Second Day: Animal Kingdom

On the 14th, our anniversary, we left Graham, NC at 8:30 a.m. and arrived in Orlando, Florida by 6:30pm.

On the 15th we visited Universal Studios. Click here for that entry.

On the 16th, we visited Disney World Animal Kingdom. It was our first time there, and is the most recent addition to the DisneyWorld theme parks in Florida. I had heard others say I had to visit Animal Kingdom. I was not disappointed!

The most outstanding feature in Animal Kingdom has to be the Tree of Life. It's at the very center of Animal Kingdom, much like Cinderella's Castle is the center of Magic Kingdom. No matter where you go, you can always figure out where you are by looking for the tree of life. The most amazing feature of the tree are the carvings in the wood of over 100 animals native to Africa. They are hard to see in this picture. I had intended to come back later in the day for some close up pictures, but forgot to ... I think the late afternoon downpour distracted me.

It's Tough To Be A Bug! was absolutely adorable. In 3D, of course, it was probably the best of all the 3D shows we saw in all five parks. Based on characters from Pixar's A Bug's Life, we were treated to a show that combined audioanimatronic characters and 3D movie action to shake us all up. The ending was the best. Hopper, the dictator-like grasshopper and bad-guy in the story, is trying to annihilate the human population because humans are notorious for killing bugs. Spiders drop from the ceiling (but never touch us) to scare us. On the screen, though, in 3D, they appear to fall to the floor and tiny blasts of air touch our legs. We scream and yell because it feels like spiders running past our legs.  Hopper tries to spray us with poison, and the room fills with a foggy cloud. He sends a giant beetle to squirt us with acid, which stinks (it's really water that hits us, though), but in the end, he gets eaten by a lizard. Through it all, Flik is there to humorus and protect us. When the show is over, all the bugs are told to leave first, and we hear their voices below our seats as they scurry away... little bumps and jolts against the seat bottoms give us the chills as we imagine the critters crawling away under our very seats. It was very cute and startling!

Kilimanjar Safaris was a pretty interesting safari trek through an African Savannah. Of course, we didn't just ride through in a jeep-like vehicle. No, there was a story, and adventure, and we were told that there were poachers in the area, we had to watch for them. Then the driver got a call on his radio that little Simba, the baby elephant was being captured by the poachers, and our safari crew was told to stop them. Of course, the driver jumped into action and chased the poachers down, and we stopped the poachers. The wild animals looked well treated and happy in their habitats.

Flights of Wonder: I love watching birds perform. The birds in this show didn't just do tricks like I used to see on TV. These birds became part of a story and flew in on cue to perch for a few moments on various props set up while the trainers discussed bird behavior. Of course, it was difficult taking most of the pictures because they did not sit still for long (the birds), and because I could never time the camera shot for the action I anticipated. There were many species represented. I only caught a few.

Expedition Everest: Ooh, this had to be the longest line ever. We were standing in front of a family of parents, three boys, and a grandmother and uncle. What unruly kids, and what irresponsible parents they were to let their kids run about amongst the bushes to catch lizards, and spit upon the props. One child almost spilled his drink on me, and nearly spit on me. I kept telling myself it was because the wait was too long, but there were other kids not misbehaving. The ride was awesome. You are in a dark mountain, on a speeding train. It's very fast, bumpy, and it goes backward in the dark when you don't expect it. Great fun, thrilling, if you like surprises, speed, and dark adventures.

Dinosaur: This little ride is also fast and bumpy, it is in the darkness at times, and there are dinosaurs everywhere. You are travelling back in time to find the last dinosaur. A little scary for little ones, I'm sure.

If you want to get out of the sun for 20 minutes, Festival of the Lion King is just the thing to do. We had to watch this show standing, since we arrived just as it began, and they told us it was standing room only by the time we arrived. Since we didnt' want to wait until the next show started, we went in. I was a bit disappointed because we were way in the back. However, the music was joyous, the costumes were fabulous, and the dancing at times resembled Cirque de Soleil quality. Great show if you have a good seat!

There were other rides and shows, most of the rest were of a slower pace. Characters from Disney shows Lion King, Bug's Life, Pocahontas, dinosaurs, and of course Minnie and Mickey were seen throughout the day. Wild animals from all over the world are here, even a petting station. Lots of environmental information and educational displays as well.

I loved walking through the Tree of Life and the 3D bug show the most. Even the rain didn't spoil the day for us.

Tip #1: Bring a cheap, lightweight rain poncho. It rained nearly every day for part of the day while we were in Orlando. Not for long, these showers. Most folks just waited under a roof or awning or other shelter-like area until it stopped raining, but those with ponchos could keep walking and get into shows and rides without having to wait.

Tip #2: Even if it doesn't rain, the poncho will help you stay dry on those rides that brag about how wet you will get. Unless you want to get wet, of course.

Tip #3: Carry a light snack with you, like a pack of peanuts or a package of peanut butter crackers. Something to eat, to hold you until you are ready to leave the park and eat. It will save you some money. But if money isn't a problem, you can eat most anywhere for under $20 per person per meal.

Tip #4: When you pick up a map as you enter the park, and do pick one up, pick up two instead. You very well may lose one of them. A fellow sitting beside me on the train ride to Rafiki's Planet Watch had lost his map. I overheard him talking to his daughter about it, so I gave him my extra map. He was relieved to have one immediately upon realizing he had lost his. The map is essential for performance locations, ride descriptions. It tells you which rides allow fast pass, which rides may be too scary for children, where wheelchairs are allowed or where you must be able to transfer from one to get on the ride. Even tells you which restaurants have vegetarian options, and the price ranges of restaurants. All this on the map! But if you do lose the map, don't worry. Most every shop and souvenir station has them.

For the best view of the photos I've included here, click on View Larger above the photo, then select SlideShow once the larger pictures are displayed. I really like the slideshow feature in this journal.

Animal Kingdom is definitely a must see if you go to DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida.

Next entry: Epcot Center!