Especially for nature-lovers and people who like to feel like they’re flying on a banshee, Animal Kingdom is a pretty perfect park in Disney World. 

But even “pretty perfect” can come with mistakes if you’re doing the park the wrong way!

Sure, all of Disney World’s parks are magical and amazing, but you know what would make them even MORE magical and amazing? Avoiding certain mistakes that could dampen your experience or cause you to miss out on the best parts! 

Here’s everything you might be doing wrong at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. 

Bringing in Balloons or Plastic

If this is your first time at Animal Kingdom, you could be forgiven for assuming, like the other parks, you can snag some cute Disney balloons here! But you’d be WRONG. 

Unlike the other parks, balloons (and other types of plastic hazards, like utensils and straws) are banned in Animal Kingdom. For the safety of the animals, such items are not allowed in the park, and are certainly not sold here. If you bring a balloon with you though, all is not lost — you’ll just have to check it at the front of the park before entering. Get your balloon fix back on Main Street, U.S.A.! 

Check out other weird Disney World rules here!

Thinking Cheeseburger Pods Are Just For Kids

Unlike Trix, Cheeseburger Pods are NOT just for kids! One of the low-key BEST food items in Animal Kingdom is the burger-filled buns at Satu’li Canteen, and you’d be seriously missing out if you mistook them for child’s play. 

Sure, they WERE relegated to the kids’ menu for a bit, but now that they’re BACK on the adult menu, you can order them free of shame or embarrassment! BTW, you can still usually order the kids’ portion with no issue, so don’t be afraid to ask!

Click here to see how to make those Cheeseburger Pods at home!

Waiting a Long Time for Na’vi River Journey

For some odd reason, Na’vi River Journey routinely has one of the longest queues in the park, which is kinda baffling considering it’s as thrilling as it’s a small world, but with aliens. 

If you’re waiting in line for more than an hour for this, there’s a STRONG chance you’ll be bored or disappointed. Unless of course your idea of an adrenaline rush is the Shaman of Songs playing music on plants. Check back often or snag a spot in the Lightning Lane with Genie+, if you choose to purchase it, but we’d recommend avoiding the long line here.

Thinking It’s Tough to Be a Bug is a Kids’ Ride

It looks safe and cute enough from the outside, but It’s Tough to be a Bug is actually tough to sit through, for those of us easily triggered by terrifying darkness, giant spiders, and way-too-realistic simulations of bugs crawling all over us. 

It’s Tough to be a Bug is more like the resurrection of Magic Kingdom’s bygone ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, but with insects. (OK, it’s not THAT bad…but close!) Not only will your kids likely be scared, but you might find yourself bolting upright in the middle of the night, in a panicked cold sweat, thinking an ant just poked you in the butt. 

Check out other SCARY Disney rides here!

Not Wearing Proper Walking Shoes

In general, you’ll walk a LOT in any of the Disney World parks, but this is especially true of Animal Kingdom. The sheer size of the park, coupled with the fact that attractions like Maharaja Jungle Trek are walking experiences, is no joke. Kilimanjaro Safaris alone is larger than the entirety of Magic Kingdom!

Just how much walking will you REALLY do in Animal Kingdom, though? So much that Google Maps will let you make a route to see how much you’d walk in a lap around the park! Hoofing it from Asia to Pandora is QUITE the workout, so make sure you’ve got the proper footwear to keep your stamina going! 

Check out when our team tried the hottest new Disney shoe here!

Photo Mistakes on Kilimanjaro Safaris

As you trek across the savanna and through the jungles on Kilimanjaro Safaris, it’s all about the right photo op. This means not making crucial photo mistakes, like ensuring you’ve always got it at the ready, and NOT dropping it off the side of the truck. 

This also means you’ve gotta decide which side of the vehicle to sit on, since you’ll get better views of certain animals from certain sides. Depending which animals are most important to you, this means you’ll see things like crocodiles, flamingos, and lions better if you’re on the left side, while the right side typically has better views of giraffes, wildebeests, okapis, and springboks. 

Eating at Rainforest Cafe

Don’t get us wrong. It’s a perfectly fine eating establishment. And if you have kids, the appeal is even greater, but you’d be remiss to eat at this location outside the park entrance without weighing your options inside the park — you might be pleasantly surprised! 

First of all, there are TONS of options inside Animal Kingdom, from Quick Service to Table Service, and the food is simply better and more interesting. This park boasts excellent barbecue, Asian noodles, cocktails, vegetarian food, African cuisine, chocolates, ice cream, you name it! Get out and explore your options before giving in to the siren song of Rainforest Cafe. 

Check out the best food in Animal Kingdom here!

Related: Thinking There’s Nothing Good to Eat Here

On that note, let’s dig further and debunk any preconceived notions that Animal Kingdom’s food scene is somehow lacking. UMM, quite the opposite, actually! Sure, the park doesn’t really have any good pizza or burgers, but it’s got some of the most original and exciting dining options in all of Disney World! 

If you’re willing to try something new and step outside your comfort zone, you’ll be rewarded with things like Ribs & Chicken Bowls from Harambe Market, those habit-forming Cheeseburger Pods from Satu’li Canteen, Pineapple Cream Cheese Spring Rolls (AKA Pongu Lumpia) from Pongu Pongu, Malaysian Seafood Curry from Yak & Yeti, and the AMAZING Tiffins Bread Service at Tiffins or Nomad Lounge! 

Also shoutout to Flame Tree Barbecue, which not only has some of our fave BBQ in Disney World, but serves unique foods that are surprisingly good and downright healthy-ish! Like Smokehouse Chicken Salad and the plant-based Hot Link Smokehouse Sandwich with Tangy Mustard Barbecue Sauce! 

Check out some of our favorite Animal Kingdom snacks here!

Thinking Animal Kingdom is a Half Day Park

Yes, Animal Kingdom typically has the shortest hours of all the parks, and it opens the earliest and closes the earliest. But you’d be wrong to assume this park is only worth half your day! 

Since it opens early, a lot of people start their day here (making it quite busy in the morning) and then leave by mid-afternoon to Park Hop. Not only is it TOTALLY possible to make a full day of it here (seriously, have you seen the beauty of Pandora at night?!), but you could even go in reverse and start your day at another park and then Park Hop here! 

If you arrive after 2PM, it’s actually pretty dead in Animal Kingdom compared to the other parks, so lines will be shorter, making it a good option if you want to knock out a few rides in a few hours, before witnessing the splendor of the park at night. 

So there you have it! With these tips and tricks in mind, you’ll be well on your way to a hassle-free day of fun in Animal Kingdom! (Just remember to hold on to your phones on Kilimanjaro Safaris!)

EASIEST Mistakes to Make at Disney World (And How to Avoid Them)!

What’s your biggest pro tip for Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!