Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of the four major theme parks at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida and its theme centers around animals in three forms: extinct, real, and imaginary, with a primary focus on the real. It is divided into 7 themed lands, 6 of which feature excellent live animal exhibit complexes. In addition, the park has many rides and shows and shops and restaurants; this review will not detail them, although many of them are of excellent quality as well. The 7 exhibit complexes are scattered across the park among the other facilities; 5 are major complexes while 2 are minor, 3 are geographic themed complexes while 4 feature a mix of animals from the world, 6 have mostly naturalistic enclosures while 1 is primarily architectural, and 6 are pedestrian experiences while 1 is only viewed from a ride. Many of the exhibits are among the best of their kind in terms of either size, collection, enclosure or facility concealment, or natural or cultural simulation; in addition, the boundaries between many of the habitats are delightfully blurred so that the experience of viewing them seems more adventurous. Educational graphics are mostly average however, with many habitats featuring only a basic labeling of inhabitants and one of the complexes relying on a printed guide rather than signs. Assuming that this park is visited by many people who normally do not attend zoos, the lack of more extensive graphics is unfortunate for conveying the educational and conservation messages; in addition, the major complexes of the two entry lands that feature mixed-geography exhibits further confuse rather than illuminate. This is one of the most highly attended zoos in the world (some will argue that it is not a zoo) so it is in an important position to teach and should upgrade some of its graphics. It is also one of the newest zoos in the world, having opened in 1998, and was excellent from Day 1. Curiously though, most major zoos have at least one major exhibit complex that is newer than anything at this park because no new exhibits have been added since 1999 (this is not to say that anything here feels outdated). This is a long review so I will start with a summary of the exhibit complexes by themed land before detailing each later; I include the number of exhibit enclosures (my count, not official numbers): OASIS: The Oasis Exhibits: A major mixed-geography naturalistic pedestrian complex. 11 exhibits, all of them walled/fenced yards. DISCOVERY ISLAND: Discovery Island Trails: A major mixed-geography naturalistic pedestrian complex. 12 exhibits, all of them walled/fenced yards, one of which is an all-aquatic exhibit. DINOLAND U.S.A.: A minor mixed-geography naturalistic pedestrian complex. 2 exhibits, both walled/fenced yards. ASIA: Maharajah Jungle Trek: A major geographic naturalistic pedestrian complex. 12 exhibits, with 7 walled/fenced yards, 2 wire-enclosed, and 3 small terrariums. RAFIKI’S PLANET WATCH: Habitat Habit!, Affection Section, and Conservation Station: A minor mixed-geography architectural pedestrian complex. 40+ exhibits (does not sound small!) with 1 walled/fenced yard, 4 small wire-enclosed, 11 wall terrariums, and 24+ small moveable terrariums (in three small rooms). AFRICA: Pangani Forest Exploration Trail: A major geographic naturalistic pedestrian complex. 22 exhibits, with 7 walled/fenced yards, 2 wire-enclosed, 13 small terrariums. Kilimanjaro Safaris: A major geographic naturalistic ride-through complex. 18 exhibits, all of them walled/fenced yards. CAMP MINNIE-MICKEY: No live animal exhibits. Oasis is the park entry land that all visitors must travel through to reach the other lands. Its exhibit complex is called The Oasis Exhibits and is the only attraction in this land. It is composed of two curving parallel paths that diverge from the entry plaza and reconnect at the far end of the land, each passing several habitats; in addition, a smaller path connects the two halfway through their lengths. The area is a lush shady jungle with rocky-walled open exhibits scattered throughout as well as several rocky arches over the paths and small streams and a cave and small suspension bridge. All of this is designed to set the adventurous tone of the park, with a sampling of animal types and origins. In a general clockwise direction, the exhibits from the entry are: a pond and stream area for black swan and spoonbill; a small perch structure for military macaw; a medium sized yard for giant anteater; a medium sized yard for swamp wallaby; a small perch structure for scarlet macaw; a pond backed by a large waterfall for South American waterfowl including black-necked swan, rosybill pochard, and chiloe wigeon; a large yard for babirusa; a small yard that was unsigned and appeared empty; and three more small yards, for rhinoceros iguana, Reeves muntjac, and Patagonian