Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park Rides
Complete Guide to Disney Animal Kingdom Rides 2021-2022
We're going to cover traditional rides and attractions first (starting with the best, must-ride attractions), before we get to spaces to explore and then entertainment. In the past, we heralded the entertainment at Animal Kingdom as the best part of the park, but the recent cuts have left that aspect greatly reduced.
Here's how the post breaks down…
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The Best Rides at Animal Kingdom - Where we list our must-do rides (and attractions) at Animal Kingdom.
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The Rest of the Rides at Animal Kingdom - This is anything else that is a ride at Animal Kingdom, along with attractions with Genie+
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Exploration and Interactive Spaces at Animal Kingdom - These are spaces that are designed to be walked through or explored, along with minor, interactive attractions.
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Entertainment at Animal Kingdom - A land-by-land breakdown of the major shows at the park, followed by a breakdown of the streetmosphere of the park, which is finally starting to return in late 2021
Despite being really long, this list isn't totally exhaustive. There are several animal encounters that we don't list, some of which aren't even listed on the app or times guide, they just pop up. Similarly, characters can pop up, and if you're interested in seeing them you should check the "Characters" section of the My Disney Experience app.
While we're going to do our best to keep this guide up to date, the entertainment offerings at Animal Kingdom can change. You should always check the My Disney Experience app and the times guide for the most current offerings. The guide also doesn't list temporary closures or refurbishment.
The Best Rides at Animal Kingdom
There are three rides that we consider the best at Animal Kingdom. The best rides at Animal Kingdom that you must do are:
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Avatar Flight of Passage
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Expedition Everest
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Kilimanjaro Safaris
Let's talk more about them.
Avatar Flight of Passage
Land: Pandora - The World of Avatar
Height: 44 in / 112 cm
Type: Thrill / Screen
Queue: Standby or Individual Lightning Lane
While several great rides have opened the last few years, some arguably better than Flight of Passage, the ride is still a marvel and uniquely emotionally satisfying. It's a must ride and by far the most popular ride in the park.
Riding It: Flight of Passage is not be a part of Genie+ and instead has an individual paid Lightning Lane. If you don't want to pay for that Lightning Lane, you'll need to wait in line for the ride.
If you have Early Entry, we recommend starting your day with Flight of Passage. If you don't have Early Entry, we're tentatively recommending you plan to wait for it later in the day, possibly around the time the park closes.
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Land:Asia
Height: 44 in / 112 cm
Type: Thrill / Roller Coaster
Queue: Standby or Individual Lightning Lane
Expedition Everest is a roller coaster experience unlike any other. While many will start by discussing the rides queue, the ride really stands out as you walk through the park, crossing bridges and catching sight of it in the distance.
The Forbidden Mountain looms large even from a distance. And then there is the queue, which is filled with authentic design and artifacts reflecting the Nepalese and Tibetan relationships with the Yeti.
Finally, there is the ride itself. Despite featuring a "broken" Yeti effect that, let's face it, probably won't ever get fixed, the ride is one of Disney's best thrill rides. It's not for the faint of heart though, and notably is the only ride our thrill-hating friend said she'd never go on again at Walt Disney World.
Riding It: Everest is not a part of Genie+ and instead offers a paid individual Lightning Lane. We recommend riding it (without paying for the Lightning Lane) early in the day. There's also a single rider line if you want to ride again without a long wait.
Bonus Read: Check out our list ranking the roller coasters of Walt Disney World to see where Everest falls in that list.
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Land: Africa
Height: Any
Type: Slow Ride
Queue: Standby or Genie+ Lightning Lane
Kilimanjaro Safaris is a truly unique ride: a meandering ride through the landscapes of Africa with real animal sightings along the way. At one time, Disney loaded it with a convoluted plot. They've since simplified the concept, although the remains of the old days are a bit scattered, mostly in the queue.
Either way, the chance to ride among the animals in their natural habitats is not to be missed. This is a ride that is different every time.
