At Disney World's Animal Kingdom, they do a marvelous job of adding the extra touches and details to make you believe you are far away from central Florida.

The photos shown here are from the Animal Kingdom's Asia section. The Imagineers go to great lengths to create the proper settings and back stories for each land and attraction. The Asia section is no different. They build a cohesive flow to the land, tying in all of the attractions, so that they belong.

To give the land a real feel for "Asia" they created the mythical village of Anandapur - which means "Place of all delight" in Sanskrit. It incorporate real artifacts and native artworks and carvings to add to the effect.

















The prayer tree shown here is a representative of a common sight along roadways and trails throughout Asia. The ribbons represents prayers left by passing travelers. The fact that the tree appears to be growing out of the ruins of the statue is part of the message of the Animal Kingdom that nature will overcome what man puts in front of her.

















Throughout Asia you can also notice the crazy electrical wiring that runs through the village. This is just another detail to convince you that you are far away from the modern cities.


















During the development of the park, the Imagineers spent a lot of time researching the areas that they were designing, taking field trips, cataloging pictures, and collecting artifacts to be used to create their version. Great care was taken to make sure that the details make you believe in the story that they created.


The next time that you visit the Animal Kingdom and head to ride Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids, take the time to notice all of the signs and details that make up Anandapur. Allow yourself to enjoy the magic of Disney and escape to this mystical place.