Are you looking for the best things to do in Animal Kingdom on your next trip? Then look no farther! We have gathered our favorite rides, experiences, and restaurants to help you make the most of your Animal Kingdom day.
Here you’ll find all the best activities in Animal Kingdom, and we’ve got things for kids, adults, and everyone in between! Read on to help plan what to do in Animal Kingdom, and maybe even try some new things!
Animal Kingdom is a huge park broken up into several different sections: Africa, Asia, Pandora, The Oasis, Dinoland USA, and Discovery Island. Every single section of this park has beautiful plants, animals, and attractions that are must-do’s for our visits. You’ll find no shortage of places to eat and things to do in Animal Kingdom!
15 Best Things to Do in Animal Kingdom
Go to the Affection Station
Head to the back of the Africa section, and take a ride over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch on the Wildlife Express, and go visit the Affection Station. Here, you can pet some the cutest animals, and enjoy the only petting zoo at Disney World. There’s a mix of domesticated animals, like cows, llamas, donkeys, and cute little goats.
While this petting zoo is for all ages, we think this is the one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom with kids. Little ones will love petting the goats, watching them eat and play, and learning some while there too. It’s a great way to take a little break from waiting in lines and being in crowds to pet some cute animals.
Learn to Draw Disney Characters
While visiting Rafiki’s Planet Watch, head into the Conservation Station and take part in the Animation Experience. You can take part in a 25-minute class and learn to draw one of your favorite Disney characters! This class is not only open to all ages and located in an air-conditioned building, but it’s FREE!
Learning to draw a Disney character is a great way to take a little break during the day, and all ages will enjoy drawing and seeing who in their group has the best picture at the end. This is such a fun activity, and it’s absolutely one of the best free things to do in Animal Kingdom.
Grab a Meal at Satu’li Canteen
If you’re looking for a great meal and trying to figure out what to do in Animal Kingdom, then head over to Satu’li Canteen in Pandora. Here, you’ll find healthy and delicious food, where you can build your own bowl. The food is inspired by Pandora, and even though it’s familiar, there’s also something very unique and exotic about it.
The noodle and rice bowls here are SO GOOD, and so are the cheeseburger pods. You also can’t miss out on the desserts here – they’re so unique and delicious. You won’t regret stopping here for a quick meal, and enjoying the beauty of Pandora around you while you eat because this quick service restaurant has arguably some of the best food in Animal Kingdom.
Get a Night Blossom
No trip to Pandora is complete without getting a Night Blossom at Pongu Pongu – the bar right outside of Satu’li Canteen. The Night Blossom is not only a gorgeous Instragrammable drink, but it’s delicious!
This drink is a frozen treat made up of apple and pear limeade layers, and topped with boba balls. There’s even an alcoholic version called the Rum Blossom for adults looking for a more adult way to cool off. Grabbing a Night Blossom is one of the best ways to cool off on a hot day and one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom.
Visit Pandora at Night
Pandora is stunning no matter what time you visit, and it’s amazing to be surrounded by the floating mountains, waterfalls, and exotic, alien plants. But visiting Pandora at night is a whole different experience.
All of the plants glow in a beautiful bioluminescent way, and the sounds of bugs and animals are all around you. It’s so much more magical seeing everything glow around you, and you might even have a better chance of riding the two iconic Pandora rides! Visit Pandora once night falls, and enjoy one of our favorite things to do in Animal Kingdom at night.
Ride the Rapids
It gets HOT in Florida, and if you’re looking for one of the best ways to cool down and ride one of the best attractions in Animal Kingdom, then head over to Kali River Rapids in Asia. This is a thrilling, fast-moving rapids ride through gorgeous plants and rock formations.
You will get wet on this ride! There are lockers nearby for your valuables, and you might want to be prepared with a punch or clothes. But, if you’re looking to cool off it will feel so good!
There is a 38″ height restriction, so if your little ones are tall enough, they’re going to love this ride! So take a ride on the rapids, and enjoy one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom (especially on a hot day!).
Become a Wilderness Explorer
If you’re looking for the best things to do in Animal Kingdom with kids, then take them on an adventure around the park so that they can become a Wilderness Explorer. Kids can follow in the footsteps of Russell from Up!, and collect badges around Animal Kingdom.
Upon entering the park, pick up the wilderness guide and then head on nature-themed adventures and learn about animals, nature, and conservation while having fun and collecting badges. Little ones will love collecting badges and visiting the Troop Leader stations. This is also another one of the best free things to do in Animal Kingdom as well!
Ride Expedition Everest
No trip to Animal Kingdom is complete without riding the most thrilling ride there: Expedition Everest. Brave the mountain to see the Yeti and take a fast-paced ride to escape it. This is one of the best attractions in Animal Kingdom, and it’s a must-do for thrill-seekers!
