Parking lot at Disney's Animal Kingdom about to expand ahead of the park's new additions

Jun 19, 2014 in "Disney's Animal Kingdom"

Posted: Thursday June 19, 2014 8:19am EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

In anticipation of the increased crowds at Disney's Animal Kingdom over the next few years, work is about to begin on expanding the parking lots.

The grassy area at the rear of the lot will soon be paved and merged into the existing parking lot space. Work should be complete by late September 2014.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is the focus of Walt Disney World's new construction over the next 3 years, with the night show 'Rivers of Light,' a nighttime edition of Kilimanjaro, and of course AVATAR land all set to open.

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MarkTwainJul 26, 2014

I take it the expansion consists of just paving over the last grassy area? It's odd it's apparently such a small lot; it feels like the largest lot on property next to Epcot.

FantasmicJul 25, 2014

Parking lot phase one due to open in 2027!

Paul jrJul 25, 2014

:cool:I came here for the strobe lights comments... I wasn't disappointed!!!:hilarious:

ToTBellHopJul 24, 2014

Makes sense. Beastly Kingdom was supposed to open about 12 years ago, so I'm sure they figured "we'll just leave this here and pave it in 2001." Which would have been reasonable.

PhilharMagicianJul 24, 2014

I have seen the lot full and some cars parked in the grass areas. It has looked like an unfinished parking lot with the undeveloped areas completely stripped of trees and graded for parking. It looks like they suddenly ran out of blacktop. The access road goes right around the unfinished area. IMHO It's been 15 years of unfinished parking lot.

Rob562Jul 24, 2014

I wouldn't say it was "blatantly unfinished", but rather it was designed with expansion in mind, much like World Showcase. They didn't need to build out the entire parking lot space to begin with only to have it be vacant the entire time. (Has AK's lot *ever* closed due to capacity?) -Rob

DocMcHulkJul 24, 2014

GullywhumperJul 24, 2014

It's about time they are doing something with AK. The new additions to the park might make me enjoy it more.

Macca250Jul 24, 2014

Damn, I wanted to be the first to make a strobe light comment

PhilharMagicianJul 24, 2014

What are they going to take the strobes from EE to save money and put a Tickle me Elmo in the yeti's place? Seriously, it is good to see they are finally finishing the blatantly unfinished parking lot.

DocMcHulkJul 24, 2014

It will be completely lit with strobe lights.

wdwmagicJul 24, 2014

PHOTOS - New Yeti parking lot section at Disney's Animal Kingdom now under construction

Mouse_TrapJun 23, 2014

Love the irony of a 'long' 300 yard walk....compared to the miles people will subsequently walk once inside the park.

pugJun 23, 2014

Yeah but they could mess them up and then they would have to pay for them rather then it being disneys fault:)