Animal Kingdom-a "zoo" or a must see?

[dwcrazee]

Last time we went DD was 2yo and when we left our exact words were "well, we never need to do that again". Looking back it was June, very hot, very crowded and I was very pregnant! When we go in April (DD's will be 6 and 3)we will most definately be spending a morning there. The Lion King show alone is worth it to us. I guess if we HAD to eliminate a park becasue of time or money it would be AK for us. But I am very excited to give it another try.

 

[byoung]

I love going to AK, and now with EE it will be a must.

 

[dismom9761]

I think it depends on your family.My DD7 and I love AK but my two boys could skip it except now they want to do EE.My DD LOVES the animals and I like FOTLK.I do think that we will plan two mornings there because it gets so hot in the afternnon.

 

[cmassey]

ak is not for every disney fan. many people are in constant need of thrilling entertainment. it is too bad for these people that they are unable to appreciate the less-than-e-ticket adventures that life presents. ak is not a thrill a minute, but it is a fabulous place to spend a day. the park is beautiful. the animals are spectacular. people pass by the "nature walks" because there's nothing that requires a fast pass. big mistake. if watching a gorilla from 20 feet away is not worth your time, i don't know what to say. it certainly requires more imagination to appreciate ak than it does to slog through another round on the "mountains."

on the other hand, the more of you that skip ak "almost every time" is just one more person out of my way.

 

[gw_lit]

It is a zoo! Animal Kingdom is a member of The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Personally, the whole "Nahtazu" thing bugs me... don't pretend you're not something you are! Its a zoo with a lot more attractions.

If you're just looking for rides, AK won't be for you. (EE seems like a can't miss though!) We really like AK, but its not more than a one day park in our book. I agree with others, you can spend a long time on the two animal trails if you're not just racing through glancing at animals as you speed by and the shows (Lion King, birds and Pochahontas) are all great.

 

[dreamscometrue47]

Our first trip to AK was the year it opened and we were there on a very hot April day...we left at 2 pm, vowing never to return because of the narrow pathways, the heat, etc..

But we went back 2 years later, again in April, again in the heat. First thing we did was FOLK; WOW! We did the Safari, Kali, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, saw the Tarzan show, walked the gorilla trail, met the characters and at around 4 pm, said "hmmm...this park is getting better."

And we went back AGAIN in April 2004 and finally saw it's tought to be a bug, and just LOVED weaving in and out of the Treel of Life; we were so mad at ourselves for not doing that in previous trips! We again took our time, did the trails, the safari, etc. We saw more animals on this trip than the other trips combined.

We are a family who went from "never going back" to having the AK be our second favorite park. It just grows on you...

 

[MrsTomMorrow]

It is a zoo! Animal Kingdom is a member of The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Personally, the whole "Nahtazu" thing bugs me... don't pretend you're not something you are! Its a zoo with a lot more attractions.

Being a member of AZA does not make you a "zoo". Individual people are members of AZA, and that does not make them a zoo. There are several organizations that are members that are not even open to the public. What being accredited by AZA means is that your facility is throughly inspected to insure that the utmost care is being given to the animals that are housed there. It is somewhat of a "gold star" rating of facilities that care for animals. Our facility went through AZA inspection last year, and it was definatley thorough! Most zoos have some sort of mission statement, specifically targeting education for the public, and species preservation. While these are obviously important aspects to Disney and the keeper staff, the main focus is still entertainment tied into Disney. I've never heard anyone refer to Sea World or Busch Gardens as a zoo , maybe some do?

That being said, again as someone who works in a "real" zoo, I love AK!

 

[peter11435]

Being a member of AZA does not make you a "zoo". Individual people are members of AZA, and that does not make them a zoo. There are several organizations that are members that are not even open to the public. What being accredited by AZA means is that your facility is throughly inspected to insure that the utmost care is being given to the animals that are housed there. It is somewhat of a "gold star" rating of facilities that care for animals. Our facility went through AZA inspection last year, and it was definatley thorough! Most zoos have some sort of mission statement, specifically targeting education for the public, and species preservation. While these are obviously important aspects to Disney and the keeper staff, the main focus is still entertainment tied into Disney. I've never heard anyone refer to Sea World or Busch Gardens as a zoo , maybe some do?

