feelings on Animal Kingdom?

[MonkeyPants]

I can't say I have spent much time at the Animal Kingdom. Since it opened I have only been down to WDW 3 or 4 times and they have usually been short trips 4-5 days. Most of the people I have been with didnt like or had been to the AK many times and as such weren't really inclined to go back. So my experience there is quite limited. I did get to try several things out while there, Bugs Life, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids. (didnt get a chance to get around the animal attractions yet) I actually found the park to be pretty relaxing compared to the other parks. I am definitely looking forward to spending some solid time there this fall when I go back and give the park a real chance.

However, my 1 problem with the park is that park ofit feels very UN-Disney. The Dino USA area. The carnival games and especially Primeval Whirl just dont fit with my idea of a Disney attraction. That Rollercoaster could have been pulled out of any traveling carnival/circus. There was none of the classic Disney flair to it. I mean you look at the rooms/experience building up to get getting on Dinosaur, that is what I expect. It, and those carnival games just seemed way out of place to me.

Am I the only one that thinks it doesnt feel quite Disney? Also what should I not miss when I go back?

 

[stinkerbelle]

That Rollercoaster could have been pulled out of any traveling carnival/circus. There was none of the classic Disney flair to it. I mean you look at the rooms/experience building up to get getting on Dinosaur, that is what I expect. It, and those carnival games just seemed way out of place to me.

Am I the only one that thinks it doesnt feel quite Disney? Also what should I not miss when I go back?

no - that's the POINT of Dinoland USA...to feel like it's a roadside carnival.

The travel channel had a show on AK on not too long ago...and they explain this.

Yes, it's campy/cheesey and totally out of place...but so are roadside carnivals! heheheh

 

[grinningghost]

I feel much the same way. I really love the park itself - but it doesn't have that Disney feel to it.

As for Dinoland - yuck, yuck, double yuck, yuck!

You're right on - the rides are nothing more than carny rides I'll probably see at my county fair today. The whole area is cheese city and it simply doesn't fit in with the natural beauty of the rest of the park.

My remedy - skip Dinoland altogether - and if I happen to see it out of the corner of my eye, tell myself "it's only a movie, it's only a movie"

I hope when Everest opens, people will have a new found desire to visit AK - if you take time to really stop and smell the roses there, it's quite peaceful and exhilarating.

 

[danny1649]

Enjoy AK,is it our favorite parK. No, we still have fun touring and still get a feeling that this is Disney.Not knocking your opinion though,hey if we all thought the same about everything this would be a boring world soon.

 

[Poohbear123]

I didn't like this park at first either, in fact went once, and didn't go back to it again for about 2 years, just skipped it all together. Flash Forward to 2002 and I visited the park with a friend of mine and her family, we actually stayed the WHOLE day! And it was in June. It was than I fell in with this park and deem it #2 Park after MK. So, I visit EVERY time I go, and I love the Jammin Jungle Parade and Festival of the Lion King, and YES it feels like a Disney Park to me...just a little bit hotter.

 

[webmomom]

I can't say I have spent much time at the Animal Kingdom. Since it opened I have only been down to WDW 3 or 4 times and they have usually been short trips 4-5 days. Most of the people I have been with didnt like or had been to the AK many times and as such weren't really inclined to go back. So my experience there is quite limited. I did get to try several things out while there, Bugs Life, Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids. (didnt get a chance to get around the animal attractions yet) I actually found the park to be pretty relaxing compared to the other parks. I am definitely looking forward to spending some solid time there this fall when I go back and give the park a real chance.

However, my 1 problem with the park is that park ofit feels very UN-Disney. The Dino USA area. The carnival games and especially Primeval Whirl just dont fit with my idea of a Disney attraction. That Rollercoaster could have been pulled out of any traveling carnival/circus. There was none of the classic Disney flair to it. I mean you look at the rooms/experience building up to get getting on Dinosaur, that is what I expect. It, and those carnival games just seemed way out of place to me.

Am I the only one that thinks it doesnt feel quite Disney? Also what should I not miss when I go back?

