After months of hard work and this being the view as you walked past the area toward Asia…
Harambe Market area of Africa has opened!
The former backstage area has been transformed into a beautifully themed seating and dining area. With 4 quick service windows, 3 for food and 1 just for drinks, the folks who dream up new food options have knocked it out of the park!
I have not had the opportunity to sample all of the offerings, but I can tell you the curry sausage dog is outstanding and gives the Corn Dog Cart in Disneyland a run for its money in size!
Of course one of the best ways to cool down on a hot summer day, is a cool drink and they made sure you had many options for those also!
Now while the food is the main draw to the area, you know if it is in Animal Kingdom it has to be themed properly and the folks at WDI really went all out in this area!
The area also greatly opens up for extra seating for the new food venues and adds some much needed shaded areas.
By far my favorite area of the Market is the small train station that may at some point be used as a entertainment stage. It is loaded with supplies and adds a great kinetic pieces with the Wildlife Express passing every few minutes.
Speaking of the Wildlife Express, the Harambe Market also adds a much needed alternate route to the station and helps with the flow around Harambe. Before it was one way in to the attractions in that area and one way out. Now the walkway leads right up to the entrance to the Wildlife Express and the Fastpass entrance for Kilimanjaro Safari.
While most of the area is complete there is still a sweet treat coming in the form of a candy store expansion to the existing store in Harambe.
Now that we have taken a look at the current and soon to be beauty of the Harambe Market lets take a look at something very rare that the WDI folks felt was needed because it was something they experienced while on their research trips to Africa, off model Mickeys. The term off model means something that Disney did not approve or is not quite right and these two Mickeys are very “not quite right” but one of those fine touches that Animal Kingdom has shown us time and time again.
If you happen to be in Animal Kingdom odds are you will find me with my large glass of Sparletta Sparberry enjoying the Wildlife Express passing by near the stage!