Whether you get stuck for 10 minutes behind a zebra or have your guide awkwardly leave it to parents to explain what the giraffes were doing (er, "making a baby"), the ride will be beautiful and unexpected. We even rank it as one of the best Disney rides in the world.
Riding It: Kilimanjaro Safaris will not be a part of Early Entry but is a part of Genie+. If you have Genie+, it will probably be one of your first two picks. Without Genie+, just head there around the time it opens or shortly thereafter. Morning safaris are best.
The Rest of the Rides at Animal Kingdom
Na'vi River Journey
Land: Pandora - The World of Avatar
Height: Any
Type: Boat
Queue: Standby or Genie+ Lightning Lane
Na'vi River Journey is an all-ages offering in the form of a boat ride through Pandoras wildlife. The imagineering involved is absolutely stunning, and really no full day at Animal Kingdom would be complete without the ride.
Riding It: Na'vi River Journey is a bit tricky to fit into your day. Ideally you'd hop right on in the morning, after Flight of Passage, when it has a short wait. If that doesn't work out, you can either use a Genie+ reservation for it or just pick any time the ride has less than a 45-minute wait to hop in line.
DINOSAUR
Land: DinoLand U.S.A.
Height: 40 in / 102 cm
Type: Thrill / Dark
Queue: Standby or Genie+ Lightning Lane
If there's a ride in Animal Kingdom that just hasn't aged well technologically, it's DINOSAUR. The technology is borrowed from the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland. A 12-person vehicle powers through the bumps and jerky turns of the jungle in search of a specific dinosaur, hoping to track it down before a meteor strike kills most life on the planet.
It's worth riding, but the ride feels dated. The timing is very clunky. Animatronics that once shocked and awed now seem like they'd be more at home on the Jungle Cruise. Things just feel a bit...off.
Riding It: DINOSAUR isn't a very high priority. If you can get to it early or late it should have a short wait. If you have Genie+, you shouldn't have too much trouble snagging a time.
Kali River Rapids
Land: Asia
Height: 38 in / 97 cm
Type: Thrill / Water Ride
Queue: Standby or Genie+ Lightning Lane
Kali River Rapids is probably the worst of the Disney raft rides worldwide. You will get wet, so be prepared for that. If you want to know how wet, there are bridges that overlook the ride both near the start of the queue and at the ride's exit (past the Kali River Rapids entrance, take a right at Maharajah Jungle Trek).
The queue is great and lays the foundation for a story that sort of makes its way into the ride, but beyond that there's little to speak of. The ride itself is actually painfully short, especially for the two-hour wait time you'll occasionally see.
Riding It: Many days, Kali River Rapids opens later than the rest of the park, and the best way to ride it is to be there when it opens. You shouldn't have much trouble getting on if you have Genie+.
Otherwise, the ride is truthfully one of the most difficult rides in all of Walt Disney World to time. Its crowds will depend on heat and rain throughout the day. For us, we try and get on it when it opens or just keep an eye hoping for a wait under 30 minutes sometime during the day.
It's Tough To Be A Bug
Land: Discovery Island
Height: Any
Type: 3D Show / Scary Moments
Queue: Standby or Genie+ Lightning Lane
This is maybe a controversial pick for the best rides at Animal Kingdom, but the reasoning is straightforward. First, it's just a great attraction. While most probably expect a straightforward 3D show featuring Flick, the show comes with a few surprises sure to scare some and entertain all.
Beyond that, the show usually has a short wait of 20 minutes or less. The actual show time is 8 minutes, and your actual wait is rarely longer than 10 minutes. Finally, it actually has a nice lesson that it imparts without to much preaching.
TriceraTop Spin
Land: Dinoland U.S.A.
Height: Any
Type: Dumbo (aerial carousel)
Queue: Standby Only (No Lightning Lane)
This is a standard, Dumbo-type ("aerial carousel" is the technical term) ride. You sit in a Triceratops, spinning around a center as your vehicle moves up and down.
