What to Do at Disney's Animal Kingdom with Toddlers
THINGS TO DO AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM WITH TODDLERS
Disney’s Animal Kingdom isn’t necessarily everyone’s first choice when it comes to choosing a Disney Park to attend with toddlers and little kids.
We think of the many rides and character meet-and-greets at Magic Kingdom. We dream of good food around the World Showcase at Epcot. We can’t wait for Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. But what does Animal Kingdom have to offer for little ones?
A lot, actually!
Between media events and vacationing with visiting family, my kids and I covered 3 of the 4 Disney Parks in early 2019. We had purchased the Florida resident 3-day passes and had one day left on each of ours. When my husband (a teacher) got done with school for the summer, and my daughter’s birthday rolled around, we decided to use our last day on Animal Kingdom.
Though at first, I felt like I was forcing everyone to go so that I could check all 4 parks off my list that year, we ended up making some of our favorite family memories at the Animal Kingdom that day, and all 3 of my kids still talk about their favorite shows and rides there.
While you may not be able to ride as many rides with toddlers as you can in other parks, Animal Kingdom easily makes up for that in shows, attractions, and cool environmental details around the park.
Here are the best rides to do with toddlers and little kids at Animal Kingdom, along with the best shows, and other things to do.
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KILIMANJARO SAFARIS
Kilimanjaro Safaris was one of our favorite experiences at Animal Kingdom as a family. We made sure to grab a FastPass+ for this one since lines can get very long, and did it first thing in the morning. The animals were out and about before it got too hot out in the Florida sun, making it a richer experience for all of us.
One thing I love about the Kilimanjaro Safari that makes it toddler-friendly is that there are no height restrictions, and your whole family can probably fit in one row of the tram. It was nice to be able to shuffle around as needed or have one of the kids sit on the lap of whichever adult was closer to the action.
TRICERATOP SPIN
Triceratop Spin in DinoLand USA was hands down my kids’ favorite ride at Animal Kingdom. They love the Dumbo ride and the Magic Carpet ride at Magic Kingdom, and this one is basically the same thing. There was never more than a 5-minute line, and we went back multiple times on a fairly busy summer day.
There’s something about being high up in the air spinning in slow circles that appeals to the toddler set, so we indulged the kids and rode this one as often as they asked.
Side note: my older kids wanted so badly to go on Primeval Whirl in DinoLand USA but weren’t quite tall enough. The kind cast member gave them fast passes for that ride so when they come back and are tall enough, they can walk right on!
FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING
Festival of the Lion King is another experience my kids still talk about months later. This show is colorful, lively, and interactive. The acrobats, dancing, and singing will definitely keep toddlers entertained, and even the adults will enjoy the show.
Kids love the opportunity to practice an animal noise when the performers ask for audience participation to sound like a lion, a giraffe, an elephant, or a monkey.
We did not use a FastPass+ for this attraction, but we didn’t find the wait to be too terrible. They can pack a lot of people in that theater! The seating is on benches, so you can have your toddler on your lap or seated next to you if they prefer to do everything “ALL BY MYSELF.”
We found this show to be a great way to escape the heat for a little bit in the middle of the day.
My 4-year-old (at the time of our visit he was 3) is sensitive to loud noises and crowds, so we always bring a pair of kid’s noise-canceling headphones with us. These ones are cheap and help him cope with the overstimulation. I was happy to report that with his headphones on, even my sensitive child LOVED the Festival of the Lion King.
PANDORA - THE WORLD OF AVATAR
Though the most exciting ride in Pandora World of Avatar (Flight of Passage) is not toddler-friendly, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy this mythical land with little ones.
Simply walking along the pathways of this section of the park will make you feel like you’re on a different planet (which is the goal). Take your time wandering around and taking pictures.
If the wait is not too long, I would definitely recommend the Na’vi River Journey, the boat ride through a bioluminescent rainforest. It’s a short, slow-moving ride, and not terribly exciting. Some recommend getting a FastPass+ for this ride, since lines are usually long, but I don’t know if I would want to waste a Tier 1 FastPass+ on this ride. Kids do seem to like it, though, so definitely consider it. If your kids don’t like dark rides, I would maybe skip this one.
Other than the rides, you can look for a Pandoran scientist dressed in a 10-foot-tall Pandora Utility Suit. These Pandora Rangers will interact with guests, and kids love watching a human maneuvering in the giant suit.
