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From animal encounters, trips through the Forbidden Mountains of Everest and journeys to another planet - Disney's Animal Kingdom truly is a new species of theme park.

Here's a look back at some of the milestone dates in the evolution of Disney's Animal Kingdom over its first 20 years:



June 20 1995 Plans for “Wild Animal Kingdom” announced



August 4 1995 Groundbreaking for Disney’s Animal Kingdom



December 5 1995 The first tree, an authentic African acacia xanthophloea, is planted



June 12, 1996 Miles the giraffe is the first animal to arrive



October 5, 1996 A baby kudu is the first animal to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom



November 4, 1997 Hope, a 14-year-old gorilla, gives birth to a male named Jabari



April 22 1998 (Earth Day) Grand Opening for Disney’s Animal Kingdom



January 1999 Accreditation from Association of Zoos and Aquariums (formerly American Zoo and Aquarium Association)



March 1 1999 Grand Opening of Asia, which includes Kali River Rapids and Maharajah Jungle Trek



July 1999 Tarzan Rocks! debuts



May 2000 Reproduction of Dino-Sue, the rare 65 million-year-old tyrannosaurus rex, on display in DinoLand U.S.A.



October 2000 Rafiki’s Planet Watch premieres



December 2000 Safari Village renamed Discovery Island



June 4 2001 Colobus Monkey Habitat Opens on Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (formerly Pangani Forest Trail)



October 2001 Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade premieres



November 2001 First phase of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama opens with TriceraTop Spin attraction and midway games



April 18 2002 Primeval Whirl opens at Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama



April 22 2003 Plans announced for Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain



May 2005 Lucky the Dinosaur, the first Audio-Animatronics figure capable of walking and moving independently, makes special appearances



April 7 2006 Expedition Everest opens



April 2006 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund achieves $10 million milestone since its 1995 creation



January 2007 Grand opening for “Finding Nemo – the Musical”



April 22 2007 Inaugural “Party for the Planet” event takes place on Earth Day



February 16 2008 Paws in the Park event. Disney’s Animal Kingdom/Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives raises more than $13,000 for SPCA of Central Florida



April 22 2008 Jane Goodall Global Youth Summit visits the park on Earth Day



January 16 2011 Wild Africa Trek opens



June 1 2013 Wilderness Explorers program debuts to guests



June 1 2014 Festival of the Lion King debuts in its new home, the brand new Harambe Theatre.



May 2015 Harambe Market opens.



May 27 2016 Tiffins restaurant and Nomad Lounge open, nighttime experiences debut – Harambe Wildlife Parti, Discovery Island Carnivale, Tree of Life Awakenings and nighttime version of Kilimanjaro Safaris



May 28 2016 The Jungle Book – Alive with Magic live show debuts



December 2016 Lion-tailed Macaques debut



February 17 2017 Rivers of Light debuts



May 27 2017 Pandora – the World of Avatar opens



August 2017 Sumatran tiger cubs, Jeda and Anala, are born,



January 2017 Augustus, a baby hippo, is born



March 2018 Contributions to Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund total $70 million since 1995



April 22 2018 20th Anniversary milestone marked with Party for the Planet Earth Day Celebration, premiere of UP! A Great Bird Adventure and debut of the Pandora Utility Suit

Joe Rohde, Portfolio Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering

“It’s kind of unusual to stay attached like this to a single project for two decades, but there you have it…Disney’s Animal Kingdom is more or less the story of my life!! Even though it’s…like…twenty years old, there has never been a single day when we were not working on something that was going to go into the park or change the park. It’s a living thing, because it is full of other living things.”

“The super complex horticulture and landscaping of the park is part of what makes it alive. It isn’t managed to stay the same, but rather to continue to grow and change…to be as real as we can make it be. You would not believe how much work that takes!!

Djuan Rivers, Vice President, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

“Disney’s Animal Kingdom has undergone an amazing transformation in the past few years, but at its heart, it has always been dedicated to helping our guests create a personal connection with the world around us. As we approach this 20th anniversary milestone, I’m honored to have been entrusted with leadership of this unique park and to work with this incredible group of Cast Members who share the magic of nature with our guests every day.”

“Disney’s Animal Kingdom has seen a lot of change, and through all the amazing accomplishments, we have remained committed to bringing the magic of nature to our guests in ways only Disney can.”

Jane Goodall, Phd, DBE, Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute, L&U Messenger of Peace

“I have been involved with Disney’s Animal Kingdom since before the grand opening day 1998. From the start I was impressed by the scale of the park – it was especially magical to see four elephants able to disport themselves in a huge pool. How lucky I was to be allowed to climb the scaffolding and look close up at the amazing art work on the Tree of Life. The huge sculpture of David Greybeard, the only named animal on the Tree, was a surprise, sculpted specially for me.

Now, 20 years later, I think of all the animals and how many visitors have had a chance to watch them and learn about the importance of wildlife on Planet Earth. The Animal Kingdom provides an experience that is not only fascinating, but also educational as visitors hear stories about the importance of conserving animals and their habitats

The Disney Conservation Fund was established to support conservation efforts in many countries, including educational programs. I am particularly grateful that hundreds of young people in Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots have benefited from this fund in eighteen countries around the world. It is so desperately important that the next generations should be better stewards of the natural world than we have been.

Visitors to Disney’s Animal Kingdom learn to respect animals as individuals. They also come away understanding that each one of us makes an impact on Planet Earth every day. By choosing wisely, choosing to tread lightly on the Earth and thus conserve our precious and finite natural resources, we can ensure a better future for generations of people and animals to come.”

Anne Savage, Ph.D, Conservation Director, Disney’s Animal Programs, Disney Parks

“For the past 20 years, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has worked to help save wildlife and engage communities in helping protect the magic of nature. I’m so excited to see these care and conservation efforts continue to grow through the Disney Conservation Fund and our dedicated cast.”

Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks

“We are proud to contribute to Walt Disney’s legacy of caring for wildlife and wild places. As a world-class leader in animal care and conservation, we are leading the way and reversing the decline of endangered and imperiled species. Through our participation in Species Survival Plans, we’ve been able to responsibly breed more than 200 species, thus ensuring diverse animal populations for the future.”

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