Africa
13 Kilimanjaro Safaris | 12 Pangani Forest Exploration Trail | 11 Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Asia
7 Expedition Everest | 9 Flights of Wonder | 8 Kali River Rapids | 10 Maharajah Jungle Trek
Camp Minnie-Mickey
DinoLand
2 The Boneyard | 3 Dinosaur | 6 Finding Nemo—The Musical | 5 Primeval Whirl | 4 TriceraTop Spin
Discovery Island
The Animal Kingdom parking lot is relatively small; all on-site hotels run direct shuttles, and many off-site hotels do as well. If possible, arrive by bus. If you’re coming by car, try to arrive early, before the main parking lot is filled. Otherwise, you’ll be directed to an auxiliary lot.
With more than 500 acres, the Animal Kingdom is the largest of all the Disney parks, but most of the space is earmarked for animal habitats, such as the huge 100-acre savanna featured in Kilimanjaro Safaris. The walkable part of the park is relatively compact—a good thing, since the only real means of getting around is on foot. The layout is basically circular, with the 14-story Tree of Life in the center. This may sound like the Animal Kingdom is easy enough to navigate, but in the middle of the day the area around the main entrance can become so crowded that it’s nearly impassable. If you’re trying to move around the park, your best bet is to cut through the Asia section, essentially going behind the Tree of Life. It looks like you’re going out of your way (and, to some degree, you are), but the traffic flow works more in your favor.
At Disney World it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking “the faster you go, the more you’ll see,” but at the Animal Kingdom, the opposite is true. Slow your pace a little because this park is designed for savoring. There are more than 1,700 live animals representing more than 250 species in the Animal Kingdom, and the park is also a botanical marvel, showcasing more than 3,000 species of plants. So, relax and enjoy the incredible natural beauty of the park and the many small-animal habitats tucked along the way.
On Extra Magic Hour mornings only a few attractions will be operative during the first hour, but they will be indicated on a sign as you enter.
The Oasis is the entry area, much like Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, and it often opens 30 minutes before the stated entry time. Characters are usually on hand to keep the kids entertained.
The animal-habitat areas in the Oasis are charming, but don’t visit them in the morning. You’ll be stampeded by the people behind you hustling to get to the big rides … not to mention the fact that you need to hustle to the big rides yourself. It’s better to visit the Oasis in the afternoon or evening, on your way out of the park. That way it’s not a big deal if you stand there for 20 minutes waiting for the three-toed sloth to move.
When the park opens, attendants are usually standing near the Tree of Life, directing you toward attractions. Because they’re on walkie-talkies with the operators of the rides, these cast members can give you approximate wait times and save you from hotfooting it to a ride only to find a 40-minute wait. The tip board in front of the Tree of Life also lists upcoming showtimes and the approximate wait time for major attractions.
Head first to Africa and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris. Then cross to Asia and ride Expedition Everest.
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
Festival of the Lion King
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl
Because of the relatively small number of attractions, you can tour the Animal Kingdom in about six hours. The park is often mobbed between 10 am and 3 pm, but it usually begins to clear out by mid-afternoon. If you can’t be there first thing in the morning, consider arriving after lunch.
Because of their proximity, consider combining a morning visit to the Animal Kingdom and an afternoon visit to Blizzard Beach. The parks are five minutes apart by car and many hotel buses stop at both.
The Animal Kingdom closes early (between 5 and 7 pm depending on the season) and has no closing show.
Insider’s Secret
In your dash to get to the rides and shows, don’t forget that the Animal Kingdom is really all about the animals. The Maharajah Jungle Trek and Pangani Forest Exploration Trail are major attractions, as well designed as any zoo, and there are other small enclaves of animal habitats around the Tree of Life.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Don’t-Miss List
Dinosaur (if your kids are 7 or older)
Expedition Everest (if kids are 8 or older and at least 44 inches tall)
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo—The Musical
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Tree of Life—It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
The attractions may be few, but they’re powerful. Most are designed for the whole family to enjoy together.
