Animal Kingdom future

Walt Disney World Attractions
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Okay, surprised to see no-one has posted about ITTBAB getting an official closing date (3/17). Happy or sad? Yadda yadda yadda…

What i really want to know is why, after several years, we’ve never received a word one way or another in Tropical Americas will have any animal exhibits. Africa has Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail; Asia has the Maharaja Jungle Trek; Discovery Island has its trails; even the Oasis has a few exhibits

“Pueblo Esperanza” needs an animal attraction if they want to keep the theme of conservation alive. Otherwise its just another soulless IP dumping ground

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Tropical Americas animal wishlist:

Mammals:

  • Jaguar
  • Giant Anteater
  • Alpaca
  • EDIT: Capybara

Avians:

  • Andean Condor
  • Blue-and-Yellow Macaw
  • Hoatzin

Reptiles/Amphibians:

  • Green Anaconda
  • EDIT: Black Caiman
  • EDIT: Poison Dart Frog

Aquatic:

  • Arapaima
  • Peacock Bass
  • EDIT: Rainbow Cichlid
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I would love a walk through rainforest with an aquarium section.

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A sloth would be cool.

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YESSSS!

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It’d be great for educating people about endangered species.

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Very sad.

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Same! I took my kids for the first time to see it last trip— everyone loved it. Was hoping to experience this summer.

I hope the new show lives up the old one. I’m always worried now it will just be more screens.

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New here. Not totally getting the format, but I’ll learn.

I am one who is sad that ITTBAB is closing. I was there in December and my seat didn’t work, so I assumed some maintenance was coming in the near future. I’m returning in April with my daughters (47 and 42). It will be the youngest’s first trip. I’m disappointed that she won’t get to experience this.

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They already have one of these in the oasis, so they would just have to move it to a new home.

But then add Capybara to your list!

I wonder how much backstage space for the animals there is over there?

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You can sort threads by topics, but usually it is easier to sort by “latest” if you are just browsing. Then jump in! So.you got it right :blush:

Welcome!

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I noticed there are a few animals on the trails that are from Central/South America! (Like those tiny little monkeys over by Starbucks!) It would be very cool if they brought them over to the new area. And added a few. My top picks would be capybaras and sloths.

Am I sad about ITTBAB closing? I was very sad over the closing of Bug’s Land in DCA. I guess I don’t have much attachment to it in AK other than it’s the last trace of Bug’s Land anywhere. But I rarely watch it. I think we always have pangs over things closing, but I keep telling myself change is good. I think it would be good to bring in something new there that is popular with kids.

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Oh yeah! The marmosets! (Or maybe those are Tamarins). The National Zoo used to have a family of marmosets they let free roam. That was when I lived across the street and it was so much fun to spot them in the wild!

Then one wandered off property so they got put back in the enclosure :relieved:

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I think they’re tamarins. But not entirely sure.

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I think you are right. Marmosets are even smaller. And adorable.

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Very sad about ITTBAB, but I blame myself. I had not visited it in YEARS and years and years and years.

I went in 1998, when the lines were long and the kids were little, and I pretty much hated the Animal Kingdom for its complete lack of shade or air conditioning. I didn’t even want to go to the park at all that year, because I knew from reading the Unofficial Guide cover-to-cover that any new park was bound to be slammed, crowded, and so very unfinished that it just wouldn’t be worth it.

Then, as the trip approached, my mailbox filled with promotional materials from Walt Disney World about the newest awesome Disney park Disney’s Animal Kingdom ain’t it wonderful OMG OMG OMG!!! One of my kids could read. The other saw pictures. They were dyyyyyyying to go to the Animal Kingdom!! It nearly wrecked the whole trip that year. Seriously. My husband and I got back to the room (POFQ, back when it was just “PO”), put the kids down for a nap, and he counted our stash of traveler’s checks while I got on the phone to the front desk to add a night and a whole day to our park hoppers.

Sorry. Sorry. I’m just… remembering the magical misery of that terrible day in the Animal Kingdom. It was not much better in 2000. I had issues with that whole park.

Then my son started working there a few years ago, and now I love, love, love the park. But I still hadn’t experienced ITTBAB in at least 18 years.

I do recall that I saw it again in 2004 or 2006. I laughed at all the screaming people – I’ve heard it said that it’s small children who are traumatized by the attraction, but in my limited experience/memory, it was grown adults who were most offended. I loved the stage curtain effect. Gorgeous!!!

So yes, I went back in early December, just two months ago, and I was absolutely charmed by the queue. The posters!!! The music!!! It was absolutely adorable!!! (I really, really, really hope Disney keeps the music.)

And then I sat in a malfunctioning row of seats, and I didn’t get all the effects. I hoped I would be able to do it one more time, but no, I will not be back before March 17. :frowning: :slightly_frowning_face: :slightly_frowning_face: :slightly_frowning_face:

Anyway, back to blaming myself. Maybe if I had respected the bug show more, it would not now be being 86’ed. Sigh.

Oh, and I, too, vote for a sloth. Sloths, parrots, moths and bugs and butterflies, all from Tropical Americas… in addition to cacao plants and educational stuff like that.

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Is Woodrow still at AK? I think about him every time I’m there! I also talked to a girl just finishing DCP who did custodial at HS. She loved it! And I think she was surprised when my reaction to her assignment was so positive. But I knew from Woodrow that custodial in a park can be a magical thing.

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Yes, he’s still there! I just asked him last week if he thinks about transferring to another park. Not really!

And he loves the cotton-top tamarins across from Starbucks. ROFL! I think that’s his favorite animal in the whole park… but he hasn’t seen the tiger cub yet, so that’s not set in stone. :wink:

I’ll be there for a quick trip April 10-13. Staying offsite for the first time in 25 years! We’ll see how this goes…

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Yes. I thought we’d have a little longer!

There’s always something coming and going at Disney. The show really did need a lot of maintenance. I guess instead of spending :moneybag: on a refurb they were just waiting for the reskin.

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We LOVE those guys and their pet tortoise.
I am excited for Zootopia. I think it fits the Tree of Life well.

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