What was it like during AK's opening?

RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
I was at the Animal Kingdom on opening day, I really enjoy the park but it was definitely different. The Discovery River Boats featured an Iguanadon on the river banks, but other than that, it was a pretty boring ride. Countdown to Extinction was fun on opening day, with a few more special effects included. Over at Kilimanjaro Safaris there was the "original" story (not the one with Big Red dying) and there was a plane at the Little Red animatronic as well as a cast member telling us that Little Red was OK.

Festival of the Lion King was there, I believe there was a Jungle Book show, and of course It's Tough to be a Bug. The Asia expansion would open up later. I can't recall if the Tigers were there on opening day (I don't think they were), but Kali River Rapids definitely wasn't there.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
RSoxNo1 said:
I was at the Animal Kingdom on opening day, I really enjoy the park but it was definitely different. The Discovery River Boats featured an Iguanadon on the river banks, but other than that, it was a pretty boring ride. Countdown to Extinction was fun on opening day, with a few more special effects included. Over at Kilimanjaro Safaris there was the "original" story (not the one with Big Red dying) and there was a plane at the Little Red animatronic as well as a cast member telling us that Little Red was OK.

Festival of the Lion King was there, I believe there was a Jungle Book show, and of course It's Tough to be a Bug. The Asia expansion would open up later. I can't recall if the Tigers were there on opening day (I don't think they were), but Kali River Rapids definitely wasn't there.
Click to expand...
Everything in Asia, including the tigers, were absent on opening day.
 
EpcotServo

EpcotServo

Well-Known Member
Was there before opening day-One of the Passholder days you had to buy a separate ticket for.

It was, and still is, simply amazing. I'll skip my long list of reasons it's so great, and just surmise my initial reactions at the time, which was I couldn't believe all this was constructed. It's simply impossible to think that the Tree of Life wasn't there forever, or when you sit on a bench and watch the sun drenched street of Harambe think that these buildings haven't been smoldering here in the sun for years. And on that first trip, the memories for me really center around Dinoland U.S.A. Alot of people overlook this land, but for me at that age it was something special. I was used to Jurassic Park and generic Dinosaur themes, but Dinoland made me look at Dinosaurs from a new perspective: The people who dig them up, and devote their life to them. There's so much character and life put into Dinoland, it felt like you were really stepping into a town that's been there for years. I had to get the light up Dinoland Helmet and dig in the Boneyard. The music and warmth of Restarauntosaurus. The truly terrifying and exhilarating Countdown to Extinction, which we rode over and over again. Heck, I loved it so much that summer I wanted to be a Paleontologist.
:lol:
 
MythBuster

MythBuster

Active Member
There were a lot of things to see and do there on opening day, but if you were looking for just E-ticket rides then there was just CTX and the Safari.
The Imagineers I talked to were telling me about the design of the park, it was supposed to be an adventure and to explore all the small trails and find all the animal exhibits, much like you would do in Africa like a walking safari and all you had was a small map. A lot of people were confused and just wanted to run to one attraction to another as soon as possible. There were not many directional signs in the park. And it wasn’t designed for parades either but they decided to force one in there anyway, the “March of the Artimals” which failed miserably.
The Discovery River Boat was a good idea but a bad design. The placement of the boat docks were a bad location especially the one by the entrance bridge but you had to walk all the way to the Dinoland bridge to the entrance and ended walking back to the entrance.
 
Dinoman96

Dinoman96

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
BTW, I think the dinosaur seen from the Discovery Boat looked like this, yes?

disani9.jpg


I guess the whole point was that the Iquanodon was the same dinosaur you rescued and it escaped from the Dino Institute?
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I remember the commercials, the park map, the McDonalds toys and the Disney magazine ads. It was pretty exciting.

But all promised a dragon.

I still want that dragon.
 
RoRo

RoRo

New Member
I was 4 when DAK first opened and the only thing I remember from then was the old dinosaur fossil exhibit there and bumping my head really hard at Kilimanjaro Safari on a bumpy spot. Today, I love that park mostly because of the scenery and those little details that are part of the Disney experience. Also it is pretty laid back so it relaxes me very much, I choose to go there on my free admission on my birthday last year.
 
ABigBrassBand

ABigBrassBand

Well-Known Member
All I remember was the dino fossil thing.

Everytime I try to go to AK, its a unique experience. It isn't what a normal WDW park would be like, but its great in its own way. Thats what you have to understand when you go there, its way more laid back then other parks.
 
Dinoman96

Dinoman96

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Another question: In the Pre Film for Dinosaur, it shows Aladar. When it was CTX, what was used there instead?
 
rkelly42

rkelly42

Well-Known Member
I could easily spend a whole day at the AK, unlike most I like to sit back and take in the atmosphere. It's when you step back that you notice all the work and the great design that went into making AK.
 

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