WALT DISNEY WORLD ITINERARIES
Animal Kingdom
Touring Plan for Families Utilizing Early Entry on a Low to Moderate Crowd Day - Not Using Lightning Lanes
This touring plan is for low to moderate crowd days when purchasing Lightning Lanes is not essential. It is also for families that have a least 1 kid over 44″ and will want to do the attractions with height restrictions. It also makes use of Early Entry for resort guests.
I know…it’s early. But it will be worth it! This park is best done on day 1 of your trip, or after a resort day or other day where you aren’t up late the night before. If it’s just too early for you, wait until the afternoon to go and follow our Animal Kingdom half-day PM itinerary.
If you need longer to get ready in the morning, wake up earlier and plan to leave by 6:30am.
Leaving at 6:30 gives you time to walk from your room, wait for the bus, and ride to the park. If you’re staying at a Disney resort, taking a bus is probably the best bet, BUT if you have a car with you can drive yourself. You’ll avoid waiting on the bus and possibly avoid multiple stops, but you you’ll have to park and walk to the entrance. Parking is free for resort guests.
If you’re pushing a stroller, put all bags in the stroller and have one person wait in the bag line with the stroller. Everyone else can skip the bag line and get in the ticket/magic band scanning line. The line to the far left is often the shortest. The person with the stroller will hopefully join you in line before you go through or meet you on the other side. The ticket line will often start letting people through before 7:30am, that’s why you’re arriving early.
Make sure everyone has a magic band or have the tickets pulled up in the My Disney Experience App. Cast members will be there to help you if you have trouble.
Once you enter the park, you’ll follow either a cast member with a sign or the crowd of other people to Pandora (you’ll go straight toward the Tree of Life and then to the left). Cast members will lead you to the Flight of Passage queue. In the morning they will weave the crowd around a bit so make sure you follow their instructions and don’t divert from the crowd to the actual ride entrance. It may seem like a lot of people, but if you arrive on time it will usually take 30 minutes or less. Later in the day it will be well over an hour, maybe 2!
What to do if you have a kid under 44″ tall:
Don’t just skip this ride…it’s seriously amazing! Do this instead:
- Once you weave through the extended queue and arrive at the official ride queue entrance, tell the cast member there that you want to do Rider Swap.
- Pick at least one adult (and any kids over 44″ to go with them) to continue through the queue.
- One adult (and anyone else who wants to ride with the 2nd adult) will receive a Rider Swap pass on their magic band or app.
- The other adult and the small kid(s) can then go explore Pandora and wait on the others.
- When they return, the other adult (and anyone else in the 2nd group) can go ride the ride immediately, or you can come back anytime during the day. If the 2nd adult waited alone with the small child, they may take 1 older child with them (sometimes 2 if you ask the cast member nicely). That means that a taller than 44″ child could ride twice – once with each parent/guardian!
- Group 2 will enter through the Lightning Lane so you won’t have to wait in the regular queue.
Walk to the other ride in Pandora, a slow-moving boat ride that is great for everyone in the family!
There is a stroller parking area near the ride entrance.
If you scored an early Lightning Lane return time – great! Use it now by going through the Lightning Lane entrance and tapping your magic band or phone at the touch points. If your return time is later, you’ll have to return to this area later. (That’s the one big problem with Lightning Lanes – you can’t always get times to line up perfectly with the way you want to tour the park).
Once you’ve tapped in for your Lightning Lane, hopefully you have a little bit of a wait before you board your boat (if not – just enjoy the ride and do this later!) But if you do have a moment, open your app and immediately book another Lightning Lane.
If you’ll be staying in Animal Kingdom and not hopping to another park, book either Kali River Rapids or Everest (whichever one you didn’t book before) for a mid-day time slot (11am-1pm). If neither of these appeal to you, book Festival of the Lion King for the 10am show.
If you plan to hop to another park, you have now unlocked the ability to book at your next park! Pick an attraction at your second park that will save you the most time in line. Examples: Epcot – Remy or Frozen, MK – Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, any mountain, Hollywood – Mickey & Minnie Runaway Railway, Rock n’ Rollercoaster, Millenium Falcon (Slinky will be gone).