cavy. All of the exhibits are above average quality (except the two macaw perches which are difficult to get excited about) but none are standouts. Instead, they form a calming entry experience that is surpisingly devoid of the flash that could be expected, sort of the broth to cleanse the palate before the meal. For zoo fans, the best time to enjoy this area is in the middle of the day when it is least crowded because the throngs of visitors filing past in the opening and closing hours can be disturbing; these are some of the park’s most accessible habitats (although curiously ignored by many visitors) and they suffer for it at times. The next land is Discovery Island and is the central land from which all the others radiate across bridges over its large surrounding waterway. It is ringed by bright buildings housing shops and restaurants, decorated with folk-art depictions of animals. Its centerpiece is the Tree Of Life, an iconic towering structure that simulates a gargantuan fantastical tree with hundreds of animal carvings on its thick trunk and exposed support roots that extend into the lush landscape that surrounds it. This is the Tree Of Life Garden, explored by several paths as well as the sunken queue area for a 3D film attraction that is shown in a theater below the tree. The paths reach the land’s exhibit complex, called Discovery Island Trails, which surrounds the base of the tree. The exhibits can be considered an extension of the previous Oasis Exhibits because they are also a sampling of animal types and origins, set in a lush (though slightly more open) jungle with rocky-walled open exhibits scattered throughout. In a general clockwise direction, the exhibits from the front of the Tree Of Life are: a small pond and yard for Eyton’s tree duck; an island yard for collared lemur and ring-tailed lemur with Coscoran swan in the waterway; a small pond for lesser flamingo; a large yard that forms the clearing in front of the tree for a strange combination of red kangaroo and West African crowned crane and unidentified stork; a large habitat with an underwater viewing cave for Asian small-clawed otter; a small stream-like habitat for paroon shark-catfish; side-by-side large yards for saddle-billed and painted stork; a medium sized rocky yard for a curious combination of Galapagos tortoise and nene goose, which is also viewed from the theater queue; a medium yard for African crested porcupine; and two separate perch structures for blue and yellow macaw and green-winged macaw (enough with the clipped-wing pets already!). Again, the quality is above average, and some have the added benefit of being off the islands main walkway so that they are more difficult to find and calmer to view. However, the theme is so muddy from an educational viewpoint that it would be better if it focused on one geographic area, especially South America or Australia or Islands since Asia and Africa are so well represented elsewhere in the park. Highlights are the kangaroo and otter exhibits, but the active group of four porcupines was a showstopper on my recent visit! Proceeding counter-clockwise, the next land is the one dedicated to extinct animals, specifically reptiles: DinoLand U.S.A. It contains the smallest exhibit complex in the park, composed of two yards for living reptiles. One is a small fenced yard for Asian brown tortoise and Abdim’s stork, the other a larger rock-walled yard for American crocodile with a pool. Both are designed to have simulated ‘temporary-and-unplanned’ obvious enclosures and railings at the viewing areas to blend in with the purposely-tacky look of the land (it’s a rather complex theme best described another time). Both end up feeling like average bores and do little justice to the educational theme they are there to illustrate. Asia is the second largest land and features the fantastic exhibit complex called Maharajah Jungle Trek. It is the most detailed and beautifully realized culturally-themed complex I have seen. Those with an aversion to simulated architectural ruins and artifacts, stay away! The first two exhibits are not technically part of the complex but are nearby; they are primate islands surrounded by a still waterway and multiple viewing areas and walkways. The first is a scenic setting for siamang, with a small Southeast Asian-looking temple ruin from which a mature eucalpytus tree emerges and a series of bamboo poles surrounds. The island is on the small side, but two pairs of parallel ropes attach to the temple and cross over the waterway to two very tall scenic column towers that the siamangs can visit, high above the nearby walkways and with a fantastic view of the area. The towers are also connected to each other by another set of ropes, and together these climbing opportunities effectively quadruple the space that the primates can explore and make this an excellent exhibit. The other primate