Animal Kingdom's Asia - Exploring the "World", One "Land" at a Time

As we leave Africa, we enter the beautiful and mysterious land of Asia. Our first stop along the path is the Caravan Stage to see the Flights of Wonder show. Here a bird trainer will introduce you to the natural, and often humorous, behaviors of at least 20 different exotic bird species. 

Deeper into Asia, we come upon the Kingdom of Anandapur and the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The signs and murals on the walls tell the story of ruins of this former hunting ground of the maharajah which was later transformed into a natural preserve. You will find many exotic animals on this path including: fruit bats, bengal tigers, komodo dragons, peafowl and many other birds. 

You can take a wild ride on the Chakranadi River courtesy of the Kali River Rapids! In keeping with the conservation theme, this ride deals with illegal logging and habitat destruction. It is a river rapids ride and unlike the hit and miss of Splash Mountain, YOU WILL GET WET! You will spin and bump your way down the whitewater with waves, waterfalls and big splashes.

Also while in Asia, you can enjoy some great Pan-Asian food at Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Although located on Disney property, this restaurant is owned by Landry's restaurant group. This means they accept Landry's and Rainforest Cafe gift cards as well as the Disney Dining Plan!

Take your mountain train forwards AND backwards through the Forbidden Mountain! Can you escape the wrath of the Yeti?
Plans for Expedition Everest were announced in 2003 for the 5th anniversary celebration of Animal Kingdom. The ride had it's grand opening on April 7, 2006. Taking 3 years to complete, the ride was listed in the 2011 Guiness Book of World Records as the most expensive roller coaster in the world. Total cost reported as 100 million dollars!

Our story begins in the village of Serka Zong in the kingdom of Anandapur. We first travel through a gumba, a Himalayan shrine to the Yeti. Disney Imagineers made extensive research trips to Nepal to research the culture and belief of the yeti legend. Detailed murals and rich carvings take you through the standby queue. You will wind your way through an actual tea garden on your way to the yeti museum. 

Norbu and Bob, owners of Himalayan Escapes offer us a ride through the Forbidden Mountain on our way to Everest Base Camp. As we travel through the yeti museum, we find a variety of equipment we will need for our journey and see some equipment brought back by other trekkers. But some of it appears damaged?!? More than 8000 artifacts were brought back from the Nepal trip to present in the yeti museum.

A steam train formerly used by the Anandapur Tea Company to bring harvested tea down through the mountain has been outfitted to take adventurers through the Forbidden Mountain to Mount Everest Base Camp. However, it's called "forbidden" for a reason! Expedition Everest also offers a single-rider line for thrill-seekers in a hurry, but you will miss all the great artifacts in the yeti museum. 

The Yeti itself is the largest and most complex audio-animatronic built by Disney at 22 feet. It is also the topic of much disappointment as a split in the framing caused it to malfunction just months after opening. Because of the design of the mountain, Imagineers are unable to repair it without major disassembly of the substructure which we may or may not see in the future. Consequently, its operation is limited to a strobe light effect which gives the appearance of movement, earning it the nickname: Disco Yeti.

Hidden Mickeys are very abundant in Asia, especially in the murals on Maharajah Jungle Trek and Expedition Everest. If you look closely, you can find dozens. Here are just a few from hiddenmickeyguy.com: The large one is in a display case in the Everest queue line and the smaller two are murals from the Jungle Trek. Look closely at the earring and the plants.

FUN FACTS:
*The fall during Kali River Rapids is 25 feet
*6000 pounds of fur, 1000 snaps, and 250 zippers were used to build the Yeti
*Asia was the first expansion area added to Animal Kingdom
*The colorful flags above you are recreations of prayer flags, popular in Tibetan culture. They are believed to bring prosperity, long life and happiness. They are hung in specific color order to represent: earth, water, fire, cloud and sky. 
*The totems in front of Expedition Everest were nand-created by real Nepalese woodcarvers.
*The Anandapur Ice Cream Truck came from Nepal with all but two of the mini murals painted on it, exactly as you see them now.
*The mammoth-sized audio-animatronic Yeti has a potential thrust, in all of its hydraulic cylinders combined, of slightly over 259.000 pounds force.

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