On Earth Day, in honor of Animal Kingdom’s 25th anniversary, Cast Members at the Walt Disney World Resort Park unearthed a time capsule that was buried when Animal Kingdom first opened.
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Originally opening on April 22, 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is arguably the most unique Park within Walt Disney World Resort due to its emphasis on actual wildlife and education. No other Disney Park allows Guests to get this close to animals (unless you include the cats of Disneyland).
Animal Kingdom is also one of the most immersive and naturally beautiful theme parks in the world, taking Guests through Africa, Asia, prehistoric times, and even Pandora from Avatar (2009). The Park is filled with fantastic attractions like Avatar Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, and DINOSAUR. And that’s not even mentioning all of the animal encounters!
@disneyparks Happy 25th Anniversary Animal Kingdom! 🦁It’s been a wild ride! 🌳🦒🐾 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #AnimalKingdom #EarthDay
On April 22, 2023, which just so happened to be Earth Day, Cast Members celebrated the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom by digging up a time capsule in order to take a nostalgic trip to when the Park first opened. And these items were truly a sight to behold.
Relive the Early Days of the Animal Kingdom
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On the official Disney Parks TikTok page, Disney shared a video showing construction workers digging up the capsule, showcasing every single item inside. And there were definitely some relics in there!
The first items were technology from a previous era that some people alive today have never seen in person, such as floppy discs containing photos, VHS tapes to orient new employees, physical paper tickets, and the original maps of the Park that didn’t have Pandora on it. Believe it or not, there was a time before Avatar.
@disneyparks Soooo who’s gonna help us access those floppy things? 💾 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #AnimalKingdom #EarthDay #TimeCapsule
There were also plenty of items that Disney collectors would love to get their hands on, including plenty of opening day merchandise, a T-Shirt signed by all the Cast Members at opening day, and a toothbrush for Gino the Silverback Gorilla, who is still at the Park today.
Over its 25 years, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has grown into a wonderful Park brimming with unique and exciting attractions as well as plenty of educational opportunities that separate it from every other Disney Theme Park. Here’s to another 25 years!
What’s your favorite attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!