Be aware, this ride has a 44″ height requirement, and this can be a scary ride for small children. It’s fast, dark, and will some big drops. This ride is better for teens and adults, and if you’re up for the thrill, then enjoy your trip through the cursed mountain and on one of the best rides at Animal Kingdom.
Take a Jungle Trek
If you or someone in your group loves animals, then venture through the Maharajah Jungle Trek. This walking trail in Asia takes you through lush jungle to see exotic birds, gibbons, Komodo dragons, and maybe even tigers!
This is a gorgeous, animal-filled walk and everyone in your group will enjoy learning about the animals they encounter along the way. Seeing the tigers and beautiful birds are a great experience, and such a different things to experience while at a theme park. Taking this trek is one of the best Animal Kingdom activities, and you will have some great animal experiences and memories after completing the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Play at The Boneyard
If your kids need to get out a little energy while at Animal Kingdom, head over to The Boneyard in Dinoland USA. Kids 10 and under can enjoy this playground, designed to look like a dinosaur dig site. Kids can climb, cross rope bridges, and slide as well as participating in their own archaeological dig.
While the kids play, parents can take a break and relax in front of the large fans. This is a great place to get out some energy, take a snack break, or even just sit down. This is one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom with kids, and they will love climbing and playing around here.
Ride a Safari
Taking a ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris is a must-do during your Animal Kingdom day. It’s one of the best rides at Animal Kingdom, and your family will love seeing the giraffes, lions, and elephants, and more! Your ride takes you around Harambe Wildlife Reserve, and through multiple habitats to see lots of different animals.
The safari is one of the best attractions in Animal Kingdom, and everyone in your party will love it. There’s lots of animals to see, facts to learn, and hopefully you’ll go home with ways to help keep these animals around for a long time!
Help Care for Elephants
If riding the safari piqued your interest in the animals and you want to see even more behind the scenes, then take the Caring for Giants Tour. On this 60-minute tour you’ll learn how they are cared for at Animal Kingdom, and learn all about the elephant herd themselves. You’ll also get within 100 feet of the elephants – closer than you’ll ever get on the safari.
A few notes: this tour does cost $35 a person, involves a lot of walking outdoors, and does take a full hour. Even though children over 4 can take part, we do feel like this might be one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom for adults instead. Know your kid’s limits and interests before booking this. No matter who takes this tour though, we think it’s one of the best activities in Animal Kingdom.
Watch the Festival of the Lion King
If you’re looking for one of the most fun things to do in Animal Kingdom, then watch the Festival of Lion King show. This 40-minute show includes music, puppets, dancing, and the best parts of the Lion King story.
All ages will love this fun, musical, colorful show. It’s a great way to relax, enjoy some air conditioning, and take in an amazing show during your Animal Kingdom park day! This beautiful show is a must-do while at Animal Kingdom, and is one of the best attractions in Animal Kingdom.
Watch the Entertainment in Harambe
One of the best parts of Harambe in the Africa section of the park is the phenomenal entertainment. The Tam Tam Drummers are fun, entertaining, and so exciting to watch. Harambe is one of the best places to visit in Animal Kingdom, and it’s absolutely worth your time to stop and watch anyone that’s performing on the stage there.
The Tam Tam Drummers dance, sing, drum, and invite you to join them. It’s so fun to dance with them, and if you’re celebrating something special, you just might get a special blessing from them! Watching them is so much fun, and if you participate in the dances then it’s one of the best Animal Kingdom activities.
Eat at Tiffins
If you’re looking for the one of the best places to eat in Animal Kingdom, make a reservation for Tiffins. Tiffins is an experience – for both your palate and your eyes. This one of the best places to visit in Animal Kingdom, because the food is amazing and the atmosphere is like no other. The food is international and unique, and the restaurant itself is inspired by the explorers and Imagineers that helped create Animal Kingdom.
If you can’t snag a reservation here or don’t want a full table service meal, then grab a table at the connected Nomad Lounge. The food here is just as delicious – as are the drinks. Grabbing a bite to eat here is relaxing, delicious, and offer a great way to wind down after a long park day. Eating at Tiffins or Nomad Lounge are also one of the best things to do in Animal Kingdom for couples, since the atmosphere is so relaxing, unique, and feels very adult.
We hope that you have found some new things to do on your next Animal Kingdom day! Hopefully you have a new place to eat, or attraction to do, or some hidden gem to make your Animal Kingdom day just a little bit more magical.
Did your favorite things to do in Animal Kingdom make our list? Let us know in the comments!
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