Hey again! Ready to continue our tour of the Animal Kingdom? I thought so :). I believe I left you at Camp Minnie-Mickey, didn’t I? We’ll go back out of Camp the same way we came in, back onto Discovery Island. Now, we’ll keep heading to the left and cross the bridge into Africa.
*Imagination Photog Photo Tip! This is another bridge with a great view. When you get to the middle, look to your right and you’ll see the towering Mount Everest in the distance. It houses the park’s number one thrill ride, “Expedition Everest.” Stop here for a great photo with the mountain in the background.
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| View from the bridge to Africa. |
Africa
I love this part of the park! You walk right into the quaint, but lively, African village of Harambe. Over to the right, natives are drumming and singing traditional African music that can lift up any bad mood. There are a couple of great places to eat here. The Tamu Tamu Refreshment stand is on the right, while the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Tusker House Restaurant are on the left.
Straight ahead you’ll see the infamous “upside down tree,” more properly known as a Baobab tree. That’s where you’ll find Africa’s main attraction: Kilimanjaro Safaris. The safari takes you through the African Savannah and puts you right beside your favorite wild animals like elephants, giraffes, lions, antelope, rhinos and more.
As you exit the safari you’ll see two other attractions. To the left you’ll find the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, where you can see and learn about gorillas and other animals. Straight ahead is the boarding station for the Wildlife Express Train. The train takes to you Rafiki’s Planet Watch, where you can enjoy more wildlife exhibits, plus a petting zoo. The train ride also gives you a little behind-the-scenes look at how Disney Cast Members care for the animals in the park. The train then loops back around to the Africa station.
After you hop off the train, head back through Harambe. Just before the bridge, hang a left. This path will take you into Asia. It’s a short, shaded walk with great views of the river and the Tree of Life. You might also see characters like Balo (from “The Jungle Book”) or Turk (from “Tarzan”) lounging around under the trees.
Asia
The first thing you’ll see as you cross into Asia is the Flights of Wonder attraction. This educational and entertaining show features 30 different birds that will show off their spectacular abilities. Next door to the Flights of Wonder is the Yak & Yeti Restaurant. I’ve never eaten here, but it smells amazing as you walk by. This little corner is a great spot to watch Mickey’s Jammin Jungle parade which goes by every day at 3:45 p.m.
*Imagination Photog Photo Tip! This area around Flights of Wonder and the Yak & Yeti has some great spots for unique photographs. My favorite is the large tree surrounded by rocks. The strips of bright fabric and bells hanging in it just fascinate me. Here are a few of my photos from that area:
Now you come to a sort of fork in the road. We’re going to go left for now, but we’ll be back to this crossroads in bit. Down this way is where you’ll find two more attractions. The Maharajah Jungle Trek is a beautiful walk through animal exhibits and neat Asian architecture. This is also the place where you can see the tigers. Just next door is Kali River Rapids, where you strap into a raft and float through the Asian jungle. This isn’t a calm cruise though. It’s called the Rapids for a reason. Be prepared to get wet!
After you’ve dried off, and stop to watch the monkeys play a while on the ruins close by, head back toward that crossroads we came to earlier. Go left toward the big mountain. That’s Expedition Everest, one of the best and smoothest rollercoasters you will ever ride. It’s probably the Animal Kingdom’s biggest attraction right now. Take a train ride up the mountain and battle a yeti before you head off to our next stop in the land of the dinosaurs.
Dinoland, USA
Leave Asia and cross another bridge into Dinoland. The first attraction you’ll see is Finding Nemo the Musical. This is a “can’t miss” show that the whole family will love! Get there early though; it tends to fill up really quick.
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| Finding Nemo - The Musical |
The next stop looks like a dino-carnival. You’ll find traditional carnival games with a prehistoric twist, as well as a mini rollercoaster called the Primeval Whirl, plus the TriceraTop Spin.
Cross the painted on “road” that surrounds the carnival and you’ll find the rest of Dinoland. To the right is The Boneyard, where kids can have fun on the playground and dig up ancient fossils. Straight ahead you can grab a bite at the Restaurantosaurus, or keep going into the jungle to find a thrill ride back in time. “Dinosaur” the ride waits back there, along with a replica of the famous “Dino Sue,” as well as other replicas of prehistoric animals along the Cretaceous Trail.
Once you’re ready to come back to the present, just take the path back by the Restaurantosaurus and keep left. Walk under the dino skeleton, cross the bridge, and you’re back at the Tree of Life on Discovery Island.
Well folks, that completes our little tour of the Animal Kingdom. That’s how I make my way around the park, but remember, you can go directly to any area from Discovery Island. There are signs everywhere that will point you the way you want to go, plus you’ll have your trusty map.
In the next few blogs we’ll take a closer look at the park’s attractions. I’ll let you know what kind of attraction it is, what ages it’s good for, when to do it, and my personal review of it. I’ll also show you more pictures I’ve take from all over the park and share more of my Disney photography secrets.
Stay tuned!
Miranda
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