A visit to Disney World can be overwhelming. There are so many things to do in each park that you constantly question which places and rides are worth the time and which ones are not. As a frequent Disney guest, I’ve experienced almost everything within each park and have come up with a top 10 list of things to do at each of them. I posted my Epcot top 10 list earlier this year and decided to do my top 10 list of things to do at Animal Kingdom next.
Opening in 1998, Animal Kingdom is the newest Disney Park that is dedicated to natural environment and animal conservation. It is also the largest of Disney’s four parks. Spread out over 580 acres, Animal Kingdom is broken out into seven themed areas. Guests travel from the Oasis to Discovery Island, Pandora – The World of Avatar, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia, and DinoLand USA. You’ll do a lot of walking while visiting Animal Kingdom, but you’ll experience something unique in each of the areas. In no particular order, here are my top 10 list of things to do at Animal Kingdom.
1. Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Kilimanjaro Safaris takes you right into the Harambe Wildlife Preserve in an open-air safari vehicle. The best part is that each ride is truly a different experience. We’ve rode it at least a dozen times and the unpredictability of the animals’ behavior makes it exciting every time. Crocodiles, hippos, elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, and lions are a few of the animals you’ll see on the 22-25 minute adventure. The giraffes come within feet of the vehicle and really make me feel like I’m in the savannas of Africa!
The highlight of our last trip was being able to see the baby hippo that was born only a few weeks prior. The safari is also educational since the driver of the vehicle is giving fun facts about the animals as they are seen. My favorite fact…flamingos are pink because they eat a lot shrimp (the natural dye in the brine shrimp turn them pink!)
2. Walk through Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
Right after the safari, head over to the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail to see a whole other set of animal species or get a closer look at some of the animals you saw on the safari. My favorites on this trail are the okapi, meerkats, and gorillas. Similar to the safari, every time you experience the trail you’ll see something different. If you catch the gorillas being active they can especially be entertaining to watch.
My favorite part of the trail? Watching the meerkats (aka Timon from The Lion King). Meerkat natural behavior is to always have one on the lookout for predators or other potential threats to the community. If they see something alarming they alert the others with a bark warning them to take cover inside the burrows. That behavior doesn’t change just because they live in the luxury of Disney World. It’s both entertaining and fascinating to watch.
3. Ride Expedition Everest.
Expedition Everest is one of my favorite roller coasters at Disney World. You board a weather-beaten train and take a ride through the Forbidden Mountain of the Himalayas. Encountering a Yeti along the way, the ride includes going forward and backwards at high speeds and a fantastic view of Disney World as the train “climbs” to the top of the mountain. I would recommend getting a Fast Pass because the lines can get long depending on the time you visit.
4. Eat at the Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafe.
A great quick service lunch stop located on your way back from riding Expedition Everest is the Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafe. If you like Chinese food, its a great place to sit down for chicken fried rice and egg rolls for a reasonable price. Although it’s not gluten free (because of the soy sauce), I’ll still eat chicken fried rice every once in a while. You can get a side order for only $4.99 that is a large enough portion to easily be lunch. I remember their egg rolls being fantastic too, although I haven’t had them in a few years. Yak & Yeti is a great alternative to the burgers, fries, chicken fingers, & pizza that are staples at all the other parks
5. Visit Pandora – The World of Avatar.
The newest attraction at the Animal Kingdom, Pandora – The World of Avatar is pretty amazing. The area is based upon the fictional moon, Pandora, and features Pandora’s floating mountains, alien wildlife, and bioluminescent plants. Its fun to just walk around and admire the attention to detail Disney imagineers brought to life. We haven’t had luck getting a Fast Pass to the Avatar Flight of Passage ride, but we have road the Na’vi River Journey boat ride and it’s impressive. Because the wait times have been very long, I would only recommend if you have a Fast Pass. There is also a quick service restaurant, Satu’li Canteen, that we haven’t tried but looks delicious.
6. Walk the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
The Maharajah Jungle Trek takes you on a self-guided tour of Southeast Asia where you’ll experience more wildlife encounters. Starting with the Komodo dragon, the trail takes you on a fictional journey of an old hunting ground that was transformed into a preserve. The sign toward the beginning of the trail tells the story:
Since very ancient times the Rajahs of Anandapur have hunted tigers in this forest. In AD. 1544 King Bhima Disampati decreed the forest a royal preserve closed to all save his guests and built a royal hunting lodge whose ruins lie nearby after 1948. The royal forest was given to the people of Anandapur. Today the forest protects not only the remaining tigers and other wildlife but is a valuable watershed of the ChakranadiRiver and some of the last remaining virgin forest in this region.
This is also where you’ll get to see the tigers. If you want to see them more active, visit later in the day during or after feeding time. My favorite stop on the trek? The Birds of the Royal Forest; an enclosed area of over 50 bird species. Prior to entering, grab a spotting guide and search for your favorite looking birds (which I always make into a contest to see who can spot a particular bird first).
7. Admire the Tree of Life.
The Tree of Life is probably the most recognized attraction at Animal Kingdom. A 145-foot sculpture of a baobab tree, it has been the centerpiece of the park since it opened. The detail of the tree is amazing. It is giant, life-like, and features 325 carvings of existing and extinct animal species on its trunk and surrounding roots. While the tree is enough to admire, it also houses an indoor theatre that plays It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, a 3-D film. Make sure you take advantage of the Disney PhotoPass photographers around the tree. It is a perfect spot to take a family vacation picture. Even if you don’t want to purchase the professional photo, they will take a picture with your camera if you ask!
8. Watch the Festival of the Lion King.
The Lion King is my favorite Disney movie of all time. The Festival of the Lion King is a live show that brings the famous story to life, told in the version of Simba and his friends. It’s a great stop to sit down for 30 minutes, relax, and take in some of the Disney entertainment they are known for. The show features the movie’s favorite characters and popular songs. The gymnastics, aerial dancers, and stilt walkers provide entertainment for all ages.
9. Enjoy a Pineapple Dole Whip at Tamu Tamu Refreshments in Africa.
The Dole Whip is one of Disney World’s most talked about desserts. Tamu Tamu Refreshments offers three different versions of the famous treat, regular (non-alcoholic), dark rum, and coconut rum. Originally sold only in the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian Resort, it’s now available at several more park locations. This pineapple-flavored soft serve frozen dessert has developed a cult-like following and shows up on many “must-do” lists for Disney travelers.
10. Become a Wilderness Explorer.
This is more for if you are going with children, but when we went with my two nieces, Wilderness Explorers was a fun and FREE thing to do that earned badges while learning about the different animals. There are locations around the park where kids can earn over 30 badges as they complete different challenges. No matter how many badges they collect, the official Wilderness Explorer field guide is a great souvenir. You can pick up a field guide from headquarters—located on the bridge between the Oasis and Discovery Island—or at Wilderness Explorer stops in Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia and Dinoland U.S.A.
3If you are planning a Disney World vacation and looking to save money, check out my posts on how to use credit card points and Stay 7 Nights Free at the Swan & Dolphin Hotel, Get a Free Walt Disney World 7-Day Park Hopper Ticket, or How I got my Walt Disney World Annual Pass for $313.11.
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