Making great memories in a Disney park in transition
There are some who rank the Animal Kingdom as their favorite Disney amusement park, even as their favorite amusement park in Orlando.
I’ve never been able to get that far. Don’t get me wrong. I love DAK (Disney’s Animal Kingdom). But I also have been amongst the crowd that have treated it as a half-day park, ideal for hopping or going back to the hotel for some pool time.
Why has that been so? I think – to some degree – it’s that we’ve had zoo passes. So, while we enjoy the park’s animal exhibits and make it a point to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris every visit, there are large sections of the park that are not necessarily must-dos. Add in the fact that the park – in recent years – has essentially closed at dusk and it makes it more likely that we will rope drop the park and leave before dinner.
But things are changing. Animal Kingdom is undergoing a massive transformation. It’s Tough to Be a Bug is gone and Zootopia: Better Zoogether! has taken its place. Dinoland USA is gone and Tropical Americas, also referred to as, Pueblo Esperanza, is coming in 2027. The beloved DINOSAUR will be replaced by Indiana Jones.
In 2027, the Animal Kingdom experience will be vastly different than what it has been or what it is now.
So, what does that do for planning the perfect day? It creates new challenges but also new opportunities.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Creating a winning strategy
Part of what makes rope dropping Animal Kingdom especially smart is that it opens an hour before the rest of the parks. If you’re park hopping, that’s exceptionally valuable. It also lessens the importance of staying in a Disney resort to get that extra half hour head start. Recently, we stayed off property and rope dropped the 8 a.m. opening. Because Pandora draws so much of the 7:30 a.m. rope drop traffic, we were able to essentially walk on Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and DINOSAUR (closing February 2026) before 10 a.m., maybe even 9:30. I forgot to check the time.
Because there are so relatively few rides in Animal Kingdom right now, there’s really no need to purchase the multi-pass Lightning Lane. Even missing Tough to be a Bug and DinoLand USA, the wait times for the non-Pandora rides stay pretty manageable.
The other reason it’s smart to rope drop Animal Kingdom is the heat. With all the lush vegetation, it tends be the most extreme park in terms of relative temperature. It really captures the humidity and the heat. Getting a lot of things done in the morning and then catching shows, dining, and drinks in the heat of the afternoon is the way to go. Then you can go hard again until the park closes—usually at 6 p.m.—though Disney has been experimenting with some later times.
Remember, if you get a chance to be in DAK after sunset, you’re in for a treat. The glowing park – especially Pandora – is beautiful at night.
Do I buy Individual Lightning Lanes for Avatar Flight of Passage?
If you can reasonably afford it – it’s $11 to $18 per person – yes. Getting a Lightning Lane time for Flight of Passage unlocks the perfect rope drop options and allows you to avoid lines that are frequent and hour to an hour and a half or longer. Now, before buying you should keep in mind Flight of Passage is not built for all body types. You should be reasonably sure you can ride before you buy that Individual Lightning Lane.
However, if you can ride, be prepared for one of the most spectacular rides in Orlando. With Epic Universe open, I’m still recalibrating my best rides in Orlando rankings but Flight of Passage will remain somewhere near the top. It is an excellent amusement park ride.
The Perfect Day at Animal Kingdom
First, we’re gonna rope drop. Actually, you should start by purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage. Then, if you have the early entry that comes with a resort stay, you should head right for Na’vi River Journey right away.
Read also: How to rope drop Animal Kingdom
There will be a big crowd moving that way, but most of them are heading to Flight of Passage. Your mileage may very on Na’vi River Journey. We love it. It’s cool and peaceful. I wish it was twice as long and had a better load and unload, but I’m very pro. After that – or if you have the 8 a.m. entry – head to Kilimanjaro Safaris. The safari doesn’t open for the 7:30 rope drop anyway, and the wait time is basically a walk on at park open. The animals tend to be more active in the morning and it’s a great way to get yourself into the proper frame of mind for an Animal Kingdom day.
From there it’s Expedition Everest, the now underrated coaster that fools you by going soft at the beginning and then incredibly hard through the second half. It is a more intense ride than it gets credit for.
After that it’s on to DINOSAUR where – in our experience – wait times will remain acceptable.
At this point, you’re two – maybe three – hours into your park day and have ridden all the big rides depending on the time of your Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage. Now you’re free for character experiences—Animal Kingdom has several great ones—dining, or even taking in Festival of the Lion King. There’s also Finding Nemo: The Big Blue….and Beyond! if you’re a completist, but it’s never been our favorite. You can also use this time to ride up to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and pet some goats or maybe learn to draw a character.
Characters to meet
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has excellent characters including Russell, Dug and Kevin from UP! Dug – who can talk – and Kevin – the giant bird – are especially wonderful as they wonder through the park.
You also have the weird-plant-character on stilts, Divine, but you don’t so much meet Divine as you experience her.
Princesses in the park include Moana – not technically a princess – and Pocahontas.
The character dining at Tusker House is especially good with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in safari outfits. It is one of the better buffets in Disney.
Lastly, with the opening of Zootopia: Better Zoogether, you may spot Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
Dining in DAK
Animal Kingdom is an underrated dining park – closer to Epcot than many believe.
The cheeseburger pods in Satu’li Canteen in Pandora are excellent and the barbecue mac and cheese at Flame Tree Barbecue is to die for. Yak & Yeti offers really good Pan-Asian cuisine and Tiffins is excellent internationally themed cuisine on the upper tier of Disney restaurants.
There’s a wide variety of drink, snack and alcoholic options as well as a variety of Dole Whips.
Even accounting for the underachieving Restaurantosaurus, Pizzafari, and Rainforest Café, you have a lot of options in DAK for a quality dining experience.
When to leave?
Because Animal Kingdom opens early and closes early, it is an opportunity to extend your Disney day by park hopping. You can open DAK and then close the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or EPCOT. Or can plan DAK as your day to go back to the hotel in the evening or maybe get dinner at Disney Springs. A park that closes at 6 p.m. does leave you with options.
