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Review and Guide
Disney's Animal Kingdom The Oasis Discovery Island Asia Africa Rafiki's Planet Watch Camp Minnie-Micky Dinoland, USA The most recent addition to the “World” hadn’t even been open for a year when I made my one and only visit a decade ago. Back then, it was a lush sanctuary full of potential, but lacking the full array of entertainment options of an all-day park. Sure, the Safaris and Countdown to Extinction were open, and Kali was in soft mode, but other than that, it was just a big zoo. Not only has the park changed in the past 10 years, but obviously so have my tastes in what I want in a visit to a place like this. Animal Kingdom has added rides, shows, great restaurants, and I’ve begun to appreciate a park that offers more than thrill rides. It was hard to get a feel for what the park should be early on; compared to The Magic Kingdom, there’s little fantasy. There’s also no excuse to display all the impressive technology at Epcot. Instead, you’re left with an amazing setting that really does focus on the animals, and uses the rides to fill out the experience. In that regard, it’s pretty much the opposite of the park that it was built to compete with, Busch Gardens over in Tampa. It seems as though the public was slow in warming to the park. Walk-through exhibits? Animal viewing areas? A petting zoo? If you can’t be plopped onto an Onmimover and carted past all the creatures, what’s the point? Heck, you’ll be lucky if the animals are even awake. In fact, that’s the reason behind the animatronics on the Jungle Cruise – Walt wanted to make sure everyone would get to see the animals, and when you’re dealing with the real thing, you’re only partially in control. That was the big leap of faith for this park, are people willing to work for their experience? Will they be satisfied with the realities of watching real animals in their natural environments? As importantly, will they accept all this at a Disney park, of all places? To convince the public, Disney did what they do best – create a world unlike anything anyone has ever seen. We all know what zoos can look like: cramped, unnatural, and sometimes even sad. Leave it to the Imagineers to make an important tradeoff, what you usually get in proximity, you lose in realism. That is, the closer the guests are to the animals, the less realistic the environs generally become. It’s one of the most noticeable features as soon as you walk in the gate – these animals seem to have space, and that makes everyone more comfortable. But it’s not just size, as you would expect, it’s attention to detail as well. The word “themeing” doesn’t do it justice; these enclosures are more like habitats taken directly from the wild. Each species seems perfectly at home in their respective spots. While there’s little way for your average guest to tell if the animals are actually happy, seeing them interact with their lavish surroundings will certainly convince you they are. Back to the top The Oasis The Main Street of Animal Kingdom lets you know right away that you’re headed someplace completely different. While the immediate entry plaza is flanked by a handful of small shops and the Rainforest Café, once you pass through the gates and enter the Oasis, any signs of civilization (or that you’re in a theme park) are all but gone. Massive vegetation, mounds of rock and earth, streams, ponds – it feels like you’ve just stepped into a rainforest. Here you’ll find a variety of wildlife, nothing so noteworthy that you’ll have to make a special effort to see it, instead these creatures seemingly blend in with their surroundings and it appears as through your passing right through their domain. Keep on the lookout for kangaroos, flamingos, and tortoises, among many others. If anything, the convoluted and meandering pathways help create these random and unexpected encounters along the way. Only through a deliberate effort to push straight forward through the area will you make it to the center of the park. Back to the top Discovery Island Akin to the hub, you’re in the center of the action here. If you somehow didn’t notice, that gigantic tree makes it plainly obvious. The Tree of Life is the park’s stately icon, and is an impressive example of architecture meeting artwork. Not an attraction per se, it works much like the castle at The Magic Kingdom. There’s no line or queue to see it, but it is most certainly taking a few minutes to explore it up close. While the best path for inspection is definitively the queue for the 3D film inside, there is much more to see. It’s a full 360 degrees of amazing carvings in intricate detail – upwards of 325 different animals from what I hear. As you approach, you’re once again surrounded by civilization – lots of shops and restaurants, and from here you need to make your choice, head off in one direction or the other and see what awaits. Or, you can get started right here inside the Tree of Life. It’s Tough to be a Bug I’ll admit, when I first saw this, 10 years ago, I had no idea what was going on. I had never seen A Bug’s Life, the Pixar film on which this attraction is based. The attraction actually opened 7 months before the feature film did! I also got a seat on the very end of the row, giving a less-than-stellar perspective