exhibit is nearly as successful, for white-cheeked gibbon; this one is two islands connected by ropes, one of which is another small temple ruin and the other a naturalistic low mound. While these two exhibits are highly accessible to casual visitors, the rest of the proper complex that begins nearby is a one-way looping route that only contains animal exhibits and thus only visited by those interested in them. It is a lush jungle walkway that visits a ruin with a backstory, announced by a sign at its entrance: “Anandapur Royal Forest. Since very ancient times the rajahs of Anandapur have hunted tigers in this forest. In A.D. 1544 King Bhima Disampati decreed the forest a royal preserve. Closed to all save his guests and built a royal hunting lodge whose ruins lie nearby. After 1948, the royal forest was given to the people of Anandapur. Today the forest protects not only the remaining tigers and other wildlife but is a valuable watershed of the Chakranadi River and some of the last remaining virgin forest in this region.” This kind of fuzzy fantasy history based loosely on bits and pieces of actual time and place infuses a fun spark to the complex, but can also be very misleading for the gullible; like many theme park attractions, it offers a taste of far-flung adventure with a wink. Visitors can pick up a laminated identification guide at this entrance, since the complex is largely devoid of signs except for small symbols that correspond to the guide. The first two exhibits are both large rocky-walled yards set along the path in what is the least culturally-themed section, with just a scattering of tiny shrine lanterns on the ground. They are both good exhibits, one for komodo dragon, the other for Malayan tapir with a swimming pond. Next a small rustic wood structure is entered; visitors can either walk through it and exit outside (for those wanting to avoid the ‘creepy-crawly’), or turn to its main room for the viewing area for Rodrigues fruit bat and Malayan flying fox mixed together. The room has wire and wood partitions that are actually open-air with the bat enclosure, which is a large scenic high rock-walled yard filled with small temple-like perches and draped with lines of prayer flags that the bats enjoy climbing. The top is enclosed by wire mesh but is hidden unless looking directly up at the edge of the viewing window. It is an excellent and scenic exhibit. Sharing the viewing room are three average terrariums: the larger for blood python, and on the other side the two smaller for Asian giant centipede and white-lipped tree frog. The next two exhibits are for tigers (unidentified cross-breed apparently) that are viewed from a series of elaborate Indian-like temple ruins covered with faded frescoes of hunting parties and prey. The first one viewed is the much larger and successful of the two, backed by a rolling hill and forest that effectively blurs the back of the enclosure. It is viewed from an elevated open structure first, then a few windows on the ground. It has a large formal fountain ruin as its centerpiece that spills into a water moat. Then a courtyard taken over by foliage is passed through before another temple-like viewing area is entered, open to the sky via its ‘collapsed roof’. It has more windows into the ground level of the first exhibit, as well as the first ground-level viewing windows into the smaller second exhibit which is backed by an imposing high temple wall that also forms part of the aviary enclosure described later. After exiting this viewing area, ruins of the formal gardens are entered to a curved viewing area for a very large mixed species hoofstock exhibit that also features a rolling hill and forest backdrop: this is the home of banteng, blackbuck, and Eld’s deer. From here, a wire-enclosed elevated wood bridge draped with prayer flags has views into more of this exhibit as well as another view of the second tiger exhibit and its formal fountain ruin swimming pool. Finally, the aviary is entered through another temple ruin after passing a small room with two more small windows into the second tiger exhibit. The aviary is a lush medium-to-large size wire flight cage with a few more garden ruin structures and one side dominated by an elaborate tile-accented temple wall. According to the separate laminated species identification card and signs available here, it contains an excellent collection of: Azure-winged Magpie Blue Whistling Thrush Blue-winged Leafbird Chestnut-breasted Malcoha Coleto Mynah Collared Kingfisher Copper-throated Sunbird Crested Jay Crested Wood Partridge Fairy Bluebird Forktail Indian Pygmy Goose Golden-backed Woodpecker Golden-crested Mynah Golden Pheasant Great Argus Pheasant Green Jungle Fowl Green-winged Dove Hooded Pitta Indian Blue Roller Jambu Fruit Dove Lesser Green Broadbill Long-tailed Broadbill Mandarin Duck Masked Plover Nicobar Pigeon Orange-bellied