Animal Kingdom has always been my last stop when I go to Disney World. If I run out of time and I have to cut something, I am always willing to cut this park. That's not to say it's not a worthwhile experience, it just doesn't compare to the other Disney or Universal parks for me. It hasn't always felt unfinished to me. You can do every attraction at this park and finish easily before the end of the day. There are not enough rides, restaurants, or fireworks to last the entire day. Its large size and the amount of outdoor walking and attractions can also make you miserable in the Florida heat. Nevertheless, there are a few great attractions and shows that should not be missed.

Animal Kingdom generally opens earlier then all of the other parks. The animals can be seen best in the morning, the lines are not long, and the heat is not unbearable. Be sure to arrive at the park early and be waiting in line for its opening! Once in, a lot of people will tell you to head straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris. I disagree with that advice. Kilimanjaro Safaris is a 30-40 minute ride. In the time it takes you to ride this one ride you could have visited three or four attractions with no wait at all. Go first to Asia and ride the new coaster Expedition Everest. This is a yeti-themed coaster that goes both forward and backward and offers the most intense ride experience in Animal Kingdom. Next, hit Dinosaur in Dinoland USA. This is a dark, bumpy ride that may be a little too intense for young children.

After that, catch either the Festival of the Lion King or the Finding Nemo stage show. Both shows fill up fast so arrive early and try to go to the first show of the day. Pick up a Fastpass for Kilimanjaro Safaris or Kali River Rapids before you go to the show. That way, by the time you get out, it will be nearly time for your Fastpass appointment. The Finding Nemo show is excellent and is my favorite Disney show from any of the parks. The theater is also indoors which is very nice. Be sure to catch it.

Then, catch Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, and the 3-D It's Tough to Be a Bug show. That's basically it for all of the attractions. Sometimes I leave after that. If you have more time and really are an animal fan, there are trails like the Pangani Trail and the Maharajah Trek. You can always stay around for the afternoon parade or have lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants, but I never do. Since we finish the park so early, we always use the evening to hang out at our hotel or go to Downtown Disney. I think as Disney continues adding attractions and possibly a new themed land to the park, it will increase Animal Kingdom's appeal and the amount of time guests spend there. However, until then, I am happy visiting it only as a side attraction and getting my real thrills from somewhere else.

I stood inside Animal Kingdom with my sights set on Expedition Everest. My grandmother, prior to entering the park got me a pin that stated my name and that it was my birthday on it. She watched in delight as every cast member wished me a happy birthday, but I wasn't listening. I was focused on my roller coaster. The events of the day started with Mickey, Goofy, and Donald on a safari truck reminding everyone to wear sun block, and then Mickey appearing below the Tree of Life to start the day. People rushed the park, but to keep everyone safe two cast members walked with a rope in front of us to slow our pace. Closer to Everest all bets were off. My grandfather grabbed my hand, we lost my grandmother and ran to the line forming at Everest. The best part about having your birthday at the park is the perks. One of the cast members saw my birthday pin, and helped us through the line and gave me the choice of where I wanted to sit. My grandfather and I looked at each other and exclaimed "the front!!!" We got into the cars that look like a rickety old train and took off up Everest. The train twists and turns through the mountain until it reaches the end of the track that has been mysteriously torn up. Sitting in the front it seems like the train wont stop in time, but all is good and we just make it. The train sits there for a couple of seconds giving a great view of EPCOT and MGM, before it takes off backwards where the Yeti is waiting and tearing up more of the track just before the plummet off the mountain. Expedition Everest is my favorite Disney ride of all time.

The birthday pin is free and is given out throughout the park if you let a cast member know that it is your birthday. Everyone who sees it shouts out Happy Birthday as you pass and even gets you special treatment on some rides (ex they don't take your fastpass so you can use it again or you get to choose where you want to sit).

The rest of the day was just as exciting. On the safari I was also given a choice each time where I wanted to sit. My grandmother took full advantage of my birthday pin making sure it was in full view everywhere I went. My choice was to sit in the back of the car on the safari. The main reason was for photo purposes. I could easily turn around and get shots of animals as our truck drove away from them. The safari is great and best enjoyed in the early morning and evening when the animals are out and the most active. The grounds are set up so it actually feels like a safari in the African Serengeti taking great pain to hide fences and other barriers.

