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Become a Wilderness Explorer at the Animal Kingdom

If “Up” is one of your favorite Disney/Pixar movies, then Disney World’s Animal Kingdom has a great new surprise coming for you this spring.  Soon guests to the Animal Kingdom can become Wilderness Explorers, just like Russell from “Up.” Wilderness Explorers was the Boy Scout-style troop to which Russell belonged in the film.  An early version of this new experience was tested at the Animal Kingdom way back in the fall of 2011, and now it’s finally going to be making its debut this spring.  Wilderness Explorers isn’t a proper game like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom; it’s closer to … Continue reading →

The Noble Efforts of the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund

One thing I will never criticize Disney about is the good work done by the Animal Kingdom and its sometimes-partner the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.  The two might technically be separate entities – the Animal Kingdom is a part of Disney World, and the DWCF is a philanthropic branch of the Walt Disney Corporation – but they often work together. Work together, of course, being an operative word.  The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is what it’s called: a fund.  While some employees might actually go out and do something, the primary purpose of the division is to provide financial support for … Continue reading →

Attractions at the Animal Kingdom

Today, in acknowledgement of the fact that I talk so much about it, I’m going to start a new feature on the Animal Kingdom. I’ll profile its various aspects: the attractions, entertainment, food, and lodging. The most obvious place to start within the Animal Kingdom is, of course, with its animals. Given that there are a ton of such attractions at the Animal Kingdom I won’t have time to dwell on any for very long. Also, because I’ve already covered the Wild Africa Trek, I’m not going to go over it again. The attractions at the Animal Kingdom can be … Continue reading →

Where’s My Water?

Playing computer games and helping others: how can the two possibly intersect? Thanks to the internet they have; several games exist online now that by playing, users can donate funds to various worthy causes. The most famous is freerice.com, a site that offers various educational games in subjects such as vocabulary, geography, literature, math, and chemistry. For every correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated to the World Food Program, to help feed the hungry. Now Disney’s getting in on the game. Disney Friends for Change, the company’s arm that tries to get kids involved in volunteer work, has … Continue reading →

Kunekunes Come to the Animal Kingdom

I’m not a huge fan of zoos. I’ve been to enough in my lifetime that I’ve seen many small local ones, where a poor bored black bear ambles restlessly on a barred cement slab the size of my bedroom. If a zoo doesn’t take proper care of animals I can’t stand to visit it (as shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who reads my articles on the families.com Pets Blog), and as I make few trips into cities that narrows down my list. But when a zoo is done right, then I love it. My husband and I love nature documentaries … Continue reading →

Disney Receives Jane Goodall Leadership Award

In late September the Walt Disney Company received what I would consider one of the highest possible honors: the Jane Goodall Institute Global Leadership Award. This might not be a trophy for anything related to movies, and I’ve always said I wish that the company’s main focus was movies, but like it or not Disney’s a global conglomerate now. If they must be so, then at least they’re the type getting one of the top tributes a big company can get. The Jane Goodall Institute Global Leadership Awards are given out to people and companies whom the Institute, including its … Continue reading →

International Day of Forests at the Animal Kingdom

When I was in third grade I had my future career decided: zoology. I loved animals but didn’t think I could handle many of the messier aspects of veterinary medicine, so I decided I would study animals from a strict scientific viewpoint instead. Although my skill set ended up steering me away from any future career in the sciences, I’ve never lost that inherent love of learning about animals. That explains why Disney’s Animal Kingdom is my favorite part of Disney World, and why I’m always so excited to share what’s new with the park. On Wednesday July 27 the … Continue reading →

Poacher Turned Park Ranger

A former poacher now turned conservationist for the World Wildlife Fund. It seems an impossible irony, but it’s true. Lean Kha used to shoot dozens of endangered species, including bears, tigers, and elephants, in his native Cambodia but now it’s his mission to protect them. What happened? Yahoo News has the full details. To understand the transformation we need to examine Kha’s background. He started hunting at 13 years old, recruited by soldiers for Khmer Rouge. Kha hunted not for sport, not to collect hides with which to decorate his walls, but to support himself and his family. He’d sell … Continue reading →

Wild Africa Trek

Everyone around here knows how much I love the idea of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The concept of a zoo in an amusement park would be neat enough, but the Animal Kingdom is in some ways closer to a safari experience than that of a zoo. My excitement about the Animal Kingdom leads me to share new information any time there’s news about the park. I’ve managed to restrain myself from posting in paroxysms of glee whenever a baby animal is born there, but I think that the creation of a new attraction at the Animal Kingdom warrants attention. The official … Continue reading →

Conservation at the Animal Kingdom

One of the Animal Kingdom’s bats For all my from-childhood into-adulthood love of the fantasy worlds of Disney, the Animal Kingdom is rapidly becoming my favorite Disney World park. I know I haven’t actually visited Disney World yet, but just based on the things I’m learning about the Animal Kingdom’s dedication to conversation, the environmental and animal activist in me joins with my love of Disney to make me a huge fan of the Animal Kingdom. Recently the official Disney parks blog posted a round-up of all the ways the Animal Kingdom has in the past year promoted conservation, education, … Continue reading →