Your morning has been busy so far saving you hours in line! Now take a moment to enjoy the beauty of Pandora before it gets more crowded! If you purchased Memory Maker (which I recommend), find a PhotoPass photographer and take a family photo. Lines for good photo spots can get long so this is a perfect time to do it early in the day.
There are two paths out of Pandora – one is the way you came in, the other leads you on the left bank of the river to Africa. Take that one! The app will tell you going through Discovery Island is faster but it’s not and walking along the river is less crowded and you may see characters going by on boats! The walk from Pandora to Kilimanjaro Safaris is about 6-10 minutes depending on walking speed.
You can keep your stroller with you for the first part of the Safari queue, then you will arrive at the stroller parking area and a cast member will park it for you.
Tip: Seat kids on the edges when you enter a row in the safari vehicle so they can see better. The left side will be closer to more animals, but the right will have plenty also and have better views of the Savannah.
Use your Lightning Lane if you have one! Once you tap in, book your next Lightning Lane while you wait to board the attraction. If staying in Animal Kingdom, you’ve already booked all the major attractions, so it’s up to you if and what you’d like to book next. If park hopping, pick the next most popular ride available at that park.
Right outside of the Safari exit is the entrance to the trail. On this trail you will see hippos, a bird aviary, and of course, gorillas! The gorilla habitat is huge and has two sections – one for a gorilla family that includes moms and babies and their alpha male Gino, the other is home to several bachelor males. There’s a glass viewing area where the gorilla family often hangs out giving you amazing up-close views and interactions.
Most people will spend about 20 minutes on this trail. We are animal lovers and often spend a bit longer! You can enjoy this trail until it’s time to go get in line for Festival of the Lion King.
This is the best show in all of Disney World! The show will start at 11am but seating will fill up, so we recommend getting there 20-30 minutes early depending on crowd levels. If you booked a Lightning Lane, you can arrive just 10-15 minutes early and be fine.
This awesome show features music from the Lion King, real-life singers, dancers, and acrobats, costumed characters, and large animatronic characters. It’s fantastic! Don’t miss it!
While you wait for the show to begin:
Mobile order your lunch! It will save you a lot of time. Open the My Disney Experience App, click the menu button in the bottom right, then click on the Mobile Food Orders button. I recommend eating at Flametree BBQ. They have a great menu, plenty of lovely outdoor covered seating near the water, and is centrally located so you don’t have to walk too far to get to it.
(Skip ordering lunch if doing lunch at Tusker House)
As you are leaving the Lion King show, press, “I’m here, prepare my order” on your mobile food order. Then walk to the restaurant, pick up your food at the location it tells you in the app, find a seat, and enjoy!
If you have a dining reservation for Tusker House, check-in is to the left as you exit Lion King.
The train has seats that all face the windows and give you some behind-the-scenes views of the savannah. The 7-minute ride is narrated to help you learn more about the park and its animals.
Once you arrive you will take a walk through lovely vegetation to Rafiki’s Planet Watch where there is a petting zoo with goats, sheep, pigs, and more.
There is also a building with exhibits inside that include invertebrates and a behind-the-scenes look at one of the vet/surgery rooms.
Skip this if doing lunch at Tusker House
Once you get off the train you will take a walk through lovely vegetation to Rafiki’s Planet Watch where there is a petting zoo (Affection Section) with goats, sheep, pigs, and more.
Also check out the Conservation Station building with exhibits inside that include invertebrates and a behind-the-scenes look at one of the vet/surgery rooms.
Optional: The Animation Experience
Inside the Conservation Station there is a 25-minute animation class. I only recommend this class for families with older kids or teens that like art. Check the class times! If this is a priority, you may have to arrive by noon for the 12:15 class which means eating a faster lunch or eating lunch after the class.
Skip this if doing lunch at Tusker House
Catch the train back to Africa. Once you exit, go to the left and start walking south and then to the left again toward Asia. You’ll be walking along the river, not crossing it. Consult your app for a map.
