Chapter 3 - Animal Kingdom - Discovery Island                   posted Aug 2021

When guests first enter into Animal Kingdom, they pass through The Oasis which has a lush, tropical feel and is full of various animal habitats. After exploring this area of the park, guests will emerge on a grand bridge which connects to Discovery Island and offers a picturesque view of the Tree of Life. The icon of Animal Kingdom features thousands of gently swaying leaves and a trunk intricately carved with hundreds of animals, making it a great photo back drop. Guests will now enter Discovery Island which is the hub, the center. Here guests will find connects to all of the lands in the Animal Kingdom.
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​As we enter Discovery Island, let’s have a little background Music.  
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​Joe Rohde’s Animal Kingdom
Before venturing too far into the Animal Kingdom, we should probably get an insight on why this park is different than the other Walt Disney World parks. Who best to get that understanding then from Imagineer Joe Rohde, who was largely responsible for Animal Kingdom’s design. Joe Rohde is Executive Designer and Senior Vice President, Creative for Walt Disney Imagineering. Joe was the lead designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
When Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 Joe gave presentation to cast members titled “A Ritual of the Transfer of Stewardship” from the Imagineers to the cast members who would be running the park.
Rohde stated: “Safari Village (renamed Discovery Island in 1999) is the heart of this park. It’s the hub. “Safari Village is about the adoration of nature. And it is the ONLY clean, pristine, beautiful, wonderful, colorful, rich, saturated area in the park. It is arrayed around our tree — the axis of the park, the center of the park.
“And THAT is why it is so joyfully exuberant and colorful and rich in detail and saturated with animal imagery, and that is why we established some of the design rules for it, which were: There will be no decoration unless it is animal decoration, and there will be virtually no earth-tones in the entire place. It is about all that intensity of fascination, obsession, and love.
“So, Safari Village is a very unique place. It is narratively neutral. Everyplace else you go, we go way, way, way, way, way out of our way to convince you that you are some specific other place — not here.
“Safari Village is kind of a noplace. There’s nowhere on Earth like Safari Village. It is meant, each time you cross through it on your way from somewhere to another place, to reorient you; to sort of clean your slate and set you up again for another adventure.
“Safari Village is not an adventure. It’s right there for you to see. It’s spread out in a nice, clean circle around the tree. You get views of the other lands; that’s not the adventure. The adventure is across the bridge in all those different lands.
Source:
http://allears.net/walt-disney-world-chronicles-joe-rohde-and-disneys-animal-kingdom-in-1988/
Looking for the up to date map: Maps | Walt Disney World Resort (go.com)
Discovery Island 
Background
Discovery Island is the central hub for Disney's Animal Kingdom. All lands, with the exception of Rafiki's Planet Watch, can be reached from Discovery Island.

The Discovery Island has several elaborately decorated, brightly colored shops and eateries, all featuring wooden animal carvings – a total of 1,500 in all – created by dozens of wood carvers from Bali.
 
In true hub-and-spoke fashion the island has bridges that fan out into different themed lands. (See map above). These bridges cross over Discovery River, which for a short time was home to an attraction known as the Discovery River Boats.

Discovery Island’s main attraction is the Tree of Life itself. With 325 animals carved into it, and several paths that leads right up to its roots, guests can spend hours studying this wonderful masterpiece.

Before Disney's Animal Kingdom was complete there was a long debate over what the name of the park's main land would be. While names were being thrown around, the Imagineers finally settled on the name Safari Village, which actually stuck. Eventually, Disney's island in the middle of Bay Lake, Discovery Island (which was a place for guests to see animals in the wild), closed in 1999 and the name was brought over to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Just like all of the lands in Walt Disney World, Discovery Island is rich in detail. Guests should take some time to explore the shops (which all revolve around a specific animal or a group of animals), restrooms (the dung beetle is present throughout the restrooms near the entrance to Dinoland, USA), and even the benches. The snail statues are present as a reminder to guests to Slow down and take their time like a snail. That's the underlying theme found throughout Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The current attractions on Discovery Island are "it's tough to be a bug" and the Discovery Island Trails. In addition to these two attractions there entertainment, several shops and two restaurants (Pizzafari and Flame Tree Barbeque).

Note: During the planning stage, Imagineers were thinking of giving guests the opportunity to ascend to the top of the Tree of Life. This would have given guests a great view of Discovery Island and the rest of the park!

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The Tree of Life

The gem of the park is in plain sight as guest enter Discovery Island. The trunk may look a normal tree, but as guests get closer they will see the amazing details of hundreds of intricate animal carvings.  
Ever since its debut in 1998 the Tree of Life, has served as the symbol of Animal Kingdom. The Tree of Life is Animal Kingdom’s icon.
All Walt Disney World parks have their own icon (Magic Kingdom has Cinderella Castle, and Epcot the Spaceship Earth Sphere, and Hollywood Studios the Tower of Terror, for example), and the Tree of Life can certainly hold its own when it comes to magical Disney park icons!
It stands majestic in the center of Discovery Island and can be seen from many locations inside Animal Kingdom.
The Tree of Life may look real, but it’s a man-made work of art that took a year and a half to complete. 
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​Even the Tree of Life area has its own Music Background Music 
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A team of international artisans created the tree, which stands 145 feet tall and incorporates over 300 animal carvings.  The tree’s base is 50 feet wide, and it contains over 8000 branches with over 100,000 vibrant green artificial leaves, all of which were attached by hand. It is masterpiece of the Animal Kingdom.
It took a team of international artisans a full year and a half to complete the Tree of Life. 
Those creations were the handiwork of Zsolt Hormay and his team of skilled craftsmen.
Zsolt Hormay was the Tree of Life’s chief sculptor and senior production designer.
Note: Zsolt Hormay is a creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering with many years of design experience and oversees the teams that have built some of the amazing landmarks of Disney’s theme parks including Typhoon Lagoon, the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Cadillac Mountain Range of Cars Land and the otherworldly look of Pandora- The World of Avatar. Zsolt and his team of talented international artists brought their level of craftsmanship and artistry to Batuu – Galaxy’s Edge.
 If guests search they may even discover a Dragon and a Hidden Mickey, (Looking at the back of the Tree of Life look for a hippo who has an upside down Hidden Mickey just above his eye).