We also enjoyed the Night Blossom beverage from Pongu Pongu in Pandora -World of Avatar. Though we all got some brain freeze trying to slurp up the delicious limeade, apple, and pear beverage. Toddlers love the drink for the bright colors, and i loved the drink because it was completely Insta-worthy!
UP! A GREAT BIRD ADVENTURE SHOW
The Up! show was another big hit with my kids. They bring live birds out on stage and have them perform tricks for the audience while talking about conservation and giving fun facts about the animals.
It’s open-air with plenty of bench seating. I would recommend trying to get there early enough for a show that you can sit near the front, or at least along the aisle so kids can see the birds up close. The show takes place in the Caravan Theater in the Asia section of the park.
My kids had watched Up! a few days before we went to Animal Kingdom, so they were so excited to see Russell and Dug making an appearance a few times throughout the performance.
MEET MICKEY AND MINNIE
Toddlers love a chance to hug Minnie and Mickey, so make sure to do the character meet-and-greet with Disney’s favorite couple at Adventurer’s Outpost. Minnie and Mickey are dressed in their safari clothes looking every bit the world travelers. We chose to use one of our Fast Passes for this experience.
Side note: while we were waiting for our FastPass+ time to come up, we walked around the Adventurer’s Outpost building a little bit just to pass the time. Behind it there’s a nicely shaded pavilion and garden, so if you need some peace and quiet for a few minutes, this is a great spot to find it. The building itself is also quite photogenic, and we enjoyed snapping some unrushed photos of the kids just hanging out together in front of the emerald green walls.
FINDING NEMO- THE MUSICAL
Sadly, we JUST missed the last viewing of this show because of the timing of our Mickey and Minnie character meet FastPass+. The kids were devastated for a few minutes, there, until we took them back to ride the TriceraTop Spin a few more times. Then all was forgotten. Until they guilted us about it on the drive home.
Finding Nemo The Musical is a colorful live show with humans controlling giant puppets of the characters from Finding Nemo. There are fun musical numbers and a retelling of the movie including all of your favorite sea creatures.
Finding Nemo the Musical is located in a theater in DinoLand USA with 4 showtimes a day. Make sure to schedule it into your day if you want to see it, or you’ll wind up missing the chance as we did!
TAKE PICTURES IN HARAMBE MARKET
Harambe Market, in my opinion, is one of the most unique areas in a Disney World park. It’s an open-air plaza with a few restaurant options serving African food (it is in the Africa section of the park, after all). It definitely feels more like an African marketplace than a food court in the middle of a theme park!
There’s tons of detail and wall art around Harambe’s Market, which means there are lots of fun photo opportunities for guests. A few of our favorites include the Fichwa Mickey wall, the You Are Most Beautiful Wall, the Yellow Motorcycle, and the Food Market bicycle wall. Just take a moment to look around and find tiny details and I’m sure you’ll discover some of your own favorites, too!
Further Reading: Disney World Photo Ideas for Your Family Vacation
RAFIKI’S PLANET WATCH
This experience at Animal Kingdom is a bit removed from the rest of the park. Near Harambe Market you have to board the Wildlife Express Train which will take you all the way to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. You’ll actually have to walk a bit through some trails to arrive at the building.
Once you’re there, you can find a veterinary clinic where you can observe procedures, a petting zoo, and the Animation Experience.
HAKUNA MATATA DANCE PARTY
Near the entrance to DinoLand USA you may stumble up the Hakuna Matata Dance Party throughout the day. Characters from the Lion King, Tarzan, and the Jungle Book groove alongside little ones (or young-at-heart adults). The songs are fun and upbeat, and you can’t help but bounce along to the music, even if you’re just hanging back in the crowd watching.
My toddler and 6-year-old loved getting down with the music and characters, while my quieter 4-year-old opted to stay by Dad and watch. I think a lot of little ones will really get a kick out of this addition to Animal Kingdom!
SPOT KEVIN AROUND THE PARK
If you’re in the Discovery Island section of the. park, you might find yourself walking beside a giant colorful bird at some point. Don’t worry, it’s just Kevin from the movie Up!
This is not an official character meet-and-greet, and Kevin is simply wandering around the park with no set times or locations, but I think it makes a fun game for toddlers to see how many times they can spot Kevin throughout the day!
