Look at those adorable stripes! Disney Parks Blog helped Disney's Animal Kingdom announce the births of two female Grevy's zebra foals. Grevy'szebras are the most endangered species of zebra, with approximately 2,500 in the world. The first foal was born April 26 to Laylee, with the second born to Zuri on May 1. They're nursing and bonding with their moms right now, hoping to join the herd on Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail overlook soon. These births mark another success for Disney's animal care experts and the Species Survival Plan, a program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that helps ensure a diverse, healthy population of threatened and endangered species. These zebra foals are making an important contribution toward the worldwide conservation and understanding of the Grevy's species, helping to ensure a future for these endangered animals. It's awesome how much Animal Kingdom does to help protect all these endangered species. To make another point though, aren't those little foals so friggin cute? Can't wait to see these guys in person. Put your thoughts in the comments, like, & share.
Check Out The New Character Costumes For "Donald's Dino-Bash"
Disney's Animal Kingdom is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, & May 25th they're kicking off Donald's Dino-Bash . Join Donald, Daisy, Scrooge, Launchpad, Pluto, Chip, & Dale as they party in Dino-Land U.S.A.. Disney just released this concept art of the characters new costumes for the celebration. Donald & Daisy have some cool, new dino-inspired threads, but I'm really loving Chip & Dale in their full out costumes. I wanna dress like various characters from Jurrasic Park, & get my picture took with them. What do y'all think of the wardrobe changes? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Another Addition To Disney's Animal Kingdom
A special congratulations to Nile hippopotamus Tuna on giving birth to her new calf over the weekend. Disney released this picture of the two. Gender & weight are unknown as the newborn's keeping close to mom right now. Tuna & mate Henry were chosen to mate through the Species Survival Plan, a group that is overseen by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. This is one of the biggest parts I love about the Animal Kingdom. Humans are horrible when it comes to wiping out whole species. The Nile hippo itself is a vulnerable species with a declining population. These births keep signifying that these animals will still get to survive. We can't stop everyone, but we can go out of our way to preserve life. More & more I'm starting to see our zoos and aquariums as a form of witness protection programs. So once again congratulations, & I hope to see you & your new addition on my next trip on the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Disneyworld Tidbits: Tiger Cubs, Random Millennium Falcon Pic, & Stitch's Last Ride
The past couple of days have had some major little things pop of at Disneyworld that are at least worth a mention. There's the tiger cubs, Jeda & Anala, now able to be seen on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in the Animal Kingdom. These endangered cuties are just friggin' adorable...
Then there's this random pic of somewhere in the Millenium Falcon attraction coming to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Hollywood Studios. I'm not really sure what to make of it without knowing what exactly I'm looking at. Best guess, it's part of the queue? It's a picture though, & it's inside of something Millenium Falconey....
Last but not least there's the matter of Stitch's Great Escape. It's starting to really look like this is going to be the last season the attraction opens. December 23rd through January 6th will be the last run of this cursed attraction. I'll be down there for New Year's so I will get to ride this one more time. I hope my daughter's big enough, Stitch is her favorite. I don't remember having fond memories of this ride, as there's not much to it. I never got to ride it as it's original Exterrorestrial Encounter, I think it was called, but it's never been a fan favorite. Unlike the losses from earlier in the year, I'm excited to see this go, & honestly would love an actually good, thought out Stitch attraction.
New Disney Attractions Win Thea Awards!!
