The opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 was the culmination of an eight year long process that began with a simple idea. The idea was to create a traditional theme park (much like an Epcot style pavilion) and marry it to a non-traditional zoo. This was the idea proposed by Joe Rohde (Imagineering Concept Designer) to Michael Eisner (then CEO of the Walt Disney Company).
The park is, as Disney trumpets, a very different experience in interacting with animals. Every location in the park has been designed beautifully, with meticulous attention paid to making the animals feel comfortable in their environment. Because of this, you will almost never feel as if you are separated from the animals as the barriers in between look very natural or altogether invisible.
The 500-acre park is designed conceptually like a wheel. At the heart of the wheel is the Tree of Life, from which radiates various lands. Among these weird and wonderful places you will find the Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Dinoland USA and Asia. The park has a few fun excursions like a short journey into the Savannah called Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest which will whisk you off to find the elusive Yeti while Dinosaur will take you back in time to the Cretaceous Period. Throw in the fabulous plant life and wide variety of animals and you begin to see that the park is really a great place to visit.
But a word of warning, this is not a place for those who come looking for “rides”. This park is all about observing animals in their natural habitat with as little interference as possible and learning about them. For those who come here with that mindset it can be a fantastic experience that will leave them wanting more.