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Discovery Island
- Thread starter SusanAnne
- Start date
Discovery Island is no longer open. It closed sometime ago. I believe when AK opened up. The island was an animal sanctuary.
The island is found in Bay Lake. Off from MK and near Fort Wilderness. Don't hold me too this, but I believe that the only way to get there was by boat from Fort Wilderness.
The island is found in Bay Lake. Off from MK and near Fort Wilderness. Don't hold me too this, but I believe that the only way to get there was by boat from Fort Wilderness.
It used to be called Safaris Village, but was renamed once the original Discovery Island closed.
lamarvenoy
New Member
i was there as a kid around 1983. AAA gave away free tickets to DI with the purchase of Dis tickets. It had alot of caged birds and Turtles and free roaming animals, it was kinda like a 2nd rate attraction you'd find on I-192.Some years back Disney got into trouble after some cast members killed a couple of buzzards or voltures. It seemed the voltures stuck around the island and stole the food from the other animals. Disney setteled out of court with the state and the place has been on the downlow ever since, they didn't close it until just before AK, but it wasn't really advertisted after that incident.there is also a pirate ship sunk on the shore. that was to be a prop for the original "treasure island"theme the island had when WDW first opened.Disney quickly realized it was too far out of the way to shuttle large numbers of people back and forth and Discovery island was born.
wow that kinda reads like a book, sometimes i can't stop. disney disney disney disney.
wow that kinda reads like a book, sometimes i can't stop. disney disney disney disney.
monorail256
Member
in recent years, we've asked questions about discovery island while we are at disney b/c we always went when it was open. we have been told by ((CM),who may or may not be telling the truth) that they were planning on putting "home away from home" places over there.... for like ppl who have just got married as a type of "get away".... it seems kinda dumb and outta the way for that to happen... but thats what he told me. anyways.. :0)
"If i'm not mistaken I think the original Discovery Island is used as a Medical Center and a nursery for AK animals."
uh, i don't think so. animal kingdom already has a great med center and nursery in place. plus, what sense would there be in shipping animals to an island so far away from dak?
uh, i don't think so. animal kingdom already has a great med center and nursery in place. plus, what sense would there be in shipping animals to an island so far away from dak?
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
as far as I know, all of the facilities animal kingdom uses for living space and treatment of animals is on the north end of the park, with the hospital being at Conservation Station (where you see the surgeries).
Luau Cove
New Member
Discovery Island
NOTE: Disney have finally closed Discovery Island to all but specially invited guests of it's sponsor Friskies. The closing party/wake was held on 8th April on the Island, and was a very low-key affair which was not widely advertised. All Discovery Island sineage on the water transportation was removed during the following evening. The closure date was exactly 25 years after it first opened in 1974.
Discovery Island was a small (11 acre) and very tranquil zoological park located on an island across from Wilderness Lodge and River Country. It could only be reached by boat from the landing stages at The Magic Kingdom, River Country, or the Wilderness Lodge resort.
It was well worth spending a morning there, if you'd seen everything at the major parks, or if you wanted to get away from everything for a few hours.
Discovery Island featured over 140 species of animals, several of which are threatened with extinction, and 250 species of tropical plants including 5 species of bamboo, all arranged around a series of walkways around the island.
This small island was designated as a zoological park by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and actively exchanged animals with other zoos for breeding programmes and similar projects. Following its closure many of it's animals will be transferred to locations within the Animal Kingdom. Others not transferred to the Animal Kingdom will most likely be moved to other Zoos around the United States in order to continue established breeding programmes.
Birds were abundant on Discovery Island, particularly the Scarlet Ibis, although there weare plenty of other varieties to spot as well, including a number of Amazon Parrots some of which weare caged, but the majority free on perches.
The Island also featured some very unusual White Peacocks, along with other species including American Flamingo, Toucan, Kookaburra, Trumpeter Swan, Cranes, Southern Bald Eagle, Hornbill, and the Brown Pelican.
The Island hosted a number of reptiles, apart from the ever present small lizards, including Alligators and various Turtles (Galapagos and Snapping). Living alongside the birds and reptiles were several other species including deer, rodents and a few primates.
The main places to see Birds weare "Trumpeter Springs", "Parrots Perch", "Crane's Roost", "Avian Way", "Pelican Bay", and "Flamingo Lagoon", with most of these areas including more than just their namesake species...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attractions:
Reptile Relations
Reptile Relations wss a short presentation featuring various reptiles and cold blooded animals. The presentation ran daily at 11:30, 12:30 14:30 and 15:30.
Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends wais the other presentation on Discovery Island, this time focusing on various birds, especially Parrots, but also with various birds of prey. As with Reptile Relations, Feathered Friends ran daily at 11:30, 12:30 14:30 and 15:30.
Admission:
Admission to Discovery Island was included with the All in One hopper passes, the Length of Stay pass, the Unlimited Magic Passport, and the Premium Annual Pass. Other than that, one day tickets weare available on Discovery Island itself for $12.67 (Adults).
Alternatively, a combined Discovery Island / River Country pass couldn be bought for $19.95 (again access to River Country is included in the above pases).
