April 22 is Earth Day. But that means something else for Disney and theme park fans, too.
It's Disney's Animal Kingdom's birthday.
Opened April 22, 1998, Disney's Animal Kingdom was the fourth theme park to open at the Walt Disney World Resort. It's Disney World's largest theme park by acreage, but the resort's least-attended, with about 8.8. million visitors in 2023 - less than half of what the Magic Kingdom drew that year.
That still makes Animal Kingdom one of the top 10 most-visited theme parks in America and one of the top 20 in the world. Yet that's not good enough for Disney. The company is investing in big changes for Disney's Animal Kingdom, transforming its Dinoland USA into a new Tropical Americas land.
Construction is underway already on the project, which will see the Dinosaur ride close early next year for transformation into an Indiana Jones attraction, like the ones at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. An Encanto dark ride will be part of the land, as well. The new land is slated to open in 2027.
But there remains plenty to enjoy at Disney's Animal Kingdom in the meantime. Avatar: Flight of Passage is Theme Park Insider readers' number-two-ranked attraction in the world, with the Expedition Everest roller coaster also making our top 25 attractions list.
Walking around the park can be a joy, too, with animal habitats to discover and enjoy throughout. Animal Kingdom also is home to Tiffins, one of our readers' top-rated restaurants.
Top attractions, great restaurants, an engaging environment, and less than half the crowd of Magic Kingdom in a larger space? That sounds like a winning formula to me. Perhaps that is why Animal Kingdom is many Disney fans' favorite Walt Disney World theme park.
To learn more about the park, please visit our Visitors Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom.
To keep up to date with more Disney and theme park news, please sign up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
Agreed. AK really needs to be accessible by boat, skyway or monorail (dont know the logistics of all that... but google maps here i come) and stay open until 9 or 10. Doing that would negate the need for a 5th gate.
My family first visited it in June of 1998, was a good experience. Also happy got on Everest just as it opened in 2006 so saw the awesome working Yeti. I agree with others that it needs more attention so hopefully upgraded DinoLand area works.
The Dinosaur ride closes in 2026 and the land is supposed to open in 2027? How is that going to work for that attraction? Or are we going to get another phased opening over a year (or two?)
Since it is the same ride track and system as Indiana Jones I imagine that Dinsoaurs refurb to Indiana Jones will take as long as test track is currently taking (who knows). Keep Dinosaurs open until your land is fully fleshed out. Maybe they can get the Encanto ride up right before they shut down dinsoaurs.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
Still the most beautiful Disney park, and yet after 27 years it is STILL severely lacking in the attraction department even after the addition of PtWoA. I'm hopeful that Tropical Americas will help elevate this park and provide justification to Disney that it should remain open through the nighttime hours, because as beautiful as the park is, it's even more stunning after the sun goes down. I've always like the concept of this park as Nahtazoo (and why BGT is similarly an underrated park), and especially appreciated the spotlight it shined on sustainability and conservation (was one of the first public places in the US that banned plastic straws).