Disney Magic.

[DisneyMom]

I have been trying to drag Hubby into the Animation Academy everytime we go to DCA...I was Yearbook Cartoonist in high school, and wanted to be a Disney Animator but was told to study something more "Practical" by parents
Hopefully will see it on Sunday! :)

[accioetoile]

The Animation Academy is my favorite!! I have a big pile of drawings from there, and last time I was there, in December, the woman teaching the class remembered me, even though it had been 4 months since I had last been there, and 9 since I lived down there. She was so happy, though, because we were going to draw a new view of Stitch, and she knew I wouldn't have drawn it before. lol. I can't wait until I can go there again.

[svickersart]

I love KS and can ride it over and over again. I just want someone to wake up the lion so I can see him do something more than sleep.

The first time I went to AK I only went for half a day and hit Dinosoaur, and KS and just wandered around a bit because I was short on time and wanted to hit MK that day. My next trip my buddy Joe went with me and he used to own a pet shop and has his own zoo going at home so we ended up spending a full dat there and I went back for most of a second day. I wandered through some of the trails and saw lots of animals I had missed before so my next trip I wanted to spend a little more time there. I also rode just about everything and took pics of EE being built. My last trip I found out I had been missing more stuff so along with riding EE I went and found the tigers and big fruit bats. My next trip I plan on at least one full day at AK, maybe two and KS is number one on my list for a few rides. I have always done it first thing in the morning or before noon so I want to try late afternoon also. I am also looking forward to seeing the Nemo show.

For DHS I havent seen B&B show so i plan on seeing it and lights motors action I missed last trip so thats high on my list. I have seen the indy show twice and enjoyed it and ToT is one of my all time favorites so there will be multipal rides on it.

My GF likes EPCOT the most so we ended up spending several days last trip there but we didnt see any of the shows in WS so i am going to try to see as many as I can and I want to ride the new Nemo ride there also. Plus I love Turtle talk with Crush.

Steve

[Mayonnaise]

I was only ever at Animal Kingdom once, in 98. We skipped Countdown to Extinction cause my mom thought it was a coaster (she's since been in Indy at DLR and now wants to go on Countdown next time she's in Florida... whenever that might be.) We spent a whole day there, and the only rides I remember going on were Kilimanjaro Safari... I'm guessing when it had fewer animals because I only remember seeing Lions Sunbathing, and some elephants.... I have a vague recollection of some blue-butt baboons, but that might have been the Bronx Zoo. I'm sure there were others I probably didn't remember, but I do remember thinking the area must be huge because so many of the Animals were hiding. Anyhow... we went on that, and Kali River Rapids. *Checks things.*You know what... my last trip must have been 99, because Asia wasn't open in 98 and I know I went on Kali.

Anyhow... even with just those rides there was plenty to do there. Rafiki's Planet watch... Tough to be a Bug, the Lion King show... I'm really looking forward to going back there in November... and I won't be going on Expidition Everest, because I don't do coasters (except Space Mountain.)

8^)

[thomaskr]

Depending on the last time you went on Safari, we have animals now. You will always see animals. You won't see all of them (I can guarantee you won't see the Stanley Crane, since we don't have any), and even if they're out you'd be amazing at how even the giraffes can hide. But you will always see some animals. I really like the rest of AK, but the Safari is what makes the park worth it.

Well, it serves me right for taking my 5months-pregnant wife for the AK opening year visit in the middle of summer. The animals were hiding and the lines were HUGE.

I know AK was built to compete with Busch Gardens in a way, but it lacked the magic of the MK. I love animals and all, but as far as entertainment value goes, Jungle Cruise has a lot of merit!

[thomaskr]

You would be surprised how much there actually IS to see if you take time to stop and smell the roses or at least look up or down or to your left or right. WDW Disney parks have so many hidden treasures that it would literlly take 6 months to a year to see them all.

But seriously DUDE, you sound like my parents. They think WDW is stupid and boring because they also visited AK in the first few years it was built. Then again, they dont comprehend that AK is only one part of a very large park..cant tell them otherwise.. Well, it wasnt and still isnt really finished being built so of course it didnt seem very exciting then. I challenge you to go back now and see the difference. Attractions do occasionally glitch especially new ones till they get all the bugs out persay>>>HMMM...wonder if Tough to be a Bug got all their bugs out yet? :D:

Don't lump me in with your PARENTS for crying out loud, they're old and wrinkly!! :p: We had plenty of time to stop and smell everything because the lines were so freaking enormous. MK was exciting the first year Asia opened, AK not so much. Anyway I LOVE WDW (been coming there every year since it opened and we live 1200 miles away) and yes, I'm planning on revisiting AK with my kids at some point. BTW, "Tough to be a Bug" was working flawlessly that day even if the dinos weren't.

[thomaskr]

I was only ever at Animal Kingdom once, in 98. ... but I do remember thinking the area must be huge because so many of the Animals were hiding. Anyhow... we went on that, and Kali River Rapids. *Checks things.*You know what... my last trip must have been 99, because Asia wasn't open in 98 and I know I went on Kali.

Anyhow... even with just those rides there was plenty to do there. Rafiki's Planet watch... Tough to be a Bug, the Lion King show... I'm really looking forward to going back there in November... and I won't be going on Expidition Everest, because I don't do coasters (except Space Mountain.)

That's roughly the time I went, too, because I did go on the newly-opened Kali rapids ride (with the 1.5hr lineup, to boot). My point about DAK vs MK (circa 1999) is that once you've done those rides, you're done for a WHILE. Might as well go to a dedicated zoo or animal park after that, while you could go to MK a million times and never get bored. Is part of it that you're surrounded by trees in DAK while there are a million pieces of engaging architecture in MK? Who knows, but the sheer number of rides in MK must be a factor.

I think what really hits the attendance numbers of these ancillary parks aren't so much the concept and execution (although what could possibly top MK?) but the repeatability of the experience. After having gone thru DAK, I didn't feel compelled to go back again for a long time. Maybe you guys are right and all it needs is more rides.

But now I think it's time I made a revisit to AK again and because it's almost been 10 years and because my kids are young and love animals - they will definitely enjoy it. We'll just have to plan ahead to hit the big lines with fast passes and go on a day when it's (relatively) quieter.

[darph nader]

I think I saw a Stanley Crane in the MK... it was helping build the north tower of the Contemporary.

Along those lines, does KSR have any Caterpillars? Or John Deere? :D:

How about a Vibra-Plow? (no it's not a sex toy,gutter brains) :D:

[EeyoresButterfly]

DAK was the first park I ever got to really explore, and it is my parents' favorite. I could Festival and Nemo all day. I also love the Jungle Trek and KS. I have two pictures from that first day: one is at the plexiglass window at the Jungle Trek, there is no visible barrier and it looks like the picture was taken right in front of the tiger in the bushes. The other one is from KS. It's a picture of a mama and baby elephant infront of a baobob tree next to a watering hole. You can see their reflections in the water. I have both of these framed on my kitchen wall and everybody loves them.

[Big Wallaby]

I bet no one spiels about the baobab trees the way I do...

Shorty82 and I were at AK Lodge last night, and we had a great time learning about the Ankole Cattle and their importance in eastern Africa.