Earth Day is on Monday, April 22nd this year. It is an annual event in the spring that helps raise awareness on environmental issues. There are billions who look forward to celebrating our earth by initiating campaigns, as well as signing petitions to help animals that are going extinct from deforestation or pollution.
If you happen to be at Disney World on Earth Day, I encourage you to join in on the fun by visiting Animal Kingdom. In this article, I will share the specialty offerings, unique character interactions, as well as other things to expect when attending the park on this day. Let’s get started!
Specialty food
Animal Kingdom has plenty of new snacks and drinks creatively crafted to showcase the beauty of our earth. While we do not have word of the new 2024 offerings yet, we have some ideas from last year’s Earth Day in Animal Kingdom. There were treats inspired by important animals, such as bees, gorillas, elephants, and flamingoes. Along with the treats, there were colorful drinks that represented bodies of water and the ingredients used were harvested naturally. Below I have compiled the snacks and beverages offered last year, but you will be sure to find similar offerings this year. You can also take advantage of the special PhotoPass opportunities, and Magic shots, offered throughout the park that day. You never know who may show up in your picture!
Unique Characters
Apart from the Disney characters already present in the parks, the beauty of Earth Day is the surprise characters who make an appearance. Last year’s Earth Day had some special guests such as King Louie and Baloo from The Jungle Book, Kenai and Koda from Brother Bear, Princess Atta from A Bug’s Life, Jane and Terk from Tarzan and Tinkerbell and Fawn. In 2022, Gypsy from A Bug’s Life was present, too. These are such rare character sightings (by rare I mean that these characters are typically never in the parks) and if you value meeting Disney characters, this is the perfect day to come to Animal Kingdom.
New Merch
If you are a Disney fan who loves keepsakes or just enjoys collecting Disney commodities, Earth Day merchandise is on another level. There are many special items that will memorialize your day at Animal Kingdom. For example, last year there were embroidered hoodies and tees from famous Disney films such as The Lion King, Up, Encanto, etc…. There were new pins and accessories available for purchase as well. Disney offers specialty mugs for purchase if you like collecting these. It would be difficult to name all the new merch available, but we can guarantee the stores will be a Disney lovers’ paradise.
There is a powerful synergy between Animal Kingdom Park and Earth Day, because Animal Kingdom Park opened its doors on Earth Day in 1998. The purpose of the park was to promote animal conservation and protect the environment, and it continues to be so today. Therefore, it would be perfect to visit this park on this significant day, due to the excellent offerings and opportunities presented. So come on down, dear reader, and celebrate our wonderful Earth at Disney World, this year!
Featured Photo: Emily Murray.