Independent guide and review of Florida as a holiday destination

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom is the newest Disney theme park in Florida and is already giving the other Florida animal theme parks like Busch Gardens and Silver Springs a run for their money.

It opened in 1998 and is the biggest Disney park by far; it is five times the size of the Magic Kingdom, covering some 500 acres though a lot of this is taken up by the safari tour.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is home to over 200 different animal species
set in realistic habitats

Disney's Animal Kingdom is designed to look like a safari park and is landscaped with over 100,000 trees and 4 million plants. Because of the nature of wild animals it is not a park to be rushed. To get the most enjoyment from Disney's Animal Kingdom you should take your time and relax and just watch the animals interacting in their own environment.

The Tree of Life on Discovery Island

Disney's Animal Kingdom is divided into a number of main "lands" spread around the central Discovery Island like the spokes of a wheel:

Oasis - a leafy oasis of exotic animals, just inside the park entrance near the Rainforest Cafe
Camp Minnie Mouse - watch the Festival of the Lion King stage show and meet and greet Mickey, Minnie and friends
Discovery Island - cannot be missed because of the giant Tree of Life, also home to the It's Tough to be a Bug! 3-D show based on the Disney/Pixar classic animation.
Africa - experience a wildlife safari with Kilimanjaro Safaris or explore the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Rafiki's Planet Watch - only accessible by the Wildlife Express Train and home to the Conservation Station
Asia - take a white water raft ride down the Kali River Rapids and explore jungle paths on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The "Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain" roller coaster ride opens in April 2006
Dinoland U.S.A. - fun for the whole family where kids can play in The Boneyard or take a spin on the Primeval Whirl roller coaster

Because of the safety of the wild animals there are no evening firework displays at Disney's Animal Kingdom but like the other parks there is an afternoon parade that runs from Africa, past Asia and across Discovery Island before making its way back to Africa.