Leafbird Oriental White-eye Pied Imperial Pigeon Plum-headed Parakeet Purple Sunbird Red Avadavat Red-faced Liocichla Red-winged Laughing Thrush Rufuous-bellied Niltava Silver-eared Mesia Temminck’s Fruit Dove White-headed Nuns White-rumped Shama Thrush White-throated Barbet White-throated Kingfisher Wompoo Fruit Dove Yellow-throated Laughing Thrush Yellow-vented Bulbul The next land disposes of any effort to recreate natural or geographic or cultural atmosphere. It is Rafiki’s Planet Watch (named after a wise baboon character from the film ‘The Lion King’) and is conceived as the park’s behind-the-scenes educational and contact experience. It can only be reached by riding a steam train, the Wildlife Express, whose boarding station is in the Africa land. Once on board, the ride travels past the off-exhibit holding areas and barns for some of the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction’s live animal exhibits, described later in the Africa section. In order, they are the warthog barn, lion barn, hoofstock barn (one of several), cheetah barn, white rhino barn, elephant barn, and giraffe barn (it is labeled as such but I suspect it is for other hoofstock). Then the train reaches the station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch where visitors disembark and encounter the first of three live animal areas in this exhibit complex. It is Habitat Habit!, a simple open-air shed structure for viewing four adjacent average small wire cages for tamarins. Two have cottontop tamarin and one has golden lion tamarin, with the fourth one currently empty. The next part is Affection Section, an average petting yard with domestic goats with bright abstract corral fencing and barns. The last and largest part is Conservation Station, a large generically modern indoor education center with a large two-dimensional animal mural outside and a skylit atrium inside. There are two medium wall terrariums outside, one for Asian water monitor and one for gopher tortoise. Inside, one side of the atrium leads to an area called Song of the Rainforest with two-dimensional murals of forest and three small wall terrariums for cockroach, green tree python, and red-tailed boa constrictor. The other side of the atrium has window views into a series of adjacent small behind-the-scenes rooms. These include the Wildlife Tracking Center and Nursing Center, Veterinary Treatment Room, and Nutrition Center where staff can be seen working and demonstrating (there are also plenty of staff outside the rooms to interpret the activities within). There are also 3 rooms of small standard moveable terrariums in lab-like settings; one is dedicated to reptiles, one for amphibians, and one for invertebrates. There are also 6 medium wall terrariums between the three terrarium rooms. I regret that I did not note the species of all these terrariums, but it is an extensive collection of at least 30 in a small space! An especially good feature nearby is a wall of interactive kiosks where visitors can direct remote observation cameras in many of the large exhibits and off-exhibit areas to search for the inhabitants. There are also two small stages for live animal and keeper presentations, one indoors and one back outside. Returning to the train station, visitors then board the train for completing the loop back to the first station. Although none of the animal exhibits are spectacular here, they certainly help form a satisfying educational center focused on animal care. The only major downfall is the lack of a pedestrian access to the land…not everyone wants to ride a rather mundane ride twice to get in and out. The last land with exhibit complexes is Africa, and there are two here, set on the edge of a fictitious African town named Harambe. Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is an excellent walk-through complex, while the adjacent Kilimanjaro Safaris is an excellent ride-through complex. The pedestrian experience is a one-way jungle pathway route similar in variety and length to the previously described Asia complex. It begins with a backstory as well, in this case: “Welcome to Pangani Forest Conservation School and Wildlife Sanctuary – A joint effort of the citizens of Harambe and international conservation groups.” This time the theme is not cultural ruins but rather an imagined complex of teaching and research shelters set on the edge of a preserve called Gorilla Valley, with rustic signage and structures intended to recreate the typical limited-budget facilities often found in modern Africa. Spotting scopes and chalkboard notes abound. It begins with an average timber-and-wire enclosure for Angolan colobus, which reinforces the theme of a captive study habitat, with ample climbing structures. Next is a large yard for okapi and yellow-backed duiker and Stanley crane, shaded by masses of bamboo and fenced with timber poles and rocky