This state-of-the-art 3-D film is a real highlight for all ages. First of all, it’s shown inside the Tree of Life, which is an amazing edifice with 325 animals carved into its trunk—perfect for pictures. The show combines visual, sensory, and tactile effects, and the cast of characters, including an accurately named Stinkbug, is so funny that everyone leaves laughing. The best effect of all is at the very end of the show.
The Scare Factor
Tree of Life—It’s Tough to be a Bug! is a huge hit with most kids, but there are scary scenes. At one point large spider puppets dangle over your head. Later, the theater goes dark, you hear swarming wasps, and the back of your seat might give you a small electrical zap. (Not into pain? Simply lean forward in your seat.) Most children seem to find Flik and friends to be great fun, but there’s usually at least one child crying in the audience. If your kids are scared of the dark or bugs, skip the show. “My 7-year-old girl is normally a brave thing,” wrote a mom from England. “She went on Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, etc., with no problem at all. But Tree of Life—It’s Tough to Be a Bug! scared her so badly she was ready to leave.…”
Insider’s Secret
A new character greeting area opened in spring 2013 featuring Mickey, Minnie, and friends as they prepare to set off on their next globetrotting adventure. It’s located at the Adventurers Outpost on Discovery Island and—best of all—it’s an indoor (and thus cool) meet and greet environment.
This is the Animal Kingdom’s premier attraction, a 2-mile ride through the open bush that simulates an African photo safari. The animals have a great deal of open space around them and appear to be running free—although cleverly incorporated water and plant barriers ensure that the cheetahs don’t meet up with the ostriches and graphically illustrate the circle of life right in front of the kids.
Your guide helps you tell the impalas from the gazelles and at times your vehicle (called a lorry) comes startlingly close to the wildlife.
Safari drivers say that the animals are often active in the morning but that you have a better chance of seeing cheetahs, rhinos, and warthogs later in the day. And because of the attraction’s mammoth and unpredictable animal cast, Kilimanjaro is, in essence, a different adventure every time. You could go on one safari in the morning, get a Fastpass, and return in the afternoon for a whole new show.
Most of Disney’s new interactive games, scattered throughout the four major theme parks, are pretty high-tech. But Wilderness Explorers, based on the movie Up!, is old-fashioned and hands-on. In fact, it’s similar to the Boy and Girl Scouts, with kids earning “badges” in the form of stickers from “troop leaders” stationed around the park. To earn one of the more than 30 badges, a child must demonstrate knowledge of certain facts about the animal or his habitat. The tasks are designed to be age-appropriate for many levels and to encourage kids to take a brief break from the rides to focus on how cool the animals really are. A welcome addition to the park!
Really into animals? Willing to pay for a one-of-a-kind adventure? Consider this three-hour family-friendly behind-the-scenes tour for ages eight and up. One highlight is crossing a rope bridge that sways 50 feet above a creek full of crocodiles. You’re safely tethered with a bungee cord, of course, and the bridge is created only to seem precarious, but it’s still exciting. You also hike through the bush, get up close to hippos, eat a stupendously good lunch from a deck in the savanna, and have access to guides who give far more info than you’d get on Kilimanjaro Safaris. In fact, the Trek is the perfect basis for a school project. Despite the $189–$249 per-person price, tours fill up fast. Make reservations at 407/939–8687 (407/WDW–TOUR) well in advance.
Near the exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris is this self-guided walking trail. The highlight is seeing the jungle home of Gino, the silverback gorilla, and his harem. (The dominant male in a gorilla troop is called the silverback because he is ordinarily older than the other males and often has gray hairs mixed in with the black.) Along the trail you also pass everything from mole rats to hippos to birds in an enclosed aviary, but children seem especially to enjoy the warthogs and meerkats in the savanna exhibit. Trail Guides are on hand to answer questions and help point out the animals.
This attraction will answer many of the questions you may have about how Disney cares for animals in the park.
Helpful Hint
Rafiki’s Planet Watch requires time and effort for the round-trip. Save it for after the major attractions.
