The 15th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is right around the corner, and Beth (The Magical Blogorail founder and owner of Pursuing the Magic) and I are wild over the family stories, magical memories and fun facts we’ve learned over the past 2 weeks. BUT, we’re not done yet! Not before we run with Estelle @happyplaceblog and 2012…
Jambo! First things first, I’m thrilled to wish ANIMAL KINGDOM a brilliant 15th birthday. (Look! I’m one day early!)
It’s been a wonderful to celebrate the “baby” of the WDW parks with this terrific event that Beth and Donna have organized!
And now on with the show!
2012 was actually a pretty newsworthy year for good old Animal Kingdom.
THE BAD:
On April 24th, one of the limbs (around 5 pounds) from the great Tree of Life had fallen off. While no one was hurt, Disney did take certain precautions by closing the walkways around the Tree, as well as the Tough to Be a Bug attraction. Afterwards, netting was put up around the walkways.
In the past year, there haven’t been any advances to remove these nets. This is a point of contention for many guests. While the nets don’t ruin the overall view of the Tree from afar, it’s difficult to see the amazing carvings when walking along the trails to Tough to Be a Bug.
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| Photo by DaMouse |
THE GOOD:
Kilimanjaro Safaris, an opening day attraction that has gone through a few changes over the years, announced it was ditching its poaching storyline for more REAL animals. As much as I love Little Red, the safaris do feel a bit half-hearted when that part of the spiel comes up. The plan was to rework the “fake” part of the safari and make the area sufficient enough to allow zebras to return to the Savannah in the fall.
Animal Kingdom is the king of edutainment, when it comes to Disney theme parks. While the “adventurous” plotline of the safari did teach passengers about the dangers of poaching, it did fall flat when combined with the organic happenings around the Savannah. (What if that giraffe just will not leave your sight path?)
Oh, and what about Avatarland? The new project announced in 2011 doesn’t fall into either category, I say. With rumors swirling on the internet that the project was dead and never happening (to the joy of many diehard fans), Disney CEO Robert Iger assured everyone at a shareholder meeting in March of 2012 that Avatarland was still in the works and design meetings had just transpired.
2012 seems like a year of growing pains for Animal Kingdom. Like any teenager, it’s still coming into its own. Will we ever see Avatarland? Will people ever stop debating the aesthetics of Animal Kingdom? It’s hard to say. But I’m thankful to this park that continues to astound me with its dedication to conservation, the animal world, and nature. (Also for consistently scaring me to death on Expedition Everest: Yeti or no Yeti.) I look forward to what the next 15 years will bring!
Estelle’s two favorite parts of Animal Kingdom are Safari Amber Ale and the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Oh right, she also believes it is a full day park. She’s been writing about Muppets, Disney theatre, and travel at This Happy Place Blog for almost 2 years now and loves every minute of it. You can also catch her talking about books at Rather Be Reading Blog or tweet her at @thatsostelle.
And we love what Estelle is thinking and seeing, and are sure it means she is one terrific writer!! Be sure to get her in your circles on Google+, and look back at her 40 Days to 40 Years, and 30 Days to 30 Years posts!
You guessed it- our birthday party takes place tomorrow. Please stop by as my co-host Beth @disneymom2jhe marks the end of the series and wishes Disney’s Animal Kingdom a happy 15!!
What a fantastic piece! It is the best edutainment at WDW.
Learned so much! Thanks for sharing insights ! I am learning so much. I wish I could be a part of the edutainment division here!
I agree with all three of you! I believe if more folks looked at the "edutainment" value of this park, there would be no half day debate. Great call and terrific post Estelle!!
Agreed! There is so much to see here if people take the time to look. How many have walked the trails to see the animals? (How many even know they exist?) Two of the best shows in WDW call DAK home – and no matter how many times we have seen them we always are happy to see them again. (Anyone else still miss the Tarzan skating show?)
I know Disney feels as if they have to add Avatarland to DAK to increase it's "all day" factor – though I would have preferred the original Beastly Kingdom concept – but I will wait and see how it is executed. While I hate non-Disney tie-ins (and don't believe buying the company to MAKE it a Disney property), I think Avatarland can be done in a manner where it can be a good addition … time will tell though.