walls, viewed from an observation blind. Then a medium sized rustic research station is entered, built to one side of a nice rocky wall with a large naked mole rat colony and its exposed tunnels. The room is filled with a study area and 12 small terrariums: Mammals: African Spiny Mouse Hedgehog Tenrec Spiny Mouse Amphibians: African Bullfrog Reptiles: African Mud Turtle Kenyan Sand Boa Pancake Tortoise Spider Tortoise Spiny-tailed Lizard Invertabrates: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach 2 others I did not note The exit of the research station enters a medium-to-large sized lush aviary with a pond and stream filled with Lake Victoria cichlids that includes an underwater viewing window. According to the laminated species identification cards available here, it contains a nice selection of birds: African Green Pigeon African Jacana Amethyst Starling Bald Ibis Bearded Barbet Black Crake Blue Bellied Roller Blue-breasted Kingfisher Brown-necked Parrot Carmine Bee-Eater Golden-breasted Starling Green Wood Hoopoe Hammerkop Hottentot Teal Olive Pigeon Pygmy Goose Raquet-tailed Roller Red and Yellow Barbet Snowy-headed Robin Chat Superb Starling Taveta Golden Weaver White-bellied Go-away Bird White-headed Buffalo Weaver The exit of the aviary leads directly to a large timber shelter with underwater viewing windows into a rocky-walled hippo exhibit that is dominated by its pond; it is scenic but its land area appears to be too small, probably the only major misstep for this complex. From here visitors round a corner to enter a large round viewing shelter that looks out on three nice exhibits stacked behind each other: in the foreground is a grassy and termite mound filled area for meerkat, while just behind it and raised several feet above its rocky outcrops is a medium sized yard for gerenuk. In the distance is a much larger yard with marabou stork; it may contain others as well, but is difficult to see and unsigned. In fact the reason I know anything about it is from a satellite view of the property. This is a good example of the expert blurring of enclosures at the park, coupled with the purposeful lack of clarification. The website for the park mentions Gunther’s dik-dik and Thomson’s gazelle as being in the area; whether they are in with the gerenuk, or the stork, or obsolete references, I do not know. The final two exhibits are excellent hilly lush ones with multiple viewing areas for gorillas. The first one seen is the family yard, first viewed from a timber education shelter with some of the most comprehensive educational graphics at the park and large viewing windows the gorillas frequently visit. Then a lush rocky path leaves this area and crosses a suspension bridge over a moat to a long open path with the family exhibit on one side and the equally scenic bachelor exhibit on the other; both feature streams cascading over rocks into their naturalistic moats. The bachelor exhibit also has a viewing area in a rocky arch where only a series of simulated bamboo poles forms the separation. Then a rocky cave passage is entered and exited, ending with a view of the other side of the Angolan colobus seen previously. The exhibit path ends at a simulated warden hut with the requisite crashed land rover, which is the same area that the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride disembarks (and features one more viewing area of the other side of the bachelor exhibit for gorilla). Kilimanjaro Safaris is a major ride at the park and is a little over 20 minutes, passing through or next to 17 (perhaps a few more) excellent medium-to-very large open yards of African animals in a 32-passenger large open-sided motor vehicle that is driven by a narrator. It occupies a 100 acre area! Before boarding, a large simulated baobab tree surrounded by a peaked hut shelter forms the dramatic entrance to the extensive queue area at the end of Africa’s fictitious village of Harambe. The queue enters a building that is the fictitious safari booking office before returning outside to follow a long route of rustic timber canopies in the jungle, passing the only exhibit in this complex that is not on the ride: a small average yard for West African crowned crane and sacred ibis. Video monitors play a looped program in the queue that explains some of the wildlife that tourists are likely to see, as well as the danger of poachers. Then the large sheltered boarding station is reached and the vehicles entered. Visitors sit on benches in rows behind the driver, with species identification charts above their heads; the ride is over a simulated rutted uneven dirt road route and is bumpy and quick at times to heighten the experience, mostly away from the exhibits. Another attraction with a backstory, this one takes place in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve on a supposed two-week safari; poachers have been frequenting the reserve however, and along the route frequent radio contact with a fictitious game warden flying air patrols develops into a story where a baby elephant is taken by the poachers and the safari ends in order to help the wardens save it. The driver announces a scripted spiel throughout the ride, set in a framework designed to be flexible depending on the animals that are seen; for this reason, the blow-by-blow description that follows will only mention the animals I observed since no announcement is made of all the animals that inhabit each exhibit. In fact, there is no announcement made of exactly how many exhibits there are and it is often difficult to tell where one ends and the next begins since they are so expertly concealed in many cases. My observations come from repeated rides and my notes as well as studying a satellite image of the area. The first section entered is announced as the Little Ituri Forest; it is the most jungle-like area and consists of 3 exhibits. The main one is actually entered after crossing a water-filled rut in the road (a concealed barrier); it contains greater kudu, bongo, saddle-billed stork, and yellow-billed stork, all of which can approach the vehicles. It is a long exhibit with several lobes, and two additional large exhibits are separated from it by ponds or moats: one for okapi, and one for black rhinoceros. After leaving this, a short forested stretch is traversed before descending into another flooded roadway, announced as the Safi River. Adjacent to each side of the road are two large hippo exhibits that also contain pink-backed pelican and other waterfowl. These are fantastic exhibits with large pools and a few small islands, with plenty of rocky-walled territory on land as well; although they lack the underwater views of many contemporary hippo exhibits, their size is impressive and I spotted at least 6 hippos in one of them, a rare captive look at an actual herd rather than a few individuals (such as the smaller third hippo exhibit that is in the Pangani Forest exhibits). A short bridge leads over another impressive aquatic habitat, this time for 27 large male Nile crocodiles! Another short stretch of the road leads to the third announced section, the Serengeti Savanna, where vegetation becomes appropriately more sparse and grassy. It begins with a large simulated baobab tree and then enters the main savanna, the largest of the exhibits and the second of the drive-through ones. The route twists all around it and past occasional simulated termite mounds and scattered trees and rolling hills. This exhibit includes reticulated giraffe, ankole cattle, Patterson’s eland, common waterbuck, blue wildebeest, sable antelope, impala, and Thomson’s gazelle, all of which can approach the vehicles. After leaving this large exhibit, two more are viewed adjacent to either side of the road: one is a great rocky yard for mandrill, and the other is a large yard for African elephant with a massive swimming pond. Currently a bull was in this exhibit alone; unseen to the casual observer is that this is only a section of the total elephant exhibit, which can be closed off separately for isolation. After these two, a non-exhibit mild-thrill show element is reached consisting of a bridge that shakes and threatens to collapse when the vehicle crosses it. From here, a distant view of another savanna can be seen which contains unidentified zebra. It is viewed from across a ravine. From the satellite image, it appears to be one of two or three large elongated back-to-back savannas that are mostly off-exhibit, a wonderful visual use of a back area to appear as part of the complex’s naturalistic landscape. The bridge and gate that connects the two elephant exhibit areas is then crossed under and the very large main yard is reached. The herd of elephants here is large with several youngsters, and their exhibit is dotted with several baobab trees and sloping areas. Again from the satellite image, there is a third medium sized elephant habitat just behind this one, off-exhibit. Along the stretch of road viewing the elephants, the main Serengeti Savanna exhibit is re-entered and several more baobab trees form a scenic grouping near the large elephant swimming pool next to the road. Also nearby is an exhibit for a large flock of greater flamingo on a small marshy island, appearing to be a continuation of the convergence of the elephant and savanna exhibits, as if any of the animals could cross over the road and into each other’s homes at will. After leaving this area, the third and final drive-through exhibit is entered, a drier rockier savanna for white rhino, bontebok, and ostrich, all of which can approach the vehicle. You have not lived until you have seen bontebok seeming to guard several nests of simulated ostrich eggs! On the edge of this savanna, the road passes three more exhibits separated by dry