Overview
Animal Kingdom is one of the four theme parks you can visit in Disney World. As you can probably guess, this park is very centered around animals and conservation. This park has a more natural feel to it, and you will get to explore a couple of different areas of the world. Many people may suggest that Animal Kingdom is barely a one day park since it really does not have that many rides. However, I think you can find more than enough to spend at least a day at this park. In addition to rides, Animal Kingdom has animals trails, shows, some great food options, live entertainment, and a train ride out to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I always say that Animal Kingdom is a zoo trip and theme park trip all rolled up into one. Let’s dive in to what you will be able to see in Animal Kingdom!
Animal Kingdom is also designed in a hub and spoke system. When you walk into the park you will be greeted by the park icon, the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life serves as the hub of Animal Kingdom, and the other areas of the park are located around the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is located on Discovery Island. Which is actually an island! Although, I am not gonna lie, it is sometimes hard to notice that it is actually an island when you are in the park. Anyway, let’s explore the park.
While we are talking about an overview of the park, I do want to mention the Wilderness Explorer activity in Animal Kingdom. This is a super fun activity that is mainly geared towards kids, but I have also had a blast completing the tasks. You can pick up a booklet when you first walk into the park. It will be on your right side right as you get over the bridge. Then, you can stop by stations located throughout the park to complete activities and learn more about animals and conservation. It is lots of fun and completely free!
Discovery Island
As I mentioned before this is where you will end up when you first enter the park. Discovery Island is home to the biggest stores in Animal Kingdom. They will be lining the sidewalk on both sides as you walk in. These stores are called Island Mercantile, Riverside Depot, and Discovery Trading Company. You can find a lot of the most popular souvenirs in this shop and they are located on the way out so you don’t have to carry your purchases all day. Discovery Island is also home to the Tree of Life (which you can actually take a trail to walk around the base!) There are also a couple of restaurant options including Flame Tree BBQ (I love their mac & cheese), Pizzafari, Tiffins Restaurant, Isle of Java, and more. You can find the “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” show on Discovery Island, as well as the Russel and Dug meet and greet. There are also lots of animal exhibits you can check out here including the otters, kangaroos, flamingos, Cotton-Top Tamarins, and much more.
Pandora – The World of Avatar
I am going to work in a clockwise direction through the park starting to the left when you first enter Animal Kingdom. If you continue left once you see the Tree of Life, you will find yourself in Pandora – The World of Avatar. This is the newest addition to Animal Kingdom and it is truly an incredible area. The detailing is amazing, and if you can stop by this area once it gets dark, it is truly out of this world! This area is based on the Avatar movies and you will find two very popular attractions here. The two attractions are Na’vi River Journey and Avatar Flight of Passage. Avatar Flight of Passage is one of the most popular attractions in the park and you will likely find yourself waiting a bit to experience it. However, it is a fantastic ride! I would compare it a bit to Soarin’ in EPCOT, except you are on a ride vehicle that is kind of like riding a bike and you are traveling through a fantastical world. Na’vi River Journey is also a great ride, but it is relatively a pretty short ride for how long you usually have to wait. This area also offers a few dining options including Pongu Pongu and Satu’li Canteen. You can also shop in Windtraders for all your Pandora merchandise.
Africa
Next up as you continue clockwise is the Africa area. This is where you will be able to see the Festival of the Lion King and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris. Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of my favorite rides in Animal Kingdom and I highly recommend checking it out. It is about a 20 minute ride through various animal habitats inside of a safari truck. Each safari is different and the drivers will be telling you about the animals as you drive past. There are some greats shops in this area and there are multiple dining options. You can grab your Dole Whip treats at Tamu Tamu refreshments. As well, Tusker House is located in this area and you can also dine at the quick-service: Harambe Market. This is also where you can catch the Wildlife Express Train to check out Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Rafiki’s Planet Watch has a petting zoo, Animation Academy, and exhibits you can check out. This is where you might also be able to catch an animal in their operating room. As well, you can walk through the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail in Africa.
Asia
As we continue around the park, next you will find yourself in Asia. In Asia you will find a couple of attractions including Kali River Rapids and Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Kali River Rapids is a water ride and Expedition Everest is a roller coaster. As well, you can explore the Maharajah Jungle Trek trail in Asia. In Asia, you can view Feathered Friends in Flights which will give you a behind-the-scenes looks at free-flying birds. You can shop your way around this area and dine at locations such as Yak & Yeti and the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck.
DinoLand U.S.A.
We are rounding out our trip around Animal Kingdom at DinoLand U.S.A. A brief warning that this area has currently been pegged to likely getting a complete revamp in the near future. However, we have no exact dates yet, but just wanted to put out that warning ahead of time. This area is one of my favorites in Animal Kingdom and there is so much backstory in this area. DinoLand U.S.A. features a couple of attractions including DINOSAUR and TriceraTop Spin. You can also catch a showing of Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond! here. This is also where you will find a carnival area with games as well as The Boneyard play area. You can shop through Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures or grab a bite to eat at Restaurantosaurus. You can also stop by various food stands including Trillo Bites.
We have finished our brief tour around Animal Kingdom! It is always hard to provide an overview of the theme parks as there is SO much to explore in each of them. I try my best to provide a highlight of the area, but be sure to check out my blog for more detailed posts about where to go, what to eat, and what to do at the parks! Animal Kingdom has so much to discover and I can’t wait for you to experience it yourself!
Happy travels and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments! ~Colette
You can find out even more about Animal Kingdom on the Disney World website, right here.
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