Opening on April 22, 1998, Disney's Animal Kingdom became the fourth theme park to open in Walt Disney World. What many people consider to be a larger version of Discovery Island, Disney's Animal Kingdom is a theme park dedicated entirely to the conservation of animals, a principle that Walt Disney himself firmly believed. The park's different rides and attractions focus on the animals, whether they're here with us today, extinct like the dinosaurs, or figments of our imagination like dragons and unicorns. Like the Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom was also criticized for a distinct lake of rides when the park first opened. The park's main E-Ticket rides ("Kilimanjaro Safaris" and "Countdown to Extinction") weren't enough to go along with the "Discovery River Cruise" and various shows and walking tours. The crowds expected more to do in the park. The Asia section of the park opened next with another walking trail and E-Ticket ride ("Kali River Rapids"), and later a carnival side-show addition (Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama!) in DinoLand added a couple of extra much-needed rides to the park.

Finally, on April 7, 2006, Animal Kingdom's next E-Ticket ride officially opened to the public --- "Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain". Everest is a thrilling roller coaster ride that features a backwards section and an exciting close encounter with a yeti.

Please click on a year listed on the menu to the left (or from the listing below) to be momentarily transported back in time to see how the park was presented to the public. See how some of the attractions, shops, and restaurants have changed over the years.

Additional guide books and guide maps will be added over time.

Guidemaps:

- June 15-21, 1998

- December 21-27, 1998

- March 8-14, 1999

- August 2-8, 1999

- November 28 - December 4, 1999

- December 17-23, 2000

- March 4-10, 2001

- late 2001 

- October of 2003 

- July of 2004 - guidemap & entertainment guide 

- January of 2005 

- July of 2005 - guidemap & entertainment guide 

- November of 2005 

- July of 2007 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- April of 2008

- August of 2008 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- December of 2008

- April of 2009 - guidemap & entertainment guide 

- November of 2009 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- December of 2009 - guidemap & entertainment guides

- January of 2010

- June of 2010

- November of 2010 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- February of 2011 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- June of 2011 - guidemap & entertainment guide

- September of 2011