Animal Kingdom

Opening on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the fourth park to open at the Walt Disney World resort. It is the largest Disney park in the world, with much of it’s acreage being taken up by Kilimanjaro Safaris.

The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the Tree of Life, a 145 foot man made tree with 325 animals carved into it’s bark. In the base of the tree of life is the 3D stage show titled “It’s Tough to be a Bug” featuring characters from the Pixar movie, “A Bug’s Life”.

The lead Imagineer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Joe Rohde often discusses a set values for Disney’s Animal Kingdom that led them through the design process and story telling in the park:

• The intrinsic and superior value of nature – this means that nature, above all else is at the forefront of the design. This leads to parts of the park being out of their true control (live animals, overgrown pathways, etc.).
• Transformation through adventure – this idea is that adventure changes people when they experience something they’ve never experienced before.
• Personal call to action – a sense of responsibility for the animals and the conservation message.

The lands of the Animal Kingdom are as follows:

The Oasis

This is the entrance area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In lieu of a traditional Main Street style entrance that’s lined with shops, The Oasis is a series of trails meant to be explored by guests. Guests can find a variety of animals ranging from birds to moderate sized mammals.

The Oasis Exhibits

Visible Animals

• Babirusa
• Patagonian Cavy
• Rhinoceros Iguana
• Military Macaw
• Scarlet Macaw
• Reeve’s Muntjac
• Rosybill Pochard
• African Spoonbill
• Roseate Spoonbill
• Black Swan
• Black-Necked Swan
• Swamp Wallaby
• Chloe Wigeon

Visible Fish

• Longnose Gar

No longer visible

• Southern Giant Anteater
• Hyacinth Macaw

Discovery Island

For all intents and purposes, this is the hub of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. While much of the park is a large circle, bridges to each land extend from Discovery Island. Discovery Islands features the Tree of Life, shops, “It’s Tough to be a Bug” and several animal exhibits.

Discovery Island Trails

• Paroon Shark-Catfish
• Nene Goose
• Military Macaw
• African Crested Porcupine
• Painted Stork
• Saddle-Billed Stork
• Giant Galapagos Tortoise

The Tree of Life Exhibits

• West African Crowned Crane
• Lesser Flamingo
• Red Kangaroo
• Collared Lemur
• Ring-Tailed Lemur
• Green-Winged Macaw
• Asian Small-Clawed Otter
• White Stork
• Tambaqui
• Cotton Top Tamarin
• Lappet-Faced Vulture

Africa

Africa is home to Kilimanjaro Safaris, the single biggest attraction in Disney history. Guests enter Africa in the village of Harambe. The African marketplace features shops and restaurants as well as the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and the Kilimanjaro Safaris. After the 2014 closure of Camp Minnie Mickey, Festival of the Lion King moved to Africa as well. Also departing from Africa is the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch

Kilimanjaro Safaris

The attraction vehicles list many of the animals visible on a “Game Spotting Guide”. This includes the following:

• Sable Antelope
• Bongo
• Bontebok
• Ankole Cattle
• Cheetah
• White-breasted Cormorant
• Stanley Crane
• Nile Crocodile
• African Wild Dog
• Northern Pintail Duck
• Red-billed Duck
• White-faced Tree Duck
• Yellow-billed Duck
• Yellow-backed Duiker
• [Patterson’s] Eland
• [African] Elephant
• Greater Flamingo
• Helmeted Guinea Fowl
• Thomson’s Gazelle
• Masai Giraffe
• Egyptian Goose
• Hippopotamus
• Spotted Hyena
• Impala
• Greater Kudu
• Lion
• Mandrill
• Okapi
• Scimitar-horned Oryx
• Ostrich
• Pink-backed Pelican
• Black Rhinoceros
• White Rhinoceros
• Marabou Stork
• Saddle-billed Stork
• Yellow-billed Stork
• Warthog
• Wildebeest
• Grant’s Zebra

Additional Animal Species have been added that are not on the Game Spotting Guide:

• Addax
• West African Crowned Crane
• African Wild Dog
• Masai Giraffe
• Spotted Hyena
• Springbok
• Waterbuck

Animals visible in the queue

• West African Crowned Cranes
• Sacred Ibis

Some of these animals from the Game Spotting Guide are no longer visible including:

