Disney's Animal Kingdom Celebrates 20 Years

On April 22, 2019 Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park will celebrate its 20th anniversary - the day is also Earth Day! The park will have an expanded “Party for the Planet” celebration April 22 - May 5, 2018.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch will take center stage for the celebration, which will offer backstage experiences that allow you to learn about animal nutrition, visit the veterinary hospital, or hear how Disney promotes global wildlife conservation.

You can also commemorate the park's anniversary with special photo opportunities and kids can earn a limited-edition badge as part of the Wilderness Explorer program. Six different Tiffins Talks, themed-dinners hosted by animal experts at Tiffins full-service restaurant will be available to Guests who want to learn more about the animal residents at the park. And limited-edition merchandise will also be available for purchase, with one piece being a special-edition print created by renowned Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde. (He will be available to sign prints on April 22, 2018 from 1-4 p.m. at Discovery Trading Company. Quantities are limited). 

Other experiences coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this spring include:

• April 22 will mark the debut of a brand-new show, UP! A Great Bird Adventure featuring Russell and Dug from the Disney•Pixar animated comedy-adventure film “UP.” The show will give you the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his fuzzy friend Dug in a new adventure that includes encounters with exotic birds from around the world. This free-flying show will be performed multiple times daily.

• A “dino-tastic” celebration with Donald and his friends will also premiere Memorial Day weekend in DinoLand, U.S.A. This dinosaur-themed party celebrates Donald Duck’s discovery that his bird ancestors were actually dinosaurs. DinoLand U.S.A. will feature colorful new décor and playful character greetings with rarely seen pals like Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad McQuack and more. A DJ-powered dance party will mix tunes from the truck-o-saurus stage, capping the nighttime festivities.

• Memorial Day 2018 commemorates the one-year anniversary of Pandora – The World of Avatar. Here, travelers are transported to a mystical world of floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and breathtaking new experiences. Inspired by the blockbuster film, AVATAR, the epic land invites guests to explore a glowing landscape, encounter a larger-than-life Na’vi Shaman of Songs and soar on the back of a banshee. 

There is still plenty of time to book your Walt Disney World Spring Vacation, email me (a trained and experienced Disney Vacation Planner) at lauren@magicaltravel.com. Or you can use this fast and easy form to request a free, no obligation quote! As a Disney Vacation Planner, I'll help you plan the most magical vacation - all for free! You won't pay one penny more by booking with me but you'll get personalized help and advice from someone that will get to know you, your wants and your travel plans (which you’re not going to get if you book on your own or direct with Disney)!  

Just a few of the few things I'll do for FREE:

• Help to find you the perfect Walt Disney World Resort; 
• I'll make your Advance Dining Reservations (no early mornings for you!);
• I'll make your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Reservations; 
• I'll make your FastPass+ selections (once gain no early mornings for you!); 
• Book any tours or unique experiences; 
• Send you tips and tricks to get the most out of your vacation investment; AND
• Plus my clients that book a vacation package get a FREE DISNEY GIFT CARD and more! 

With all of these perks from me, you're bound to have a magical vacation!

More Info about Pandora - The World of Avatar

You all, I am getting really, really, really excited for Pandora to open at Disney's Animal Kingdom! Here is another(!!!) look inside Pandora – The World of Avatar, which opens May 27, 2017 at Walt Disney World® Resort.

This video is from Walt Disney Imagineering (hello dream job), where several members of the Pandora project team explain just how important research has been in bringing Pandora – The World of Avatar to life. Culture plays a huge part in the Animal Kingdom’s other lands, therefore, researching a realistic culture that would exist on Pandora has been a priority for them.

In addition to culture, placemaking has also extended to designing what you will hear when entering the new land. Get a closer look in this video!

To book your Walt Disney World vacation, email me at lauren@magicaltravel.com. As a Disney Vacation Planner, my FREE services will help you find a Disney World resort and room that fits your family's needs and wants! I'll help you plan Advance Dining Reservation and FastPass+ reservations (essential to making the most out of your vacation) more! Plus all of my Walt Disney World clients that book a Package with me gets a FREE Disney Gift Card to use on souvenirs or extra snacks while on vacation! Email me today to start planning your vacation today!

Pandora - World of Avatar and Disney's Animal Kingdom

Pandora – The World of Avatar, which is set to open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park at Walt Disney World® Resort on May 27, 2017, will transport you to a visually stunning world complete with floating mountains, bioluminescent plans and all kinds of immersive adventures.

Walt Disney Imagineering developed this video in which Portfolio Creative Executive Joe Rohde (who played a major part in the original development for Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the 1990s) explains the overall design philosophy of Pandora – The World of Avatar and how that fits into the theming of the rest of the park.

According to Joe, the themes in both the film AVATAR and the values the designers of Disney's Animal Kingdom had in mind when planning the park are the same: Emphasizing the intrinsic value of nature; Exploring the idea that Guests can be transformed through adventure; And inspiring Guests to understand and respect the nature that exists in our world.

Check out this video to learn more about what to expect when Pandora – The World of Avatar comes to life this summer. 

To book your Walt Disney World Resort vacation, email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - a Disney Vacation Planner. 

As a Disney Vacation Planner, I'll help you plan the most magical vacation - all for free! You won't pay one penny more by booking with me but you'll get more help and advice than you would if you booked on your own.  

Just a few of the few things I'll do for FREE: help to find you the perfect Walt Disney World Resort; I'll make your Advance Dining Reservations and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Reservations; make your FastPass+ selections; and free tips and tricks!  

Plus my clients that book a vacation package get a free Disney Gift card and more! With all of these things from me, and all of the great things happening at Walt Disney World in 2017 - you're bound to have a magical vacation!

Authentic Details Bring to Life Pandora — The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

There’s an incredible lineup of new attractions and experiences coming to all four Walt Disney World® Resort theme parks this summer.  And among our latest updates, we also looked further into the future and shared new details on how Pandora – The World of AVATAR will come to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park in 2017.

Imagineer Joe Rohde and Lightstorm Entertainment film producer Jon Landau shared a quick hint at what to expect in the new 12-acre land inspired by James Cameron’s film “AVATAR” during a special presentation at the Walt Disney World Resort.  They showed how the land will take on new life at night with bioluminescent flora and special nighttime immersive programming that’ll add a magical touch.

And how you will be transported to the world of Pandora – alive with amazing creatures and “glowing” ground beneath your feet.  Guests will also notice realistic details during their adventures, including special Na’vi artifacts seen throughout the land.  Stay tuned for more details on Pandora – The World of AVATAR, including the spectacular “floating mountains” and thrilling attractions coming to the land: AVATAR Flight of Passage and the Na’vi River Journey.

If you're interested in visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - for a FREE, no obligation vacation quote!  Or simply fill out the Disney Vacation Quote form found below or click here to open in a new window!  As a Disney vacation specialist, let me put my expert knowledge to your benefit and help you plan a magical vacation!