Skip this if doing lunch at Tusker House
If it’s a warm enough day and you have any kids that are over 38″ tall, you can ride the white water rafting ride, Kali River Rapids. It’s a typical white water ride that my kids think is fun to see who gets the most wet. It’s fun enough (especially on a hot day) but not worth waiting more than 45 minutes. During summer, riding at 1:10 will be nice to beat the heat, but the line may be too long without Genie+. You may have to wait and ride this later in the day.
If it’s a cool day, if it’s January (when the ride is usually closed for refurbishment) or your kids are too little or not interested, you can go to the 1:30 Friends in Flight bird show. It’s a fun little show where you’ll meet some cool birds.
Walk through this lovely trail located toward the back of the Asia section, past Kali River Rapids. You’ll see komodo dragons, bats, bird, but most of all – tigers!
If you have a kid over 44″ who likes more thrilling rides, or if you have adults who would like to take a turn on this fun coaster, definitely ride Everest! Rider swap is available. Learn more about this ride below.
If have small kids or don’t want to take time to do rider swap, head on over to the Finding Nemo theater to get seats for the 2:30pm show (times subject to change so check your app). Or if you’re a bit behind this schedule (which is fine!) or you want to do both Everest and the Finding Nemo show, there is usually another show at 3:30pm.
Dinoland USA is a section of the park that will soon be closing and reimagined to be an Encanto-themed area, and the Dinosaur ride will become an Indiana Jones ride.
At the time of writing this, this area is not closed YET, but it’s coming soon. If it’s still open, check out Dinosaur the ride, and the Boneyard – a fun kids play area.
If Dinosaur the ride is still operating, be aware that it can be a bit too scary for younger kids, even if they meet the height requirement. It is dark, bumpy, loud, has flashing lights, and scary dinosaurs.
If not much is open or you’d like to have an air-conditioned break, head over to the Finding Nemo Show at 1pm. It’s not a must-see in my book, but it’s cute and indoors.
There are often characters that come out in Dinoland (like Chip and Dale dressed in dinosaur costumes – adorable!). You can also leave Dinoland and head to Discovery Island (just walk toward the big tree) to wear you can meet Mickey and Minnie in their safari outfits. There are many places to meet Mickey and Minnie through Disney World, so check the wait time on your app and decide if it’s worth it. You can always meet them at another park.
While You’re Waiting: Mobile Order Your Dinner
I recommend choosing either Flametree BBQ or Satuli Canteen for dinner. Flametree has ribs and BBQ chicken and pork. Satuli has delicious bowls where you can choose your base, protein, and sauce. They also have my son’s favorite Disney kids meal – Cheeseburger pods. They are so good I sometimes order them too! Satuli Canteen is in Pandora so it will mean walking back to Pandora, but if you’re visiting during a time of year where it gets dark earlier, I highly recommend stopping by Pandora before you leave to see it lit up at night!
Check out a few of the pathways around the Tree of Life to see more animals and get a closer look at all the amazing carvings in the tree. It’s a really beautiful area!
While you’re around the Tree of Life is also a good time to get a family photo in front of the tree! Look for a Disney Photopass photographer if you have Memory Maker.
I recommend choosing either Flametree BBQ or Satuli Canteen for dinner. Flametree has ribs and BBQ chicken and pork. Satuli has delicious bowls where you can choose your base, protein, and sauce. They also have my son’s favorite Disney kids meal – Cheeseburger pods. They are so good I sometimes order them too! Satuli Canteen is in Pandora so it will mean walking back to Pandora, but if you’re visiting during a time of year where it gets dark earlier, I highly recommend stopping by Pandora before you leave to see it lit up at night!
If you did a mobile order:
As you walk toward the restaurant you chose, press, “I’m here, prepare my order” on your mobile food order. Then walk to the restaurant, pick up your food at the location it tells you in the app, find a seat, and enjoy!
If it’s winter and already dark:
- Explore Pandora at night when it’s all lit up and gorgeous!
- Check your app to see if Tree of Life Awakening is happening. During months where it gets dark before close this show happens a few times a night where they have projections and music on the Tree of Life. It’s a perfect way to end the day!
