Animal Kingdom has always felt to us like the most unique park of the four non-water Disney World parks; it’s the perfect amalgamation of a National Geographic magazine come to life, an African safari, and a classic Disney theme park all in one.
As animal lovers who frequent National Parks and the Bronx Zoo annually, Animal Kingdom was our favorite park day when we first visited together back in 2018. It’s always thrilling to get an up close and personal look at animals you would typically only find in Africa or Asia, and once you’ve exhausted the plethora of exotic wildlife-watching you can pivot to fully immersing yourself in a thrill ride like Dinosaur or Avatar’s Flight of Passage, making it the perfect day.
There is a lot to marvel at in this beautiful and thoughtfully designed park, such as the spectacular Tree of Life with its menagerie of artfully carved animals adorning its sturdy trunk and branches. Pandora, meanwhile, feels wondrous and magical and enchantingly alien when it lights up at nighttime with cinematic displays of faux-bioluminesence.
Now, however … while Animal Kingdom will undoubtedly always hold a place close to our hearts, and as much as we hate to admit it, the park does feel a bit outdated and small compared to the other three, especially now. Although Dinosaur remains awesome to this day (RIP old friend [b. 1998, gone extinct circa 2025 CE]), the entireity of Dinoland-land in particular feels old and bizarrely out of place. Considering the great lengths Disney takes to make their parks feel as immersive and enchanting as possible, Dinoland feels like an old and dying theme park that was cheaply and hastily made, very similar to the kinda-seedy feeling of a county fair or Farmingdale, New York’s infamous Adventureland (iykyk).
Thankfully, Dinoland will be seeing a sizeable multi-year upgrade to transform it into the land of “Tropical Americas,” with Indiana Jones and Encanto themed attractions.
Although we still had a great time thriving amongst the creatures for the day, the powers that be (*ahem* the Mouse) committed the unforgivable sin of closing the kingdom at 6 PM, thus robbing us of re-experiencing Pandora at night in its full, final, and arguably best and truest form. Yep, still bitter about it.
Animal Kingdom is still a must-visit destination for us, but it needs a little something more to keep on pace with the other parks which seemingly add new attractions at a breakneck pace (eyeballing you, Epic Universe; we’ll be back, Orlando).
Top Rides & Shows in Disney's Animal Kingdom park
Avatar Flight of passage
Although we tend to prefer more realistic rides with immersive set pieces and practical effects that you can see and feel, Avatar Flight of Passage is about as good as you can get when it comes to simulation rides. Even the queue is a delight (one of the great Disney joys), complete with a big blue Avatar guy floating in a “link-tank”. Pre-ride immersion begins with a decontamination chamber where riders are matched to a DNA-c0mpatible Banshee. Flight of Passage Banshee-riders are then locked in astride a stationery motorbike-like unit.
DNA matches verified, an electric “shock” reverberates at the mid-back of each rider, letting them know that they have been successfully linked with their Avatar compatriate and are ready to fly a Banshee. Neighboring banshee riders are brought before a massive 4K/4D screen, with all the vibrant images, sounds, and even smells that we have become accustomed to being wowed by in the Avatar universe. Your banshee mimics the thrill of flying throughout Pandora, dipping and diving from the clouds, in and out of lush forested cliffs and through a corkscrew of brilliantly blue waves and leaping whales.
The highlight of the ride comes when you and your banshee stop momentarily to enjoy the majesty of a massive red-orb lit cave, all before a massive Banshee chases you out. Overall, this simulation ride is the closest thrill you can get to a real-life aerial tour of Pandora.
Na'vi River Journey
The Na’Vi River Journey is an exquisitely serene, beautiful, and immersive slow ride located in Pandora. Surrounded by the lush, tropical jungles of a foreign planet that feature so prominently in the first of James Cameron’s Avatar films, riders are taken to another world with the sights and sounds of Pandora. It’s the smaller details that makes this river ride so incredible. From bioluminescent amphibious creatures running on top of the oversized leaves of alien vegetation looming overhead, to neon wood sprites hovering above riders like aerated jellyfish, everywhere you look there are supernatural and otherworldly fauna and flora to enjoy, set to the enchanting sounds of the film’s soundtrack and the spoken words of the wise and ancient Mo’at. The entire river is lit up in a brilliant, luminous, and vibrant display of the inner workings of the Pandora forests, so enjoy the ride, and make sure to recycle on your way out, lest you anger Eywa.
KILIMANJARO SAFARI
The Kilimanjaro Safari is a classic Animal Kingdom staple and a must for animal lovers. This experience mimics a Safari through an African nature preserve, as the themed Safari trucks take guests all throughout the massive, carefully designed Disneyfied savannah, giving safari-goers an up close and personal look at the wildlife that calls Disney’s Animal Kingdom home. A plethora of exotic African Animals abound, potentially including speeding cheetahs (though more likely to be found lazing in the shade here), statuesque rhinos, a herd of elephants (possibly shielding an adorable elephant calf or two from view), a hungry hippo, impossibly tall giraffes, bounding antelope, striped Zebras, lounging bongos, hot pink flamingoes, Nile crocodiles; basically, the works. We even saw Simba and Pumba, but to our surprise and dismay it turns out they are not in fact friendly in this universe and had to be separated by a cleverly placed system of moats and fencing. The best thing about this ride is that it’s different every time, so it’s worth the wait multiple times over. So take a trip to Africa without the inter-continental flight and enjoy the best that Animal Kingdom has to offer!
FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING SHOW
One of the most well-choreographed shows in all of Disney World, Festival of the Lion King is a perfect mid-day excursion to escape the heat. Enjoy the sounds and sights of the jungle as all kinds of African “creatures” run in and out of the aisles surrounding the bleachers holding the 4 strategically divided sections of the crowd, with each section representing a different African beast. Cirque du soleil-esque acrobatic monkeys jump and swing from the rafters, as a giant animatronic Simba throws a festival with the help of an even larger animatronic Pumba and costume-wearing Timone. It’s as close as you can get to Broadway quality for a show that’s performed dozens of times a day, and it’s a lot of fun to let loose with your best wildlife impressions as the tribal chief urges the crowd to sound off with their section’s animal sound in between singing along to beloved melodies from “The Lion King”.
RAFIKI’S PLANET WATCH
We had no idea this secret gem even existed prior to this visit, but if you have young kids or just like being around farm animals, this excursion is for you. Hop on a train that heads off the main theme park premises. Eagle-eyed fans of “The Magic of Animal Kingdom” on Disney+ will undoubtedly recognize the facilities where they treat animals ranging from African Elephants to cheetahs. On the train from Harambe to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, keep your eyes peeled for rhino barns and paddocks.
Once you arrive at Rafiki’s hideout, you’ll be welcomed at the aptly-named “affection section” by curious barn animals who love pets and treats. Our favorite animal was the IRL counterpart of Moana’s trustee friend Pua (boat snacks!), who enjoyed belly rubs and hearty pats while lounging in the sun. You learn something new about Disney every visit, and this side mission is worth it if you’re an animal lover with a little extra time to spare.
EXPEDITION EVEREST
The best and most thrilling ride at Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest is a timeless classic roller coaster that is sudden and fast-paced. The coaster is a combination of indoor and outdoor segments, with the biggest highlights as you emerge from the dark sections of the ride. Expedition Everest is an incredible immersive roller coaster that has cemented itself as one of the best not only at Walt Disney World Orlando, but around the world. No matter how many times you’ve experienced the ride’s pivotal “plot-twist”, it’s pure fun and magic every single time.
FEATHERED FRIENDS IN FLIGHT
Another top tier live Disney show found at Animal Kingdom. It’s absolutely amazing to watch the tricks these birds pull off thanks to the handlers’ training and dedication. Some of the exotic birds that park-goers can expect to see in flight include owls, ravens, condors, vultures, doves and brilliantly colored Macaws. You might even see some unexpected critters make an appearance. One of the top highlights during our visit included a condor with a wingspan an over nine-foot wingspan that would make Shaquille O’Neal and Jon Bones Jones blush, flying over the crowd at such a close distance that you may even feel the wind from its flight path run through your hair. Another crowd-pleasing favorite was a clever corvid trained to snatch cash from an unwitting crowd member (clever girl). “Feathered Friends in Flight” is an understatedly spectacular, can’t miss show for any fans of our planet’s incredible birds.
DINOSAUR
This ride slapped until its very last breath of life before going the way of the *ahem* Dinosaur. The bumpy mechanics just hit different, with a charming and only-slightly-nauseating dopamine rush of nostalgia and thrilling fun as the vehicle mimics the movements of a rugged off-roading 4×4 Jeep Wrangler.
Passengers are transported back to the Cretaceous period, when larger than life dinos roamed the earth (some friendlier than others, as we know all too well from one of neighboring Universal Studios’ signature franchises).
As soon as your car exits the hypersonic bridge portal, you’re immediately thrust into a dinosaur wonderland over 66 million years in the making, with different species of the pre-historic creatures running and flying chaotically around you in every direction. Adding to the immersion is a dazzling meteor shower overhead (yes, that meteor shower), which adds flickers of light to the mostly dark ride. The crescendo of your voyage through time and space comes when your driver puts the pedal to the metal in an effort to get back to present day before the notorious world-altering asteroid crashes down and destroys vast swaths of life on earth. As your crew makes its daring escape, passengers are escorted by an unexpected friend, an iguanodon straight out of the movie can be seen riding next to you in the car.
RIP to this timeless classic; you will be missed dear boy.
Dining in Animal Kingdom
Dole Whip Pineapple Juice Float - Tamu Tamu, Africa
Disney’s legendary-for-good-reason classic Dole Whip is a cool, refreshing and delicious sweet treat, a frozen reprieve of pure joy in the hot summer months. Tamu Tamu’s Dole Whip float rendition with the boozy addition of Parrot Bay rum (you won’t find this in the Magic Kingdom!) topped with a smooth soft serve ice cream swirl never fails to hit the spot when you’re craving something sweet with a juicy twist. Dole Whip, in any form, remains a Disney foodie essential and a can’t miss at Animal Kingdom.
MO’ARA MARGARITA - Pongu-Pongu, Pandora
This delicious neon blue frozen margarita is the perfect welcome to the alien land of Pandora. It’s definitely on the sweet side, and we’re suspicious that the atmospheric conditions on Pandora lessen the alcohol content in this “cocktail” (a curious phenomena, ought to be studied by science!), but it is refreshing nonetheless, and weridly delightful to suck up the bright yellow gelatinous boba as you slurp.
Pongu Spring Rolls - PONGU-PONGU, Pandora
These unexpectedly scrumptious little Avatar-themed egg rolls were a perfect snack to start our day at Animal Kingdom. The crispy egg roll wrapper’s exterior contrasted perfectly with the creamy cream cheese and fruity pineapple interior nicely. We only wish we had the opportunity to try all of the exotic rations that Pandora’s human-staffed outposts have to offer!
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