LP Lotion: Joe Rohde on Animal Kingdom's Birthday
Page 12 of 14

Another image on the left of the design team's experience and the resulting creation at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Click here for a larger version of this picture (1024 X 684, 127,617 bytes)

Disney's Animal Kingdom features the artwork of people from varying nations and cultures including Balanese carvers and bronze casters of Nepal. Not just items created in factories based on sketches of items seen abroad.
Click here for a larger version of this picture (1024 X 679, 138,482 bytes)

Expedition Everest is based in part on idea Joe painted in 1991. This is a view from Flame Tree Barbecue to what Everest is now but in this image is Bhutan instead of Nepal and the Safari Village that was Asia has moved on to the side of Asia instead of the side of island. Joe explained that originally the Safari Village was on the island you would cross over just for the safari. This idea was put away until the idea for developing Expedition Everest arose.
Click here for a larger version of this picture (1024 X 622, 141,539 bytes)

With the idea to bring Expedition Everest to Disney's Animal Kingdom the design team once again went through the creative process of how to bring a rollercoaster into the story, the theme of the park - the intrinsic value of nature. Joe went on to explain the oral tradition of the Yeti and its role as the protector of pristine forest environments.
Click here for a larger version of this picture (1024 X 746, 158,940 bytes)

The story of the Yeti as protector of the mountain reflected in the shrine leading up to Expedition Everest.
Click here for a larger version of this picture (632 X 750, 70,116 bytes)