Animal Kingdom - UGH!

[Carl]

I love the safari and do it every year. The new parade is really great, too. However, I did skip it last May because it was just too hot.

 

[Cindymere]

Here's the deal with me and AK: I don't care if the park is supposed to mirror an African bazzaar (which it does).. if I wanted that, I'd go to Africa.

As for the safari, if you've been to any award-winning zoo recently, you can skip the safari totally. And last time we went, 3 years ago next week, the fast-pass line for the safari was a 30 minute wait...

And it is hotter than any other park... I'd bet my 5 4 day park hoppers on it lol...

So I just wanted to explain in detail some of the reasons why I hate AK (and I'm an animal lover)...

 

[shelleyz]

We went to AK with our DS2 and DS4 in there strollers. I loved it. The kids loved it. We did the safari first thing during EMH. We saw lots of animals. It was hot. We stayed about 7 hours and left right before the parade. Would have like to seen it but kids wanted to go swimming. AK is my 2nd favorite park also after MK. Same with the kids.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Oh My...We *LOVE* Animal Kingdom.

We've been in May (during a heatwave - 98+ degrees everyday..wildfires throughout the area, etc...in 2000, and again in 2001) and in October 2002, over 90 each day. I pretty much hate heat in general....and I didn't have a complaint about the heat.

We've pushed strollers plenty in Animal Kingdom, too....once with my 18 month old, plus I was 5 months pregnant. Another trip we pushed our 2 1/2 year old and our 8 month old around in the stroller. And the last time, we pushed strollers for our 4 year old, 2 year old, and our 10 month old....in 90 - 100 degree weather, without problems...(And I am not that fit, either. I basically hate exercise....as much as I hate the heat....but no complaints again.)

We get there at opening and do the Safari ride first and then Festival of the Lion King. Then we take our time on the trails, etc.

We *LOVE* the Safari ride and the two jungle walks! We *LOVE* the Festival of the Lion King. We also enjoy It's Tough to Be a Bug, the Boneyard, and more. The kids enjoy the Pochontos show and the Affection Section at Rafiki's Planet Watch. We haven't even gotten to the Rapids or Dinosaur thrill rides because of the ages of our kids.

[I don't love the bird show (but many do) or Tarzan (but again, others do)....]

The vegetation and drumming don't bother me....That's what makes it so great.

I would never skip Animal Kingdom on any trip --- and I don't have any complaints!! To anyone who hasn't been, I hope you try it to decide for yourself....

 

[paladin]

AK is my favorite park - yes, it is very hot, but I think the atmosphere is just incredible. I go when it opens and stay till it is too uncomfortable (or go in December when the weather is much better, IMHO). The safari is great and is different every time you go on it - once our vehicle couldn't move because a baby rhino was standing in front of us crying for his mother (she was right around the corner). I like to take my time and smell the roses - check out the animals without rushing by. It's a great place, IMHO.

 

[Poohbear123]

I got there around 8:00am and stayed till about 1:00. I have found that if I wear LESS clothes the better. I wear a cami shirt, which is the strappy shirt with the built in bra, and shorts. I stay cool this way, and also I leave when it starts to get REALLY hot! I rode the Safari, saw Tarzan, rode Primevil Whirl and saw Its tough to be a bug! Had lunch and went onto MK from there!

 

[wuv tigger]

We were there for the first time in October. It is definitely more humid than the other parks. My wife had an asthma problem due to the humidity and you want to be prepared if that is a potential problem for you.

We went on the safari first thing and loved it. All of the animals were out and it was a good time. We also had to go see Stanley or DDe would not leave us alone. It is a long push uphill to Rafiki's place to see him, but at least coming back is downhill!!!

My youngest was fascinated by the talking trash can and chased it around and gave it a hug and kiss!!! I think the CM was mortified, but we thought it was funny.

We had to leave early because of my wife's problem, but look forward to going back in January.

David

 

[Kallison]

I agree with your opinion of AK. We've skipped it our last two family trips because the kids just refused to go. DH and I went in October, I had a morning alone so I tried it again. It always seems crowded there. I cut through the Rainforest Cafe to get in, then I got a Fastpass for the Safari and walked the Pangani Gorilla Trail. I spent about 45 min. watching the gorillas, they always fascinate me. Did FP right onto the Safari, when I got off I wandered into DeVine, she was AWESOME!! So many rushed by without even noticing her. I just happened to catch Flights of Wonder which was cute, did the Tree of Life because again the kids never wanted to. By this time I was more than ready to get out of AK at noon. I guess our next trip will be when the new coaster is finished.

On our very last morning DH wanted to try the Safari, we did it first thing AM and the giraffes were close enough to touch. It's really a 1/2 day park for us.

 

[pklein09]

Yeah....about the giraffes...... There were two that were definitely real - we saw the moving, eating, etc. But there was one right near the road where it curved - very close to the vehicle. I was sitting in the back of the truck and my husband was in the next row up. We both looked at the giraffe and looked at each other. I looked very closely at it as we drove away. It didn't blink or swish it tail or anything. We both thought it was fake. Did anyone else see this giraffe?

 

[DisneyVillain]

Originally posted by diane1102
Please tell me my 9 year old daughter (and all of us) will love it!!! She has our TV permanently tuned to "Animal Planet" and is constantly reading books about animal facts. The two things she's really looking forward to is Animal Kingdom and The Living Seas in Epcot. I dont' want her to be disappointed.
Thanks.

