The Resorts Gal Guide to
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Preview our most popular planning articles for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We’ve listed the park’s attractions below respective to their lands. Animal Kingdom is a significant park, and we make it simple 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 for each ride. Lastly, we have our entertainment, character, and planning articles for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We hope you’ll find these resources useful in 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 referred to as 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 25-year 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: Dinoland, U.S.A., is expected to be replaced at some point in the coming years by a new land, possibly themed to the Tropical Americas. However, no formal announcement has been made.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Attractions
Here is a list of attractions, entertainment, and some of the animals that Disney highlights on the Animal Kingdom’s park map.
- Affection Section (Petting Zoo)
- African Birds
- African Elephants
- African Hogs
- African Lions
- Animal Encounters: Winged Encounters, the Kingdom Takes Flight
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
- Ankole Cattle
- Anteaters
- Asian Birds
- Asian Small-Clawed Otters
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Babirusas
- Bats
- The Boneyard
- Butterflies
- Conservation Station
- Cotton-top Tamarins
- Dino-Sue
- DINOSAUR
- Discovery Island Trails
- Disney Animals
- Donald’s Dino-Bash!
- Expedition Everest-Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Festival of The Lion King
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!
- Flamingos at Discovery Island
- Fossil Fun Games
- Gibbons
- Giraffes
- Gorillas
- Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
- Harambe Village Acrobats
- Hippopotamuses
- Invertebrates
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kangaroos
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Komodo Dragons
- Lemurs
- Maharajah Jungle Trek
- Meerkats
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
- Meet Moana at Character Landing
- Migratory Birds
- Na’vi River Journey
- The Oasis Exhibits
- Okapis
- Rhinos
- Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe
- Tigers
- Tree of Life
- Triceratop Spin
- Viva Gaia Street Band!
- Vultures
- Wilderness Explorers
- Wildlife Express Train
- Zebras
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. It’s usually shown from mid-November through early March when the park is open late enough to accommodate the offering.
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
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
Our ride selector tool simplifies the process of choosing Lightning Lanes and desired time ranges. You’ll have a plan formed for each park day in minutes!
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.
We have an entire guide for meeting characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that we update regularly. Make sure to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for exact locations and availability. Entertainment is always 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: This restaurant is also owned by Landry’s and 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 (Click here for our Flame Tree Barbecue Review)
- Satu’li Canteen (Click here for our Satu’li Canteen Review)
- Nomad Lounge (Click here for our Nomad Lounge Review)
- Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe (Click here for our Local Foods Cafe Review)
- Harambe Market (Click here for our Harambe Market Review)
You can click here for 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 would like to use it.
Browse All Disney’s Animal Kingdom Coverage
For more about Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you might enjoy the following:
The Oasis and Discovery Island
Discovery Island is the heart of the park and the immediate area surrounding the Tree of Life. Bridges on each side of Discovery Island lead to Africa, Asia, Dinoland, the U.S.A., and Pandora, the World of Avatar. The following attractions are available in this area of the park:
The Oasis Exhibits at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Photos and Things to Do)
It’s Tough to Be a Bug! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide)
The Wilderness Explorers Program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide)
Touring the Discovery Island Trails at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Winged Encounters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Not-To-Be Missed Bird Encounter)
Adventurer’s Outpost (Meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Meet Dug and Russell from ‘UP’ at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Here’s How To Find Kevin from ‘UP!’ at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Pandora, World of Avatar
Pandora, the World of Avatar, is the newest land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When guests visit this part of the park, they step onto another planet with floating mountains and stunning flora.
A Resorts Gal Guide to Pandora, World of Avatar (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)
The Resorts Gal Guide to Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Satu’li Canteen Review
Africa and Rafiki’s Planet Watch
The Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is toward the back of the park. You’ll take the path to the left of the Tree of Life and then cross the bridge to Harambe. Africa is home to one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World, Kilimanjaro Safaris.
The Animation Experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Attraction Guide)
Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide)
A Visit to Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom’s Wildlife Express Train (A Resorts Gal Guide)
Affection Section at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Attraction Guide)
Conservation Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Attraction Guide)
Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide with Photos)
The Resorts Gal Guide to Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Asia
The Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is toward the back of the park, opposite Africa. To cross the bridge to Asia, take the path to the immediate right of the Tree of Life. Asia is home to a popular thrill ride, Expedition Everest.
The Maharajah Jungle Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide)
A Resorts Gal Guide to Expedition Everest-Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Ride Guide)
Feathered Friends in Flight! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Dinoland U.S.A
Dinoland U.S.A. is to the immediate right of the park from Discovery Island. This land is expected to be revamped in the future. However, Disney hasn’t released any official information at this time.
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
DINOSAUR Ride Review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
TriceraTop Spin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Ride Guide
The Boneyard at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (The Ultimate Playground)
Meet Chipmunk-O-Saurus at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Chip and Dale)
Meet Donald Duck at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Meet Daisy Duck at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom Planning
The following articles might also help you plan your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Quick Service Restaurants List
Finding Animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (List with Photos)
Characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (A Complete List of Meet-and-Greet Locations)
Discovery River Character Cruises at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Ended in 2024)
Tusker House Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Review (With Safari Donald and Friends)
Nomad Lounge Review (Why We Continually Return to this Animal Kingdom Lounge)
Yak & Yeti Review (Why This Animal Kingdom Restaurant is a Fan Favorite)
More Planning
Are you planning a Walt Disney World vacation. You might benefit from some of our other popular planning resources. You can sign up for our 5-lesson quick start course on our home page, Resorts Gal. We specialize in covering the resort hotels at Walt Disney World and have extensive coverage of almost every aspect of each resort. You’ll find everything from photos of what’s available in the resort gift shop to pictures of the pools and rooms.
Our Disney World Dining Handbook offers a complete overview of everything you need to know about dining upfront. It also links to guides that discuss the Disney Dining Plan, best dining spots, and subjects like character dining in more detail.
Our most popular guides fall under the Disney World Transportation category. We have a transportation guide for every single resort hotel at Walt Disney World. We also have extensive guides that discuss using the monorail, boats, buses, and the Disney Skyliner.
Lastly, if you’re hoping to meet characters at Disney World, we have you covered. We have photos of all the characters who meet regularly in the parks and a few rare ones! Or you might just like to browse our Disney World Park Guide to learn more about what’s available in each of the four parks.