Animal Kingdom has a plethora of walking trails that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the park, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail being one of those. This trail is located at the exit of the safari, and it takes you through the lush area where you can find hippos, monkeys, gorillas, zebras, meerkats, and birds! In my opinion, these treks add to the overall experience of Animal Kingdom. There are unique attractions here, but making time for the animals that call this place home is essential. Here are all the reasons why you shouldn’t skip this attraction.
It’s a Great Learning Experience
On these trails, there are cast members that are part of the animal care team, and they share many different facts about the animals. They also teach guests how to help save the environment so that these animals in the wild can continue to live and grow their population. I love stopping to talk to these cast members because I learn something new each time.
These trails are a great way to teach kids about different animals and what they can do to help their environment. It’s also an excellent way to introduce them to animals they have never seen or heard of. I think the more we learn about these creatures, the more we can help them survive out in the wild and create healthy habitats for them.
You Might be Able to See a Baby Animal
Animal Kingdom is a conservation center that focuses on saving endangered species by ensuring babies are brought into the world. If you watch the Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom series on Disney+, they go into depth on this topic. Recently I visited the trail, and I saw two baby gorillas. The guests, myself included, were fascinated by these babies as they ran around, held on to their mothers, and interacted with all of us watching.
I am a sucker for baby animals. My entire “For You” page on TikTok is filled with videos of them, so of course, I wiggled my way up to the glass to see the babies up close. One of them was very active and had us all laughing. I think there’s something so magical about seeing a baby animal at Disney World.
It’s a Great Place to Make Memories
I have many memories here with my family from when I was growing up, from my dad hiding in the bushes trying to scare me to teaching my siblings that it’s not “weird” to love animals. I have loved taking my wife to Animal Kingdom ever since I started bringing her to Disney in 2017. It was my way of showing her my nerdy side while babbling on about the different animals. My dream as a kid was to work with animals until I learned about all the sad parts of the career, so this is the closest I’ll ever get to that childhood dream.
I have a friend with the same dream, but she’s actually worked in the animal field, so we love walking these trails together and noticing new things or checking on different animals we love. Sometimes we go to Animal Kingdom to do that and nothing else.
It’s a Zen Area
The crowds in the Africa section of the park can be very overwhelming, especially during busy parts of the year like Spring Break. This trail is a great way to escape all that and have moments of peace, quietness, and zen. Sometimes when it’s just gotten to be too much for me, I’ll head into the trail and find a bench. I’ll sit there for about 30 minutes to decompress and try to find shade to hide from the brutal sun.
My favorite spot to sit is where you can find the meerkats and zebras. It’s a completely covered spot, and the view is breathtaking. The meerkats pop up and run around, which makes for great laughs, and the cast members here always have fun facts about the visible animals. Another great spot is in the aviary. The peaceful sound of the waterfalls and the gorgeous birds flying around or sitting near the water are lovely.
Now that I have shared my love for this trail, I want to know your thoughts. Do you skip the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail? Or is it a must-do for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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