Disney’s Animal Kingdom Review Date of Visit: January 13, 2017 Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a theme park/zoo that is part of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. When it opened in 1998 its immersive habitats were groundbreaking and often easily the best of its kind. Since then the park’s animal exhibits haven’t changed much and more excellent immersive complexes have opened at zoos across the nation but the ones here hold up great and are mostly state-of-the-art. Everything here is modern, scarcely a poor exhibit can be found and the quality of the habitats is often breathtaking. However, Animal Kingdom is not without its flaws. The theme park atmosphere at times can be quite distracting although, compared to Busch Gardens, it does a good job at segregating the live animal-related parts of the park from those that are not. Its primary attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris, holds the majority of the park’s superstar animals but for 99.9% of visitors the only way to see them is on a ride that zips past them. At some places, the focus on knocking the socks off of the visitors and impressing them with immersive details takes precedent over space and enrichment (however, most of the habitats are excellent.) The park is almost exclusively limited to African and Asian animals and quite a few superstar species (bears, pinnipeds, penguins, orangutans, chimpanzees, etc) are nowhere to be found. Despite these flaws, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is very impressive and contains many state-of-the-art exhibits. As a side note I grew up about thirty minutes away from the park and went several times as a child. I know the park quite well and am familiar with its exhibits over the years. I came back for the first time after a few weeks last Friday since I got the Wild Africa Trek as a Christmas present. Honestly I liked the facility more after revisiting since the trek allowed me to actually appreciate the habitats on Kilimanjaro and see how impressive they are. Excellent Kilimanjaro Safaris- A most impressive complex but also a frustrating one. In general, the attention to detail, natural vegetation, realistic backdrops and expertly designed hidden moats is amazing and this is a very cohesive and mostly excellent habitats. Almost every major African savannah species is found in Kilimanjaro and it is one of the best African savanna sections I have ever seen. On the top of my head, only Dallas, Columbus, North Carolina and San Diego (Safari Park) can compete. The biggest problem of the complex is the only way the habitats can see (besides doing the very expensive Wild Africa Trek) is by a safari jeep. This means several of the park’s most popular species cannot be seen by foot and can only be watched for often less than a minute. This makes the experience feel very rushed and hard to actually see the habitats for what they are. Also, the guided tour is quite scripted and usually does not stop to let guests watch the animals. This is not a problem to the average visitor but it is quite problematic for people such as zoochatters. There also are a few glitches with a few of the habitats when analyzed. The first habitat seen is known as the Little Ituri Forest and contains okapis and yellow-backed duikers. It is viewed across water and is medium sized but expertly designed. Trees and bamboo create an immersive canopy and the terrain is all natural. It is not quite as strong as the okapi exhibit at the Bronx Zoo but still is one of the best in the country. A wooded habitat wrapping around the exhibit features bongos and greater kudus. The amount of hiding opportunities in this habitat is brilliant and the changes in vegetation are quite good. Like the okapi exhibit, ample bamboo helps shelter the area. Across the water, a muddy open habitat features black rhinoceros and it is the best exhibit for the species I’ve ever seen. The immersion created by the mud backdrops and the detail in the deadfalls and rockwork is wondrful. A short tree or two provides shade and there is plenty of mud for the rhinos to wallow in. An excellent naturalistic habitat for sure. The safari moves on to a set of river habitats. There are two Nile hippopotamus exhibits- one for male hippos and another for the herd of females and pink-bellied pelicans. They are by far the largest hippo exhibits I’ve ever seen and the amount of space in itself is impressive. There is a decent amount of land area in both the beach on the side and the islands in the middle which are greenly planted. The habitats create the immersion of an African riverbed perfectly and the water appears to be deep. Also, I appreciate the realism in the backdrops and the opportunities for them to swim and lumber around. The only flaw is there is no underwater viewing and the exhibits are seen from above. A smaller but similar habitat has a large group of male Nile crocodiles. The shore is well crafted and gives the opportunity for the crocodiles to sun themselves. The pool is solid and this is perhaps the best exhibit I’ve seen for the species. The next major habitat is Savannah West, a gigantic grassy habitat for a variety of hoofstock. The guide on the Wild Africa Trek said it’s about 30 acres large. The mix of topography in the exhibit is incredible- the first part of the habitat seen is wooded with a lot of trees, another part has plenty of termite mounds, another replicates a bushveld and the largest section is a vast open plains. As of now the exhibit is home to Masai giraffe (a baby had just debuted on my visit), wildebeest, springbok, common waterbuck, Patterson’s eland (off exhibit on the day of my visit) and Ankole cattle in large herds. Like the black rhino, hippo and Nile crocodile exhibits earlier this habitat is one of the absolute best of its kind and at times breathtaking in quality. Unlike the savanna at San Diego Safari Park which has basically been turned into a dustbowl, the vegetation in this habitat is well maintained and green. The mix of plants in the habitat is amazing and creates a sense of