Dedication
Welcome to a kingdom of animals... real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn...
—Michael Eisner, April 22, 1998
The park is made up of seven themed lands.
Oasis
Upon entering the park, guests must walk through this area to get into any of the other lands in the park. The Oasis consists of different paths leading to Discovery Island which walk guests past animal habitats such as giant anteaters, boars, Hyacinth Macaws, and others. The Rainforest Cafe is also located at the entrance of the Oasis.
Discovery Island
The main land in the park, it is the home of the The Tree of Life. It is the center island in the park and has paths to all six of the other lands.
It's Tough to be a Bug - At the roots of The Tree of Life see what life is like as a bug as Flik from A Bug's Life shows a 3-D Film about bugs and their daily lives. It used to be known as Safari Village.
Camp Minnie-Mickey
This land is the home of two shows and four character greeting spots where Guests can see such characters as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and others.
Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends - A children's show with live animals based on the film Pocahontas.
Festival of the Lion King - A high-energy musical performance featuring songs and characters from the film The Lion King.
Africa
The Africa area features an exhibit of Silverback Gorillas
Kilimanjaro Safaris - Climb aboard your open-sided safari vehicle for an exciting expedition for the entire family. Animals from Africa freely roam through acres of savanna, rivers and rocky hills. Look out for giraffes, hippos, elephants, rhinos, lions and poachers too!
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, - Trek into the forest in search of gorillas! Along the way, enjoy a nature walk through a verdant African valley filled with Nile hippos, birds and fish. Enter an exotic bird aviary, an underwater hippo viewing area, a savanna overlook, and have an intimate up-close encounter with a magnificent troop of gorillas.
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Formerly Conservation Station and still accessible by train only, this area contains small animals, a petting zoo with domesticated goats, and exhibits teaching about conservation efforts. The veterinary hospital's viewing window allows guests to watch medical procedures conducted by the veterinary staff.
Wildlife Express Train - Ride the rails on this rustic African train that travels the savanna for a behind-the-scenes journey through several animal housing and care areas of the park. In just over five minutes, your guided train ride transports you to the core of the park's conservation center. All aboard!
Habitat Habit! - See endangered Cottontop Tamarin primates up close. Trek down this adventure trail and help your animal friends in ways that you never thought possible. It's fun to share your world and your own backyard with animals!
Affection Section - Don't be shy! Enjoy this delightful animal encounter with goats, sheep, pigs, chicken, llamas and more. Watch for special guest appearances by some of the park's friendlier animals. This is a great way to help little ones begin to "open their eyes to the world around them.
Conservation Station - At trail's end, the discovery has just begun as you visit the center of Disney efforts to promote wildlife conservation awareness. Inside, there is a whole herd of wild animal experiences, interactive games and fun-filled shows. See animals up close in this rare behind-the-scenes adventure!
Asia
The Expedition Everest 'mountain' which houses the roller-coaster attraction.Flights of Wonder - "Wing" on in to the Caravan Stage and join a trainee bird handler and a wayward tour guide who teach each other about the delicate state of nature. See birds such as vultures, hawks, colorful macaws, crowned crane and the American Bald Eagle up close. May your spirits fly sky-high
Kali River Rapids - Raft down the turbulent waters of the Chakranadi River aboard a 12-passenger raft through an enchanting Asian rain forest. A blazing inferno rushes toward you! Escape down a rushing waterfall! Beware of gushing geysers! Get set to get wet!
Maharajah Jungle Trek - Trek into the lush forests for an unparalleled adventure into the wilds of the mystical Anandapur Royal Forest of Southeast Asia. Have up-close encounters with Komodo dragons, tapirs and tigers. Make eye contact with stalking tigers. Wander among the ruins of an ancient palace inhabited by beautiful and exotic animals!
Expedition Everest - In this runaway-train roller coaster, Himalayan trekkers board refurbished steam trains on their way to the base camp of Mount Everest, using a shortcut that passes through the "forbidden mountain" guarded by the legendary yeti.
DinoLand U.S.A.
The Boneyard - Slip, slide, slither and slosh through a play maze filled with fun fossils. "Exploration. Excavation. Exultation." is the motto of the Dino Institute and nowhere is this truer than here. Would-be paleontologists young and old play amidst a world of dinosaur discoveries like a Triceratops, T-Rex and Wooly Mammoth. Frolic among the fossils!
DINOSAUR (formerly Countdown to Extinction) - Whoosh back to primeval times for a wild ride of an expedition to complete your dangerous mission. The clock is ticking on your Time Rover and you have mere minutes to rescue a stray dinosaur. Beware the hungry clutches of one large meat-eating predator and the devastating power of an impending asteroid! It's fast! It's a blast! It's in the past!
Animals located in Dinoland include an American Crocodile, Abdim's Storks, and Asian brown tortoises.
Finding Nemo - The Musical - Set to debut November 12, 2006, the original stage show developed by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment tells the story of the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo with new songs by Avenue Q composer Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and puppets designed by Michael Curry. The production combines dancers, acrobats, animated backdrops, and theatrical puppetry. Marlin, Dory and Nemo are depicted by actors holding large puppets while other characters are portrayed through a variety of puppetry styles.
Dino-Sue - Visit Disney's oldest "cast" member, clocking in at 67 million years. Dino-Sue is a painstaking reproduction of the largest, most complete T-Rex ever found! The length of a four-story building, the mighty T-Rex is available to pose for pictures with you at the Dino institute. It's fossiliferous!
Cretaceous Trail - Enjoy a lush, shady, relaxing and surprising walking tour amidst plant and animal survivors that have outlived the dinosaurs. Play with a Pachycephalosaurus, encounter living animal species that have survived since prehistoric times and discover fossil dig sites!
DinoLand also contains Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama, an area made to look like a tacky 1950s roadside attraction built on an old parking lot. Dino-Rama! has been criticized by Disney fans for containing only "off-the-shelf" attractions (whack-a-mole and other carnival games) similar to what other parks offer, and for charging guests money for each play.
Primeval Whirl - Take a whirl into prehistory in one of these spinning time machines that are part of the zany fun fair of Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama! Thrill to the sudden dips, hairpin turns and tight curves of this rollicking coaster. Each colorful car spins independently so you never know how things will "turn" out! It's the best time you've had in ages.
TriceraTop Spin - Take the family for a spin aboard this whirling, twirling, friendly flying dinosaur. Climb into one of these four-person dino vehicles and spin 'round, up and down. Expect a dino-sized surprise for kids rising from the giant tin top at the hub of it all. It's an experience that can't be "topped"
Fossil Fun Games - Erupting with fun, these dinosaur-themed games offer a good time for everyone. Whether you are wowed by the nostalgic past of a carnival or by the distant prehistoric past, these games are a total blast from the past!