Why Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is a Thrill-Seeker’s Paradise
Walt Disney World has four amazing parks, and it’s hard to choose a favorite. After all, they each cater to different demographics and interests. Magic Kingdom for families, EPCOT for food, wine, and edutainment lovers, Hollywood Studios for movie fans…
A concept drawing for the Expedition Everest attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. ©Disney…and for adrenaline junkies, Animal Kingdom is the perfect Park.
Don’t believe me? Here are five rides at Animal Kingdom that will make you go wild.
Animal Kingdom is the most thrill-packed park at Walt Disney World. In fact, it’s the only park where the number of thrill rides eclipses the number of family rides. Only three rides in the entire park (Na’vi River Journey, TriceraTop Spin, and Kilimanjaro Safaris) fall fully into the family-friendly category. Everything else will have you spinning, shaking, and soaring through the wildest Park Disney world has to offer.
Avatar: Flight of Passage
“Sivako” means “rise to the challenge” in the Na’vi language, and this ride definitely feels like a challenge. Using the most innovative flying theater set up ever produced, Disney creates the illusion that you’re riding on the back of an Ikran through the untamed wilds of Pandora.
Banshee BikesThis isn’t Star Tours or Soarin’; you’ll be hanging on for dear life as your mount barrel rolls through the forests and mountains and feel drops of ocean water on your face as you experience the Pandoran equivalent of surfing. Definitely one to skip if you’re afraid of heights, but this is an experience that you can’t find anywhere else.
Expedition Everest
We’ll be honest; Expedition Everest isn’t the wildest ride at Walt Disney World. It sits somewhere between Space Mountain and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for the title of the most thrilling coaster at the park… which is impressive, considering it’s the only one of the three to take place outdoors.
Expedition EverestThe draw here is the height. Almost from the get go, you’ll be taken nearly 200 feet in the air — higher than any other ride at Walt Disney World. Only Tower of Terror reaches comparable heights, and the ride vehicle never quite reaches the top. Here, you’ll nearly fly off a broken track into the Orlando skyline before being sent flying back into the waiting grasp of the dreadful yeti.
Dinosaur
Don’t mistake this for a mundane dark ride. You’ll be sent on a rough ride to the past, just moments before the extinction of the dinosaurs, to perform a trans-temporal rescue mission.
DinosaurThe ride may not be very fast, but the rough road and ominous scenery are sure to shake you up… especially when a big toothy lizard decides you look like lunch.
Primeval Whirl
If Dinosaur is a bit too much for you, then try out a ride that’s less frightening in tone… but way more likely to send your head spinning. Primeval Whirl is a parody of Dinosaur, taking a similar story and setting it on a classic mouse coaster.
Primeval WhirlDon’t mistake this for a kiddie ride; mouse coasters are designed to make you feel like you’ll fly out of your seat, with plenty of near misses with the campy scenery. If this seasonal ride is open, you owe it to yourself to take a ride.
Kali River Rapids
Finally, if you aren’t afraid to get wet, Kali River Rapids is the ride for you. While the environmental message of this ride gets a little lost in the execution, the ride will soak you to the bone. Hold on for dear life as you’re lifted to the top and sent on a journey that will make Splash Mountain look like a lawn sprinkler.
Kali River RapidsNow, we’ll admit this is a controversial opinion. After all, some might argue that Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios should take the crown for the Thrill Seekers paradise. Or maybe you want to give Disney the skip and visit SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Universal for your thrills.
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