Daily Pixie Dust: Animal Kingdom's Oasis/Discovery Island - Exploring the "World", one "Land" at a time!

With over 40 square miles of magic, Walt Disney World can seem overwhelming. Even frequent visitors can have a hard time "doing it all". It's been more than 2 years since we last explored the resort and, as we know, WDW is ever-changing. The 4 major parks are each broken down into several "lands". So, we will explore Walt Disney "World", one "Land" at a time, featuring all the attractions each land has to offer. We will visit the well-known favorites along with the hidden gems you may have missed and hopefully, discover some new magic to add to your next trip.

We'll begin our tour with WDW's "newest" park. Disney's Animal Kingdom opened on April 22, 1998. It's the largest Disney park in the world, covering 500 acres. The park is themed entirely on animal conservation.

Disney's Animal Kingdom starts your day off right with a fun rope drop welcome by your favorite Disney pals. The Fab 5 will roll in to welcome you and get you ready for your safari adventure!

Accessible from inside or outside Animal Kingdom is Rainforest Cafe. You will be surrounded with the sights and sounds of the jungle as you enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Although it is not a Disney-owned restaurant, they do participate in the Disney Dining Plan. They also accept Landry company gift cards which you can get in advance, sometimes at a discount or for free through participation in some online programs. They also have their own gift shop with a large variety of merchandise.

Upon entering Animal Kingdom, you will first pass through the Oasis exhibits. These shady trails provide lush foliage, gentle waterfalls and amazing wildlife. Among the animals you will find here are the Giant Anteater, Exotic Boar, Spoonbill and more.

As you explore the foliage around the Oasis, something may just catch your eye. Did that vine just move?!? If so, then you may have found DiVine. This stilt-walking performer is covered in beautiful foliage to blend in with the surroundings and is truly a marvel! You may also find her on the pathway between Africa and Asia.

At the center of Discovery Island stands the majestic icon of Disney's Animal Kingdom: the Tree of Life. This larger than life tree stands 145 tall and 50 feet wide. It is adorned with more than 103,000 individually placed leaves. The trunk contains carvings of over 325 animals which can be viewed from different areas as you travel through the Tree of Life Garden and Discovery Island Trails. The interior of the structure was crafted using an oil rig which was strong enough to endure Florida's hurricane weather and provide a base large enough to house a theater. A recent expansion includes 11 new animal carvings to the tree!

New for 2015, is the addition of Winged Encounters, the Kingdom Takes Flight. This 3 to 8 minute show at the new performance area in front of Tree of Life focuses on the macaws and conservation.

Another new attraction currently in the works will be the new night-time show, Rivers of Light. This show, featuring live music, floating lanterns, water screens and swirling animal imagery, will be hosted around Discovery River. This change will also involve replacing the leaves on the Tree of Life with new ones that light up. Planned opening for this attraction is Spring of 2016.

Follow the Discovery Island trails in and around the Tree of Life. Not only can you get a close-up view of the wonderful carvings on the tree, but there are also many live animals to spot along these trails as well!! Just some of the live animals you will find here include: Greater Flamingo, Red Kangaroo, Galapagos Tortoise, Ring-tailed Lemur and much more!

Deep beneath the roots of the Tree of Life is It's Tough to Be a Bug! This 9-minute 3D show feature sights, smells, touch and even appearances by some characters of A Bug's Life. The most exciting part of the show is an appearance by Hopper. Hopper is an 8-foot tall audio animatronic figure and one of the most complex in all the parks. Since he brings some loud chaos with him, he may be a bit scary to younger audience members. But a chameleon soon puts him in his place and all's well that ends well.

Discovery Island is also home to two great little restaurants. Pizzafari for pizza and sandwiches plus unique specialties. And Flame Tree BBQ (recently reopened after a long refurbishment) for freshly smoked barbequed meats and salads! Another part of the Animal Kingdom expansion will include a yet-to-be-named table service restaurant which will be taking over at least part of the Pizzafari dining area.

Also new for 2015 is the opening of the 4th in-park Starbucks location in the former Creature Comforts shop. This location will also be serving grab and go breakfast items during morning operating hours.

Since the closure of Camp Minnie Mickey to make way for the new Avatar Land, you can now meet Mickey and Minnie in their exploration headquarters at Adventurer's Outpost.

Follow in the footsteps of Russell and Dug as you become a Wilderness Explorer! Complete challenges and earn badges as you work your way around the park. Pick up your official field guide at headquarters to begin! You can also find additional starting points in other lands throughout the park.

If you are a Hidden Mickey hunter, there are quite a few to find in this area. Pictured here (from HiddenMickeyGuy.com) is a fire hydrant near Pizzafari. Here are clues to a few more: Inside Pizzafari, look at the animal drawings on the walls. Look at the bat's noses and fireflies wings. Inside Flame Tree BBQ, look for a drawing of two rhinos. If you are seeing It's Tough to Be a Bug, look just above the handicap entrance before you enter. On the Tree of Life, try to find a Hidden Mickey made of green moss. Look near the buffalo!

FUN FACTS

Have you ever noticed the red and green pathways as you head to the entrance? Google Earth to see it or just look at your park map. It's the Tree of Life in pavement!
All benches in Animal Kingdom are made from recycled milk jugs.
The official greeting of Discovery Island is Viva Gaia, which means live long, Mother Earth.
Renowned authority Jane Goodall was invited for a preview of the Tree of Life and it was noticed that chimpanzees were overlooked. So a carving of the chimp she named David Graybeard was added. He is the only named animal on the Tree of Life.
Every room in Pizzafari has it's own theme. Check out the upside-down room.