Disney's Animal Kingdom - 9/13/2025
Today marks the final full day of our vacation at Walt Disney World. Sarah and I were up and headed to Disney's Animal
Kingdom. Unlike the past two days, we didn't use Skyliner, instead we used the Disney buses to get to the park.
Straight away we made our way to the Pandora area for our first attraction of the day, Avatar Flight of Passage. This 3D flying
simulator takes guests on a native mountain Banshee and soars across the vast landscapes of Pandora to partake in the Na'vi's tribal
coming-of-age tradition. The astounding visuals were created by Weta Digital and are projected onto a huge screen at 10K resolution
at 60 fps. It's like Soarin' taken to the next level.
The entire themed area of Pandora-The World of Avatar is as immersive and detailed as Star Wars Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood
Studios. The expansive area features floating mountains, alien wildlife, and bioluminescent plants. The engineering of the
floating mountains is truly mind boggling. Even the food and drinks are unique and themed to match the world, which adds to the
immersive experience. Pandora exceeded my expectations and is an unforgettable adventure.
Lunch was next and we ate at Satu'li Canteen where I had the Ocean Moon Bowl and Sarah enjoyed the Tofu Bowl. I chose my meal
simply based on the exotic description on the menu. It included Blue Noodles, Tuna, Watermelon Radish, Pickled Daikon, Rainbow
Carrots, Avocado, Cucumbers, and Red Cabbage with Miso and Sweet Soy Drizzle topped with Micro Cilantro.
Sarah and I then waited in the very long line for the Kilimanjaro Safari. This open-air safari tour of the Harambe Wildlife
Reserve, home to over 30 species roaming free in 110 acres of picturesque open plains, shady forest landscapes and rocky wetlands. The
safari vehicle is driven by an expert guide, who helps point out animals and shares fascinating wildlife facts during the expedition.
Next we walked the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trails where we saw birds, gorillas, hippos, zebras and more.
The 1:00 performance of Festival of the Lion King was the next experience on our visit. This vibrant live show captivates with
incredible acrobatics, puppetry, spirited singing, and fantastic dancing. It's truly a well-produced and engaging experience
celebrating the classic movie.
We rode the Wildlife Express Train to and from the conservation center. I'm not sure what to make of this part of our experience
other than simply to say that it was just underwhelming.
A walk through the Maharajah Jungle Trek was home to Asian Tigers, Gibbons, among others. This surprisingly chill and immersive
walking trail that's easy to miss but worth checking out. It also features an aviary where over 50 species of birds soar free.
Our only roller coaster of the day came with Expedition Everest. After a steep ascent, the train picks up speed and races into the
darkness. Featuring a broken and twisted track, a plummet backward into total darkness, and try to avoid the clutches of the mythic
Yeti.
Dinosaur, a motion-based dark ride with animatronic dinosaurs and a giant meteor crash was the next attraction. The ride was a
jerky, jolting and uncomfortable ride aboard a Time Rover vehicle through a poorly lit prehistoric jungle. The ride was
uncharacteristically dark for a Disney ride, as they usually like to show off their great animatronics and storytelling. Without
question, this is the most disappointing and worst ride that we have been on during our three days here at Walt Disney World.
A trip to Disney wouldn’t be complete without getting a Dole Whip. We stopped at the restaurant where I got a traditional Dole Whip,
and Sarah chose a Dole Whip Float.
We returned to the Avatar themed area for a ride on Na'vi River Journey. After nearly an hour in line we rode this peaceful boat
ride deep into the mystical Pandora rainforest. With glowing bioluminescent plants and creatures on all sides and even overhead. The
Na'vi Shaman of Songs demonstrated her deep connection to the life force of Pandora.
Avatar Flight of Passage was by far the best experience of the day, so Sarah and I rounded out our visit with a second ride on this
exceptional attraction.
Sarah and I then headed to the buses and back to our hotel for the night. As our vacation to Walt Disney World came to a close,
Sarah has pointed out that her fitness app showed each day we have walked between 18,000 and 20,000 steps.
I'm thankful to have shared these experiences and created new memories with Sarah. This trip to Orlando was initially Sarah's idea
after she visited Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland in California last November. She did virtually all of the planning and booking for this
trip. Thank you so much Sarah for doing all the hard work. And especially for the memories.
Tomorrow it's an early wake up call and our flight home.
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