Wildlife Express Train
Land: Africa / Rafiki's Planet Watch
Height: Any
Type: Slow Ride
The Wildlife Express Train isn't so much a ride as it is the means of getting from Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch (and back). This trail, along with all of Rafiki's, is seasonal.
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost (Temporarily Suspended)
Land: Discovery Island
Height: Any
Type: Character Greeting
To see who is at this greeting, visit the "Characters" section of the My Disney Experience app. Typically it is Mickey and Minnie.
Primeval Whirl (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)
Land: Dinoland U.S.A.
Height: 48 in / 122 cm
Type: Thrill / Kiddie Coaster
Update: Primeval Whirl is permanently closed, this section lives as notice of that fact and a memory of a ride that once was.
Exploration and Interactive Spaces at Animal Kingdom
As we emphasized above, we put these attractions down here for the sake of organization, not because we think they're worse than all the rides. We really find the highlight of Disney's Animal Kingdom to be the spaces to explore and the entertainment to watch, so we highly recommend setting some time aside for these attractions.
The Oasis Exhibits
Land: Oasis
Height: Any
Type: Exploration
Oasis is the first land you'll walk through at Animal Kingdom. Throughout are small animal exhibits. Since you'll probably be rushing to Pandora for your first ride when the park opens, we recommend coming back here for a quick stroll at some point later in the day.
Discovery Island Trails
Land: Discovery Island
Height: Any
Type: Exploration
We love the Discovery Island Trails. These trails surround the Tree of Life and most park visitors don't even notice them, except maybe when they pass through them leaving It's Tough to be a Bug!
While the trails do have a few animal exhibits throughout, the highlight is the tree of life and its roots, which are filled with animal engravings. On most days, the trails are quite serene, with only a few guests wandering about. This is a great place to come if you need a moment away from the crowds.
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Land: Africa
Height: Any
Type: Exploration
The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail is one of two zoo-like animal trails in Disney's Animal Kingdom (the other is the Maharajah Jungle Trek). Gorilla Falls features gorillas, birds, zebras, and a few other animals. Plan about 30 minutes to get through this trail.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Land: Asia
Height: Any
Type: Exploration
Another zoo-like trail, this time featuring tigers. You can probably get through this one a little quicker than Gorilla Falls, probably in about 20 minutes.
The Boneyard
Land: Dinoland U.S.A.
Height: Any
Type: Exploration / Interactive
The Boneyard is essentially a dig-site themed playground. Kids can run around, climb, go down slides, and even dig for a Wolly Mammoth in a sandpit (of fake, nonstick sand). It's worth a quick peek to enjoy some of the subtleties of the Disney design, though families might find it hard to pull kids away (we certainly do).
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Rafiki's is a highly conservation-centric area, but the petting zoo and Animation Experience are appealing to a broad ranhe of guests. Because you'll need to take a ride on the train to get there, then explore the area, then catch the train back, you should plan for any visit to take at least an hour out of your day, with 90 minutes departure to return being a more reasonable expectation.
Affection Section
Land: Rafiki's Planet Watch
Height: Any
Type: Interactive
Affection Section is a small petting zoo located in Rafiki's Planet Watch. As we said above, Rafiki's is connected to the rest of the park by the Wildlife Express Train. This means you're dedicating probably 30 minutes to waiting and getting to/from (30 minutes total) the land just to see any of the attractions there.
We're the type to fill a full day at Animal Kingdom without ever making it to Rafiki's Planet Watch. If the petting zoo really appeals to you, swing by. If you're not feeling Animal Kingdom enough to fill your day with the other offerings, it's unlikely that Rafiki's will offer you anything worthwhile. Affection Section is a seasonal offering, but it did reopen with Rafiki's on July 11.
