Ah, Orlando. The land of the Big Mouse. Sure, this central Florida destination has loads to offer, but let’s face it: Walt Disney World’s theme parks are probably the biggest draw for visitors in the area.

Wandering the grounds of Disney, you’d never guess that there are sanctuaries of nature hidden right amid the coasters.

Well, believe it. The theme parks of Walt Disney World can offer a delightful view of nature where you wouldn’t at first expect.

 
The Natural World of Epcot

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival offers green-thumb enthusiasts the chance to appreciate an astounding panorama of landscapes. The "Gardens of The World" tour – a three-hour walking experience through the World Showcase, reveals more than 1,200 plant species and 30 million colorful blossoms in the pavilions of Norway, Mexico, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Morocco, France, the U.K. and the U.S.

Formerly known as the Living Seas, The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion at Epcot contains one of the world's largest aquariums with a complete coral reef inhabited by sharks, tropical fish, rays and dolphins -- in all, more than 65 species. An imaginative mix of fantasy and real sea life, the major facility is dedicated to man's relationship with the underwater world. Whimsical and visually stunning, the attraction magically delivers ocean conservation messages.

Certified divers can experience Epcot DiveQuest, a exploratory program for Walt Disney World guests inside the pavilion's saltwater environment. For snorkelers, the Seas Aqua Tour provides an immersive plunge into the aquarium. Native Floridians and visitors alike delight in watching the famous sea cows – the Florida manatee.

Greenhouse magic takes place at Epcot’s The Land pavilion. Guests on the Living with the Land attraction can see a variety of greenhouses including the Temperate Greenhouse, the Production Greenhouse, the Tropics Greenhouse and The Creative House, which highlights imaginative ways to grow crops -- without soil, hanging in the air, even on a space station.

The Behind the Seeds greenhouse tour provides guests with a 45-minute tour to get a closer look at the four greenhouses and the fish farm that are part of the Living with the Land attraction. Tour highlights include tasting produce grown in The Land, taking an herb and spice challenge, feeding fish at the fish farm and sprouting seeds to take home.

What a phenomenal sight to open the window any time of the day or night and take in a savannah that’s home to about 200 African mammals and exotic birds.

Beasts from a Balcony

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers a unique opportunity – a room with a view. And how! What a phenomenal sight to open the window any time of the day or night and take in a savannah that’s home to about 200 African mammals and exotic birds. I’ve seen giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and African spoonbills, to name a few. I stepped out onto the balcony at 1 a.m. and came face to face with a pair of giraffes – a memory I’ll cherish forever.

A working wildlife reserve, the 74-acre Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge offers opportunities for guests to meet with African cultural representatives and the animal care team. It’s all quite unforgettable, considering that the typical image of a theme park entails rides rather than rhinos.

While you’d expect to see animals at Animal Kingdom, what’s less expected is the real-life, unrehearsed drama of watching a veterinarian and his medical team through picture windows as they tend to their African charges – more than 200 animals in all – giving birth, getting checkups or undergoing treatments. You can even relay questions through an attendant to the vet staff about the animals’ diets, habits and personalities.

Strap on your pith helmet and ready your binoculars before boarding the Kilimanjaro Safari of Animal Kingdom where you’ll get to see the wild animals of Africa – wallowing in waterholes, grazing the savannah’s grasses and reclining under trees. Zebras, lions and giraffes live naturally in the grasslands, pools, waterfalls and lush green forests. With no fences or visible barriers, the animals are separated in secret ways into agreeable groups.

In the center of the park is a tree like no other – the spectacular Tree of Life, which depicts 325 animals, from the regal lion to the playful dolphin, carved into the tree’s roots, trunk and branches. Rising 14 graceful stories into the sky and its leafy canopy spreading 160 feet across the landscape, its branches beckon: Come take a closer look.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, guests can actually enter a serene animal reserve for an up-close personal encounter on the Wanyama Safari experience. Just before sunset four nights a week, adventurers gather outside the lodge with a guide who readies the group for a viewing safari. Up to 12 people can board a specially designed vehicle for a bird's-eye view of a typical North African safari.


Shark Reef Snorkeling

I can’t resist the allure of Typhoon Lagoon, where water enthusiasts like me can snorkel in Shark Reef, a 362,000-gallon saltwater pool. You can go fin-to-fin, so to speak, with exotic marine life including people-friendly butterfly fish, French angels, tangs, groupers and even nurse sharks.

If you don’t feel like getting wet, watch snorkelers through the underwater portholes of a wrecked ship in the center of the reef. A real stress-buster is Castaway Creek, a meandering, 2,100-foot stream circling the lagoon where you can tube through a misty rain forest and a hidden grotto and see a spectacular view of Typhoon Lagoon and its many activities.