Jambo, everyone!
So we've all read (or at least seen) the multitude of posts discussing everyone's favorite parks, even ranking all the parks in order of most to least favorite. It always seems that Disney's Animal Kingdom (DAK) ranks toward the bottom of most people's "Favorite" lists. Well have I got a wonderfully enlightening discussion here for you!
For those that do not follow the DIS Unplugged Pod/Web casts, they recently have had a two-part segment on DAK that delves into the super interesting theming and other detailed thought that the Imagineers put into creating WDW's largest park. After watching and listening to the former Cast Members go into the depths of all this detail, I was so super impressed that I thought others might find it so interesting that it could change their perspective on the park as well!
As mentioned, it is a two-part segment. The first segment is here:
Overlooked Animal Kingdom: Part 1
The second segment is here:
Overlooked Animal Kingdom: Part 2
These two videos more than quench the thirst of any Disney super geek who thrives on knowing the uncommon facets of all that is Disney. But for those who don't have two hours to watch, I'll outline a few of the insider details here.
So starting from the main gate, the first area you enter into is the Oasis, a beautiful rainforest full of winding paths, waterfalls, caves, and "loose" exotic wildlife.
The idea behind the Oasis is to get you lost. Why? Well the imagineers wanted the Animal Kingdom to be an adventure; to make you feel like you've completely left the world behind and are in some uncharted territory and you are discovering new lands for the first time. Once you find your way around the Oasis, you come to a bridge, across which you see the stunning Tree of Life.
Now this is where the theming becomes super interesting.
The Tree of Life is the heart of an area called Discovery Island. You've probably noticed that this is in fact an island, as you must cross a bridge to get to this area from any of the themed lands. The story behind Discovery Island is that a great storm in ancient times flooded the Earth and this area was the last place with dry land. So people of all cultures and animals from all continents arrived here and lived together for a time. You can see this in the theming of the various shops that are on the outskirts of the island. Some shops have a Caribbean style to their architechture, while others have a more African, Polynesian, South Pacific, (etc.) design to them. This is to represent the various island cultures that came here and made this area their home.
Now since the flood waters have receded, the various animals have been taken back to their original homes by their respective tribes-people. But the unique multi-island culture remains here on Discovery Island which exhibits this great togetherness of the islanders, the same islanders who have carved all of the animals into the Tree of Life.
Well, enough pictures and of my own explanation, but I hope that at least entices you to take a look at these videos and hopefully gain a new-found appreciation for DAK! So many things await you. For example, have you ever noticed the remnants of the Harambe fort in Africa? Ever wonder why there are doors on the bathrooms in DAK, and not in any other Disney park? Did you know that the tallest peak on Expedition: Everest is not Mt. Everest? Ever notice the sounds of chainsaws in the Maharajah Jungle Trek? All of these tidbits, and so much more, are discussed in the videos. There is also a Zoology CM on the panel who details all of the thought and dedication that goes into the care of the animals, and their exhibits and habitats. Super interesting!
So check it out, and let me know if it changes your perspective on this truly amazing park!
So we've all read (or at least seen) the multitude of posts discussing everyone's favorite parks, even ranking all the parks in order of most to least favorite. It always seems that Disney's Animal Kingdom (DAK) ranks toward the bottom of most people's "Favorite" lists. Well have I got a wonderfully enlightening discussion here for you!
For those that do not follow the DIS Unplugged Pod/Web casts, they recently have had a two-part segment on DAK that delves into the super interesting theming and other detailed thought that the Imagineers put into creating WDW's largest park. After watching and listening to the former Cast Members go into the depths of all this detail, I was so super impressed that I thought others might find it so interesting that it could change their perspective on the park as well!
As mentioned, it is a two-part segment. The first segment is here:
Overlooked Animal Kingdom: Part 1
The second segment is here:
Overlooked Animal Kingdom: Part 2
These two videos more than quench the thirst of any Disney super geek who thrives on knowing the uncommon facets of all that is Disney. But for those who don't have two hours to watch, I'll outline a few of the insider details here.
So starting from the main gate, the first area you enter into is the Oasis, a beautiful rainforest full of winding paths, waterfalls, caves, and "loose" exotic wildlife.
The idea behind the Oasis is to get you lost. Why? Well the imagineers wanted the Animal Kingdom to be an adventure; to make you feel like you've completely left the world behind and are in some uncharted territory and you are discovering new lands for the first time. Once you find your way around the Oasis, you come to a bridge, across which you see the stunning Tree of Life.
Now this is where the theming becomes super interesting.
The Tree of Life is the heart of an area called Discovery Island. You've probably noticed that this is in fact an island, as you must cross a bridge to get to this area from any of the themed lands. The story behind Discovery Island is that a great storm in ancient times flooded the Earth and this area was the last place with dry land. So people of all cultures and animals from all continents arrived here and lived together for a time. You can see this in the theming of the various shops that are on the outskirts of the island. Some shops have a Caribbean style to their architechture, while others have a more African, Polynesian, South Pacific, (etc.) design to them. This is to represent the various island cultures that came here and made this area their home.
Now since the flood waters have receded, the various animals have been taken back to their original homes by their respective tribes-people. But the unique multi-island culture remains here on Discovery Island which exhibits this great togetherness of the islanders, the same islanders who have carved all of the animals into the Tree of Life.
Well, enough pictures and of my own explanation, but I hope that at least entices you to take a look at these videos and hopefully gain a new-found appreciation for DAK! So many things await you. For example, have you ever noticed the remnants of the Harambe fort in Africa? Ever wonder why there are doors on the bathrooms in DAK, and not in any other Disney park? Did you know that the tallest peak on Expedition: Everest is not Mt. Everest? Ever notice the sounds of chainsaws in the Maharajah Jungle Trek? All of these tidbits, and so much more, are discussed in the videos. There is also a Zoology CM on the panel who details all of the thought and dedication that goes into the care of the animals, and their exhibits and habitats. Super interesting!
So check it out, and let me know if it changes your perspective on this truly amazing park!