Anytime:
Usually Animal Kingdom closes at 7, but always check your app to be sure. Closing time does not mean you have to be out of the park by 7. You can hop in line for a ride at 6:59. The stores stay open later also so you can take some time to shop on your way out. Staying inside the park longer usually means less time waiting at the bus line (unless you drove yourself of course).
When you get back to your hotel – go to bed! Because this is one of the earlier closing parks, it’s a good idea to take advantage of getting to bed earlier. Other nights will go later when you’re staying for nighttime shows.
About the Attractions
This is one of my top 3 attractions in all of Disney World! This is a simulator ride that will make you feel like you are riding on the back of a banshee through the beautiful land of Pandora from the Avatar movies. I don’t like all simulator rides, but this one is smooth, does not make me nauseous, has air blowing on your face, and really feels real. I literally cried tears of joy the first time I rode this ride!
Things to know:
Height Requirement: At least 44″ tall. May not be able to accommodate some tall/large guests.
Queue: The queue is part of the experience! The first part is outdoors and provides you with gorgeous views of the land and the floating mountains and waterfalls. The second part takes you into the “human-built” buildings where you find the scientific labs. The second half is much less beautiful, but if you’ve seen the movies, you’ll know that the contrast is purposeful. A highlight of the queue is the life-size avatar in a liquid chamber.
Pre-show:
The preshow room lines everyone up on circles in a small room and plays an intro video. They also pretend to scan you to link you to an Avatar. I had a friend who’s child was scarred by this room. If you have a sensitive child, it may be good to remind them that it isn’t real, but it’s fun to play pretend at Disney World!
Seats and Glasses:
After the preshow you enter the next room that has the seats. You can show your things in bins in the room. The seats are like riding a motorcycle (one leg on each side) but you are leaning forward with your hands grasping handles in front of you. Once you’re in your seat, a back rest will move into place and can be a bit startling when it hits your back if you’re not expecting it. You will put on your glasses and wait for a bit with a screen on the front of your “bike” that shows you being connected to an Avatar. There will be a series of vibrations as you are “linked” to your Avatar which feels funny to some kids. Once the “flight” begins, you will feel your banshee “breathing” meaning you’ll feel the seat around your legs expand and contract a bit. It’s quite cool! You’ll also have wind blowing in your face to simulate flight and bonus – it helps avoid motion sickness!
Ride Length: 6 minutes
Dinosaur is a thrilling dark ride that takes you back in time on a mission to rescue a dinosaur before extinction. But you arrive just as a giant asteroid is hurtling toward Earth and you have to avoid lots of carnivorous predators, to catch the dinosaur, and get out before the asteroid hits.
You board a ride vehicle that has 3 rows of four seats. The vehicle goes along a track but also jerks and bucks around like a simulator vehicle. (It is similar to the Indiana Jones ride vehicle at Disneyland if you’re familiar with that.)
It is jerky, dark, loud, and has scary animatronic dinosaurs. My older kids (and myself) love it! But it is not a great attraction for younger kids, despite it’s only 40″ height requirement.
Things to Know:
Height Requirement: 40″
Queue: The queue starts outdoors but covered, then moves inside where you’ll see lots of large dinosaur fossils. You then go into a pre-show room where you’ll watch a video that sets up the story of the ride.
Ride time: 3 minutes
Expedition Everest is a fun family roller coaster that is more thrilling than Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain (at Magic Kingdom) and less thrilling than Rockin Rollercoaster (Hollywood Studios) and Guardians of the Gallaxy Cosmic Rewind (Epcot). I had one kid that at 44″ thought it was too intense, and another at 44″ that thought it was the best, so know your kid and give it a try when you think they’re ready!
The roller coaster has a bigger drop than other Disney coasters and has a part where the train stops, you see the shadow of a yeti breaking the track, and then you briefly go backwards. The roller coaster tells a story and leads you through a mountain and is absolutely beautiful. The attention to detail is second to none.
Things to know:
Height Requirement: At least 44″ tall. Rider swap available.
