Animal Kingdom needing more?

[dvcnut39]

As I'm sure that most of us this board knows, we all love WDW, but does anyone else feel that Animal Kingdom needs more? I understand that they just added Expedition Everest, but it's just not enough. It almost pains me to use one or our tickets to go through the gates. I feel that the 5-6 main attractions/rides that are there are great, but the park needs more. We all know that the park has the room. Disney just needs to fill it with quality attractions/rides.

 

[Tigger1988]

I agree, though Everest is a step in the right direction for the park. To me the only rides worth doing are EE, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids. The Safari is nice every couple of trips. The Dino-Rama section is a huge waste IMO, carnival games? I can play those at the boardwalk back home!

 

[vmkaddict]

I agree, though Everest is a step in the right direction for the park. To me the only rides worth doing are EE, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids. The Safari is nice every couple of trips. The Dino-Rama section is a huge waste IMO, carnival games? I can play those at the boardwalk back home!

I agree with you about the Dino-Rama.........tackiest thing Disney's ever done:hurl: , still don't know how that on got passed, someone was sleeping that day. Good money that could have been well spent elsewhere.

 

[SallyShine]

It's tough to be a bug is worth seeing, but I get the op's point.

 

[mouselvrmom]

I understand how you feel that Dino-rama is tacky, it really is. However, AK is my oldest's favorite park. And, at least until EE, Dino-rama was her favorite place in AK. She's 11 & I think for kids the colors, music, rides & games is really a draw for them. We usually end up having to spend a lot of time there on our trips- waiting while she rides primeval whirl over and over, and plays the games- and I see a lot of parents with young children there. So maybe Disney was smart, they saw what would be a draw to the little ones & they know that the little ones bring the parents.

 

[lwalker8]

In my opinion what it is lacking is a solid indoor pavilion. They have Dinosaur, but its just one ride and its kind of lame. They need to find a central theme they can base a whole indoor area on...maybe Narnia-that could be cool(in more ways than one). Animal Kingdom is a good park, and it could be a great park 10 years from now I think.

 

[metscool]

I agree. I think that AK is not worth it unless you are going to another park amd you have the park hopper on the ticket. But now if you go to AK later then the time the park opens you could be waiting in line for EE for over an hour. Before EE it was Dinosaur and Dino-Rama isn't that great.

 

[Tramp]

I understand how you feel that Dino-rama is tacky, it really is. However, AK is my oldest's favorite park. And, at least until EE, Dino-rama was her favorite place in AK. She's 11 & I think for kids the colors, music, rides & games is really a draw for them. We usually end up having to spend a lot of time there on our trips- waiting while she rides primeval whirl over and over, and plays the games- and I see a lot of parents with young children there. So maybe Disney was smart, they saw what would be a draw to the little ones & they know that the little ones bring the parents.

Maybe I don't pay that much attention to it but, everytime I pass thru Dino-rama, it seems hardly anyone is playing those carnival games. The two rides are the biggest attractions and now Dino-rama has become a cut-thru between EE and the Dinosaur ride.

I don't think cheap carnival games would have been my first choice to fill that space over there but I'm not going to stress over it.

Expedition Everest was the shot in the arm that AK needed very badly. And they're moving along with something new where the Tarzan show use to be. I just wish the walkways were wider and there were more benches to relax out of the sun.

 

[Cliff]

I LOVE to see AK get "Australia"....a new land that highlights all the bizarre animals that live there. They could import Kangaroos, Koala's and even a platypus or two. I'd like to see some "close up" (behind plexi-glass underwater) displays of giant Crocks. (like 12ft and bigger)

They could also have and AC pavilion dedicated to all of Australia's smaller unique animals like poisonous snakes, spiders and everything else.

Australia has a HUGE amount of very unusual animals and I think that topic alone would give plenty of material to create a new "land" at AK.

CT

I'm also quite sure there would be plenty of ideas leftover to throw in an Australian-themed thrill ride too.

