Once overlooked as the smallest park in the Disney World portfolio with shortest park hours, Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida is positioning itself to become the jewel in the theme park's crown starting this Summer. Memorial Day weekend, the park will light up the night — quite literally — when it pushes back the clock and stays open for evening hours.
The new hours will usher in new experiences — new shows, new versions of existing rides — and add the thrill of darkness to longtime favorites like Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids. Read on for details about the new experiences at the park, as well as some tips for doing the park after dark with your family.
The gem of Animal Kingdom, the Kilimanjaro Safari, gets a nighttime makeover this year. Through the use of new lighting technology, Disney has created a perpetual sunset that shines over part of the park and allows the safari jeeps to roll into the night. The park has also brought in hyenas and African wild dogs — two nocturnal species — to enhance the experience. But before heading onto the safari, you'll want to know a few things.
Several times each evening, the iconic Tree of Life at the center of the park will "come alive" with lights and images projected on it. The dramatic event — trust us, it's more emotional than you'd ever expect — is not to be missed, but you should prepare for it.
Animal Kingdom's much anticipated "Rivers of Light" show does not have a debut date yet, but after seeing a shortened preview of it, it's obvious that it will be a major draw to the park when it does launch. The show focuses on giant flowers floating in Discovery River. Water spraying in the middle of the lake forms a backdrop on which projections of birds and other animals prance around. Before going, though, keep these tips in mind: