Best Animal Kingdom Attractions & Ride Guide
This guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom attractions contains short reviews and numerical scores for every ride and show in the park, including Pandora – World of Avatar. Although Animal Kingdom is a park that is light on attractions, there is more than enough quality entertainment to fill a day. (Last updated July 14, 2018.)
This guide for Disney’s Animal Kingdom includes headliners and smaller attractions, plus shows and animal exhibits. It also includes Animal Kingdom FastPass+ recommendations for planning purposes. Despite Animal Kingdom’s “half day park” reputation, there’s a lot to do. Be warned that this list of Animal Kingdom attractions is deceptive: it appears short, but many of these shows and trails take a lot of time to complete. If you go at a slow pace or stop for table service meals, you’ll have a full day in the park.
The “half day park” reputation comes from those who don’t give Animal Kingdom’s shows or animal exhibits a chance (it took me a long time to discover the beauty of Animal Kingdom, but I finally admitted being wrong about Animal Kingdom in this blog post). Animal Kingdom now features more nighttime entertainment including Rivers of Light and the bioluminescence of Pandora, which means it’s now a full day park for everyone.
Animal Kingdom ranks right up there with World Showcase as an excellent spot to just relax and spend some time. The park has a great sense of place to it, and the thematic execution is top notch, save for some criticism that it has too much real world “grit” and not the same sense of whimsy you might find from other Disney parks. It’s truly an exceptional “ambiance park,” and although it’s now busier due to Pandora, it’s nice to finally see the park receiving the attention it deserves.
This guide assumes that you have a full day to spend in each of the Walt Disney World theme parks. You may have more or less time depending on how many day tickets you purchase and whether you add on the Park Hopper option (read our Walt Disney World Ticket Guide to determine which tickets are best for you). If you want to read our other Walt Disney World park guides, you can find those here:
- Magic Kingdom Park & Attraction Guide
- Epcot Park & Attraction Guide
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park & Attraction Guide
- Typhoon Lagoon Water Park Guide
- Blizzard Beach Water Park Guide
If you have children, you should also consult our full list of attractions with height requirements at Walt Disney World. Numerical scores are on a scale of 1 to 10, and only take into consideration overall quality relative to that specific type of attraction. In our ratings, we only consider how well done the attraction is, overall and within its category, when experienced by its target demographic.
Top Disney’s Animal Kingdom Attractions
Kilimanjaro Safaris: Daytime (10/10) – Animal Kingdom’s flagship safari ride through “natural” environments exposing guests to a wide array of animals. This attraction used to have a bit of a storyline, but it was widely viewed as lazy pretext. Now it doesn’t have any real storyline and it’s viewed as lacking ‘substance.’ It just can’t win. Regardless of the story or lack thereof, Kilimanjaro Safaris is an amazing attraction, exposing guests to a multitude of animals in what appears to be their natural environments.
The ride can be bumpy, but it adds an element of authenticity. Drivers are usually quite knowledgeable about the animals, so definitely ask questions that you may have. Animals are most active first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. This works well, as these are also the best times to experience the attraction to avoid waits. We recommend using FastPass+ and trying to get on one of the last safaris of the day. Nothing beats a sunset ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris!
Avatar Flight of Passage (10/10) – Walt Disney World’s newest E-Ticket thrill ride, this is like Soarin’ on steroids. Riders climb aboard the back of a banshee and link to an avatar flying through Pandora for a simulator experience that is far more ‘active’ than any past attraction of its nature. You can feel your banshee breathe, the wind and spray of the ocean in your face, and smell plenty of scents along the way.
Even though Avatar Flight of Passage is a screen-based attraction, you are fully immersed in the experience, and can fully suspend disbelief and embrace the action. No prior knowledge or being a fan of Avatar is necessary here. This will make you want to step deeper into the world of Pandora. FastPass+ is an absolute necessity for this, as the queue takes about 10 minutes to walk through when it’s totally empty. When full, that will be more like a 5-7 hour wait!
Na’vi River Journey (8/10) – The other attraction in Pandora – World of Avatar is not nearly as wow-inducing, nor is it thrilling. Instead, guests board a slow-moving boat ride for a short boat ride through a bioluminescent environment, encountering flora and fauna along the way. Although visually interesting, too much of the scenery is static, making it all feel a bit underwhelming.
The finale features the most breathtaking Audio Animatronics figure Imagineering has ever created, making the attraction worth it, but you still get the feeling this attraction could’ve been so much more. Note that our score does not account for the potentially lengthy wait times this attraction will have during its first year or so of operation. If you wait over 45 minutes for this (and you probably will), there’s a decent chance you’ll leave disappointed.
