Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a theme park in Florida focused on animal and environmental themes, with rides and close-up animal encounters. While some animal rights activists protest keeping animals in captivity, the park has become popular and has accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It offers themed treks through wildlife exhibits and has conservation messages integrated into many attractions. The park has seven segments, with animals from around the world, and originally planned to have a section devoted to mythical creatures.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the fourth theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Focused on animal and environmental themes, the park combines the traditional ride elements of the Disney franchise with the opportunity to get up close to animals from around the world. Though the park has an emphasis on conservation and respect for animals, some animal rights activists are protesting keeping animals in captivity, especially near the noisy environments of theme park rides. Despite the protests, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has become a popular park, with nearly 9.5 million guests in 2007.
In 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened as the largest Disney Park in the world. Costing more than $1 billion US dollars (USD), the park spans over 500 acres (2 square km), much of the space being devoted to animal habitats. The resort added Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2001, a top-notch hotel that allows guests to view the animals from their rooms and common areas. Although park officials insist the park is not a zoo, it does have accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which certifies that they have met or exceeded required standards of animal care.
Like all parks in the series, Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers a selection of rides to keep visitors entertained. In the DinoLand USA section of the park, guests can travel back to prehistoric times on the time-travel themed roller coaster Primeval Whirl. One of the most popular rides is Expedition Everest, a snowy mountain thrill ride that takes visitors to the edge of a crumbling trail before plummeting backwards through the ride and facing off against a terrifying Yeti. Despite these and other well-received attractions, Animal Kingdom’s focus is on the animal inhabitants that lurk around every corner.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is divided into seven segments, most of which contain animals that fit the themes. In the Africa area, guests can go on an open-top car safari to see giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, and flamingos in the natural savannah environments. Many of the animals are allowed to roam freely, getting close to the patterns of their wild ranges. In the Asia section, a wildlife trail takes adventurers through lush exhibits featuring peacocks, tigers, Komodo dragons, and other native Asian creatures.
Originally, the park was slated to contain a section devoted to mythical creatures called the Beastly Kingdom. Although the plans were scrapped due to budget cuts, some of the area’s original features remain scattered throughout the park. Some remaining elements are a fountain and dragon statue, and a parking area known as the Unicorn Parking Lot.
The park insists it’s not a zoo, instead offering themed treks through wildlife exhibits. Animal Kingdom’s entertainment goal is to give guests a magical experience of the natural world, with conservation messages tightly integrated into many attractions. While critics suggest that exhibiting captive animals can be harmful to them and can give the false impression that conservation is well cared for, many animal experts believe parks like Disney’s Animal Kingdom are beneficial both for science and for extending a pro – conservation program.
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