Answering Your Most Frequent Animal Kingdom Questions
Somehow, The Walt Disney Company combined a theme park with a zoo.
More than 20 years later, the mere existence of Disney’s Animal Kingdom remains a stunning triumph.
MickeyBlog knows that you’ve wondered about the inner workings of this marvelous theme park.
So, I will answer 11 of your most frequent Animal Kingdom-related questions. Let’s get started!
Is Animal Kingdom a Zoo?
YES!
Well, kind of.
At Animal Kingdom, the animals live there while humans visit during park hours.
Even when Walt Disney World closed due to Coronavirus, the animals lived happily.
Meanwhile, a staff of cast members worked as caregivers for the real residents.
One section of the park, the grounds where Disney operates Kilimanjaro Safaris, totals 110 acres in size.
For comparison, Disneyland Park in total measures 85 acres. Most of this space goes toward natural habitats for animals.
However, Animal Kingdom consists of a lot more space, much of which features theme park elements. In fact…
How Big is Animal Kingdom?
Animal Kingdom comprises 580 acres in total, making it easily the largest Disney theme park in the world.
In fact, depending on which measurements you use, you could argue that EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios could all fit in Animal Kingdom!
So, that massive Kilimanjaro Safaris tract of land I just mentioned claims less than 20 percent of the park’s total land.
Disney has balanced Animal Kingdom to feature themed lands, some of which include animals while others do not.
The park stretches out so far that cast members can take care of animals in one part while guests enjoy theme park attractions elsewhere.
You will never fully appreciate the size of Animal Kingdom. However, your fitness app will go nuts as you spend the day walking around the park.
You will definitely get a solid workout at Animal Kingdom!
When Did Animal Kingdom Open?
This park opened on April 22, 1998, a fittingly significant date. It was Earth Day!
Notably, Animal Kingdom qualifies as the newest theme park at Walt Disney World, which explains why people frequently call for a fifth gate.
After more than 20 years, Animal Kingdom has garnered plenty of positive headlines for Disney without any major incidents involving the animals.
That statement alone demonstrates what a remarkable achievement Animal Kingdom is.
What Is There to Do at Animal Kingdom?
Your answer depends on your age. Kids will obsess over the animals to the point that you’ll have to drag them away from the petting zoo areas.
Adults will love the shows like Festival of The Lion King and attractions like Avatar Flight of Passage.
Thrill ride enthusiasts will ride Expedition Everest as much as possible, and everyone will cool off on Kali River Rapids.
Children and adults will both find plenty to love while riding Kilimanjaro Safaris and DINOSAUR.
In short, the park works pretty much as it sounds. You’ll divide your time between the zoo elements and the attractions sprinkled throughout the park.
Where Should I Eat at Animal Kingdom?
Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Next question.
Okay, I’m kidding…mostly. However, I do deem Yak & Yeti as the class of the park.
However, you’ll find plenty of terrific options here, some of which are exceptionally ambitious for a theme park.
Tusker House offers a character meal during non-pandemic times, while Tiffins delivers an inimitable fine dining experience.
For Quick Service, you should try Satu’li Canteen at Pandora – The World of Avatar and Flame Tree Barbecue.
Rainforest Café also operates a restaurant just inside the park. It’s great when you want to eat the moment you enter or on your way out of the park.
Finally, you should consider taking a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is about five minutes away.
Some of the restaurants here like Sanaa, Boma, and Jiko will blow your mind.
Is Animal Kingdom Humane?
Humane almost undersells Animal Kingdom’s reverence for conservation.
Years before the park opened, Disney poached some of the finest zoologists in the world. I’m not even joking.
The year that Animal Kingdom opened, other zoos around the country faced leadership and staffing crises triggered by this park.
Disney wanted and got the best staff members, many of whom remain on duty more than 20 years later.
At Animal Kingdom, rare species receive a second chance at life, as cast members work hard to persuade the breeding of animals.
