Trekeo

By Scot, Stephanie, Mariah and Madison

For our video review   of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, click here.

The massive Tree of Life is the icon for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. This beautiful majestic tree stands 145 feet tall and 50 feet wide. From a distance it looks very much alive, but on closer inspection it is actually a man made wonder. The trunk has been hand carved with over 325 animals and more than 100,000 leaves have been attached to the branches. You can wander around the tree on the Discovery Trails for a close up view of the Tree of Life and all it’s intricate details. Inside the tree is a great 3D film, It’s Tough to be Bug, that is not to be missed (unless you are a small child who may be frightened by the dark, loud noises and bugs crawling under you).

The Animal Kingdom which opened in 1998 is the newest Walt Disney World theme park. This park gets mixed reviews from my family ranging from loving it to it’s a lame zoo with some good rides. Who likes it and who doesn’t? Read on to get all of our opinions on the park.

Scot: OK, So I wouldn’t say it is a lame zoo, but Animal Kingdom is my least favorite park.  Why do I keep going back?  It has some fantastic rides and experiences.  Here are my favorites, in no order:
1.  It’s Tough to be a Bug
2.  Festival of the Lion King
3.  Expedition Everest
4.  Kilimanjaro Safaris
Expedition Everest has the best queuing of all the Disney Parks.  A cast member reported that they sent Disney Staff to Nepal with a large amount of cash and told them to buy up everything they could.  The queuing is the real deal.
Why am I not big on the park?  I’m not a big zoo guy, although Kilimanjaro Safaris is a good ride and depending on the time of year or time of day, you can see some good movement of animals.  Also, there are several rides in the park (and it is a big park) and only a few are my favorite.  Still, I make the trek because my favorite rides are just that good.

Stephanie: I fall in the love it category. I will admit it’s not my favorite park of the four, but it’s unique in what it offers and it has a good mix of animal attractions, rides and shows. The atmosphere of the park is great. I truly feel immersed in the things around me – the sights, sounds and smells. I quickly forget that I am in central Florida. My favorite attractions are:                                                                                                   1. Expedition Everest – A great roller coaster with some of the best Disney theming ever.                                                                                                                                2. Finding Nemo: The Musical – I love the amazing use of puppetry in this show. I find it very engaging.                                                                                                                3. The Festival of the Lion King – A very high energy show that is a lot of fun. I love those monkeys.                                                                                                               4. It’s Tough to be a Bug – This 3D film is one of my favorite on property because of it’s use of special effects.                                                                                                      5. Devine – This unique performer is a must for me at the Animal Kingdom, but you may have a hard time finding her because she is camouflaged as a vine. I find it interesting that I did not list an animal attraction. I do like the Safari and animal trails, but I guess I just like some other things more.

Mariah: I would say I fall somewhere in between the “love it” and “lame zoo” categories. I enjoy the Animal Kingdom, but one day there is enough for me. I have a few favorites that I can’t go without, but I could skip the rest. Here’s a list of my favorites:                                                                                                                         1. Expedition Everest- This might be my favorite all-time Disney ride. It’s a great thrill, (especially if you sit in the back), and the staging is amazing.                                        2. Festival of the Lion King- I love this show. The Lion King is one of my favorite Disney movies and this show brings it to life.                                                                             3. Kilimanjaro Safaris- Once you enter the safari vehicle it’s like you’re really in Africa. You get to see lions, giraffes, and hippos. Oh my!                                                          4. It’s Tough to be a Bug- This is a funny 3D show that will get you every time. But I can’t tell you too much, I wouldn’t want to ruin it.

Madison: I love the park and the animals. My Top Five are:                                            1. It’s Tough to be a Bug – It’s very funny.                                                                        2. Expedition Everest – It’s an awesome roller coaster.                                                 3. Kali River Rapids – Watch out! You will get wet. Just ask my dad.                             4. Festival of the Lion King – It’s a musical.                                                                      5. Kilimanjaro Safaris – I love to see all the animals.                                                       I really want to see Finding Nemo: The Musical. It looks like a really good show.

It looks like we can all agree on a few things. We all like Expedition Everest, It’s Tough to be a Bug, and Festival of the Lion King. I am the only one who didn’t list Kilimanjaro Safaris, but I really like it. The kids haven’t seen Finding Nemo: The Musical. I think it will soon be a favorite of theirs. So even if it is not my families favorite park, we still have some don’t miss attractions there. Seriously, don’t miss Expedition Everest. We would probably go just to ride it!