I didn't even know this was a thing until today, but apparently it is. There's not only a Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), they also give out awards. Awards for, go figure, themed entertainment. And obviously if I just heard of them, that must mean Disney has won some of said awards. Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney has picked a handful of TEA Thea Awards. First, Frozen Ever After, in EPCOT won for outstanding achievement in "attraction reimagining". Originally this was my favorite ride in EPCOT, the Maelstrom, a journey through Norway, populated by trolls. I wish I could say that this ride wasn't half the ride Maelstrom was, but I can't. This reimagining is truly amazing. The animatronics are the best I've ever seen, & the story is told flawlessly throughout the ride. Next, they picked up a couple for Pandora - World of Avatar, in which we detailed our own opening day experience here. Not only was the new addition to Animal Kingdom recognized for outstanding achievement in "theme-park area development", Flight of Passage was also recognized for it's achievement, going on to say it was "flawlessly executed". We've made it back to Pandora since opening day, & I must say, I was just as blown away the second time around. As for Flight of Passage? "Flawlessly executed", as great as that sounds, is still an understatement. That might be one of the most thrilling experiences I've ever had. Truly out of this world. Disneyland got a little love too. With Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout, the remixed Tower of Terror in Disney's California Adventure was also recognized in the "attraction reimagining" category. Even though I'm not a fan of being dropped, much less repeatedly, I always do something once. I really do want to check this out, I love me some Guardians of the Galaxy. It'll be awhile before I make it out there though. Anyway, congrats to Disney for winning these well deserved awards. The achievements recently made by these parks, is the main thing that keeps me excited to see what could possibly be coming next. With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge & Toy Story Land right around the corner, I can't wait. What do y'all think of these awards though? Any thoughts on any of these attractions? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Check Out Rivers Of Light Streamed From Disney's Animal Kingdom
The last time I was at Disney's Animal Kingdom I didn't get to catch this show. I was knee deep in opening day of Pandora: World of Avatar & just ran out of time. So, that said, I was pretty excited to be able to see this streamed live. I wasn't blown away by this show, but I'm not sure if it's the show or the stream. On the streams in the past, I've felt like I was there. This one didn't really feel that way. Some of the angles they chose gave away some of the magic. That makes me really want to reserve my full judgement until I see this live. Rivers of Light is a very pretty show, it just doesn't seem to hold it's own with the likes of Fantasmic. I really enjoyed the aurora borealis effect, as well as the lotus flower, dancing fountains, & the true star of the show was the music. Those were the real highlights of the show for me. Your "animal guides", a lion, owl, elephant, & turtle, are represented with giant glowing floats, along with real actors in boats helping the story along through dance & even small puppetry. Like I said I didn't really like how the show was recorded, & it's no Fantasmic, but Rivers of Light still looks like an awesome show. With a little tweaking here & there, this thing could really be special. Check it out though, because I really want to know what everyone else thinks. Did y'all like this show? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Replacements & New Additions At Disney's Animal Kingdom
This is great for so many reasons. One of the main reasons being I have a trip to the parks scheduled in October. According to Chip & Co. that will put me in there in prime time to get a peak at the exciting, new additions coming to the Disney's Animal Kingdom. Sohni the Sumatran tiger is expecting cubs to be delivered in August. It's so great to see thriving animal families in a totally protected area, & we should start seeing these little cubs sometime this Fall. This has added a whole other level of excitement to my trip, as will definitely be keeping an eye peeled for some little tiger balls of cuteness. In other Animal Kingdom developments if meeting Tarzan was your thing, make sure to get out there by the end of September. October 1st, Timon (Where's Pumba?) will be taking over for the man-ape. Yeah, this totally makes sense. My kids & I would totally rather meet Timon than a guy with nappy hair in a loincloth. I do feel sorry for the ladies though. Guess it's kinda payback for them covering up Jasmine. Anyway, everyone loves tiger cubs, so what are your thoughts on this change? Tarzan or Timon? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Disney Parks Puts Out "The Making Of Pandora" Video
This video was really cool. I could watch a whole video on how this place was made. Those floating mountains are a thing of wonder in themselves. It's bad, because part of me wants to see the ends & outs of how it all works, & the other part wants to keep the magic secret. Pandora: The World of Avatar in Disney's Animal Kingdom is a truly beautiful thing to experience. This also gives you a really good look at the two attractions as well. Give it a look, like, share, & don't forget to check out all of our opening day Pandora: World of Avatar adventures. Just click here.
Ever Wonder How Disney's Imagineers Dream Up Something Like Pandora: The World of Avatar?
