It is the first table-service restaurant in Asia, and is closely themed to the nearby Expedition Everest attraction.

According to story, it was originally a hotel meant for travelers to the mountains of the Himalayas, such as Everest. However, once the proprietor realized he could make more money as a restaurant, he tore down the walls between the rooms and converted the establishment into the Yak & Yeti restaurant. Evidence of the chance can be seen throughout the sit-down area, including remnants of where the walls oncestood,diffeerent chandeliers and furniture in all of the rooms, and rooms that were clearly used for other purposes, such as the library, aviary, and verandah.

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Parade Length:
12 min. (approximately)

Performed:
Daily

Location:
Starts at the Tusker House Gate at Harambe Village. It winds through Disney’s Animal Kingdom and returns to the Tusker House Gate.

Design Elements:
The procession consists of individually designed elements that bring a variety of heights, colors and abstract animal visuals to create a fun, theatrical showcase for the Disney characters. The elements include five character-based safari vehicles, four drum sculptures, three rickshaw taxis, eight animal puppets, 14 Disney characters, 10 Party Animal stiltwalkers and 12 Party Patrols. The eight abstract animal puppets were designed by Michael Curry Designs in Portland, Ore., which created the puppets for Disney’s “The Lion King” on Broadway.

Music:
The main musical score was written by Disney Show Director Reed Jones and Music Director Dan Stamper, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on Super Bowl 2000 in Atlanta. All musical arrangements were orchestrated by Gordon Goodwin and recorded in Los Angeles.

Costumes:
“Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Expedition” parade costumes were designed by Matt Davidson. The prototypes for the puppeteer costumes were crafted in Africa by native artisans. Parade costumes were created at Walt Disney World Creative Costuming, Parsons Mears in New York, Costume Armor in New York and Vegas Costumes in Las Vegas.

Performers:
Features 63 cast members including performers, drivers and coordinators.

Highlights:

• As “Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Expedition” winds through the park, a menagerie of abstract animal images comes to life in fun, theatrical designs handcrafted from an eclectic mix of natural materials and fabrics. Soaring animated puppets and towering percussive drum sculptures create bursts of living color against Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s dense jungle greenery. Elaborate rickshaw
• taxis put selected guests in the middle of the parade, accompanied by Disney characters in customized musical safari vehicles. A troupe of 8-foot-tall Party Animals and energetic Party Patrols interact with guests and direct them in the creation of the live call-and-response sing-along music fest. Up to 23 special guests will be selected daily to ride in the opening unit, three guest rickshaws and the finale unit. Guests are given Kodak disposable cameras so they can capture the special moment aboard the parade.
• Adventure Rover — This opening rover is a brightly colored red, orange and yellow safari vehicle. It carries the beloved Disney character Rafiki, from the Disney animated film “The Lion King.” Rafiki rides with a guest family, which is selected daily to participate in the parade.
• Character Jeeps — These three jeeps carry several of the most famous of all Disney characters including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. The vehicles and floats are themed to the personalities of each character. Donald’s jeep pulls a float painted in various hues of blue with a sports and nautical theme. Minnie’s jeep and float are painted with her signature red and white polka dots adorned with a big red and white, polka dot bow. Goofy’s jeep and float feature a hodgepodge of items, ranging from oversized snowshoes to a pair of pajamas.
• Bon Voyage Caravan — The Bon Voyage Caravan features a brightly colored jeep carrying Mickey Mouse. This jeep pulls a float consisting of several different safari-themed segments. The float carries Mickey Mouse and a guest family, which is selected daily to participate in the parade.

In addition to the myriad of characters participating in “Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Expedition” parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can see Disney characters including Pluto, Baloo, King Louie, Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, Timon, Terk and Chip ‘n’ Dale.

During the holidays, the parade becomes the “Jingle Jungle Parade” - Mickey Mouse has invited all his Disney pals to join him on a colorful caravan through Disney’s Animal Kingdom to  celebrate the holidays. Featuring whimsical floats, larger-than-life puppetry, Disney characters and a joyous world-beat soundtrack, “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade” takes place daily at the theme park during the holiday season.

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• The rocks in the lion area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s “Kilimanjaro Safaris” are climate-controlled – they are heated in the winter and cooled in the summer to encourage the lions to lie in good viewing areas!
• There are climate-controlled rocks on the Kilimanjaro Safaris, to encourage the lions to sit in view of the safari vehicles.
• The safari vehicles are modified GM trucks, and go a maximum of 10mph.
• Planting the trees and plants in the Kilimanjaro Safaris was a challenge. With a ride-through attraction and live animals roaming about, planting patterns were based on what designers thought the animals would do, and what the guests will experience. Paul Comstock, principal landscape architect, laid out the plant bed lines on a motorcycle (using spray paint) riding at the same speed as the ride vehicle, “because guests will experience the landscape at that speed,” he said. The rutted safari road also is part of the landscape design. Imagineering’s design team matched concrete with the surrounding soil, then rolled tires through it, and tossed stones, dirt and twigs into it to create an appropriately bumpy experience duplicating a remote African road.
• The Kilimanjaro Safaris is in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the largest single attraction ever created by Disney at over 100 acres in size! In fact, the entire Magic Kingdom can fit inside this one
  attraction!

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Nepal, India, Thailand and Indonesia are represented through the architecture, animal carvings and ruins scattered throughout the trail.

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