Expedition Everest (9/10) – Everest-themed roller coaster that goes backwards and encounters a yeti. Everest is Disney’s most ambitious roller coaster, and quite impressive in terms of theming and attention to detail. Many effects on Expedition Everest now do not work; the most notable of these effects is the large Audio Animatronics yeti, which now has strobe lights flashing on him to simulate motion (“Disco Yeti”). Despite these nonworking effects (the basis for it losing a point in our score), it’s still an impressively fun coaster, with one of the best queue lines at Walt Disney World. Expedition Everest has a minimum height requirement of 44″. It’s a good use of FastPass+, but know that it has short lines very first thing in the morning, and the wait time through the Single Rider line is typically less than 10 minutes, so if you can’t score a FastPass+ (or choose not to), it’s not the end of the world. Everest is also better at night!
Kali River Rapids (7/10) – Whitewater raft ride spinning freely down a river through rainforest, ruins, and deforested areas with message of conservation. Kali River Rapids has a pretty setting, but there isn’t enough substance to the scenes. For some, this will be okay because the suspense of whether you’re about to get soaked will have your full attention. You will get wet on Kali River Rapids, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get absolutely soaked–it’s all random. There are free (2-hour) lockers nearby, and we strongly recommend using them for a change of clothes (or wear a poncho on the ride). The queue is arguably more interesting than the attraction itself, and is quite gorgeous. Kali River Rapids has a 38″ height requirement. Kali River Rapids is a good use of FastPass+, and we highly recommend booking as late of a slot as possible so you’re soaked for as little of the day as possible.
Up! A Great Bird Adventure (8/10) – While not as strong as Flights of Wonder, which this new show replaced, Up! A Great Bird Adventure is still mostly good. It’s very strong when viewing the avian encounters in isolation, and these constitute the bulk of the show. Things are a bit shakier when it comes to the characters from Up; these segments are mostly cute and designed to give the show more appeal to families, but it’s unclear to us how breathtakingly close experiences with birds likewise wouldn’t captivate guests of all ages. In any case, only a little appeal is lost for older audiences, and the show remains a must-see for everyone.
Dinosaur (8/10) – A high-speed, wild drive in a time rover through dark show scenes with Audio Animatronics dinosaurs trying to capture a particular dinosaur before the moment of extinction. Dinosaur has a humorous pre-show video and some memorable scenes and encounters with dinosaurs. It utilizes the same ride technology as Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland and is often (negatively) compared to that attraction as a result. However, the two rides are just as different from one another as Haunted Mansion and Spaceship Earth (both of which use the same ride systems as one another). We really enjoy Dinosaur, although there is admittedly a lot of dead, black space and it lacks interesting scenes (most dinosaur Audio Animatronics are standing in dark patches of foliage. A letdown in terms of what a dinosaur attraction could be, but still good. Dinosaur has a minimum height requirement of 40″. It offers FastPass+, but is only a good use of FastPass+ if you are skipping Kali River Rapids.
It’s Tough To Be A Bug (8.5/10) – 3D show about touting the benefits of inspects with the cast of A Bug’s Life. This is a prime example of how you use Disney characters to make an educational (at least partially so) film feel like pure entertainment. It’s a lot of fun and there are some great “interactive” moments in the show. FastPass+ is available, but you won’t need it for this.
Festival of the Lion King (9/10) – Acrobats, singers, and other performers in tribal attire and vibrant costumes, plus parade floats with Lion King characters and other creatures enact scenes inspired by the Lion King in a very lively theatrical show. There’s a lot of stuff going on, in what basically amounts to a lot of audio-visual stimulation. The show just flat out works, and its almost abstract nature allows the audience to just sit back and enjoy the wow-inducing performers. In its new location, Festival of the Lion King feels less temporary, and even better than before. FastPass+ is available for priority access, but we don’t recommend you use it here unless your seating location really matters.
Finding Nemo: The Musical (9.5/10) – Human performers are paired with creatively-made puppets in a condensed retelling of Finding Nemo. The big draw here is how the entertainers manipulate the puppets. Are the humans the focus or the puppets they’re controlling? (Both are, we think.) It’s an interesting concept, and the presentation and music are excellent. We’re not huge fans of the story simply being a condensed version of the film, but this show brings enough novelty to the table that it just works. The best-done show at Walt Disney World. FastPass+ is available for priority seating, and may not be a bad idea given the large theater in which this is performed. You won’t need FastPass+ to get into a showing, though.
