I have fond memories of our first few trips to Walt Disney World in Florida starting in 2006. It was a simpler time with less need for planning and reservations when one could spend time just taking it all in! It’s not that way now, so I tend to look back on those times through the merchandise we purchased as souvenirs.
One of the biggest and most expensive items we ever bought was this huge Disney’s Animal Kingdom tapestry (now a wall hanging) that I believe we picked up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge:
Measuring in at approximately 45″ x 65″, not including the fringe, this takes up a lot of real estate in our home! So to display it, I installed grommets along the top and used leather strips to hang it from a bamboo pole. It’s hung in our home now for about 15 years!
The original intention for such a large linen product would have been for a bed spread or furniture throw. But I wanted to see it!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has two main geographical areas: Africa and Asia. Of course, the center piece of the whole Park is the Tree of Life on Discovery Island. The Tree of Life, the park’s sculpted, man-made baobab tree, is surrounded by trails and animal enclosures. But perhaps its most dominant feature comes from the many animals carved into the trunk and limbs of the tree! The tapestry gives a hint of the majesty it exudes.
The park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and was the fourth theme park built at the resort.
The Africa section of the Park is set in the fictional east African port village of Harambe, and there is much to see if you wander in that direction! Adjacent to this area is the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, where visitors can trek into the forest featuring animals native to Africa. The tapestry does a nice job of depicting what you can find while riding the attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris.
The Asia area is set in the fictional kingdom of Anandapur (which means “Place of many delights” in Sanskrit). The Maharajah Jungle Trek leads guests through the forests and ruins outside the village, which are home to species native to Asia. Some of the ruins along these paths can also be seen in the tapestry above.
We have other Disney-themed tapestries but only this one has a place of honor in our home!
