Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is so much more than a zoological theme park and conservation center. I love Animal Kingdom for its Cultural Depth (have your young ones play the Wilderness Explorer Scavenger Hunt!) and the attention to detail in representing countries from the other side of the world. Here are my must-sees and must-dos in Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
High points:
- Kilimanjaro Safari (It’s even better at night!)
- Lion King Show
- Tusker House Restaurant
- Maharaja Tiger Trek
- Letting my teenage son use the single-rider line at Expedition Everest (a note on this later)
- Dinosaur (usually a fairly short wait if you don’t get a FastPass, but worth it!)
Tips:
- Since the opening of Pandora, the rest of the park is less crowded until mid-morning. Take advantage of this by heading STRAIGHT back to either Expedition Everest or the Kilimanjaro Safari Ride. My son rode Expedition Everest five times in a row going through the single-rider line before he wanted to go do something else. Later, the lines were much longer. (I get motion sick, so the single-rider line works very well for us!)
- Get a FastPass for the Safari if you’re not going to go straight there – it’s a must-do, but the line gets VERY long and is often filled with impatient little ones.
- For resort guests, you’ll receive in the mail (prior to your trip) a booklet with a “Magic Extras” coupon in the back that will give you a 20% discount at Joffrey’s Coffee and Teas – the Peach Iced tea is AMAZING. If nothing else, please sip one for me!
Pandora
Pandora was opened in 2017 and is Walt Disney World’s out-of-this-world representation of the titular planet as presented in James Cameron’s movie Avatar. It is a beautiful work of engineering marvel – especially at night, when the whole “planet” glows with an ethereal light. While it is impressive during the day, go after sunset, when the place magically luminesces like the Pandora it’s meant to be.
Flight of Passage is the “more exciting” of the two rides offered in Pandora, but definitely use your FastPass. During our first visit after Pandora opened, we had reserved a FastPass for Na’vi River instead, and the line for Flight of Passage was rarely less than 2 hours long. The lines have calmed down a bit now that it’s been open a few years, but it’s still typically a longer wait. Check your My Disney Experience app for real-time estimates of wait times.
NOTE: If you get motion sickness, in spite of everything you use/try/take, Flight of Passage will probably make you queasy, if not full-on sick. It is a visual ride experience along the lines of Soarin’ in EPCOT, but more intense, faster, and with more movement. I had taken all my motion sickness meds, but I had to close my eyes after the first few moments of the ride, and I was nauseated for quite a while afterward. While I’m glad I experienced Flight of Passage, I regret to say that I’ll probably never try it again.
- Standby lines for Na’Vi River were half the time of Flight of Passage all day during our last two visits.
- Na’Vi River was beautiful and peaceful -and worth seeing- but VERY short.
- I recommend sleeping in in the morning and plan to take advantage of LATE Magic Hours if you’re really interested in exploring Pandora
Eats
- Tusker House is definitely my favorite! Not only does it have rare offerings for someone who is both vegetarian and gluten-free, but it’s ALSO a buffet, and it’s ALSO a character meal. The best of everything! (More on that here in a moment – it’s worth the explanation!)
- Flame Tree BBQ, a Quick Serve eatery, is one of my brother’s recommendations for people who like their meat.
- Yak & Yeti (Nepalese-themed Restaurant & Quick Service) is another great recommendation if you prefer an Asian twist.
- Restaurantosaurus (Quick Service) is a great place for families, tucked away back by Dinosaur and across from Primal Whirl. The best part is that it has a condiment bar with a good selection of lettuces, pico, pickles, sautéed mushrooms, etc, that can really be used to add some veggies to an otherwise typical quick service fare.
Tusker House
One of the natural benefits of African food is that it has little of wheat or gluten in it. For those of us who are better off gluten-free, what a nice break!
There are SO many foods here that vegetarians and Gluten Free visitors can eat, and a simple request to speak with the chef results in a one-on-one tour of the buffet, during which the chef will point out to you what foods are safe and which to stay away from. There is even a flour-free chocolate ganache dessert!
The foods are flavorful and various, the service attentive and polite. The chef even came back to our table later in the meal to ask if I was having a good time and found plenty of foods I like, then he asked what was my favorite (it’s the mealy pop, by the way!).
Tusker House is a bit pricier, so check in advance to see if it fits in your budget, but it’s one of our special treats each time we come.
As a character lunch, it’s a great option. Safari Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy were all making the rounds, and we had pictures with 4 of them, even though that wasn’t why we went there. I am quite impressed with the cast members’ ability to work with children of all dispositions – what talent!
Animal Kingdom offers a different, rich experience every time I visit. There is so much to see and do for the guest who will take the time to stop and enjoy the attention to detail, the variety of animals who are cared for here, and the opportunity to learn and explore.
What are your favorite parts of Animal Kingdom -or- what are you most looking forward to?
Contact Kimberly@NextAdventureVacations.com or text/call 816-866-8883 to starting planning your next Walt Disney World vacation!
