Animal Kingdom - okay, just a zoo...?

[lorasmom]

I was not too thrilled with AK, but the Lion King show alone is worth going... it was phenomenal!

 

[TnTWalter]

We LOVED it! My kids were 6, 4, & 3 at the time.

First, can you say CHARACTER INTERACTION. Oh my! We went the first day so we hadn't met characters yet. There were NO lines and we met Lilo & Stitch, Mickey, Minnie, etc. and Pooh, Tigger, etc. with little to no lines. It was awesome!

The FOLK [Festival of the Lion King] was outstanding.

We also enjoyed the safari very much.

They have a show at Planet Watch about birds with kid interaction. My kids loved it. We rode the train there which is alwasy fun for kids.

My 3 yo DS loved it's tough to be a bug...my girls got scared and stood in back with DH...so funny because I thought DS would be scared. And the tree of life so cool.

EE was not built yet. And it was January so not interested in getting wet. on the rapids LOL. We plan on doing those + Dinosaur & Nemo this year too.

We stayed for the parade and then left.

Now I know to look for Devine & Wes Palm and I think there's a talking recycling bin or something which will make it more fun.

So great.

Trish

 

[GrumpyOne]

I was at first planning on going to animal kingdom, but then... After budget considerations, I feel the need to ask why it's any different from a zoo. We have a very nice zoo near us where animals roam free, so...is it really worth it??? What makes animal kingdom, and sea world for that matter, any different from other large city's zoos/aquariums?

I'll be going on a real safari in the next year but I'll still be going to AK. The animals are nice but it's a theme park as well. Don't look at it as a "zoo", look at it as a Disney park where some of the rides focus on real animals.

 

[hezreck]

We have spent a whole day at AK and didn't even see any animals (other than on the safari). What other zoo can you do that in? We skipped the trails that day and still filled the whole day there. There is so much to see and do. FOTLK, Expedition Everset, Nemo Musical, Flights fo Wonder, Dinoland and the Boneyard, It's Tough to be a Bug, character meet and greets, etc... The list goes on and on. Oh, and let's not forget the parade, the best in Disney!!

 

[asa'smom]

AK is great. Festival of the Lion KIng is a not to be missed show.

 

[susykt4]

We spent 3 of 9 days of our Feb trip at Animal Kingdom and we did NOT do EE, Kali, FotLK, Nemo or the bug movie. We went on the safari a zillion times, spent forever at Conservation Station, went on the animal trails several times. The kids (6 & 4) could spend hours at the dinosaur dig. They have tons of characters and a great parade.

However, my family is zoo crazy (I'm a zookeeper.) In our case we don't care for MGM. The kids love the characters and DS4 loves the car stunt show. Otherwise, they pretty much only like the Honey, I Shrunk playground. We spent a half day out of nine park days at MGM. My kids don't like sitting through shows (including Playhouse Disney) so MGM just isn't the park for us. This surprised me because our first family trip (kids were 4 & 2) I was SURE MGM would be their 2nd favorite park after MK.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I love Animal Kingdom. I think it's the best themed of any of the Disney Parks.

 

[CarolA]

it's not that I have something against animal kingdom...I was actually excited about it. However, my kids are only 2 and 4. When we were watching travel channel, my kids only saw the animals with the same fascination they had at the pet store. I'm really trying to think about it from their perspective. What got me thinking more about it was a few people I've spoken with who said that it wasn't worth it and that they would never go back. Another concern is that I frequently read on these sights that it's a half day park at best...Also, the cost of the safari is so much, is it really just driving through a zoo in a car? How does everyone else feel about animal kingdom? I'm looking for confirmation that it is a worthwhile park...

Well, I am afraid with this attitude you will be one of the one's who doesn't like AK.

AK is NOT a commando park. If you go with the Commnado mentality of "RIDE, RIDE, RIDE" you will probably be disappointed. (However, a two and four year old should slow that down LOL!)

The Safari does not cost extra so I don't get that comment. It's included in the park admission.

The folks who think it's a half day park are probably missing the point of AK, but IMHO that's there loss.

 

[disneypofq05]

Animal Kingdom is our second favorite park behind Magic Kingdom. We spend a whole day here and if our schedule permits we go back for another. We spend hours walking around just looking at everything from the animals to the plants/flowers. Not to mention the safari(which doesn't cost extra), Festival of the Lion King, EE, Flights of Wonder(one of our favorite shows), conservation station and so much more. I would definately go, its worth the money.

 

[orljustin]

You should want to experience everything out there anyways, so just go and make your own decision. But don't go in with the attitude of "this is going to be lame", or you'll miss half the place.

 

[dizzi]

IT is NATAZU..................
IT IS GREAT!

It is beautiful!
I wish we had not always doen this park last and one day we will go there just to do this park and not be worn out!

