Animal Kingdom

[rsoxrule]

We were at this park on 12/30 and our group consensus was that this park is overrated. In our collective opinion the best exhibit was the apes - most lively and most entertaining. The much ballyhooed safari is too short, there are too few animals and the ones you see are VERY lethargic.
Sadly Disney has to make the safari too hokey for our tastes with the silly poacher thing.
The next park we visited, Magic Kingdom remains our favorite. Upon entering the Cinderella show was in progress and that show is excellent. Worst thing we saw was the Stitch Escape - Disney can do MUCH better and should.
If we return we will NOT stay off property. We had lovely accommodations at Sheraton Vistanna Villages but there is nothing like the conveniences of being on site.

 

[Shells9]

Bummer you did not enjoy AK more.
I think the Safari is great.

 

[WDWNicole]

We love AK - our 2nd favorite park. We've always seen a ton of animals during the safari.

 

[cleo]

I'm always a little bit surprised when people don't like AK. I know, 'to each their own', but I cannot imagine what's not to like. It's a gorgeous park...IF you slow down and take the time to enjoy it! JMO, though.

 

[druiser]

The safari is very much a "time of day" attraction. You have to go at the right time to see the goods. But that was maybe my 3rd favorite attraction there.

I thought the Lion King show was excellent, as was "Tough to be a bug". Oh, and Dinosaur was pretty good, too. So, I hope you hadn't gone into hoping to see a Super-Zoo or something ... it would've been a let down, indeed.

 

[MichelleVW]

Animal Kingdom is the first park we go too......we love it. We try to go on the safari at least twice during our trips so we can see different things, and my husband LOVES It's tought to be a bug so that can't be missed for us.

But everyone is different....other than TofT and Rock n roll rollercoaster my family could be perfectly happy skipping MGM, but others love it...so to each his own!!

 

[DVCJEN]

We love AK - our 2nd favorite park. We've always seen a ton of animals during the safari.

That has been our experience as well. We love AK.

 

[Skroops]

Being from "up north", nothing beats the tropical feel of the Animal Kingdom. I think this park is gorgeous. The tree of life is amazing. I agree with the previous posters where the AK is a park best enjoyed by taking it slow and enjoying the details...and there are sooo many at this park!
Maybe you were expecting more thrill rides? I'd give it another chance with a different frame of mind. (?) Everyone sees life differently, so maybe it is just not your cup of tea?

 

[stampinshauna]

I love how Disney has a variety so we can all have favorites and they are not all the same. We do need to realize that AK is still a fairly new park and it will continue to grow. I think Expedition Everest will help. AK is probably my least favorite too, but I still like it.

 

[LuvTheMagic985]

My family loves AK. It is a gorgeous, wonderfully detailed, and more relaxed park, IMO. Sorry to hear it was a let down.....although we can't imagine why. And I agree with the onsite comment. Staying onsite is the BEST!

 

[2giddy4wdw]

We really enjoy AK. I like the fact that it's not an all day park. We are usually out of there before the parade. Love - Lion King, Tarzan Rocks (too bad it's leaving), the safari, Touch to be a Bug, Dinosaur and we all liked going up to Rafiki's planet watch. Can't wait for EE that is totally going to rock. We also like going to camp Minnie-Mickey for autographs. But not everyone is going to like everything. It's my least favorite park, I think that they just need more to it!!!

 

[crisi]

I actually think its underrated. I cringe when people ask which park to skip and the overwhelming answer is AK. (My choice on parks to skip is MGM). Everyone has their own taste. The safari ride is my favorite ride in all of WDW (though the poachers is hokey). And FOTLK is a mini Cirque - without the $70 ticket. We think the counter service there is great as well and enjoy the trails.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I do agree that the safari is hokey and should just be about the animals...BUT even if they took out the hokiness, the animals would still be going about their business. What do you want them to do? Rile up the animals so they're angry? Put deer near the lions so we can view a killing? I mean, really. Sometimes the animals are out and about and sometimes they're tired and resting. How do you suppose Disney cure the animals lethargy? They are animals! Get a dog and watch him for a while - is he/she constantly running around? My dog is incredibly energetic, but 60% of the time, he's lounging around.

With that said, Animal Kingdom is a great park, but it still remains my least favorite. They do need to add some rides there. Hester & Chesters is terrible...and pointless. It has nothing to do with Dinosaurs, yet it's in Dinoland. All the shows are great (except Tarzan Rocks, which is gone anyway) - but again, even with the addition of Expedition Everest, the rides are minimal - and most are too scary for kids. AK needs a lot of work, but the scenery is beautiful and the animals are great! Plus, Conservation Station (or Rafiki's Planet Watch) is very educational and fun if you're into it!

Edit: And there's a lack of good food. They need a table restaurant or 3! (and no, Rainforest Cafe does not count, since you can find it anywhere else in the world).

 

[Kath820]

WE LOVE AK TOO!!!
BUGS LIFE IS THE BEST!!!

 

[jenjenmouse]

We could go to AK every day of a trip and see something new. It continues to be my dd fav. park since she first went when she was 4. She is now 8. Her second fav. is EPCOT. I love them all for different reasons. But again I love the total experience of AK and enjoyed staying at AKL on our last trip in June.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I got to visit AK for the first time last May, and I fell in love with it! I love the themeing, and feeling like I really could be visiting parts of Africa or Asia. I loved the feeling of it as being a "slower paced" park - we really just relaxed and took time to watch the animals being animals, and took in some of the educational opportunities to learn more about the birds and animals there. I think we spent a good 30 minutes just watching the monkeys near KRR!

I think the fact it is so different from the other parks is a compliment to the creativity of the folks at Disney. It must be very challenging to incorporate ethical treatment of these amazing animals with the theme park concept and the hordes of people showing up each day to be entertained, and from what I've heard/read so far, they've been doing a good job of keeping the animals well cared for. Kudos to Disney!

 

[ujpest_doza]

We love Animal Kingdom, The Lion King show is spectacular, Pocohontas show is good, my daughter cried her heart out when she had to get off the car at the end of the safari and wanted to stay on and do it again, she loved petting the animals at the meet and greet and its tough to be a bug is good as well and there is a great character greeting part that is hidden away slightly with a CM telling you where it is.

AK is a nice sized park and you can see everything in one day without rushing around, much more laid back than MK for instance.

 

[qtwns]

Our family felt the same way and would often skip AK...until our last trip. WOW! The magic just hit us. We loved it after years of "ho-hum." I guess we just toured it in a different way and hit some things we never had before. MK remains my favorite and Epcot holds a special place for everyone else--can't leave out MGM. Love it! But we all agree that AK won't be skipped over again. Hopefully this will be your experience as well.

 

[PrincessLindy]

We always say that AK is a slow down and enjoy park. If you are just looking for thrill rides you will be let down. It is where you stop and enjoy the atmosphere, We always loved the acrobats in Africa. In some ways I think if they put in more thrill rides it would ruin it, just my opinion.

DD loved the playland and we will schedule more time for that next time. I love the walking trails, which you need to walk though, not jog through just to get it done.

The first time we were there my DD was 2 and standing at the window looking at the tigers when one came over and reached up on the glass. Of course the camera was not cooperating and we didn't get a picture. It was neat. Here is DD with a big tiger standing up in front of her with only the glass between. The funny thing was that she giggled and was not scared. I would have run and cried, but she laughed.

 

[rsoxrule]

Sarcastic and rude - let me guess you are from NYC!