Fact... and fable

Sometimes you have to be willing to take that second or third glance or peak around a corner in order to find some truly unique tales in Walt Disney World. Today’s subject matter is one such corner, and it first requires guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to take a leap of faith and board the Wildlife Express Train to Conservation Station.

Unlike the Walt Disney World Railroad this line only has two stops, in Harambe and at Conservation Station, and there is no way to venture between the two on foot. This exclusive route is well worth the investment of time, especially if you are willing to dedicate time and attention to truly engaging the exhibits, such as the windowed medical services room where physicals and other procedures are carried out. There are innumerable opportunities to speak with Cast Members about animals and their habitats, behaviors, diets, and conservation initiatives. For the literary crowd, however, they may be no greater source of interest than these cutout figures of three animals.

Okay, from this side they appear as if a trio of creatures have jump off of the wall mural and wandered out into the atrium. Most times, guests only seem to take note of the gorilla, tiger, and rhinoceros figures when their child his hanging from one begging to have their picture taken. If the child is keenly attentive to their surroundings or, as is more likely, extremely curious they may notice that the back is different from the front.

Each animal’s backside includes a story about them and the true life facts about the story. For instance, the rhinoceros’ tale relates why he is so grumpy while another section gives the scientific reasoning for why the White Rhino is perceived as a grump. I’m not going to recite the legends and factoids word for word, but the displays, dubbed Fact… and Fable, discuss the rhinoceros’ grumpiness, the tiger’s hunting prowess, and the gentle nature of the gorilla.

If I haven’t beat the idea into your head with my incessant droning yet, I’m just going to have to keep repeating myself, it is worth looking into every corner of Walt Disney World. There are gems to be found everywhere! In the case of Conservation Station, many guests ignore both the Wildlife Express and the Conservation Station as a whole, which is a terribly tragedy. This area is one of the most critical components to the success of the message of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and is filled with wonderful stories, not only stories that you can read, but stories that you can become a part of and that can become a part of you!