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/* History After Opening Day */
{{Template:Infobox amusement park | image=TreeOfLifeday.jpg| caption='''The Tree of Life, the icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.'''| theme=Animals, nature, conservation| opening_date=April 22, 1998| icon=The Tree of Life}}Disney's Animal Kingdom is a theme park located in [[Walt Disney World]].==ConeptionConception <ref name= "book"> Malmberg, Melody. The Making of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. New York: Hyperion, 1998. Print. </ref>==
==Construction==[[Image:TreeofLifeConstruction3.jpg|400px|thumb|Disney's Animal Kingdom cost nearly 1 billion dollars to builtunder construction]] Construction on Disney's Animal Kingdom began in August of 1995. Four million cubic yards of dirt were moved and nearly 40,000 plants were addedduring the park's construction <ref name= "trivia"/>. It During this process it was decided that the plants in Animal Kingdom would need to be put in the ground for two growing seasons before the animals arrived. This meant that the construction horticulture team , led by Disney Legend Bill Evans, had until the Spring spring of 1996 to get all the plants in place<ref> http://allears.net/ae/issue863.htm </ref>. This deadline was met, and in the fall of 1997 , the animals were brought ininto the park <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/01/kilimanjaro_safaris_at_animal_1.html </ref>. The These animals were brought in came from various zoo's or wildlife preserves around the world. A few animals were also from the wild, but were too injured to be re -released. In total Animal Kingdom is home to over 1,700 animals.
As construction on Disney's Animal Kingdom continued, funds for the new park began to dwindle. Eventually it was decided that Animal Kingdom would have to open in three phases. The first phase would consist of The Oasis, [[Safari Village]], [[Africa]], [[Conservation Station]], and an unfinished [[Asia]]. Also included in phase one Phase I would be Dinoland either [[DinoLand USA ]] or Beastly KingdomKingdomme <ref name= "jim"> http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2001/01/01/309.aspx </ref>. Disney eventually decided to build Dinoland DinoLand USA, possibly due to the new Dinosaur movie “Dinosaur” that would was set to be coming out released in 2000. Phase II would be the completion, with Phase III being the construction of Beastly Kingdom. Due to the park not being completed on opening day, Camp Minnie Mickey, a place where guests could meet various Disney characters was created as a temporary land. Besides the lands, the park would feature the Kilimanjaro Safari which would allow guests to see the animals in a natural way, as if they were on Safari<ref name= "jim"/>.
==Opening Day==
Disney's Animal Kingdom officially opened on April 22, 1998 (Earth Day). At the opening of the park, the song “The Circle of Life” from Disney's The Lion King played as guests were showered with rose petals <ref> http://allears.net/tp/ak/ak_opn.htm </ref>. A half hour after the park had opened; the parking lot was filled to capacity, and 45 minutes later the park itself was filled to capacity <ref name= "day"/>. The first official guests to Disney's Animal Kingdom were Brenda Herr, her husband Damon Chepren, and their son Devon <ref name= "day"> http://thisdayindisneyhistory.homestead.com/apr22.html </ref>. They were greeted by Roy E. Disney and given lifetime passes to Walt Disney World. Unlike previous theme park openings, the Grand Opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom was not a star studded affair, although Michael J. Fox, Drew Carey, Stevie Wonder, and David Copperfield did appear <ref> http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-04-20/news/9804190408_1_walt-disney-animal-kingdom-disney-theme </ref>. Some 5,000 reporters were also on hand as Michael Eisner read the park's dedication:
In 2000 and 2001 many of Animal Kingdom opened without many problems's lands were renamed. The former [[Safari Village]] became [[Discovery Island]] <ref> http://waltdatedworld.com/id131.htm </ref>, however Countdown while [[Conservation Station]] was renamed [[Rafiki's Planet Watch]] <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/07/rafikis_planet_watch_the_forgo.html </ref>. The change in name to Extinction did break down for over an hourDiscovery Island coincided with the closing of the Discovery Island attraction on Bay Lake. Overall Also changing its name at this time was the grand opening popular [[DinoLand USA]] attraction [[Countdown To Extinction]]. That ride was a successre-named after, and slightly altered, to tie into the 2000 Disney movie [[Dinosaur]] <ref> https://www.mouseplanet.com/10881/Remembering_the_Magic_Countdown_To_Extinction__DINOSAUR </ref>.
In 2001 change came 2014 Camp Minnie-Mickey was closed in order to Dinoland USA with make way for a new area of the addition park based on James Cameron's 2009 film “Avatar” <ref name= "attractions"> https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Festival+of Midway Games (later renamed Fossil Fun Ground) and +Lion+King+closed+Avatar </ref>. Following the TriceraTop Spinland's closure the [[Festival of the Lion King]] attraction was relocated to a new section of [[Africa]] called “New Harambe” <ref> https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/07/a-new-home-for-festival-of-the-lion-king-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/ </ref>. In 2015 the Harambe Marketplace opened to guests. The Fossil Fun Ground features dinosaur themed carnival games, while TriceraTop Spin new area was a dinosaur themed "Dumbo" attractionaround a “Colonial-era train depot design complete with a 1960s water tower”. Inside the Harambe Marketplace guests can visit various food vendors who sell African inspired quinine <ref> https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/04/fun-new-tastes-at-harambe-market-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/ </ref>.
