Disney World’s Animal Kingdom features nature and animal conservation, represented by different regions, including Pandora – The World of Avatar, Africa, Asia, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and DinoLand USA. Animal Kingdom is one of four theme parks in the Disney World Resort. There are live animals through Disney’s conservation efforts. As you enter the park, you’re greeted by the iconic Tree of Life. This is an artificial tree, so you’ll see the leaves sprout year-round, and it hosts a theater for the “It’s Tough to be a Bug” (A Bug’s Life) attraction.
Kilimanjaro Safaris
The safari attraction at Animal Kingdom gives a Jungle Cruise vibe but with live animals. You’ll be driven throughout the wildlife reserve. You’ll see real animals cruising around the area, which is fairly large, and it’s considered as free-range. There is always a chance that you’ll find an elephant, wild dog, cattle, crane, rhino, cheetah, ostrich, warthog, flamingo, zebra, hippo, lion, giraffe, goat, crocodile, pelican, antelope, stork, and more throughout this journey. We got to see the elephant with her child elephant. After the ride, we had a chance to walk through a bird and gorilla exhibit.
If there is any advice to take for this ride, sit on the left (boarding first).
Animal Kingdom Outfit
We had to plan a safari outfit for Animal Kingdom. I struggled a bit until I found a neutral jumpsuit from Abercrombie and paired it with a gorgeous neutral twilly from Louis Vuitton. We all had matching Disneyland bucket hats as well. Though, after the visit, what do I do about the ears? I am in love with the bucket hats right now.
Of course, do wear sunscreen and a hat. During the summer, you can ditch the twilly accessory. You definitely want something weather-friendly.
Attractions at Animal Kingdom
I was a big fan of Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain in Asia. This is a more intense ride than the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Big Thunder Mountain in Disneyland. The uphill climb is steeper, and there is a backward portion of the ride.
DINOSAUR in DinoLand USA is also a fun attraction if you enjoy Indiana Jones. You’re in a huge Jeep and traveling through hilly roads.
Na’vi River Journey in Pandora – The World of Avatar was quite underwhelming. The wait ended up being 90 minutes, and it was for a very pirates-like ride. I ended up having to skip out on Avatar Flight of Passage, which was a redemption for many.
Pandora – The World of Avatar
Aside from Na’vi River Journey being extremely underwhelming for its associated wait time, this whole land on its own is mesmerizing. It had me saying WOW, like the time I went to the Vatican. Everything here was manmade? It looks AMAZING, that Disneyland in California could never do.
You will get hungry from all of the walking, so stop by Pongu Pongu for some lumpia or pretzel, and have a Mo’ara Margarita on the side. If you’re looking for something more filling, check out Satu’li Canteen for some chicken, beef, and other rice/noodle bowls.
Otherwise, Animal Kingdom might not be the best spot for a dine-in experience compared to the other parks, as it closes earlier than the other parks.
We only spent half a day at Animal Kingdom before returning to Epcot for a lunch reservation at Teppan Edo. We went through all of the major rides by 1PM. You can definitely make a day adventure out of this park alone by visiting shows and such.
It can get really got at Animal Kingdom, and I found a portable handheld chargeable fan useful.
This blog post is part of my Disney World series.
The Comments
Molly | Transatlantic Notes
This looks like an amazing section of Disney World. I would absolutely love to visit here and see all the sites you’ve shared here; what an incredible place!