Guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2024

Animal Kingdom is Disney’s newest theme park, opening in April 1998. The unique feature of Animal Kingdom is the hundreds of species of live animals. Animal Kingdom is home to popular attractions such as Avatar: Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Animal Kingdom celebrates the Earth’s animals with a focus on adventure. It is a gorgeous theme park and a very elaborate zoo. It is a spectacular theme park, unlike anything you have ever experienced. The icon of the park is the impressive Tree of Life, located on Discovery Island in the heart of the park.

Pro Planning Tip: We recommend using Jessica Lieb with ET Family Travel to book your Disney vacation!

Check out our other park guides:

• Magic Kingdom
• EPCOT
• Hollywood Studios

Getting to Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is the only park that doesn’t offer multiple modes of transportation to the theme park. Animal Kingdom is set apart from the other parks to give the animals the best environment possible. Guests can take a bus from their Walt Disney World hotel or drive and park at Animal Kingdom.

Taking the Bus to Animal Kingdom

All Disney resorts offer transportation to Animal Kingdom by bus. A designated bus stop for Animal Kingdom can be found at all Disney hotels.

Driving to Animal Kingdom

Guests not staying on the property must pay for parking in the Animal Kingdom parking log. Resort guests and Annual pass holders do not have to pay for parking at the park.

Animal Kingdom Attractions, Dining, and Shopping in 2024

Animal Kingdom is divided into four sections centered around Discovery Island. You will enter the park into the Oasis, where you will find a variety of exotic birds, as well as wallabies and babirusas. Think of the lands as spokes of a bicycle wheel, with the Tree of Life at its center.

Oasis

Oasis Animals

• Babriusa
• Spoonbill
• Anteater
• Barking deer
• Wallabies

Oasis Attractions

• Animal Exhibits

Oasis Restaurants

• Rainforest Cafe

Oasis Shopping

• Garden Gate Gifts

Discovery Island

Discovery Island Animals

• Otter
• Catfish
• Cotton-top Tamarin
• Tortoise
• Lemur
• Flamingo
• Kangaroo

Discovery Island Attractions

• It’s Tough To Be a Bug!
• Meet Minnie and Mickey at the Adventurers Outpost
• Discovery Island Trails
• Wilderness Explorers

Discovery Island Restaurants

• Eight Spoon Cafe
• The Feeding Ground
• Flame Tree Barbecue
• Isle of Java
• Tiffins
• Nomad Lounge
• Pizzafari
• Creature Comforts

Discovery Island Shopping

• Island Mercantile
• Discovery Trading Company

Pandora – The World of Avatar

Pandora – The World of Avatar Attractions

• Na’vi River Journey
• Avatar Flight of Passage

Pandora – The World of Avatar Restaurants

• Pongu Pongu
• Satu’li Canteen

Pandora – The World of Avatar Shopping

• Windtraders

Africa

Africa Animals

• Elephant
• Lion
• Gorilla
• Giraffe
• Hippopotamus
• Colobus Monkey
• Okapi
• Tarantula
• Goat

Africa Attractions

• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Festival of the Lion King
• Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

Rafiki’s Planet Watch Attractions

• Affection Section
• Conversation Station
• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

Africa Restaurants

• Mahindi
• Dawa Bar
• Tusker House Restaurant
• Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery
• Tamu Tamu Refreshments
• Harambe Fruit Market
• Harambe Market

Africa Shopping

• Mombasa Marketplace
• Zuri’s Sweets Shop

Asia

Asia Animals

• Tiger
• Bat
• Gibbon
• Komodo Dragon
• Lion-tailed Macaque
• Colorful Birds

Asia Attractions

• Expedition Everest
• Kali River Rapids
• Maharajah Jungle Trek
• Feathered Friends in Flight

Asia Restaurants

• Mr. Kamal’s
• Warung Outpost
• Drinkwallah
• Yak & Yeti Restaurant
• Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafe
• Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
• Trek Snacks
• Thirsty River Bar

Asia Shopping

• Mandala Gifts
• Serka Zong Bazaar

DinoLand U.S.A

DinoLand U.S.A Animals

• American Crocodile
• Tyrannosaurus Rex

DinoLand U.S.A. Attractions

• DINOSAUR
• TriceraTop Spin
• The Boneyard
• Fossil Fun Games
• Finding Nemo – The Big Blue and Beyond!

