Is your family traveling to Disney Animal Kingdom? Check out these best tips for your visit – Best Tips for Visiting Disney Animal Kingdom! Post sponsored by Disney as a part of #ZootopiaEvent. All savvy travel opinions are my own
Best Tips for Visiting Disney Animal Kingdom
Looking to maximize your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom? I’ve gathered together the BEST tips to make the most of your vacation!
As a Disney enthusiast and Orlando native, this gal loves Disney Animal Kingdom as one of the best theme parks for families. From food to rides, exclusive tours to insider info, check out my 7 Best Tips for Visiting Disney Animal Kingdom, unlike any other animal theme park in the world!
FastPass The Best Rides
Your tips for the best Animal Kingdom visit all starts BEFORE you get to the parks! With tickets in hand, be sure to FastPass the best and most exclusive Animal Kingdom rides to fit your family’s schedule! From family favorites to extreme thrills, Animal Kingdom definitely keeps the attraction level high throughout the park. Here’s the list of Animal Kingdom FastPass eligible attractions:
- Expedition Everest
- Dinosaur
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Primeval Whirl
- Flights of Wonder
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo – The Musical
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
Take the Backstage Tales Tour
If you’re an early riser, the Disney Animal Kingdom Backstage Tales Tour is a great way to explore the Disney park, behind the scenes. An exclusive guided tour of the animals, enclosures, training, feeding, and more, this is definitely the tour for the Disney lover. AND, one of my favorite parts about this tour is that you get early access to the park, and that perfect Tree of Life picture!
Indulge in Exclusive Eats
If you’re looking for more authentic food inspired by Africa, Asia and beyond, Disney’s Animal Kingdom definitely steps up to the menu. The Disney chefs bring exotic spices, tastes and palettes to offer delicious food offerings you can’t find at any other Disney park.
My favorite area for exclusive eats is the newest Animal Kingdom eatery, the Harambe Market. Spice-Rubbed Karubi Ribs, Sausage Curried Corn Dogs and Watermelon Lemonade are our family’s personal favorites. And let’s not forget that Animal Kingdom is the perfect place to pick up another Dole Whip….with rum for adults!
Explore the Wild Africa Trek
The Disney Wild Africa Trek has to be one of the best private tour offerings at Walt Disney World. If you love animals, adventure, and Disney…this is the bucket list experience for you. A guided walking tour through the jungle, up close animal encounters, a bird’s eye view from a rickety bridge, a beautiful snack locale and your private safari, this is no ordinary 3 hour tour! Be sure to click the link above for my exclusive video and tips for your trek!
Complete the FREE Wilderness Explorers Guide
Want an even deeper look inside of Disney’s Animal Kingdom? It’s definitely my favorite tip to explore the park…and it’s FREE! The Wilderness Explorers Guide is a book chock full of exploration, discovery and learning for families. Pages in your book offer the ultimate scavenger hunt to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, earning you 31 badges along the way. The completion of the hunt also earns you the ultimate prize, the Senior Wilderness Explorers Badge!
Experience A New World at Pandora
Make time to immerse yourself in Animal Kingdom’s newest land, Pandora The World of Avatar. Stunning visuals, 2 all-new rides, out-of-this-world food options, gorgeous picture opportunities and whole lot more await your family. Be sure to check out my post to see why Pandora is great for kids too.
Be Enchanted by Rivers of Light Night Time Show
***Update: As of March 20, 2020 – Rivers of Light show is permanently closed. There are talks of The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic pyrotechnic show replacing this nighttime spectacle.
The all-new nighttime Disney show, Rivers of Light, offers a one-of-a-kind Animal Kingdom show. This 15 minute shows offers a different side of the park with enchanting views, creative visuals and so much for your family to take in. Be sure to check out the Rivers of Light best tips to make the most of viewing.
Learn About Animals, the Disney Way
Disney’s Animal Kingdom definitely allows the guests to get up close and personal with the animals, the Disney way. One of our favorite animal areas is the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Tigers, bats, kamado dragons and more Asian animal species are all surrounded by beautiful enclosures, informative signs and very knowledgeable staff. We could stroll this area for hours, learning new facts about animals in our world!
Enjoy Every Moment
The best tip for your Disney Animal Kingdom visit? Making sure to take in every Disney moment! Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers so many great experiences from amazing rides to exclusive tours, delicious eats to the best photo ops. Be sure to take in the memories with an open mind and a big smile!
What is your best tip for visiting Disney Animal Kingdom?
I received media access to Walt Disney World in exchange for this Best Tips for Visiting Disney Animal Kingdom post. All Disney fanatical opinions are my own. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more of your family travel tips!
Looking for more Disney travel tips?
Pam says
We haven’t been to Disney in forever. If we take our grandkid we will definitely need these tips!
Robin Masshole mommy says
We go to Disney every year and honestly this is out least favorite park. I actually already told the kids we were skipping it when we go in August.
christie says
Hi Robin, I’m sorry to hear this. I hope one day you’ll give the park another shot, at least to try the Wild Africa Trek
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this. I think the early morning behind the scenes tour sounds amazing.
Lisa says
Our new favorite is the character breakfast at Tusker House Restaurant. My favorite expeience is Festival of the Lion King. Kilimanjaro Safari is great for everyone and Expedition Everest is thrilling.
Melinda says
My kids have never been to Disney and I have no desire to go but my oldest daughter wants to take my youngest daughter to Disney next year.
Shell says
Thanks for the tips! I’ve never been to Animal Kingdom. My boys and husband went last year while I was at DSMMC, during conference day. We did other parks when I was able to go with them.
gale mccarron says
I love the Wild Africa Trek! I have such a deep adoration for animals, especially wildlife. Thank you for the tips, they were very helpful.
Susan Hartman says
I’ve never been to the wild kingdom. I have to put that on my list the next time I go to Disney. Hope I can get there soon!
Ann Bacciaglia says
I have always wanted to go to Disney Animal Kingdom. It would be an amazing adventure.
monica says
Great tips! We haven’t been to Disney in two years and we hope to return with the kiddos soon!
Angela Saver says
This looks like so much fun! The Wild Africa Treck would be a hit with our family! Thanks for sharing! The corn dogs look delicious too!
Brandy says
These are great tips, I hope to some day take my trio here and will use some of your tips to survive and enjoy it!
Joyce Brewer (@MommyTalkShow) says
Our son had the best time at Animal Kingdom.
He met his favorite characters from Up and tried to complete his wilderness explorer badge.
He’ll never forget it.
Amy Desrosiers says
We have never had the pleasure of visiting Disney. I would love to head there though because it looks fun!
Pam says
I live in Southern California and have visited Disney too many times to count. What a wonderful place. My kids are grown and we have not been in quite awhile but are hoping to some day soon have grandchildren that we can take there. Thanks for all of the great tips.
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
I would go to Disney Animal Kingdom just so I could see the elephants. This looks like a really great place to visit. Should I ever decide Disney is a place for me, I’ll check it out.
Ora Lee Gurr says
I visit Disney in CA or FL every chance I get. I’ve never met a section I didn’t like. Each of my friends and family has favorites, so we always plan for a two or three day adventure. Your description and tips bring out the fun that Walt Disney saw in his dreams.
crystal says
My family & I had such a blast last year when we were able to visit. It’s a great change from other theme parks.
Raijean says
I’ve never been, I’m going to add this to places to take the boychild he absolutely loves animals
Yona Williams says
I think Disney Animal Kingdom sounds like the perfect place for me to visit. I am a huge animal lover. That rickety bridge would have scared the mess out of me.