Discover the Circle of Life.
A way to see animals from around the world and learn about their lifestyles.
Animal Kingdom is often underrated, in my opinion. A lot of guests see it as a large zoo, and they pass over it, but Animal Kingdom is so much more than that and has so much to offer. One of the greatest things about this park is that there is so much to learn. Disney prides itself on wildlife preservation, as well as education and conservation, and Animal Kingdom is a huge part of that! You can see animals from all over the world and learn about them without having to leave the parks!
There are great restaurants with chances to meet the characters in their safari outfits, thrilling rides, the immersive land of Avatar, one of a kind safari experiences, and much more.
Come experience the hidden treasures in Animal Kingdom!
Lands
Africa is my favorite land, and it is home to Kilimanjaro Safaris and The Festival of the Lion King! There are both highlights.
Pandora is a beautiful land, especially at night, that mirrors the wonders of the World of Avatar. Flight of Passage is still the most popular ride in Animal Kingdom.
Asia houses the Kali River Rapids attraction (you will get wet). DinoLand USA has one thrill ride, then it is mainly for kids or to take a break from the heat. Discovery Island is a great learning environment for all ages.
The Tree of Life is the hub, and if you go left, you have Pandora, Africa, Asia, then DinoLand USA.
Resorts
The only way to get to an Animal Kingdom resort or to Animal Kingdom is by Disney Bus. You can use a Minnie Van, Uber, or Lyft as well, but as far as included (FREE) transportation, Disney buses are the only options. Animal Kingdom Park and its surrounding resorts are the furthest from the other parks in order to make sure he wildlife does not experience issues with loud noises, such as fireworks, so plan some extra time to navigate to and from this oasis. Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great place to stay if you are wanting a lot of resort time because there is a safari right outside your window, and the All-Star Resorts are cost effective choices for savings!
Dining
There are not a ton of dining options in Animal Kingdom, but the ones they have are exquisite. Tusker House is one of my favorites because it is an All You Care to Enjoy experience with great food and included characters! Yak & Yeti is really good, too if you like that type of Spice, and I have heard great things about Tiffin’s.
As far as Quick Service, I love the sausage biscuit or giant cinnamon roll at Tamu Tamu Refreshments for breakfast and Flame Tree Barbecue. Satu’li Canteen is great if you like healthy and eclectic food!
Attractions
Kilimanjaro Safari is one of the best rides in Animal Kingdom because it is full of real animals you would see in Africa, and they are roaming free, so you see them in their natural habitat.
If you want thrill rides, Expedition Everest is definitely that – a rollercoaster with an 80′ drop that you go on forward..then backward! Both of the Avatar rides are beautiful and well done, and Flight of Passage is still one of the most popular rides on property at 4 minutes long!
I do not think any of the DinoLand rides are that exciting, but the area is fun for littles, and Kali River Rapids can be fun if you do not mind getting soaking wet.
The Boneyard is the absolute best playground in all of the parks for littles, and don’t forget that the Safari closes earlier than the park close! It’s Tough to Be a Bug is actually a bit scary if you hate bugs.
Entertainment
Keep in mind that Animal Kingdom does not have any nighttime spectaculars because fireworks and loud music and sounds is disruptive to the animals in their natural habitats.
Character Meet & Greets
There are only a few Meet and Greets at Animal Kingdom, but don’t forget about Character Dining at Tusker House! There are also flotillas and character cruises along the Discovery River that you can wave to and see throughout the day! There will usually be loud music to indicate when they are floating by, so be sure to head to the bridges so you don’t miss it!
Transportation Options
The only Disney included (free) way to get to Animal Kingdom is by bus. Animal Kingdom is further away from the other parks so the fireworks do not bother the animals. Disney makes sure to preserve their habitats well. However, you can always take an Uber, Lyft, Minnie Van, or drive yourself (with a fee to park)!
Trams are available in the parking lots, and Ubers will drop you closest in Animal Kingdom because they can drop you right at the gates. This is awesome since there are limited transportation options to and from Animal Kingdom.
Even More Magic at Animal Kingdom
Each of these one-of-a-kind experiences to learn more about the animals at Animal Kingdom are amazing! They are all guided tours that require advanced reservations and have age and fitness level requirements, and they require an additional fee.
Lightning Lanes
Animal Kingdom is usually not worth purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, especially if you are planning to rope drop, but if you do not get it, I would recommend getting a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Flight of Passage and having early entry. There are a couple of big attractions, but it is a less popular park, so you tend to be able to do all of the attractions and experiences without much wait time. If you do want to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass to skip all the lines, it has the least cost of the other parks!
Avatar: Flight of Passage is the only Lightning Lane Single Pass selection at Animal Kingdom, and it is worth the cost because it remains one of the most popular attractions at WDW. This is the best way to ensure you get to ride it since the standby queue gets insane. The Lightning Lane Single Pass has to be purchased separate, but every other ride is included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass. I recommend getting this unless you do not mind waiting in line for 120+ minutes.
Animal Kingdom is usually less crowded from 4:00-close because people visit in the mornings (it opens earlier than other parks) while animals are more active, and a lot of people rope drop after lunch. Do the shows earlier in the day if you do not want to purchase Genie+ or do rope drop. Then, park hop to another park since it closes earliest!
Animal Kingdom opens earlier than the rest of the parks, and it closes earlier than the rest of the parks. It closes earlier in the summer, often before sundown, so you may not always experience it at night. In the winter, Animal Kingdom stays open a little longer, so go see Pandora. It was always meant to be enjoyed at night for the full effect!
Animal Kingdom Table Service dining is a better option for lunch so you can spend your dinner elsewhere. I like this strategy because Animal Kingdom closes early, giving you plenty of time to make it to another meal or park while still utilizing all Animal Kingdom has to offer!
Rope Drop Tips
If you want to have a chance at a high priority ride at rope drop, you need to be in line to get into the parks an hour before early entry posted time. If you are not staying on property, I would recommend getting there about an hour and a half before the gates open.
Resort Guests can take advantage of Early Entry and get in 30 minutes before the park opens to non-resort guests.
Scenario 1: If you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Early Entry guests should rope drop Expedition Everest. It takes a bit to walk there, but you could ride 3 times before there is a wait in the parks. You could probably get to DINOSAUR by the time your first Lightning Lane Selection is ready (hopefully Safari). Get Na’vi River Journey as your next selection.
Scenario 2: If you do not purchase Lightning Lane Passes for Flight of Passage, but have Early Entry, my advice is to rope drop Avatar: Flight of Passage with everyone else then go straight to Na’vi River Journey and knock those out before it gets crowded.
Scenario 3: If you do not have Early Entry, and you do not have Lightning Lane Passes, your best bet is to go to Kilimanjaro Safari and ride that first. Then, head to Expedition Everest and DINOSAUR. You will have to keep an eye on the Avatar attractions and try to go close to park close.
Make sure you are not rope dropping the attraction you got the first Lightning Lane Selection for.
*If you do not have Early Entry, make Kilimanjaro Safari your first Lightning Lane Selection, and hit some of the other rides like DINOSAUR and Expedition Everest or a show until you can book another Lightning Lane Selection. Na’vi River Journey can be your next Selection.
NOTE: Expedition Everest is the only one of the priority rides that has a single rider line, so this could serve you well if you choose to make this one your wait in line rides.
