Disney's Animal Kingdom Reviews (Orlando, Florida)

Animal Kingdom Excitment

by CarolinaPanthers1983

Jacksonville, North Carolina

March 7, 2013

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Animal Kingdom is a wonderful place to visit and see animals. The set up designed wonderfully, so anyone can see the many varieties of animals. I thought that the best time to go animal watching was at night. My family and I went during Christmas ...Read more

From journal Christmas/New Years Vacation: Part Two

Asia

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 29, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo This was probably my favourite area of the park because it combined the animal trails with a number of quite fun rides. When we first got there, we wandered around the Maharajah Trail which was worth going to because you can see the park’s resident ...Read more This was probably my favourite area of the park because it combined the animal trails with a number of quite fun rides. When we first got there, we wandered around the Maharajah Trail which was worth going to because you can see the park’s resident tigers in their huge enclosure. There are glass covered viewing areas so when the tigers walk past you are really close. There is also an aviary that you can walk through and see the birds flying freely. You can also see the surprisingly ugly Komodo Dragons and there is a fruit bat cave that is full of huge bats – I had no idea they got this big to be honest! Don’t worry though they are surrounded by thin nets so they can’t get you!

There are two rides in this part and both of them are quite good and worth going on. The Kali River Rapids have a minimum 38 inch height restriction and basically involve you going ‘white water rafting in the Chakranadi River’. You will get absolutely soaked though it is fun – we actually had ponchos which came in very handed because they stopped us getting as soaked as the other people in our eight man raft.

The second ride Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, which is a roller coaster housed in a splendid reconstruction of Mount Everest. It is a lot of fun – not a mega thrill-seekers ride because there are no loops or anything like that, but it goes backwards and forwards and very quickly, plus there are a couple of big dips. If you dare to open your eyes at the top of ‘Everest’, you’ll get really good views not only of Animal Kingdom – but of the other Disney parks in the distance, so you can spot Cinderella’s Castle and the Epcot ball in the distance. There is a height requirement of 44 inches, but I’d say that younger kids would probably like this one if they have a dare devil streak in them.

There are a few themed dining options in this zone and they suit most budgets. You can get a snack from the various stalls or you can sit down and enjoy Pan Asian food in either the Yak and Yeti Restaurant or, slightly cheaper, Yak and Yeti Café. WE didn’t have time to stop for a sit down meal, but if we’d had the time, we’d have probably stopped here because it looked pretty good and smelled lovely.
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From journal Disney's Animal Kingdom

Other Information

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 29, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo The park is open at different times depending on the season, but it tends to be around the 9am to 7pm mark. Some rides open later than others, but you get a schedule with your entry ticket that tells you if there are any rides that open later, close ...Read more The park is open at different times depending on the season, but it tends to be around the 9am to 7pm mark. Some rides open later than others, but you get a schedule with your entry ticket that tells you if there are any rides that open later, close early or not open at all and these are updated daily. It is worth picking up a map as well because between the two things, you’ll have all the information you need to plan your day properly, including show times and characters meet and greets.

It is hard to pinpoint how much a ticket for the park is, but we paid £100 per person for a day ticket that allowed us unlimited access to all four of the Walt Disney World parks (Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot). It isn’t cheap, but you do get a lot for your money. We found that a day was enough for us to have a look round all the parks and go on the rides that we wanted to, but we went in October when it was relatively quiet and there were lots of things that we weren’t bothered about spending a lot of time on. The daily price for entry goes down the more days you visit and if you buy a two week pass, it can be as little as £15 per day for an adult, with slight reductions for children. It generally is much cheaper to buy a ticket for your stay in advance from one of the many hundreds of ticket vendors on the internet.

The park operates a Fast Pass system, which is a free system where you can go to the most popular rides and pick up a ticket with a time slot on for when you should return to the ride and go to the front of the queue. It is a good idea especially in summer when the park gets very busy, but bear in mind that time slot you get can even be a few hours later so it may mess up your planning!

There are lots of hand sanitiser machines around the park, especially where the animals are, so it is easy to keep clean.

