Worst Things About Animal Kingdom?

[gharter]

I'm always amazed at the people who say there is nothing to do at Animal Kingdom. We are two adults who can easily fill two full day and nights there. Just sitting have a glass of wine at Nomad is an experience!

Fully agree. Even with its issues, we love AK and can spend over a day there easily.

 

[gharter]

I'm with you Brian. I don't get all the animosity. Especially from folks who know the backstory. Imagineers never intended for it to have a "Disney" theme. That's like saying why didn't they give Pandora a Disney theme? The section offers one major ride, a couple of kid rides, a couple eating spots, a gift shop, and a play area for kids to run around in. Restaurantosaurus has a pretty decent menu and is one of the few QS places that has a topping station and free drink refills. Quite honestly it's very comfortable in there and plenty of things to look at inside. We like Dinoland too!


DinoLand USA

I don't hate Dinoland, just the carnival game section. I don't care how they spin the "backstory", it doesn't work.
When our kids were younger, they loved the boneyard. And seeing the dinosaurs.

 

[MarkinNM]

For me it is the park closes!!!........................

 

[michelepa]

Agree, Agree, Agree, Agree, and Agree.

Even with the back story of Walt's love for the local carnival, Dinoland is COMPLETELY out of place in the park. FWIW, I don't really even consider Dinosaur as part of Dinoland, since it's in its own dedicated area away from "Carni land", and has proper Disney Theming to go along with the ride and it's entrance. I remember our very first visit to AK back in 2010 and stumbling across Dinoland, thinking, this doesn't seem very Disney to me. Super Cheesy. It just doesn't live up to Disney quality standard IMO and it takes you back to your local fair or carnival. Out. Of. Place.

Dan

I didn’t know this about Walt.

I really don’t like those carnival games especially in one of the areas where younger children play in the boneyard.

Such an area is better suited to say the Boardwalk area!!

 

[BrianL]

I don't hate Dinoland, just the carnival game section. I don't care how they spin the "backstory", it doesn't work.
When our kids were younger, they loved the boneyard. And seeing the dinosaurs.

I will admit that I don't like the pay-to-play games. They seem tacky at a place like Disney. I do appreciate though the roadside carnival theme. I would replace the games with something else.

 

[Beer Me]

I don't hate Dinoland, just the carnival game section. I don't care how they spin the "backstory", it doesn't work.
When our kids were younger, they loved the boneyard. And seeing the dinosaurs.

Once you know the backstory the theming of dinoland really is great. I like the look of it, I think Primeval Whirl is a lot of fun and Restaurantosaurus is a solid B in food and theming. But I’ll never stop for pay to play carnival games in a hot fake parking lot.

 

[gorkt]

Mostly just how narrow the pathways are, and the congestion. Otherwise, I really love it, one of my favorite parks!

 

[michelepa]

As I’m sure others have said, the heat. It’s brutal. The city I live in and have become acclimated to is known for being “famously hot” and even I can’t stand Animal Kingdom on a summer afternoon.

The heat is bad and in August even Kali can’t cool us down. There are no air conditioned seating areas towards EE which are especially needed in this park. DD was feeling so sick from the heat that we sat on the floor in the gift store in expedition Everest with a cooling towel on her neck until she felt better. This is my least favorite park

 

[jbish]

Imagineers never intended for it to have a "Disney" theme. That's like saying why didn't they give Pandora a Disney theme?

But, none of the other lands of AK are "Disney" themed - Asia, Africa, Discovery Island. What I feel like most people are saying is that it doesn't "feel Disney" or is up to "Disney standard". It feels cheesy and out of place, particularly having pay-for-play carnival games. I don't think people want it to be "Disney-themed", per se. But it should match the high standards set by the rest of the park.

 

[DisneyFive]

To me, the backstory to the carni area of Dinoland is irrelevant. Walt also loved to smoke, so should we have "Smokingland" in Animal Kingdom now? I know, that's a stretch, but my point is... just because Walt loved something doesn't mean it belongs in the parks.

Dan

 

[AngiTN]

Oh I forgot!
The lack of animals! You have the safari, the beautiful birds, and the trails, but I have yet to see a single animal in the other exhibits (behind the fences) around the park.

