Skip to main content

Featured Post

Which Walt Disney World Park Is The Best?

Post a Comment

Top 5 Things To Do at Animal Kingdom



5. Meet Mickey and Minnie

DAK is the only park you can meet Mickey and Minnie together. All other parks they have separate meet and greets. Usually they are wearing safari outfits. However, during Christmas they are wearing winter sweaters and scarves.  This is one of the only character meets that have fastpasses available. And the que is inside, so you can cool down in A/C before heading off to your next adventure!

4. Rafiki's Planet Watch

This little-known gem is a must! The only way to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch is to hop on board the Wildlife Express. Train lovers will enjoy the scenic route. Once you are dropped off at the train station, follow paths sprinkled with gardens and cotton top tamarin exhibits to the conservation station. Inside you will find vet rooms where examinations are preformed and reptiles and insects on display. You can also take a short animation class and learn to draw a Disney animal character. The best part of Rafiki's Planet Watch is the Affection Section, which is as cute as it sounds. It is a petting zoo with goats, sheep, a pig and even an alpaca that animal lovers of all ages will enjoy. Be sure to look for the sheep with the hidden Mickey shaven into it's wool! Rafiki's Planet Watch is also home to 6 Wilderness Explorer badges.

3. Become a Wilderness Explorer

The movie of UP! comes to life in this hands-on activity that is both fun and educational.  The Wilderness Explorers Headquarters is located on the Discovery Island bridge. Here you will be given the handbook learn the Wilderness Explorer call.  This activity is a great way to really experience all of the park. Badges include Asian Culture, Animal Find, and Fossil Fun. Explorers of all ages can learn something. See if you can earn all badges in one day!

2. The Festival of The Lion King Show

This is the #1 rated show in all of Walt Disney World, and for good reason. This is not a simple, condensed reenactment of the movie in the way that The Voyage of The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast Live is. It is a celebration of the movie and all that it has taught us. There is a lot of crowd involvement. As a tip, if you sit close to the front or the aisles, your kid might have a chance to  even be in the finale number!


1. SEE THE ANIMALS!

You have to see the main attraction of Animal Kingdom: the animals! It is what makes the park unique from the others. Most people will recommend the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, which is great. However, there are other ways to see animals. There are walking trails and exhibits throughout DAK that are self-paced. Go see the baby gorillas on the Pangani Forest Trail in Africa, the Tigers on the Jungle Trek in Asia, the tamarins on Discovery Island, and the macaws on the Oasis trails. My personal favorite are the muntjacks, also in the Oasis. You'll miss them if you walk straight forward on to Discovery Island. In order to see most of these animals, you'll have to channel your inner explorer and turn corners and wander down new paths.

*This post was updated 08.16.21



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Complete List of Disney Animated Movies

 So, you want to know or watch every Disney animated movie ever? Disney Darling Blog has a comprehensive list of Disney movies, broken. down by the studio from which the films were produced.   Disney Animation Studios When most people think of "Disney movies", they are probably referring to Disney Animation Studios films. These movies were made from Disney's official animation studio and theatrically released.  At the time of writing, Disney Animation Studios (DAS) has released 61 movies. In this list, these movies are broken down by era. The Golden Era starts off with the massively successful Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The movies in this era were critically acclaimed and helped establish Walt Disney as a serious filmmaker.  During WWII, the Disney movie studio struggled. To save money, many films were made up of a compilation of cartoon shorts. This era is referred to the Package Era, or sometimes the Wartime Era.  With the war over, Disney could finally return to
Post a Comment
Read more

Walt Disney World Parks: The Basics

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Or just want to learn more about the parks and don't know where to start? Disney Darling breaks down the basics for you! Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World Disneyland and Disney World are two different parks, located on opposite sides of the country. As mentioned in this post , it is a common misconception that Disneyland and Disney World are the same thing.  Disneyland is the first Disney theme park ever, opening in 1955. It is located in Anaheim, California, near Los Angeles.  Disneyland has two different parks: Disneyland Park (with the castle), and Disney's California Adventure (or DCA). Disneyland also has three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping district.  Walt Disney World is located in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It opened in 1971, after Walt's passing. Walt Disney World has 4 different theme parks, 2 water parks, 28 hotels, and the Disney Springs shopping district.  There are quite a few more differences, but lo
Post a Comment
Read more

Walt Disney World Without Genie+

Recently, Disney introduced its new Genie+ system. Basically, Genie+ is the replacement for FastPass, except you have to pay to use it now. The FastPass system has been a staple in many Disney trips for 20 years. I myself was a huge advocate. But doing Disney without Genie+ or Lighting Lane is totally possible. Many people have reported on forums that Genie+ is definitely a bonus and not at all a requirement. Here are some tips for a Walt Disney World vacation WITHOUT Genie+: Check Wait Times Walt Disney World's app is a must for every trip. On the app, you can check wait times for every attraction across the resort. You many want to download the app a few weeks before your trip and take note of the wait times throughout the days leading up to your visit to get an idea of when the parks are the most crowded.  Some rides like The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will have a permanent hour-long wait no matter what.  Some rides like Splash Mountain (Tiana's Version) hit their peak during
3 comments
Read more

Walt Disney World 2024: Disney's' Hollywood Studios

  Disney's Hollywood Studios, one of the four major theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, has been an iconic destination for entertainment enthusiasts since its opening in 1989. As we look ahead to 2024, the park continues to evolve and captivate visitors with its unique blend of movie magic, immersive experiences, and beloved characters. 2024 will see some updated attractions and special event dates at Disney's Hollywood Studios.  New Little Mermaid Show The Voyage of The Little Mermaid is one of Hollywood Studio’s longest running stage shows. Like the rest of the parks, it closed in 2020. However, guests noticed its absence once everything else opened. With the show being closed for so long, rumors started to spread. Last year, Disney Darling even predicted an overhaul of Animation Courtyard. It seems that won’t be happening for a few more years (if ever).  Recently, Disney announced the return of a Little Mermaid show. This one will be called Th
Post a Comment
Read more