Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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STROLLERS
Stroller rentals are available at Garden Gate Gifts to the right as you
enter the park ($15 for a single, $31 for a double; length-of-stay rentals are available at
$13 per day for a single, $27 per day for a double—payment in full is expected at time
of rental). There are also satellite locations throughout the park. Ask a Disney employee
to steer you.
WHEELCHAIR RENTAL
You can rent wheelchairs at Garden Gate Gifts to the right
as you enter the park. Rentals are $10 for a standard wheelchair, $45 for an electric
wheelchair (plus a $20 refundable deposit). Ask Disney employees for other rental loca-
tions throughout the park.
THE OASIS
This painstakingly designed landscape of streams, grottoes, and miniwaterfalls sets the
tone for the rest of the park. This is a good place to see wallabies, tiny deer, giant anteat-
ers, sloths, iguanas, tree kangaroos, otters, and macaws (
if,
I remind you ad nauseum, you
get here early or stay late). But the thick cover provides a camouflage for the animals and
sometimes makes seeing them difficult. There are no rides in this area, and, aside from
the animals, it's mainly a pass-through zone. Those guests traveling with eager children
will probably have more time to enjoy these exhibits on the way out.
DISCOVERY ISLAND
Like Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom and Spaceship Earth in Epcot, the 14-story
Tree of Life
located here has been designed to be the park's central landmark. The man-
made tree and its carved animals are the work of Disney artists. Teams of them worked
for 1 year creating the various sculptures, and it's worth a stroll on the walks around its
roots, but most folks are smart to save it for the end of the day. (Much of it can be seen
while you're in line for
It's Tough to Be a Bug!
or on the
Discovery Island Trails.
) The
intricate design makes it seem as if a different animal appears from every angle. One of
the creators says he expects it to become one of the most photographed works of art in
the world. (He's probably a Disney shareholder.) There's a wading pond directly in front
of the tree that often features flamingos.
Discovery Island Trails
Frommer's Rating:
B
Recommended Ages:
All ages
The old, pre-FASTPASS queue for It's Tough to Be a Bug! provides a leisurely path
through the root system of the Tree of Life and a chance to see real, not-so-rare critters,
such as axis deer, red kangaroos, otters, flamingos, lemurs, Galápagos tortoises, ducks,
storks, and cockatoos. Again, the best viewing times are early or late in the day.
It's Tough to Be a Bug!
Frommer's Rating:
A, C for young ones scared silly from sensory effects
Recommended Ages:
5-adult
This show's cuteness quotient is enough to earn it a B+. But it goes a rung higher thanks
to the preshow: To get to the theater, you have to wind around the Tree of Life's 50-foot
base, giving you a front-row look at this man-made marvel. After you've passed that, grab
your 3-D glasses and settle into a sometimes creepy-crawly seat. Based on the film
A Bug's
Life,
the special effects in this multimedia show are pretty impressive. It's not a good one
for very young kids (it's dark and loud) or bug haters (though my bug-phobic editor loves
it), but for others it's a fun, sometimes poignant look at life from a smaller perspective.
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