moats: a large grassy long yard for cheetah, a medium sized but scenic kopje for African lion, and a medium sized yard with wallows for warthog. The finale of the ride does not contain live animals; instead, it is a fast trip through a landscape of geothermal vents and geysers to the fictitious just-abandoned poacher’s camp to catch up with the rangers who have captured them and rescued the baby elephant (who is a robotic one seen in the back of a truck, supposedly about to be returned to its mother) before disembarking. Despite this contrived show element ending, the exhibit complex is excellent. However, its major downfall is the fact that none of the exhibits can be viewed for longer periods of time on foot for quieter observation time (at least there are smaller hippo and okapi exhibits repeated in the Pangani Forest). The vehicles barely stop even during close views of the animals, the course is bumpy, and the repeated rides necessary to enjoy the animals result in having to tolerate the slightly annoying backstory over and over. I have posted my best guess for a layout diagram of Kilimanjaro Safaris in a separate thread http://www.zoochat.com/22/kilimanjaro-safaris-layout-diagram-130263/ . This park’s zoo exhibits are excellent; whether they are worth the general adult admission price of $79 is difficult to judge because there are so many other attractions here. For those with no interest in anything else, it is $50 overpriced. The value is extended for zoo fans who also visit the four free savanna exhibits at the nearby Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (see my review http://www.zoochat.com/22/review-disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge-four-129013/ ). Of the 48 zoos I have visited, I rank Disney’s Animal Kingdom at number 4 (animal exhibits ranked only). My list of top themed exhibit complexes includes Maharajah Jungle Trek at number 2, Pangani Forest Exploration Trail at number 9, and Kilimanjaro Safaris at number 21 (this complex is so satisfying and large it could be its own zoo, if only there were viewing opportunities other than a rushed truck tour). On my lists of favorite individual exhibits, for top-15 aquatic mammals the second Hippo Exhibit on Kilimanjaro Safaris is number 13; for top-25 large mammals, the first Tiger Exhibit in Maharajah Jungle Trek is number 7, the family Gorilla Exhibit in Pangani Forest is number 13, and the main yard of the African Elephant Exhibit on Kilimanjaro Safaris is number 20; for top 25 small mammals the Rodrigues Fruit Bat and Malayan Flying Fox Exhibit in Maharajah Jungle Trek is number 10; and for top 15 reptile and amphibians the Nile Crocodile Exhibit on Kilimanjaro Safaris is number 6 and the Komodo Dragon Exhibit in Maharajah Jungle Trek is number 11. I will post photos in the gallery soon!
Great review! I liked Animal Kingdom when I visited too I found a species lsit for Kilimanjaro Safaris, here it is... AFRICAN FOREST Black Rhinoceros Bongo Egyptian Goose Helmeted Guineafowl Northern Pintail Nyala Okapi Pink-backed Pelican Saddle-billed Stork Yellow-backed Duiker Yellow-billed Stork SAVANNAH WEST Gerenuk Grant's Zebra Greater Kudu Greater Flamingo Impala - Photo taken at Animal Kingdom Lodge Mandrill Mhorr's Gazelle Nile Crocodile Nile Hippopotamus Reticulated Giraffe Sable Antelope Thomson's Gazelle White-bearded Wildebeest SAVANNAH EAST African Elephant African Lion Cheetah Eland Ostrich Scimitar-horned Oryx Warthog White Rhinoceros Also, there are over almost 20 hippos at DAK, and the Pangani Forest Trail Hippo Habitat and the Kilimanjaro Hippo Habitat are actually connected by the hippo barn, so the hippos are often switched throughout the three areas This is also the same with the okapi exhibits The flamingo island is actually shaped as a Mickey Mouse head too
This section of the review reflects my feelings exactly. If they would make an overlook where you could sit and watch the savannah while not on the ride, this park would be ten times better. As it is right now, I consider it a complete ripoff. I also had a very bad experience. In the middle of the day, a senior staff member approached my cousin and I because we were using camera tripods and interrogated us for ten minutes, wanting to know if we had a release from their media department and what were we going to do with the photos (even though we told her in the first minute that we were amateur photographers). I have never had anything like this happen anywhere else during my 20 years of photographing zoos. I also had a bad experience getting lunch, so I wrote a letter of complaint and Disney ended up giving me a credit for the admission fee on the credit card I had used. My personal advice to central Florida visitors is skip Animal Kingdom and go to Busch Gardens instead, where you can photograph without hassle and actually watch the savannah as long as you want.