LOL.. you can hardly control where free-roaming animals roam
I guess they do get breaks from being on exhibit every once in a while and if you have the misfortune of always going then that would be different but generally, they are there, simply not in your view. I guess they could make them smaller exhibits but then someone would complain that the animals are being kept in too small areas.

I'm sure I'm repeating after 8 pages, but we find there is a lack of things for adults to do. We enjoy the rides, one or two shows, and the trails and we're done with everything by 2pm. No need to go back. We pretty much just walk through Dinoland without stopping, save for Dinosaur if that counts.

Not enough rides for the little people. There are plenty of shows, but the only rides my son could do last trip (41") were NRJ, Safari, and Triceratops Spin. Technically he could have done Dinosaur, but that seemed too scary.

I love all of the live entertainment throughout the park and could stay all day just for the music and dancers, but with my son I just skip the park now. It's a half-day park for us (an exhausting half day, given all the walking required!).

Too little for adults
Too little for littles
It's always too for someone for something.
Just a funny observation as I read all the best and worst posts about the parks. It always works out that someones best is another's worst.

But, none of the other lands of AK are "Disney" themed - Asia, Africa, Discovery Island. What I feel like most people are saying is that it doesn't "feel Disney" or is up to "Disney standard". It feels cheesy and out of place, particularly having pay-for-play carnival games. I don't think people want it to be "Disney-themed", per se. But it should match the high standards set by the rest of the park.

I think the games and Dino land are supposed to be cheesy.
Cheesy is their theme because that is the theme of a roadside game/carnival.
And I think from the era they tried to portray in the land. It's sort of supposed to be "frozen in time", no?
That said, we don't enjoy it and usually skip it totally. Not sure I want it gone, since there are those who do love the area but I do get the point behind their theme without enjoying it

 

[jbish]

I think the games and Dino land are supposed to be cheesy.
Cheesy is their theme because that is the theme of a roadside game/carnival.
And I think from the era they tried to portray in the land. It's sort of supposed to be "frozen in time", no?
That said, we don't enjoy it and usually skip it totally. Not sure I want it gone, since there are those who do love the area but I do get the point behind their theme without enjoying it

Okay - I'll give you that "cheesy" may have been intentional. But I do still think that pay-for-play games/carnival midway feels out of place. That is something our local amusement park does. Maybe I just don't like those. Feels "off" somehow. But you know, they did it well, at least. And it's easy enough for us to avoid and I forget it even exists - we haven't gone over there in years. I do plan on taking the kids on to Dinosaur next time though - just seems so out of the way!

 

[Napandnat]

Fully agree. Even with its issues, we love AK and can spend over a day there easily.

While it's not perfect, my family is spending two full days there in late May/Early June

 

[DisneyandBeerLover]

I know it's been said previously but the lack of getting quickly from one side to the other. I don't mind the trek personally but I travel with people who can only do AK once or twice during a two week stay because the park is too big with no way to move around other than feet or ECV/wheelchair. It would be nice to have a train like at MK. Epcot has boats and two entrances (which trust me when I say that helps a lot), HS is too small for it to really matter, and MK has a train. Even DS has a boat.

Even getting from the bus to the tree is a little meh, especially since you're so exposed.

That would lead me to my other worst thing: the transportation areas. That area where the busses and trams drop off to the bag check/security is awful. It's so exposed. Especially going into a park with such great foliage and hardly any A/C, it seems odd to me that there's a very exposed beginning to everything. Maybe if there were some bigger shading trees that would be awesome!

 

[rteetz]

To me, the backstory to the carni area of Dinoland is irrelevant. Walt also loved to smoke, so should we have "Smokingland" in Animal Kingdom now? I know, that's a stretch, but my point is... just because Walt loved something doesn't mean it belongs in the parks.

Dan

The backstory of Dinoland doesn’t have anything to do with Walt.

Dinoland was originally set to be more temporary because funds were depleted from building the park overall.

In building Dinoland Chester and Hester are the ones who “run” Dinorama. They set up shop along the roadside for their carnival. Disney went as far as aging the asphalt to look much older than it actually is giving it that old carnival feel.