Parking for the park is $14 per day and this allows you access to any of the parks’ car parks during the day, you just have to show your receipt as you enter. The car parks are all names after animals that you find in the Animal Kingdom, so it is easy to remember where you are parked. It only takes about ten minutes to walk to the park entrance from the car park, but there is a little train that travels between the two regularly throughout the day and is free to use if you can’t manage the walk.

They have a complimentary package delivery service where you can buy anything from any of the shops throughout the park and then pick them up at the collection point by the entrance. You have to leave it at least three hours but it is quite handy if you see something in a certain place and you don’t want to have to carry it around with you all day.

If there is anything else you need to know, you can visit www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
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From journal Disney's Animal Kingdom

DinoLand USA

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 29, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo This is the final zone you get to if you walk in a clockwise direction around the park and is dedicated, as you can imagine, to all things dinosaur related. The whole area has a bit of a carnival fair feel to it, which I thought was bit strange ...Read more This is the final zone you get to if you walk in a clockwise direction around the park and is dedicated, as you can imagine, to all things dinosaur related. The whole area has a bit of a carnival fair feel to it, which I thought was bit strange considering the theme, but it did mean it felt quite fun.

This zone is suitable for children because there are lots of things that they will have fun exploring, such as The Boneyard, which is a maze type thing that they can run around and explore. There is also a Finding Nemo show, which is a musical show that combines puppetry and live action. It is only on a certain times during the day, so it is worth having a look at the timetable you get with your ticket to plan your visit. Finally for youngsters, there are the Fossil Fun Games, which are carnival type games like hook a duck where you can win Disney themed soft toys – these cost about $3 each though so not good if you are on a budget.

For thrill seekers, there are a couple of rides, although they aren’t massively exciting – more like the tame Disney version of thrill seeking! First of all, there is the Primeval Whirl, which is a spinning roller coaster that has a minimum height restriction of 48 inches. To be honest, I didn’t like this one – it made me feel a bit queasy spinning around and going up and down at the same time – plus it felt like I was going to get whiplash at one point! The other ride is DINOSAUR, which is quite good if a little cheesy. There is a minimum height requirement of 40 inches and it is very loud and dark in places so it is probably a little too frightening for younger visitors. The ride is a sort of simulator thing, but the car you are in moves around a track. It is very hard to explain, but it is quite fun – but like I said before, a little cheesy and tame.

There are again a few themed restaurants in this area where you can grab huge portions of basic food like burgers, hot dogs, fries and turkey legs from places like ‘Restaurantosaurus’ and ‘Dino-Diner’! Very clever indeed.

The last thing I will say about this place is that you should look out for the meet and greet area tucked away at the side of one of the shops, because this is where you can meet Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore. They are here all day (although they take ten minute breaks now and then) and there is often a queue to see them, but they seemed to spend a good while with each child, so it is worth the wait if your kids are fans.
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From journal Disney's Animal Kingdom

Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa and Rafiki’s Planet Watch

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 29, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo These three areas are much more about learning about and seeing animals than any kind of rides per say, but that’s not to say you can’t have a lot of fun here all the same.At Camp Minnie-Mickey, you enjoy the Festival of the Lion King show, which ...Read more These three areas are much more about learning about and seeing animals than any kind of rides per say, but that’s not to say you can’t have a lot of fun here all the same.

At Camp Minnie-Mickey, you enjoy the Festival of the Lion King show, which kids will absolutely love because it features all of the main characters. It is full of singing and dancing and includes lots of popular songs from the film. It lasts about half an hour I would say so is good for a nice sit down to recharge the batteries and even have something to eat. You can also meet mickey and Minnie themselves outside, although expect queues even at quiet times. There are plenty of places nearby to pick up an autograph book as well!

The Africa zone features more places to see wild animals and is worth a visit if this is your thing. We didn’t actually go on either of the trails because it was raining by the time we got to this point and we thought the animals might be hiding away. There are two options here; the first is a walking trail and the second involves getting on an open air safari vehicle. On the walking trail you can expect to see plenty of exotic fish and birds as well as a troupe of gorillas. There is also a hippo viewing area. On the safari trail you’ll see the big hitters like elephants, lions and giraffes all roaming freely. There are a couple of actual restaurants in this area both of which are all you can eat buffets and one of which is hosted by Donald Duck and his pals.

