Animal Kingdom Guide for Adults
There are so many tips and tricks for families when it comes to Disney trips. There aren’t, however, many guides or itineraries for adults. We recently took a trip to Disney World in Orlando, and have made guides for each park specifically designed for adults and couples without children. Even if you’re not a “Disney Adult” visiting Disney is an amazing experience without kids. This guide to Animal Kingdom is for those that want to still do the top rides while experiencing the adult side of the park.
Getting to the park
Getting to the park will heavily depend on the resort you stay at, and if you’re staying on property. In the planning stage of your trip check the bus or monorail schedules in advance so you don’t end up in a giant line. You can’t take a monorail directly to the Animal Kingdom, but you can take it to the Ticket and Transportation Center to catch a bus to Animal Kingdom.
itinerary planning
How you plan your day is entirely up to you and your endurance levels. You can do half days, full days or anything in between. Our personal preference is full days with either lunch at the resort or a long lunch break in the park. This will keep you from wearing yourself out. The older we get, the slower we get…right?
Cushion your day with other activities so you’re not just hopping from ride to ride all day. If you plan on purchasing the fast pass-which in my personal opinion is not worth it at Animal Kingdom-that may change your ride layout. Take time between each ride to enjoy the area of the park you are in, and if you map out your rides ahead of time you’ll avoid zig-zagging across the park a dozen times.
where to hide when you need a break
If you’re like me and need a quiet break without people in your business, I have you covered. The Discovery Island trails near the Tree of Life are a fantastic place to take a snack or coffee break. The crowds are generally really low here, and people pass through quickly. Gorilla Falls Exploration trails are another spot where people don’t linger and there are benches scattered throughout.
The next best idea when you’re in need of a break is stopping for drinks. If you’re not into drinks, snacks work equally as well. Animal Kingdom has multiple great lounge areas that are quiet and work well for afternoon shade. My personal favorite is the Nomad Lounge, try to get a seat on the deck if you can.
best rides as an adult
These are the best rides to do as an adult in Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom has less rides compared to Magic Kingdom, but they are geared more towards adults. If you get motion sick easily beware of Kali River Rapids and Avatar Flight of Passage. Kali River Rapids has round rafts that may end up spinning a little bit, or sending you down the river backwards. Avatar Flight of Passage will have you flying with Banshees, but the ride has you fairly close to a screen playing a 3D video. The fast movement and 3D aspect of the video can be rough for those that get motion sick.
Dinosaur (to be discontinued??)
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Wildlife Express Train
Na’vi River Journey
Avatar Flight of Passage
Things to do
- The Kingdom Takes Flight Show
- Conservation Station
- Discovery Island Trails
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond
- Maharajah Jungle Trek
- Explore the world of Pandora
best adulty restaurants
Animal Kingdom has limited table service dining, and has a wide variety of quick-service spots. You will also find refreshment spots scattered throughout the park that offer frozen drinks and ice cream. This is a list of our favorites of each:
- Tiffins Restaurant-$$$ (Table Service)
- Tusker House Restaurant-$$$$ (Table Service)
- Yak & Yeti (Quick Service)
- Satu’li Canteen-$ (Quick Service)
- Harambe Market-$ (Quick Service)
Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery (bakery snacks)
Isle of Java (Coffee only)
Creature Comforts (Starbucks)
Drinks
The Nomad Lounge is truly the only area with seating that doesn’t seem like the fast paced quick service. Thirsty River Bar, Warung Outpost, Yak & Yeti, and Dawa Bar are all walk-up quick service spots to grab a drink. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t take it to go and find a quiet spot to hangout.
Animal Kingdom is an easy to park to navigate and has plenty of spots to hangout at. If you make it for rope drop I would try and get some of the larger rides out of the way, such as the Na’vi River Journey, Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest. Animal Kingdom closes on the early side compared to the other parks and makes it an easy park hopper pass choice to leave for the afternoon. If you’re visiting during the winter months and have the chance to see Pandora at night it’s worth checking out.