Before Animal Kingdom was called Animal Kingdom, Imagineers had dreamt of a park called “Beastly Kingdom.” Beastly Kingdom would have feature make-believe or mythical creatures. Guests can see evidence of those plans among the many carvings in the Tree of Life—one of the carvings is of a dragon.
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(See Chapter 1 – Animal Kingdom – Getting There for more detail)
 
Imagineers knew the inner structure would have to be built to withstand strong winds like it would be encountered in a hurricane.  With the strong base and the extra care put into the construction, the tree is actually made from a refurbished oil 
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platform. And there’s steel in the base and in the branches themselves. So while the tree might lose some leaves in the event of hurricane-force winds, the tree itself would be just fine!
The platform provides a base on which the bark, branches and leaves of the tree were built and designed to look like a baobab tree, a type of tree found in different parts of Africa. (More about the Baobab Tree in a later Chapter when we visit the African Safari)
 
The impressive painting and work to create the Tree of Life really make it look like it is an actually tree bark.  If guests touch the tree it will feel a little different and know that it isn’t really bark. 

It’s a genuine work of art, the Tree of Life is a completely hands-on experience! Guests will be amazed at the fantastic artistry and workmanship that went into creating the Tree, Bark and Creatures they see.
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The imagineers used the perfect blending of browns and greens to make the tree look like perfectly aged tree bark.  Everything about the details is spot on and is what makes the tree absolutely perfect.
David Greybeard
Just before guests enter the “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” attraction inside the Tree of Life Repertory Theater, guests pass by a series of carved animals including a very special one just before entering into the lobby. A chimpanzee can be found carved into at the base near the entrance.
 
Jane Goodall was a scientist that was brought in to help offer advice and feedback to the Imagineers during the construction of the park. She is famous for working with and studying chimpanzees. When she was looking around the development of the Tree of Life, she noticed that there were no chimpanzees incorporated in the tree.
The Imagineers decided to add a chimpanzee representing David Greybeard, a favorite subject of Jane Goodall.
 
 Guests can stop before entering into the theater and pose with David Greybeard as well as read a dedication plaque nearby.
​Note: The Tree of Life was not the original idea for the Animal Kingdom’s Icon. In fact, Noah’s Ark was on the drawing board until Imagineers decided that the Christian symbol might be too controversial, so they decided on the Tree of Life instead. 
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Animal Kingdom at Night
Since the Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, it had often been referred to as a “half day” or “daytime” park. This is partially due to the fact that the park was only open during daylight hours.

In May 2016 Animal Kingdom saw the beginning of nighttime experiences, such as, the after dark version of Kilimanjaro Sunset Safaris, the new Tree of Life Awakenings show, and The Jungle Book: Alive With Magic nighttime spectacular and  began extended Park hours.
 
The Tree of Life, which also serves as the symbol of Animal Kingdom, is impressive during the day, but it’s even more special when seen lit up at night. After sunset, the Tree of Life seems to actually come alive with gorgeous nighttime light displays. Tree of Life Awakenings show occurs every ten minutes after sunset, beautiful and colorful projected images of various animals dance around the tree along with mystical music, giving guests an amazing experience. 
It’s truly amazing to see such gorgeous visuals come to life on the Tree. The light show continues up until park close, so be sure to stop and enjoy it at least once before leaving the park.
 
The Tree of Life Awakenings show is a projection mapping-type production during which projections of animals and scenes from nature are projected onto the tree.
 
The leaves on the Tree of Life had been upgraded to leaves that had LED lighting effects to prepare for the park having more of a nighttime presence.  With 102,000 leaves to remove and get perfectly in replaced, it was definitely no small feat for the Imagineering team. However, the nighttime effects including the Tree of Life Awakenings are so amazing they proven the work well worth it.
 
The show has four scenes to it that are named Journey, Rendezvous, Gift Giver and Disney Medley.
 
The projections are shown on both sides of the Tree! Guest will have the best views on the path from Africa to Asia behind the tree!
 
Note: here is even a holiday edition of Tree of Life Awakenings that take place throughout the evening during the Holidays. There are many different scenes that replay, including the “First Snow,” “Gift Giver,” and “Seasons of Life.” They are all beautiful and the wintry tales they tell are so enjoyable. 
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Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight 

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Several times a day an unadvertised 3-8 minute show called "Winged Encounters" takes place near the Tree of Life.
The show focuses on the macaws and conservation. The birds fly in and out, with an avian expert shares interesting facts. Each show is a bit different and may use different birds. The featured macaws are hyacinth, green-winged, blue and gold, scarlet, military and blue-throated.
The birds fly together from backstage past the Tree of Life and land on the bridge at DinoLand U.S.A. on Discovery Island. In addition to flying, there are also up-close encounters for the guests as they hear avian experts sharing conservation stories about the birds. Most are endangered in their native Central and South America. The show takes place daily at 9:15, 10:15, 1:00 and 2:00 and lasts for approximately 10 minutes. (Check the Times Guide, as show times may change)

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Viva Gaia Street Band
​Viva Gaia Street Band in Animal Kingdom perform on Discovery Island. This band leads a Caribbean street party at set times during the day. It is always fun to dance with these guys. Check the Times Guide for Showtime.
The Viva Gaia Street Band is the star of the Discovery Island Carnivale. The band is joined by dancers and musicians, including a Paraguayan harp player. The music and costumes are inspired by carnival celebrations from around the world.
Discovery Island Carnivale
Discovery Island Carnivale is a street-party style performance that premiered in May 2016, when Animal Kingdom expanded its hours. Inspired by Carnival celebrations from around the world, the show features performers engaging with guests in a high-spirited dance show every night in the park.
 
The Discovery Island Carnivale is a street party that takes place across from Flame Tree Barbecue, and it's an interactive experience for children and adults alike. The Viva Gaia Street Band  takes to the stage, while dancers and stilt-walkers dressed in brightly-colored costumes create a party atmosphere.
When the sun is beginning its descent at Animal Kingdom, listen for the distinctive drumming of Latin and world-beat rhythms around Discovery Island.
 
In February 2018, José and Panchito joined the Discovery Island Carnivale, performing with the Viva Gaia band, to help to draw the audience in to the show.
There was no official published times for Carnivale. Discovery Island Carnivale Dance Party ended in June 2018.
 