naturalism replicated by few. It meets the animals’ needs well- the giraffes have trees to browse and the antelope have rich grass to grass on. Also, the diversity and size of the landscape gives the hoofstock plenty of opportunities to do as they please. It is at the same caliber as the best savanna exhibits at zoos around the country. Near the front of the savanna, a side exhibit is the newest in the complex- a rotating habitat for spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. It is solid and quite rocky. A cave is located in the mix and there is a decent amount of room for the carnivores as well as some hiding spots. After the savanna, a mandrill exhibit comes into view. It is hard to just this habitat because it is quite hard to get a good view of it. It has an average amount of vegetation, prominent rocks and a step moat. It is good but not outstanding from what I can judge. Perhaps the mandrills should be moved to a rainforest habitat in Pangani Forest. Across from the mandrills is the bachelor habitat for African elephants. I believe it is connected to the larger family habitat by hidden bridge. The pool in the bull section is large and quite scenic. On the way to the family habitat, a distant off-exhibit habit can be seen if you look hard and I say Somali wild ass in it. The main elephant exhibit comes into view and, although it doesn’t quite have the vastness, green grass or scope of North Carolina or the expertly designed muddy riverbeds of Dallas, it is quite good and definitely a top ten elephant exhibit (possibly top five.) It is very large although the edges are hard to see. The terrain is a nice mix of sand and grass, the pool is enormous and incredibly scenic, rocks and a brilliantly designed deadfall dot the exhibit and the backdrops are created by vegetation (although a green wall is visible at close inspection.) The centerpiece is a huge baobab tree and the habitat provides plenty of opportunities for the elephants to roam, swim, forage and interact. One of my favorite things about this elephant exhibit is the opportunity to see them in a large herd, which includes a baby born last month. Also, I love how it gives the pachyderms opportunities for privacy and enrichment. One of the best elephant exhibits in the nation even if others have come to its level. A scenic flamingo pool nearby is one of the very best I have seen of its kind. Up next comes Savannah East, which is smaller, drier and rockier than Savannah West. It features white rhinoceros, Grant’s zebra, bontebok and ostrich. Immersive details such as a nest of ostrich eggs and red clay for the rhinos to wallow in are nice touches and it is quite good even if it does not live up to the quality of the earlier plains. The varied terrain is well done and there are decent hiding and rest opportunities for the animals. I also like how all of them live in South America and think it would be an excellent idea to officially make this the Southern Africa savanna and the other the East African savanna to add educational value to the exhibit. A side medium-sized exhibit across a hidden moat contains cheetahs. Interestingly, the habitat is wooded instead of open and grassy as you would normally expect with the fastest of mammals. It is good but not best of its kind. Another side habitat is a kopje habitat for lions. Personally, this is my least favorite exhibit in the reserve. It is definitely scenic and flashy but it is somewhat on the small side and often feels like an afterthought. The rocks give them good opportunities to climb and rest but I wish there was more grassy area for the lions to roam. Apparently the exhibit is a 30 foot drop and as a result it is not approved for breeding. A tall tree is on the kopje as well. Warthogs have a decent habitat with plenty of wallows, rocks and hiding opportunities. It is one of the better exhibits I’ve seen for the species. Last scimitar-horned oryx live in a grassy shaded habitat all to themselves. It is decent in terms of size but doesn’t create the desert habitat the antelope come from. Kilimanjaro Safaris is very impressive and I understand why it’s so popular. However, I find the ride component and rushed tour to be huge detriments to the experience. The habitats hold up pretty well despite being almost 20 years old and plenty are state-of-the-art and only a few are average. It is one of the best exhibits at any zoo in the country in terms of quality and scope. Wild Africa Trek- While it is definitely a hefty cost and must be booked in advanced, this is a once-in-a-lifetime incredible experience and I feel the only proper way to see the savanna exhibits at the park. It makes up for all the flaws of Kiliminjaro Safaris- it brings you much closer to the animals (especially the hippos, crocodiles, giraffes and antelope), you get to observe most of the animals on the reserve for MUCH longer, the guides are much more informative and educational and you actually get to fully appreciate the impressiveness of the reserve. The only habitats excluded on the tour are the okapi, black rhinoceros, African forest, mandrill and bachelor African elephant exhibits. All the others you get to see at a leisurely pace and at close proximity. The tour starts by going through the start of Pangani Forest and getting on an off exhibit trail that leads behind the bachelor Nile hippopotamus habitat. You get to stand right above the hippos and watch them for a long time. Then you cross a bridge while attached to a harness that goes over both the hippo and crocodile habitats. After standing above the crocodiles for a while you board a truck that goes around Savannah West and the African elephant habitats at a slow pace, often stopping and allowing you to stand up and watch the animals for long periods of time. Then you go to a deck on the edge of Savannah West and looks out to the elephant habitat. The view here is exceptional and it’s a thrill to see the continued activity in both habitats. After spending 30 minutes here and having a light lunch, you move on and see the remaining habitats in the reserve, often stopping and