Disney Parks released a short video today showcasing some of the inspiration behind Pandora - The World of Avatar. Follow Imagineers to Bali & Jakarta as they find inspiration for an alien world right here on planet Earth. They also go more into the immersive design of the spectacle that will by all means convince you that you've entered a whole new world. Exciting is hardly the word for me. The park's Grand Opening is May 27th in Disney's Animal Kingdom & we''ll be there in the middle of the craziness. Let us know in the comments below if there's anything in particular you want to see or know about the park when we're there.
Animal Kingdom Is Adding More Viewing Areas For Tree of Life Awakenings
If you've seen the Tree of Life Awakening show at Animal Kingdom it's been from the only viewing place at Discovery Island. However, according to Chip and Company, Animal Kingdom will be adding two more viewing spots between Africa and Asia to help accommodate more guests to see the show, as Discovery Island can crowd up very quickly. Every 10 minutes after nightfall the Tree of Life comes to life with holographic projections of the animals carved into it. Check the video it's amazing. They're adding the extra viewing spots to hopefully offset the crowd numbers that likely will spike with the addition of Pandora: World of Avatar opening in late May. I've actually never got to see this nightly occurrence as it's been over a year since I've vistied the Animal Kingdom, & this wasn't a thing. So I will definitely have this on my list of things to see when we go to the Pandora opening on May 27th. Don't worry I'll have some video for all to enjoy. Let me know in the comments if you've seen this & what you thought.
Two New Pandora: World of Avatar Videos Released
First, Disney Parks released a behind the scenes video where you get to hear about the world of Pandora straight from the creators. Disney Imagineers partnering with Lightstorm Entertainment have formed a "Super Team", & then went on to create a land that is literally out of this world. You can hear their excitement in what you can tell is an achievement they are not only proud of, but one even the creators themselves are in awe of. Check it out:
Second, Inside the Magic has put up a video of the unboxing of their press invitation & video for the homeland of the Na'vi. In it you get to see some of the detail to the storytelling involved in this land from previews of both ride attractions & a look at who the Na'vi are as a people, including language samples. The biggest highlight from the package though is a visitors reel hosted by Alpha Centauri Expeditions guide, Kam Demarco. These videos have me counting down the days until May 27. Check out this one too & let us know what you think in the comments.
More On Pandora-The World of Avatar's Na'vi Translators
Want to go to Pandora but don't know how to speak the language of the natives? Disney Parks blog says don't worry they've got it figured out. They released more information on the Na'vi translator that will be available at "Windtraders" in Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. They have merchandise product developer Cody Hampton saying this about the device, "This device was originally developed by Alpha Centauri Expeditions founder Marshall Lamm. The Na'vihave no written language, so the translator will be a helpful tool for any human visiting Pandora. Guests using the translator can learn how to pronounce 90 Na'vi words using interchangeable translation cards. The device also lights up at night, which makes it perfect for nighttime explorations on Pandora." The article went on to say that the translator will be sold in a set that comes with 15 translation cards, and that there will be additional cards sold in trading packs that will include 8 randomly selected cards. There will be nouns, adjectives, animals, landscapes, phrases, plants, and gear. They were all based on audio recordings from Lightstorm Entertainment and Dr. Paul Frommer, the creator of the actual Na'vi language used in Avatar. So, looks like we have one more thing we have to get when we go to Pandora. Official opening day is May 27th and we'll be there. I can't wait to tell you how this thing works. What do you think you think? Is this a cool addition for the park to be even more interactive? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to like and share.
ABC Features Pandora in Disney's Animal Kingdom
ABC put up a first look at Avatar. Coming soon to the Animal Kingdom, Pandora will be a good portion of the Animal Kingdom representing the land of James Cameron's Avatar. From the glowing plants to the floating mountains Pandora has been painstakingly recreated to every fine detail. It's told almost everything in the park is an amazing piece of special effects technology. We're getting a fast-casual restaurant, 2 attractions, a store, & a spot for drinks. All surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Na'vi people. Pandora opens on May 27 of this year & we're trying to be there opening day. Until then, here's a link to ABC's first look: