My absolute favorite souvenir--and I do love souvenirs--was a baseball cap appliquéd with Mickey ears in a leopard print. But there's plenty more--from Mickey in his great new safari outfit to grown-up safari garb and East African pottery. I still regret not picking up the safari helmet with Mickey ears. Next time.
And, of course, there are restaurants for all tastes. Tusker House Restaurant, which is billed as "The Best Food in East Africa" and looks authentically Kenyan, with Swahili signs and artwork, has great grilled chicken and other grown-up kinds of food. But there's also a Pizzafari for pizza addicts and the Restaurantosaurus where you can get McDonald's fries and Happy Meals for lunch and dinner or a Prehistoric Breakfast with Donald Duck. At the Rainforest Cafe, located near the entrance to Animal Kingdom, you can enjoy a meal while seated in what feels very much like a tropical rain forest.
The most photogenic foods, though, are the vanilla ice-cream sandwiches with chocolate paw prints.
And as with any Disney park, there are plenty of comfort stations, places for changing diapers and a spotless ambience everywhere. (Whoops, no one told a rhino--who did a bad thing on the savanna during my safari. Guess he wasn't potty trained.)
One-day admission prices to Disney's Animal Kingdom are $59.75 for adults, $48 for children. (Better deals are available for all of Disney World if you buy a 4- or 5-day Park Hopper pass.) When I visited, the park had just opened, and there were no long lines. Remember, schedule the BIG attractions, like the Kilimanjaro Safaris, for first thing in the morning or late in the day. You'll see more animals that way and save time.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated June 2005.