About the same time that the Discovery Island Carnivale Dance Party ended, Donald’s Dino-Bash in Dinoland, a Meet and Greet plus Dance party started.
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Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party
Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party was an event at Animal Kingdom during the summer of 2019, in honor of The Lion King film's 25th anniversary celebration.
 This lively dance party features characters from The Lion King, Pocahontas, and more! This event takes place daily from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and featured music, dance, games and some of the Disney friends, including Timon and Rafiki, as well as Baloo, Terk, Meeko, King Louie, and Koda. 
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Merry Menagerie for the Holidays
​When you visit Animal Kingdom during the holiday season, you’ll find festive new entertainment and holiday décor in every land. It all begins on Discovery Island, where you’ll be surrounded by a celebration of winter. The village is filled with sparkling white holiday decorations and colorful, animal-inspired luminaries. Throughout the day, the area springs to life with a Merry Menagerie of winter animals, accompanied by serenading musicians as they create a playful atmosphere of festive fun. 
​ A collection of reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more are in the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets, each designed and hand-crafted using natural materials and fabrics. The animals are then brought to life through a variety of theatrical techniques that will allow them and their performers to interact directly with guests. 

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 Wilderness Explorers
Wilderness Explorers is a program at the Animal Kingdom that engages guests of all ages in learning about animals and the Wilderness. 
 
The Wilderness Explorer challenge is a self-guided activity scattered all throughout Animal Kingdom.  To participate, explorers can visit over 30 kiosks, to complete simple tasks. Task’s range from scavenger hunts to fact-finding missions, knowledge tests, and more. Guests earn Wilderness Explorer badges for completing tasks and challenges.

All you need is your Wilderness Explorers handbook and an eagerness for adventure and learning.
 
Guests sign up, get their guide book and map at the Wilderness Explorer location just after the bridge on the right when entering Discovery Island.
Guests will be given all of the information that they need and to become an official Wilderness Explorer.

Guest prove their knowledge by earning their badges, which are stickers that are placed within their Wilderness Explorers Guide.  

Guests can become Wilderness Explorers and experience the entire park by using their field guides, completing challenges and earning badges as they go. With more than 30 badges available, Wilderness Explorers is fun for the whole family and helps guests experience Animal Kingdom and its themes in a new and exciting way.
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Otter Grotto 
Located along the way from the Tree of Life area on your way to the bridge to Africa, guests will find the Otter Grotto. It is located across from Pizzafari.
 
The Otter Grotto features an entire family of Asian small-clawed otters, informational signs, and an underwater viewing area. It newly reopen in April 2019.
 
Sponsored by OtterBox, the area is very lush and green. The walkway for guests is abundantly filled with plants and flowers and here is the entrance to a shaded guest viewing area.
The exhibit is a decently sized.  The water portion of the habitat holds an impressive 67,000 gallons of water total.
 
There are three sections of the grotto including two general viewing areas and an underwater viewing area that is downstairs under a boulder. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon to see them when they are extremely active!
 
It is amazing that so many guests pass right on by and don’t even know that this is there!
 
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Signs are throughout the Grotto give facts and information about the otters.
 
The Asian small-clawed otter are the smallest otter species in the world. They are native to parts of South and Southeast Asia, where they lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands. They spend a majority of the day on land, as these otters are the least aquatic of the otter family.

Otter Grotto also features an underwater viewing area for when the otters go for a swim.
Discovery Island Trails
​There’s a secret path that winds right up to the tree, allowing guests to get a close look of the exquisite animal creations on the Tree of Life. The entrance can be hard to spot, the path is to the right of the tree just before you head over the bridge to Harambe (Africa).
 
Another entrance is located after the "it's tough to be a bug" exit, take a left. This will lead you to some of the quietest trails throughout all of Walt Disney World. These trails give you some very unique looks at the Tree of Life and allows you to spend some more quality time with the animals hidden in this part of the park.
Animals like white storks, Red Kangaroos, a Galapagos Tortoise, Macaws, Lappet Face Vultures and Asian Small-Clawed Otters make their homes here and the trail allows you to see some of them in their habitats. There are also observation stations along the trails that allow Guests a place to stop and take pictures of the lush vegetation and beautiful wildlife.
​ This is one of the main ways that guests can explore the Tree of Life and get up close views of the amazing detail carved into the trunk of the tree.  There are over 300 animals represented on the Tree of Life throughout the trunk, and you get to explore more of this by taking a stroll on the trails.  Guests should definitely check it out, since looking at the Tree of Life from afar doesn’t do justice.
Note: Near the left entrance, guests may also meet and greet Pocahontas alongside the path.
The Discovery Island Trails were originally called the Tree of Life Gardens and opened to guests on May 24, 1998, just a few weeks after Animal Kingdom’s opening day. The trail was later renamed the Discovery Island Gardens before it was changed again to its current name of Discovery Island Trails.
 
Discovery Island Trails is a great place for a relaxing walk around meandering paths that take Guests through lush landscapes, cave-like tunnels and even across wood bridges. 
​The Tree of Life is a beautiful and impressive symbol of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, an amazing place that guests shouldn’t miss are the tree’s roots.
​ Guests will get an up close look at the hundreds of animal carvings on the Tree of Life.
​ Here we’ve got bears, rams, scorpions, owls, iguanas, and more.
​ The Discovery Island Trails are one of the best kept secrets in all of Animal Kingdom.  The entrances to the trails are often overlooked and missed as they aren’t completely obvious, especially as guests are hurrying by quickly in order to get to their next ride or show that they plan to see.  It would definitely be a mistake to miss out on this attraction! 
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“It’s Tough to Be a Bug”
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 At Discovery Island, deep inside the Tree of Life, guests are invited to become an honorary bug in the “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” attraction and see what life is like for these tiny creatures.
 
Background 
Imagineering was trying to decide what to do with the Tree of Life to help it become more than a highly decorated tree. The construction for the tree of life was underway, and the Imagineers planned to have an attraction within the tree, but were unable to coming up with the idea that would be interrelated with the park and the Tree of Life. Michael Eisner suggested Imagineering come up with a show using the characters from A Bug’s Life, since the location was underground and within the roots of the tree.
 
What makes this situation interesting is that Eisner wanted the show to open when Animal Kingdom opened on April 22nd, 1998, but the movie was not set to debut until November of that year.
 
After the decision was made to use bugs for the attraction, they then made the decision to use characters and concepts from the new Pixar movie that was in the works. Flik and Hopper made their grand appearance to guests at this attraction before their on-screen debut in theaters.
 