If you follow MickeyBlog – and you really should – we’ll occasionally post animal birth updates, which tell the story about Disney’s dedication.
In fact, here’s a baby giraffe story for you!
Does Animal Kingdom Stay Open after Dark?
YES!
This change is relatively recent, as Disney expanded park hours when Pandora – The World of Avatar debuted.
Many of the special effects from that land level up at night. They’re absolutely breathtaking.
For this reason, Animal Kingdom expanded its park hours to accommodate a new wave of fans.
This tactic applies to other rides, too. For example, Kilimanjaro Safaris comes to life at night, as nocturnal creatures appear.
These animals tend to sleep through the mornings and afternoons at the park, which means you might not have noticed them until now.
Of course, I should mention that Disney has reduced park hours during the pandemic for safety reasons.
While Animal Kingdom does operate after dark, it may not do so for the next few months. You should always check the park hours for your visit.
Does Animal Kingdom Shoot Fireworks?
The answer to this one isn’t as easy as you might expect.
In recent years, Animal Kingdom has hosted a nightly fireworks presentation called Rivers of Light.
Unfortunately, this production suffered problems from the start and, really, even a year before then.
Rivers of Light seemed jinxed, which forced Disney to reboot the presentation several times.
Disney canceled this show in July of 2020. However, none of the parks offers a fireworks presentation during this stage of the pandemic.
When that situation changes, Animal Kingdom could feasibly bring back some sort of fireworks show at a later date.
So, the answer is no for now, but that might change.
What’s Kali River Rapids?
I won’t lie. This query’s prevalence confuses me, as it’s rare for ride-specific questions to come up so frequently.
I guess that the sweeping nature of Animal Kingdom combined with the ride’s vague name creates a bit of mystery.
However, the answer is painfully simple.
Kali River Rapids is a river rapids attraction like you’ve experienced at many theme parks.
You board a raft and then ride through a series of rapids. Since your boat spins and bounces off walls, you will get wet and may get soaked.
The difference with Kali River Rapids comes down to the theming. Imagineers have painstakingly crafted an environmentally friendly message.
If you’ve never noticed this message, ask a cast member for details.
Is Pandora Good?
I mean, is a cupcake good? How about a rainbow or the sound of children’s laughter?
Pandora – The World of Avatar represents the pinnacle of Imagineering.
Disney asked its park planners to bring a fictional world to life. So, Imagineers used James Cameron’s Avatar as a baseline for this themed land.
The movie, Avatar, earned the title of most successful blockbuster ever, and the special effects explained its popularity.
Disney has translated many of those visuals into the real world, adding bioluminescent features to the rides and other parts of Pandora.
Upon its debut, The World of Avatar claimed the title of most immersive themed land ever designed.
Even now, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge qualifies as the only realistic competitor.
When you explore this area of the park, you’ll forget you’re at Disney. All you’ll notice are the alien surroundings that feel totally real.
Where is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge?
So, I mentioned Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants earlier, and I’m glad people ask this question.
The situation is a bit different at this resort than others. At Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can walk to the parks.
You can also take boats, monorails, or the Disney Skyliner to reach them.
Animal Kingdom doesn’t directly connect to its accompanying hotel and doesn’t have a walking path, either.
You’ll be totally reliant on buses to travel to and from Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Having stayed at and traveled to this resort many times, I can say with complete honesty that the buses run frequently.
More than anything, I want you to be aware that both parts of Animal Kingdom Lodge function like mini-Animal Kingdom parks.
The “hotel” consists of Jambo House, the larger property, and Kidani Village, the only portion currently open due to the pandemic.
At each hotel, you’ll find an animal habitat. Better yet, you can interact with the creatures, just like at Animal Kingdom.
Some of the hotel rooms even overlook the animal habitats, which will delight you.
You can drink your morning coffee and watch them frolic. I’ve had several perfect moments at Animal Kingdom Lodge due to this amenity.
Feature Image Rights: Disney
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