The "Tree of Life" is a larger than full size tree sculpture that is filled with images of animals carved into the trunk. It is like playing "I Spy" and you could spend hours looking for all the different animals represented. The tree is the centerpiece of the Animal Kingdom, though there is plenty of other things to do there. The park is divided into several different regions representative of different parts of the world including Africa and Asia. The characters, buildings and costumes fit the themes. There is also an area that is themed around dinosaurs with funny rides as well as a place to dig for bones. The newest ride in the park is called "Expedition Everest": it is the roller coaster that Zack described in a previous blog.Walt Disney had a dream -- well, he had many dreams -- but this particular dream grew after he took a trip to a tropical rainforest. There, as he floated down the river, he imagined a ride at Disney World that would represent his trip. His vision became the Jungle Cruise found in the Magic Kingdom, however it was not all that he wanted it to be. As usual, Walt Disney was ahead of his time in imagination. He wanted the Jungle Cruise to include real animals -- including hippopotamuses wallowing in the shallow depths of the river along which the boat traveled. His advisors were adamant -- it was not possible for the park to use real animals! There were legal issues, animal care issues and safety issues. It would not happen as Walt Disney dreamed. He agreed to allow animatronic hippos and elephants, but always looked toward the day when they could make it right. The Animal Kingdom came long after Walt Disney's death, but that park fulfilled his dream.
One of the rides is a safari which takes visitors on a half hour trip through a wild animal park. The animals in the park are free range, meaning they can move and roam as they might in the wild. You never know where you might find the animals -- the tour guide is as surprized as the visitors when an elephant appears close to the road. I'm sure there must be some restraints -- it would be dangerous to allow the lions roam free, though they are given plenty of space. We did not see any of the rhinoceroses because they were beyond the view of the tram, but we did get to see the lions. I'm going to let you in on a secret, however... Disney is always in control. To keep the lions in just the right place at just the right time, they have installed air conditioning on the rock. It is the coolest, most comfortable place in the lion's habitat, so he is likely to be found there all day long.
As I said, "The Tree of Life" was one of my favorite parts of Walt Disney World. As an artist, I appreciated the incredible attention to detail. The animals were not in proportion -- there is a beetle as large as a buffalo -- but the animals meld together as if they belong in the same world. The owl pictured here is just one close-up from the tree. As you can see, it almost looks real. You can see the intensity of its eyes watching its prey somewhere beyond our vision. On the larger picture above, you can see how this carving fits into the rest of the sculpture. It is a beautiful and amazing thing to see.
