PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Animal Kingdom 9/5/2024 (DiVine, Merch Check, and DinoLand U.S.A.)

Nana T.

A woman wearing Mickey Mouse ears takes a selfie with a large bird statue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The image includes an animatronic dinosaur from DinoLand U.S.A. on the left and a forest-themed park sign on the right.

PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Animal Kingdom 9/5/2024 (DiVine, Merch Check, and DinoLand U.S.A.)

Hello hello, this is your one and only Nana! I hope you’re having a magical day. I know it’s been a while, I went to Disneyland for Oogie Boogie Bash and tried some Halloween foods.

Left: A Halloween parade float with "Frightfully Fun Parade" sign, amidst costumed performers. Right: Two people in festive Halloween costumes pose for a selfie on a street lined with onlookers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Photo report from 9/5/2024.

(Yes, Nana and Arlo covered the OBB. Can you guess our costumes?)

After coming back to Orlando, I went to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida with the WDWNT family. With that, my Halloween is over and it’s time to return to my Disney Princess Diary (aka, these photo reports).

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Today, we went to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s been a while since I last visited this park… (maybe since the Dole Whip scavenger hunt?). My friend (an unofficial WDWNT “intern”) is with me, so I have a reservation at Tusker House after our loop. Let’s go!

A lush, green pathway with various plants and trees leads to a building. The building, partially visible, features ivy-covered walls and a wooden signpost on the right. This scene could fit right into Disney’s Animal Kingdom, creating an enchanting photo report-worthy moment.

As soon as we walked in, DiVine greeted us. She is not Groot nor a female Groot… Just saying, because I heard somebody saying “Groot!” when we passed her.

Display of headbands and accessories with a "Create Your Own Headband" sign, showing steps to customize headbands with various character-themed attachments, beautifully arranged on shelves. Capture the magic at Disney's Animal Kingdom on 9/5/2024 in your photo report.

I was already sweating, so I escaped to Discovery Trading Company for some nice air conditioning. Did you know this shop has started selling the “Create Your Own Headbands“? They even have Nightmare Before Christmas characters! I made my ears when they first came out at Disneyland back in April. I have two Little Green Aliens and Anxiety from Shanghai Disneyland (Thank you, Tom!).

A navy sweatshirt featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy hangs on a rack in a store at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

One of the popular half-zips is back in stock, and all the girls were going crazy over them. I wish we could wear those long sleeves here in September.

A woven straw hat with black mouse ears and a round "Expert Explorer" badge is held up in Disney’s Animal Kingdom store. The badge's text is complemented by red and brown striped accents on the hat's band. Perfect for your next safari or a special addition to your 9/5/2024 photo report!

Next, we went to Island Mercantile. They always have this Mickey Safari hat, but it’s for kids. I have a fairly big head, so there’s no way it will fit me. I would love an adult-sized version, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

A restaurant with a sign reading "Restaurantosaurus" and "Home of the Burgosaurus Burger" on a wooden building, surrounded by trees under a partly cloudy sky in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Mark your calendars for our PHOTO REPORT on 9/5/2024!

We then went to Dinoland U.S.A. I had to stop by Restaurantosaurus for water and ice. (Stay hydrated, y’all!) In case you didn’t know, you can get free ice water from any quick service restaurant at Walt Disney World. (Yes, Magic Kingdom water tastes fancy…)

Person in yellow shirt with cartoon characters refilling a cup at a beverage station with a tea dispenser and an ice bin, captured during our Disney’s Animal Kingdom photo report on 9/5/2024.

But today, their ice machine wasn’t working, so a Cast Member was handing out ice from a bin. #CastCompliment!

A large dinosaur sculpture with an open mouth stands outside a building, partially obscuring a sign on the right. Vivid decorative elements resembling flames and rocks form the backdrop, creating a striking scene reminiscent of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

We walked over to DINOSAUR to say hi to Aladar. He seemed surprised by the evacuation notice. (This ride will eventually close to make way for an Indiana Jones attraction).

Photo Report: People walking on a pathway in a landscaped area with trees, heading towards a structure with a sun decoration and glass dome at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A person is pushing a stroller in the foreground. (9/5/2024)

I like this ride; in fact, I love the smell of the loading area, if I’m being specific. I will miss DINOSAUR a lot.

       Left side: Cartoon image of Pluto with information about Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Right side: Statue of a dinosaur outdoors, next to a green checkered wall and trees in the background, captured for a photo report dated 9/5/2024.

Today is September 5, which is Pluto, Oswald, and Max’s birthday. As such, I wanted to wish Pluto a “Happy Birthday!” I waited behind Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures. Guess what? Pluto did not show up!

We waited for a good 20 minutes, but he didn’t appear, so we started walking toward “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! We then found him by TriceraTop Spin, where Goofy always meets guests. My Disney Experience still said Pluto was meeting behind Chester & Hester’s, but due to AP magnet distribution, Pluto had been moved to Goofy’s location. I hope nobody else wastes time like I did today.

A person in a pink top with a colorful headband takes a selfie with a large, colorful bird character at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Lush greenery and other park visitors are visible in the background, creating a lively photo report from 2024.

Moving on, there wasn’t much happening in Asia, but I did get to see Kevin! She loved my hamburger ears.

A display at Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Banshee Rookery showcases a model banshee. Signs advertise a 30% discount on select banshees priced at $69.99 and a package deal for $15.00, all part of the 2024 promotions. People are browsing in the background, perfect for our latest photo report.

Africa was also quiet today, so we walked to Pandora. At Windtraders, they’re offering 30% off the adoption fee for Banshees and $15 Banshee perches. I adopted a Banshee when the land first opened. I taught him how to do “Dream Along with Mickey.” (If you know, you know…😉That’s Disney Adult Level 50 knowledge.)

That wraps up my adventure for the day, but I’ll take you to my late lunch and another adventure too.

A hand holds a postcard featuring animated characters, including two ducks and a mouse, in a colorful marketplace setting, reminiscent of Disney's Animal Kingdom.
A hand holding a card with signatures from Disney characters including Donald Duck, Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Mickey Mouse, inside Tusker House Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Perfect for your 2024 photo report.

We went to Tusker House for that late lunch. It’s been a few years since I last ate here. Here’s the autograph card they gave us. (The characters can still sign!)

A person in a duck costume wearing a green safari outfit poses with arms outstretched in a restaurant setting, reminiscent of the wildlife adventures at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, perfect for our 9/5/2024 photo report.

The characters were great as usual — really playful and they made me happy.

A character in a green military-style uniform points to a circular patch on their chest, featuring an emblem with text and imagery from Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

I also realized Donald’s costume had the Dino Institute icon on it. I’m wondering what they will do with it after DinoLand is gone.

A green plate with three assorted desserts, each decorated with unique toppings: a green leaf, a sunflower design, and a miniature corn and cream figure. Captured on 9/5/2024 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during our photo report.

The food was okay (a lot of cilantro though), but the desserts were great. Our favorite was the pineapple tart (the one with the leaf).

In this 2024 photo report, visitors stand in line at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the left; a futuristic lab scene from an attraction featuring a figure in a neural systems check is shown on the right.

After dinner, we went to ride Flight of Passage since the wait was only 25 minutes on My Disney Experience. When we arrived, the wait time was just 20 minutes, which meant it was almost a walk-on! We skipped the stop at the lab where the avatar is floating in the tank.

This was a fantastic way to end my day! The parks have been so slow lately that most of the ride wait times are shorter, which is always nice for guests.

Thank you for reading my Disney Princess Diary from Disney’s Animal Kingdom! I hope I brought a smile to your face. See you real soon!

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