Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the newest of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. It had a little bit of trouble finding it’s footing when it first opened. There were hardly any attractions, many of the animals didn’t “cooperate” with the attractions, and it just didn’t seem to know what it wanted to BE yet. Thankfully, since the park opened it has changed for the better. It is a haven for conservation and animal welfare, as well as a place to find some of Disney’s BEST thrills.
Here are four of my personal favorites at Animal Kingdom. Be sure you check these out!
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Expedition Everest
Despite the fact that the iconic Yeti animatronic hasn’t worked in over a decade, this ride is one you simply cannot miss. This roller coaster goes forward AND backwards and is one of the more thrilling roller coasters at the parks – perfect if you’re an adrenaline junkie! This ride also features one of Disney’s BEST queues – read up all about the Nepal legend of the Yeti as you head to the ride boarding area. Even if you use Fastpass you’ll get to see many of the exhibits before boarding!
Even though the Yeti isn’t working, the strobe lights try to make it LOOK like he’s moving and he’s still a sight to behold! The thrill of being “chased” by the Yeti adds to the excitement of the ride. You absolutely MUST try this ride if you love roller coasters, the detail put in to it is reason enough alone to experience it!
Not to mention, the Yeti souvenirs they sell in the shop are super adorable (and better than the one on the ride, in my opinion!)
Pandora
It may seem a bit out of place in a Disney park, but Pandora is the latest addition to Animal Kingdom and a sight you HAVE to experience before leaving Walt Disney World. Great food and amazing rides like Flight of Passage make this a must do. Once again, Disney has outdone themselves with the detail put into this section of the park. Fastpasses for these attractions are scooped up VERY quickly so be sure you’re signing up for them as soon as you can. In addition to the great attractions there are lots of fun activities for you to enjoy, like face painting and “conservation suit” demonstrations.
Once again, the details alone are reason to check this one out. Crowds will be pretty large due to the fact that it is still pretty new, but they’re worth braving for this newest land!
It’s Tough to Be a Bug
This is one of my favorite attractions (A Bug’s Life does NOT get nearly enough love!) This 3D show takes place inside the Tree of Life. As you make your way through the queue, you’ll see the carvings of animals along base of the tree. Once you get inside, you put on your bug glasses and then head into the theater. The show is a cute little film where Flick tries to convince you to be nicer to our bug friends. Chaos ensues when Hopper crashes the party, and special effects make it seem like you’re under attack from stink bugs, wasps, and termites – which may be scary for some kids.
It’s only about 10 minutes, and the queue is hardly ever very long. It’s a great place to cool off and despite being older, the effects are still really cool. The songs are super catchy too and will probably be stuck in your head all day long!
DINOSAUR
DINOSAUR is a wild ride back in time! Based on the Disney film from the early 2000’s (another movie that gets no appreciation) this ride is very similar to the Indiana Jones ride from Disneyland if you’re familiar with it. The premise of this ride is that you go back in time to try and rescue a dinosaur specimen from extinction before the meteor shower that wipes them out hits. The ride vehicles whips you back and forth, mimicking a jeep ride through rocky terrain. All the while, the dinosaur animatronics jump out at you while roaring loudly. This can make it a bit scary for younger kids and might be a bit overwhelming for even some adults (my dad complains that it is too loud!) The storyline is really cute, and Bill Nye even narrates parts of the pre-show in the queue!
These are just a few of the things you MUST do at Animal Kingdom! Disney has been putting effort in to drawing in bigger crowds to this park in the past few years. They’ve added night shows and opened Pandora and I’m sure there is more to come!
Have you been to Pandora or have you experienced any of the other must dos? Comment below!!
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