I chaperoned a field trip to Walt Disney World last spring, mainly so I could get a peek at Animal Kingdom.  (I incorrectly assumed that since it was a school trip, we would be doing the more educational parks.) I was crushed to discover that we were only visiting Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center; my safari was put on hold.

A year and a half later I finally made it back to Kissimmee, this time without 40 high school students.  My husband and I chose to explore Animal Kingdom on a cloudy weekday.  Showers were in the weather forecast, which proved to mean fewer crowds and much cooler weather than the usual steam of July.

We walked across the stark parking lot.  There is no majestic lake or castle view to greet you here as there is in Magic Kingdom.  Acres of pavement and a very plainly lettered sign are the first impressions as you enter; this just magnifies the effects of the lush greens and colorful flowers that greet you on the other side of the gates. 

There are two major landmarks in the park:  The Tree of Life and the mountain from Expedition Everest.  Visitors get their first view of the tree after a short, wooded walk from the entrance.  It is, in a word, beautiful.  At fourteen stories high, its size alone is impressive, however the hand-carved trunk is the real attention-getter. 

Animal Kingdom is not the right place for thrill-seekers.  In fact, Disney only classifies two rides as “Big Thrills.” The focus here is on the wildlife, and if you are an animal-lover you should have a fulfilling day.  The park provides visitors with plenty of opportunities to see and learn about a variety of critters.

The Kilimanjaro Safari ride is one of the best ways to experience the park’s offerings.  After seeing that we would have to wait for at least an hour, we used our FastPass and returned after exploring other areas of the park.  (I strongly recommend either beginning your visit with the safari or reserving your seat with the FastPass; otherwise, you may have up to a two-hour wait.) Unlike most theme park rides which operate on tracks or rails, this vehicle is steered on dirt roads by a real driver.  The guides do have a memorized and somewhat hokey script, but each safari ride is unique thanks to the animals’ behaviors.  During our morning ride, we saw an ostrich resting and several giraffes grazing.  When we rode again at dusk, we saw no giraffes or ostrich but had the rare treat of observing hippos and an active lion. 

If you like to take your time and watch the animals at your own pace, walk both the Pangani forest and Maharajah trails.  The gorilla habitat is especially captivating.  Although there is limited signage at the exhibits, Disney has wisely placed interpreters throughout the park.  A very informative guide from New Hampshire told me that the Komodo dragon only needs to eat approximately every three weeks.

Animal Kingdom is a terrific place for little ones. Nearly every ride and attraction is kid-friendly, and there is a whole section of the park devoted to youngsters.  Be sure to make the time for “It’s Tough To Be A Bug.”  The theater was filled with giggling children as the 3-D movie surprised all of us.  Kids also seemed to enjoy brushing the goats in Rafiki’s Planet Watch.    

Aside from the obligatory daily parade, there is very little evidence of the classic Disney characters.  The only “animal” we saw walking around was Baloo the bear from Jungle Book.  If your child needs their Disney fix, there is a breakfast with Donald each morning (reservations required).  There are also two live shows—Festival of Lion King and Finding NemoThe Musical.  Kids will recognize their favorite animated pals while parents will enjoy the air-conditioning and elaborate scenery.

In order to give the animals the roaming space they need, Animal Kingdom is a very large park.  Prepare to walk a great deal, and if you have a toddler it would probably be wise to bring a stroller.  Take your time, though, and enjoy the scenery as you move between attractions. In typical Disney fashion, the details are impressive as you walk through an African village and a bustling Asian riverfront.  We also glimpsed a few animals that were not labeled on our park map.  We were pleasantly surprised to see Asian Small-Clawed Otters and a pair of Military Macaws; hopefully we didn’t miss anything else. If we did, I’m sure we’ll catch them during our next visit.