*A detailed dragonhead statue sits atop one of the ticket booths at the park's entranceThe parking lot contains a section named "Unicorn" <ref> http://www.yesterland.com/avatarkingdom.html </ref>.
*In the first couple years A detailed dragonhead statue sits atop one of the parks existance, blasts of fire would be spewed from a cave ticket booths at the edge of the water, in Camp Minniepark's entrance <ref> http://www.wdwinfo.com/columns/walt-disney-world-never-Mickeybuilt.cfm </ref>.
*Burnt suits In the first couple years of armor were located just outside the cave entranceparks existence, and when the Discovery Boats passed this scene guests were told by the boat's captain that the blasts of fire was created by would be spewed from a fire-breathing dragon inside the caveat the edge of the water near Camp Minnie-Mickey <ref name= "hill"> http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2004/10/19/479.aspx </ref>. Also debuting at this time
*Burnt suits of armor were located just outside the cave entrance, and when the Discovery Boats passed this scene, guests were told by the boat's captain that the fire was created by a fire-breathing dragon inside the cave <ref name==Current Lands=="hill"/>.
==Backstory==
According to The World According to Jack the backstory for Disney's Animal Kingdom states
{{Quotation|'Once upon a time, no vegetation would grow on Discovery Island. There were no trees, no shrubs, no flowers, nothing. It was a barren piece of land. Then, one day, a tiny ant planted a seed and made a wish. He asked for a tree to grow – a tree large enough to provide shelter for all the animals. Magically, the ant’s wish came true and a tree began to grow -- and it kept growing until there was room beneath its limbs for all the animals from A (ants) to Z (zebras). And as the tree continued to reach for the heavens, the images of all the animals that took shelter beneath its shade appeared on its trunk, roots, and branches.<ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2012/06/tree_of_life_at_disneys_animal.html </ref>}}
==Current Lands==
To see the current Animal Kingdom map [https://secure.parksandresorts.wdpromedia.com/media/wdpro-assets/parks-and-tickets/destinations/animal-kingdom/Disneys_Animal_Kingdom.pdf?16052017140623'''Click Here'''.]
===Oasis===
[[Image:AnimalKingdomGuideMap2020.jpg|thumb|400px|The 2021 Animal Kingdom map (click to enlarge)]]Located at the front of the park, the Oasis is the first land that guests encounter. Located here is guests services as well as Guest Services and the Rain Forest Cafe. The only attraction in the Oasis is the Oasis Exhibits. The Exhibits are walking trails that feature Spoonbills, ducks, wallabies, and even a Giant Anteaterlocated here. The Oasis leads to the parks park's hub, [[Discovery Island]].
===Camp Minnie Mickey[[Discovery Island]]===Originally intended to be a temporary land, Camp Minnie Mickey is located where Beastly Kingdom was supposed to be built. Here, guests can meet their favorite Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie, and Donald. The main attraction located in Camp Minnie Mickey is the Broadway style show, Festival of the Lion King.Main Article: [[Discovery Island]]
===Rafiki's Planet Watch[[Africa]]===Rafkik's Planet Watch was originally called Conservation Station, and is the only land not accessible from Discovery Island. In order to get to Rafiki's Planet Watch guests must board the Wildlife Express Train which travels between Main Article: [[Africa and the Planet Watch. After arriving, guests will learn conservation tips at Habitat Habit. The attraction also features the rare cotton-top tamarin. Also located in Rafiki's Planet Watch is Affection Section, which is a large petting zoo featuring some rare animals. ]]
==Fun Facts and Trivia=[[Rafiki's Planet Watch]]===Main Article: [[Rafiki's Planet Watch]]
==References=[[Pandora- The World of Avatar]]===httpMain Article://www.magicalmountain.net/animal-kingdom/disneys-animal[[Pandora-kingdom.aspxThe World of Avatar]]
==Fun Facts and Trivia==* Plastic straws, balloons, and cup lids are not used inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom to protect the animals from potential choking hazards <ref name= "guide"> http://www.wdwmagicguidetothemagic.com/Attractionsanimalkingdom/The-Tree-of-Lifeanimalkingdom5.htm</ref>.
* Two Micronesian Kingfisher chicks were hatched at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, raising the world population of these birds by 3 percent <ref name= "trivia"> http://traveltipsallears.usatodaynet/tp/ak/ak_fact.comhtm </information-animal-kingdom-disney-world-10688ref>.html