Disclaimer: I attended this event and interview with Greg Peccie as media promoting the new Disneynature film, Monkey Kingdom.
While promoting the new family Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom movie, I was able to visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge and chat with Animal Operations Manager, Greg Peccie! While I met with Greg, I learned a lot about the Animal Kingdom Lodge that I didn’t realize how exciting of a resort this lodge is by itself. There is SO much to do there that the average person might not even know about. The Disney parks are a bonus because there is so much to do at the resort alone! Visitors can come and just spend an entire vacation at the resort alone with enough activities to keep their entire family busy.
Culinary Exploration at the Animal Kingdom Lodge: There are lots of culinary explorations that guests can do if they choose to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, one of them is the ability to dine with an Animal Specialist. Greg spoke very highly about this because he talked about how much guests can learn by just sitting with an animal specialists and do this all while enjoying a 4 course meal. The dining experience because delicious and extremely exciting! The Animal Kingdom Lodge also has other activities like cookie decorating, Inkoma, wine tasting, miniature cake decorating, and even a culinary tour to explore flavors of Africa!
Photo Credit: AsMomSeesIt.com
Cultural Immersion: Greg spoke to us about how they have many internships where they bring employees from other countries to work at the Animal Kingdom lodge for 12 months at a time to teach about their culture! The Cultural Immersion recreational calendar is filled with items like Medallion Rubbing, African Face Painting, and a lot more! I have met Disney interns in the past, and it is really exciting when you find out what part of the world they are from.
Wildlife Programs: There are lots of animal programs and wildlife discoveries at Animal Kingdom lodge. Greg Peccie talked to us about them and about the beautiful views. We learned that there are 250 animals and 30 species. “The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a zoo that has a resort,” explains Greg during our interview.
If you love nature and disney be sure to take your entire family to go and see Monkey Kingdom!
Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom in now playing in theaters!
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.
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.