of the 3D effects. Since then, I’ve seen the movie and been able to walk into the center of the row many times at the installation in California Adventure. The theater, show, and waiting area are essentially identical, and even though the cloned version has a nice queue giving the perspective of being ant-sized and heading underground, few queues compare to the experience of snaking underneath this enormous tree. The experience is about what you’d expect from a 3D film, though this is on the more entertaining end of the handful these parks have. The waiting area has bug-themed movie posters (e.g., Beauty and the Bees, Web Side Story) and music arranged by an insect orchestra (which you have to hear to really understand). It does help to have seen the film, because there isn’t any time spent on introducing the characters, though it’s not entirely necessary. The story is fun enough, essentially a bug talent show that goes awry. Entertaining in spots, downright scary (for kids) in others, and full of both old and new tricks. I won’t give it away, but if you don’t like spiders don’t look up. It’s certainly worth a viewing, half for the queue, half for the decent show. It’s a big theater, so a long wait is unlikely, maybe a cycle or two in the worst of times (10-20 minutes), and nothing you need to rush to. Discovery Island Trails Much like the trails found in the Oasis, these offer winding, meandering opportunities to get up-close to some more wildlife. Not really as organized as the walk-thoughts found in Asia and Africa, but a nice chance to see animals close up in some rare peace and quiet. A nice respite, even if you need to be on your feet to enjoy it Shows: None Food: Flame Tree Barbeque – As is often the case during evening EMH, food is hard to come by, but something is usually open. We managed to find FTB up and running, and satisfied a late night snack craving with a big serving of French fries. There were dinner plans at the Contemporary, so we just needed something to hold us over. They hit the spot, and we’d certainly consider an actual meal there next time. Back to the top Asia Expedition Everest There is no other experience that we anticipated more highly than getting on this ride. We had read all about it, seen some amazing pictures, and even watched the documentary of its creation on TV. To slowly approach it for the first time is an exciting experience in itself. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t a slow approach, but with all the anticipation, it felt like forever to get to it. In reality, once you hit Discovery Island, it’s not too much further, and really, you can see it from all over the park. Either take a hard right into Dinoland and then stay left, or go across the bridge into Asia and immediately head right. For the most part you can just follow the crowds, especially first thing in the morning. During the rope drop, we followed it back through Asia – the slightly shorter route, though it looked like the Dinoland direction was rope-free. Once you arrive, you can grab a Fastpass off to the left of the entrance, or you can head right in. This is one of those great Disney attractions where it’s worth mentioning the queue. The capacity of this attraction is as impressive as the rest of it, but the popularity (i.e., frenzy) easily results in some major wait times. But of all the places to have to spend 45 minutes, the Yeti Museum is beyond intricate. With artifacts, relics, and recreations of Himalayan culture, it’s a shame to just fly by this first thing in the morning. Keep an eye out though; there is also much reference to the dangers of this type of expedition. The Fastpass line does have a very similar setup, but is obviously much shorter in length. You hop aboard your converted tea train for your ascent into the Himalayas. It’s a full roller coaster train, comfortable enough seats, individual lap bars, and while there’s no synchronized audio on this, it’s perfectly fitting in the theme, complete with a steam engine in the rear (the opposite of Thunder Mountain). The train quickly leaves the station, passes an ominous crowing bird, and climbs the initial small lift. Things start with something of a warm-up, looping under and around the main lift, cruising smoothly but quickly over the rolling foothills. But it gets dramatic quickly as you pull up into the towering lift and pass through an elaborate and foreboding mountainside shrine halfway up the climb. Moments later, you’re poured into the snowcapped peaks and you being exploring the mountain. A quick pass through a tunnel and you’re heading uphill again, but this time, there’s nowhere to go. You come to a sudden stop, directly ahead is the twisted and torn track that has become one of the most famous Disney images. While the transfer track you already passed flips over to its alternate route, you’re left to anticipate your fate – a backwards plummet in complete darkness. What feels like a series of spirals has some impressive forces, and soon you’re again headed uphill. Deep in the heart of the mountain is the first Yeti sighting. Alas, it’s only a silhouette, but you get a great view of it wreaking havoc on more of the track. The journey resumes its forward direction as the trains shoot out of the mountain into a terrific and photogenic 80-foot drop. There’s