The highlight of the day was the parade. We sat along the parade route on one of the benches. As everyone passed they shouted "Happy Birthday Samantha" and the characters even came over and gave me a huge, which was something that they only usually do for small kids. My grandmother was dieing at this point with excitement. If someone passed and didn't say something she would check to make sure that my pin was properly displayed. Her biggest delight came from the person sitting next to her who couldn't understand how everyone knew my name and kept looking over every time some one greeted me or came up for a hug. When the parade was over my grandmother proudly exclaimed to all of us that the women next to me thought I was an American celebrity that she didn't recognize since she was on vacation from London. She was so delighted by this that she still talks about it to this day.

Disney really goes the distance to make sure that all of their guests have a really great time, but truly out does themselves when it comes to birthdays!

"Sharks: [reciting] I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food."--From the movie Finding Nemo

Set in a lush landscape and a promise of exciting, close encounters of wild animals, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is turning ten years old! The park has a tropical oasis, a 14-story tree, an African village, ruins of Indian temples, and even a playground for young children to dig up dinosaur bones in the Boneyard and ride the rides adjacent to the Boneyard. The best time to go is early in the morning, or at noon.

The Oasis is a tropical lush island where you’ll find South American macaws, wallabies, tiny deer, anteaters, otters, and even a rhinoceros iguana perched on a rock, bathing in the sunlight. Discovery Island is beyond the Oasis where you’ll find the Tree of Life, the symbol of nature connected to the earth. Disney Outfitters has a totem-pole that is a must-see as well as the many souvenirs from glass figurines to t-shirts.

An African village is what you’ll see past the Tree of Life. Sounds of drums can be heard upon entering the run-down village with uneven cobblestone. Traditional African dancers will perform throughout the day. Two must-sees of Africa are the Kilimanjaro Safaris and the Pangani Forest Exploration Trails. You’ll see Nile crocodiles, hippos, gorillas, cheetahs, giraffes, and elephants.

Between Africa and Asia, pay careful attention to the trees. An acrobat wearing stilts, dressed as a tree, is hidden among the bamboo trees. She dances and performs her acrobat tricks. Asia has the Kali River Rapids (a water ride), Maharajah Jungle Trek, and Expedition Everest. The Maharajah Jungle Trek has Bengal tigers and fruit bats. Finally, Expedition Everest is Animal Kingdom’s first major roller coaster.

Dino-Land USA is where kids can ride the rides and go explore the sand areas to find fossils. The show Finding Nemo can be seen in a building near here.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is their newest one. The center image of the park is the Tree of Life, which has many animals carved into its trunk. This park was pretty crowded when we visited. I have heard that it often seems that way because the walkways are much smaller than in the other parks. We also visited on a Saturday, and I understand that the weekends are usually busier. This park has a lot of very beautiful areas with lush green foliage. I wish we had had more time so that we could have explored more.

Most people would not call Disney’s Animal Kingdom their favorite park, but it still has a lot to offer, especially now that they have Disney’s newest roller coaster. Expedition Everest was one of our favorite rides at Disney World. If we didn’t have other things we wanted to try, we would have ridden this ride over and over again all day long. The Disney imagineers, as usual, went to great lengths to accurately portray an out of control train trip up (and down) Mount Everest. This ride was a complete thrill, and that is why it was our favorite part of this park.

Here are some other things we enjoyed:

Primeval Whirl – Some people call this the Primeval "Hurl", and there is good reason for that. I think of this ride as 5 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.

Dinosaur – This ride sends you back in time to the time of the dinosaurs, and you have to complete your mission and get back before the meteor hits the earth. Please don’t let your children ride this if they frighten easily.

Maharajah Jungle Trek – This is a walkthrough with some interesting animals to see. I loved the tigers. They also have a bird sanctuary.

It’s Tough to Be a Bug – This is a very cute 3-D show featuring the characters from "A Bug’s Life". I have heard that it can be frightening to children.

Kilimanjaro Safari – This is like a safari trip in Africa. They say that no two rides are the same, because you never know which animals will be out. Don’t plan to take a lot of pictures, because the truck never stops and it is very bumpy.

Festival of the Lion King – This is a remarkable Broadway type show. The music and dancing is spectacular. It is also very vibrant and colorful.

Flights of Wonder – I wasn’t excited about seeing this bird show, but my husband wanted to check it out. I have to say that I am glad we did. I loved it! I encourage you to check it out.

The Oasis – We walked through here on our way out. It is very beautiful.

These were all the things we had time for, but if you would like more information on this park, I encourage you to visit www.disneyworld.com. You can also call (407) WDISNEY to book a trip.

I went to Animal Kingdom in Disney World. It was a very nice looking place but if you are into rides, don't go. It had very few rides and the lines were long. Go to Islands of Adventure instead, they have a lot of great rides.