My fanboy vs. Animal Kingdom rant

[Wilt Dasney]

The sentiment I find myself agreeing with most in this thread is that intricate theming, while great, isn't enough to justify charging the same admission price as a park jammed with rides and shows. Theming should be a baseline expectation for any Disney area, including free walk-around areas like the Boardwalk and the deluxe resorts.

I enjoy Animal Kingdom, but I can't make myself excuse the lack of attractions (narrowly defined as rides and shows -- your mileage of what constitutes an attraction may vary) because the theming is so great. I've always felt theming should be a vital "extra," not an end in itself.

 

[Mansion Butler]

How else would you determine if something sucks?

Certainly not based on whether or not it pleases a single person.

I don't like Pulp Fiction very much, but my opinion of Pulp Fiction doesn't make it suck.

 

[Crockett]

This thread is really going nowhere. It started out as: "How on earth can people dislike a park which I personally like??"

And now it's evolved into: "If you don't enjoy the things I do, and see the park the way I see it....you're a 'hater'."

I doubt any side is going to bow to the other. (At least I'm not until DAK adds more substance to go with their scenery). And the DAK fan's are going to continue enjoying the place, which is perfectly fine.

So rather than us looking as silly as congress with this back & forth, why not just take the park for how YOU like it, and get back to the real issue at hand, which is...what in the hell is a goiter?

And then later admit they can't ride coasters because it enflames their diabetic toe and aggravates their goiter.

 

[Mansion Butler]

This thread is really going nowhere. It started out as: "How on earth can people dislike a park which I personally like??"

Yeah, I'm not sure how it could go anywhere. Most people here have been in the parks enough to know what's there and whether they like it or not. If you don't like DAK, no one on a message board is going to say something to change your mind. If you do, same story. If your problem is with people liking something you don't, or people hating on something you do, that's probably not going anywhere on a message board, either.

The only thing I could see coming from these topics is learning WHY someone likes/dislikes the park when you don't understand, but I think most of us know the answers to that, too.

 

[wizards8507]

This thread is really going nowhere. It started out as: "How on earth can people dislike a park which I personally like??"

*sigh*

That's not what I said. I'm just sick of the negativity around here. This is supposed to be a community of people with a shared interest, not a shared hatred. Polite criticism and suggesting how things can be better is productive conversation. I started this thread in response to the rampant "Animal Kingdom blows" mentality that shows up in threads that have nothing to do with it whatsoever.

 

[wizards8507]

Yeah, I'm not sure how it could go anywhere.

Lol this is a discussion forum about a brand of amusement parks. How many of our conversations "go anywhere"? There's probably three threads about Pleasure Island, two more specifically about the Adventurer's Club, four about the Star Tours launch, ninety-seven different people wanting their ADR's evaluated, six threads asking about the weather, four about crowds in the summer, and at least three about the Tiki Room, all of which are currently active and being discussed. (The sad part is, I'm hardly exaggerating). Since when is mindless banter supposed to go anywhere? It's all in fun, until people start slinging negativity around.

 

[AEfx]

*sigh*

That's not what I said. I'm just sick of the negativity around here. This is supposed to be a community of people with a shared interest, not a shared hatred. Polite criticism and suggesting how things can be better is productive conversation. I started this thread in response to the rampant "Animal Kingdom blows" mentality that shows up in threads that have nothing to do with it whatsoever.

I agree with you when it comes to people who just seem to hate everything Disney does, and seem to love just hating on it.

Thing is, that's very few people. There are many of us, including myself, who love WDW and the majority of what is there. And, contrary to what some may think, I actually enjoy some of AK. But it simply doesn't even begin to compare to the level of the other parks when it comes to attractions.

As has been stated by many people in this thread - you can get a better zoo (and better animal interaction) elsewhere. You can get better/more rides right at the other 3 Disney parks at WDW.

AK is sort of like pairing a McDonalds hamburger and fries with a lavish gourmet salad and an exotic truffle dipping sauce for the fries, on a beautifully set table with a gorgeous centerpiece.