Food / Drink:
A very limited menu wais available at "The Thirsty Perch" which was typically very busy due to the lack of alternatives. Generally guests were well advised to plan on eating on the mainland...
Merchandise
Again the Thirsty Perch was the place to go for Discovery Island specific merchandise. The range was pretty limited, with a few items of clothing, and small toys being prevalent, though Films ware available if you run out whilst on the Island.
Guest Services
Again centered around the Thirsty Perch, Guest Services offered rental lockers, and binoculars (deposit required). Any Lost/Found enquiries were also handled at the Thirsty Perch.
FROM VACATION PLANNER.
-->LUAU
NOTE: Disney have finally closed Discovery Island to all but specially invited guests of it's sponsor Friskies. The closing party/wake was held on 8th April on the Island, and was a very low-key affair which was not widely advertised. All Discovery Island sineage on the water transportation was removed during the following evening. The closure date was exactly 25 years after it first opened in 1974.
Discovery Island was a small (11 acre) and very tranquil zoological park located on an island across from Wilderness Lodge and River Country. It could only be reached by boat from the landing stages at The Magic Kingdom, River Country, or the Wilderness Lodge resort.
It was well worth spending a morning there, if you'd seen everything at the major parks, or if you wanted to get away from everything for a few hours.
Discovery Island featured over 140 species of animals, several of which are threatened with extinction, and 250 species of tropical plants including 5 species of bamboo, all arranged around a series of walkways around the island.
This small island was designated as a zoological park by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and actively exchanged animals with other zoos for breeding programmes and similar projects. Following its closure many of it's animals will be transferred to locations within the Animal Kingdom. Others not transferred to the Animal Kingdom will most likely be moved to other Zoos around the United States in order to continue established breeding programmes.
Birds were abundant on Discovery Island, particularly the Scarlet Ibis, although there weare plenty of other varieties to spot as well, including a number of Amazon Parrots some of which weare caged, but the majority free on perches.
The Island also featured some very unusual White Peacocks, along with other species including American Flamingo, Toucan, Kookaburra, Trumpeter Swan, Cranes, Southern Bald Eagle, Hornbill, and the Brown Pelican.
The Island hosted a number of reptiles, apart from the ever present small lizards, including Alligators and various Turtles (Galapagos and Snapping). Living alongside the birds and reptiles were several other species including deer, rodents and a few primates.
The main places to see Birds weare "Trumpeter Springs", "Parrots Perch", "Crane's Roost", "Avian Way", "Pelican Bay", and "Flamingo Lagoon", with most of these areas including more than just their namesake species...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attractions:
Reptile Relations
Reptile Relations wss a short presentation featuring various reptiles and cold blooded animals. The presentation ran daily at 11:30, 12:30 14:30 and 15:30.
Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends wais the other presentation on Discovery Island, this time focusing on various birds, especially Parrots, but also with various birds of prey. As with Reptile Relations, Feathered Friends ran daily at 11:30, 12:30 14:30 and 15:30.
Admission:
Admission to Discovery Island was included with the All in One hopper passes, the Length of Stay pass, the Unlimited Magic Passport, and the Premium Annual Pass. Other than that, one day tickets weare available on Discovery Island itself for $12.67 (Adults).
Alternatively, a combined Discovery Island / River Country pass couldn be bought for $19.95 (again access to River Country is included in the above pases).
Food / Drink:
A very limited menu wais available at "The Thirsty Perch" which was typically very busy due to the lack of alternatives. Generally guests were well advised to plan on eating on the mainland...
Merchandise
Again the Thirsty Perch was the place to go for Discovery Island specific merchandise. The range was pretty limited, with a few items of clothing, and small toys being prevalent, though Films ware available if you run out whilst on the Island.
Guest Services
Again centered around the Thirsty Perch, Guest Services offered rental lockers, and binoculars (deposit required). Any Lost/Found enquiries were also handled at the Thirsty Perch.
FROM VACATION PLANNER.
-->LUAU
tmp
Member
This an excerpt of the book "Inside Disney" by Eve Zibart. pg.16
"In 1964, when Disney (Walt) had his pilots swing the corporate Gulfstream over the pine swamps of central Florida, he pointed out a spot about 15 miles south of Orlando where an unfinished expressway(soon to be the Florida Turnpike) was scraping toward I-4. Then Disney caught a glimpse of a little island in the blue of Bay Lake. "Great," he pronounced. "Buy it." (It is now Discovery Island.)"
If this is true Discovry Island has more significance then anything else in WDW - Even the original three from the worlds fair- COP, "Small World", and the Hall of presidents
"In 1964, when Disney (Walt) had his pilots swing the corporate Gulfstream over the pine swamps of central Florida, he pointed out a spot about 15 miles south of Orlando where an unfinished expressway(soon to be the Florida Turnpike) was scraping toward I-4. Then Disney caught a glimpse of a little island in the blue of Bay Lake. "Great," he pronounced. "Buy it." (It is now Discovery Island.)"
If this is true Discovry Island has more significance then anything else in WDW - Even the original three from the worlds fair- COP, "Small World", and the Hall of presidents