Maharajah Jungle Trek (10/10) – Walk-through animal exhibit with birds, bats, and tigers. Its scenes that bring you up close to various animals, all while traversing through an elaborately themed Asian environment. While the animal encounters are great, as are the Cast Members here sharing information about them, the environments through which you walk (and even through which the animals roam) are the real star. At one point it seems as if you’re going through the ruins of a remote temple that has existed for thousands of years, and details abound everywhere. All of this makes it feel like you’re experiencing the actual environments where these animals live, rather than just observing them in their pens. It truly feels like you’re an active participant in some sort of exploration. This is the best animal ‘exhibit’ we’ve ever experienced anywhere.
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (8/10) – Formerly Pangani Forest, this is a wildlife walking trail, with (you guessed it) gorillas as the highlight. There are also hippos underwater and being close to them and the gorillas is pretty awesome. Space this and Maharajah Jungle Trek out during your day, so you don’t get “trailed out.”
Tree of Life Awakenings (10/10) – The Awakenings that occur throughout the night are truly magic moments that are the best element of Animal Kingdom at night right now. You can’t plan for these, but if you’re enjoying the Discovery Island Carnivale (or really wandering around at all), you will see them at some point.
Rivers of Light (7.5/10) – The new nighttime spectacular at Animal Kingdom, Rivers of Light has garnered mixed reviews from audiences. It’s more abstract in nature than other night shows and embraces subtle beauty than big moments. The easiest way to describe it might be calling it IllumiNations: Animal Edition. As huge fans of IllumiNations at Epcot, we also enjoy Rivers of Light, but recognize that it does have some pacing issues and isn’t structurally what many guests expect from a nighttime “spectacular.” It’s not worth a FastPass+ allocation, but if you’re able to do standby while staying late in Pandora, it’s worth giving it a chance. You can read more in our full Rivers of Light Review.
The Rest
Primeval Whirl (3/10) – This attraction, along with the rest of Dinorama, is a blight on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We’ve heard this area defended as “misunderstood” thanks to its convoluted backstory time and time again, but all that is lipstick on a pig. Primeval Whirl only earns points because it’s a decent mild thrill. It loses significant points because it’s the kind of tacky carnival garbage that doesn’t belong in a Disney theme park.
TriceraTop Spin (3/10) – Spinner ride. Basically, they replaced flying Dumbos with triceratops. Instead of nice views of Fantasyland, you get an elevated view of Dinorama. Don’t bother subjecting yourself to that unless your kids are addicted to spinners.
Kilimanjaro Safaris: Nighttime (4/10) – Seeing the lions at their most active time of day is pretty cool, and the “eternal sunset” effect is neat. Otherwise, it’s a nighttime ride around in the dark, difficult to see the wildlife, and nearly impossible to take photos. We’d highly recommend seeing this at sunset or before the dusk blue hour, so there’s still enough ambient light to see the animals.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch (6.5/10) – Board the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch to see a petting zoo and a number of exhibits concerning animal care. The only place the Wildlife Express Train goes is Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and everything (besides the petting zoo) is in the same small-ish area. What you will see in these exhibits varies based upon what’s going on, which is where the true variance in quality exists. The big downside to Rafiki’s Planet Watch is the time commitment: you’re looking at about an hour of your day doing this given the commute, and the payoff is low for the time investment. Wildlife Express Train, while offering some interesting views, is point A to point B transportation. It’s not a “high speed thrill ride” a la Big Thunder Mountain, as one drunk couple in line behind us once suggested it was. If you’re not going for a specific surgery or procedure, the best time to do it is the middle of the day when everything else is busy.
This leaves out random pieces of entertainment like Divine, Harambe Wildlife Parti, Burudika, Chakranadi, character meet & greets, and play areas, but it’s the significant attractions. Now that Animal Kingdom is open until 11 p.m. nightly, you should be able to do everything, so give even the stuff we don’t like a try–you’ll likely disagree with us on at least a few of these attractions!
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Your Thoughts…
Which Disney’s Animal Kingdom attractions are your favorites? Which ones do you normally skip? Do you agree or disagree with our ratings? If you haven’t visited Walt Disney World yet, which Animal Kingdom attractions are you most excited about? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your questions and thoughts in the comments!
Here’s one of the most important aspects to keep in mind when it comes to how spectacular Rivers of Light looks: Weather.
We’ve seen the show several times from different sight lines and on some nights the projections have been crisp and clear while on others the images are barely recognizable. The key between which “version” you will see is how much wind is blowing at the time. If there is little to no breeze, all of the projections on the mist curtains and water sprays will be very clear, and you will be able to follow the narrative. If it’s breezy, then the water screens will be disrupted and the images will be fuzzy at best and you won’t be able to follow the sequence of vignettes.
So, like most things in central Florida, your mileage will vary depending upon prevailing weather.
