With fresh eyes and realistic expectations I entered into the jungle of Animal Kingdom. Full of excitement and wonder, we were ready to be pragmatically impressed. Animal Kingdom was the second park on my four day Disney Adventure with This Guy, and boy, did it ever deliver! Animal Kingdom was beautiful, entertaining. And the lines, surprisingly not too bad. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Animal Kingdom has five main parts and the entrance called Oasis. First is Pandora – The World of Avatar. Just by the name, you should know what to expect, but it’s more beautiful than I can describe. Floating (almost) islands and all! The best attractions? The Na’vi River Journey, and the Banshee Flight. The second area is Africa, which boasts live shows, and accurately detailed buildings and architecture. The biggest attraction? A zoo filled with endangered animals, and a safari through the lush savanna. Next is Asia, which in my opinion is the second most beautiful part of the park, with stellar views and scenery. It has a wide array of dining but is best known for its extreme ride which the section is built around, Everest.

Next on our tour? Dinoland U.S.A. Which actually didn’t have that many dinosaurs, but did have some great dining options and the mild roller-coaster, Primeval Whirl. Lastly, we have Discovery Island, which is the centre of Animal Kingdom and connects you to all areas of the park. It boasts the Tree of Life, standing an impressive 145 feet in the air and sitting 50 feet wide. It’s not a sight to miss, and one I will remember for a long, long time.

I think its pretty clear that I’m a fan, and the magic of Disney finally felt real in Animal Kingdom. The park itself is absolutely beautiful with nature and architecture working together cohesively to create an amazing experience. The downside? Animal Kingdom does not have a ton of actual rides. But it compensates by having multiple zoo areas with actual zoologists available to educate travellers on the types of animals, the reason for their decline, Disney’s efforts to increase their population, and, the effect humans have played on their existence. Animal Kingdom also has multiple walking trails, caves, and forests where you can just enjoy the scenery. And for the kids (and adults, who are we kidding?) there are fun fossil games, trains, live shows, and characters throughout the park! And you just can’t beat the selection of food and shopping!

So far, definitely the highlight of our Disney adventure. Next stop, Disney World Hollwood Studios!

Hey, we found one!