As an animal lover I tend to dislike zoos. But Animal Kingdom seems to strike a good balance between animal captivity, education, and preservation. The animal exhibits appeared clean and animals looked healthy and well cared for. I loved the break from the constant Disney logos/themes. Live animals don’t wear mouse ears or princess costumes. 🙂
Disney World’s Animal Kingdom was probably my favorite park that we visited during our trip in early Spring. Upon entering, you quickly come to the Tree of Life. A giant, unique, intricately carved centerpiece made to resemble a giant baobab tree. The details are stunning and the more you look, the more animals you find carved into the trunk.
We visited on a Saturday. Even so, Animal Kingdom was less crowded than the other Disney parks we visited. There are some educational exhibits sprinkled throughout including these “ok to touch” large animal skulls.
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
I really love primates and generally do not enjoy seeing them in traditional zoos. However the lowland gorilla exhibit here was surprisingly clean, expansive, and reassuring. The gorillas appeared well cared for and were engaging with various toys, treats, and each other. There is a covered glass wall area where the gorillas can choose to get closer to visitors. We felt very fortunate. An adult male and two juveniles chose to spend some time here while we were visiting.
African Birds
The African Birds exhibit was fully immersive. There is a giant multi story enclosure that visitors walk through. You are instantly surrounded by innumerable colorful and exotic chirping birds. Challenge the kids to point out any nests they see, and who can find the most along the trail. The bird exhibit is along the Gorilla Exploration trail.
Kilimanjaro Safari
The Kilimanjaro Safari is a popular highlight of the park. It is worth it no matter how long the wait is (for us about 40 min). The animals seem close enough to touch and are without any bars. More natural appearing barriers such as ravines separate the caravan you are in from the lions and other animals. You can see elephants, giraffe, zebras, rhinos, Nile crocodiles, and more!
Rides:
Expedition Everest
This yeti themed roller coaster is made more for older kids and adults. Must be AT LEAST 44 inches tall. It is a surprisingly very thrilling up and back coaster, with scary heights and tunnels. Most importantly (and unknown to me when boarding), much of the trip is in REVERSE. This is an excellent coaster but I do not recommend it for those who have motion sickness issues.
Avatar Flight of Passage:
This ride looks amazing and everyone loves it. Unfortunately, this is for 44 inches and taller. We decided to keep this for our next visit. Our whole family could experience it together then. Lines are usually very long for this so plan ahead.
EATING:
In general we did not book many sit down meals during the days of our trips. No one wanted to miss rides or take a large chunk out of the day for lunch. There are many places to grab quick food within the park. We particularly loved the walk up Harambe market food counters in the Africa section of the park. It was nice to have spiced offerings unlike most standard American food offerings throughout the parks. I had a tasty chicken rice bowl, and they offer gluten free options. Adult entrees $13-$20. Order ahead and pick up at the window. There were also many options for shaded seating. Harambe Market – Kiosk style
There are also a few places that offer the famous frozen Dole Whip, one of them is Tamu Tamu in Africa.
Just outside the gates is the Rainforest Cafe. Our party of 8 made dinner reservations ahead of time. It is a chain yes, but the highly decorated themed interior fits well into the Disney experience. Also it is air conditioned and cool inside. We found it relaxing to have a sit down meal.The water features and timed “thunderstorms” keep the kids entertained while waiting to sit or eat. The staff was friendly. The menu was large, kids menus were adequate and a reasonable $12 per entree. After a long hot day in the park, I enjoyed my large margarita. Rainforest Cafe – Animal Kingdom
TIPS:
Try to visit on a not toooo hot day. Animals are more active when it isn’t extremely hot.
Consider visiting the rides, watching a show, or eating during the hottest parts of the day. Visit the animal exhibits early or later in the day.
DinoLand U.S.A. is being removed and I think it is a good thing. This area of the park is dated and does not seem to fit in with the rest of the park at all. It has fewer trees, more blacktop, and fewer refreshment stops when we were there. The kids did enjoy the Boneyard play area, but it’s not worth the hike. There are plenty of other exhibits to fill the day at the park.
It’s Florida. You need to bring sunblock and reapply often. I love these small mineral sunblock sticks. They easily fit in a pocket or small purse and don’t leak like bottles and tubes can. Thinksport Kids SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Stick (#ad)
The Rainforest Cafe has a very large gift shop attached, be prepared.
Stay tuned for other Disney World insights in my other blogs. Family Fun at Epcot
What was your favorite exhibit at Animal Kingdom? Email me at:
Unless otherwise stated, all photos throughout this blog are my own and cannot be printed or distributed without my permission.
Astray Fish 
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