That being said, again as someone who works in a "real" zoo, I love AK!

Excellent post. Being a member of the AZA does not make you a zoo. AK is not a zoo. It is a Disney theme park whose theme revolves aound animals. AK is much more than a zoo.

Interesting bit for anyone interested. Dr. Beth Stevens who is Vice President of Disney's Animal Kingdom is also the president of the AZA.

 

[PamNC]

AK is a definite MUST SEE and like the commercials say it is definitely NAHTAZU. It's an adventure park built around the theme of animals, the environment and conservation.

It's an adventure. It's not all about ride after ride after ride. However, the newest attraction, Expedition Everest, is absolutely fabulous - a 10!

Animal Kingdom is an adventure. Be sure to take all the paths like the ones around the Tree of Life and gaze at all the amazing animals. See the shows. Don't miss Festival of the Lion King and Flights of Wonder. Learn something about conservation. Learn to respect our animal friends. Think about how the park started as a cow pasture. Yes, a cow pasture. All the plants were brought in. Think about how authentic Harambe Village is. It's an amazingly beautiful park. IMHO the most beautiful of all of the parks.

And the Tree of Life - ohmygosh - it's unbelievable. I could gaze at it all day.

I would NEVER go to WDW and not visit the Animal Kingdom. I think Walt would be proud.

Definitely NOT A ZOO!

PamNC

 

[Robindianne]

AK is DH55's favorite park. EP is mine (w/AK coming in a very close second). That said, I had so so much fun there. If you talk to CMs they'll show you animals you won't otherwise notice and they know EVERY thing about them. Also, it's fun looking for DiVine, watching the musicians and acrobats, eating, finding every animal (or trying to) on the tree of life. CMs will tell you how to find "hidden" trails around it to discover even more carvings. It's the kind of park you cry over the beauty of (if you are one to cry over beauty ). Also, if you can take a tour, you get to learn more about the animals and park.

If you are mostly into rides (not that there's anything wrong with that), you may not enjoy the stuff I listed above. I disagree w/the poster who said "too bad about being unable to appreciate . . ." We all have different likes and dislikes and that's what makes Disney (IMO) such a great place. There is something for everyone who goes.

If you have time to go, I would.

 

[ckoncurat]

AK is my FAVORITE Park. It really makes me feel like I've been transported to another place. The Lion King Show is my favorite attraction in all of disney world. At AK its less about sprinting from ride to ride and more about seeing neat stuff and soaking up the atmosphere. My little ones LOVE the boneyard, and the Kali River Rapids. (And toddlers can play in the fountain just outside the rapids while older kids ride). There are family fun stations (I forget what they are called) with activities for kids and a free booklet to stamp. Although this park gets crowded, its fairly small, walking wise. Get there EARLY, and you can easily do the whole park by early afternoon.

 

[tomerin]

ak is not for every disney fan. many people are in constant need of thrilling entertainment. it is too bad for these people that they are unable to appreciate the less-than-e-ticket adventures that life presents. ak is not a thrill a minute, but it is a fabulous place to spend a day. the park is beautiful. the animals are spectacular. people pass by the "nature walks" because there's nothing that requires a fast pass. big mistake. if watching a gorilla from 20 feet away is not worth your time, i don't know what to say. it certainly requires more imagination to appreciate ak than it does to slog through another round on the "mountains."

on the other hand, the more of you that skip ak "almost every time" is just one more person out of my way.

i cant agree with this post more!!!!!!

if you are a "commando" type of person you will surely miss what AK has to offer. it is not a place to rush through. the little details in AK at times makes me feel like i am not in Florida. on the Pangini forest trail after spending time watching the animals and enjoying the theming i had to come back to reality and realize where i was. Natazu for sure a must do for sure.