It doesn't matter how much pretty stuff you put around it, it's still a McDonalds hamburger. It doesn't succeed as a theme park, and it falls well short of a zoo. Sure, the habitats are GORGEOUS, but you see more animals closer up at a real zoo. Now, if they could do both - that would be amazing. But I'd rather get closer to the animals and really see them (at a real zoo) than see a few far off in a really well-themed area.

That's again why AK is like World Showcase. To some, WS is a divine cutlural experience. To others, it's a really big shopping mall/food court. If you are just looking to wander around (which to some is enjoyable, to some a waste of time) WS and AK can be great - but if you come to Disney looking for rides/attractions, both are severely lacking. I think the gist is, more people come to WDW for rides/attractions than come just to hang out in pretty environments. :shrug:

 

[Mansion Butler]

ISure, the habitats are GORGEOUS, but you see more animals closer up at a real zoo. Now, if they could do both - that would be amazing. But I'd rather get closer to the animals and really see them (at a real zoo) than see a few far off in a really well-themed area.

Maybe this thread actually did go somewhere, because I think this may be the key difference. All the time people say they prefer their local zoos, and I'm baffled. Sure, that's their choice, it's just not one I've ever understood. I've been to zoos in San Diego, Seattle, Denver, Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, Fort Worth, Tampa, Atlanta, Baltmore or DC (can't remember which), zoological type stuff outside of just those zoos, and Busch Gardens many times. I enjoyed almost all of them, but not one of them did I enjoy more than I currently enjoy Animal Kingdom.

The real difference is probably what you bring up: I enjoy seeing the animals MORE with the gorgeous trappings around myself and their enclosures. Seeing the tigers in the theme of a rotting Indian temple buried in the jungle, or seeing giraffes from outside a moving vehicle in a recreation of an African preserve, is an experience I haven't gotten at any of the other spots. Close encounters are cool, but I greatly enjoy the DAK setting more. And that is probably a very key difference that I don't think I've really seen brought up before.

Again, it's preference. If you don't like it that way, I can't make you, but I'm very, very happy with the way DAK does their animal presentations.

Now I just need to figure out how people can prefer Busch Gardens (other than just liking rollercoasters, which doesn't seem like WDW Magic's thing). :lol:

I will say there was a time DAK was a very distant fourth on my WDW list, even after Everest was constructed. At some point I started spending more time there and started to appreciate it, while Epcot continued to change every attraction I actually liked, and DAK began to shoot up my list to where it's now right on par with MK as far as how much I enjoy my time there.

The rest of the parks need awesome tea carts. . .

 

[wizards8507]

It doesn't succeed as a theme park, and it falls well short of a zoo.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. That's not a statement of opinion. That's stated as matter-of-factly as "my couch is brown." If by "doesn't succeed as a theme park" you mean it is only the eighth most visited theme park in the world just BARELY trailing DHS, then you're right. It completely fails as a theme park.

 

[cheezbat]

Maybe this thread actually did go somewhere, because I think this may be the key difference. All the time people say they prefer their local zoos, and I'm baffled. Sure, that's their choice, it's just not one I've ever understood. I've been to zoos in San Diego, Seattle, Denver, Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, Fort Worth, Tampa, Atlanta, Baltmore or DC (can't remember which), zoological type stuff outside of just those zoos, and Busch Gardens many times. I enjoyed almost all of them, but not one of them did I enjoy more than I currently enjoy Animal Kingdom.

The real difference is probably what you bring up: I enjoy seeing the animals MORE with the gorgeous trappings around myself and their enclosures. Seeing the tigers in the theme of a rotting Indian temple buried in the jungle, or seeing giraffes from outside a moving vehicle in a recreation of an African preserve, is an experience I haven't gotten at any of the other spots. Close encounters are cool, but I greatly enjoy the DAK setting more. And that is probably a very key difference that I don't think I've really seen brought up before.

Again, it's preference. If you don't like it that way, I can't make you, but I'm very, very happy with the way DAK does their animal presentations.