DinoLand U.S.A Restaurants

• Restaurantosaurus
• Dino-Bite Snacks
• Trilo-Bites
• Corn-ivores

DinoLand U.S.A Shopping

• Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
• The Dino Institute Shop

How to Use Genie+ at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

What is Genie+?

Genie+ is a paid add-on service for guests in each Disney World park. The Disney Genie+ service allows you to bypass the standby line at selected attractions via Lightning Lane, and you may pay for the privilege of skipping the line on two high-demand attractions a day by purchasing Individual Lighting Lanes.

Genie+ is priced per day per ticket. Prices vary by park and park capacity.

Individual Lightning Lanes charge a separate fee for Lightning Lane access to the more popular rides. Genie+ cannot be used on rides that have Individual Lighting Lanes.

Genie+ Rides at Animal Kingdom

• Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
• DINOSAUR
• Feathered Friends in Flight!
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Na’vi River Journey
• The Animation Experience
• Expedition Everest

Individual Lightning Lane

• Avatar Flight of Passage

Early Entry at Animal Kingdom

Guest staying at a Walt Disney World Resort or “Good Neighbor” hotel will have access to Early Entry to Animal Kingdom. Early Entry allows guests to enter the park 30 minutes before the official opening time.

Rides available for Early Entry at Disney’s Animal Kingdom:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Dinosaur
• Expedition Everest
• It’s Tough To Be a Bug!
• Na’vi River Journey
• TriceraTop Spin

Characters at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2024

There are a lot of opportunities to meet characters at Animal Kingdom throughout the park. Check their meeting times in the My Disney Experience app.

Animal Kingdom Character Meals

Tusker House – The delightful buffet offers favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy

Animal Kingdom Character Flotillas

A fun way to see characters in Animal Kingdom is in a cavalcade occurring on Discovery River!

• Adventure Flotilla – Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge McDuck
• Discovery River Cruise Pocahontas – Pocahontas and Meeko
• Discovery River Cruise The Lion King – Timon and Rafiki
• Adventure Flotilla Up – Russell and Dug
• Dino-Bash Flotilla – Goofy and Pluto
• Discovery Island Drummers Flotilla – the Discovering Island Drummers

Check the My Disney Experience App for times.

Discovery Island Characters

Adventurers Outpost

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse

Character Landing

• Moana

DinoLand U.S.A.

Daisy’s Design Studio

• Daisy Duck

Upper Cretaceous Trail

• Chip
• Dale

DinoLand U.S.A. Welcome Center

• Donald Duck

Roaming DinoLand U.S.A

• Kevin

Wilderness Explorers

Wilderness Explorers is designed for kids to go around the park completing activities to earn badges. The free program is an excellent way for kids to learn about animals and explore the park. Pick up your Wilderness Explorer handbook at one of the stations in each park section.

Outdoor Entertainment

You can find a great assortment of entertainment throughout Animal Kingdom, from stage shows to street entertainment.

Street Entertainment

You will find street entertainment, such as musicians and performers, to transport you to a different land or country. A majority of street entertainment can be found in Africa. Check your My Disney Experience for performance times.

• Viva Gaia Street Band on Discovery Island
• Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe in Africa
• Harambe Village Acrobats in Africa
• Kora Tinga Tinga in Africa
• Chakranadi in Asia

Winged Encounters

Watch as colorful birds swoop and dive over Discover Island. The show takes place near the Tree of Life; check the My Disney Experience app for show times.

Tree of Life Awakenings

Just before the park closes, the Tree of Life comes alive every evening with a colorful showcase of lights. The show cycles through every 10 minutes, where you can watch animal spirits dance across the Tree of Life.

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