TREE OF LIFE
Of course, you don’t want to miss the centerpiece of the entire park! That would be like ignoring Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom! The Tree of Life is located at the center of the park and is covered with carvings of various animals. You can stroll the trails surrounding the trees to see all sides of it, or simply take your picture at the Photo Pass spot and move on. See if you can spot any live animals living near the tree!
NIGHTTIME SHOWS AT ANIMAL KINGDOM
Since we live an hour and a half away from Disney World, we usually opt to drive in for a day and leave before it gets dark. If you’re staying on-property, though, I would highly recommend staying until the park closes so you can watch some of the evening entertainment!
Tree of Life Awakenings is a new light show that projects onto the Tree of Life starting at sundown and running about every 10 minutes. This is perfect for toddlers because there are no firework noises to scare them, and since the show plays often, you can catch an earlier on then head back to the hotel for bedtime!
Another nighttime show is Rivers of Light: We are One which takes place on the lake in Animal Kingdom. It’s mostly lights, music, boats, and projections onto mist screens, and it’s quite similar in nature to IllumiNations in Epcot. You won’t really see any Disney characters in the show, per se, but it’s still a fun experience for families to sit down and watch at the end of a long day at Animal Kingdom.
If nothing else, wander around Pandora: World of Avatar to see the bioluminescent rainforest glowing!
TIPS FOR VISITING ANIMAL KINGDOM WITH TODDLERS
Bring a stroller where they can nap. You can leave the stroller at stroller parking when you go on rides. Trust me, even toddlers that prefer to walk “ALL BY THEMSELVES” will need a chance to chill out and at least have a snack in the stroller, if not take a nap.
If you don’t bring a stroller, you can rent them for a day near the entrance of the park.
We bring a backpack AND a smaller bag. Inside the backpack, we keep diapers, wipes, sunscreen, snacks, and tons of other essentials for our day at Disney. The smaller bag (crossbody purse, waist pack, or small backpack) is to take on rides with you and keep cell phone, wallet, keys, park tickets, camera, and any other valuables you wouldn’t want to leave on the stroller while you get on rides.
Bring your own snacks! Even if you love eating at Disney restaurants it helps to have crackers, fruit, and applesauce pouches for kids to munch on while you’re walking between rides or waiting in long lines. Plus it will save you money!
The Baby Care Center is located next to the Pizzafari restaurant. If you walk toward the Tree of Life, go left, pass Pizzafari and stop before you get to the bridge going to Africa. You should see the Baby Care Center there. This is a spot where parents can nurse or feed babies and toddlers, have quiet restrooms, change diapers, or simply get a few minutes in air conditioning where little ones can cool off. They do have high chairs, plastic spoons, a microwave, and other essentials for feeding babies and toddlers.
Know thy toddler. For our family, packing our schedule to the brim is a recipe for disaster. It’s nice to have a plan so we’re not getting in the way of other park guests while we try to figure out what to do next and the kids complain that they’re hot and hungry. HOWEVER, we don’t push it if the kids look like they need a break. We’ve been known to sit inside a quick-service restaurant and put a Disney movie on our phones for 20 minutes while everyone drinks some water, eats a snack, and chills out.
Be prepared for Florida weather. It gets really hot almost year-round (though we do have a few chilly weeks in winter). Bring hats, sunscreen, cool mist stroller fans, cooling towel, and refillable water bottles. You may also consider rain ponchos or rain covers for your stroller if you’re visiting during rainy season (aka summer). We get quick rain showers almost every day!
You can refill water bottles for free at any kiosk around the park where they have a fountain soda machine.
Don’t forget about the Rider Switch program, especially if you score FastPasses for Pandora: Flight of Passage or Expedition Everest. Those rides are amazing, but your little ones are likely not tall enough to ride. One parent can go on the ride while the other watches the kids, then use the rider switch program so the other parent can go right on without waiting in line again.
MORE DISNEY WORLD TIPS:
If you’re planning a trip to Disney soon, I hope you can use these posts to help you plan:
50 Disney Hacks to Make Your Trip Easier, Cheaper, and More Magical
13 Easy Day Trips from Disney for Your Day Off from the Parks
…or maybe you need a guide to the different parks!
…or if you’re attending a seasonal event
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Emily Krause is a Florida-based travel blogger who writes about exploring the world with kids. On A Mom Explores you’ll find best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