 

[raven]

As I'm sure that most of us this board knows, we all love WDW, but does anyone else feel that Animal Kingdom needs more? I understand that they just added Expedition Everest, but it's just not enough. It almost pains me to use one or our tickets to go through the gates. I feel that the 5-6 main attractions/rides that are there are great, but the park needs more. We all know that the park has the room. Disney just needs to fill it with quality attractions/rides.

You should have been there the 1st year it oppened. No Everest, no Kili River, no Dinorama, it was very lame back then. But over the years they have added quite a lot. To me that tells me that they have other things planned for AK. It's been open less than 10 years and they added so much already. I can only hope for more.

 

[DisneyBride94]

In my opinion what it is lacking is a solid indoor pavilion. They have Dinosaur, but its just one ride and its kind of lame. They need to find a central theme they can base a whole indoor area on...maybe Narnia-that could be cool(in more ways than one). Animal Kingdom is a good park, and it could be a great park 10 years from now I think.

I agree it could be good in 10 years as well.... Add 1 or 2 sit down restaurants, a few more child-focused rides (NOT SHOWS... The shows have been great...but they are time consuming...and once you've seen them once KWIM? Chester & Hester's midway is a waste of space and time... the rollercoaster over there has a height restriction that seems too tall for the lameness and tameness of the ride--my six year old is getting tired of watchign Mom & Dad baby swap it without him... he'd probably really like that ride...

There just is not enough for little children...a show is not the same as a ride...

 

[slappy magoo]

Psssst!


They have animals at the Animal Kingdom, too!

Some people? They like to spend time looking at animals. Going on rides is all fun and good, but sometimes, watching a gorilla actually being a gorilla is pretty damned interesting.

For those of who miss Discovery Island, there's no rush to make AK wall-to-wall E-ticket attractions.

 

[Tigger1988]

Yes its nice to look at the animals, but no one is gonna spend money on a pass just for the animals, that'd be quite the expensive zoo! (I know, I know...its Natazu)

 

[Connor002]

Consider it the start-small strategy.
(Although there's surely a better name for it)
The Animal Kingdom opened with only a few major attractions, with plenty of room set aside for expansion, and, undoubtedly, plans for said areas. Start the park with minimal investment, make sure there are returns (as in park popularity), then use the feedback to expand in relation to need. More shops, animals, rides, shows, whatever the need, not only is space available and plans prepared, but also is much needed opportunities to promote the park.

 

[imagineer99]

I think there's more to do in Animal Kingdom than in MGM.

MGM is the park in the most need of the help. Beyond Tower of Terror andRock 'N' Roller Coaster, that park is seriously lacking. From lame exhibits (Narnia?) to tired shows (Indy Stunt) to outdated rides (Star Tours), MGM is like a testament to early nineties Americana.

Animal Kingdom is beatufially themed and has some of the best e-ticket attractions in the world (Kilimanjaro, Everest, Dinosaur). Not to meniton, Kick Butt shows. Festival of the Lion King and Flights of Wonder rock.

While it still may be a half-day park, I think there's a lot more to do in AK than in MGM.

 

[imagineer boy]

AK does need some help. Its only real need really, is just more rides. Here's what I think needs to be done:

Camp Minnie-Mickey, it pretty much a waste other than FOTLK. I say make it a kiddie Toon Town like area. Add some North American animal exibits, some petting zoos, and more. It also needs some rides.

A kiddie coaster would do well, a wild character themed canoe boat ride, and a character themed dark ride.

FOTLK can be moved to make room for these rides ( and relocated to the Africa section where it belongs ).

Pochahantas needs serious help. Either remove it entirely, or make it better.

Australia would be a welcome addition, and could go between Camp M&M and Africa where it could showcase new rides and animal exibits.

I think the train ride to the Conservation station concept should be scrapped. I think it would be nice if they could move it to the walkway area between asia and africa. Add loads more interesting exibits and displays. Also, add an MGM-like tram ride that gives a tour of the backstage animal keeping areas.

The old train ride ( love the themeing on those trains! ) can be expanded to simply go through the African veldt areas, and maybe though asia to give a calmer view of the animals.

Kali River Rapids needs to be expanded. Nuff' said. While its fun, its just WAY too short in its current state.

Those are just some thoughts. Please tell me what you think.