If she has ever been to a real aquarium, (i.e. Chattanooga, Tampa, Charleston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Sea World, etc.) then she will probably be disappointed by the Living Seas. The manatees are still interesting, but the rest is not as impressive as it was 20 years ago.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by pklein09
Yeah....about the giraffes...... I looked very closely at it as we drove away. It didn't blink or swish it tail or anything. We both thought it was fake. Did anyone else see this giraffe?

I took a backstage tour of AK with my husband in September.

I can assure you, the only 'fake' animal on the safari is "little red"...the baby elephant in the back of the truck at the end of the 'ride'.

the OTHER baby elephant is indeed real as well...born in May of this year.

 

[Armadillo4]

I had a GREAT giraffe encounter on the safari during my first visit 3 years ago. Our safari vehicle actually had to stop on the road because a giraffe decided to eat from a tree alongside the road. And of course, the giraffe decided that the best angle for getting to the branches was to stand in the middle of the road itself. So there we were, completely stopped with a giraffe right in front of us not 15 feet away. An animal keeper drove up in a jeep and tried to get the giraffe to move by waving a large tree branch at it. A minute or so after this, the giraffe moved off to the side enough to clear the road. And on we went.

It was wicked cool.

Of course, I probably would have been annoyed if I was stuck on a safari vehicle behind us, as there was probably a bit of a logjam, but since we were lucky enough with the timing...it was pretty magical. And the giraffe stayed close enough to the tree for many excellent photo ops for the vehicles coming behind us. I don't think you could experience this at any award-winning zoo, unless you pay for the extra safari experience (like at San Diego Wild Animal Park).

I must admit I've never thought about what it would be like to push a stroller uphill at the start of the day. But the flip side is that you're going downhill at the end of the day when it's even hotter and you're really tired.
Still, not every park appeals to everyone, and different people gravitate to different parks. That's why it's great to have 4 theme parks, plus the water parks, and Downtown Disney, and...

-Carlos

 

[beatnik]

Very interesting comments here. We have more than once had some of the best animal viewing we've ever seen at AK-- particularly tigers, gorillas, and meerkats. We sat watching 4 juvenile gorillas wrestling in a big pile for literally more than 1 hour and have been stared down by tigers who appeared to be considering the leap across their moat to eat us. We've probably been on a dozen safari trips and have had excellent animal viewing in most of them (never have waited more than 15 minutes, either, I'd estimate). So we think most of the animal viewing is really quite excellent.

But we would have to admit that we do have mixed feeling on AK-- would never miss it on a trip but agree that it is very hot and that the walkways are maddening. Too narrow, I guess, and frequently obstructed with throngs of people. Probably there are actually less people at AK than other parks, but the "ergonomics" of the park is worse. This is the park where my husband and I became so exasperated by the folks we dubbed the "stroller people"-- the family groups with the double-wide stroller who'd stop in the middle of a walkway, stand beside (not behind!) their stroller, extend their arms REAL wide to accomodate an unfolded map, and then study the map for a good long time, obstructing the walkway... Now I am exagerating a bit, and this type of problem is the fault of the park designers more than the innocent families trying to figure out where they are and what is next. But we really did get driven out of the park in exasperation on our last trip. We returned another day for some excellent animal viewing (but had another exasperating series of experiences with THREE seperate payphones taking our coins but malfunctioning such that we were unable to place a call-- had to eventually use a house phone in a shop-- messed around with trying to make the call for 20 minutes!).

So although I would agree AK can be maddening, I have nothing but compliments for the animal viewing itself.

Beatnik

 

[PandyPaws]

May I suggest touring AK in the opposite direction from the 'throngs' of people that head for Kilimanjaro Safari first....
Most especially on EE day, where the Mickey greeting truck just about LEADS everyone there, LOL! Try heading over to Dinoland first and starting with those attractions...there are many days where it's practically empty over there in the morning. Work your way back and try the Safari ride later in the afternoon, trust me, there are animals out. Different species are active at different times of day there. In the late afternoons I have seen hippo babies splashing and playing with their mamas, and sometimes out of the river along the shoreline, and have heard them bellowing as well (quite a funny sound to hear!! ), Bongo antelope crossing the forest path right in front of the truck, Rhinos & Ostrich standing right at the road's edge where the truck passes within inches, giraffe stepping out right in front of the trucks both in the savanna and over near the elephant's waterng hole, cheetah up and stretching their legs rather than laying in the shade, and I have even heard the lion roar (awesome) in the late afternoon! The ride is virtually a walk-on in the afternoons, (excluding VERY busy days, like holidays)oftentimes FP is not needed.
Another tip...the Parade begins AND ends at the gate adjacent to the Kilimanjaro Safari entrance. Instead of cramming yourselves in for parade viewing space, try timing your Safari ride for about 10-15 minutes before the parade starts...you can return from your safari in time to catch that parade on it's return, when the crowds have all followed it out on it's first pass There should be plenty of elbow room in Africa for comfortable viewing then
The park itself has a very different feel, yes...take time to slow down and take it all in, this park is laden with incredible theming and detail

 

[westjones]

I didn't think Dinoland was part of the EE days. On Deb's site it doesn't list it as part of the Early Day attractions open:

http://www.wdwig.com./emhour.htm

I would love it if it were open so we could go there first. Has anyone been to AK EE days? Is Dinoland open during that first hour?

DJ

 

[PandyPaws]

Ooops, sorry about the EE day error However, I would still stand by my advice for regular park opening days.