I agree with most of these ratings, though I’d bump up Rivers of Light to 9/10. It’s nearly up there with Illuminations for me and really fits with the laid-back feeling of the park. I’m glad to see that you’re on board with the trails, which are incredible. I see something new every time I go there.
Flight of Passage is currently the best ride in all of Disney World.
Not a fan of the new UP bird show. Flights of Wonder was a “sleeper” and I never missed it. Saw UP once, and that was enough. I thought the birds were more interactive in Flights. To each his own, but ill replace my time at UP over at Rafikis, watching them do MRIs on boa constrictors and surgery on tree frogs ( I’m serious!)
So I know I need a fast pass for Pandora but do I need a fast pass for any rides in Pandora?
Just spent 10 glorious days at WDW in Nov/Dec 2017 including 2 full days in Animal Kingdom. The theming is spectacular, the shows World class and Pandora and Flight of Passage are mind blowing. Because we stayed on site (from Australia) I was able to score fast passes for both Pandora rides.
Last time I was at WDW we did the safari at night, or late afternoon, early evening before it got dark (was getting dark during the ride) and it was the best safari I’ve been on and I’ve done at least 6-8 of them. All the animals were out and about and very close to our vehicles. It was great. Will definitely do it around that time again.
Worst vacation experience ever. 8 hour period we waited 6 hours and got in to 2 ride . Waste of time and money and kids get sick . Park is over crowded. No body cares. I had much better enjoyment in my local park-Bronx zoo, I am from New York. Technically avatar thing is just a video game 3 d experience. Waiting 4 hours rediculous. I won’t recommend to anyone….my rating animals kingdom 0/10 ….
That’s a little shortsighted, especially given the fact that you personally chose to wait 4 hours instead of experiencing the animals, and educational aspects of DAK. Planning in advance for the fast passes is an opportunity available to everyone and can help you utilize your time in the park efficiently enough to see most everything there is to offer.
It is not Disney’s fault that your children were sick or that you don’t personally enjoy particular kinds of rides that the majority of other people love. Being a fellow New-Yorker I’ve been to the Bronx zoo many many times. However, it does not hold a candle to the DAK. Those very few animals in the Bronx zoo live in tiny cages compared to the vast and unique exhibits that DAK provides for their animals. That park is also noisy with street noises, smells and general ickiness of a big city trying to provide and woodsy-type park… Fun for a bunch of city folks who need a 2-3 hour escape, but not even close to comparing to the vastness of a real zoo, let alone Disney World.
It is understandable that some people will just not enjoy DAK as much as others, but your rating of zero is based on your own personal choices, a general lack of planning and things beyond the ability of Disney to control. This appears to be a prime example of why Europeans call us “Ugly Americans”.
We just visited ANIMAL kingdom today 3rd may2018 with family and we loved it.
The Avatar Ride was fantastic and so real ..flying with the avatars
we couldnt get fastpass still went twice after average 1 hour waiting.
twice because once was not enough.
also the jungle atmosphere was very well depicted with jungle sounds of birds and animals on the loudspeakers all over!
The Big BEAUTIFUL BANYAN TREE was too beautiful..just like seen in disney movies.The night illumination of the tree was very well done and the tree actually came alive with laser lighting.and images too were projected on the tree of squirels ,running dears etc
EXPEDITION EVEREST Ride too was fabulous with the everest mountain model painstakingly recreated for the ride
And the ASIA section was well depected with old temples old asian bazaars
and the feel of asia was well placed.
and the park came alive in the dark with blue lights and lit waterfalls
on the whole the best experience ever
thanks Disney
Elisa, I am a New Yorker and live near the Bronx zoo. IThe Bronx Zoo in no way compares to DAK. DAK is amazing. My family and I don’t like waiting on lines longer than 60 minutes, but there are so many things to do and sites to see in the Animal Kingdom (there isn’t enough time to see it all). It saddens me to hear someone would give a 0 rating because they chose to wait on a line for over two hours and miss the beauty of the Animal Kingdom. All parks are the same… be prepared to wait on lines or go to other attractions and entertainment instead. I can’t wait to go to Animal Kingdom this summer. We are ready for the crazy long lines and have a plan B if our first choice is not working in our favor.
Just because you don’t enjoy the magic of Disney doesn’t mean you have to post all your complaining online. Geez. Btw it’s not Disney’s fault your kids got sick. And you can get fast passes you know. A little more research could have helped you plan for not so much of a crowded day. Also “nobody cares” We know the park is crowded we just don’t complain about it. Finally, you’re a teacher, right? Grammer, please!