Now I just need to figure out how people can prefer Busch Gardens (other than just liking rollercoasters, which doesn't seem like WDW Magic's thing). :lol:

I will say there was a time DAK was a very distant fourth on my WDW list, even after Everest was constructed. At some point I started spending more time there and started to appreciate it, while Epcot continued to change every attraction I actually liked, and DAK began to shoot up my list to where it's now right on par with MK as far as how much I enjoy my time there.

The rest of the parks need awesome tea carts. . .

I would pick Busch Gardens in its current state over Animal Kingdom anyday.
Why would I do that? Because yes I LOVE the coaster lineup...but I also see some GREAT themed play areas in Jungala and Sesame Street Safari of Fun...along with a number of flat rides, water rides, shows, a train, a skyride, great restaurants, AND animal exhibits. There's so much more to do at Busch then at DAK, so even though I like the theming done by Disney, and enjoy some of the stuff there at that park, it's nowhere near the full day park it's competition is.

When DAK adds a full new land, or at least 5 or 6 more rides and shows, then we can look at it differently.

 

[erinshaneb]

Anyway, although AK is a beautiful park, I never find myself staying a full day there. IMO it needs a few more attractions and maybe a nighttime show. Plus its always so darn hot there. :fork:

I didn't find myself staying there a whole day for 5 years in a row until we had kids and then we didn't have enough time in the day..that being said we go every year in September and he's right..It's ALWAYS hotter there then ANY other park !!! :shrug:

 

[Krack]

That's exactly what I'm talking about. That's not a statement of opinion. That's stated as matter-of-factly as "my couch is brown." If by "doesn't succeed as a theme park" you mean it is only the eighth most visited theme park in the world just BARELY trailing DHS, then you're right. It completely fails as a theme park.

Every statement is a "statement of opinion". If you long for a day when everyone prefaces every sentence on here with "In my opinion ..." I think you're going to be unfulfilled for an extremely long time.

 

[AEfx]

The real difference is probably what you bring up: I enjoy seeing the animals MORE with the gorgeous trappings around myself and their enclosures.

I would too!

But that's just it - AK falls quite short on that. The point of seeing animals is to...see animals. AK is full of big empty spaces, especially on the Safari - "Hey, look out on that rock! If you look real careful, you can see the ear of an animal perking up above it!"

Would it be cool to see large amounts of animals closely AND in that kind of themed environment? HECK YEAH! But right now, I don't see that option.

I've tried harder than anyone to like AK. The theming IS magnificent. But I don't come to WDW just to walk around and say, "ooo pretty". I live in New England - I am like 45 minutes from Mt. Washington (the area they filmed the exteriors of The Shining), and while we may not have "jungles" we have gorgeous forests and many natural beauties. Natural. Not man-made. I live a few miles from the ocean if I want to see vistas. If I want to just go walk around a lush forest, I just go up to Acadia.

:shrug:

That's exactly what I'm talking about. That's not a statement of opinion. That's stated as matter-of-factly as "my couch is brown." If by "doesn't succeed as a theme park" you mean it is only the eighth most visited theme park in the world just BARELY trailing DHS, then you're right. It completely fails as a theme park.

So this whole temper-tantrum of a thread is just because you don't like how people express their opinions? Are you new to the Internet?

Where to start...

1) Anything anyone posts on a message board anywhere should be prefaced or followed with, "My opinion..." It would get rather boring, in my opinion, if every one were constantly having to explain that their opinion on everything was their opinion. Of course, that's just my opinion of course.

2) With all due respect, Disney could place a pile of dung inside a gate and call it a 5th park, and the only attraction is a tire swing going over said pile of dung, and it would still fall in the top 10 theme parks simply because it's in Disney and people already paid for the tickets. (And it's exactly why AK didn't increase attendance at WDW - people seem to think that means NO new gate would have, but all AK advertising did was confuse people more than anything - we've gotten to the point where people know what the Studio's are, but I run into people all the time that don't even get what AK is.)

3) It fails as a theme park compared to the other 3 parks for the very reasons that I and others have stated in other threads, and again here. There is a severe lack of attractions, and Disney knows this. Why do you think it closes so early? They stagger the shows to force people to spend more time there (you can't see FOLK/Nemo back to back because one lets out just after the other begins). This doesn't need to be gone over again - it's been explained over and over. When you look at 1-day ticket prices, if MK is $80, then AK should be like $40. It's less than half the park.

Basically, you started a thread ragging on other people's opinions and how they present them because they do not agree with your opinion. So really, you are just doing the same thing you are accusing others of doing. I'm not sure what you expected here, but as you can see, there are two sides here that seem to have relatively equal support. Some people think like I do, that no matter how much we want to like the place, it's just boring to us because there is so little to do (especially for repeat visitors) and because we can get better animal interaction elsewhere (at any number of regional zoo's). Others think that because it's a lovely place to walk around they don't care about the huge empty spaces and the fact it's the largest of the parks yet has the least to do by most folks standards.

Other people being critical of an attraction, park, or anything else, should not sway your interest or how you feel. You shouldn't let it get to you - other people and how they feel have nothing to do with you. Have the last laugh and enjoy yourself and marvel at what we are missing.

:shrug:

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Animal Kingdom is a stunning park. I am very sad that the PM EMH are gone. I loved taking in the environment in the evening. During the day, AK seems a lot warmer than any other park so we often end up heading back to the resort around lunch. I can spend more time at AK than the Studios any day of the week.

 

[toolsnspools]

There's a real educational aspect to AK that has never been in MK or DHS and has been mostly lost at EPCOT. I have to chuckle when someone says, It's a half day park, and I would never go all the way back to conservation station, in the same thread. I'd much rather take a train ride and a short walk back to CS so I can enjoy an hour or two learning about what AK is doing for and with the animals than to stand in a line for 45+ minutes, so I can take a 2 minute thrill ride. The efforts they made to save Lilly are an amazing story, and can create a memory that will long out-live the image of a Disco Yeti that can't dance. Disney will never be just about the thrill rides. That's why it doesn't look like Cedar Point or Busch Gardens and hopefully never will. AK is the perfect example of that.

 

[progroupie]

I'd like to see more animal exhibits along the lines of Busch Gardens but with the DAK flair for themeing.
I think part of the issue is Disney wasn't quite prepared for all the extra costs and difficulties that came with wild and endangered species. It's not really their area of expertise and even though they've come a long way, I don't think they'll ever max out the potential they've got for actual animal exhibits and habitats.
I would love to see a better train ride through some of the animal exhibits. Less scripted than the safari but more than just seeing a lot of buildings on your way to the Conservation Station.

 

[imagineer boy]

I really like AK but I agree that it is pretty much a half day park. I've been able to cram a day at DHS and AK together with complete ease many times. And yes that even includes taking in the atmosphere and seeing the animal trails.

 

[wizards8507]

It fails as a theme park compared to the other 3 parks...

Seriously? So if Epcot were the "worst" of the three, would it "fail as a theme park compared to the other three"? Just because you don't think it's as good as the other three means it fails as a theme park? Does that mean every Six Flags and 95% of the theme parks in the world fail because you don't think they're as good The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disneyland, and Tokyo DisneySea?

 

[Mansion Butler]

But that's just it - AK falls quite short on that.

But, no, they don't.

AK is full of big empty spaces, especially on the Safari - "Hey, look out on that rock! If you look real careful, you can see the ear of an animal perking up above it!"

Your experience does not describe mine.

I live in New England - I am like 45 minutes from Mt. Washington (the area they filmed the exteriors of The Shining), and while we may not have "jungles" we have gorgeous forests and many natural beauties. Natural. Not man-made. I live a few miles from the ocean if I want to see vistas. If I want to just go walk around a lush forest, I just go up to Acadia.

I lived literally across the street from this most of my life, and have since spent my life largely in Washington at the base of Mount Baker with the North Cascades down the road.

Clearly having beauty around me hasn't stopped me from enjoying DAK, so obviously it doesn't fail.

 

[Crockett]

that's just my opinion of course.

But did you get this approved with OP & the majority before posting it in this thread? :lookaroun:animwink: