11 Fun Things to Do at Animal Kingdom with Toddlers

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Animal Kingdom is a great Walt Disney World Park for kids of all ages. While several of the rides at Animal Kingdom are for taller visitors, there are so many fun things to do at Animal Kingdom with toddlers.  (Especially if you have animal lovers in your family!) After a few visits with toddlers, we put together this list of some of our favorite things to do with toddlers in Animal Kingdom.

Animal Kingdom is a little different than some of the other Walt Disney World parks for a number of reasons. With the animal focus, there’s a lot more open space and areas to walk around. It’s also more relaxed than a day at Magic Kingdom with toddlers, which is full of nonstop rides geared toward their age group. 

If you’re planning your day at Animal Kingdom with kids of any age, keep reading for our favorite things to do.

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Ride on the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom

The Kilimanjaro safari ride is by far one of the best rides for toddlers at Animal Kingdom. It replicates a real African safari in an open air vehicle and gives visitors a chance to get up close to animals in a natural habitat.

There are dozens of species of animals at the Animal Kingdom safari. Some of the animals we encountered on the safari include zebras, rhinos, elephants, ostriches, antelope, crocodiles, hippos and more. The best time to do the safari at Animal Kingdom is in the morning after the park opens for the best chance of seeing the most animals.

See the Festival of the Lion King Show at Animal Kingdom

I tend to go more for rides than shows at Disney. The Lion King is an exception though, and it’s easily one of the best shows at Walt Disney World. The show includes all the best songs from the Lion King movie and it’s hard not to sing along. The performers divide the audience into four different animal groups, and they engage with the audience throughout. Unlike typical stage performances at Disney, the Lion King is on the floor and includes dancing and acrobatics the entire time. 

So how long is the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom? It’s a 30-minute show, but even for younger toddlers there’s so much to take in that it holds their attention. For that reason, it’s definitely one of our favorite things to do with toddlers at Animal Kingdom.

Ride Through the Magical Na’Vi River Journey

Aside from the safari, one of the best Animal Kingdom rides for toddlers is the Na’Vi River Journey. It’s a slow-moving ride along the water that takes you through the rainforest of Pandora. It’s filled with lights, colors and animals throughout, and there’s so much to look at everywhere you turn. Toddlers (or people of any age) will also love the bioluminescent, glowing lights throughout, and the music is great as well.

Take the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch

This train in Animal Kingdom runs every 5 minutes from Africa. It’s a short ride with a behind-the-scenes look at the animal care areas on the way. The Wildlife Express train ends at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which includes a path that leads up to the Conservation Station. The Conservation Station at Animal Kingdom offers an inside look at the care animals receive. It includes many different species of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

You can also find the Animation Experience at the Conservation Station. This 25 minute class gives participants an inside look at Disney’s animation, and they actually learn to draw a character of their own.

Another focal point of Rafiki’s Planet Watch is the Affection Section. This is the only petting zoo at Animal Kingdom (and the rest of Disney World, for that matter.) It includes several goats and sheep as well as donkeys, pigs, cows and more. Kids can brush the animals, pet them and get up close for a fun, hands-on experience.

While often overlooked, Rafiki’s Planet Watch was definitely one of our favorite things for toddlers at Animal Kingdom.

Catch the Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! Show

It took us several visits to Animal Kingdom before catching the Finding Nemo show, but once it reopened in 2022 we knew we had to try it. It’s a live show with larger-than-life puppets that take you through the story of Finding Nemo. The performers are amazing, and the bright colors and fish will keep kids of any age entertained. If you want to sit right in front, you can use a Lightning Lane for Finding Nemo. We ended up near the back, however, and pretty much any seat in the theater is great.

Get Up Close with Bugs at the It’s Tough to be a Bug Show

This show based on the movie It’s a Bugs Life is unique in that the show actually takes place under Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life. While the wait times at It’s Tough to be a Bug are usually minimal, there are some cool things to look at leading up to the entrance. Kids will love finding the different animals on the Tree of Life. The inside of the Tree of Life also has several bug themed things to look at. (Be sure to look for the huge ball of elephant poop from the Dung Beetles!)

The show itself is 3-D and it introduces several bugs in a fun and humorous way. There are also several special effects used throughout the show that make it engaging for kids the entire time.  Keep in mind there are some parts of the show that could be scary for younger toddlers. If your child gets scared, you can easily exit during the show. 

Meet the Characters at Animal Kingdom

Wandering what characters are at Animal Kingdom? There are several character meet and greets throughout Animal Kingdom. The most popular characters at Animal Kingdom are Mickey and Minnie, who you can meet at the Adventurers Outpost in Discovery Island. While many of the best Animal Kingdom Lightning Lanes are geared toward taller visitors, you can skip the line here with a Lightning Lane and it’s great if you’re looking for Animal Kingdom attractions for toddlers.