Another terrific, informative review. I would never rank DAK as one of the top 10 zoos in North America but I can perfectly understand those that adore the world's first "billion dollar zoological park". I found it to be more of a gigantic theme park than a true zoo, and the Kilimanjaro Safaris tour zooms by animals far to fast for my liking. However, the Pangani Forest Trail has some superb exhibits (particularly the gorilla enclosures) and the attention to detail in the creation of many of the animal habitats is at times breathtaking. On my Florida road trip in December of 2008 I much preferred both Miami Metrozoo and Jacksonville Zoo over DAK, but if anyone enjoys both Disneyland and zoos then they will be head over heels in love with Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Arizona Docent, sorry to hear that you got the corporate shakedown at the park, that shocks me but I am used to it in other places so I know the drill. I do not use tripods, nor do I have a fancy camera, but it is a small SLR digital type so its a little bigger than the common slim pocket digitals. So when I go to some places and am not taking pictures of people I know posing in the facilities, I often get the chase-off from whatever security goons are around trying to justify their stand-around jobs. They are usually urban architectural places though, so getting this treatment at a theme park is weird and unusual.
Disney has a very strict "no-tripod" rule in all of its themeparks, not just Disney's Animal Kingdom.
One time during my trip to DAK with the my family. The jeep had stop on the Kilmanjaro Safari ride due to a group of White Rhinos getting a little to close to the jeep. They had mock charge the jeep so the driver had stop and then we pass them by. I got the whole ride on trip including the stop and I'm pretty sure this was before they added the robiotic elephant in the ride.
I totally agree with Geomorph's assessment that this is one of the Top 5 zoos in the USA. But if you only go to see the zoo exhibits, it indeed is a ripoff. This IS a zoo, but it's also more than a zoo. It's a complete theme park, with animal-related (and Disney-themed) rides and shows. But if you're not going to do the rides and have no interest in Disney-themed shows, skip this park. Then again, if you have a family with some small children, there is no zoo better to take them to. As Geomorph points out, for many people, this is the only zoo they go to -- which makes it important by itself. If they have a good zoo experience here, maybe they'll consider visiting (or joining) their hometown zoo.
Do they give a reason? My defination of a professional photographer would be if they get paid for taking photos but DAK seem to base theirs on what kind of gear they're using, not realising that cameras that a few years ago would have been out of reach to many are now readilly available to most, even only those with moderate income, thanks to the Internet of course and people's ability to look for the best offers online.
Yesterday I went on the behind the scenes Wild Africa Trek tour at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I highly recommend it, and it is most definitely the ideal way to experience the Kilimanjaro Safari. One gets to experience up close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, and giraffes as well as antelope. You also get to see the elephants for much longer, both from a private safari truck and from an elevated safari camp which has breathtaking views of the elephant exhibit as well as the main savanna habitat. The tour goes by almost all of the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari tour minus the black rhinos and okapi, and just about every animal is viewed for at least 5 minutes. The tour is 3 hours long and I actually prefer it to the caravan safari at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park. Anyways, just wanted to let you zoochatters know it is well worth the money! I will post pics later today.
Is this the same tour where they have you walk over the crocodile exhibit on a rope bridge and feed the hippos, or is that something different?
Yes, it is an amazing tour and extremely informative, about their collection and conservation efforts in general.
Kilmanjaro safari will be expanded to include a new habitat for zebras at the end. Kilimanjaro Safaris To Boost Zebra Presence, Add Savannah Space at Disney?s Animal Kingdom Disney Parks Blog
Is this completed yet? It's the fall of 2012. Does anyone know the subspecies of Tiger at Disney's Animals Kingdom? Is DAK an AZA accredited zoo?
Guests are Seeing Stripes at Disney?s Animal Kingdom ? Zebras Out on New Kilimanjaro Safaris Savanna Disney Parks Blog Yes, it is now open. Their tigers are generic, which essentially means they are hybrids. Yes Disney's Animal Kingdom is accredited by the AZA.
Essentially, yes. The zebra replace a the ending that did not previously display animals but instead had geysers and a story of chasing poachers Zebras Make the Headlines at the Animal Kingdom