a sharp turn to the left, back upwards briefly into the mountain darkness, and then back outside again into a thrilling helix. Up into the mountain one final time, and while careening through an immense cavern, we get an ever-so-brief glimpse of the Yeti, an enormous hairy creature seeming to swipe at us with its massive clawed hand. Strobes hide much of the interaction unless you’ve ridden a few times and know where he’ll be, but a sharp look will let you see how impressive it is. After the close call, trains come to a quick stop and you’re returned safety to the unloading station and dumped into the exit shop. A word about the Yeti, apparently technical difficulties are abound, and the grand finale has been modified since opening. Rumors describe that the animatronic monster in the finale is actually too big for its own good, and is having structural problems. Apparently as a short-term fix, its movement has been greatly reduced (or stopped altogether, depending on who you believe). The strobe effect is supposedly to hide this defect, though I found that it added a lot of mystery. A lot of the excitement around many of the Disney attractions is that you don’t get to see everything the first time around. For what it’s worth, a fully mobile Yeti is likely something to behold, but for the time being, we won’t be seeing it. Taking down this super-headliner to address what is not a small problem is out of the question considering its overwhelming popularity, and is only made exponentially less likely with Space Mountain being offline for much of 2009. I for one would much rather see it operating in its current state than risk it being closed for my next visit, but it’s going to happen eventually. Disney has created another masterpiece, taking the thrill of Thunder Mountain, the aura of the Matterhorn, and the intricacies of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones to whole new levels. To provide a coaster with such great physical sensations and rideability while simultaneously managing to top themselves with immersion and the execution of the theme has set new standards, and only raises the already towering expectations for whatever adventure is in store next. Ride this early in the morning, or last thing before closing at night. Otherwise Fastpass is your best bet, though a 30 minute trip through the impressive queue isn’t all that bad of a proposition. We did our riding early, late, and with Fastpass, and ended up never waiting more than a couple of minutes. It’s nice to go to a park for two days and end up with their marquee coasters being one of your most ridden. The 10 rides we got were by far the most of any attraction – thanks primarily to some memorable repeat rides at the end of a drizzly, deserted evening EMH session. Kali River Rapids Speaking of setting the bar high, Kali was actually Disney’s first foray into to river rapids rides. Many of these rides exist all around the world, so it was quite a challenge to create something truly remarkable. What else but impressive themeing in a detailed and intricate setting do you expect? Get used to that in this park. Here you’ll find another great queue, though on a cooler day like we had, you’ll end up breezing right past it. Pulling on our ponchos as we walked onto the continuously loading wheel, we were plopped into a full boat, and the fight to stay dry began. Now over at California Adventure, Grizzly River Run is flanked by a set of free (for 2 hours) lockers and all important personal effects can be stored. Here, no such lockers, but these larger rafts (seats 12 instead of only 8) have large storage pouches in the center. Just hope the thing isn’t already full of water, or use a readily available plastic merchandise bag to wrap your stuff before you place it inside. Out of the station and into the rapid, the fun beings. We only got a single ride, so the experience is a blur of drops, splashes, and spinning. There is an impressive lift up to the peak and some loosely themed but ominous burning vegetation. You’ll find a nice drop, and the requisite guest-controlled water cannons just before the end of the ride. It was noticeably longer than its California cousin, though about equal in the overwhelming wetness that ensues. Do not ride this if you’re not willing to end up soaked. Not every rider will get completely drenched, but usually whoever wants to stay dry ends up the wettest. The world is just cruel like that. Planning ahead with a poncho is the smart, if wimpy, way to go, and with good coverage you’ll barely have a few drops on you. I can’t give much indication of what a summertime ride is like, though I imagine the dousing is more refreshing than depressing – and you’ll likely have a considerably longer wait to get it. Maharajah Jungle Trek While most folks will flock to the Africa section to see the animals, Asia offers its own up-close tour of some wonderful wildlife on this walking tour. Just like Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, you can come here anytime – it offers a great break from the bustle of the midways and rides and is often cooler and quieter. That, and you get to spy some pretty great creatures. The Komodo dragon, fruit bats and flying squirrels, bantang cattle, python, and a tapir are among the highlights, but nothing tops the