10 Things I Learned About Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge #MonkeyKingdomEvent

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gregWhile attending the Monkey Kingdom Event in Orlando last week for the release of Monkey Kingdom which is in theaters now, 24 bloggers and I had the opportunity to chat with Greg Peccie, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Animal Operations Manager.

Step into the heart of Africa at this magnificent Resort hotel. Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design provides spectacular views of 4 lush savannas that over 200 hoofed animals and birds call home. Delight in dazzling pool areas, exciting animal programs and one of the largest collections of African art in the United States as you experience your own African safari adventure with a touch of Disney magic. 

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  • Every Disney resort has an activity calendar with events and activities that are happening at that resport.  Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has even more going on.  Animal Kingdom Lodge is like it’s own vacation because there is so much to do there.  It can take several days just to explore all there is to do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge such as activities with cultural reps, a recreation team, pools, and just checking out all of the art and architecture.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has cultural reps that serve as Savanna Guides.  They come from Africa on a 12 month visa to share their culture and experiences but they are also on the animal education team.  They lead activities and specialize in things like hospitality, conservation, safari driving, and more.) They bring the sense of Africa to life in the resort.
  • You can Dine with Animal Specialists at the Sanaa restaurant at the resort (keep an eye out for my upcoming review of Sanaa).  The specialist will be an animal keeper, a manager, or Greg Peccie, the Operations Manager himself.  Mr. Peccie is also an animal curator for the lodge.
  •  Dine with Animal Specialists is a great way for guests to try new foods and learn about animals.  You don’t have to stay on property or be a Walt Disney World guest to come for this experience.  It is $49 for adults 10 and up and $29 for children 3-9, while it is recommended for children 8 and up.
  • For all the other tours offered at the lodge participants do need to be a WDW hotel guest.DSC_0036 (681x1024)
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is 46 acres large and has over 250 animals.  These animals don’t go to the parks, they live at this resort.  They are their own self contained zoo.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s daytime animal team has 25 animal keepers, 4 managers, plus Greg Peccie the general manager. A second night team works from 6 pm to 5 am and consists of 10 keepers and 2 managers.
  • At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge it is a 24 hour operation to take care of the animals and the animals are given the highest level of care.  PETA has even been invited in to check on the animals and make sure everything is being done correctly.  From 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. the animals are brought back into the barn to feed them, take care of them, etc.  During this time work is done in the savanna for maintenance with the animals in safety.DSC_0031 (1024x681)
  • Animals are bred to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or other zoos.  They don’t bring animals from the wild to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.  They are committed to doing what is right for the animals and giving them the best life.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge helps with conservation around the world through Disney’s Conservation Fund.  A portion of the proceeds from the Dine with an Animal Specialist goes towards helping animals through Disney’s Conservation Fund.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers Evening Safaris 7 days a week where guests are driven through savannas and then treated to a 5 course dinner at Jiko. Guests have to be staying at Kidani Village or Jambo House to be a part of the Evening Safari.
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers a Night Safari that is 1 hour long and does have a dining component to it.  During this safari guest are given military grade night vision goggles to observe the animals at night.

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Discover over 30 species of African wildlife, including zebras, giraffes, gazelles, kudu and flamingos. Identify each species with a Wildlife Field Guide (found in your Guest Room, with extras available from the Lobby Concierge), and learn more about African animals and ecosystems during fun programs led by Animal Specialists.

Don’t forget to take your family to see Monkey Kingdom!!!

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Disclosure- I was invited on an all expense paid trip to Orlando for the Monkey Kingdom Event.  All opinions are 100% my own.

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Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom Review In Theaters April 17th

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Disclosure- I was invited on an all expense paid trip to Orlando on behalf of Disney for the #MonkeyKingdomEvent.  All opinions are 100% my own. image003 (7) I had the opportunity to screen Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom while I was in Orlando for the Monkey Kingdom event with 24 other bloggers.  Before I tell you all about the movie let me start by sharing some total monkey cuteness with you. image011 (3)

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monkeykingdom552f1841945ef“Monkey Kingdom is like Downton Abbey meets Game of Thrones”, Dr. M. Sanjayan