“It’s Tough to Be a Bug” was the result of a collaborative effort on the part of some brilliant Disney Imagineers and a senior entomologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
Because the storyline and film for A Bug’s Life was in development, but not yet finished, the only two characters that were completely developed by PIXAR were Flik and Hopper. So Imagineers and an entomologist worked together to create the rest of the cast for the attraction. They further created the story about survival techniques for all kinds of bugs.
 
The attraction was an opening day attraction for Animal Kingdom, when the park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998. It was the first attraction at Disney World to open to the public before the theatrical release of the film that inspired it was finished. It was also the first PIXAR-themed attraction to open at Disney World.
Queue
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The walk to get to the show is a great way to get an up close view of the impressive details of the Tree of Life.
 
The attraction doesn’t usually have a long wait. The theater holds 430 guests at a time. The show is about 8 minutes long, and it runs approximately 6 times an hour.
 
As Guests wait in the queue of the Tree of Life Repertory Theater they can see some very interesting art on the walls—posters resemble advertisements for Broadway musicals. But when they get closer, they realize that those posters are for puns and parodies of those musicals--Beauty and the Bees, Web Side Story, Little Shop of Hoppers, and My Fair Ladybug, among others. 
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​ Show 
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​“It’s Tough to Be a Bug” debuted at Disney World six months before the feature film that inspired it—PIXAR’s A Bug’s Life, but you didn’t need the backstory of the film to understand the show.
 
This unique 3D show gives you the opportunity to see what being a bug is really all about – with bug-eyed 3D glasses, strange sights, odd smells, tingling sounds, and even creepy crawly feelings!
 
When guests enter the theater, they are asked to put on a pair of Bug Eye 3D glasses and they are not to “sting, buzz or pollinate.”
 
They get to “become bugs” and see things from the perspective of a bug. It’s a 3-D presentation. Guests get to feel a harmless version of acid spray, dodge the quills of a tarantula and even sample the stench of a stink bug.
 
“It’s Tough to Be a Bug” has a clever way of showing Guests how bugs of different kinds use survival techniques to stay alive on planet Earth. By the time the show is over guests will leave with a better understanding of the life of a bug and how very tough it is to be one!
 
The interactive 3D and special effects show is hosted by Flik.
 
This production combines many techniques and pieces of technology to bring to life the story of bugs’ survival—you may even feel sympathetic toward those creepy creatures. Audio-animatronics, 3D filming, theater lighting and other techniques are used to make the production. There are even simple 4-D effects like water, sound, and even bugs crawling under your seat.
​Cast
A few famous people lend their voices to this creepy crawly production. Andrew Stanton, a PIXAR film director, is the voice of Hopper. Cheech Marin is the voice of Chili, and Jason Alexander is the voice of Weevil Kneevil.
 
Note:
Cheech Marin - part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s.
Jason Alexander - is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series Seinfeld.
 
Flik acts as the narrator and you can see him appear from a hole in the ceiling of the theater above the stage. At one point during the presentation, Hopper makes a sudden appearance to the right of the theater in a cloud of smoke.
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Flik
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Hopper
Hopper was one of the most complex animatronics that Disney had ever built. He has a wide range of movements that was unique to his construction. His smooth, effortless movements make him appear extraordinarily lifelike. Many more complex animatronics have come since Hopper, but at the time he was built, he was the most complex in Walt Disney World.
 
The bugs featured in the “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” attraction are creepy. They’re crawly. And they’re icky. But then aren’t those the characteristic of being a bug? Guests will see animated 3-D versions of several kinds of insects, such as a Chilean Rose Tarantula, acorn weevils, a soldier termite and others.
 
When the show is over, make sure you stay seated until the very end. You will get a fun little surprise. The seat that you are sitting on has effects built in to make it feel like bugs are moving underneath you to get to the exit. 
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Meet & Greet
​ There are several Meet & Greet opportunities in Discovery Island.
 
One such is just next to the exit and entrance of “It’s Tough to be a Bug”. 
At the Wilderness Explorers Club House to Meet and Greet Russell and Dug.
​Kevin, the exotic bird
Be on the look out for Kevin, the exotic bird from Disney Pixar's Up!, who wanders around Discovery Island and sometimes stops by Up! A Great Bird Adventure show, just over the Asia Bridge, to see her friends Russel and Dug.
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Discovery Island River Character Cruises 
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​In 2020, Animal Kingdom introduced a unique way of seeing Disney characters when visiting the park by implementing the Discovery River Character Cruises.

The character cruises circle the Discovery River. From the main walkways that circle the outer portion of the Discovery River it is easy to see the characters from large portions of Africa and Asia. Guests can also see the characters from a majority of the bridges. They can be seen from the bridge to Pandora, the bridge to Africa and Asia, the bridge between Expedition Everest and Finding Nemo, and the bridge in the Dinoland area.
Each character cruise is accompanied with its own music. When you hear different music playing in the background you know the character cruise is coming.
 
There are the different character cruises that currently circle Discovery Island:
  • Discovery Island Drummers Character Cruises
The Discovery Island Drummers take their music to the water, performing live as they sail around the Discovery River.
  • Pocahontas and Meeko Character Cruise Donald's Dino Boat Bash
This float has a favorite set of characters that guests you can typically only find at the Animal Kingdom. Pocahontas and Meeko. In the past guest could Meet & Greet Pocahontas on the Discovery Island Trail. But now she is sharing a character cruise with Meeko. Guests may also catch a glimpse of Characters from The Lion King as they float along the Discovery River.
  • Donald’s Dino Boat Bash
Donald and his friends take Donald’s Dino Bash to the Discovery River. Chip and Dale are dressed in their Dinoland Bash outfits. Guests might even see other popular Dinoland Bash characters, such as, McQuack and Goofy also. So be on the lookout for whatever characters might be scheduled on the specific day of your visit. 
  • Mickey and Friends Flotilla
The Mickey and Friends Flotilla provides the opportunity to see these classic Disney characters.

​These little appearances add so much to your visit to Animal Kingdom. This is an innovative idea to accommodate characters and guests alike in the parks. 
Minnie Mouse can also be seen joining the trio in her safari suit.
Minnie is always excited to see guests by blowing kisses and acknowledging everyone she passed the best she could.
 
