The Best of Disney's Animal Kingdom!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not quite an amusement park, not quite a zoo. It occupies a space in between the natural and the commercialized; it holds both the urge and excitement of exploration and the nostalgic Disney magic that generations have grown up on. The park has had more research done and detail put into it than any other Disney park, and the man we have to thank for the rugged splendor of DAK is Joe Rohde, Senior Vice President Creative of Walt Disney Imagineering. The legendary Imagineer announced his retirement late last month, so to honor his astounding legacy, here are the five greatest attractions and activities in Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

1. Restaurantosaurous

This quick-service restaurant not only has impossibly great theming but a crazy backstory to match. According to legend, it was originally a fishing lodge, but upon the discovery of fossils on the property, paleontologists swooped in and turned it into the Dino Institute, which functioned as a school, dorm, mess hall, and museum for the scientists. Today, remnants of the college still remain, such as lawn chairs sitting on the roof and library books shelved along the walls.

2. Finding Nemo: The Musical

If you’re up for 35 minutes of pure joy, look no further. Puppets (of the large mechanical variety), adult actors with childish voices, and abridged songs abound! This retelling of Finding Nemo brings the audience into the story using interactive tools such as room-filling bubbles and actors running rampant in the audience. It’s an underrated gem, and one that gets you out of the sun.

3. The Wilderness Explorers Program

Not only do you receive an education through this program but you get to collect stuff! The park is scattered with WE badge locations, where an explorer will talk to you about a particular aspect of the wildlife in the park. Afterward, they’ll give you a badge, and once you’ve collected them all, you become a ceremonial Wilderness Explorer with Russell and Dug (of UP fame).

4. Kilimanjaro Safaris

In keeping with the theme of wildlife conservation conservation, Kilimanjaro Safaris take guests through the habitats of various wild animals. Among the animals guests can see on any given day are lions, zebras, ostriches, and giraffes. The drivers of the trucks spiel facts about the animals and their environments and what we can do as humans to help them out.

5. Expedition Everest

It is impossible to mention Joe Rohde without thinking of Everest, his greatest creation aside from the land of Pandora. Built using information gathered from various trips to the Himalayas, Expedition Everest is the pièce de résistance of Animal Kingdom; it tops off at 50 mph and features an 80-ft drop. Betty, the resident Yeti living in the mountain, has been out of commission since 2006, but she can still be spotted hanging around.

Thank you for 40 years of magic, Joe. Here’s to 40 more.