Back on Earth Day in 1998, Walt Disney World Resort would open its fourth and largest theme park — Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The ambitious theme park was themed around the natural world and animal conservation. A theme that resonated with Walt Disney himself. The theme park would inspire guests about the natural world in an authentic setting.
Spread across more than 500 acres of land, Disney’s Animal Kingdom would be Disney’s largest theme park. The park would mix traditional attractions with exhibits that feature live animals. Today, Disney’s Animal Kingdom honors nature, conservation, and most importantly animals (real, extinct, and imaginary). Disney’s Animal Kingdom has inspired and educated millions of guests on animal conservation and nature through its entertainment.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom was dreamed up by Joe Rohde and several other Imagineers. When pitching the idea of an animal-themed park to Disney CEO Michael Eisner and other Disney execs, Rohde and his team brought in a 400-pound Bengal tiger into the meeting. Everyone gasped in excitement at the tiger, and the park was given the green light.
On June 20, 1995, plans were formally announced for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney promised a park that would feature a combination of thrilling rides, exotic landscapes, and close encounters with wild animals. Disney touted it as an entirely new kind of guest experience.
In August of 1995, the groundbreaking and construction would begin on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney would go on to transform over 500 acres of land into an ambitious Animal Kingdom. Imagineers traveled to Africa and Asia to study the environments, landscapes, and wildlife that would end up inspiring and inhabiting sections of the theme park. During these research trips, Imagineers would collect seeds, which they ended up planting inside the soil of the park. Building architecture, light poles, benches, and countless other elements have a distinct and authentic feel.
Disney invited an advisory board of top zoo, animal welfare, and conservation professionals to help formulate policy and offer guidance on the design and development of the theme park. Imagineers attended AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) meetings as well.
On April 21, 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom would have its dedication ceremony. Roy E. Disney and Disney CEO Michael Eisner spoke and musical salutes to animals were performed.
“Disney’s Animal Kingdom, like the world itself, will evolve and grow. It’s truly a living thing.”
– Roy E. Disney at the park’s official dedication ceremony on April 21, 1998
“They (Walt Disney Imagineering) transformed a pasture into a kingdom,” said Roy E. Disney at Disney’s Animal Kingdom dedication ceremony.
Eisner then would read Disney’s ambition for the park. (This below quote is featured on the dedication plaque at Disney’s Animal Kingdom).
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.
The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom would be the Tree of Life, a 145-foot-tall (44 m), 50-foot-wide (15 m) artificial tree that features 337 sculpted animals in its trunk. The icon is now synonymous with the park and its themes. The Tree of Life would also house an attraction, It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, which is a hysterical 3D journey into the world of insects featuring the characters from Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.
On Earth Day 1998, the park would open its doors to the general public. Later that year, Animal Kingdom would receive accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (formerly the American Zoo and Aquarium Association). Animal Kingdom would continue to expand and grow, and just a year later in 1999, the Asia section of the park would officially open with Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Fast forward to 2006, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain would open at the park, which at the time it was the most expensive roller coaster ever built. It would also be the tallest attraction on Walt Disney World property beating out Tower of Terror. The attraction continues to thrill guests to this day.
Then in 2011, Disney would announce a major expansion to Disney’s Animal Kingdom with Pandora — World of Avatar. Disney alongside James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment would develop the themed land. The goal was to transform Animal Kingdom from a half-day park to a full-day park.
On May 27, 2017, the largest addition in Animal Kingdom’s history would open. Pandora — World of Avatar would open with shopping, dining, and two attractions in Flight of Passage, a banshee-flying simulator, and Na’Vi River Journey, a slow-moving boat ride that would have guests exploring a bioluminescent rainforest. Pandora would go on to win numerous industry awards for its impressive and immersive design. Although at the time Avatar was a non-Disney property, Imagineers did an excellent job making it feel like “Disney” and paid extra care to Animal Kingdom’s overall message and theme. (Ironically, Disney would acquire 21st Century Fox and the outside property of Avatar would become a full-blown Disney franchise).
Pandora would include floating mountains and glowing bioluminescence. The land would become extremely popular and it remains a draw for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests’ love for Pandora has only gone up since Avatar: The Way of Water premiered.
Animal Kingdom has more than 5,000 cast members who operate the park and continue its mission. From scientists and animal care experts to cast members who work in disciplines such as operations, entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage, and guest services. It takes quite a team to operate the park.
In 1995, Disney founded the Disney Conservation Fund, as a precursor to the Animal Kingdom itself. The Disney Conservation Fund and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are inspired by Walt Disney’s passion, respect, and curiosity he had for animals and nature throughout his life. Since its creation in 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed $125 million and the expertise of Disney teams to support organizations working with communities to save wildlife, inspire action, and protect the planet. Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Disney Conservation Fund are deeply intertwined and have continued their conservation efforts that involve at-risk animal populations and species.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom which spawns over 500 acres of land is a place where 2,000 animals (approximately 300 species) and more than 400 million trees, plants, shrubs, vines, grasses, ferns (about 3,000 species) co-exist and live in balance and harmony.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom doesn’t get constant updates and new attractions. In part that is because the park on its own has been able to stand out for 25 years. In another part, it’s because Animal Kingdom is such a unique place that takes care of animals, that it takes a lot more consideration into its entertainment offerings.
Now we arrive in the modern day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as it celebrates 25 years of inspiring and educating guests on animal conservation and nature. The park could potentially be seeing some changes in the coming years. Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro did heavy blue sky teasing at the last D23 Expo. D’Amaro suggested that Disney could potentially replace DinoLand USA with Moana and Zootopia.
As it would be a shame to lose a land dedicated to a popular extinct species, this move is more aligned with the strategy of current-day Disney. It’s almost a guarantee that in 20 years when we celebrate Animal Kingdom’s 45th anniversary that the park will look different.
Things change, and even as Roy E. Disney said Animal Kingdom is truly a living thing.
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Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