Note: During the 2020 pandemic, creative alternatives to the character Meet & Greet have been added in all of Walt Disney World. We sincerely hope that in the near future we will be able to return to normalcy. We appreciate that Disney has taken measures to provide safety to the guests and cast members and still provide the Disney Experience. 
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​Discovery River Boats
​The Discovery Island River Character Cruise appears to have taken it's concept for an extinct attraction from Animal Kingdom’s past, the Discovery River Boats.
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The Discovery River Boats opened with the park on April 22, 1998, and offered gentle cruises around the Tree of Life and past the park’s different lands. There were two separate docks where guests would board with one at Safari Village (now Discovery Island) and the other at Asia’s Upcountry Landing.
 
The covered boats sailed from two docks and was a non-stop trip that brought the passengers near to the Tree of Life and past all the lands of Animal Kingdom. One of its intentions was to be a preview for the yet unbuilt Beastly Kingdom, an area of the park intended to be dedicated to mythical creatures, which never came to be. (See Chapter 1 – Animal Kingdom – Lands Preview section) 
Several of the scenes were for Beastly Kingdom, such as the dragon’s cave, the small dragon waterfall, and the unicorn. However, Imagineers had wanted these scenes to be much more exciting. For instance, Imagineers wanted an audio-animatronic dragon, just like the dragon from Disneyland Paris, as opposed to just a cave and fire effect. 
In addition to the different areas of the park, guests would see other sights during their ride. There were hot spring geysers in Africa, a rocky cave home to a dragon who breathed out fire, sculptures spraying water, and even an audio-animatronic Iguanodon from the park’s Countdown to Extinction attraction (now known as DINOSAUR).
The Imagineers originally had much bigger plans for the Discovery River Boats which never came to fruition due to budget cuts. ​
In 1999, the Discover River Taxis was renamed again. This time it was known as the Radio Disney Cruise, where guests heard recordings from Radio Disney DJs during the ride. Guests were even told the DJs were broadcasting from the top of Animal Kingdom’s signature Tree of Life! Despite these attempts, the attraction closed for good in August 1999.
Both the Safari Village Dock and Upcountry Landing dock are still in the park today. The Upcountry Landing dock was used as a meet and greet location for characters like, Baloo and King Louie.
​The hot springs geysers near Africa are also still visible, even though they no longer shoot water. They can best be seen when taking the bridge from Africa to Pandora – The World of Avatar.
​ Due to the lack of things to see during the ride, the Discovery River Boats was renamed the Discovery River Taxis later that year. This was to emphasize that the boats were more of a form of transportation, then an actual attraction. Cast Members would began to bring aboard small animals and creatures to teach guests about them during the cruise. While this addition did serve the park’s purpose of animal education, it did little to help the overall ride experience.
The boats are still on Disney property sitting in their maintenance dock. Two of the boats were moved to the Magic Kingdom resort area on Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon, where they were repurposed for a pirate-themed fireworks cruise. 
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Parades

There's no parade currently at Animal Kingdom but there has been in the past. To date Animal Kingdom has had two unique Parades:
 
The March of The ARTimals Parade (1998-1999) — The Animal Kingdom brochure described it as: "It's not a parade… it's not a procession… so what is it? Join us and find out as we present our fun, zany and fanciful one-of-a-kind 'moving celebration' of imagination and living art inspired by the world of animals."
 
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade (2001- 2014) — The premise was that the Disney characters were on a jungle safari expedition to provide a tribute to their animal friends in abstract images and figures as part of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration.​
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Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade
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Mrch of the ARTanimals Parade
Note: We will view the Jammin' Jungle Parade in a later Chapter on Africa.
Safari Village: March of the ARTimals

Animal Kingdom's first parade premiered when the park opened on opening day April 1998 and originally went by the name March of the Animals. March of the Animals was a daytime parade.
 
Background
When the park was finishing development, show producer Douglas May wanted the entertainment at Animal Kingdom to take on a different approach, by not following the more traditional Disney parade loaded with Disney characters. May instead decided to develop a concept that was totally different than other Disney theme park parades. It was more of a carnival/Mardi Gras approach meant to represent a group of artists that created their impressions of animals out of "found" items. The parade was designed to maneuver around the narrow pathways yet still stand out from the surrounding lush landscaping.
 
Costumes and floats for the show were designed by Swiss artist Rolf Knie. The parade was supposed to represent an informal and intimate celebration and featured no Disney characters or Disney music. Some of the costumes even showed the faces of the "artists" who were sculptors, weavers and painters.
 
In July 98, it was changed name to The March of the ARTimals, and changed the description from
"A fun and fanciful display of living art that showcases the imagination and joy people have found in the world of animals" which is the listing that was in the brochures for the opening, to:

"It's not a parade...it's not a procession...so what is it? Join us and find out as we present our fun, zany and fanciful one-of-a-kind 'moving celebration' of imagination and living art inspired by the world of
animals" as described in the mid-July listing.
​​A band and storyteller were added to accompany the parade performers. The instrumental music included songs with animal references like Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing, Flight of the Bumblebee, Baby Elephant Walk, Tiger Rag, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Aba Daba Honeymoon.
The March was discontinued in June 1999 and the park would not have another parade until Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade premiered in 2001.  
 
Many of the parade floats were than parked around Safari village as displays. The costumes were used for entertainment and photo opportunities in the Safari Village area. Also many of the costumed characters would flitter around the Safari village grounds throughout the day.
 
Research:
Parade
The 15-minute parade started near Pizzafari and wound its way through Asia and past Dinoland USA, but with viewing available only on one side of the route.
 
The parade featured around six floats included a lion playing a xylophone made from wooden gazelle skeletons, a frog wearing a straw hat and red-and-white striped jacket crooning to some dancing frogs, and a queen bee sitting on her honey throne while other bees tickled her with a flower and swirling ribbons.
 
In addition to a wild cast of costumed animal performers. These followed: 
  • Title Float - Accompanied by different animals ranging from oversized fish to giant insects.
    • Accompanied by the music of "Aba Daba Honeymoon", "Three Little Fishes" and "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing"
  • Frog Bandstand - Featuring a jazzy frog musician accompanied by a group of frogs
  • Lion Bandstand - Featuring a Lion on a xylophone of wooden antelopes, accompanied by a Tiger, Monkey and Elephants whose trunks are a tuba, trumpet, and trombone
    • Accompanied by the music of "Baby Elephant Walking" and "Tiger Rag"
  • Bumblebee Hive - Featuring a Queen Bee on a honey throne accompanied by her ribbon waving swarm.
    • Accompanied by the music of "Flight of the Bumblebee"
  • Giant Spider and Spider Web unit- featuring numerous insect costumed performers fleeing from the Giant Spider
    • Accompanied by "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "La Cucaracha"
Resource:
Art of Rolf Knie
Background:
​Discovery Island Shops
Discovery Island is The Hub of the Animal Kingdom. It ties all of the outlying lands together. Discovery Island is unique in that it uses humorous, cartoon-like representations of animals to create an imaginative place that does not conflict with the other lands of the park. The shops on Discovery Island are some of the most detailed shops in Walt Disney World.
 