 

[Whosemom]

We went to wdw on a short trip last summer, and only had one day for each park. We didn't even do any of the "zoo" parts and still ran out of time at AK. I think, if you skipped it and could in some strange star-trek way view your otherselves that did not skip it, you'd regret skipping it. Especially with kids the ages of yours. My kids have always loved AK.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

No, AK is not just a zoo. I live fairly close to one of the country's best zoos. They somewhat recently opened a "safari" area where you go around in a train and see the animals wandering around free. We went to see this with my husband's family. They were impressed with it. We, having been to AK previously, were shocked at how poor it was. We absolutely love AK! We are both animal lovers, but there is a lot to do at AK even if you're not that interested in the animals. As others have already detailed the many rides and shows you can experience...I'll make mention of Dinoland. Its a big playscape made for kids just like yours. It made me wish I was little again (because its just not respectable for a non-parent adult to go running around, sliding on the slides and playing in the sand).

I do believe AK can be done in half a day...if you go commando. I can race from one end of the park to the other cradling fast passes and skipping the shows in order to make sure I hit everything on my list. Could somebody dragging a stoller and two young kids do it? Probably not. Regardless, the question is whether you'd WANT to do it in half a day. I wouldn't.

Finally, you say the people you've talked to say it's a waste of time and they'd never go there again. Obviously, if that were the majority opinion Disney wouldn't keep it around. They're not much on parks that nobody wants to go back to. Instead, they're expanding it and have graced it with their new premier roller coaster. So what does this tell you?

 

[Mecha Figment]

if i had to pick one park to go to it would be animal kingdom. not only is it beautiful, it's the most well themed park of all of them. everything down to the tiniest details are amazing. lots of plesant little surprises all around you. It just really envelopes you into it's atmosphere. granted it is the largest of all the parks and requires a lot of walking, but honestly i dont' mind.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

Well, I am afraid with this attitude you will be one of the one's who doesn't like AK.

AK is NOT a commando park. If you go with the Commnado mentality of "RIDE, RIDE, RIDE" you will probably be disappointed. (However, a two and four year old should slow that down LOL!)

The Safari does not cost extra so I don't get that comment. It's included in the park admission.

The folks who think it's a half day park are probably missing the point of AK, but IMHO that's there loss.

my family the last 2 times we went to WDW did the 1/2 day thing at AK. this trip we are planning 2 days at AK and plan on seeing all. we have yet to see the AK parade. DW and i can't wait til our trip. we love all of the animals. the shows make it 1000 times better then any zoo i have ever been to and i grew up going to both the san diego zoo and the san diego wild animal park and ill tell ya, AK is much more then a zoo. its DISNEY!!!!

 

[tiki23]

AK is much more then a zoo. its DISNEY!!!!

That about sums it up! AK is fabulous. We only spent about a half-day there last trip and cannot wait to get back. The whole park is just incredible - the detail is amazing.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

AK is, by far, the best looking of all of Disney's parks ... the "attention to detail" I expect from Disney goes to a whole new level, here; everything from the "worn "look of Harambe village to the leaf impressions and cracks in the pavement.

The Safari is an awesome attraction ... they've done an incredible job of making it feel like there's very little between any of the animals (even the dangerous ones like lions, rhinos, and elephants) and the buses.

The Tree of Life is a work of art and it's worth just walking around it to see everything that's been sculpted into it!

FotLK is probably the BEST show in any Disney park and the new Nemo: The Musical is probably the second best!

It does close earlier than any other park, but I'd hardly call it a half-day park.... However, if you *were* in a hurry, and just wanted to do the "headliner" rides, you could do it in a half-a-day. I just wouldn't want to.

 

[madcoco]

Everyone has their own favorites and tastes. If it's a zoo it's the only one that will never grow old here. Up to 87 visits through the gates now from opening day. No April Fools. DW and most other's think I'm nuts but love just running in while everyone is headed to Everest or the Safari just to talk to the animals. and soak in the hot humid atmosphere. DD loves to head over to Asia and relax with a cup of tea and enjoy the scenery. Buying one of those Conservation buttons on each visit now, helps keep track and a good way of making a small donation at the same time.
Enjoy your visit. Signed Dr Doolittle

 

[perdidochas]

I was at first planning on going to animal kingdom, but then... After budget considerations, I feel the need to ask why it's any different from a zoo. We have a very nice zoo near us where animals roam free, so...is it really worth it??? What makes animal kingdom, and sea world for that matter, any different from other large city's zoos/aquariums?

1) There are thrill rides: Expedition Everest (a great roller coaster), Kali River Rapids (a great raft ride), Dinosaur.

2) There is Kilimanjaro safari, which is sort of like the Jungle cruise, but with live animals.

3) There are shows: It's Tough to be a Bug (3-D movie), The Festival of the Lion King, and Nemo.

4) There are Disney Characters: We always see Stitch (my youngest DS's favorite) there.


It is different from a zoo.

Sea World's main difference from other aquariums is the shows, as well as that it has a few rides (and free beer).

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I don't even get the "it's just a zoo" comments. Clearly, everyone else must have zoos way better than the ones here of they think AK is just a zoo. It's my favorite park, personally. It is a theme park, just like the other 3, only it's theme is animals. The vegetation is wonderful. DH was doing the "its a zoo" thing before we went, but he was floored by the plant life and scenery. His first reaction was "This isnot a zoo, it's a jungle!"

I love AK I'm sad so many people don't get it.

Though I will say, it is a slower paced park IMO. You can do it commando, but you'd be missing the point. It's a great place to towards the end of your vacation when you're winding down.