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Today, in acknowledgement of the fact that I talk so much about it, I’m going to start a new feature on the Animal Kingdom. I’ll profile its various aspects: the attractions, entertainment, food, and lodging.
The most obvious place to start within the Animal Kingdom is, of course, with its animals. Given that there are a ton of such attractions at the Animal Kingdom I won’t have time to dwell on any for very long. Also, because I’ve already covered the Wild Africa Trek, I’m not going to go over it again.
The attractions at the Animal Kingdom can be divided roughly into two groups: stations where you go to meet the animals in zoo-like enclosures, and hikes/safaris that you go on to observe animals in slightly more realistic habitats.
The first of the more zoo-like features is the Affection Station. It’s a Disney-fied term for a petting zoo. Here guests can encounter, and touch, more domesticated animals like goats, sheep, chickens, and llamas. Expect to meet slightly exotic types of each of these species, however, like the soon-to-debut Kunekune pig.
Somewhat similar to the Affection Station is the Conservation Station. Guests might not necessarily get to touch animals here, but they’ll learn from the experts how to care for animals. What animal you’ll see depends on what’s currently in need of veterinary care, and conservationists will lead guests through the steps of looking after and protecting these animals.
Most zoos of any size have some educational movies and the Animal Kingdom is no exception. “It’s Tough To Be A Bug!” is an eight-minute 3D film where guests are guided through the world of bugs and the important role they play in the ecosystem. It’s a terrific way to teach about insects when some guests might be too squeamish to get up close. The film is shown in the Tree of Life, an attraction off the Discovery Island Trails that’s carved with hundreds of images of animals like tortoises and tamarins.
The last zoo-like attraction at the Animal Kingdom is one of my favorites: Flights of Wonder. Here guests can see demonstrations by various hunting birds, as they swoop and soar overhead. The featured birds of prey include American Bald Eagles, Eurasian Eagle Owls, Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, and more.
Most of the rest of the Animal Kingdom is made up of multiple trails on which guests can catch glimpses of a huge array of wildlife. Guests travel on an open-walled bus for the Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition, where they’ll see African animals such as zebras, rhinos, hippos, and lions. The Wildlife Express train takes guests along a path where they can see where such animals like the rhinos settle down for the night.
The other trails are self-guided paths, and they include the Maharajah Jungle Trek, Discovery Island Trails, The Oasis Exhibits, Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Habitat Habit, and the Cretaceous Trail. The latter showcases animals and insects that are still alive from the titular era. Along the rest of the paths guests will encounter a wide range of animals: wallabies, tree kangaroos, cotton-top tamarins, okapi, Asian tigers, Komodo dragons, and so many more.
The Animal Kingdom has more of its namesake then I can possibly list here, so for more details check out the “Attractions” tag on its official website.
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International Day of Forests at the Animal Kingdom
What Is the Disney Mom’s Panel?
*(This image by meshmar2 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