Discovery Island was also home to four shops, Beastly Bazaar (now Adventurers Outpost), Creature Comforts, Disney Outfitters, and Island Mercantile. Each of these shops has its own theme that is could be easily missed.
​Beastly Bazaar
Beastly Bazaar Shop on Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; opened April 22, 1998.
Beastly Bazaar was located on the northeast side of Discovery Island, just before you cross the bridge into Asia. The theme here is water animals. But not just fish, also included are amphibians and birds that make water their home or feeding ground. 
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Beastly Bazaar sold hats, surf and island wear, hats, accessories and souvenirs. Also Chocolate, sweets and home décor.
It closed in August 2012 and reopened in May 2013 as Adventurers Outpost, an indoor character meet and greet location.
 
Resource:
​Adventurers Outpost
Adventurers Outpost is where you can meet Safari Mickey and Safari Minnie. Meet the favorite explorers in their exploration headquarters before they head off on their next adventure! The area is full of photos of Mickey and Minnie's trips around the world, so make sure to spend a little time looking.
The location called "Adventurers Outpost" and replaced the former Beastly Bazaar shop.
 And while many changes have been made to the inside of the building, the exterior look pretty much the same.
 
Inside Adventurers Outpost, guests will find mementos from Mickey and Minnie’s expeditions around the world, including stunning photographs from their trips to destinations as varied as the mountains of Nepal and the savannas of Africa.
And of course guests can make their best memories when they get a chance to meet Mickey and Minnie, share stories of your own travels and capture that photo with the famous Disney pals
 
Mickey and Minnie are usually both in attendance. They wear the camp counselor/explorer outfits that they previously had at Camp Minnie-Mickey.
 
Reference:
Island Mercantile
​ Island Mercantile is found on the left after crossing the bridge from The Oasis into Discovery Island.
This shop features toys, clothes, candy, collectibles and Animal Kingdom themed merchandise, such as trading pins and accessories. Island Mercantile is home to African-inspired apparel as well as higher-end items and accessories.
A hair wrapping station can also be found here.
 
Look closely at the ornately carved details on shops such as the Island Mercantile and see how many animals you can find.
Island Mercantile theme is all about animals that work. The shop’s theme begins outdoors with elephants holding light fixtures in their trunks. 
Inside we find beavers hard at work. Notice the counter with its gnawed log supports.
Island Mercantile shows the unique connection theme that the shop has to animals and nature. While in the shop, pay close attention to some of the locations above the cash registers.
Resource:
​Wonders of the Wild
Wonders of the Wild:  This was the name of the Disney Outfitters shop from 1999-2001.  During this time, it sold nature-themed gifts.  It then reverted back to the original Disney Outfitters name.
 
Reference:
​Disney Outfitters
​Disney Outfitters Shop opened April 22, 1998. It changed its name to Wonders of the Wild from 1999 to 2001, then returned to Disney Outfitters.
Disney Outfitters is located across from It’s Tough to be a Bug!  Disney Outfitters is one of the largest shops in the theme park and is filled with a variety of Disney’s Animal Kingdom specific merchandise, character items, collectibles, artwork, jewelry, masks, MagicBands and more. But guests should take the time to look at the detail inside the shop as it features some beautiful carvings and animal art on the walls.
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And don’t forget to look up at some of the beautiful tapestries.

The Disney Outfitters shop designed around two themes. One is that all of the animal featured here travel in herds. And second is that the points of the compass are focal points.
In the four corners of the main building are compass points for north, south, east, and west. These represent the four corners of Africa. Near each compass point is a beautifully carved post featuring the animals of that region. But note, the compass directions do not line up with the “real” world it’s more for illustration.
Disney Outfitters closed in July 2015 for expansion.
 
Reference:
​Discovery Trading Company
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​ Disney Outfitters the store that was located on Discovery Island, reopened to Guests in March 2016 with a new theme, storyline, and name (Discovery Trading Company).
Just minor details changed structurally externally and internally.
The refurbished location has become a one-stop shopping location for Disney character gifts and park souvenirs. The location reopened with a new marquee.
 
The Discovery Trading Company joined with the nearby Riverside Depot makes it the park's largest store.
Merchandise featuring the Disney characters is available at Discovery Trading Company. 
 
Its sister store, Riverside Depot, also has character apparel and more. 
​Discovery Trading Company is one of the larger souvenir shops inside the Animal Kingdom.
 
The internal theming features the same open rafters and a rustic feel with carvings and other intricate details.
Guests can purchase bags, hats, jewelry, shirts and other merchandise. Some of the more unique merchandise includes carved animals and Disney Couture items.
Much of the merchandise inside Discovery Trading Company is specific to the Animal Kingdom and may also be available in some of the specialty shops around the park.
Outdoor kiosks offer display beaded jewelry and bags while the larger interior shop features a larger variety of options.
The rustic yet colorful theming of Discovery Island continues inside and outside Discovery Trading Company and the focus of the animal designs feature the six directions: North, South, East, West, Above and Below.
​ This popular shop sells apparel and accessories, including Mickey ears with leopard spots and jewelry and pottery handcrafted by African artisans. There are also Disney-themed games such as dominos and Monopoly, plush dolls, mugs, and upscale clothing selections for men and women.
Search:
Riverside Depot
​Riverside Depot is an extension of Discovery Trading Company. Riverside Depot offers character clothing and accessories, as well as other merchandise similar to the offerings at Discovery Trading Company
 
Exterior signage labels a part of this location as Riverside Depot, but both stores operate under the Discovery Trading Company name.
Creature Comforts ​
Creature Comforts opened in April 1998 and offered merchandise mostly geared toward children. Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise, High School Musical, and a “Design a Crown” kiosk stands near one of the entrances. There are some DVDs and CDs, and a small assortment of books. 
  