You can get an express train between Africa and Rafiki’s Planet Watch. The trains leave every five to seven minutes and it is worth doing this because the area is tucked away right at the back of the park. Here you’ll find Conservation Station which is a neat little place filled with hands on interactive activities that teach whilst you play. It is a fun way of learning about the natural habitats of the animals and how they are cared for. There is also another walking trail where you can see tamarins in their play area. Finally in this area there is a petting yard which includes a rather random selection of rare but domesticated animals from around the world that you can play with.
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From journal Disney's Animal Kingdom

Oasis and Discovery Island

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 29, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo As you enter the park, the first place you come to is Oasis which is basically the habitats of various animals. The area is laid out kind of like a rainforest; in fact there is a Rainforest Café here if you are already hungry! The paths are all ...Read more

From journal Disney's Animal Kingdom

A Disney Zoo!

by RLB2

Scarborough, England, United Kingdom

November 17, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo The Animal Kingdom is the latest of all the Disney parks. We visited it when it first opened and to be honest didn't think that it was as good as the other three. However, a subsequent visit 4 years later showed that sometimes things just need to ...Read more The Animal Kingdom is the latest of all the Disney parks. We visited it when it first opened and to be honest didn't think that it was as good as the other three. However, a subsequent visit 4 years later showed that sometimes things just need to mature and settle in, because it was as good if not better than the other parks.

There is a different feel about this park, because they have live animals on show, rather than lots of rides, so depending on your viewpoint about animals in captivity, you'll either love or hate it. Personally I see a use for zoos and safari parks in educating average joe about the plight of some of the world's most endangered animals. I also see the need to maintain specimens from populations that are under threat in the wild with breeding programs and so I am happy to visit these sort of places if I know that the animals have the best possible care and are given plenty of room to live as normal a life as possible in captivity. Disney has in my opinion managed to acheive this and there is heavy focus on research, education and conservation within the park. You should learn something from a visit here and your kids will too, in a context that they might just remember.

If you want to see the animals when visiting the park, the trick is to arrive early because a lot of the animals get slow and lethargic as the temperature rises and often will be no-where to be seen in the middle of the day. My first stop would be the Kilimanjaro Safaris, which is a mock up of a safari in Africa. Do this first thing and you have the best chance of seeing all the animals, from Hippos and Nile Crocs to Rhinos, Elephants and Giraffes. Obviously no two safaris are the same because the animals are free (ish) to roam about their safari style enclosure. From here, and given that this will probably be at 7am, I would stop and have breakfast or a big coffee in the Africa area (where the safari is set). After this refuel I would head onto the Pangani Forest Experience, which takes you through enclosures that contain all sorts of amazing birds, a whole troop of gorillas and an underwater hippo viewing area. You might even see the meerkats when you're here.

From there I would head to the Asia section and try and get a glmpse of the amazing tigers in the Maharajah Jungle Trek, you'll also probably be lucky enough to see a komodo dragon. After all of those animals I usually fancy a bit of action and adventure, so I would head straight over to the Kali River Rapids (in Asia) and then if the line isn't too long onto the Everest Expedition, a crazy rollercoaster searching for yetis in the Himalayas. By this point it should be around lunchtime and so given my stupid pale skin I tend to want to be out of the sun, the Flights of Wonder birds of prey show is a great way to do this and get a chance to see some amazing raptors.

Following the staying out of the sun theme I would head to the centre of the park and the Tree of Life. Inside here there is not only plenty of shade, but the 'It's Tough to Be a Bug' 3D show based on characters from It's A Bugs Life. After that if you fancy more animals it would be on to the Discovery Island Trails that specalise in animals from the Galapagos. If it's conservation that you're interested in then you can't miss Rafiki's Planet Watch, take the train from Africa up to the conservatio station and educate yourself as well as visiting the petting station, a must if you have little ones!

If there is time, I would then head to the DinoLand USA section of the park, where you can watch Finding Nemo the Musical (epically good fun!), head out on another rollercoaster (the Primeval Whirl), save the last dinosaur or if you have kids have a play in the Boneyard.

To round off my perfect day here I would have to visit the Festival of the Lion King, for a truly magical, interactive festival of music from the Lion King, suitable for all of the family. After all that you'll be ready for an early night, so it's a good job that the park closes at around 6pm.

