7. How do I spend less time in line?

At most Disney parks, we recommend arriving well before rope drop—this isn’t necessarily the case at Disney’s Animal Kingdom right now. The park opens uniquely early—usually around 8 AM. While arriving for rope drop can be an appealing option, particular for early risers who want to get a head start on the day, there are some benefits to arriving a little later.

Most guests who arrive at rope drop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom generally follow a predictable pattern—the majority rush to Avatar Flight of Passage, sending the ride’s wait times skyrocketing within minutes of the park opening. If you want to arrive an hour early and be one of the first people to do this, by all means do so, but if you aren’t one of the first people in the park, you’re likely to encounter stunningly long lines for this attraction first thing in the morning.

For those not wanting to commit to an ultra-early morning, arriving a little bit after rope drop is just fine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom right now. Instead of rushing for Avatar Flight of Passage (which often has at lower wait time later in the day at intermittent times), hit some of the park’s other attractions early. If you want to see animals ultra-active, head over to Kilimanjaro Safaris. If the line seems too long, go take a ride on Expedition: Everest or Dinosaur which usually have low lines early in the day then try the safari again. If you aren’t able to get onto Kilimanjaro Safari by about 9:30, save your visit for dusk when the animals tend to come out in force again.

Overall, lines seem to peak at Disney’s Animal Kingdom between 10 and 2 PM. Many people hit this park so early that they don’t actually make it through the whole day before leaving—lines start to dip as the day goes on past about 3 PM. While Avatar Flight of Passage almost always has waits above 60 minutes, you’re most likely to find the most reasonable waits intermittently after 3PM or during the last hour the park is open. This also gives guests a great opportunity to enjoy Pandora at Night!

8. This park can get hot!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a famously sweaty place…

The situation has improved somewhat over the years, but shade can be a challenge to find in certain parts of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Florida summers are brutal enough, but you’ll want to plan accordingly when visiting this park, as well as take breaks a few times throughout the day to enjoy some air conditioning. A hat, sunscreen, and a water bottle are all a good idea.

If you’ll be visiting during Florida’s warmest months (between May and September), you may want to peruse our collection of unorthodox tricks to beat the heat during your next trip.

9. You’ll have lots of great choices for food

Hate terrible theme park food? You’ll love Disney’s Animal Kingdom—this park has a seriously delightful range of dining options.

For table service, the top two choices are Tiffins and Tusker House—two very different restaurants. Tusker House is a character dining location where guests can enjoy a wide range of family style comfort foods inspired by African cuisine (normally, this restaurant has an excellent buffet—personally, we would recommend waiting to try this one when the buffet comes back).

Tiffins, on the flip side, is the park’s singular fine dining location, with food and décor inspired by the Imagineers adventures around the world. Our experiences there have all been excellent, and we particularly recommend the Gobi Manchurian as one of the best things we ever ate at Walt Disney World. Tiffins also includes an outdoor lounge (Nomad Lounge) where guests can enjoy drinks, coffee service, and small plates.

For counter service, Flame Tree BBQ is the biggest crowd pleaser for families and picky eaters, while Yak n’ Yeti offers a pleasant range of Asian-inspired eats (as well as a table service restaurant). Satul’i Canteen at the World of Pandora is an excellent choice for guests wanting to enjoy something they can only have at Walt Disney World as well as those looking for healthy options. Guests can build bowls by combining proteins and grains (with a few unexpected surprises), or you can enjoy some of the restaurants unusual “Cheeseburger pods” or eye-boggling desserts.

Other choices within the park include Pizzafari and Restaurantasaurus for familiar American favorites, as well as a number of smaller dining locations offering snacks and other treats.

10. Resorts and transportation

Unlike Walt Disney World’s other parks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom only has one official resort: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Animal Kingdom Lodge may be a little more isolated than other Disney resorts, but it’s one of the most beautiful properties at Walt Disney World. Themed after an African lodge, its crown feature is a savannah right in the center of the resort where giraffes, ostriches, zebras, and other animals roam alongside the lobby, restaurants, and even select guest rooms.

The resort also includes two Disney Vacation Club sub-resorts offering villas: Kidani Village and Jambo House. If you aren’t a DVC member, you can still book villas at these resorts either through Disney website, or save a good chunk of change and rent DVC points. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge also houses some of the best resort restaurants in Walt Disney World including Boma, Sanaa, and Jiko.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is unique among Disney parks in that it is only accessible through Disney bus transportation. Guests can use their own vehicles or rideshare services to visit the park, but resort guests wanting to use Disney’s free transportation will all take busses to reach the park gate.

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