Disney at a Distance: Asia
Every week until Walt Disney World re-opens, we are giving a virtual tour of a land at Walt Disney World. This week we are going to Disney's Animal Kingdom to visit Asia.
Asia is one of our favorite examples of immersive imagineering at Walt Disney World. From the scent of incense you can sometimes catch as you cross the bridge from Discovery Island to the light sounds of Asian music, from the way the buildings built in the last 20 years seem to bear the dirt and wear of ages to the way the wires strung above twist around each other haphazardly even when we know Disney does nothing haphazard, this truly is a gem to explore.
Our journey takes us from the village of Anandapur all the way to the Himalayas. Before we begin our trek, though, we suggest provisioning yourself with the following:
Burn a lotus or jasmine scented candle, burn some incense, or brew some fragrant tea to evoke the wonderful smells that hit you as you enter this land.
If you're feeling adventurous enough to deep fry, make yourself some dessert fried wontons from Yak and Yeti.
For a faster fix, whip yourself up a frozen coca cola blended with malibu rum like they serve at Drinkwallah.
Practice some Asian hospitality and give your karma a nice shine by setting out your version of "water for trekkers" by putting out some cold water bottles and sanitizing wipes for delivery people who keep us going during these isolating times.
As you enter Asia, you hear the area music kick in.
You might also hear an unfamiliar sound, much louder than the music, if you time your visit right. It is one of my favorite sounds to hear at Disney's Animal Kingdom...
I could watch the gibbons forever. But Anandapur beckons. Let's don our ponchos and explore the jungle on Kali River Rapids. Oh, you didn't bring a poncho? Well..... I'm sure you'll be fine.
Anandapur is also home of my favorite exploration trail in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Maharajah Jungle Trek. You can see a number of beautiful birds, tigers, and giant bats.
Wow! I don't think I've ever seen crowds like that on the jungle trek! Pro tip: Head to the exploration trails like this one early in the morning (after your first ride of the day). While there are almost never lines, the experience is so much nicer in cool weather, without a ton of people, and the animals enjoy the cooler weather more too and are more active.
Another thing that's a pretty great animal experience is the UP! Bird Show. If you haven't seen a bird show before, I strongly recommend it. After seeing the incarnations of this at Disney, I've ventured out to see many more bird shows locally and have become something of a junkie!
Now, the UP! Bird Show replaced a nice little bird show before it called Flights of Wonder that, to be honest, I preferred because it was a little bit less staged. But nothing ever does beat feeling the flap of wings right above your head, so I still recommend.
So that's, the original part of Asia, Anandapur. Up until 2006, that encapsulated most of what you could do in Asia. But then Expedition Everest opened and is one of the most popular rides in Disney's Animal Kingdom. To visit, we must trek up into the Himalayas.
Even the queue for Expedition Everest is wonderfully themed. So today, I'd like to take you through the queue and the ride. Hold on tight!
Exiting Expedition Everest, you will find yourself walking along a path with the terraces for Rivers of Light to your right until you enter Dinoland USA, and that concludes our visit to Asia.
But I have two final treats in store for you. The first is one of my favorite characters of the theme parks. Nowadays you will usually only see her in the Oasis part of Disney's Animal Kingdom, but in the past, she could be found near the back of Anandapur, or in the Tree of Life Gardens. I'm speaking, of course, of the enchanting Divine.
The second treat, which I hope you'll enjoy, is a collection of pictures I've taken in Anandapur over the years that showcase some of the wonderful theme in this area. Like Africa, I find this land so beautiful and well done.
I hope you have enjoyed our visit to Asia today. There are three weeks left until the parks re-open and we turn our attention to what a post lockdown Disney looks like. Where should we go?
Comment on our Facebook page or here and we'll see you next week.