And I agree with imagineer99, MGM needs help as well. I love the atmosphere and all, but last time I was there, I couldn't help thinking "gosh, its alot more boring than I remember."

 

[Disneyfanman]

I agree. Everything that Disney has added (with the exception of Dino-Rama) has been a quality attraction. And even though the Chester and Hester thing is an "ugly wart" on the body of the park, it always seems to be crowded. I haven't seen EE yet (two months!), but I have been facinated with all the stuff about it on the web. I think Nemo will be a nice AIR CONDITIONED addition! Really the only thing I think is a total missfire is Rafiki's Planet Watch. We visited it once and it remains our favorite thing to laugh about when we visit.

When Disney goes too big, too early they can't get a return on the investment and the park goes too long without new stuff (Like IOA). Trying to have a large number of attractions on the cheap gets them DCA. I think they are growing the AK at an appropriate pace, and it's a really nice 1/2 day on a park hopper, or a nice day if you don't need 12 hours in a theme park. It has to be the riskiest thing that Disney has every built, and everything about it just screams money and quality. I still can't believe that it every got approved.

I hope that Disney builds out another full area like the rumored Austrailia, or the long talked about Beastly Kingdom. I hope that the full service restaurant in Aisa is a winner, because we would eat their every time we visit.....just for the break and the air conditioning (We really don't care for the food at the Rainforest Cafe). I wish they had an air conditioned shopping area like Main Street that we could duck into during storms and horrible heat/humidity. I would love to see a garden maze like they have in DLP.

We visited the AK first the year after it opened, and felt like it was way too light on attractions. We have found ourselves visiting every year though. The Safari is one of the best attractions anywhere, and we all love Dinosaur. Kali is OK on a hot day, but we always do the FOTLK, the Gorilla Trail, the Asia Trail, and ITTBAG. We seem to stay longer every visit. We discover new treats and surprises each time we visit, because we are less focused on getting to all of the attractions and can relax on our visit. We linger a little more with the animals. And as time has passed we have become really fond of the park. I look forward to taking yet anothe pic of my family in front of the Jafar rock this October.

And you can't knock Disney for the investment. Since opening, they have added Asia and Kali, Dino-Rama, enclosed the Lion King show, built EE, and are building a new Full Service restaurant, and completely re-building the Theater in the Wild for Nemo. They have "plussed out" conservation station. They have added additional animals. We have been coming for 10 years and there has been SOMETHING new almost every time we have gone to the park.

Slowly, bit by bit, inch by inch, it is becoming one of the most unique parks in the world. Like it or hate it, there is nothing like it anywhere else. Light on attractions or not, the majority of it's rides and shows are ONLY at the AK. They must have been drinking heavily when they thought up the Tree of Life. Who but Disney would approve and build something like that? It brings a smile to me every year.

Thanks for taking the risk, Disney.

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

AK needs to add some smaller rides. How about a dark ride based around The Lion King or Bambi? No more shows for the near future. PLEASE.

 

[everymarble]

Disney's Animal Kingdom is a world-class zoological institution as well. If you're only visiting for the rides, you're doing yourself a true disservice. Most of the rides (excluding Kilimanjaro Safari) are always the same. Every time. The animal exhibits, however, will be different each time you see them. No other Disney theme park can say as much.

Besides, the Disney-MGM Studios have fewer attractions anyway. If you're going to complain about a theme park not having enough to do, I'd complain about that one. Plus they're losing Millionaire in a few weeks, so the only attraction they have that's even a little spontanious will be gone.

 

[Astronaut Jones]

I for one love the Animal Kingdom. I agree it could use more, but I think as of now MGM should have priority. It's been awhile since MGM had a real notable addition. Anyway, I just think Animal Kingdom has and is intended to have a different pace than the other parks. There aren't as many sit-down attractions but there is more to see. It's both a theme park and a zoo. People seem to expect to be running from ride to ride constantly like the other parks but I've found it much more enjoyable to leisurely go from ride to ride checking out all exhibits inbetween. Not to mention Animal Kingdom has only been around for what? 7 years? You can't expect it to be Mk or Epcot from the get-go.