I love this trail and the aviary is amazing! You can see hippos underwater right outside the aviary exit it's so cool! Then you get to the gorilla exhibit!!! Man this is SO cool!
The animals weren't always visible but I still think that Disney did very well portraying this habitat. I always do enjoy seeing each animal because of their exoticism.
This attraction could be good or bad depending on the time of day you trek through it. I went through about an hour before the park closed and wasted precious time. The gorillas, monkeys, and a few other animals are actually put away out of site because this they have to sleep for the night. They told us that there are other animals and it would be a great attraction. Not so... There were very few animals and some cheesy displays (you know, the frog in the aquarium type things). This attraction relies a lot on how active the animals are and when they're not it was just plain boring. If time permits, try it out otherwise skip it...
After you get off Simba 1 head for the Pangani Trail. It offers animals not featured on the actual Kilamanjaro Safaris, which imo are a must see. The gorillas are wonderful to just stand and watch for awhile. The theming that went into this area is great. Kids will love taking a fish guide from a cast member and trying to locate them all in the ponds before the gorillas. This is a must do at once a trip at AK, it is truely awesome.
Great trail and should be visited at least once per visit!
At a regular zoo, you'll walk along an ordinary concrete road lined with cages or individual themed habitats that have a few rocks, tree stumps, some patches of grass. Disney designs circles around the typical zoo experience by theming the areas between the habitats as if you are really somewhere in the wild (yeah, of course the concrete road is still there, but it's windy like an actual trail). The habitats themselves are better designed and far more lush than the dirt and rocks at the zoo. The highlight are the gorillas, although they tend to blend in with their environment a bit and need a bit of patience to spot.
"Pangani Forest Exploration Trail" is to titles what this attraction is to Disney quality. If you have ever been to a Zoo, you have already done this, and not only that, you've probably done it in a much less crowded area and in a much more relaxing enviroment. I never could quite put my finger on it, but there is no sense of nature as you walk the path, even though there are animals everywhere (but you might not see them) and you are surrounded by dense forest. This attraction was a great idea, but the result was far from enjoyable. Too long; too many people being lured into this area by "Kilimanjaro Safaris" drivers who are required to plug it; too few animals and too long of a path, "Pangani Forest Exploration Trail" gets no more exciting than saying its name three times fast. Skip it if you can, especially if you're on vacation with a Park Hopper and want to make sure you see all of Disney's quality attractions before you leave. Tip: If you're in Central Florida and want to see how this idea is done correctly, take a trip to Busch Gardens and check out their own, more rewarding version of this concept, called "Edge of Africa". You'll have plenty of space to take your time and enjoy the animals, with very few people around to clutter up that sense of being on safari that would otherwise be there.
Here you can see meerkats, the best animals on earth! They are soo cute! I want to take one home. One of the best places to see animals at Animal Kingdom.
This walk through exhibit can be found at the exit to Kilamanjaro Safaris. It's pretty nice giving a closer view of some of the animals from the safari, but seems to lack the beauty of the similar Maharajah Jungle Treck. The Meerkats, Hippos, and Gorillas are definatly the highlights of the trail, but the other exhibits are interesting as well (there's everything from African birds to naked mole rats here). Worth a look.
GREAT TO DO AFTER THE SAFARI RIDE AS ALWAYS THE ANIMALS ARE OUT EARLY FEEDING ON THE BROWSE LEFT BY THE CM'S PICTURE OPORTS. ARE EVERYWERE SO BE READY WHEN THEY HAPPEN.