Wednesday is Earth Day, and Walt Disney World is celebrating!
Animal Kingdom is marking April 22, which is also the theme park’s birthday, with its annual Party for the Planet. Most of the activities are based at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, so those interested should head to the back of the park, where they will take a short train ride to the festivities.
There, guests will find several opportunities to learn about and celebrate the Earth. Through Saturday, April 25, visitors can meet and take photos with Rafiki and Jiminy Cricket. The latter, a character from ‘Pinocchio,’ usually only comes out for special occasions, so this is a somewhat rare appearance. Also through Saturday, guests can have their faces painted or a caricature drawn — for a charge.
Want to learn a little while celebrating? Cast members who work on conservation efforts around the world will have displays and presentations. Plus, research stations will showcase behind-the-scenes footage from Disneynature’s ‘Monkey Kingdom’ that shows how technology is used to enhance conservation efforts. (For every ticket sold through April 23, Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats. My review of the film can be found here.)
In past years, a series of hands-on activities were designed to help kids learn about various aspects of conservation and planet stewardship. From discovering how to shop for products that are Earth-friendly to identifying animals in the wild, kids traveled around the park, collecting prizes that together formed a wildlife tracking kit. It was a clever and fun educational exercise. My fingers are crossed that the stations will be back this year.
Animal Kingdom again this year hosts artists who specialize in landscapes and nature designs, and their work is available for purchase through Earth Day. There also will be Disney Earth Day merchandise for sale on Wednesday. And what birthday would be complete without a cupcake? A cute Worms & Dirt confection is for sale on April 22 at Kusafari Coffee Shop and Bakery and Isle of Java.
An Earth Day Times Guide will be available at the front of park with all the day’s special activities.
Earth Day also will continue to be celebrated at Epcot. Most of the activities will be located inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Displays throughout the pavilion — many of which also can be seen on World Oceans Day on June 8 — help children learn how turtle excluder devices protect sea turtles and how conservation efforts save coral reefs, manatees and sharks.
At one booth inside The Seas, a cast member will explain how The Walt Disney Co. is helping to protect coral reefs near Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas, by relocating sea urchins that help control the algae there. At another, guests will learn that they can contribute to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund’s sea turtle conservation efforts through the Adopt-A-Nest Program. They can do so at the gift shop at Epcot’s The Seas with Nemo & Friends; the Out of the Wild shop at Animal Kingdom; and at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
Finally, be sure to check out the sand sculpture that showcases Disneynature’s “Monkey Kingdom” at the World Showcase Outpost. It’s been completed this week as an early Earth Day present!
This sounds like a lovely idea. Shame I’m not there til Sept!!!
I shall “celebrate” Earth Day myself tomorrow at home then (U.K.) with some gardening, use organic veg and fruit, and use as little electric as possible all day, to save a little bit more of the planet. Not much from one person, but if we all did a little bit every now and again…….?!
And I’ll wear my WDW Earth Day pin with pride tomorrow.
Have a lovely day everyone, with love,
Sarah XX