Animal Kingdom Tips: Dos and Dont’s of Disney’s Animal Park
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a very special park. It’s the largest theme park in the world at over 500 acres. Disney’s only animal park uses a totally unique layout and takes inspiration from cultures all around the world. Part Epcot World Showcase and part Adventureland, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the realization of one of Walt Disney’s original dreams: to include live animals on the Jungle Cruise attraction in Disneyland. This park is lush and beautiful, but like the locations it alludes to, it can be demanding. Follow these Animal Kingdom tips and get the most out of your day.
Do wear comfortable clothing
This park is all about exploration. The terrain is vast and by the end of the day, you will be glad you wore the right clothing, starting with comfortable walking shoes. It’s important to have comfortable shoes in all the parks, but Disney’s Animal Kingdom especially requires it. You should also wear lightweight clothes suitable for the weather. shorts are preferable during the summer. You will be very active and the heat can get particularly oppressive if you aren’t dressed for it.
Don’t Bring Balloons/Plastic Straws
As an animal park, Disney takes special precautions here by restricting certain items. You won’t see any balloons sold here and you can’t bring any in from outside. It’s for the animals’ safety. Disney’s Animal Kingdom was the first Disney Park to not use plastic straws in the parks. Plastic straws are also forbidden from outside, so if you happen to have any, you will have to give them up at security.
Do Explore the Trails
The Animal Park contains lots of habitats hiding in plain sight and others that are in out of the way trails. If you look deeper into the park, you’ll find the Maharaja Trail in the back of the Asia section of the park. This trail includes tigers and komodo dragons. In the back of the Africa area, behind the exit from the Kilimanjaro Safari, there is a gorilla habitat. Other places around the park feature live animals to view throughout the day.
Don’t Go Too Fast
There is an island that intersects the four main areas of the park and the main road that goes around it. Stray from the road to go deeper into any of the lands. It’s an excellent model that makes it very easy to get around the park quickly, but it’s deceptive because you will miss so much of what makes this park so special. Maybe the most important of all Animal Kingdom tips is to remind you to slow down. Instead of hopping from one Fastpass attraction to another, completing all four major rides in the park, slow down and take your time in the shops and food carts among other things like Wilderness Explorers and character meet and greets.
Do Watch the Shows
Three reasons to go to a show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: They’re short, their air conditioned, they show frequently. Fourth bonus reason: Their fun. Finding Nemo is a really great musical adaptation of the film with impressive puppet performances. On the other end of the park, you’ll find the Festival of the Lion King. This theatrical show packs a lot of entertainment into a very short timeframe.
Don’t Use Fastpass to Watch the Shows
Although the shows are a good idea, there are much better uses for your Fastpasses. This goes beyond Animal Kingdom tips and can apply to most shows at Walt Disney World. The capacity in the theaters is enough that you don’t need to get in line early. You don’t get into the theater any sooner, so you don’t actually save any time.