Conservation Station
Land: Rafiki's Planet Watch
Height: Any
Type: Interactive / Exploration
Located at Rafiki's Planet Watch, Conservation Station is a real hit or miss. Basically, it's a small, conservation themed educational space. You'll sometimes see vets working or some cool animal encounters, but sometimes there's nothing much at all going on. Conservation Station is a seasonal offering.
Wilderness Explorers
Land: Park-wide
Height: Any
Type: Exploration / Interactive
Wilderness Explorers is a park-wide interactive attraction for guests of all ages. Basically, you get a book and visit different Wilderness Explorers stations throughout the park to earn badges from troop leaders (cast members).
This is definitely worth the 5 minutes it will take to start, and if your family decides it's worth the time, it can be a great way to fill some down time in the park, especially when ride lines get long.
Entertainment at Animal Kingdom
This section was last updated in October 2021. Offerings may change, and you should always check the My Disney Experience app for the latest offerings and schedule.
Major Shows at Animal Kingdom
KiteTails
Land: Asia
Height: Any
Type: Live Kite Show
KiteTails is a new offering at Animal Kingdom that occurs at scheduled times throughout the day in the Discovery River Theater (the huge outdoor theater around the water near Expedition Everest—can't miss it). There are two shows, a Jungle Book show and a Lion King show.
KiteTails is quite fun, though we personally prefer to just view the giant kites from a distance passing through the area. These are really cool, and sometimes unexpected things happen.
Animal Kingdom Cavalcades
The cavalcades are more streetmosphere than major entertainment, but as they're a newer offering at the park I'm highlighting them here.
As part of the reopening of the park, four new cavalcades are performed throughout the day on a boat that rides around the Discovery River (the main body of water in the park) . The cavalcades replace all other entertainment and character greetings. These cavalcades are (links to video):
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Discovery River Character Cruise
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Discovery Island Drummers
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Donald's Dino Boat Bash!
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Mickey & Friends Flotilla
Festival of the Lion King (Modified As Of Summer 2021)
Land: Africa
Height: Any
Type: Live Performance
Update: Festival of The Lion King has returned as a slightly modified show "Celebration of Festival of The Lion King."
Festival of the Lion King is an awesome, 30-minute musical and acrobatic Lion King show. We're big fans of this show, not only because of our nostalgic connection to The Lion King, but because of the great acrobatics the show offers.
Watching It: You can sometimes squeeze into a show right at start time and you'll have seats in the back. Alternatively, grab some food and get in line 20 - 30 minutes before the show (45-60 minutes on busier days). You can eat in line as long as you finish before you enter the theater.
UP! A Great Bird Adventure (Temporarily REPLACED)
Note: This show has been temporarily replaced by "Feathered Friends in Flight." Attractions Magazine has coverage of the new show.
Land: Asia
Height: Any
Type: Live Show
This show recently replaced Flights of Wonder. It's a little worse than Flights of Wonder is, but the same concept: birds performing some tricks as part of an otherwise uninteresting narrative. As it now features the characters from Up!, it will be a must-do for many fans. We don't particularly love the show, but we can usually make time for it.
Finding Nemo - The Musical (Temporarily Suspended / Returning 2022)
Land: Dinoland U.S.A.
Height: Any
Type: Live Show
We have friends who love Finding Nemo - The Musical and swear it is better than Festival of the Lion King. We don't really see it. If your kids love Finding Nemo, they'll probably have a great time at this show of music and (large-scale) puppetry.
Streetmosphere at Animal Kingdom
Streetmosphere is entertainment that you don't have to arrive early for and which occurs just throughout the park in open areas. Much of it is still temporarily suspended, or perhaps at this point permanently closed. We note the suspended things in this post, though we're hopefully anything we've kept in here will return at some point.
Streetmosphere at the Tree of Life
Winged Encounters is a parrot show that takes place in front of the Tree of Life throughout the day. The app currently lists it as 9:15AM to 3:15PM, and I believe the schedule is actually on the 15s with a skipped show at either 11:15AM or 12:15PM. A Cast Member in front of the tree should be able to tell you.