 The shop was located on the northwest side of Discovery Island, before you cross the bridge into Africa. The shops décor was animals with either spots or stripes. Even the overhead light fixture and the lampposts around the front followed this theme.
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It briefly functioned as a My Magic + service center and closed in January, 2015.
​Creature Comforts - STARBUCKS
 And re-opened as a Starbucks location in June 2015.
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The re-imagined Creature Comforts in Discovery Island is a STARBUCKS® coffee and specialty beverages location serving a selection of Disney baked goods and La Boulange™ pastry items!

For every Starbucks Flat White Latte sold, a portion of the sale price will benefit conservation programs to save the cotton-top tamarin in Colombia. The drink's look represents the cotton-top tamarin's white fur on top of their heads.
 
 
Creature Comforts Starbuck’s Menu:
Resource:
​Dining on Discovery Island
Note: WDWMousing does not do reviews on restaurants, but basically provide information on where they are, what they provide and any backstories of the location. If our readers are interested in Restaurant reviews, there are many site that will provide them, just to name a few:
​Animal Kingdom Ice Cream and Beverage Carts (Food Stand or Cart)
There are various ice cream carts throughout Animal Kingdom. Their locations and selections will vary.
​Creature Comforts (Quick Service)
Is now a Starbucks. It was covers in a section above.
​Discovery Island Pretzels (Food Stand or Cart)
Guests can find Mickey Pretzels at Harambe Fruit Market in Africa, Upcountry in Asia, Beastly Kiosk in Discovery Island and Isle of Java in Discovery Island.
Eight Spoon Café (Food Stand or Cart)
Eight Spoon Cafe was formerly the Beastly Kiosk
Guests will find Eight Spoon Cafe in Discovery Island, near the entrance to Asia. It’s a beautiful kiosk.
The Kiosk has a slightly different color scheme, but the carvings and overall design are exactly what we expect to find in this location.
 
They serve a quick service macaroni and cheese dish here.
It is open on a seasonal basis.     
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Eight Spoon Menu
Source:
Flame Tree Barbecue (Quick Service)
Flame Tree Barbecue is a popular counter service spot in Animal Kingdom featuring barbecue classics, like, chicken, jumbo turkey legs, salads and more (along with a few twists).
Located on Discovery Island near the Bridge to DinoLand, it boasts some absolutely gorgeous views.
 Flame Tree Barbecue is where guests can dine in a lush outdoor paradise overlooking Discovery River.
All seating is outdoors, but colorful pavilions provide shade and cover from the sun or inclement weather.
Flame Tree Barbecue has a very relaxing atmosphere. Many quick service restaurants can become very noisy, especially when they’re crowded, Flame Tree Barbecue’s expansive outdoor seating area makes the atmosphere a relaxed, island vibe, even on days when the park is busy.
 
Part of what makes the overall atmosphere of Flame Tree Barbecue so fun is the restaurant’s decor. The dining area is decorated with lots of detail. Each part of the dining area offers something different in terms of the view of the water and decor. The service counter is vibrant and island themed, making it fit in nicely with the design of the rest of Discovery Island. It really is worth it to take a quick walk around the restaurant to notice all of the details, from the bright animal designs, to the beautiful fountains and waterfalls.
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Source:
​Isle of Java
Isle of Java is located in the Discovery Island next to the Flame Tree Barbecue.
The Isle of Java is a small quick service kiosk that features a variety of beverages and snacks including island cappuccino, frozen alcoholic Coke, bagels, muffins and more.
 
The Isle of Java serves the Joffrey’s brand of coffee at Animal Kingdom.
 
Isle of Java also offers the popular tiger tail twist that’s similar to the Cheshire tail over at Magic Kingdom. You can pick up a bite for breakfast here like a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit.

Spot Check: 
​Pandora Bridge Hot Dog & Ice Cream Cart (Food Stand or Cart)
As stated this Ice Cream Cart is located just before the Pandora Bridge and of course serves Hot Dogs and Ice Cream.
​Pizzafari
Pizzafari is a counter service restaurant located in Discovery Island next to Creature Comforts.
Worth a visit just to see the theming. Each room has colorful murals depicting playful scenes.
In 2020, Pizzafari completed a lengthy refurbishment that introduced a more subdued exterior color scheme and a new menu.
During the refurbishment the exterior design was toning to better transition from Discovery Island to Africa, but the interior remained largely the same.
 
The interior design of Pizzafari restaurant just radiates with vibrant colors. From murals on the wall featuring a variety of animals in murals on the wall to the design of the building itself, Pizzafari is definitely a burst of color.
​ Pizzafari is a large restaurant with several themed rooms and outdoor eating areas, these themed rooms include: the Home Room, Nocturnal Room, Upside Down Room, Camouflage Room, Four Seasons Room, and Bug Room.
The restaurant reflects the vibrancies of life and the natural world.
 
Pizzafari is one of the most detailed restaurants on Disney property. Every room has a unique theme while focusing on special details throughout the rooms that most people may never notice.
The largest dining room in the restaurant is the upside down room. All of the animals painted upon the walls and found scattered throughout the room are hanging upside down in some way.
Let’s take a look at the back portion of this room where an Imagineer started a detail, but never finished.
Upon the wall guests can find a row of opossums hanging from a tree.
Take a very close look. At first nothing seems to be odd about the picture. But there is something wrong with the third opossum from the right.
​ The third opossum over is missing! Here you can just find a tail hanging from a tree with a missing body!
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​Terra Treats (Food Stand or Cart)
​
Terra Treats is a colorful kiosk which can be found on the Discovery Island Trail going towards Africa in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This kiosk is typically open seasonally and since the menu tends to change with some frequency, guests never know quite what they'll find.
Terra Treats, when available, is a kiosk in Discovery Island and has small pizzas and cupcakes.

You can view their menu here:
 The Feeding Ground (Food Stand or Cart)
The Feeding Ground is in the same vicinity as Smiling Crocodile and offers mostly popcorn and drinks.

Source:
 The Smiling Crocodile
​​The Smiling Crocodile is a dining kiosk location serving bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.

Smiling Crocodile is another one of those kiosks that usually only open during higher crowd times and offering change regularly also.
  