 

[Bullseye]

Okay - I'll give you that "cheesy" may have been intentional. But I do still think that pay-for-play games/carnival midway feels out of place. That is something our local amusement park does. Maybe I just don't like those. Feels "off" somehow. But you know, they did it well, at least. And it's easy enough for us to avoid and I forget it even exists - we haven't gone over there in years. I do plan on taking the kids on to Dinosaur next time though - just seems so out of the way!

LOL.. you can hardly control where free-roaming animals roam
I think the games and Dino land are supposed to be cheesy.
Cheesy is their theme because that is the theme of a roadside game/carnival.
And I think from the era they tried to portray in the land. It's sort of supposed to be "frozen in time", no?
That said, we don't enjoy it and usually skip it totally. Not sure I want it gone, since there are those who do love the area but I do get the point behind their theme without enjoying it

Exactly, based on the backstory it's supposed to be cheesy. C&H are two rubes (if you'll excuse the expression) trying to cash in on the popularity of the Dino Institute nearby. There's no way they could make the games free or they'd be mobbed most of the time. The shooting gallery in Frontierland isn't free either. Albeit, I admit further up in the thread I said they could get rid of the carny games for all I care because no one really plays them anyway. I don't play those games at Six Flags or at local carnivals either... waste of money. But the rest of Dinoland is fine imo.

 

[DisneyFive]

The backstory of Dinoland doesn’t have anything to do with Walt.

Dinoland was originally set to be more temporary because funds were depleted from building the park overall.

In building Dinoland Chester and Hester are the ones who “run” Dinorama. They set up shop along the roadside for their carnival. Disney went as far as aging the asphalt to look much older than it actually is giving it that old carnival feel.

The Chester and Hester story isn't the backstory I'm referring to, but I get the confusion. What I'm referring to is why there is even a carnival area in AK in the first place. I need to find the article, but it was an homage to Walt due to his love for the local fair/carnival. The story of Chester and Hester came after, when the decision for that area had already been made and they needed to develop the theme of the land.

...at least that's what I recall. I've been wrong before.

Dan

 

[rteetz]

The Chester and Hester story isn't the backstory I'm referring to, but I get the confusion. What I'm referring to is why there is even a carnival area in AK in the first place. I need to find the article, but it was an homage to Walt due to his love for the local fair/carnival. The story of Chester and Hester came after, when the decision for that area had already been made and they needed to develop the theme of the land.

...at least that's what I recall. I've been wrong before.

Dan

Sort of confusing as Walt felt fairs and carnivals brought out the riff raff a bit and he wanted a theme park because he could do it much better and it would be more family friendly.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I miss the parade. That was so much fun! There's not much to dislike about Animal Kingdom. I guess if I had to criticize something, it would be the walkways. Too crowded. With the exception of Avatar and Dinoland, the flow is pretty good. Nice layout and it makes sense. Love the nature, the conservation, the attractions. Just enough eating establishments, and a good variety.

ETA: Reading back a bit, I saw where some felt there wasn't enough for little ones. My grandkids could play at Dinoland for hours (if we'd let them). They love the characters, the trails, I don't know, they just feel relaxed and happy there. While the other grown ups were riding EE, they were behind a snack cart, playing with their Lion Guard stuffed animals. They like playing the instruments in Africa, the Safari, Lion King, etc. We actually ride very little but we don't view any of Disney as a thrill ride theme park. It's an experience. At AK, you experience wildlife and nature.
That's how our family views it.

 

[wiihoo888]

The heat....definitely is the most stifling of all of the parks. Never have a day with a cool breeze u less I have a handheld fan

Finding Nemo The Musical...desperately seeking an update. For me, it’s the Ellen’s Energy Adventure of AK. A good place to take a long rest (nap) in some AC. Even the kids are crying and bored these days. Would love to see it updated to a new theme.

Dinoland...I just don’t get it. Dinosaur the ride is the best of the lot, but mostly it just makes my back and neck hurt for the rest of the day. The rest never has had anything that has kept my family’s attention.

All of the above being said, I truly love the park. Just the three downsides that I see there