Monkeys are my favorite animal so I was beyond excited when I heard that Disneynature was making a movie all about monkeys.  Monkey Kingdom tells the story of Maya, a monkey and her struggles to raise her baby boy while being one of the lower members of her group of moneys social structure. Life is hard for her as most of the other monkeys are higher up on the social structure than she is.  They get to live higher than her in the trees and get the better foods and shelter.  Maya on the other hand gets the scraps left on the bottom of the trees.  She wants to provide the best she can for her son but it isn’t easy.  I was really amazed how relatable her story is and how much human emotion monkeys show.  You could take the story of Maya and turn it into a story about a human single mother raising her baby son on her own without the father around and living as part of the lower class.  It is a story that plays out everyday for many mothers around the world.  Human or monkey, mothers just want to provide the best for their children and do whatever they can to provide for them.  You’ll be rooting for Maya and her son, Kip throughout the movie.  You’ll also see lots of other types of animals throughout the movie.

Tina Fey does a great job narrating this movie.  She captures the audience and throws in some cute jokes as well.  Monkey Kingdom is the perfect family movie, especially any animal lovers.  It is a great movie for all ages.  There are 2 scenes where one of the other monkeys are killed by predators but it true Disney fashion nothing gruesome is shown.  It’s handled very well as to not upset young children, it’s a Disney movie after all.  My girls are very sensitive to things like that and I am sure that they’ll be ok with those parts of the movie when I take them hopefully this weekend.

See Monkey Kingdom opening week (April 17 – 23) and Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.

I have gotten together with several other bloggers to give away a very special necklace in honor of Monkey Kingdom.  We’re giving away an Alex Woo Little Activist Love Monkey in Sterling Silver.  It’s so adorable!  I sooooo want one of these necklaces.  Good luck!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family is forced to relocate, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.

image012 (1)Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015.

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MONKEY KINGDOM opens in theatres everywhere on April 17th! conservation internationalProjects support programs across Indonesia, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. Conservation International will: 1) Protect monkeys and other endangered species 2) Save and restore forest habitats 3) Partner with and support local communities

Further activities in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Indonesia will include researching, rescuing and rehabilitating monkeys, patrolling protected areas which serve as important habitats for monkeys and other species, planting trees and supporting community education and forest-friendly jobs.

Indonesia

Located just 80 km from the bustling city of Jakarta is a region known as Gedepahala. Gedepahala has some of the last remaining forests (135,000 ha) on the island of Java, Indonesia. It is an area rich in biodiversity and beauty, and home to a critically endangered monkey called the Javan gibbon. This area is also part of a watershed that helps to filter and provide a reliable flow of water to over 30 million people. Increased demand for forest resources has caused massive deforestation and degradation, endangering species and threatening vulnerable local communities who depend upon the forests’ resources and services for survival.

Cambodia

Unlike much of Southeast Asia, nearly 60 percent of Cambodia’s forests are still intact with plentiful shelter, food and fresh water. Its forests are home to many different types of monkeys, as well as hundreds of other species, but rapid deforestation and degradation of forest habitat requires fast action to protect these globally important species. Conservation International is working to protect 455,000 hectares of intact forest habitat in the Central Cardamom Mountains (400,000 ha) and Veun Sai (55,000 ha) regions, two critical habitats for the most threatened primate species. This work includes supporting teams of community and forest rangers to patrol forests, alert officials about illegal logging activity and explain to people why the forest needs to remain intact and why they should not hunt primates.

Sri Lanka

Located off the southern tip of India, the tropical island of Sri Lanka has attracted visitors for centuries with its natural beauty. It is currently experiencing rapid urbanization and expansion, which is destroying its forests. As a consequence all of its 12 primates and numerous other mammals, bird, reptiles and amphibians, all unique to the island, are increasingly threatened. Conservation International has been awarding small grants through its Primate Action Fund to stem the decline of the western purplefaced langur, considered one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates.

