Disney World's Animal Kingdom Digs Up Time Capsule From Opening Day
Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom uncovered buried treasure over the weekend–literally.
The Orlando-based theme park shared a clip of its discovery team digging up a time capsule from when Animal Kingdom first opened in honor of its 25th anniversary.
According to the company, Disney cast members first buried the time capsule filled with "opening day memories" back on April 22, 1998. And now, a quarter of a century later, the company unpacked its treasure chest for all of TikTok to see.
@disneyparks Soooo who’s gonna help us access those floppy things? 💾 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #AnimalKingdom #EarthDay #TimeCapsule
♬ original sound - Disney Parks
Entered into the late '90s time capsule were a handful of floppy discs filled with photos from the park's opening day, original files detailing versions of the park dating back to May 1996, and three vintage VHS tapes reviewing protocols and orientation for opening cast working across the park.
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Disney Parks employees also found Animal Kingdom's silverback gorilla Gino's first toothbrush, the original park maps and guides, physical paper tickets, and a shirt signed by the cast responsible for organizing the time capsule.
But what really grabbed fans' attention was the collection of day one merchandise that was almost perfectly preserved, including a keychain, some magnets and buttons, two Animal Kingdom coffee mugs and even a branded license plate, among other adorable souvenirs.
"Soooo who’s gonna help us access those floppy things? 💾," the official Disney Parks account joked in the caption of Monday's TikTok. While there were few takers on the offer, fans certainly appreciated getting a glimpse into a different time at the park, with many begging for WDW Resorts to continue with projects like this.
At the time, Disney's Animal Kingdom was the fourth Walt Disney World theme park to open and the largest, spreading over 500 acres and introducing a whole new way to appreciate, enjoy, interact and celebrate nature.
According to officials, at least 45 animals have been on the property since opening day. The park has also continued to work closely with the Disney Conservation Fund to further research and conservation efforts involving at-risk animal populations and species.
