Why do you love Animal Kingdom?

[3Mousketeers]

Inspired by the "Am I the only one who doesn't like Animal Kingdom" thread, I'm in the mood for some positive thinking. Looking forward to our 2/2005 trip to AKL, my family loves AK and would love to hear what you LOVE about the park. Favorite attractions? Any little known facts you'd like to share?

 

[monarchsfan16]

I love AK because I love being able to see so many animals that certainly are not found here at home. I know that you can see a lot of the same kind of animals at zoos, but we don't have those at home either. I love the safari ride, and the Maharajah Jungle trail. AK isn't my favorite park, probably second favorite. But I definitely still love it.

 

[Mymatisse]

I love Animal Kingdom not really for the rides because there aren't too many of those but just because it's so visually stimulating. There is so much to take in and look at it's just a nice place to be. I also love the safari in the morning. The animals are really awesome to see so close up.

 

[cdntourguide]

Animal Kingdom has become my favourite park at WDW. It seems so alive everytime I walk down those cobbled streets.
Other than the Tarzan show, I enjoy every thing about this park. Dinosaur is an amazing thrill ride, The K.Safari is my all time favourite: I can get on and off this particular experience all day long with the knowledge that everytime I ride that I will see something completely different.
The food service at Flame Tree and Tusker House are IMHO the best of any counter services at any of the WDW parks. Plus the added incentive of purchasing the Meal Certificates and saving additional funds is the best idea of any Imagineer.
The small interaction kiosks where you can touch and feel the shells of animals, the boxes of spiders and other insects you meet as you enter the park: everything just assaults my imagination bringing a thrill and joy that is not always present at the other parks.
I read the threads about people who think that this is a half day park: I can go to the Animal Kingdom three days in a row, from opening minute until I am last out to leave the park and still not see and enjoy everything that is available.
Additionally, IMO the CM's here are the friendlist and most interactive of all.

In just a few days I am off to my first visit to the AKL also, hope to see you there.

 

[LLagow]

AK is my DH's favorite park (I'm partial to MK, but AK is a close second). He loves it because it is just so different from anything else. We have two small kids (4yr old b/g twins) so of course they love the animals- and we all like that you can kind of get away from the crowds several places. We always take the train out to the conservation station (my dd has a fit if we don't go brush the goats). We also love the walk thru trail in Asia to see the tigers. We also love the dino dig in the boneyard. The lion king show is on our must see list everytime we to to DW- we think it is the best show in the park!
LLagow

 

[magicmouse2]

I love plants and animals I love walking through the jungle trail. I also like to step in time to the back ground music I like the Crocs, Meerkats, tigers and gorillas.

 

[PrincessCandaceMarie]

I love the Jungle Trek, the Safari, the wandering around, the friendly CM who always say Majambo (SP??) to me....the great food, the amazing shows, the great rides....and RFC!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I love the many opportunities to slow down and "smell the roses" (although there aren't any roses-you know what I mean). Disney's attention to small details in this park amazes me. The beauty of the nature-all the vegetation, all the little spots to just sit. And I could just spend hours looking at the birds and animals on Pangani Forest Trail. I could spend all day at AK, never go on a ride, and have a wonderful time. That's what I did last trip and I came out of that park with as much energy, if not more, than I did going in.

 

[F1Julie]

I am a big fan of AK. I simply have to see Tarzan every trip. DD4 and also love the safari and Lion King. My only complaint about AK is the lack of restaurants. Other than that, I think it's great.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I like seeing animals that aren't in cages. I won't even go to a zoo anymore.

Primevil Whirl is awesome.

There are places in the park that don't seem like a themepark.

 

[angel's momma]

I read the threads about people who think that this is a half day park: I can go to the Animal Kingdom three days in a row, from opening minute until I am last out to leave the park and still not see and enjoy everything that is available.

After reading so many posts about people only spending 1/2 a day at AK, I figured we would have plenty of time because we were going on EMH and spending the whole day there. We went back 2 days later for 4 more hours, and we still didn't get to do everything we would have liked to, including Kali River Rapids, FoW, Tarzan, some of the Discovery Island trails, and exploring the Conservation Station more. One reason we went back is so DD could finish getting her Kid Club stamps, which she really enjoyed. I was surprised that many times DD would be the only child doing the activity. Like cdntourguide said, the CMs at these areas were fantastic. The Christmas version of the AK parade was our favorite out of all the parades we saw.

the boxes of spiders and other insects you meet as you enter the park

cdntourguide, where is that?

