Next, we ventured over to DinoLand U.S.A., which is a bright section of the park dedicated to… dinosaurs!  It’s designed like a carnival, which is a lot of fun; in fact, there’s even a section called Fossil Fun Games where you can play carnival-style games with a “prehysterical dino twist.”

Here’s another look at DinoLand U.S.A.  I asked the man on the far left if I could get on his shoulders for a ride like his little boy – I think he thought I was joking.

Primeval Whirl
This ride actually has a pretty unique and awesome premise.  It’s a roller coaster, however, your cart spins constantly as you ride!  The coaster isn’t that big or anything, but it’s still worth checking out for bizarreness alone.

Here’s Amanda waiting patiently for her opportunity to whirl.
Grade:B-

Dino-Sue
Dino-Sue is the largest and most complete T-Rex ever found – that alone scores this attraction some serious points.  I’d rank this with some of the most amazing things I’ve seen, like the Hollywood Sign, Sears Tower in Chicago, and this time at a party where a guy got naked and did a backflip in the middle of a backyard while shitting.
Grade: B+

The Boneyard
This attraction is essentially a playground with a dinosaur theme.

Visually, like most things at the park, it’s definitely impressive.

As well as hosting its own dinosaur, kids also get an opportunity to slip, slither, slide, and crawl.  One small child looked at me dumbfounded, as his parents came to retrieve him, I assured them that “my mammoth isn’t wooly.”

Maybe exhaustion from the heat and a ton of walking hampered my spirits, but honestly, I think after seeing Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure at Disney-MGM Studios this playground paled in comparison.
Grade:C+

VIDEO CLIP
Some performing group was trying to rap about animals to passerby – the only thing more amazing than the guy’s beastiality question is the dude on the right and his extremely over the top reaction.  Priceless!

DINOSAUR
Amanda had been to this park before, and talked rather consistently in the weeks prior to our trip, almost exclusively about this ride and the amount of awesomeness it contained.

While you’re inside waiting in line, which is generally gigantic, there’s a lot of really neat stuff to look at.

Here’s some more of the stuff you’ll see on display while waiting to ride the beastly DINOSAUR.

I’ve got to be honest – this ride is completely insane!  I loved it, but wow, I never expected the intensity it provides in droves.  You zip back 65 million years to the Cretaceous period, where darkness, loud roars, and some of the most frightening prehistoric beasts you’ve ever imagined greet you.  I definitely wouldn’t take a young child on it, but, if you like excitement and being thrilled, then you’ve definitely got to experience DINOSAUR.  Then, when you’re finished, check out the gift shop for all kinds of prehistoric paraphernalia.
Grade:A-

I didn’t eat there, but according to my guide map, Restaurantosaurus serves McDonald’s fries, freshly tossed salads, amongst other things.  I asked the guy with the outrageously big top hat what he ate, his response was “cocaine’s a hell of a drug!”

There are all sorts of shops all over the park – if you get some spare time it’s a lot of fun to look around and maybe even buy a souvenir or two.

We then began our trek over to Camp Minnie-Mickey.

This is the section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom most designed for small children.  There’s not a lot to actually do there, with the exception of meeting characters, and it hosts two live shows.

Still, as always, its design is immaculate and a pure joy to behold.

I knew it was a very touristy thing to do, but, I had to take a picture of this.  Come on, you know you’d have done the same thing!  Stop judging me.

Festival of the Lion King
If you want to cool off a little, plus, be thoroughly entertained then you’ve got to catch a showing of Festival of the Lion King.

Just look at this picture and let me assure you… yes it really is that amazing.

The show features music, dance, and specialty performances, including my favorite, some astounding acrobatics.  There’s really no reason, if you’re spending a day at the park, that you shouldn’t fit some time into your itinerary to witness this spectacular show.
Grade:A

Other Stuff:
Of the four Disney theme parks we attended, we generally hit almost every attraction they offered; but, due to largely heat exhaustion and general fatigue, we missed a handful of things at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Among them are: two live shows, Tarzan Rocks! and Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, TriceraTop Spin, another Carnival spin-off over in DinoLand U.S.A., and Flights of Wonder, a bird show I was looking forward to seeing.  Also, we missed an entire area, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which hosts Habitat Habit!, Conservation Station, and Affection Section, and more.  It’s essentially an area designed to showcase how they care for their animals, as well as their commitment towards conservation.

In conclusion, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a really great theme park; although it can’t compare to Magic Kingdom and its, well, magic, nor Epcot and its diversity, or Disney-MGM and their powerful pop culture tie-ins, it still manages to be impressive, and offer its own individual appeal.  If you like the outdoors and/or animals, than you can’t miss it.  However, if you’re on a budget, or can only do a couple parks, this one likely takes last in overall appeal and value.

Overall Grade: B
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- Brian