Dinoland USA is proof that Disney has gone to the ends of the earth and beyond to bring Orlando vacationers every possible wildlife experience. Park visitors will find that there is something for everyone in this land where fantastic meets wacky and whimsy. There’s a playground with an educational theme, a thrilling simulator ride back through time, a silly dinosaur-themed midway with rides and games and an all-new stage show - set to open in late 2006.

At The Boneyard, kids can climb, slide and explore tunnels as they learn about dinosaurs. Youngsters are encouraged to step in giant dinosaur footprints, open crates and just let there imaginations go wild. Surprises await the adventurous because you never know what will be discovered here. The bones of a fossilized dinosaur are fused to a wall; for example, in one part of this section of the park. Rap on them and musical notes emanate from the “xylobone.” Parents need not fear that their children will be covered in sand after exiting this area. A special non-stick substance called “Texas Grit” replaces the sand found at most playgrounds, here. There is even a large area where children can go on an “archeological dig” and uncover the bones of a wooly mammoth. This is one of the best places in Disney’s Animal Kingdom to take a fun Orlando vacation photograph!

Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama: Are you the member of a modern stone age family? No, the Flinstones aren’t here (they’re not Disney characters) but I bet they wish they were! This silly park-within-the-park has games and rides that one might expect to find at a local carnival - all with a dinosaur theme. One of the rides featured here is the Triceratop Spin - a tame little ride (similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant at The Magic Kingdom) with a dinosaur theme. The more adventurous at heart will want to take a spin (sorry) on the Primeval Whirl, a twist (again, I apologize) on the typical roller coaster rides found at many carnival midways. The circular cars on this track spin wildly out of control as they traverse the climbs and drops while dodging asteroids and silly dinosaur cut-outs that pop up from time to time. Because the cars spin, no two rides are ever the same at this Orlando vacation attraction. A FastPass is also available for this ride. Finally, no carnival would be complete without games of chance. Try your luck at Fossil Fueler, Dino Whamma, Mammoth Marathon or Comet Crasher; among others, and see if you can bring home an Orlando vacation souvenir!

Finding Nemo - The Musical: Opening on January 24th of 2007, this show is the newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Like the movie of the same name, this musical production has proven to be extremely popular with children and adults alike. The following is an excerpt from a Disney press release, announcing the show:

“Featuring original songs by Tony Award-winning ‘Avenue Q’ composer Robert Lopez and a cappella musical ‘Along the Way’ composer Kristen Anderson-Lopez, ‘Finding Nemo - The Musical’ [immerses] Walt Disney World guests in the story of Marlin and Nemo, an overprotective clownfish father and his curious son, through a dazzling production that combines puppets, dancers, acrobats and animated backdrops ... During ‘Finding Nemo - The Musical,’ Theater in the Wild [becomes] a magical undersea environment through innovative lighting, sound, special effects and the theatrical puppetry of Michael Curry, who designed the richly detailed character puppets seen in the Broadway version of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’.”

This musical has proven to be a smash hit. It also has the distinction of having perhaps the longest and slowest line in all of Walt Disney World. There is no FastPass available for Finding Nemo - The Musical and rumor has it there never will be one offered. If you want to see this show, I highly recommend getting to the theme park early, heading over to Dinoland USA and queuing up for Findong Nemo - The Musical before doing anything else at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Dinosaur: I’ve saved the best for last here. This incredibly popular simulator ride can develop some substantial queues, so get your FastPass for it before they run out of them! The premium thrill ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom takes riders back to the end of the Cretaceous Period, where their mission is to attempt to bring back an Iguanodon. During the ride, you will experience a meteor shower, lose the headlights on your vehicle and encounter all kinds of prehistoric life in search of the last known living representative of the Iguanodon dinosaur species. The rest of the ride I will leave as a surprise for those who have yet to experience it.

WARNING: If you would like to experience the Dinosaur attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there is a height restriction of at least 40 inches and children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult. As with all simulator rides, individuals that suffer from back, neck, heart, motion sickness, or any other physical limitations and pregnant mothers shouldn't ride. In addition, parents should take caution because some children; although they may be tall enough for the ride, could find some of the scenes and action quite scary.