Do not miss the Lion King Show it is the best show on all of Disney property. We also like very much Flights of Wonder. It is a show about birds but very cute. I would really say to try all of the stuff that the AK offers. As a pervious poster said : stop and smell the roses". it is a park that you cannot rush through., You need to SLOW DOWN and LOOK. it is not like a zoo where the animals are in cages and you go and look at them. Actually is more like you are the ones caged in and have to find them. Look at all of the buidlings and shrubbery, it is truly amazing to see what they have done with Flat land in the middle of Florida. aw:

 

[mcgrawfan]

We love this park. I don't understand what could be done to make it more "Disney". I think they have done a great job with the theming, trying to cover all areas of animals. The Tree of Life alone screams Disney. What other theme parks would do something like that?

 

[Bouncing4Tigger]

I too love AK and it is my fave park. I always feel relaxed while there and enjoy taking in the atmosphere. I always spend at least one whole day there if not more. Mickeys Jungle Jammin Parade is also my fave Disney parade. I love the music in this parade and it always puts me in a great mood while listening to it in my car when I am at home.

 

[jann1033]

Am I the only one that thinks it doesnt feel quite Disney? Also what should I not miss when I go back?

i'm sure you aren't the "only " one but i respectfully disagree! I think the park is very disney like due to the excellently detailed "villages" the adorable camp mickey area with the characters" fishin". my impression of the dino.ride was it'ssupposed to be a "scientific" building so "scientifically sterile " if you will. hester and chester is a little weird to me but i get the concept just not sure if it fits the area.

i think ak is a park where you really have to savor the details ( the paths, building, plantings ect) to appreciate it which is why i think some don't care for it ..we go off season so you can stop and see the details ( attention to details has always been our fav. part of disney) i think with wall to wall people that would be hard to do and why some just don't" get" it. you can't run thorugh it (like you can epcot to get to tt from ms) or you miss the whole point

 

[C.Ann]

I've been there twice - and can't really say I'm all that crazy about it..

However, I wouldn't "skip it" either - unless I was really pressed for time.. It's part of the whole Disney experience and it would feel odd to pass it by..

 

[MonkeyPants]

My remedy - skip Dinoland altogether - and if I happen to see it out of the corner of my eye, tell myself "it's only a movie, it's only a movie"

nice. I definitely found it relaxed and laid back, nice change from the other parks and look forward to seeing the rest. And it wasnt the entire park I found Un-Disney, just that one section. To me you go to Disney and see and experience rides/attractions that you just cant see anywhere else, that are done with so many layers that even after you've been on them 2 or 3 dozen times you can spot something new, the Dinoland area just didnt give me that feeling. I have heard great things about the shows there, so I will definitely make time for them.

 

[KellyBelly]

While AK is not one of my favorite parks, I definitely think it has a Disney-feel. I think that is the only reason I actually somewhat enjoyed the park when I went there a couple of years ago. But I do agree that I don't particularly like the park and don't really plan on spending a whole day there mostly b/c it reminds me too much of the zoo and I have the 3rd best zoo in the country not too far from me so if I wanted to see animals, I would go there. But I have only been to the AK once and am planning to go again in 2006 to give it a second chance

 

[Micca]

AK is my least favorite park, but I think it is a work in progress. When Epcot opened it didn't seem very "Disney" either. Over the years it developed a more Disney flavor. I think the same could be said for the studios. I think EE will bring a lot more people to the park. BTW the animal walk throughs at AK are really well done and worth the time to take a look.

 

[MonkeyPants]

I think many people are not reading what I am saying, my comments on the UN-disney feel are for that one particular area only, it feels out of place with what I saw of the rest of the park, and the WDW experience in general

 

[jann1033]

I think many people are not reading what I am saying, my comments on the UN-disney feel are for that one particular area only, it feels out of place with what I saw of the rest of the park, and the WDW experience in general

yeah i for one thought you meant the whole park. sorry! I just reread you op and you said "Park" in one place and think you meant "part" so maybe that and my normal dittziness confused me !

 

[Dizneydaz]

I love AK! I think the Safari ride is one of the best, if not, the best ride in any of the parks. (If you just ignore that whole poacher thing!) I like to ride it a couple of times in a row (get Fastpass before boarding first time and then go right back on). What I find great is it's never the same ride twice. The animals constantly move around. I'll never forget that first time we turned the corner into the savannah and the zebras and giraffes were all right there (we even had to stop to let a giraffe pass by before we could move on) My favorite times are first thing in the a.m. and last ride before closing. My DD6 loves it too! We've stayed at AKL a couple times and it's like being on the ride, all day (without the poachers-LOL!). Very peaceful.

That's what I like about AKL. It's very peaceful. (I agree, I don't care for Dinoland-but my DD loves the Boneyard!). We like to take our time walking around, looking at the sights, the Tree of Life is amazing. I also enjoy the Dinosuar ride and Festival of the Lion King is not to be missed (especially now that it's air conditioned!).

The first time we went on the Maharajah Trek(?) and saw the tigers was a wonderful moment. It hadn't been open long (I think just a few months) and most people hadn't discovered it yet) Now the best time to go is early in the day, or towards the end of the day.

Kail River Rapids is great-especially on a hot day. We rode it last Sept. 3 times in a row with less than 5 min. wait between rides. My DD (5 at the time) loved it! The last trip she took off her poncho to get as wet as she could.

Also, we like to watch the gorillas on Panjari Trail. After exiting Safari ride we enter through the exit for Panjari and go straight to the gorillas. Sometimes we see them, sometimes we don't.

That being said, if you're looking for the thrill type rides (mountains, etc.) then AK won't be a high priority, but if you're looking for a change of pace, AK is it!

Can't wait for Expedition Everest!

33 days and counting!

 

[MonkeyPants]

nah, the rest of the park, that I got a chance to see anyway, is dripping with Disney spirit and the grounds are so lush.

 

[WaltD4Me]

AK isn't my favorite park, but I do enjoy it and even if I didn't, I would go there just for the Festival of the Lion King show! It's my second favorite show at Disney (Wishes being my # 1 favorite)

I know what you mean about Dinoland...I don't like it at all and those costumed dinosaur people they have out give me the creeps, so I just skip the whole area. If I want to go to a roadside carnival, I can go to them at home!

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

Animal Kingdom is my 2nd fav. park. And I'm glad that you felt the Disney feel in the rest of the park, besides Dinoland, because I read it too that you didn't.
I love Animal Kingdom for the same reason the other posters do.. . . it's relaxed, the Disney theming in this park really works it's wonder on you, sometimes it really feels like your in Africa, or Asia, etc. Or at least that's how I feel.

I don't much like Dinoland either though, and spend the least amount of time there. I think I'm one of the few that thinks Dinosaur really sucks. (sorry)
But just realize that the cheesy, run down carnival look is on purpose, although I still don't understand how it "fits" with the rest of the park. I think they would have been better to have a Dinosaur or prehistoric land, but have it be a realistic reproduction of prehistoric landscaping, maybe dinosaur statues and animatronics outside, etc.
While all the rest of the park is "real" and "authentic", etc, the Dinoland part sticks out like a sore thumb to me.
But it's still got Disney theming. It's themed enough that the imagineers did what they set out to do, make you think your at a cheesy carnival.
I can't remember which book it was, the WDW Trivia book or the UG, but one of the books I have says that they get quite a few complaints on the Dinolands theming, including how cheesy it is. And how cheap Disney must be to "slap together" a lame park section like this. And the imagineers response to that is, people must not realize how truly expensive it was to make that section look so "cheap".

Just don't let Dinoland be your decision maker on the park. The REST is definitely worth spending the whole day at the park for. You MUST see the Lion King show!!!!

 

[MonkeyPants]

Just don't let Dinoland be your decision maker on the park. The REST is definitely worth spending the whole day at the park for. You MUST see the Lion King show!!!!

believe me it wont, the relaxed feel is what I am looking for in a vacation. yeah I still enjoy running around and doing all the rides, but my appreciation for all the effort that goes into the experience has risen as I have gotten older.