Grammar
Overcrowded. Overadvertised. Expensive. Did not see many life animals. I can see more in my local zoo. All attractions very mediocre. Waiting time ridiculous. 180 min for Avatar. Fastpass did not really help. Waste of time and money. Dont go there.
You’re kidding me, right?
I am planning on going to Pandora two weeks from now on a Sunday, the park is set to close at 12 am. We were not able to get a FP+ to Avatar Flight of Passage (as is nearly impossible if you are not staying at a resort). Do you expect the lines to be more than 2hrs even after 10 pm?
We were there last week when AK had EMH in Pandora only from 10 pm- 12 am. I was checking each day out of curiosity, and the wait for FOP after 11 pm was anywhere from 120-180 min.
It was 300+ min during the day.
We were there last week when AK had EMH in Pandora only from 10 pm- 12 am. I was checking each day out of curiosity, and the wait for FOP after 11 pm was anywhere from 120-180 min.
It was 300+ min during the day.
Obviously by now you have been already, how was it in July?
Aloha Tom
I was wondering how Sarah enjoyed the Avatar Flights of Passage ride, that is if she did try this ride. I had read in another post that she was prone to motion sickness as I am, and I am wondering how that ride went with her. I did great on Soarin, I can’t do things with loops/circles
We saw Rivers of Light for the first time last month. It is an amazing production that I cannot recommend strongly enough. I would also recommend considering FP+ for this if you have some to use. The FP+ area is situated such that you are very close to the show elements. The cast members were helpful in informing guests arriving early that the left side of the FP+ seating is better than the right side, and they were correct.
If I were rating this on a 10-point scale, I would give it at least 9. If you are expecting a fireworks extravaganza like the other parks, you might be disappointed, but there will never be such a thing in AK, unless the real animals are replaced with the Jungle Cruise variety.
Because of the reasons identified in your last paragraph, Rivers of Light has been a polarizing show. Lots of really poor reviews, many exceptional ones. I really wish we had seen it so I could offer my own take, but thanks for sharing yours! 🙂
I’m planning to get the Rivers of Light ticket that comes with the dining package. Do you know if the area for those seats is as good as the FP+ section? I have to book my restaurants in 10 days, so any comment would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
Tom, your review is wonderful. We’ve always loved AK (never was a 1/2-day park for my family!) and we’re really excited to visit Pandora in December! We’re also planning to take one of the special tours, probably Caring for Giants. If only Wild Africa Trek weren’t that expensive… Can you comment on those events?
Rivers of Light dining package seats are on the Dinoland side, and fastpass seats are on the Asia side. Honestly, having seen it twice now, I can’t imagine that there is a bad seat in the house. It’s beautiful and immersive, and it fills the lagoon from all sides. I cried both times (I cry on Peter Pan though, driving into Fort Wilderness, and every time I step onto Main Street, to be fair). You can’t go wrong; I know my comment is late, but hopefully encouraging that you did the right thing!
You were spot-on with these rankings.
I especially appreciated your ranking the Finding Nemo show higher than the Lion King show. That’s a rarity.
I love them both, but also prefer Nemo.
We’re headed in November, and disappointed to see that posted hours for AK show it closes at 7pm. Not much time to do anything in the evening. My teens didn’t care for much last year there, except Everest and the safari ride. I really enjoyed the Lion King show, but doubt I’d watch it again. Hoping Pandora will help. Any thoughts on ROL and Pandora being possible in November?
Since AK will have earlier starting hours (8:00), any strategies to the start of the day? We had planned a character breakfast, but that now doesn’t make sense since that would also start at the same time. This is for a family visiting in summer; we won’t be staying very late in the evening. Thanks!
I would consider using the early hours to your advantage and squeeze in some high demand rides (expedition Everest, Dinosaur, kali river rapids, etc…) while the standby wait times will be low. And then set your fastpasses for mid morning/afternoon that way you can choose more fastpasses once those have been completed.
Also, the Tusker House has great breakfast options if you do decide to have breakfast in the park 🙂
We love scheduling “brunch” around 10:30 after a roller coaster ride or two, then feasting and going back out to conquer more with a late dinner planned. We love tusker house for breakfast! And the cinnamon buns at Kusifari coffee shop nearby are to die for.
I was thinking of doing a sunset Safari with a fast pass and when we are there the sun will set at 6:24pm. If the animals are put away at 5pm this is not possible but Tom, you suggested the sunset safari. Am I wrong to do this as they won’t be out anyways?
We are planning a trip there just after thanksgiving. The blog has been very helpful, as I had no clue what I should pick for vastness. Thanks so much for what you do!
Sorry, spell check got me on that post. Meant to say I had no idea what to pick for fastpass.