I have to say of all the Disney themeparks this one is probably the best suited for small children, what with the animals and the outdoor play areas they really can be amused all day long. Having said that we have had a great time here the 3 times we have visited and seeing the animals adds a different aspect to the usual Disney magic. Close

From journal My Favourite Place in the whole world (so far!)

Disney's Animal Kingdom Tips

by Amber Autumn

Chalmette, Louisiana

June 10, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo If you're heading out to this park, be sure to bring some water and snacks with you so you won't get dehydrated. Although there are many trees and shady areas in the park, you'll more than likely be out in the sun most of the time. Here's some ...Read more

If you're heading out to this park, be sure to bring some water and snacks with you so you won't get dehydrated. Although there are many trees and shady areas in the park, you'll more than likely be out in the sun most of the time. Here's some things you shouldn't miss out on:

The Tree of Life is an impressive sight, but don't forget you can go underneath and around it. "It's Tough to Be a Bug" is a great show where you become "honorary bugs" and see a show. Yet, for those with small children, this ride might be a bit scary. It takes place in the dark, has water and stink bug scents squirt out at you, and then has a special surprise at the end for those seated. Before getting to this attraction, there's avenues of tree bark that is cleverly crafted into different animals like an ostrich, beetle, and so much more.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris and Pangani Forest Exploration Trails are popular in Africa. The Safaris take you in an open car to see some of the many animals and terrain (which is also used for Rafiki's Planet Watch) found in the grasslands of Africa. Be sure to use your FastPasses here if you can. Also, while waiting for the safari, you'll learn how to say words in Swahili. And learn that "lion" in Swahili means "Simba". Coincidence that Simba is the name of a lion in "The Lion King"? Maybe not. The Pangani Forest Trails are great for exercise and shady areas. The diverse animals here are monkeys, fruit bats, and an underwater hippo viewing area.

The Animal Kingdom has several shows like "Finding Nemo: The Musical", "The Lion King", "Flights of Wonder", and the Mickey's Jammin' Junge Parade.

If you're over sixteen, check out the Animal Kingdom's specialty tours such as Wild By Design (The Birnbaum Guide to WDW has coupons for this) and the Wild Africa Trek. The Wild By Design tells you about the legends, stories, and artwork while the Wild Africa Trek gets you into some great locations that normal riders can't go. Call (407) WDW-8687 for more information.

This park has an excellent blend of rides for everyone. Younger children will love the Dinoland USA, which features carnival rides and archeaological dig sites. Older children to teens will adore Dinosaur: The Ride, which is a time trip to find Alaadar, the dinosaur, before the asteroids demolish the planet. Kids-at-heart adults will love Expedition Everest, the Kali River Rapids, and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Children would also love to eat at Restaurantosaurus, an eatery across from Dinosaur: The Ride, where children's meals (like the hot dogs) comes in a beach pail and shovel. It makes a great souvenir, and can also be used for the beaches and archeaological digs. Close

From journal Having A Magical Time in Orlando

Go Wild at the Animal Kingdom

by Amber Autumn

Chalmette, Louisiana

June 10, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo After three years, the Animal Kingdom has added some new features and rides to their park. Since this is the largest park, it also closes closes early at night so you'll have to pay attention to closing hours. My friend and I did everything in ...Read more

From journal Having A Magical Time in Orlando

unique

by hcoole01

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

August 25, 2010

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This is an intesting hotel, but not my favorite of the Disney properties. It is very very big and always feels a bit crowded. It didn't feel cozy to me at all. That said, my kids loved the zero entry pool and looking at the animals with night ...Read more

IgoUgo

Disney's Animal Kingdom

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User Reviews

Animal Kingdom Excitment

Asia

Other Information

DinoLand USA

Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa and Rafiki’s Planet Watch

Oasis and Discovery Island

A Disney Zoo!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Tips

Go Wild at the Animal Kingdom

unique

Disney's Animal Kingdom

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Avg. User Rating:

User Reviews

Animal Kingdom Excitment

Asia

Other Information

DinoLand USA

Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa and Rafiki’s Planet Watch

Oasis and Discovery Island

A Disney Zoo!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Tips

Go Wild at the Animal Kingdom

unique