You board a nifty train called the Wildlife Express for a five-minute ride to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Along the way, you’ll see where the animals sleep at night—a cool peek behind the scenes that older kids appreciate. You disembark at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, a station in the farthest-flung section of the park. There you’ll find exhibits on the subjects of conservation and animal endangerment. Kids especially enjoy touring the veterinary labs, where newborns and sick animals get a lot of attention, and the Affection Station, where they can pat and touch the friendly goats, llamas, and sheep.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch is difficult to reach with small children as getting from the train to the station is quite a hike. For kids under five, make sure to bring your stroller. The good news is that once you get there, you can park it and see everything relatively easily—including great meet-and-greet opportunities with Rafiki, Pocahontas, and the rarely seen Jiminy Cricket.
DinoLand is a story unto itself. The official history of this section is that a giant collection of dinosaur bones was found in central Florida, and the scientifically minded Dino Institute built its headquarters next to the dig site. The Institute attracted so many interns that separate quarters had to be built—in what is now Restaurantosaurus—and this led to the Institute’s becoming a tourist attraction. A Texan couple named Chester and Hester, never ones to let a good opportunity pass them by, bought up all the land surrounding the Institute to build a roadside attraction to entertain all those tourists. And thus the part serious/part wacky “DinoLand” was born.
You’re strapped into “high-speed” motion vehicles and sent back in time to the Cretaceous period to save the gentle, plant-eating iguanodon from extinction.
Dinosaur combines atmospheric scariness with a wild-moving vehicle. The height requirement is 40 inches, which means that plenty of preschoolers qualify to board; nonetheless, based on the realism of the dinosaurs, we say wait until kids are at least seven to ride, and even then consider whether they’re brave enough to handle very big, very loud dinosaurs jumping out at them while the car takes steep drops. “As much as our young son (age 7) loves dinosaurs, this ride proved to be too much for him,” wrote a mom of two. “We are planning another trip to Disney this year, and he still reminds us that he is not going on the dinosaur ride again.”
It’s a noble mission, but it ain’t easy. Along the way, Disney throws everything it has at you: Asteroids, meteors, incoming pterodactyls, and ticked-off people-eating dinosaurs. The dinosaurs are extremely lifelike, and in some cases extremely close. The jeeps bounce around like mad, so Dinosaur can be a bit rough—but it’s also a powerfully fun ride.
Based on the animated film Finding Nemo, this kid-pleasing musical combines performances by puppets, dancers, and acrobats, all choreographed to envelop you in Nemo’s big blue world. The puppets, created by the same team who brought The Lion King to Broadway, are especially amazing, and the special effects are dazzling.
Helpful Hint
A rather secluded character greeting area is located to the right just before you cross the bridge into DinoLand. Typically, this is the best place in all of Walt Disney World to see the characters from Winnie the Pooh. A sign as you enter will help you verify which characters you’ll find waiting at the end of the path.
Helpful Hint
Finding Nemo is a good example of why closer isn’t always better. If you sit too close to the stage, you’ll miss some of the action, which takes place on the catwalk behind the section closest to the stage. The best viewing is the center section, about two-thirds of the way back.
The story will be familiar to anyone who’s seen the movie—Nemo and his father, Marlin, go on separate journeys that ultimately teach them how to understand each other. The catchy pop music and multigenerational humor are designed to appeal to all age groups, and the ending may cause you to shed a tear. Arrive at the theater 20 minutes ahead of showtime, 30–45 during the on-season, to guarantee good seats.
A great attraction for kids seven and under, the Boneyard is a playground designed to simulate an archaeological dig. Kids can dig for “fossils,” excavate “bones,” and play on bridges and slides. The playground is visually witty—where else can you find slides made from what look like prehistoric animal skeletons?—and has fun surprises, such as a footprint that roars when you jump on it.
Helpful Hint
The good news is that kids can lose themselves in the Boneyard and happily play for an hour. The bad news is that parents can lose their kids as well. The Boneyard is sprawling, so keep your eyes on young children at all times, especially when they’re playing on the slides. When they enter at the top, it’s often hard to tell what chute they’re in or where they’ll emerge.
