Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom
Theme Park
The Tree of Life, the icon of Animal Kingdom
LocationWalt Disney World, Bay Lake, Florida, United States
Coordinates28°21′29″N 81°35′24″W / 28.358°N 81.59°W / 28.358; -81.59
StatusOperating
OpenedApril 22, 1998; 26 years ago (1998-04-22)[1]
OwnerDisney Experiences
(The Walt Disney Company)
Operated byWalt Disney World
Key people:
Maryann Smith (VP)[2]
Dr. Mark Penning (VP, Animal Sciences)[2][3]
Kristen Stalker (GM, Operations)
Theme
Operating seasonYear-round
Attendance8.77 million (2023)[4]
WebsiteAnimal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division, it is the largest theme park in the world, covering 580 acres (230 ha).[5][6][7] The park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and was the fourth theme park built at the resort. The park is dedicated and themed around natural environment and animal conservation, a philosophy once pioneered by Walt Disney.[8]

Disney's Animal Kingdom distinguishes itself from other Walt Disney World theme parks by featuring hundreds of live animal exhibits alongside traditional theme park elements. Special designs and provisions were incorporated throughout the park to protect the animals' welfare. The park is located on the western edge of the resort and is isolated from the other theme parks and properties to minimize external disruptions to the animals; as a result, the park does not feature nighttime fireworks shows that would otherwise disturb the animals. In efforts to be more eco-friendly, the park uses biodegradable paper straws and prohibits plastic straws, lids, and balloons. Disney's Animal Kingdom is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, indicating they have met or exceeded the standards in education, conservation, and research.[9]

In 2023 the park hosted 8.77 million guests, making it the 16th-most-visited theme park in the world.[10] It is the most-visited zoo in the world as of 2019.[11] The park's icon is the Tree of Life, a 145-foot-tall (44 m), 50-foot-wide (15 m) artificial baobab tree.

  1. ^ "Disney's Animal Kingdom". wdwinfo.com. Werner Technologies, LLC. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Slater, Laurel (March 26, 2021). "Meet the Women Behind the Magic Leading and Protecting Walt Disney World Theme Parks". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  3. ^ "Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President: Animals, Science and Environment". Archived from the original on September 29, 2022.
  4. ^ "TEA/AECOM 2023 Global Attractions Attendance Report". 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Eades, Mark (August 30, 2017). "A former Disney Imagineer's guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom". OC Register. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  6. ^ Snibbe, Kurt (June 11, 2016). "A close-up look at Shanghai Disneyland: the newest Disney Park". Orange County Register. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  7. ^ Niles, Robert (May 26, 2013). "Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World". Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  8. ^ "Environmentality: Disney and the Environment". The Walt Disney Company. Archived from the original on May 23, 2003. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference aza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "TEA/AECOM 2023 Global Attractions Attendance Report". 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  11. ^ "Most visited zoo". Guinness World Records.