Have your camera ready to go, preferably set to slow-motion mode, to catch some awesome shots when the parrots take flight.
On select nights the Tree of Life is brought to life via projections. Depending on the season / celebration, this might be Tree of Life Awakenings, Tree of Life Holiday Awakenings, or Beacon of Magic (Disney World 50th Anniversary addition). These are very short but very cool bit of imagineering.
Streetmosphere in Africa
Africa is our go-to land for entertainment. If you ever need to track us down while we're at the Walt Disney World theme parks to yell at us about telling you to skip Frozen and ride Gran Fiesta Tour, you can probably find us near Dawa Bar watching the shows in Africa.
The stage in Africa is located directly in front of the bridge from Discovery Island, near Dawa Bar, Tusker House, and Tamu Tamu Refreshments. A secondary stage (currently used by Karibu Sisters) is located on the other side of Harabe, between Zuri's Sweets Shop and Harambe Market.
No day at Disney's Animal Kingdom is complete without watching the Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe (returning November 2021). We sometimes arrive in the middle of a show just to enjoy the walk from Discovery Island into Harambe, letting the sound of the drums grow as we get nearer.
Besides the great show itself, you'll have awesome people-watching (or the chance to be watched) and the drummer pull people into dancing as part of their performance.
The Tam Tam Drummers are a morning show, currently alternating performances with Kora Tinga Tinga (returned October 2021), a performance of an African kora.
As morning turns to afternoon, the Harambe Village Acrobats (currently suspended) take over. If you're fresh off watching Festival of the Lion King, the acrobats might not impress that much, but they're still an impressive team with some fun tricks.
Streetmosphere in Asia
Across from the Anadapur Theater (used for Up! A Great Bird Adventure), a small stage hosts the new Bollywood Beats (currently suspended) dance show. We really enjoy this show and think it has that same level or organic audience participation that makes the Harambe performances so great.
Also in Asia is Chakranadi (returned October 2021), a sitar player who usually plays near Yak & Yeti (I suspect sometimes you might find him on the other stage, though).
Streetmosphere on Discovery Island
The Discovery Island stage is located across from Flame Tree Barbecue, just before the bridge to Dinoland U.S.A. Currently, that stage is only home to afternoon performances by Viva Gaia Street Band (currently suspended). Viva Gaia is a very energetic group, earning lots of audience participation in their shows.
Streetmosphere in Pandora - The World of Avatar
Pandora currently has two entertainment offerings. First, there is Swotu Wayä Na'vi Drum Ceremony (currently suspended). This show occurs throughout the day at the Pandora drum circle.
We found this to be the second worst of Animal Kingdom's entertainment offerings. The drums ring as incredibly inauthentic (because, you know, they're plastic alien drums...) and the performance just falls flat for us.
Second, there is the Pandora Rangers (currently suspended), which we consider the worst piece of entertainment in Animal Kingdom. Maybe one day we'll hear a kid go "COOOOOL!" and it will bring tears to our eyes and change our view of things, but until then...just...why?
Streetmosphere in Dinoland U.S.A.
Dinoland U.S.A.'s entertainment offerings are in their infancy, and we haven't had the chance to experience them yet. They're also not given detailed schedules in the app, so you might need to check the times guide or ask a cast member if you'd like to catch them.
Donald's Dino-Bash! is sometimes listed as entertainment. Really, this is more of a land overlay, encompassing some design changes, character greetings, and the "show," Dino-Riffic Dance Party! (currently suspended)
I believe the Dino-Riffic Dance Party is restricted to holidays and perhaps Animal Kingdom After Hours now. I'm leaving it here because it's the sort of thing that feels like it might pop up, but don't expect it on your visit.
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Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park Rides
Source: https://www.mousehacking.com/blog/best-animal-kingdom-rides
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