3 Favorite Attractions: Animal Kingdom

Festival of the Lion King
     As a 90s kid, this show is the greatest attraction that has ever been thought up for any Disney park. I saw this show for the first time when I went to Disney in 2012 and ever since that day I have had an unparalleled love for it. When I was down in Disney for my CP I saw this show almost every single time I went to Animal Kingdom, essentially made it a point to make sure I was able to see it. I knew the schedule of the show, every hour starting at 10AM so I always made sure to work around it and ensure I could make my way to theater to see it. The only times I usually did not was if I got in line too late and the theater filled up.
     The show is just out of this world incredible, from start to finsih I love every second of it and could watch it over and over again and never get sick of it. When the show opens and they call in all the animals, everytime I saw it I got chills as soon as the music started and for the rest of the show I would just sit there with a smile on my face. From the tumble monkeys performance with Timon to  "I Just Can't Wait to be King," (my favorite song from The Lion King) the show is an absolute joy to watch. My personal favorite part is when the cast sings "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," and it brings me chills each time I see, it is truly breathtaking.
     And this was another attraction where I could find myself at peace no matter what was going on outside of it. For the duration of the show I could sit back and enjoy and be transported outside of the real world and into The Lion King.

Dinosaur
     This attraction was another love it or hate it with most people I met while I was in Disney and I of course loved it. I was not quite as passionate about it as I am with Festival of the Lion King but I really enjoy the entire immersion of the ride. When I think about why I truly love it, it comes down to the same reason I love Disney, it transports me to a completely different world that you can only experience there. And as a kid, my brother and I loved dinosaurs so of course that just adds to the reasons I enjoy Dinosaur so much.
     When I rode this for the first time, all I remember is darkness...because after the first encounter with the Carnatouraus, my head was between my knees and my hands covering my ears. The Photopass picture from that ride was pretty comical, my cousin, my brother and I all in the same position while my grandpa was just chillin' at the end of our row. But thankfully I have grown up from that age of fear and come to enjoy the herky jerky motions of the time rover and all the loud noises from the Dinosaurs. Sure, the pre ride movie is about as cheesey as it gets, but once you exit and descend into the Dino-Labs to board the time rovers, it becomes pretty immersive. This attraction has one of the most recognizable smells as well, and I can remember it wherever I go.
     Overall I think this is a fairly underrated attraction. I think it is more immersive than people think, maybe not completely throughout from queue to ride, but once you exit the preshow I think it does a very good job transporting you to a different place. No matter what I will always love this ride, it is a great experience from start to finish,

Kilimanjaro Safari
     I think this attraction is basically the poster child for Animal Kingdom. Obviously the Tree of Life is the icon the park stand by, but no one who thinks Animal Kingdom is thinking It's Tough to be a Bug. No, when Animal Kingdom first opens, most people flock over to Africa to get on Kilimanjaro Safari and I am shamelessly one of those people. Many a morning before work I could be found at Animal Kingdom going on the safari and then seeing Festival of the Lion King and being completely satisfied at Animal Kingdom.
     First of all, this attraction takes the cake for one of a kind, most unique you will find anywhere. Going to a zoo is one thing, but driving through an open, faux Serengeti and have a gaggle of giraffes walk within feet of you, is absolutely unreal. Every single opportunity I had to ride this I knew I would never get the same experience twice, never knew if I would see the same animals I saw the last time I rode and these are just some of the reasons I kept going back. On top of all of that, you completely forget where you are, and it does not process while you are waiting in line or experiencing the attraction itself that you are in Florida, I love it. Anytime I can forget where I am and feel like I am being transported to a completely different place I will be a very happy person.
     A small tip for when you experience the safari, sit on the left side of the truck. For a majority of the ride the animals are primarily to the left of the vehicle so you will get the best view of them and be able to take pictures without your friends heads in the way. Also try to get the back row as well, this way you will have the entire back of the truck open as well so if you want to continue to get a great view of the animals, you are able to look out the back with no obstruction.