If you’re a Disney fan, you probably know a LOT of fun facts that other people don’t!

There are the classic ones, like where certain hidden Mickeys are in the parks, and then there are ones that are a little less well-known. We’ve had Cast Members tell us some really cool trivia in the past, but now, we’re getting park specific! We have some fun facts about Animal Kingdom from Cast Members who work there — let’s check ’em out!

A Twisted Tree

We met a Cast Member who told us that the tree next to Thirsty River Bar is actually 2 trees in 1!

There’s another tree growing out of the oak tree that is there. The trees got twisted and now they grow together!

As you can see, there’s a palm tree coming out of the oak!

Try and find these trees the next time you’re in the park!

Tree of Life Secrets

We also found out that on the Tree of Life Trail there is a large root near the entrance that makes a cave…

…and on the wall there are a bunch of holes.

If you look through the holes, your eye is directed to the ant!

These holes direct you to the ant because it’s the animal that has had the most impact on the Tree of Life, present throughout all of its stages! So cool!

A Warmer Climate

This next one is more of a rumor than a fun fact, but we wanted to share anyway! A Cast Member told us about a rumor that the ground was dug into an extra 10 feet when Animal Kingdom was being built so that it would be hotter for the animals.

This would make sense, since a lot of the animals are probably used to a warmer climate (although it’s already pretty darn warm in Florida!). This could definitely explain why it feels hotter in Animal Kingdom than the other Disney World parks! Or, it could just be in our heads. 😉

Storied Exhibits

One Cast Member told us that a lot of the animal exhibits are made to match the area of the park they are in. This might seem self explanatory, but there are actual storylines that go behind the exhibits that are way more detailed than meets the eye!

The story behind the Gibbon Exhibit is that there was a temple being built, and in the process of the construction, apes moved in! So, instead of continuing construction, they gave the partially-built temple over to the Gibbons and left the scaffolding up.

You can definitely tell that’s the vibe they were going for over here!

Mythical Creatures

This one is a little more popular if you’re a big Disney World fan, but it’s still a fun fact! Animal Kingdom was apparently supposed to have a section devoted to mythical creatures (Beastly Kingdom) in the park, and that’s why there’s a dragon as one of the animals up on the entrance sign!

There sort of are mythical creatures in the park in Pandora, but no dragons. It would be SUPER cool to see dragons inside!

We have more details about Beastly Kingdom and what it could have been here! 

So, there ya go — 5 things about Animal Kingdom that most people don’t know! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news, info, and updates.

Click here to see the 5 BEST rides in Animal Kingdom (and the 5 WORST!)

Do you know any fun facts about Animal Kingdom? Tell us in the comments!