Best Things To Do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom gets a bad rap for being a ‘half-day park’ or a ‘glorified zoo.’ I couldn’t disagree more. It’s one of our family’s favorite parks and experiences at Disney World and so I’m listing all the best things to do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Our family absolutely loves Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s such a diverse park with so much to explore. While it’s short on rides, it’s big on free form exploration. Our kids love to wander and see new things, and I think every time we’ve visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we’ve found new things to do, explore and of course, eat! I’m sharing the best things to do a Disney’s Animal Kingdom…whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, there’s something for everyone!

Best Things To Do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Visit Pandora

And ride the best ride in all of Disney World (in my opinion). Pandora is the incredible land based on the world of Avatar. Be sure to ride Flight of Passage, a virtual reality ride on the back of a banshee. It’s a ground-breaking, spectacular experience. No matter how many times I ride, it still blows my mind. Take in the scenery, have pictures taken and if the line’s not too crazy, take a boat ride on the Navi River Journey.

Ride the Kilimanjaro Safaris

One of our favorite attractions in Disney World, the Kilaminjaro Safaris include a jeep tour of all of the animals in the park. Ride through the savannah to see elephants, rhinos, hippos and more. Take a spin through the pride and see the lions. And can’t forget about the giraffes, okapi and so many more. It’s a stunner every single time.

Experience a Character Breakfast at Tusker House

This is a super fun character dining experience. The characters are dressed in safari gear which just feels very special and so on-theme. Here is one that I would recommend a breakfast, rather than lunch. There were many more kid-friendly breakfast options than offered during lunch time.

Walk the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

This is a self-guided walking trail that takes guests through many animal exhibits, but none so incredible as the gorilla area. We’ve always seen gotten a great view of the gorillas, and one time, we were lucky enough to see multiple generations running and playing together. It’s a memory I’ll cherish always!

Explore the Maharajah Jungle Trek

Equally as stunning as Gorilla Falls is the Maharajah Jungle Trek, featuring komodo dragons, monkeys, birds and the ultimate viewing experience - tigers.

Become a Wilderness Explorer

My kids continue to be nothing short of OBSESSED with the Wilderness Explorers program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Children can pick up a Wilderness Explorers handbook and collect badges throughout the park at various stops. At each stop, a cast member teaches a 5-minute session about nature, the environment, conservation, animals, insects, plant life and more. Kids receive a badge to fill in their handbook at each stop. It is completely self-guided, go at your own pace and we found it really fun to wander and explore more of the park with gathering the Wilderness Explorers badges in mind. This activity is included in your price of admission, no extra fees! Grab a booklet at headquarters near the entrance, but if you're running to rope drop Flight of Passage, you can also find them at other stations around the park!

Run Wild in The Boneyard

I will admit, this is one of my least favorite aspects of Disney’s Animal Kingdom but my kids freaking love it. I find it to be very chaotic and difficult to watch the kids in this dinosaur playground, but thankfully, Shaun is totally here for it. It’s a great spot to let the kids run and burn off some energy. I usually take this opportunity to enjoy an orange and vanilla Dole Whip swirl by myself :)

Relax with The Festival of the Lion King

A short show in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, my kids love seeing this. It’s a great place to take a break from the heat and it’s incredible to see the caliber of a show they can put on with such a short amount of time.

Eat All the Good Things

From barbecue mac ‘n cheese and orange Dole Whip to x and x, Animal Kingdom has some great food to enjoy. We like the quick service restaurants, Satuuli Canteen and Flame Tree Barbecue, and great snacking too.

Pro tip:

Before you go, be sure to watch The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Disney+. It takes viewers behind the scenes to learn more about the animals and their personalities and gives a glimpse of how the animals are cared for. Our family absolutely loved watching it together and then getting to see the animals from the show in real life!