Welcome to my Geeking Out in Orlando mini-series!
Over the next three weeks we will look at the top ten geeky things to do in each of the major theme parks in Orlando and then ask for you to vote on which has the best geeky attractions. To kick start the series we're heading to Disney's Animal Kingdom, possibly the least popular of the resort's four parks but still with plenty to see and do. Animal Kingdom may seem the least geeky of the Orlando theme park, but as much of this list is taken up with animal experiences it's definitely great for biology nerds. The park will soon be home to a new geeky experience as construction for the Avatar area based on James Cameron's hit movie is due to begin in 2013.
10. Flights of Wonder
A twenty minute live show featuring dozens of bird species including the American Bald Eagle. Mixed in with the stunts and "singing" are important messages about conserving these birds and their friends. After most shows the handlers will bring some of the birds to the edge of the stage so you can get an up-close look, ask questions about them and get good photographs.
9. It's Tough to Be a Bug
This 4D movie/show teaches us about the world beneath our feet, full of creepy crawlies, bugs and spiders. It's not a good idea for those who don't like our six and eight-legged friends or those afraid of loud noises as it's a very immersive experience, but kids often love seeing the CG bug characters appearing huge on screen before them and the in-room technology is brilliant at bringing the show to life. Make sure to take a look at the posters in the waiting area.
8. Finding Nemo: The Musical
It shouldn't work, but it my opinion it does. Finding Nemo is one of my favourite Pixar movies and it's story of letting go of our little ones really speaks to us as parents. Musicals aren't to everyone's taste but the puppets are spectacular and the sets are worth the thirty minute show.
7. Animal Trails
Live animal experiences are what this park is founded on, and there are several walking trails scattered throughout. The Discovery Island trails wind around the base of the Tree of Life and feature mostly birds alongside kangaroos, otters, deer and more. The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is located in Africa and features African animals including hippos, meerkats and gorillas. Finally the Maharajah Jungle Trek is found in Asia and includes gibbons, fruit bats, Komodo Dragons and tigers. All the trails feature boards where you can learn about the animals you are seeing and often staff are on hand talking about them and answering questions.
6. Primeval Whirl
The first actual ride on the list, Primeval Whirl is a rollercoaster that begins with you travelling back in time to the time an asteroid hit and wiped out the dinosaurs. It's a wild mouse type coaster that spins the ride vehicles around randomly on the track meaning you can end up going down drops facing backwards, sideways or any way. The whole thing is brightly coloured with cartoonish cardboard dinosaurs running away from smoking meteors; just leave the hard science at home.
5. Kilimanjaro Safaris
One of the park's signature attractions, this ride takes you on a safari through the 100 acres of African savannah recreated in Orlando. On your journey you might see lions, hippos, giraffes and much more but although the jeeps are driven freely (they don't follow a track) your driver will not stop for photo opportunities, but on one trip we got lucky as a giraffe walked in front of us, forcing us to stop for a few minutes until the road was clear. There is a poaching plot to the ride but most people tune it out after their first ride and focus on animal spotting instead.
4. Expedition Everest
Everest towers over the Asia land at the park and is home to one of Disney's best coasters. Expedition Everest begins as a leisurely train ride through the Nepalese countryside but ends as a terrifying race through the mountain as you're chased by the Yeti (and he's much scarier than his little brother over at Disneyland's Matterhorn.) What makes the ride especially geeky is that attention to detail, especially in the queue, possible thanks to the insane amounts of research by the design team. The coaster opened in April 2006 and a documentary about the research called Expedition Everest: Journey to Sacred Lands aired on the Travel Channel that month. A series of documentaries aired on Discovery following a team from Disney, Discovery Networks and Conservation International as they visited Nepal to conduct scientific and cultural research on the yeti legend. Finally Discovery aired a special about the ride's construction and planning entitled Building a Thrill Ride: Expedition Everest.
3. The Boneyard
One for the kids now, The Boneyard is a playground area for kids age four and up. It's themed around an archaeological dig site and includes a spill chute slide and sand pits where kids can uncover dinosaur bones buried in the sand. There's even a dinosaur skeleton set into the wall whose ribs can be played as a musical instrument, it's called the Xylobone *groan*.
2. Conservation Station
A lot of people don't bother visiting Conservation Station (part of Rafiki's Planet Watch) as it's so awkward to reach, requiring you to take a short train ride from Africa then walk for around five minutes past some animal enclosures, as such it's generally much more quiet than the rest of the park. The building is filled with exhibits on feeding, training, veterinary care and conservation - if you visit early enough you can sometimes watch medical procedures being carried out in the glass walled clinic. The building is also home to Animal Kingdom's live snakes and spiders which are occasionally out with handlers on the main floor, if those aren't your type, there's a petting zoo outside filled with goats, sheep and other cute critters who are rare breeds.
1. DINOSAUR
I know it's hard but try and put your pedant's hat away for this one. Dinosaur is another time travel experience in which you board a Jeep that hurtles you back on a mission to collect an Iguanodon and bring him back to the future with you. As with all good (and bad) stories something goes wrong and you end up arriving at the very end of the Cretaceous Period, about 60 seconds before that asteroid is due to hit and wipe everything out (I know, I know, just go with it.) This results in a bumpy, bouncy ride through a Cretaceous jungle as you try to find this Iguanodon and get out before the impact, all whilst being chased by a terrifying Carnotaurus. If you can allow yourself to accept the story then this is a good bit of geeky fun but it's also rough, loud and has some very scary moments for little people - and big ones that don't like huge man-eating dinosaurs jumping out at them. One last thing: there's a really neat (and REALLY nerdy) little joke on the red, yellow and white pipes that run overhead at the loading platform.
So do you think Animal Kingdom might just get your vote for geekiest park in Orlando? Later this week we'll be visiting EPCOT as we proceed alphabetically through the parks, I look forward to seeing you at Spaceship Earth.
