Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Orlando

Disney's Animal Kingdom is a theme park at Walt Disney World Resort  1  in Florida. It opened on April 22, 1998. Covering more than 500 acres (2 km²) in size, it is themed around live animals and extinct dinosaurs.

Dedication

"Welcome to a kingdom of animals... real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn." - Michael Eisner, April 22, 1998

Attractions

Discovery Island

Formerly Safari Village, this is the center of the park, the hub from which all other lands can be reached. Its centerpiece is the "Tree of Life", a fourteen-story-tall (145 feet, 44m) artificial tree on which are carved images of more than three hundred twenty-five animals.

• It's Tough to be a Bug!,See the world through a bug's eyes as you peek into the hilarious and dazzling 3-D world of amazing and amusing insects as they astound you with a one-of-a-kind stage show. Laugh at the fun and startling in-theater effects like overhead giant spiders! The only thing that will "bug" you is if you miss it!
• Animals located on Discovery Island include lemurs, flamingos, otters, kangaroos, storks, cranes, and deer.
• Discovery Island™ Trails,Saunter through these sumptuous garden pathways for glimpses of hilarious animal antics and captivating critters. Have face-to-face encounters with Galapagos tortoises, lemurs, cotton-top tamarin monkeys and other fascinating creatures.
• Tree Of Life,Marvel at this 14-story masterpiece sculpted by more than a dozen artisans. The 50-foot wide tree is the centerpiece of Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. The swirling tapestry of 325 animal carvings creates a staggering spectacle that is truly a sight to behold!

Rafiki's Planet Watch

Formerly Conservation Station and still accessible by train only, this area contains small animals, a petting zoo with domesticated goats, and exhibits teaching about conservation efforts. The veterinary hospital's viewing window allows guests to watch medical procedures conducted by the veterinary staff.

• Wildlife Express Train,Ride the rails on this rustic African train that travels the savannah for a behind-the-scenes journey through several animal housing and care areas of the park. In just over five minutes, your guided train ride transports you to the core of the park's conservation center. All aboard!
• Habitat Habit!,See endangered cotton-top tamarin primates up close. Trek down this adventure trail and help your animal friends in ways that you never thought possible. It's fun to share your world and your own backyard with animals!
• Affection Section,Don't be shy! Enjoy this delightful animal encounter with goats, sheep, pigs, chicken, llamas and more. Watch for special guest appearances by some of the park's friendlier animals. This is a great way to help little ones begin to open their eyes to the world around them.
• Conservation Station®,At trail's end, the discovery has just begun as you visit the center of Disney efforts to promote wildlife conservation awareness. Inside, there is a whole herd of wild animal experiences, interactive games and fun-filled shows. See animals up close in this rare behind-the-scenes adventure!

DinoLand U.S.A.

• The Boneyard,Slip, slide, slither and slosh through a play maze filled with fun fossils. "Exploration. Excavation. Exultation." is the motto of the Dino Institute and nowhere is this truer than here. Would-be paleontologists young and old play amidst a world of dinosaur discoveries like a Triceratops, T-Rex and Wooly Mammoth. Frolic among the fossils!
• DINOSAUR (formerly Countdown to Extinction),Whoosh back to primeval times for a wild ride of an expedition to complete your dangerous mission. The clock is ticking on your Time Rover and you have mere minutes to rescue a stray dinosaur. Beware the hungry clutches of one large meat-eating predator and the devastating power of an impending asteroid! It's fast. It's a blast! It's in the past!
• Animals located in Dinoland include an American Crocodile, Abdim's Storks, and Asian brown tortoises.
• Finding Nemo Musical (not offical name)-COMING LATE 2006, (NOTE: this show has been confirmed by wdwmagic.com), In this fun show guests will see puppets of the characters in Finding Nemo as they play out the movie.
• Dino-Sue,Visit Disney's oldest "cast" member, clocking in at 67 million years. Dino-Sue is a painstaking reproduction of the largest, most complete T-Rex ever found! The length of a four-story building, the mighty T-Rex is available to pose for pictures with you at the Dino institute. It's fossiliferous!
• Cretaceous Trail,Enjoy a lush, shady, relaxing and surprising walking tour amidst plant and animal survivors that have outlived the dinosaurs. Play with a Pachycephalosaur, encounter living animal species that have survived since prehistoric times and discover fossil dig sites!

DinoLand also contains "Dino-Rama!", an area made to look like a tacky 1950s roadside attraction built on an old parking lot. Dino-Rama! has been criticized by Disney fans for containing only "off-the-shelf" attractions (whack-a-mole and other carnival games) similar to what other parks offer, and for charging guests money for each play.

• Primeval Whirl, Take a whirl into prehistory in one of these spinning time machines that are part of the zany fun fair of Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama! Thrill to the sudden dips, hairpin turns and tight curves of this rollicking coaster. Each colorful car spins independently so you never know how things will "turn" out! It's the best time you've had in ages.
• TriceraTop Spin, Take the family for a spin aboard this whirling, twirling, friendly flying dinosaur. Climb into one of these four-person dino vehicles and spin 'round, up and down. Expect a dino-sized surprise for kids rising from the giant tin top at the hub of it all. It's an experience that can't be topped
• Fossil Fun Games,Erupting with fun, these dinosaur-themed games offer a good time for everyone. Whether you are wowed by the nostalgic past of a carnival or by the distant prehistoric past, these games are a total blast from the past!