The Resorts Gal Guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Preview our most popular planning articles for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Below, we’ve listed the park’s attractions according to their lands. Animal Kingdom is a significant park, but we simplified it by breaking it down into areas.

These articles provide specifics for each attraction, including things like eligibility for early theme park hours, extended hours, and height requirements. We also provide tips and walk-through experiences with photos of each ride.

Lastly, we have entertainment, character, and planning articles for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We hope you’ll find these resources helpful when planning your Walt Disney World vacation.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom History

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on April 22, 1998 (Earth Day). Disney’s largest park, spanning over 500 acres, is commonly called one-of-a-kind or much more than a zoo. The park is unique in the fact that it combines thrills with conservation. Animal Kingdom is home to over 2000 animals representing over 300 species. Disney is an accredited member of the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums), following their guidelines for the care of the animals who call the park home.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. Over the years, the park has had many notable milestones. A few that stand out are:

• The Disney Conservation Fund was established in April 1995 to support the protection of wildlife and wild places worldwide.
• The grand opening of the Asia section of the park opened in 1999.
• In April of 2006, Expedition Everest opened in the Asia section of the park.
• Pandora, the World of Avatar opened in May of 2017.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lands

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to multiple lands with attractions, dining, habitats, and shopping. Those lands include:

• Discovery Island
• Pandora, World of Avatar
• Africa
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Asia
• Dinoland U.S.A.

Update: In the coming years, Dinoland, U.S.A., will be replaced by a new land themed to the Tropical Americas.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Attractions

Here is a list of attractions, entertainment, and some animals that Disney highlights on the Animal Kingdom’s park map.

An additional offering is the Tree of Life Awakenings show, which is held nightly in the cooler months of the year when it gets dark earlier. You can check the My Disney Experience app for showtimes. The show is usually shown from mid-November through early March when the park is open late enough to accommodate it.

Looking for a cheat sheet? Make sure to get a copy of our free Animal Kingdom spreadsheet. It has a tab for the other three parks and will help you with the planning process.

Click Here for Disney’s Ride Refurbishment Calendar

Learn More>> The Complete Guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Attractions and Entertainment

Attractions with Height Requirements at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The following rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom have a height requirement:

• Kali River Rapids (38″)
• DINOSAUR (40″)
• Avatar Flight of Passage (44″)
• Expedition Everest (44″)

Attractions with Lightning Lanes

The following attractions require a Lightning Lane Single Pass:

• Avatar: Flight of Passage (Single Pass Purchase)

The next set of attractions is part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass:

• DINOSAUR
• Expedition Everest
• Festival of the Lion King
• Feathered Friends in Flight
• Finding Nemo: The Big, Blue…and Beyond
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Na’vi River Journey
• The Animation Experience

Learn More>> Everything You Need to Know About Lightning Lanes at Disney World

Where Should We Head First?

This will largely depend on the makeup of your party. Most guests (probably 90%) will head straight to Pandora, World of Avatar, to take flight on a banshee during Flight of Passage. Others might head to DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, and Na’vi River Journey. Kilimanjaro Safaris doesn’t open until regular park hours. It’s an excellent 2nd or 3rd attraction if you are eligible for early theme park entry.

Characters

• Mickey and Minnie Mouse meet in safari suits daily at Adventurer’s Outpost. This meet-and-greet is to the right of the Tree of Life on Discovery Island.
• Donald Duck (Meet Donald at Dino-Bash!)
• Daisy Duck (Meet Daisy at Dino-Bash!)
• Chip and Dale (Meet Chip and Dale as Chipmunk O’Saurus)
• Russell and Dug from UP! (Meet Russell and Dug at the Wilderness Explorer’s Clubhouse)
• Pocahontas, Pluto, and Goofy have regular meet-and-greets.
• Moana (Meet Moana at Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
• Kevin from UP! (Meet Kevin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
• Timon and Rafiki meet at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

For more details, see our guide to meeting characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We also recommend checking the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for exact locations and availability. Per Disney, entertainment is subject to change.

Dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some of the best dining among the four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort. These restaurants take walk-ups based on availability, but in most cases, you’ll want to have advanced dining reservations:

• Rainforest Cafe: This Landry-owned and operated restaurant is near the park’s entrance. Guests do not have to enter the park to eat at this location.
• Tiffins Restaurant: Tiffins is the park’s signature dining location. This location serves lunch and dinner and costs two table service credits for guests on the Disney Dining Plan.
• Tusker House Restaurant: This character dining restaurant offers the opportunity to meet classic characters in safari suits. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We have a review of breakfast at Tusker House Restaurant.
• Yak & Yeti: Landry also owns this restaurant, which sits in the Asia section of the park. It’s one of our favorite places to enjoy a table service meal with reasonable pricing. (Yak and Yeti Review)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a number of quick-service restaurants spread throughout the park. We have a separate guide that shares the menus and what we’ve tried at each one. Some of our favorites include:

• Flame Tree Barbecue (Flame Tree Barbecue Review)
• Satu’li Canteen (Satu’li Canteen Review)
• Nomad Lounge (Nomad Lounge Review)
• Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe (Local Foods Cafe Review)
• Harambe Market (Harambe Market Review)

You might like to browse our Animal Kingdom Quick Service Restaurant Guide.

Tickets, Transportation, and Parking

Tickets for Disney’s Animal Kingdom can be purchased online or through an authorized travel agent or reseller. We use Firefly Travels for all of our reservations. If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, you might prefer to book a room + ticket package instead of purchasing individual tickets.

Bus transportation is provided from every Disney World Resort Hotel to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Bus service is also offered from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the other theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) after 10:00 a.m. until the park closes. You cannot take a bus from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Disney Springs. (You can take a bus from Animal Kingdom to Saratoga Springs and then walk to Disney Springs.)

Annual Passholders and guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort can enjoy complimentary parking at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Other guests will have to pay for parking. You can read more in our guide to parking at Walt Disney World.

Courtesy trams are provided from the parking lot of Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the park’s entrance. You’ll want to remember the row where you parked. The My Disney Experience offers a car locator service if you prefer to use it.

Other Theme Park Guides

• Magic Kingdom
• EPCOT Guide
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Guide
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Guide
• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Guide