PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Animal Kingdom 7/15/19 (Baby Grace the Gorilla, Guest Experience Team, Starbucks Ornament, ETC.)

Iain

expedition everest

PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Animal Kingdom 7/15/19 (Baby Grace the Gorilla, Guest Experience Team, Starbucks Ornament, ETC.)

Jambo from Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Today we’re back for a park walk around the most naturally picturesque park at Walt Disney World, so let’s get this photo report started!

expedition Everest

Today was the first day of the Guest Experience Team expanding to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guest Experience Team Cast Members assist guests with booking, modifying, and recovering FastPass+ selections, navigating the My Disney Experience app, and deactivating/reactivating Magic Bands.

animal kingdom guest experience team

There are currently three Guest Experience Team locations throughout the park: outside Pizzafari, near Expedition Everest, and Harambe Village.

animal kingdom guest experience team

animal kingdom guest experience team

animal kingdom guest experience team

I’m loving the park-specific artwork on their costumes, featuring the Tree of Life.

animal kingdom guest experience team

animal kingdom club 33

Over on the site of the upcoming Club 33 location, some scaffolding has started going up, indicating some construction progress has started.

gorilla falls exploration trail
Timon looking for his Pumba?

My next stop was the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. It was a good day for animal sightings today throughout the park, it seemed like everyone was out and about and active today.

gorilla falls exploration trail

gorilla falls exploration trail

gorilla falls exploration trail

Today was one of the best views I’ve ever gotten of baby Grace the gorilla. She’s nearing three months old, and her mother Kashata seems to be letting her roam a little farther away, but never quite out of grasp. You know, just in case.

gorilla falls exploration trail
MY HEART

Rafiki's planet watch

Next I made my way onto the Wildlife Express train to head to Rafiki’s Planet Watch! This area of the park just reopened after a lengthy refurbishment, and I was so excited to finally get back over here and explore again today!

Rafiki's planet watch

animation experience

Rafiki's planet watch

animation experience

The Animation Experience is a new addition to the Conservation Station, and I am beyond thrilled at its arrival. The Animation Academy Drawing Class was one of my all-time favorite attractions during its time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and I’ve missed it all the time since it closed. I am very happy to have one of my favorite little pieces of Disney magic back on property. Right now, they are only drawing characters from The Lion King, but keep checking back here to see if that changes.

animation experience

There are FastPasses offered for this attraction, but lately when I’ve checked, they have all seemed to be pretty booked. However, its a very large class size, and it seems like the entire Standby queue has been making it into each show.

Rafiki's planet watch

I also happened to get a peek at a Spoonbill getting a check up on his foot injury.

Rafiki's planet watch

Starbucks been there ornament

In Creature Comforts, a new ornament matching the Starbucks Animal Kingdom Been There mug arrived. It’s just a little mini replica of the full size version of the mug, but if you’re a fan of the series, it’s going to be a must-have for your collection. It’s priced at $14.99.

Starbucks been there ornament

primeval whirl

Primeval Whirl is still closed for unscheduled maintenance. It’s been closed since June 17th, and is closing in on an entire month of being out of operation. The last update pushes the reopening back until July 20th at the earliest.

primeval whirl

That’s all for my day around Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Stay tuned to WDWNT for more updates, and we’ll see ya real soon!