25 very specific things to like about Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is entering silver anniversary territory. The theme park will mark 25 years of operation Saturday. Rather than rehashing two of the attraction’s biggest draws — its animals and its deep dive into authenticity — let’s tighten the focus.

Here are 25 very specific things and moments to enjoy about Animal Kingdom.

  • Lions basking in the sun on the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction.

  • When the “Hakuna Matata”/tumble monkeys segment of “Festival of the Lion King” briefly breaks into “Yes, We Have No Bananas.”

  • The almost invisible, tranquil porch of Nomad Lounge.

  • Very visible (and vocal) visits from Kevin, the big bird character from “Up.”

  • The dark, backward stretch aboard Expedition Everest.

  • The Tree of Life carvings as seen from the pathways.

  • Locking eyes (but not arms) with the sizable shaman animatronic in Na’vi River Journey.

  • A bowl (beef, chicken, chili-garlic shrimp) of your choice (and design) at Satu’li Canteen.

  • Drumming by street artists, drumming on the waterway, drumming by guests and prerecorded drumming.

  • Not unrelated: People dancing in the streets.

  • The overall walkability of the place.

  • Seeing a menagerie of hippos, zebras, birds, monkeys and meerkats along Gorilla Falls Exploration Falls, capped by a sighting of Gino, a longtime gorilla resident.

  • Then eyeing a tiger or two — and side-eyeing the bats — on Maharajah Jungle Trek.

  • The odd backstage peek on the one-sided train ride to Conservation Station.

  • The big puppet energy of “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue … and Beyond.”

  • The array of distinctive merchandise for sale.

  • The writings on the walls, which tout imaginary businesses and events in the African village areas.

  • The little fan on the console of Flight of Passage that adds to the airborne illusion.

  • The Wild Africa Trek add-on tour, where I was once tethered above rhinos and hoped their vertical leaps were as lousy as they looked.

  • The lush landscaping, some of which isn’t found in (Earth-based) nature. Then, at night, the bioluminescence.

  • Place names that are fun to say, such as Otter Grotto, Pizzafari, Creature Comforts (aka Starbucks), Thirsty River Bar and Restaurantosaurus.

  • The tiered outdoor eating behind Flame Tree Barbecue restaurant.

  • The tucked-away patios that front Discovery River between the African and Asia lands.

  • Memories of DAK past, such as “Tarzan Rocks!” and “Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends,” shows. (Less happy flashback to the open-air theater that was the original home of the “Lion King” show.)

  • The potential of the area where the Primeval Whirl coaster was.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters or the Theme Park Rangers podcast at orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-podcast.