Visit the Boneyard after you’ve toured the biggies and the kids are ready to romp for a while. The play area can get very hot on a Florida afternoon, however, so remember the sunscreen and water bottles. If it’s a really roasting day, head for the woolly mammoth dig-site area, which is covered and has large fans to cut down on the heat. “My 3-year-old loved the dig site,” reported one father. “We hung out there for about an hour while my wife took the older kids on Dinosaur.”
The kid-friendly TriceraTop Spin is a circular ride similar to Dumbo, except that you fly in dinosaurs, naturally. The beasts tilt back and forth as you climb or descend.
The Scare Factor
If they loved Dumbo, they’ll love TriceraTop Spin.
The second ride in Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama is Primeval Whirl, a crazy mouse–style coaster with spinning cars, hairpin turns, and numerous dips. Primeval Whirl is a slow-boarding, low-capacity ride and can draw lines. If you’re visiting on a busy day, use Fastpass.
The Scare Factor
A bit surprisingly, Primeval Whirl has a 48-inch height requirement. The ride is faster than it looks and has many spins. Most kids over five (assuming they make the height requirement) love it, but if you have any doubts, watch it make a cycle or two before joining the queue. This is not a good choice for anyone prone to motion sickness.
Insider’s Secret
As a new Avatar attraction is being built on adjoining real estate, big changes are coming to Camp Minnie-Mickey. Rumor has it that Festival of the Lion King will be moved to the Africa section of the park.
This is one of the best attractions in the Animal Kingdom.
Festival of the Lion King features what you might expect—singers, dancers, the characters—as well as acrobatic “monkeys” twirling fire batons and “birds” that dramatically take flight. The costuming is incredible, the music is wonderful, and the finale is guaranteed to give you goose bumps.
The performers interact directly with the audience, and at one point small children from the crowd are invited to join in a simple circular parade. Children sitting near the front are more apt to be tapped.
Festival of the Lion King is very popular. Disney has started offering Fastpass due to this show’s crowd appeal, but, due to the Festival’s very out-of-the-way location, the kiosk to pick up your Fastpass is located near It’s Tough to Be a Bug! It’s a little confusing, but once you see where the show is located, you’ll thank Disney for saving you the walk. (Also be aware that, as with most theater-style attractions, you’ll only need a Fastpass on especially crowded days.) Showtimes are printed on your entertainment schedule; be there at least 30 minutes early if you’d like to sit near the front.
For this water ride you board an eight-passenger raft for a descent down a meandering river through rapids, geysers, and waterfalls. Expect to get very wet, possibly soaked, depending on where you’re sitting in the raft. (As the rafts are circular and constantly turning throughout the ride, it’s impossible to predict which seats will catch the most spray.) Stow cameras and other water-sensitive valuables in lockers before you board and bring your trusty poncho.
The Scare Factor
The height requirement is only 38 inches, reflecting the fact that Kali River Rapids is a very mild ride, with only one sizable descent along the way. It’s fine for anyone who isn’t afraid of getting wet.
Insider’s Secret
Are some of your kids too young or too short to ride? Let them man Kali’s water cannons on the bridge as you approach the ride; there they can take aim against their older siblings as they pass in the rafts below. Revenge is sweet! And, to be honest, soaking strangers can be fun, too.
It’s also good to keep your feet up on the center bar. A wet backside is an inconvenience, but wet shoes and socks can lead to blisters and ruin your whole day. Also consider bringing a change of clothes. One mom said her soaking-wet child burst into tears and had to be taken back to the hotel to change.
Another lovely walking path, this one goes through habitats of Asia. The Bengal tigers are the undisputed stars of the show, but you’ll also encounter Komodo dragons, gibbons, and, most intriguing of all, giant fruit bats. Take time along the path to appreciate the glorious landscaping and the beauty of the architecture. In fact, if you only have time to choose one animal path, the Maharajah Jungle Trek gets the nod over Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, largely because the tigers lie around more—and thus are more likely to be in viewing range—than the gorillas.
Hidden Mickey
The Maharajah Jungle Trek is Hidden Mickey city. There are several in the drawings on the ruins just as you enter the tiger habitat.