 

[Taratink]

I thought the AK was nice but not outstanding. There were a few things that we loved about it. My husband enjoyed the dinosaur ride and I absolutely loved the Lion King show. The Lion king show its self was worth the price of admision. I expected it to be more like a zoo and I felt like we wasted a lot of time getting to the petting zoo. I also enjoyed the street entertainment. Since our kids were quite young when we went we missed out on a lot of things. We liked the Ak but it is not a must do for every trip. I am a MK nut.
Tara

 

[Aspen]

We really enjoy AK! We like how calm it is there. Slow paced, layed back! The animals are amazing! It's great to see them not behind bars. We've talked to some of the animal trainers (not sure what their official name is) and they are so friendly! This one lady talked to us for a long time about a parrot. She was patient when my son asked her a bazillion questions! The jungle trek is so nice to walk through! My kids like getting all the stamps in their book and interacting with the cast members. The shows are nice and the food is usually really good. We usually spend a day and a half at AK. Our whole family loves it there!

I forgot to add that my youngest son loves the petting zoo part. haha! Even when a goat almost pooped on his foot! My oldest likes to go in the building and watch the cast members prepare the meals for the animals. They have a "cookbook" that tells them what to add! It's really neat!

 

[sters]

I am a big fan of AK. I simply have to see Tarzan every trip. DD4 and also love the safari and Lion King. My only complaint about AK is the lack of restaurants. Other than that, I think it's great.

I completely agree! I can't miss Tarzan and I also liked The Festival of the Lion King, two of the best live shows on Disney property! We never miss the safari ride and, bar none, the river rapid ride was a family favorite, even for my scardey cat child. The kids are wild, pardon the pun, about the Boneyard... I just wish they could find a way to keep it open during the rain so that there is some place dry to go with the little kids when it rains. Like the above post, my major complaint with the AK is the lack of sit down restaurants. Having said that, the Pizzafari is so colorful and interesting inside it almost made standing in line worth it.

 

[karemore]

We love the Animal Kingdom.

I can never understand why people rush through the park like they just want to get it over with so they can go on to another park!

Even with Fastpass there isn't time to go on all the attractions, enjoy the animals and entertainment, shop, and eat without spending the whole day there.

The Lion King show is fantastic. The safari is so much fun. Dinasaur is one of my favorite rides in all the parks. I love wandering through the trails and paths and seeing the birds, and the animals. I love the shops.

The street performers are great and you never know when you are going to stumble across them.

It's not the same as the other parks, but that's the beauty of it for us.

Karen

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Inspired by the "Am I the only one who doesn't like Animal Kingdom" thread, I'm in the mood for some positive thinking. Looking forward to our 2/2005 trip to AKL, my family loves AK and would love to hear what you LOVE about the park. Favorite attractions? Any little known facts you'd like to share?

Thank god!! I was beginning to wonder with all of the recent threads Like "Am I the only one who doesn't like Animal Kingdom?", "what's your least favorite ride?", "isn't the coffee terrible?", "isn't illuminations dull?" and so on, that I was going to start one that read "Honestly, Doesn't Walt Disney World Blow?!?"
Thank you for a positive change.
AK is neck and neck with Epcot as my favorite park. I just love the ambiance of the park. I don't even need to do any of the rides. The walking trails and architectures are just amazing. I also think that from an educational and pro-conservation standpoint, it can't be beat!

 

[Leota]

I agree, the ambiance of AK is so completely immersive. I'm awed by it every time I enter the Park.

Our first trip into AK, I wasn't sure - but it really grew on us. I'm looking forward to our upcoming trip to AKL & spending alot of time exploring & enjoying AK more than we ever have before.

 

[3Mousketeers]

OMG Laugh O. Grams, you really made me laugh!!! I needed that!
I know this Board is all about sharing positive & not so positive opinions & advice but seemed to me like a trend toward the no so positive lately. Not to get off topic but there was one thread called something like "Things I hate at WDW" and it was chock full of people yelling at each other about strollers knocking into people. Definitely had some valid points on each side but I was in actual pain reading it.
I just hope you didn't give someone an idea for a new thread. Or I might have to ....

Back to topic - I don't view AK as my favorite park because its really so different than the others. I am as big a MK fan as the next person so I just don't compare them. The day (or so) we spend at AK is just always wonderful. It is the perfect mix of a few rides for the kids & the ambiance for us. I love that the kids learn something new & special every time from the very knowledgeable CMs. I love that the kids think the Tree of Life is real. I love the KS (even when we only see a couple animals). I love the Lion King Show and the look of awe on the faces of my kids. I love sitting back and watching the kids play in the dig site. I love that we are going back soon!

 

[angel*lady]

Count me in with the folks that love AK! I love everything about it from the gorgeous landscaping, incredible animals, super shows, awesome CMs, and especially the Dinosaur ride and Primevil Whirl! Whenever we go for a few days I like to have AK be my 2nd day. It is a more relaxed pace to me. Everytime I bring someone to AK for the first time they are always pleasantly surprised. I must say that I do try to avoid it in the really hot summer months. It can get really humid there then.

 

[angel*lady]

I love the KS (even when we only see a couple animals).

I found out after several visits to the AK that the best time to see the most animals on KS is first thing in the morning. The last time we were there we did that and oh my gosh - it was awesome! Animals EVERYWHERE! We even had to stop in the road when a giraffe came right up to us! We got wonderful photos. Anyway, just wanted to pass that little tidbit on.