• Northern Pintail Duck
• Red-billed Duck
• White-faced Tree Duck
• Yellow-billed Duck
• Helmeted Guinea Fowl
• Thomson’s Gazelle
• Egyptian Goose
• Impala

Additional animals that were not on the Game Spotting Guide and are no longer visible are:

• Mohr Gazelle
• Grevy’s Zebra

Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

Visible Animals

• Angolan Black & White Colobus Monkey
• Stanley Crane
• Yellow-backed Duiker
• Okapi
• Meerkat
• Grevy’s Zebra
• Western Lowland Gorilla
• Hippopotamus
• Kenyan Sand Boa
• African Bullfrog
• Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
• Hedgehog Tenrec
• Ornate Spiny-Tailed Lizard
• Four-striped Grass Mouse
• Naked Mole-Rat
• African Mud Turtle
• Pancake Tortoise
• Spider Tortoise
• Bearded Barbet
• Black Crake
• Emerald Spotted Wood Dove
• Tambourine Dove
• Cut-throat Finches
• Pygmy Goose
• Hammerkop
• Green Wood Hoopoe
• African Jacana
• Blue-breasted Kingfisher
• Black-cheeked Lovebird
• Bronze Mannikin
• Brown-necked Parrot
• African Green Pigeon
• Olive Pigeon
• Snowy-headed Robin Chat
• Blue Bellied Roller
• Raquet-tailed Roller
• Magpie Shrike
• Amethyst Starling
• Golden-breasted Starling
• Purple Glossy Starling
• Superb Starling
• Marbled Teal
• Hottentot Teal
• Great Blue Turaco
• Lavender Waxbills
• Taveta Golden Weaver
• White-headed Buffalo Weaver
• Paradise Whydah
• Pintail Whydah
• Victorian Rock Cichlids (pyxichromis orthostoma, labrochromis ishmaeli, paraiabidochremis plagiodiodon, prognathochromis perrierie)

No longer visible

• Gerenuk
• Warthog
• Maribou Stork)
• Dung Beetle
• Spiny Mice
• Emperor Scorpion
• Mombassa Starbust Tarantula
• Brown-necked Parrot
• Golden-breasted Starling
• Hottentot Teal)

Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Pandora: The World of AVATAR is inspired by the 2009 James Cameron movie, Avatar. Guests enter the Valley of Mo’ara where they encounter interactive plant life in the bioluminescent forest as well as floating mountains.

Tour guides from Alpha Centurai Expeditions (ACE) have colonized the area and made peace with the Na’vi after years of conflict. The time frame of the land takes place a generation after the original Avatar movie and it’s four sequels. The conflict between humans and Na’vi is over, but remnants of the conflict can be found throughout the land.

As guests enter the land from Discovery Island, they encounter a large Pandoran plant called a Baja Tickler. The plant helps detoxify the atmosphere and helps humans breath in the otherwise poisonous air.

The land features a snack stand called Pongu Pongu where guests can get offerings exclusive to Pandora. A quick service restaurant called Satuli Cateen offers a wider selection of food inspired by the movie.

The two main attractions in the land are Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage. Na’vi River Journey is a nighttime boat ride through the bioluminescent forests of Pandora culminating with an encounter with a Na’vi Shaman. Flight of Passage allows guests to link with their Avatar and ride a banshee outside of the confines of the Valley of Mo’ara.

Throughout the land guests can enjoy the Na’vi drum circle, Navi totems, and interactive walkways and foliage.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch

This is the veterinary services area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It helps convey the parks conservation message through interactive exhibits and live animal encounters. There is also a petting zoo for all ages and scheduled character meet and greets as well.

Affection Section

Visible Animals

• Pineywoods Cow
• African Pygmy Goats
• Nigerian Dwarf Goats
• African Guinea Hog
• Kunekune Pigs
• Babydoll Sheep

Conservation Station

Visible Animals

• Axolotl, Blue Poison Dart Frog
• Golden Poison Dart Frog
• Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog
• Solomon Islands Leaf Frog
• Emperor Newt
• European fire salamander
• Greater Siren
• Colorado River Toad
• Puerto Rican Crested Toad
• Surinam Toad
• Blue Death-feigner beetle
• Elephant beetles
• Flamboyant Flower beetles
• Fungus beetles
• Giant Desert Centipede
• Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
• Eastern Lubber Grasshopper
• Giant Stick Insect (aka Giant Spiny Stick)
• Malaysian Dead-leaf Mantis
• Common Emperor Scorpion (aka African Emperor Scorpion)
• Tailless Whip Scorpion (aka Asian Whip Scorpion)
• Brazilian Salmon Tarantula
• Mexican Fireleg Tarantula
• Puerto Rican Boa
• Desert Rosy Boa
• Inland Bearded Dragon
• Black Tree Monitor
• Blue-tounged Skink
• Prehensile-tailed Skink
• Egyptian Tortoise
• Annam Leaf Turtle
• Chinese Box Turtle

No longer visible:

• Green Tree Python
• Orb Spider
• Two-toed amphiuma
• Hourglass Tree Frog
• Velvet Ant
• Predacious Diving Beetle
• Rainbow scarabs
• Desert Hairy Scorpion
• Burmese Python
• Eastern Box Turtle

Habitat Habit

Visible Animals

• Geoffrey’s Marmoset
• Cotton-top Tamarin
• Emperor Tamarin
• Golden Lion Tamarin

Animal Encounter/It All Started With a Mouse

Visible Animals (Show):

• Lesser Anteater
• Rotchschild’s porcupine

Visible Animals (Terrariums):

• Komodo Dragon
• Gopher Tortoise

No longer visible (Terrariums):

• Asian Water Monitor

Asia

Asia is broken down into two separate villages: Anandapur and Serka Zong. In the village of Anandapur, guests can find Kali River Rapids, Flights of Wonder and the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Along the path from Anandapur to Serka Zong guests will encounter the exhibit for the Siamang Gibbons before approaching the enormous Expedition Everest Roller Coaster.

Maharajah Jungle Trek

Visible Animals

• Banteng
• Rodrigues Fruit Bat
• Blackbuck
• Water Buffalo
• Sarus Crane
• White Naped Crane
• Eld’s Deer
• Komodo Dragon
• Roechelle Duck
• Malayan Flying Fox
• Bar-Headed Goose
• Green Peafowl
• Asian Tiger
• Sumatran Tiger
• Tree Monitor
• Fairy Bluebird
• White-Cheeked Bulbul
• Bartlett’s Bleeding Heart Dove
• Green Winged Dove
• Jambu Fruit Dove
• Mandarin Duck
• White Headed Duck
• Stella’s Lorikeet
• Chestnut-Breasted Malcoha
• Plum-Headed Parakeet
• Crested Wood Partridge
• Hooded Pitta
• Golden Pheasant
• Great Argus Pheasant
• Nicobar Pigeon
• Pied Imperial Pigeon
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Masked Plover
• Black-Collared Starling
• Metallic Starling
• Shama Thrush

No longer visible

• Asia Giant Centipede
• Blood Python
• Annam Leaf Turtle
• Burmese Black Mountain Tortoise
• Fire-Tufted Barbet
• Palm Cockatoo
• Indian Pygmy Goose
• White-Throated Kingfisher

Siamang and Gibbon Exhibit

Visible Animals

• Siamang Gibbon
• White-Cheeked Gibbon

UP! A Great Bird Adventure

Visible Animals

• Chicken
• Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Pogo)
• Andean Condor
• East African Crowned Crane (Frasier)
• Pied Crow (Harley)
• Bald Eagle (Hope)
• Harris Hawk (Orion)
• Trumpeter Hornbill (Miles)
• Blue and Gold Macaw
• Green-Winegd Macaw
• Hyacinth Macaw
• Barn Owl (Alfalfa)
• Great Horned Owl
• Spectacled Owl
• African Gray Parrot (Keebler)
• Yellow-naped Amazon Parrot (Groucho)
• Raven (Poe)
• Red-Legged Seriama, Black Vulture (Webster)

Dinoland U.S.A.

Part research facility, part roadside carnival, Dinoland U.S.A. features the DINOSAUR attraction, Primeval Whirl, Triceratops Spin, Finding Nemo The Musical, carnival games and more.

American Crocodile Exhibit

Visible Animals

• American Crocodile
• Abdim Stork
• Asian Brown Tortoise