The Caravan Stage is home to this lovely display of birds in free flight. The show’s premise is a bit silly, but you can count on seeing falcons, vultures, hawks, and toucans demonstrating their unusual talents. Several members of the audience, including kids, are invited onstage to interact with the birds. Showtimes are noted on your entertainment schedule; be there 10 minutes early to assure a good seat, 20 minutes during the on-season. Flights of Wonder is a good choice for the most crowded times of the afternoon.
Expedition Everest is one of the most exciting attractions in all of Disney World. The premise is that your mountain train is chugging up the snowy mountainside when it suddenly encounters a break in the track. Uh-oh. Wonder why? The trip back down not only involves wild plunges and even wilder speeds, but you also meet up with the yeti that lives in the mountain, and he’s not in a good mood. Your train races both forward and backward as you attempt to escape his rage.
Helpful Hint
Expedition Everest draws major crowds. Although the ride boards quickly and the lines move fast, come in the morning or use Fastpass. The ride is a huge hit with our readers, with almost 80% of them listing it as their favorite attraction in the Animal Kingdom. “I expected my 11-year-old to like it,” wrote one mom from Arizona, “but to my surprise my 6-year-old loved it just as much. Even my father-in-law insisted on riding twice!”
The Scare Factor
Although Expedition Everest doesn’t have the corkscrews and flips of the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, the yeti is indeed slightly more frightening than Steven Tyler. Also, the train moves at almost twice the speed of Space Mountain, which means the ride will probably be too intense for kids under eight. The height requirement is 44 inches.
As the Animal Kingdom closes the earliest of all the parks—usually between 5 and 7 pm, depending on the season—people rarely eat dinner there. There are three sit-down restaurants: Rainforest Café, which is just as you enter the park, and open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; the Tusker House Restaurant, which features a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and the Yak & Yeti, an Asian-fusion restaurant with table service, a full bar, quick-service options, and a beer garden that is open for lunch and dinner.
The Tusker House in Africa is the site of the Animal Kingdom’s only character meals, Donald’s Safari Breakfast and Donald’s Safari Lunch. Reserve before you leave home by calling 407/939–3463 (407/WDW–DINE). (After the character meals are over each day, the Tusker House serves a buffet and remains one of the few places in the Animal Kingdom where you can consistently count on finding fresh vegetables.) “The food at the Tusker House character breakfast was outstanding,” said one mom of three. “We loved the Jungle Juice and the Mickey waffles. My daughter was so happy to finally meet Daisy Duck, and the characters do a little song that’s really cute.”
Insider’s Secret
The Animal Kingdom provides interactive entertainment throughout the park. Cast members are stationed with animals, and kids are welcome to ask questions and have up-close encounters with the bugs, birds, reptiles, and small mammals. At the Dawa Bar in the Africa section you’ll find storytellers, music, African drumming, and acrobats.
Keep an eye out for DeVine, a moving human topiary, who can often be found literally hanging around the park. She blends in so well with the vegetation that she’s been known to startle some guests.
There’s also a cute 15-minute parade in the afternoon, featuring the characters “on safari,” animal puppetry, and stilt walkers. Check the tip board or your entertainment schedule to confirm showtime and stake your curb space 15 minutes in advance.
Pizzafari, near Camp Minnie-Mickey, and Flame Tree Barbecue, near the entrance to DinoLand, are also good lunch choices. Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand offers po-boys and taco salads. All the restaurants have outdoor patios where you can take your food, find a pretty view, and really relax. These lush, shady eating areas in the Animal Kingdom help blur the line between fast food and sit-down dining.
The Dawa Bar, adjacent to the Tusker House patio, offers alcoholic beverages and entertainment in the afternoon.
Why is there no big closing show at the Animal Kingdom? Most evening shows require fireworks, lasers, and other pyrotechnics, and all that noise and light would scare the animals.
As there’s no closing show, midday crowds drift out of the Animal Kingdom throughout the afternoon and early evening, and leaving isn’t a problem. Return to the parking lot or bus station whenever it suits your schedule.
Insider’s Secret
It’s been announced that an Avatar-themed attraction is planned for the present site of Camp Minnie-Mickey, estimated to open in 2015. During construction, the popular Festival of the Lion King will be relocated to Africa—which was frankly a more logical spot for it all along.
