Animal Kingdom. See the Tree of Life, As soon as you get there Get a fast pass for Expedition Everest it's the best roller coaster in Disney!
The Safari ride is OK, not very exciting, but nice to see all of the animals. The Park is beautiful.

We spent the least amount of time in this park. While it was interesting (some neat rides and beautiful foliage), we kept comparing it to a zoo, in which it can't compare. We didn't explore as many areas as we would have liked, so maybe this plays a factor in our ambivalent feelings towards it.

Rides:

Kilimanjaro Safari:
It was neat to see the animals close up. However, the off road vehicles were rougher than I expected. (a no-brainer, I know) Our Cast Member was very monotone. I think he had to say his lines one too many times already that day. Keep your hands and legs in the ride at all times on this one. It's very bumpy! *Note on children: A two-year-old was violently ill on our jeep. I'm not sure if it was motion sickness, but I probably wouldn't feed your child before taking them on this one.

It's Tough to Be a Bug:
The best part of this show was the 3D glasses. They are in the shape of big round bug eyes. Great photo op. My brother looks like a big goon with those on! However, my overall impression is that while neat, I would be really scared if I were a kid. (This becomes a recurring theme over the course of the trip). The show is very loud, they are some extra "surprises" in your seat, and some nasty smells permeate the room. Thankfully, it is a very short show.

Primeval Whirl:
Located in Dino-Land, this is set up like a carnival ride. It's a very tame roller coaster type ride, which spins in a circle. My brother likened it to a tilter whirl combined with a tame roller coaster. I like spinning rides and was disappointed that it didn't whip around as much.

Restaurants:

Flame Tree Barbeque:
For a Counter Service Meal, we had an outstanding meal. I got 1/4 roasted chicken, corn, and baked beans. My brother opted for the 1/2 slab of ribs with the same sides. My brother loved the food here, because he like the ribs and how they were prepared. The service was exceptionally fast (considering that the lines were very long). The price was reasonable--$7.99 for the chicken and $8.49 for the ribs. The portions were decent, and we left satisfied. Seating is outdoors. Try to find a quite spot and enjoy the view, which is exceptional.

Disney's Animal Kingdom's slogan is "Nahtazu," which I presume is a made-up African-sounding word. Sound the word out, and it's "not-a-zoo," which the Animal Kingdom claims it is (or isn't), but during my time in the park, I kept thinking that a zoo is exactly how I would describe this place.

Before I start describing my visit, I'll tell you that I come from the Bronx, and our zoo is probably one of the best in the world. Therefore, I may be spoiled, and what I consider zoo-like might be much more to others. Also, as the park closed at 5pm (earlier than any of the other parks), we didn't have as much time to explore as we had hoped.

As soon as you enter, you walk past a number of small habitats, each with zoo-like displays discussing the animals in their pens. One of the big attractions is the Kilimanjaro Safari, which my friends and I considered a disappointment. My friends felt cheated 'cause they expected to see herds of animals instead of a handful of each species. I was put out because they made the ride a little too Disney: a shaking bridge, fake radio transmissions, a race to stop poachers. The exit of the Safari ride lets you off on the Exploration Trail, which had some cool (still zoo-like) exhibits. For instance, the hippo pool was fun, with the window looking in the habitat both above and below weather.

Rafiki's Planet Watch was also a letdown. I felt I was behind the scenes at a zoo instead of in a place where I was learning about saving the planet.

Camp Minnie-Mickey was more amusement-based. There are character meeting areas here, and they even had Koda and Kenai from the brand-new "Brother Bear" movie here already. At one point, a guy with a guitar was singing childhood animal favorites, and he was very entertaining. This area is also where you find two stage shows. One of them, "The Festival of the Lion King," was really good. All the songs from the movie were performed, along with exciting acrobatics and dancing. The mechanical animation versions of Simba and Pumba are incredible.

The Jungle Jammin' parade combines complex puppets (such as seen in the Lion King Broadway show), music, and numerous Disney characters in a walk around the park.

As I alluded to, this park has short hours. Therefore, my party didn't have time to see much more. One of my friends said she'd seen the "It's Tough to be a Bug" movie in the past and was not impressed. We never made it to Dino-Land, but this is where the zoo-ness wears off and this becomes an amusement park again.

Hopefully Disney continues to work on this park. It's a great concept and can be a good way to teach people about the environment and animals.

It was like briefly being in Africa. The animals are wonderful and the attractions too. You can buy a food pass at the entry gate when purchasing tickets that will save you money in the long run. You know you are going to eat and drink. Can get hot in the Florida sun so bring your sunglasses and a hat. Cool in the morning in December so dress in layers.

Animal Kingdom, WDW's newest park, is perhaps the most magical. Before crowds pack the park, you can almost feel transported to the lands that Animal Kingdom recreates. India, Asia, and Africa are all here. Dino-World, featuring a midway like the best of the Jersey shoretowns, doesn't compare to the realistic grandeur of Africa and Anandapur.

We visited Animal Kingdom on a Tuesday in early February. As it was raining, we made a beeline to Kali River Rapids in Anandapur. There were no lines - if there had been, Disney had planned well with videos to entertain the crowds. We were alone on the ride the first time around, and then we were joined by some British tourists. Kali River Rapids is an exciting water-tubing ride, evoking the river tubing of Laos. After a few waterfalls, you float past a logging camp, reminiscent of the rainforest destruction in Indonesia. The more people on the ride, the wetter you get. On our second, third, and fourth times around, the Brits manipulated the boat to soak their friends. Afterwards, we had to buy new clothing. Disney offers some cool clothes in the Anandapur section. I bought an Animal Kingdom babytee with a Hindu design. The Anandapur section showcases the magnificent tigers, set in a natural setting among foliage and Indian temples.

Later that day, we checked out the Kilimjaro Safari. Although experts say you should only go in the morning, our afternoon trip had plenty of animals. Live animals roam this part of the park while the guests stay within safari jeeps. We saw elephants in the distance, and a pack of rhinos up close. Disney does a great job of recreating a real safari. Later we learned that the animals sleep and feed in an enclosed area among their own kind, to discourage them from reverting to wild ways. For example, you will never see a pack of lions kill a gazelle as all the animals are well fed in their pens overnight. I was disappointed to learn that it was all an illusion.

It's Tough to Be a Bug takes place in the humongous tree at the center of Animal Kingdom. Waiting in line for the show gives visitors a chance to examine the tree up close.  It looks so much like a real tree, but in fact, it is entirely man-made and covered with carvings and designs.  It's Tough to Be a Bug could be called a film, but with 3d glasses and interactive seats, it's more like a live show.  I jumped out of my seat a few times!

Other parts of the park are the Affection Section, a petting zoo, and a train ride to Conservation Station.  You could explore all day on the trails on Discovery Island, or watch the animals on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail or the Maharaja Jungle Trek. The rides play second fiddle to the beautifully-created environment. Small details make the park unique, like the bongo drums on the walk to the Africa.