Source:
​Nomad Lounge
In May 2016, Animal Kingdom opened the Nomad Lounge which is connected to Tiffins restaurant and is located on the right, just before the bridge to Pandora, World of Avatar. 
Adjacent to Tiffins restaurant, Nomad Lounge is one of the most pleasant watering holes in all Walt Disney World. The lounge has indoor and outdoor seating with great views of the entrance to Pandora.
​ The deck at Nomad Lounge offers some stunning views of the Discovery Island River. 
It’s fabulous place to see The Discovery River Character Cruises as they sail by. The kids might even want to stay a little longer in hopes of seeing them. 
Setting and Atmosphere
There are plenty of nice seating areas inside as well and a long bar sits toward the front.
The Nomad Lounge is the perfect place for weary travelers. With plenty of adult beverages and snacks both familiar and exotic, it could be just what guests need for a midday refresh.
The lounge has plenty of seating sprawled around a wide spot. Everything here looks hand carved and wonderfully Africa-inspired.
 Beneath the ceiling molding are quotes to ponder about travel and banners about "why I travel." There are even smaller ones above the bar written by guests.
 
The banners hanging from the ceiling ask questions regarding the experience of travel and the answers from the Disney Imagineers who traveled to other countries during their research for the creation of Animal Kingdom are printed on the colorful banners.

Those same questions are echoed around the high corners of the room. This gives guests an opportunity to reflect on their own adventures and experiences.
Nomad Lounge Menu
The Nomad Lounge Menu book is a travelogue. The beverages are listed among pictures and travel notes written by the Imagineers when they were traveling to research and create the vision for Animal Kingdom. 
 
This is also where guests can learn how to share their story at Nomad Lounge. Guests can purchase a mini-banner for a dollar and record their own travel memories on it. The mini banners are then hung above the bar, meant to inspire future guests. (85% of the tag purchase goes towards the Disney Conservation Fund.)
 
The drinks, of course, that take up the bulk of the menu, surrounded by the above-mentioned notes and sketches from the Disney Imagineers.
​Drinks at Nomad Lounge
The lounge is most known for its drink menu. Below is a list of the popular cocktails that are staples to the Nomad Lounge menu.
Hightower Rocks–Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, watermelon, sweet and sour, lime juice
Tempting Tigress–Russell’s Reserve 10 yr. Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind syrup, and lime juice.
Snow Leopard Salvation–Snow Leopard Vodka, Belle de Brillet Pear Liqueur, mint, lime juice, and ginger beer
Lamu Libation–Starr African Rum, Cruzan Banana Rum, guava puree, tropical juices, Gosling’s 151 Rum Float
Jenn’s Tattoo–Ketel One Vodka, Watermelon juice, hibiscus, and lime juice
Annapurna Zing–Bombay Sapphire Gin, Passion Fruit puree, mint, lime juice, ginger beer, and glowing Lotus Flower
Also included on the menu, are the small plates offered. Guests can make a small meal or share items to make for a nice snack. Guests can expect the food options to change regularly here.
 
Current Menu:   
References:
​Tiffins Restaurant 
In May 2016 Animal Kingdom introduced its first Signature table service dining location the Tiffins Restaurant, it is adjacent to the Nomad Lounge.
 
The restaurant and adjoining, Nomad Lounge can be found behind Pizzafari on the path that will take guests towards Pandora, the new Avatar land that opened 2017. “Tiffin” is the Indian word for lunchbox used for travelers (also a mid-day meal).
​Décor
Tiffins features a travel theme with magnificent global artwork featuring animals from various continents. Most of the Artwork was created by the same imagineers and animal experts that built Animal Kingdom. The design/decor of Tiffins is basically a tribute to the explorations of the Imagineers and inspired by actual notes and field sketches of the Imagineers artwork, photographs, paintings & sculptures can be found throughout the restaurant.
 
Dining at Tiffins provides the opportunity to take in a little art and history
 
Guests should taking the time to check out their surroundings. The cast members are knowledgeable about each dining room as well.
 
There are a lot of unique art pieces. Tiffins restaurant is extremely well-themed. A lot of the artwork serves a dual purpose in not only being entertaining but educational as well. 
The theming of Tiffins is that of an adventurer’s club and the theme of travel is everywhere. The entryway featured a global map of the world. Your menus are more like leather bound travel guidebooks. There are three distinct dining rooms designed to resemble art galleries honoring the continents of Africa and Asia and one celebrating some of the world’s exotic animals.
 
The dining rooms have banquette and booth-style seating around the outer rim with tables in the middle. 
The menu is inspired by the world travels of the park’s creators. The restaurant offers something for everyone flavoring influences from around the world.
 
The menu has many interesting choices, if you’re not sure, follow your server’s recommendation.
​
Current Menu:
Dining Rooms
Tiffin has three dining room each with dedicated décor to specific Imagineer’s travels.
​Grand Gallery pays homage to animal species that the Disney Conservation Fund
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The ​Drawing is done by one of the Imaginers who traveled to get ideas for designing Animal Kingdom.
Safari Gallery African décor 
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​ Trek Gallery dedicated to Asia
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​               A three-dimensional piece hanging in the Trek Gallery that features prayer flags blowing in the wind
Tiffins is an experience in unique fine dining and the ambiance charming. And that concept is carried through Tiffins, with its enduring sense of cultural and social anthropology exhibited.
 
References:
​Closing Comments
This Chapter was a long one, mainly because there was no natural cut off where we could break the flow of the content. So we left it as one complete chapter.
​​
Discovery Island is the Hub of Animal Kingdom. The Tree of Life is the focal Icon of the Island and the Park. It is also the merchandising center. As we’ve noted, over the years it has seen many changes.  From here it branches out to the lands of Animal Kingdom. Our travels will in the next Chapter will first take us to explore DinoLand.

    We would definitely like to hear from you.
    Let us know what your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, and absolutely, if we've missed anything.
Afterword:
WDWMousing.com is designed to be a tour of Walt Disney World through photos. We have been to Walt Disney World countless times over the past 25 years and accumulated a magnitude of photos in that time. This website is an intention to combine two of our favorite pastimes, Walt Disney World and photography, and provide an insightful pictorial tour.
While doing so, we've done an extensive research of the internet and literary sources for background information on each area and attraction. The information is available, but most bits and pieces are scattered all over. WDWMousing doesn't intend to rewrite the stories, legends or data, but to try and collect it into one location with reference and links to the original articles and authors. And giving rightful credit. We've stumbled through quite a bit of mis-information, most of which came to life by fans because the origins were lost, forgotten or no one seems to remember. Over the past 25 years we've also lost most of the great Imagineers that helped develop, design and build the original concepts of Walt Disney World. So we believe it's extremely important to make sure that their efforts, intentions, details and creativity in making this Happiest Place on Earth isn't lost.
So we ask for feedback, insights, and suggestions.

Thank you
WDWMousing