Queue: The queue is covered and sets up the story of the ride with beautiful details.
Ride Length: 6 minutes
This is the best show in Walt Disney World! Even if you usually skip shows, try this one! It features great musical numbers from The Lion King, acrobatic acts, characters, and is a beautiful production!
There are four sets of bleachers with the show performed on the floor in the middle. If you have shorter kids, you will want to get in line for the show early to get the best seats as sitting in the back makes it harder to see.
Things to Know:
Queue: You queue up outside the theater and we recommend getting there 20-30 minutes before showtime. About 10-15 minutes before showtime they will start seating people inside the theater and cast member will direct you to a section. While you wait for the show to begin they will have cast members to entertain you and introduce you to your cheering section.
Show time: 30 minutes
You can’t come to Animal Kingdom and not do the safari! You will board a large safari truck that has bench seats that fit 4-5 people each (about 35 people per truck). Each truck is driven by a cast member who will lead you on a tour through the African Savannah and will teach you about the animals and point them out.
The ride can be a bit bumpy so they often ask that small children not sit on the ends on the rows. There are no seatbelts and very small children can sit in an adult’s lap. Bigger kids will love sitting on the ends so they have the best views. Both sides of the truck will see a lot of animals, but my kids say the left side is a bit better and like to fight over who gets that spot.
It’s truly an incredible safari! Disney did such a great job designing the area to look authentic and you will never see any cages or fences so it really feels like you are in Africa. There are around 34 species in the safari, and some of them are free roaming and can get quite close to the trucks which is always very exciting!
Height requirement: None
Queue: The queue is outdoors but covered and has some fans. It can get hot, but at least you’re never in the sun.
Ride length: About 20 minutes (but can vary if an animal gets in the way of the truck!)
This is a classic white water ride where you sit in a round raft and go through a river of rapids and things to get you wet. But because it’s Disney there is more theming than other theme parks and you’re going through a beautiful rainforest and temple ruins.
You will get wet on this ride! That’s part of the fun! But there are also times you don’t want to get wet, but still want to ride the ride, so in those cases I recommend a poncho or a trash bag you bunch a hole in for you head. We usually order a pack of cheap ponchos from Amazon that are small enough to fit in any bag and we’ll bring those along for water rides and rain.
I recommend leaving your bags in a stroller or putting them under a poncho. If you’re wearing sneakers, I recommend lifting your feet up onto the bar in the center or taking off your shoes and putting them under a poncho so you don’t have soaking wet shoes the rest of the day.
Things to know:
Height Requirement: At least 38″ tall. Rider swap available.
Seats: Each raft seats 12 people in a circle. The seats are plastic with a lap belt.
Queue: The queue is actually really beautiful and has a lot of great detail to look at as you wind through an ancient Southeast Asian temple. The queue is covered, but open mostly open air so it can get hot. I don’t recommend waiting more than 45 minutes for this ride.
Ride Length: 3.5 minutes
Na’vi River Journey is a typical Disney dark ride where you sit in a boat and see things. It takes you through the forest of Pandora where you will see lots of beautiful bioluminescent plants and unique animals. One of the scenes includes one of the most advanced animatronic character ever created as the Na’vi Shaman sings and moves in connection with nature.
If you aren’t familiar with the Avatar movies, it is still an enjoyable boat ride seeing pretty things, but there’s no real storytelling in the attraction.
Ages: Suitable for all ages including babies on laps.
Queue: The queue is either shaded or indoors unless it extends past the entrance.
Ride Length: 4 1/2 minutes
Seating: 4 rows per boat/raft. Each row seats 3-4 people.
The Boneyard is a huge dinosaur-bone-themed play area. It can be a little tough to keep eyes on your kids as they run around so I recommend having a “home base” where an adult always is and your kids know to come check in.
There is dinosaur dig area where kids can dig for dinosaur bones in the sand. This area is separate from the slide area and connected by a overhead bridge, so if your kids want to head that way you may want to follow. The entire area is completely closed off though so they can’t get lost and the only way in and out of the boneyard has a gate and a cast member.