learning about the animals in depth. I did it for the first time yesterday (it was a Christmas present from my family) and it really is a must. Pangani Forest- A borderline outstanding trail that recreates an African rainforest. Colobus monkeys live in a mediocre glorified caged habitat which I am not too keen on and is probably one of the weaker habitats at the zoo. Next a solid okapi/yellow-backed duiker exhibit is quite green and shaded with a decent amount of room. Next visitors enter a research station which contains several artifacts, a few terrariums for dung beetles and African bullfrogs and an extensive tunnel network for naked mole rats. Visitors then pass through a beautiful aviary for a variety of African birds. Right after the aviary, visitors come to underwater viewing area for a Nile hippopotamus exhibit. The water quality is quite good and the backdrops are immersively done but it is a bit on the small side. The pool is not as large or impressive as those at San Diego, Busch Gardens or Toledo and the land area is too small. A rare somewhat weak point for this excellent complex. Up next meerkats live in a rocky, well-designed exhibit with plenty of opportunities for them to look oout and make tunnels. I would say it’s one of the better meerkat exhibits I’ve seen but not as good as those at zoos such as Nashville and Houston. Above the meerkats Grevy’s zebras live in an average-sized grassy habitat. Of course, the main attraction of Pangani Forest is the pair of gorilla habitats. The family gorilla habitat can be viewed on one side from large glass windows while on the other side from a moat. It is quite lush and one of the best gorilla exhibits I’ve ever seen. It reminds me of the gorilla habitats at the Dallas Zoo in terms of naturalism and use of space. One of my favorite aspects about the exhibit is all the backdrops are natural and none of the plants are hotwired. The apes are free to act as they please in the bushes and plants, which is refreshing. The nests for the gorillas are wonderful and incredibly naturalistic. Also, I love the texture and detail in the rockwork, the realism in the terrain, lushness of the vegetation and complexity of the canopy. The bachelor gorilla habitat is seen from a bridge and viewing path across a moat and is also superb. It has scattered canopies for the apes to hide behind and the amount of enrichment opportunities is impressive. It also gives plenty of room and hidden spaces for them to find privacy, like the family habitat does. Seeing gorillas in such naturalistic habitats so appropriately designed to their needs and encouraging of their natural behaviors is an awesome experience and a true highlight of the park. Maharajah Jungle Trek- A solid exhibit complex although a bit underwhelming and not as impressive as the other major exhibits in my opinion. The complex is meant to be a trek through an Asian rainforest. It starts with a solid rocky exhibit for Komodo dragons. Next to it is the park’s newest animal habitat- an excellent habitat for lion-tailed macaques and IMO the best part of the complex. In the center of the habitat is a huge surprisingly realistic banyan tree and there are plenty of ropes for the monkeys to swing and climb on. I was impressed by how well designed the habitat was, especially the amount of enrichment found. It is also quite lush and well-sized. A brilliant addition to the zoo. Up next comes perhaps the best bat exhibit I’ve ever seen. The cornerstone of the complex are its two tiger exhibits, which rely on heavily on the ruined temple motif. Both habitats are medium-sized from what I can tell. A huge abandoned fountain dominates the first one and most of the trees and bushes are restrained to the back and side. The second habitat is smaller and surrounded by walls with Indian paintings on them. While the tiger exhibits are good and the best big cat exhibits found at the park, I would prefer larger, lusher habitats that relied less on the ruined temple approach. At least they have some hiding opportunities and a good amount of water. A large Asian savanna habitat houses blackbuck, water buffalo, Eld’s deer and a variety of birds. It also can be seen behind the first tiger habitat through a hidden moat. Last, the complex concludes with an impressive Asian aviary. This section is overall solid and quite good but the prevalence of the ruined temple motif in favor over recreating the Asian rainforest at places a bit distracting for me. Gibbon/Siamang Islands- Two islands house these species right outside Maharajah Jungle Trek and they are filled with enrichments and climbing opportunities. Absolutely solid. Average Discovery Island- Ring-tailed/collared lemurs, red kangaroos, flamingos, Asian small-clawed otters (currently off exhibit), vultures and African crested porcupines live in habitats which are nice enough but ultimately average and feel like afterthoughts. A cotton-top tamarin exhibit is quite disappointing while saddle-billed storks have a nice exhibit. Oasis- Babirusas, spoonbills, wallabies, rock iguanas, macaws, cavys, muntjacs and others can be found in a forgettable and easy-to-miss set of habitats. As a whole, I would say I really like Disney’s Animal Kingdom and doing the Wild Africa Trek made me like it even more. I would not say it’s the best zoo in America and understand/agree with criticisms I’ve heard from other zoochatters on the site but still really enjoy it each time I visit. The lack of pedestrian access to Kilimanjaro is a problem and hurts my view of the greatness of the park. I would probably put Animal Kingdom somewhere between 8 and 20 on my rankings of best zoos in the nation.
Thanks for the review. Have you had a chance to ride the night tour version of Kilimanjaro Safari? I'm curious how it compares with the day version.
I did the safari right at sunset. So although I missed the experience in the dark, I was able to see some of its night animals come out and still get good views of the animal.They were also active, like the lions who are always sleeping during the day. It was a pretty beautiful experience.
