I recently spent a few hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park during a beautiful, sun-filled Florida morning. I was there taking photographs for a few articles I’m writing about the park’s upcoming 15th Anniversary. In spring 1998, I remember spending many weekends at the park taking photos with my old film camera (some things never change). At the time, there were so many new places to explore, and I tried to capture all of the details on film. As I passed through Island Mercantile during my most recent visit, I was reminded of those early days as I looked up to see a sky filled with animals.

Island Mercantile is the largest merchandise shop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Located in Discovery Island, every guest must pass by this location while traveling in and out of the park. The shop has nearly everything you would find in its sister locations like Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A., at Magic Kingdom Park or Mouse Gear at Epcot. Guests can find apparel, logo merchandise, home goods, toys, plush and much more. The location is also filled with some amazingly beautiful details found directly above the merchandise.

According to the exceptional book, “The Making of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park” by Melody Malmberg, all of the shops in the Discovery Island area salute the animal world with beautiful carvings, murals, fixtures and other adornments. Island Mercantile features animals that “migrate and work – whales and wildebeests, ants and bees.” Some of their fanciful designs were inspired by 1940s fruit-crate art.

I’m most impressed with the magnificent wood carvings, which were carved and painted in Bali by expert craftsmen. I also love the little details like the beaver-chewed posts near registers, the donkeys in the desert mural, or camel silhouettes found on elegant hanging lamps.

Here are a few other animals I found inside the shop. I’d love to hear if you have a favorite detail from Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Please share in the comments below. You can also join the conversation about the park’s anniversary online by using the hash tag #DAK15 on Twitter.

Tagged: DAK, Gallery, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Are you planning on attending the 15th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom this Earth Day, April 22? After attending the anniversaries of Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot in 2011 and 2012, respectively, I’ll be there for sure.

Here are a few of the details of what’s planned for the park’s anniversary.

• Special opening ceremony – Meet at the Tree of Life at 8:40 a.m., to hear from Josh D’Amaro, Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President of Animals, Science and Environment. Make sure you arrive early for this!
• Earth Day “Party for the Planet” festivities – Special interactive activities that focus on animals and nature will take place throughout the park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Artists and other vendors will present their work on in Africa and on Discovery Island, with their work available for purchase.
• Opportunity to purchase special 15th anniversary merchandise, available in limited quantities.
• Special food & beverage.

We’ll have more details on Party for the Planet fun, food & beverage and merchandise closer to the event date – stay tuned!

To join the conversation about the park’s anniversary online, use the hash tag #DAK15 on Twitter.

Tagged: DAK, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Since opening in 1998, Theater in the Wild has been home to three different productions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Below is an aerial view of the theater when the park was still under construction back in September 1997.

Originally an open-air amphitheater, Theater in the Wild brought The Jungle Book to life from Walt Disney Feature Animation in Journey into Jungle Book. Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and more sang, danced and retold the story in this 30-minute stage show.

Premiering July 9, 1999, Tarzan Rocks! opened. With singers, dancers, gymnasts, aerialists and in-line skaters joining Tarzan, Jane and Terk this show celebrated the movie’s soundtrack along with amazing stunts and spectacular costumes.

Now home to Finding Nemo-The Musical, Theater in the Wild continues to bring Broadway caliber entertainment to guests of Disney’s Animal Kingdom every day.

Excited about the park’s anniversary? Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #DAK15.

Tagged: DAK, WDW

Filed: Disney History, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

We’ve always believed that it’s absolutely perfect that Earth Day, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom share the same anniversary day, April 22, even though the years are different. All three have a lot in common, with a shared mission to inspire people to make the world a better place for all its inhabitants.

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) was established in 1995 on Earth Day, and since then, it has awarded more than $20 million to programs in 112 countries. In 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, opened. It’s hard to believe that it was five years ago on Earth Day, as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, that we introduced a new name and look for what was originally known as the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund. The addition of “Worldwide” more accurately conveys the fund’s mission to support wildlife, including both ecosystems and community conservation, around the globe. The new DWCF look was unveiled in front of the Tree of Life by Erin Wallace, executive vice president, Segment Operations Integration, WDPR, accompanied by world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, and Joe Rohde, senior vice president, WDI Creative.

As we celebrate Earth Day this year, we’re proud to share a new DWCF video in a series we’re calling “stories from the field.” Through representatives of the organizations, you’ll hear about endangered chimpanzees in Africa and cranes in Africa and China that we are helping conserve.

 
Those of you who have supported the DWCF know that it plays a vital role in our efforts to protect the planet for future generations and help kids develop lifelong conservation values – and that’s truly something to celebrate this Earth Day. To learn more, visit www.Disney.com/conservation.

Did you know? The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and The Walt Disney Company Foundation have contributed more than:

• $5.6 million to protect birds
• $2 million to conserve primates, including chimpanzees and gorillas
• $1.4 million to study lions, tigers, leopards and other cats
• $1.2 million to research and protect elephants
• $1.1 million to conserve sea turtles
• $1 million to protect rhinos

 
Read on for more “Wildlife Wednesdays”:

• Wildlife Wednesdays: Central Florida Kids Experience Natural ‘Magic’ During Special Spring Camp at Walt Disney World Resort
• Wildlife Wednesdays: Rescued Sea Turtles, Cared for at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot, Return to the Sea
• Wildlife Wednesdays: Saddle-Billed Stork Has First Chick; White-Cheeked Gibbon Expands Family with New Addition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tagged: Conservation, DAK, Video, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

In April, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate its 15th anniversary. We’re celebrating here at “Vintage Walt Disney World” by taking a look back at this one-of-a-kind theme park over the next four weeks.

Sprawling across approximately 500 acres, Disney’s Animal Kingdom brought the world of animals (both alive and pre-historic) to life for guests at Walt Disney World Resort when it opened in 1998. Below is a look at an aerial view from the park’s entrance in September 1997. (Look closely in the distance; you’ll even see Magic Kingdom Park.)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened with over 40,000 mature trees – 16,000 of them grown right at the Walt Disney World Tree Farm. There were roughly 2,000 species of shrubs and 260 different types of grasses throughout the park, too. Below is a look at the icon of the park, The Tree of Life, still under construction in January 1997.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the first Walt Disney World Resort theme park where the show literally eats the landscape. And by the look of those numbers above, it’s quite the buffet for our animal friends to enjoy.

Excited about the park’s anniversary? Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #DAK15.


Check out more posts about Disney’s Animal Kingdom:

• We Got The Beat: Visiting The Tam Tam Drummers At Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Wildlife Wednesdays: Saddle-Billed Stork Has First Chick; White-Cheeked Gibbon Expands Family with New Addition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Today in Disney History: Maharajah Jungle Trek Debuts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tagged: DAK, WDW

Filed: Disney History, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

When it comes to spotting quirky signs at Disney Parks, the Dinoland, U.S.A., area at Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers up a ton of fun options.

As this sign says, when it comes to finding great deals, “You Don’t Need to Go to the End of the Earth – You’re ____!” What’s missing here?

Tagged: DAK, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Earlier this year, we shared on the Disney Parks Blog the story of eight sea turtles, rescued from New England beaches during a cold spell and suffering from hypothermia. Well, I’m thrilled to report that last week, after receiving care at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot, four of the turtles were returned to their home in the sea, with the other four expected to follow soon.

 
Disney and other rehabilitation centers came to the aid of the New England Aquarium, whose sea turtle hospital had reached capacity. Our animal care team took in eight Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles, one of the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world. The team focused on increasing the turtles’ body weight so they could regain their strength to swim in the open ocean.

Under direction from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the turtles were released back to the ocean at the Canaveral National Seashore here in Florida. We hope you’ll enjoy the video of the turtles heading back to the sea!

 
In addition to rehabilitating sea turtles, Disney is helping through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, which has directed more than $1.1 million to sea turtle conservation efforts.


Check out below for more posts from our “Wildlife Wednesdays” series:

• Wildlife Wednesdays: Sea Turtles Ill from the Cold Recovering at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot
• Wildlife Wednesdays: Saddle-Billed Stork Has First Chick; White-Cheeked Gibbon Expands Family with New Addition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Wildlife Wednesdays: Spring Forward to Help Frogs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tagged: Conservation, DAK, Epcot, WDW

Filed: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort