Make Me Love AK

[THEJOEL]

OK DISers help me out.
We have always thought of AK as a throwaway park. We liked it but we don't love it like that other 3.
On our next trip, in 2016, we want to dedicate some time to AK since the kiddo will be tall enough to ride everything.
Share your love of AK with us and why you love it.
Thanks!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

A lot of people complain AK is "less Disney" than the other parks. Honestly, that's one of the things we love about it. We just appreciate it for what it is. And to us, there is nothing else that compares to Kilimanjaro Safari.

 

[SarahKate]

AK is not our favorite park. However, we can't bring ourselves to not go there on every trip. I think an important thing is to try to separate it from the other parks because it's a totally different experience (they all have different experiences but this one is truly apart from the others). It might help to do a little Googling to see the history of the park and all the details and thought that went into its design. For me, that has made me appreciate the park a bit more.

A few trips ago, we tried to take a different approach and go through some of the paths and trails that we normally wouldn't have. I took pics of our daughter in so many different areas that didn't have a Disney feel at all - beautiful greenery, sculptures....

Also, I am guessing your little person will LOVE the safari.

 

[Mhahnster]

I consider it a half day park. Not enough must do activities for us to spend a whole day. If you go early you can switch off to another park in the afternoon.

We go once a year to Disney and have done Ak every other year.

Consider it like visiting the San Diego zoo without the extra travel

 

[SeilerBird]

It's Tough to be a Bug, Expedition Everest, Flights of Wonder, Kali River Rapids, Finding Nemo-The Musical, Primeval Whirl, Festival of the Lion King, Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safari, and the Yak and Yeti restaurant.

With all that you are still not impressed with AK???

 

[skatalite]

The DIS Unplugged did a couple of episodes dedicated to Animal Kingdom, called "Overlooked Animal Kingdom." After watching, my wife and I had a new appreciation for the park, and on our last trip to the World we spent 1.5 days there.

Here are links to the episodes:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MGlBhRFsFg
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBQRxZ-2rww

 

[kathy884]

Hey it's Disney with those friendly CMS greeting you when you come in. The African villages are really authentic my parents say, so if you are like me (someone who will probably never actually take a trip to Africa -- too expensive, too long to get there, too many mosquito risks and I'm a mosquito magnet, and not something on my bucket list even though it sounds cool and so many say it's a must do -- It's just not something I'm going to plan an allocate the money and time for), look at all the details and soak it up. Talk to the staff too, slow down, and take it in, as most in the shops are from African countries and speak so beautifully. The animal exhibits are so well done and you can almost have a CM to yourself if you hang out and ask some questions. Read about the Tree of Life construction and then you just want to go look at it and are more impressed. And OMG go see the Festival of the Lion King (the best show in all of Disney) -- gets me singing and dancing every time. // I like it so much better than Busch Gardens which to me while lovely is a glorified zoo with some coasters thrown in and great if you are already going to be in Tampa, but not really IMHO worth leaving Orlando for when there is so much going on right in Orlando.

All that said, I get to Orlando annually, but only do the AK park as much as I love it every six years or so. The same is true for me, though, for Epcot and Hollywood Studios too. And my next trip will be my first visit to Universal since 1989 and my first visit to IOA ever. The Magic Kingdom and SeaWorld are the parks we tend to revisit the most, even though every single park in Orlando is really well done, world class IMHO.

 

[Delirium]

AK certainly does not have the 'magic' of the MK, but it does have plenty to offer.

It has:

- My Favorite Ride (Safari)
- My Favorite Live Show (Lion King)
- My Favorite Quick Service Meal (Flame Tree BBQ)

Also, don't overlook Flights of Wonder, an underrated show. And, there is a Wilderness Explorer activity that your little one will probably enjoy. Both of mine did last time we went.

 

[BrytEydBelle]

AK became my favorite over a massively crowded spring break trip in 2008. Not as packed with screaming children as MK, I feel like you can really just absorb the atmosphere. I do the trails, the maharaj jungle trek is my favorite and I feel like the shows here are the best. Take time to watch the monkeys in Asia. I am an animal freak, but I would always pick the park for a one day trip.

 

[ToddyLu]

We stay at AKL with our DVC points so obviously we enjoy this park and its vibe. For us it is kinda like your vacation at the beach, but the day you took to shop at the outlet mall. You are still in vacation mode but you have decided to do something fun yet apart from the "typical" experience with sand and water.

The entrance to AK is great...you enter not really being able to see anything but trees and foliage. There is always a breeze at the entrance of AK. Once your in, you begin exploring and the park unfolds rather than meets you head on. The design is fantastic for what it is...a journey to a small African town or a trip through Asia, Tibet, etc. It isn't a park for rushing. It is a park for more of a stroll. Once you have the KS and EE out of the way, you meander over to Nemo or FOTLK. These are great shows with color and fun. You know all the words and there is a comfort watching these I guess because they are inside. Once you have that out o the way you can find various trails and photo spots, animals, interesting cast members and of course Divine. We always have a quest to find her....somehow DH always knows where she is...imagine that.

It feels like a hidden gem to me. It is huge, it takes time to discover it. As many times as I have been it always seems to confuse me and I often loose my sense of direction...but that is good and I think part of the design. It is a park for listening and watching. We also love getting food at RFC...yes it is a bit commercialized but such a fun way to start or end the day. They have great portions on their plates and it is always fun to share and enjoy a rain storm from he bottom of a jungle. If you never try it then you will never know what you have missed-a complete departure from normal "Disney" but done very right.

 

[MichelleVW]

It's pretty much our favorite park!! With that said...I'm ok if other people don't like it as much....less people in my way!

 

[anniemae]

Love the birds of flight, or flight of wonder, whatever it's called its a great show!

Love Dinosaur!

Love Flame Tree BBQ. We make a point to eat here every trip.

Love the train ride to conservation station.

 

[IBLarsen]

I feel the same you do OP. I don't tend to love this park, but I have to say one of the highlights of our trip was the Lion King show. My little kids LOVED it and so did DH and I.
We also enjoyed the Flights of Wonder (the bird show), we happened to pop in to take a seat and have a break, and ended up really enjoying it!
The rides aren't our favorites. We loved the theme of Everest, but I'm a wimp and was a bit too intense for me.
The safari was just ok in my opinion. I know it's like nature and you can't control how many animals you see at any given point. We didn't see much that day. But like a PP mentioned about understanding what went into making this park, we had watched a thing about it on the travel channel, so I found myself paying attention to the detail and was interested in that part of it. It really is very fascinating!
To me it's a half day park.

 

[THEJOEL]

It's Tough to be a Bug, Expedition Everest, Flights of Wonder, Kali River Rapids, Finding Nemo-The Musical, Primeval Whirl, Festival of the Lion King, Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safari, and the Yak and Yeti restaurant.

With all that you are still not impressed with AK???

It's not that we weren't impressed with it. I just feel we must have missed some of the magic.
I know there are tons of people on here that love AK I am just looking for ways to really learn to love it like so many people on here do.

 

[disney world dreamer]

sorry. i have no love for AK.
to me it is a throwaway park.
i only like a few attractions (kilimanjaro safari, dinosaur....ok so only a couple not even a few).
my suggestion is to just go and do what you feel like doing there and then leave and have the rest of the day free to relax.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I think the theming in detail in Africa and Asia are just amazing. They are some of the best themed land in all of WDW.

 

[alicat8]

Festival of the Lion King is my favorite show by far in all of disney. Flights if Wonder is up near the top too (and i kinda hate birds) Like others have said-amazing details in the lands. Everest, the safari, and Dinosaur are awesome. The animal exhibits are really well done. I love the vibe and theming.

 

[kerplop]

If you're a "ride" person, AK is not much more than the Safari, Kali River Rapids, and Expedition Everest. It has good shows, definitely and those can pad the ride experience a little to make it a good half day. If you're a theming or people watching type person, it's a total full day park as there are lots of pretty things to see and scenery to enjoy. It's really about what kind of person you are in the parks that can make it or unmake it for you.

 

[cmartin33]

I have not found there is much to do there. I am only planning a half day since we have never been there. I think the safari will be fun, but that is really all I am looking forward too besides TH.

 

[glohoffman]

I guess if you want to stay busy nonstop, constantly running from ride to ride or attraction to attraction, you won't love this park. But for my family, it was a way to do Disney in slow motion and still appreciate the amazing Disney details. I mean the tree of life alone is awesome...if you take the time to appreciate it. My family loves nature and wildlife. .so we of course loved animal kingdom...and we like that we only need to go there one day to feel we accomplished everything we wanted to. That's a nice feeling. But with all that said...some people just may not feel that way about it...and that's ok! My family dislikes Hollywood Studios and will be skipping it next trip...we just find it boring. And that's ok! That's why Disney has all the different parks....something for everyone!