Additional characters to meet at Animal Kingdom have included Pocahantas, Russell and Dug and Timon and Rafiki in the past. You can also find characters at Dinoland as part of Donald’s Dino Bash or can catch Kevin from Up! roaming the streets of Animal Kingdom.

Enjoy a Fun Character Meal at Tusker House

If you’re looking for character dining at Animal Kingdom, the Tusker House Restaurant is such a fun option. The characters at Tusker House include Donald Duck, Daisy, Mickey and Goofy. They’re all dressed in safari gear and dance and sing through your meal.

Food at the Tusker House is a combination of traditional American food and African specialties for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s one of the best character breakfasts in Disney, and the food is served buffet style. Most of the breakfast food is traditional Simba and Mickey waffles, eggs and sausage, but there are also some African inspired favorites like African chicken curry.

Leave Plenty of Time for DinoLand U.S.A.

Dinoland is perfect for toddlers. Between the rides, activities and characters throughout, there’s so much for them to see and do.  The entire thing looks like a dinosaur themed carnival, with Donald’s Dino Bash as the focal point. There’s unfortunately no longer a dance party at Donald’s Dino Bash. The dinosaur themed characters in DinoLand USA are still a highlight, however. 

Other fun things for toddlers at DinoLand USA include:

• TriceraTops Spin- a dinosaur ride that’s similar to Dumbo at Magic Kingdom (a great Animal Kingdom ride with toddlers!)
• The Boneyard- A play area for kids that includes rope bridges, slides and fossil digging 
• DINOSAUR- A Jurassic Park themed ride for kids over 40 inches (Note: This can be scary for toddlers with the dinosaurs and drops.)
• Eat at Restaurantosaurus for dinosaur themed food. Kids meals are served in a pail and shovel.
• Check out the train at Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasure gift shop.

Try Some of the Best Snacks at Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is known to have some of the best food at Walt Disney World. While there are several unique food offerings and alcoholic beverages geared toward adults, there are also several fun places to eat for kids at Animal Kingdom. Our favorite snacks at Animal Kingdom included

• The Simba shaped soft pretzel with cheese dip, found at the Thirsty River Bar and other locations throughout Animal Kingdom.
• The Lion King ice cream sandwich, which is vanilla ice cream between two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. You can find the Lion King ice cream sandwich at Tamu Tamu Refreshments in the Harambe, Africa section.
• Bugs and Grubs, chocolate soft serve ice cream in Animal Kingdom at the Trilo Bites food cart in DinoLand U.S.A.

Participate in Wilderness Explorers

Wilderness Explorers is a program inspired by Russell from the movie Up! that inspires kids to learn and explore throughout Animal Kingdom. Kids can obtain a Wilderness Explorers book for free at the Wilderness Explorers headquarters, located between the Oasis and Discovery Island. Both the books and activities can be found at several stations throughout the Park.

Once each activity or challenge is complete, you get a badge to add to your book. We were a little late to the game and only obtained a book near the end of our day at Animal Kingdom. Our toddlers’ excitement for the book and the badge made me wish we stopped at more stations along the way. It definitely takes quite a bit of time to find and complete each challenge, so it’s something to work on over multiple visits to Animal Kingdom.

Watch the Street Performers at Animal Kingdom

Upon entering the park, be sure to look out for Winged Encounters in front of the Tree of Life. While they’re technically not street performers, the parrots and macaws put on a show while flying around in a synchronized pattern with their bright colors. While you’re there, be sure to also look for the photo op in front of the Tree of Life and ask for the special effects! 

When it comes to actual street performers, Africa is known for having the most live performances.  Our favorite was the Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe. They dance and sing along with their drum performance. Not only are they super talented and energetic, but they also do a great job at including the audience. Other street performances at Animal Kingdom include Bollywood Beats in Asia, the Pandora Drummers, and the Viva Gaia Street Band. 

Additional Information: Best Rides to use with Lightning Lane at Animal Kingdom with Toddlers

While Animal Kingdom has several great rides, many of the best rides at Animal Kingdom have height restrictions. Below are some rides and attractions to use Lightning Lane at Animal Kingdom with young children. 

• Na’Vi River Journey (no height restriction)
• Kali River Rapids (38 inches or taller)
• Festival of the Lion King (a Lightning Lane pass allows you to get a seat in front)
• DINOSAUR (40 inches or taller- better suited for older toddlers)

Looking to ride some of the top rides at Animal Kingdom without the kids? You can still ride Expedition Everest and the Avatar Flight of Passage. Just take turns with the kids using child rider switch.

Have you been to Animal Kingdom with young kids? Please share in the comments if you have any favorite things to do at Animal Kingdom for toddlers.

Related Posts:

• The Best Things to Buy Before Going to Disney World
• The Best Rides for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom
• How to Prepare for One Day in Disney World
• Tips for Visiting Disney with a Toddler

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