tigers. All of these animals are in absolutely stunning environments – the detail and accuracy of their surroundings are breathtaking, and it genuinely feels like you’re witnessing them in their natural environment. To call these enclosures misrepresents how big the area is, and how seemingly devoid of barriers it is. This is most noticeable with the tigers. You’re certainly safely secluded through thick glass and on bridges, but the scenes must be seen to be appreciated. While not heavy on educational text – they do everything they can to convince you you’re not at a zoo – docents are found at every turn and are eager to describe what lies before you. If you’re interested in learning, feel free to engage, or as we did, just smile and shake your head in awe your surroundings. Maybe I’ve come a long way from my thrill-ride only days, but I wouldn’t miss this for anything. Make sure you set aside some time here, 20 minutes will give you the quick tour, but you can easily spend upwards of an hour engaged in all there is to see. Did not experience: Flights of Wonder – In addition to hearing that this bird show is highly recommended, we also heard the warnings for those who have a more-common-than-you-think fear of these animals. Apparently there is swooping, much of it taking place directly over the heads of audience members. I would have liked to seen it, but it’s all about compromise on a trip like this – I didn’t have to go on Kali alone. Shows: None Food: Yak and Yeti Counter Service – The main event is immediately next door, and offers fine Asian cuisine in a table-service setting. But who doesn’t like this stuff "to go"? Entrees come in your standard cartons, and are quite filling. We went with the Shrimp Lo Mein and the Honey Chicken and were sure to share. The food was quite good, maybe not the healthiest of meals but quite tasty. Good portions of meat in both, too. A quick, sizable, and enjoyable meal, easily worth the $20. If you’ve got a craving for Asian food, this place is a must. Ample seating around the corner to the right, though watch out for some surprisingly brave ducks. Back to the top Africa The fictional village of Harambe is the setting for some of the most impressive animal encounters this side of the Dark Continent, in addition to the usual assortment of restaurants and shops. The actual town area is small, especially compared to sprawling Asia, but it opens up into the entire back section of the park’s acreage, and you need a couple of different attractions to get to it all Kilimanjaro Safaris This is what the Jungle Cruise should have been. Hop aboard your jeep and you’ll be amongst some of the most impressive savannah settings you’ve ever seen. Much like a land-version of the Jungle Cruise, you’re escorted by a knowledgeable guide, except this time, he or she is actually driving, and actually giving interesting (not to mention factual) information. You will bounce around from area to area, with little more than subtle cattle gates across the road. Even the animal retention devices are hidden, they look like shrubbery. Along the tour you’ll come across bongos, hippos, giraffes, antelope, gazelle, ostriches, elephants, flamingoes, warthogs, lions and much more. There is no question that every journey is different, and we saw that quite clearly as our route was temporarily blocked by a young giraffe. It was akin to waiting for a squirrel decide whether it wanted to cross the street, except you’re looking 14 feet skyward to see it. Unlike the Jungle Tour, not every animal is in plain sight and every angle will not be a perfect view. The jeeps don’t stop often, so pictures can be a challenge. If you’re only going to get one ride, I’d recommend putting the camera down, it can be hard enough to see what’s out there without having to look through a viewfinder. This is a great way to see a lot of animals very quickly, and though capacity is high, so is demand, so standard headliner touring rules apply. Fastpass is available, though not entirely necessary early in the day. It’s most certainly a change of pace from the walking tours, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No visit to Animal Kingdom is complete without a ride. Be sure to thank your guide afterward, navigating the trails, dodging wild animals, all while spouting fact after fact (and cheesily chasing poachers) is no easy job. If it weren’t for the eventual insanity, I’d say that Jungle Cruise guides have it relatively easy. Pangani Forest Exploration Trail Another lush and captivating walking trail takes you through many an African habitat. Like the Jungle Trek, the setting is absolutely amazing, and would still be worth a stroll even without the animals. Here you encounter monkeys, okapi, cranes, naked mole rats, and some rare birds, which can be avoided entirely. As you know, birds aren’t for everyone. The hippos are a must-see, and with half the viewing underwater, you can get an up-close view of how surprisingly graceful these huge things are as they tip-toe along the pond floor. If you find them out and about, keep an eye open if they swim all the way out to the glass. I’ve never been so close to this big of an animal before and it’s beyond impressive. Passing through the grasslands, you’ll find dik-diks, gerenuks, other grazing animals, and everyone’s