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Animal Kingdom
This page documents all of the random information that I felt would be pertinent to a trip to Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park.
All information has been gleaned off of the internet. The author cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the statements made on this page.
See the Main Page for more information.
Park-wide
- The Awakening
- If you go to the AK prior to the gates opening, they have a little show called The Awakening. The music starts to build and costumed Cast Members come out and dance. It's been claimed that it's the voice of James Earl Jones who awakens the animals.
- "Hidden" Entrance
- If you're entering the Animal Kingdom and there's a long line at the entrance, try going through the Rainforest Cafe. There's a park entrace at the rear of the gift shop.
- Rain, rain, don't go away...
- It has been said that if it is raining, more animals are out and about and can be seen in many of the habitats around the park.
- Devine
- Devine is a performer on stilts completely covered in leaves so (s)he looks like a walking plant, is usually between Asia and Africa, sometimes near the main entrance at the Rainforest Cafe.
- Small Creatures
- Sometimes at park opening, cast members are out front showing off some of the smaller creatures such as spiders.
- Talking Palm Tree
- Sometimes at park opening, a talking roving palm tree is out front which behaves somewhat like the talking trash cans at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
- Something's Different...
- There are no cup lids or paper straws anywhere in the park because of the danger to the animals.
- Is it just me or is your nose getting longer?
- Cast members from all areas of the Animal Kingdom (aside from Conservation Station) are encouraged to develop "characters" for themselves called "niches". If you ask a cast member how they came to live in their surroundings, most will play with you. Some will tell you fantastical stories about how they got to their "home." Cast members in Africa, Asia, and Discovery Island are supposed to be villagers who live and work in their areas. Cast members in Camp Minnie-Mickey are supposed to be camp counselors. Members in Dinoland are supposed to be various students and workers that have come to study with the Dino Institute. Harambe Cast Memberss from the states tell tales of being lost at sea and washing up on the coastal town, or crashing in an airplane. Most will point to a second story window and tell you that is their room. Dinoland CMs also tend to go a little wild with their stories. Everyone should try this.
Oasis
- Entrance Mural
- As you walk to the front entrance of Animal Kingdom, look down at the concrete. The concrete in the large area just before the ticket booths has sections painted on the ground. When seen from an arial view, this painted section is actually a tree, resembling the Tree of Life. The brown painted sections are the roots, the green section is the leaves.
Discovery Island
- It's Tough To Be A Bug
- When the announcer says something to the effect of "Will all honorary bugs please remain seated so the beetles, maggots, and cockroaches may exit safely" look up at the ceiling and you will see "swarms" of lights. They all fly toward the doors. Look to your left at the exit signs and you will see little firefly-type creatures lighting up the exit sign as they exit the theater.
- Secret Path
- As you are on your way to Harambe Village, keep your eye out for the last path on the right after the Tree of Life and before the bridge. This is the "secret path." The front of the path is filled with a lot of vegetation so you might have to look hard. (Yes, it is open to the public.) Follow the path for a close look at the Tree of Life.
Camp Minnie-Mickey
- Crocodile Rock.. Formation
- As you are crossing the bridge to go to Camp Minnie-Mickey, look off the right side and you'll find a waterfall rock formation. This formation looks like a crocodile's head, and water comes out of its mouth.
Harambe (Africa)
- Tusker House Restaurant
- If you sit outside the dining area, you can hear kitchen noises. It sounds like dishes clanging together, sweeping up broken glass, etc. It is a recording, but it's funny to see how people react when they first hear the sounds.
- Gift Shops
- The gift shops in Harambe have fake business licenses complete with the official seal of Harambe.
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Try doing the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride first thing in the morning while crowds are still filing into the park or as early as possible in the day. By mid-afternoon, many animals are napping and/or less active, making them harder to spot in the wild.
- Taking the safari ride at different times during the day offers viewing of different animals.
- Don't bother asking the safari drivers to stop the vehicle on the savanna for photos. It's not in the script.
- While waiting in the queue near the office, you may hear the phone ring. Listen carefully and you can hear the answering machine answer the phone and then you can hear the recording. The recording talks about the different types of safaris available.
Conservation Station
- Whizz Quiz
- In the men's bathroom, there is a "Whizz Quiz" which asks questions and says to find the answers "wash your hands."
Anandupar (Asia)
- Kali River Rapids
- Seek out the elephant statues that squirt riders returning to the loading dock. They have a limited squirt cycle. Wait until a raft is about "one raft length" before the elephants before pushing the control button.
- In the queue line, look in Mr. Panika's office. There are two resident geckos that live in his gecko cabinet.
- Disney deploys camo-panted heaters used when Walt Disney World gets too cold. They place the heaters at the exit so wet raft riders can dry their clothes.
- In the back office with the murals on the walls that depict the story of the river, look above the door as you enter the room. Michael Jackson is depicted in the mural. Another mural has a girl in a white shirt with a Nike Swoosh on it. (Disney received it this way)
Dinoland USA
- Bulletin Board
- As you first enter Dinoland right after you cross the OldenGate bridge, take a look at the bulletin board in front of you, under the "Olden Gate Bridge". There are quite a few humorous posts, put up by the workers. One panel is supposed to hold official notices, but has become quite a masterpiece. Here you can find posts on a practical joke involving an exploding soda, hackysack tourney standings, and an ad wishing to trade a 1968 multicolored van for a sensible family car.
- Plaster Room
- In the plaster room, the room directly to the your right when you enter the Restaurantosauruson a shelf near the rec room doorway, there is a plastered version of a pair of Minnie Mouse ears.
- Boneyard
- Up by the three tube slides, there is a fenced in area which appears to be the dig head- quarters. Inside you can find a few interesting details. On the back wall, there is a whiteboard on which the archeologists are supposed to post findings and work schedules. Instead, they give themselves funny Latin names, such as "Trivalia dinosauria encyclopedias". Up in the right hand corner, Dr Dunn, the director of the project, has posted a note that such foolishness is a waste of company resources, and directs Mark "Animal" Rios, an intern, to clean the board.
- The interns also post disparaging remarks about the professors.
- Dino Tracks
- Step on the dino tracks and you will feel the ground move and hear the dinos.
- Countdown to Extinction
- McDonalds sponsors the ride. When you are on the ride before the time travel, look overhead and see 3 pipes that run along the celing. They have formulas all over them; one is red, one is yellow, and one is white. It turns out they are the formulas for ketchup, mustard, and mayo and they are on the correct color co-ordinated pipes.
- Before you reach the ride, there is a restroom/telephone area around the side of the building to the right. On an exterior window sill, someone seems to have "discarded" a dinosaur bone fragment. (It is apparently intentional, because it's glued down very securely)
- As you exit the ride, watch the video that shows the Iguanadon wandering around the lab. It is often missed as most people go directly to the screens to view their on-ride photos.
- Tarzan Rocks
- When you are leaving, do not follow the crowd to the right. Turn left out of the stadium. Most of the characters are in the bushes to the left of the exit and they will come out and meet with you for photos and autographs.