantly, the whole park is just too darn preachy for me. Ok, I get it! Save the Earth! But do they have to smash it in your face the WHOLE time?

I understand why a lot of people like AK but I'm just not one of them. We go there about once a year now and just skip it most of the time we go. Even the kids don't find it terribly interesting either and they LOVE animals.

I find the Jacksonville Zoo to be much more interesting (with more interesting animals). Also, the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine is much more interesting.

It's a shame as I had such high hopes for AK when they announced it.

It's hotter because there is more vegetation..it keeps the air from moving around. But, they have put in fans, nicely hidden...and that helps a lot.

It takes a longish time simply because of the size of AK..you could almost put the other three parks inside it. It just takes longer to get to due to it's being the furthest removed park.

The attractions??? I guess it's a relative thing...some will love the attraction, others not so much. It's up to each person. For me, there are only three things I like to do at DHS...ToT, RnRC and TSM, with a possible GMR thrown in for good measure if the wait isn't too long. It's just not a full day park for me anymore.

And the shows??? THey aren't everyone's cup of tea. But, most people enjoy them. Matter of personal preference.

And preachy??? I have never found that to be the case. Other than having those 'save the earth' buttons for sale everywhere, I just haven't seen anything that came off as preachy.

Yes, there are many true zoos that are wonderful. But, AK isn't trying to be 'just a zoo'..it is much more. It is all about the theming, and the atmosphere. It's all about so much more than just the animals. BUT.....everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We love AK. But we are starting to not like DHS so much anymore..but that doesn't make it an awful park.

 

[suzimar57]

another "not a fan" of AK - too much walking, very hot, everything is far away

used to be a 1/2 day park for us - now it's a "no day" park

we're more EP kind of people....

 

[Cyrano]

We love, love, love Animal Kindgom! It is a park that is meant to be explored leisurely rather than rushing from one attraction to another. The theming and details of the park are spectacular! It is meant to be spread out the way it is so guests can find adventure as they wander. It's a multi-day park rather than a "half day" park for us.

Different strokes for different folks. It's a good thing for me that those who think it's a half day park will spend their time elsewhere.

This chimes with our family's experience and enjoyment of Animal Kingdom. It is a very close 2nd favourite just behind EPCOT. Though I will leave discussion of EPCOT for another thread

 

[Paradise18]

Another honest review of AK - It is awesome! Please don't go there. The lines will be shorter for the rest of us who love it

 

[DougEMG]

The safari is a cool concept, but let's be honest....I can do the drive thru safari near my home, see the same animals, not wait 45 mins, and have basically the same experience.

I love the safari, could ride it all day.

 

[DougEMG]

Ever been to the San Diego Zoo?

I've been the San Diego Zoo multiple times and really like it, but I'd rather spend a day in Animal Kingdom than at the San Diego Zoo.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

Ever been to the San Diego Zoo?

Yes.