favorite, meerkats. But the highlight of the trail is most certainly the gorillas, including an impressive silverback. I highly recommend watching for a few minutes, their movements, interactions, and personalities are hauntingly close to ours, and it’s an inspiring reminder of how close to nature we are, or at least we used to be. Wildlife Express It wouldn’t be a Disney park without a train, right? Well, this one hardly offers more of a view than the one at Magic Kingdom, though you will pass a few interesting service areas and holding areas for animals when they’re not on display. But it’s not about the journey on this train, it’s about the destination, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which is really its own section of the park, and will be described next. Did not experience: None Food: Dawa Bar – One of the two full-service bars we came across in the parks, and again we were boring and ordered beer. There’s just something unwholesome about ordering hard liquor at a theme park. A mixed drink is one thing, but I can’t imagine ordering anything straight, let alone doing shots. We had a couple local brews, a la the World Showcase, and were happy to take a load off. Shows: Though not a formal show (I didn't even catch the name), one of the many street-side performances in the park includes a great interactive drum and dance performance next door to the Dawa Bar. These guys, in full African garb, hammed with up with the crowd thanks to unique communication through whistles. It goes to show that you can have some pretty extensive (and hilarious) non-verbal communication if you don’t speak the same language as the locals. We just happened upon the performance as we were settling down to enjoy our drinks, but specific times may be listed in the daily guide. Whether you make a point to catch them or just time it correctly by chance, it’s a fun time for sure. Mickey’s Jungle Jammin’ Parade As I’ve mentioned, I’m not much of a “day parade” person, so while we didn’t actively avoid this, as we’ve been known to do, we just happened upon the tail end of it. There were definitely some interesting animal puppeteer contraptions – not quite floats but bigger and more elaborate than just costumes. You’ve got your regulars on jeeps – Mickey and the gang, and all the wild animal characters from the Jungle Book, Lion King, and other classics. We were happy just to happen upon it, and the five minutes we saw were enough to satisfy the feeling of responsibility to watch parades. Probably good fun for the whole family, but not a priority for us. Back to the top Rafiki’s Planet Watch This strange little park section is something of an island, accessible only by the aforementioned Wildlife Express. The focus here is keeping animals happy – conservation, veterinary care, and even some human interaction. It’s about as far as you can get from trying to jockey for position for Fantasmic or fighting the crowds in Fantasyland – both in terms of popularity, and in atmosphere. Here you can relax, learn, and even make a furry friend. Habitat Habit Upon exiting the train, you’re taken through a walking trail with displays highlighting conservation efforts, and some helpful hints for safe and fulfilling wildlife interaction in your own back yard. The highlight here is, of course, the tamarins. Conservation Stations The indoor area of this section starts with an impressive mural, and opens into a large venue offering viewing areas for animal care, a chance to interact with veterinarians and animal nutritionists, and a handful of interactive exhibits. Like the Habitat Habit, certainly worth a stroll through – and don’t be shy about approaching the many cast members, that’s what they’re there for – though there’s little you’ll have to fight crowds to see or do. Affection Section Here you can finally get some hands-on time with some of the wild critters. Fortunately, none of these are actually all that wild, with the goats and sheep being quite accustomed to the grabbing hands of children. You’ll find them more than tolerant of petting and brushing, and the only thing to worry about is being too close when one of the residents wants to relieve itself. The animals spend most of their time munching on hay, climbing, and generally staring into space. It’s a surprisingly fun diversion, and one of those rare places in Disney World where the interaction isn’t entirely scripted and controlled. Actually, you will thankfully be able to find a fair amount of that in this park. Oh, and don’t forget the sinks and soap at the exit. Back to the top Camp Minnie-Mickey Shows: Festival of the Lion King Our first show of the vacation may well have ended up being our favorite. There’s not much else going on over on this side of the park, so when you see folks headed this way, it must mean a show will be starting in the somewhat near future. We attended the first show of the day, having taken advantage of an early EMH to get through all the headliners. I’m not sure we’d make a bee-line over here first thing otherwise, but supposedly the first show is a bit easier to get to. We were in the area with about an hour until show time, and folks were pouring in while we enjoyed the breakfast we had carried all the way from the Pop Century on a nearby bench. Needless to say, as crowds increased, my