Nature is in Itself, Magical. Happy Birthday to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park!
Here are some little known facts about the Park...
On Earth day almost 20 years ago, (4/22/98), Disney opened its fourth theme park at Walt Disney World, dedicated and themed around conservation and the natural environment.
Originally, there were envisioned 3 kingdoms as part of Animal Kingdom, but one did not open. Here’s is the dedication …
Welcome to a kingdom of animals... real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn. — Michael D. Eisner
Notice that the original plans for Animal Kingdom call for the kingdom of the “imagined”. If you look closely at the Animal Kingdom logo, you will see the image of a dragon for the “kingdom of animals… imagined”.
The kingdom of the “imagined” was put on hold because at the Park’s opening it was already making millions of dollars. It didn’t make business sense to spend another million dollars or so at the time to add on to an already successful park. So the dragon remains as part of the original logo.
Now with the opening of Pandora, the Avator themed land, many are saying this will fill that place designated by the animals imagined. I think that is a bit of a stretch, as there are no dragons in Pandora…just Banshee.
Here are some things to know about Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and in particular about its icon, the centerpiece, the Tree of Life.
If you look closely at the Tree of Life, the centerpiece of the Animal Kingdom park, you will notice animals from all over the planet carved in it’s trunk. At nighttime, the Tree of Life comes alive with a fantastic light projection show called the “Tree of Life Awakenings” where the Tree of Life itself is the canvas of lights and color with music and story.
Here are some other little known facts:
Starting soon, you can see the show from the other side of the Tree of Life (over on the walk way that connects Africa to Asia)
The Tree of Life is 145 feet tall and 50 feet wide at its base and is home to over 300 meticulously detailed animal carvings throughout its trunk
It is actually and oil rig turned upside down
Inside the Tree is a theater where the 4D show It’s Tough to be a Bug! (including smelly stink bugs, so you’re warned).
There are many exciting things to do and see at Disney’s Animal Kingdom making it more than a half day park to observe animals. It’s more than a zoo; it’s a uniquely detailed Imagineered zoological park-hybrid serving up a loud message of conservation. There are of coarse rides! And shows! And really unique dining experiences! And lots of magic to behold. More on all that in future blogs!