To think of The Oasis simply in the same terms of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Boulevard in Disney-MGM Studios, although partially accurate really does not do it justice. Yes it serves to direct guest towards the center of the park and onto the various lands and attractions, and for many that is all it does. Yet for those who take the opportunity to do a little exploring it can also delight, entertain and even invite you to approach your day at The Animal Kingdom differently than you might at the other Disney theme parks.





Guests can choose from more than one of its beautifully landscaped pathways complete with lush greenery, streams, waterfalls and even an early morning midst that covers the ground. During your journey you will be afforded a glimpse of what awaits you. Natural-habitat exhibits that are home to a wide variety of animals line these pathways that serve as more than just sidewalks to Safari Village.

After emerging from the Oasis guests will be surrounded by African architecture beautifully made up in bright and bold colors. Guests will find a collection of shops, restaurants and some guests?services. This African village sits at the base of the parks icon the 14-story Tree of Life. The Tree of Life much like the Castle in the Magic Kingdom can be thought of as the hub for the spoke and wheel layout of the park.

How do I get to...
A collection of five bridges lead away from Safari Village including the one that deposits guests from The Oasis. Depending on which bridge they choose guests can either find themselves headed to Africa, Asia, Dinoland, Camp Minnie-Mickey, or back to The Oasis.

- The Tree of Life: As the parks 14-story icon it is both splendid and colossal. It's sheer size alone sets it apart from most of what you will see for the rest of the day, but it is only when you begin to approach it do you really begin to appreciate its beauty and splendor. Within its bark are displayed hundreds of carved images of a seemingly endless array of wildlife.

- It's Tough to Be a Bug: A very funny 3-D film with a cast of millions. The films storyline is a brief and entertaining look into the world of insects and their take on the world. A wide variety of visual and tactical special effects are employed to add a creepy touch to the film. 8-minute film

Similar to Mickey's Toontown Fair at the Magic Kingdom in its intent if not its design. Here younger guests in particular will enjoy this small but entertaining land. Disney characters will abound, as well as two live stage shows.

- Character Greeting Trails: Located in Camp Minnie-Mickey
Taking a page out of the Toontown Hall of Fame at the Magic Kingdom younger guests are treated to not one but four character greeting areas. These four separate greeting areas are named Forest, Jungle, Arbor, and Mickey. Follow the trail to the Forest and you will find Winnie the Pooh and his hundred acre friends. Choose the Jungle trail and you will find characters from The Jungle Book and The Lion King. The Arbor will lead you to encounter with Minnie, while at the end of the Mickey trail guests will meet none other than Mickey Mouse.

- Festival of the Lion King: Located in Camp Minnie-Mickey
Live stage show production that borrows songs from the popular Disney animated classic, but it doesn't stop there. Singers, dancers, acrobats and a good portion of crowd participation all combine to make this quite possibly the best offering to be found at the Animal Kingdom. 25-minute production

- ocahontas and Her Forest Friends: Located in Camp Minnie-Mickey
During this live stage show Pocahontas leads a cast of real animals and Audio-Animatronic props all telling the story of mans need to protect the natural world. A combination of being a little heavy on message and a little light on entertainment makes this an attraction that can be a hit or miss depending on your expectation.

Guests passing through the village of Harambe will be exposed to a collection of shops and restaurants, as make their way to the parks largest and most ambitious natural animal exhibit.

- Kilimanjaro Safaris: Guests board large open safari vehicles for a photo safari that suddenly turns into a scripted search and rescue of Big Red-and Little Red from poachers. A combination of Disney Imagineering and simply one of the best natural animal habitats around makes this a must see for the entire family. Have your camera ready as your vehicle will pass by (in some cases right next to) wildebeest, impalas, Thomson gazelles, zebra, giraffes, rhinos, hippos and lions.

- Pangani Forest Exploration Trail: This walk through attraction is packed with guests, no I mean animals, actually I mean animals and guests. The entrance to this attraction is very near the exit of Kilimanjaro Safari, which means many who are disembarking from their safari will naturally be drawn to the trail. If you are lucky enough to catch this one on a slow day or smart enough to plan to visit during the early morning or later afternoon you will be richly rewarded.

This attraction is home to a couple of troops of gorillas whose habitat is so well designed that you will be hard pressed to discern the barrier that separates them from you. Also on the trail guests will see a hippo pool with an under water viewing area. A naked mole exhibit don't worry everything at Disney is PG. A group or pack I am not sure what you call it, but anyway some hyenas. A remarkable exotic bird aviary that is designed to allow guests to feel as though they have joined these creatures in the wild. This is really a not to missed attraction just a shame that Disney bypassed traffic control on this one.





- Wildlife Express to Conservation Station: This behind the scenes and working area of the Animal Kingdom is accessed by a train called the Wildlife Express. During their journey aboard the Wildlife Express guests will catch a glimpse of the nighttime enclosures where various animals are housed. Also a brief and really uninteresting glimpse of Asia can be experienced. It can be debated whether a trip to Conversation Station is worth the investment in time required. It will largely depend on what you came to Animal Kingdom for. If you largely want to be thrilled or entertained you may want to skip this one. If you came to explore and find hands on exhibits of interest then go for it.

Guests enter Asia by passing trough the Village of Anandapur. The architecture of Anandapur is a collage of several Asian countries including India and Indonesia among others.

- Kali River Rapids: A free floating river raft ride that takes guests around obstacles and over rapids not to mention past some really very interesting theming. From the Asian temple that serves as the waiting area to the various scenes that play out along the river this is vintage Disney. This short ride of just a little over 3 minutes packs more guests soaking per minute than possibly any other river rapid ride around. So plan to get if not soaked at least very, very wet.

- Flights Of Wonder: This live stage show presentation is similar in format to the aquatic shows we all have seen, except the mammals and fish are replaced with birds. The story line is of a lost treasure hunter who encounters a bird enthusiast and is taught a new appreciation for these creatures. This extremely well done and funny show is also informative and a real treat for the whole family. 30 minute show

- Maharajah Jungle Trek: Very similar to Pangani Forest Exploration Trail except without the over crowding. This is an extremely well designed walk through animal exhibit. All themed around a temple ruin where each Asian animal species is presented in a manner and design worthy of Disney. Simply not to be missed.

Since first reading Bob Sehlingers description of Dinoland in The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World I have continued to see this land as an elaborate tribute to the early Florida roadside attractions like Gatorland or Gooney Golf. Granted it is home to a headline attraction and a really first rate stage show nevertheless I still find myself looking around for the worlds largest ball of string.

- Dinosaur: Disney Imagineers obviously worked overtime and employed every special effect in the book during their design of this motion-simulator/track ride. I have encountered mixed reviews from those I spoke with regarding this attraction. Some love it and can't wait for another crack at traveling back to prehistoric time to rescue a soon to be extinct dinosaur, while others declare it to be too intense and have decided that if Dino doesn't make it back tough luck.

- Theater in the Wild: A live rock musical stage show production loosely based on the animated movie Tarzan. Aarzan Rocks is a fast paced combination of aerial acrobatics and extreme skating, as well as songs drawn from the movies musical soundtrack. This well-done and professionally performed show is entertaining and a not to be missed attraction. 30 minute show

- The Boneyard: A large and elaborate playground designed to resemble an archeological dig. Very entertaining for younger children and a nice opportunity for parents to take a break.

Here guests will find a mini land of sorts, which plays host to a variety of attractions and some old fashion carnival games.

- Triceratop Spin: Similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction except this time you ride in a car that suddenly turns into a toy top. As your top raises you will be treated to a glimpse of a dinosaur.

- Primeval Whirl: A roller coaster that spins is our description of this one and that will at least begin to help you get some idea of this the newest attraction to be added to the park. The dinosaur theming continues to Pop up as your car slips, slides and spins along the track..

A collection of Carnival or Boardwalk-type games will round out Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama

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