eating pace increased. We ended up lining up 45 minutes beforehand as prescribed and were towards the front of an ever-growing line. As was always the case for the shows, people had a tendency to stay in an orderly line, but with a capacity of over 1300, they just want you to cram in so that the line isn’t spewing over into the midway. The doors opened up a good 15 or 20 minutes before the show, and we entered into a “theater in the round” setup. Being somewhat wary of the advertised audience participation, we grabbed the first row of bleachers behind several rows of floor seats. I don’t know that our early arrival was especially necessary, but the place was certainly at capacity. Two large sections were roped off and later used to seat large groups. Whether they somehow had reserved seating (it wasn’t in the front or anything, you just didn’t have to line up in advance to get it I assume) or were otherwise part of some special group, I have no idea. All I know is that when they filled in the last remaining rows, there was barely any bench space left. So it’s pretty clear, you don’t need to be the first one in line for sure, but don’t wait too long or you might find yourself waiting for the next show. God help you if you’re here during peak season. The show itself started with some singing and dancing, introductions, and some audience participation as each of the four bleacher sections surrounding the stage were assigned an animal. “Lucky” audience members were brought out to help imitate the animal, and this reenactment would be performed by the entire respective section later in the show. Soon, four huge floats were brought our parade style, corresponding to the four animals (Simba the lion, Pumbaa the warthog, and an elephant and giraffe). There were a handful of impressive acts, acrobatic costumed chimps, a fire twirler, and aerial ballet to ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight”. The show ended with an interactive ensemble grande finale. A number of kids are brought into the mix, and the characters even come into the audience. I was lucky enough to have one of the chimps lift up my cap and find himself a tasty snack – or so he’d have you believe. The costumes are terrific, the music includes some of most beloved songs in the Disney arsenal, and the performances are terrific. No doubt the acrobats were the highlight for me, and having never been to a real luau, the fire twirler was phenomenal as well. The performances put so much enthusiasm into the show, and it’s really quite infectious. You may have heard some of these great Disney performances described as “Broadway quality,” though I have a strong feeling that anyone who would seriously assert that has never seen a Broadway musical. I don’t mean to diminish the performance too much, because it’s easily one of the best live shows you will ever see at a theme park. Keeping that in mind, you will be blown away by the energy and the pageantry, and as you would hope from such a high quality performance, there is a great chance you will really enjoy yourself. Like I said, we started off with one of the best. Did not experience: Meet and Greet Trails – Apparently a handful of huts around the corner from the theater offer venues for character interactions. Once again, we were sure to steer clear. Now that the Pocahontas venue sits idle, this and Lion King offer the only activities in the area. Food: None Back to the top Dinoland, USA This is the only place in the park where some artistic license has been taken with the theme of natural encounters. Not that interaction with dinosaurs couldn’t have taken place at a roadside carnival, but seeing that humans weren’t around back then, I guess we’ll never know. Actually, much of the area is quite reminiscent of Jurassic Park (over at Islands of Adventure) with its primordial foliage and landscaping. Unfortunately the liberties I mentioned somehow snuck in there and not in a subtle manner at all. Dinosaur I’ve always felt the name change has done a disservice to this attraction. Yes, there are always important movie tie-ins to be had, but the former name “Countdown to Extinction” was much more descriptive, and much more telling of the intensity that awaits riders. And if there’s one thing that people need to be aware of before riding, it’s that this ride is kind of nuts. For those following along at home, the ride system is essentially the same as the Indiana Jones attraction in Disneyland. Same vehicles, same bumpiness, but the scare tactics here go way beyond. Those snakes that Indy hates look cute and cuddly compared to what’s in store for you here. Things start innocently enough, as they almost always do, as you enter The Dino Institute, themed impeccably like a museum. You make it to a pre-show room, and are given the backstory. The head of the institute (Mrs. Huxtable) is happy to announce that we can now travel back in time to perform research first-hand. However, a rogue scientist has other plans and hacks the system to send you to a time perilously close to the meteor event that eventually killed off the dinosaurs. Once we board the vehicles, our job is to navigate the dark, prehistoric forest to find the species that our wayward guide is after. Unfortunately, other, hungrier dinosaurs have different plans for us, and we careen through while dodging meteor impacts left and right. Things get pretty hairy as the firestorm increases, and the encounters with meat-eaters get closer and closer. Needless to say, everyone survives, but that doesn’t mean your kids won’t be traumatized for life. I really enjoy this ride; it’s one of the few out there that can actually startle you. The physical ride action is pretty much the same as Indiana Jones – bumpy at best, and unpleasant to some. But the use of dark, combined with loud noises and many surprises will turn off, if not terrify, someone expecting something closer to a Fantasyland dark ride. Heed the warnings. While a deep theme and rich visual settings may be lacking, anyone who likes a good scare will enjoy this – and it’s hard to say the dinosaurs are anything less than convincing. Just ask the kid next to us who spent the entire ride with his head buried in his father’s chest. Primeval Whirl Located in the Dino-Rama area, this is the centerpiece of a cartoonish dinosaur-themed roadside carnival. You’ll find a few family focused attractions (games, mostly), though it seemed equally avoided by all sorts of parties. Our only reason for entering was to take a ride on this spinning wild mouse. In a somewhat counterintuitive move, Disney purchased two of these, mirror images, to counter the notorious low capacity of these cookie-cutter coasters. The folly is that if they had wanted a ride with high capacity, this is the last style they should have chosen. About as heavily themed as any wild mouse can be (save maybe Crush’s Coaster), this one takes you on a spin back in time, sending the message that time travel can be dizzying. If all this did was spin and drop, it would be well and good. But this ride seems over-engineered to excess. Never mind the insanely massive cars that carry four riders abreast, or the painfully slow pre-lift holding blocks. It’s the incessant and sudden breaking seeming to slam the car to a stop every time even the slightest momentum is gained. I’m well aware that to run as many cars as possible, many brake sections are needed, and it’s not as though I expect the car to be able to run safely through the entire course without a single speed check, but for each deceleration to be a sudden jolt, it more than overshadows the handful of moments of fun. There are a couple of nice drops, and a few moments of spinning fun. But a ride on a pirate ship followed by the tilt-a-whirl, and you’re way better off. Luckily, we caught this in the middle of a morning EMH session, so while most folks were headed towards Everest, we had Dinoland to ourselves. After the first jarring ride, we were a bit shell-shocked, but who were we to turn down another ride when we returned to the station to find it empty? The second circuit proved just as unpleasant. It’s bearable enough for the credit, not so painful that we’d avoid it next time – but disappointing enough where any semblance of a wait will have us passing by. Shows: Finding Nemo: The Musical In a bit more of the format you’re used to, Finding Nemo takes place in a more traditional theater, on a stage, and follows the plot of the movie (with some obvious edits). Why this show is located in this land, and in this park for that matter, is beyond me. It takes place in an otherwise unthemed building located between Everest and Dinoland proper. The standard show rules apply, get there early. We ended up arriving less than the standard 45 minutes beforehand, and while we still got in, we had to be shrewd to find a pair of nice seats, front-and-center, second row of the upper section. The theater filled up, and just like with The Lion King, if the park is at all crowded, you may find yourself without a seat if you’re not there way in advance. Now I’ve never seen a Disney musical on Broadway, and I’ve always wondered about how convincing live actors holding and acting with what are essentially puppets of the characters would be. It took a few minutes of getting used to, but the visuals are so detailed you end up being quite distracted. The story follows the movie in an abridged version, but certainly covers all the highlights. I can’t say for sure that someone who had never seen the movie would be able to follow along completely, but what jerk in the theater hasn’t actually seen this? The actors are very enthusiastic, with pleasant singing abilities, and the use of the aisles throughout the theater adds some dimension to it. The special effects are nice, including the large video screen used to show outside the fish tank. This fits into the theme of the park quite nicely, relaxing fun for everyone in the family, but though nothing too extreme. I’d say for raw energy you’ll have more fun at Lion King, but this one will offer a lot more that is familiar to your five-year-old. Either way, most definitely worth a viewing, certainly recommended. Food: None Did not experience: The Boneyard – One of the many playgrounds we avoided during the vacation. We may be young at heart, but we have our limits. Cretaceous Trail – Sorry, we save our walking tours for actual animals. TriceraTop Spin – Your classic round-and-round Dumbo style ride, with (you guessed it) Triceratops instead of elephants. All of the tedium and none of the charm.
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