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Interview With Disneynature Ambassador, Dr. M Sanjayan- Monkey Kingdom

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Disclosure- I was invited on an all expense paid trip to Orlando on behalf of Disney for the #MonkeyKingdomEvent.  All opinions are 100% my own.

dr sanjayanIt is always an amazing experience to learn first hand how a movie was made from the people that made it.   Today we had the honor of meeting and interviewing Disneynature Ambassador, Dr. M. Sanjayan.  He was so easy to talk to and a very engaging speaker.  You could tell how passionate he is about his work with animals and conservation in general.  He sat down with us at the Sanaa restaurant in Animal Kingdom Lodge to talk about the new Disneynature movie, Monkey Kingdom.  (Keep an eye out next week for my review post on Sanaa but I will tell you it was DELISH!)

DR. M. SANJAYAN (Disneynature Ambassador) is executive vice president and senior scientist for Conservation International. The global conservation scientist, writer and Emmy®-nominated news contributor focuses on the connection between nature and human well-being. He serves on Conservation International’s senior leadership team as executive vice president and senior scientist.

Sanjayan holds a doctorate from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a research faculty appointment at the University of Montana. His peer-reviewed scientific work has been published in journals including Science, Nature and Conservation Biology, and his expertise has attracted national media coverage in Outside, Time, Men’s Journal, National Geographic, AFAR, Grist and The New York Times. He is also the co-editor of Connectivity Conservation (Cambridge University Press).

Sanjayan is the host of “EARTH A New Wild,” the 2015 PBS television series. Filmed in 29 countries and produced by National Geographic and Passion Pictures, the series reveals how humans are inextricably linked with wild nature.

Sanjayan’s broad-reaching television experience also includes “Years of Living Dangerously,” the 2014 Emmy®-winning series that examines the human impact of climate change, as well as numerous documentaries, including “Planet Earth: The Future” (BBC), “Expedition Alaska” (Discovery Channel), and “Mysteries of the Shark Coast” (featured during shark week on Discovery Channel). Most recently, he hosted the critically acclaimed four-part series on energy, “Powering the Future” (Discovery Channel).

Sanjayan also serves as a science and environment contributor to CBS News. His 2013 “CBS Evening News” report on elephant poaching in Kenya earned an Emmy® nomination in the investigative journalism category. His guest appearances include NBC’s “Today,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “NBC Nightly News,” CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, and he is a featured contributor to the BBC’s “Power of Nature” series.

Sanjayan is a Clinton Global Initiative Senior Advisor, a Catto Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a member of National Geographic Society’s Explorer’s Council—a distinguished group of top scientists, researchers and explorers who provide advice and counsel to the Society across disciplines and projects.

Sanjayan writes for Orion magazine, The Huffington Post and Fortune China, and he posts frequently from his expeditions at @msanjayan.

Here are just a few of the fascinating things we learned from Dr. Sanjayan:

  • It took 3 years to film Monkey Kingdom.  The 80 minute film was shot over a period of 1,000 days.
  • There was a team of 6 primary production people and about 12 assistants in Sri Lanka.
  • For every minute you see in the movie, they filmed for 10 days!
  • The best light is at dawn and dusk so they worked for long days.  They started before sunrise and worked filming until late in the evening.
  • The magic is in the editing.
  • The production crew rented a house in Sri Lanka to live while they were filming.
  • This group of monkeys has been studied for over 40 years by a primate specialist.
  • A few other monkeys were followed and filmed but they knew early on that Maya was a special monkey and the story would be about her.

“Monkey Kingdom is like Downton Abbey meets Game of Thrones”, Dr. M. Sanjayan


Disneynature Monkey Kingdom

Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom swings into theaters this Friday, April 17th.  

See Monkey Kingdom opening week (April 17 – 23) and Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.

image003 (7)Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family is forced to relocate, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.

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I’m Going to Orlando to Monkey Around With Disneynature

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Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclosure- I will be going on an all expense paid trip to Orlando on behalf of Disney for the #MonkeyKingdomEvent.  All opinions are 100% my own.

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I am so excited to announce that I was selected as one of 25 bloggers to go to Orlando, FL from Tuesday, April 14th – Sunday, April 19th to screen MONKEY KINGDOM (opening in theaters on 4/17) and attend 3 full days at WALT DISNEY WORLD(!) celebrating all things Disneynature!   Below are just some of the awesome, exciting things we’ll be doing so make sure to follow along with these 3 hashtags-

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  • We will be screening Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom which opens in theaters April 17th.

  • Going backstage at Disney’s ANIMAL KINGDOM to learn how Disney Cast Members tend to the 1,500-plus inhabitants who live thereimage007
  • Going on a Wilderness Exploration where we will jaunt across jungles, furrow into forests and make our way through the woods while we set out on a series of fact-finding challenges
  • Joining an Animal Specialist for a deliciously insightful, 4-course lunch at the restaurant Sanaa
  • Going on the Wild Africa Trek where we will go on a privately guided VIP expedition offering close encounters with exotic African wildlife in their native habitat.  We will roam with wild animals on this 3-hour safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. Wild Africa Trek offers guests the perfect opportunity to explore the Safi River Valley and discover animals of nearly every variety in an uninhibited, natural environment. We’ll see yawning hippos and hissing crocodiles just 10 feet below as we make your way across a shaky rope bridge, secured to an overhead track with a safety harness. EEEK!!!  We’ll ride in a rugged safari vehicle over an open savanna teeming with native African creatures—from towering giraffes to powerful rhinos.  OMG I CAN’T WAIT!image018
  • Dinner  at The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show
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  • Visit the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival (Check out the pictures below.  It’s going to be beautiful!)image020

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  • Interview Disneynature Ambassador Dr. M Sanjayan10855061_10106354099784914_8740967046728785675_o
  • Free time to go on all our favorite rides at WALT DISNEY WORLD!

unnamedWhile we are in Orlando, we will be staying at four luxurious ALL STAR VACATION HOMES located only a few miles from WALT DISNEY WORLDAll Star Vacation Homes offers an expanding collection of vacation homes, town homes and condos with luxury amenities in Orlando and Sanibel & Captiva Islands, FL and San Diego, CA.

image009 (1) Here are some pictures from these vacation homes.  When my daughter saw the pictures of the home I will be staying in she asked me if it was for millionaires.  Luckily for all of us non-millionaires, we can stay in one of these vacation homes, too!  The one I am staying in has a home theater and a game room!  Plus a pool and hot tub that I will be spending our time off relaxing in.

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MONKEY KINGDOM – Family Activity Packet & Educators Guide

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Disneynature’s MONKEY KINGDOM is hitting theaters on April 17th and as you have probably already read, I will be part of a special group of 25 bloggers on a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando to screen the movie and lots more.  This movie already has a special place in my heart and I haven’t even seen it yet.  That might also be because I love monkeys!  Here’s a sneak peek video of the movie:
The Family Activity Packet and Educators Guild can both be easily downloaded from the official MONKEY KINGDOM website.

moneky kingdom family pack

activity pages

educator's guide

Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future. Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is narrated by Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015. For more information about the film and the conservation program, go to www.disney.com/monkeykingdom.

Like Disneynature on Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature

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Visit the official MONKEY KINGDOM website: http://nature.disney.com/monkey-kingdom

MONKEY KINGDOM opens in theatres everywhere on April 17th!

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Disneynature’s MONKEY KINGDOM

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image011 (2)I am so excited for Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom to come out.  I was excited when I first saw the trailer and now that I have been invited on a trip next month with 24 other bloggers to screen it and interview Disneynature Ambassador Dr. M Sanjayan, along with lots of other unique experiences, I am even more exited!
image009 (3)Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family is forced to relocate, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.

image012Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015.

Set in the storied jungles of South Asia, “Monkey Kingdom” showcases the adventures of new mom Maya, a clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey who’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. 

image013 (1)Notes:

  • For every ticket sold opening week (April 17-23, 2015), Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats. 
  • “Monkey Kingdom” is the sixth theatrical release for Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years.  The label was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to capture a variety of wildlife subjects and stories.
  • The first five big-screen releases under the Disneynature label—“Earth,” “Oceans,” “African Cats,” “Bears” and “Chimpanzee”—are among the top six highest grossing feature-length nature films of all time.
  • Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife documentary filmmaking, producing 13 True Life Adventure motion pictures between 1948 and 1960, including “Seal Island” (1948), “Beaver Valley” (1950), “The Living Desert” (1953) and “Jungle Cat” (1958). The films earned eight Academy Awards®.

Like Disneynature on Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Twitter: Twitter.com/Disneynature

Follow Disneynature on Instagram: http://instagram.com/disneynature

MONKEY KINGDOM opens in theaters everywhere on April 17th!

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