Pretty sure y’all have been waiting for this one…because I definitely have!! You might discount Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but I am here to tell you that YOU SHOULD NOT. This park is magical, y’all, and I’m going to prove it to you today!

I’ve always known that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is amazing, stupendous, incredible, insert-other-great-adjectives here. But now, I wanna make sure YOU know it, too! While many folks tend to write this park off as a half-day-er (which can be understandable, since it has fewer attractions than its three older sibling parks), you can EASILY fill a full day here, just by tracking down the AWESOME things we’re gonna talk about today!

Enough introductions! Let’s jump INTO THE WILD! 

Secret Shortcuts

We’re always trying to scout out the best, quickest, and least-bottlenecked pathways across EACH of the parks — so here are the shortcuts we tend to use the MOST over in Animal Kingdom:

Shortcut #1: The Hidden Walkway Between Africa and Asia

To find this secret pathway, you’ll need to head towards Harambe Village in Africa or by Caravan Road in Asia. This quiet little trail is almost always empty — which is why we love it so! It also has a serene stream and bridge setup partway through (because even the least traveled Animal Kingdom paths are gonna make for a beautiful stroll). Also, closer to the Caravan Road side of the trail, you can find a hidden seating area — which makes for the PERFECT peaceful getaway during a very busy park day!

Shortcut #2: Hidden Dinoland USA Path

Trying to cut through Dinoland, USA? A walkway we use pretty frequently in the park is the path between The Dino Institute (AKA: the shop at the exit of DINOSAUR) and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures. It directly connects from one gift shop to the other! The path is usually pretty quiet and it even has a fun dinosaur-themed photo op on the Chester & Hester end. Plus, it helps you avoid all the hustle and bustle of the main part of Dinoland!

Shortcut #3: Pandora To Africa

How did I almost FORGET about this one? I use it ALL the time! The walkway between Africa and Pandora is one many guests don’t use — but it’s one of the most peaceful and picturesque strolls you’ll find in the whole park! You’ll find this walkway by Festival of the Lion King on the Africa side, or down in the more lush part of Pandora, if you’re heading to Africa.

Secret Charging Stations

Need to plug in your phone real quick and juice up? Animal Kingdom has a few areas where you can find charging outlets, such as: The Pizzafari quick service, at the Finding Nemo: The Big, Blue… and Beyond theater (near the benches), and over at Nomad Lounge (under the bar).

We just found on the My Disney Experience app that you can search on the map for charging stations – it’s not live for AK yet, but keep checking.

• Or if you don’t have time to sit and charge your phone at one of these locations, you can always pick up a portable FuelRod charger from one of the Animal Kingdom FuelRod kiosks — which you can find listed on the MDE app. FuelRods initially cost $30 per charger, but you can swap ‘em out for freshly-charged rods for absolutely FREE.

Our big Disney hack? Purchase your FuelRods on Amazon ahead of your trip so you can order TWO of these chargers for the price of one!

Diaper Vending Machine

In a pinch and need a diaper for your baby ASAP? You can actually get a whole Diaper Changing KIT for your baby from one of Animal Kingdom’s vending machines, over at the Conservation Station! Each diaper changing kit costs $3.50 and comes with two diapers plus wipes. But if you happen to need MORE wipes (because blowouts happen, even to good babies), then you can find a pack of 16 available for purchase in the same machine, as well.

Fake Waterfall

This secret is one that no matter how hard you look, you still might not be able to see it. (Challenge ACCEPTED.) Over in Pandora — The World of Avatar, there are three waterfalls toward the top of the mountain that creates the Flight of Passage entrance. But would you believe me if I told you that those waterfalls aren’t actually the REAL deal?

While these waterfalls APPEAR to be real, they’re actually an optical illusion made from a rotating wheel that looks like white water, but “falls” much slower than a real waterfall would, forcing it to appear further from you than it really is. Disney even added fabric at the bottom to make it look like mist coming from the water! Mind blown yet? Yeah, I thought so.

A Lion King Celebration

Can you BELIEVE that The Lion King animated film is getting ready to celebrate its 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY? In honor of the big 3-0, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be hosting a celebration this summer, from June 10-September 6th.

Get ready to meet-and-greet with Timon and Rafiki over at Rafiki’s Planet Watch (very fitting), and keep your eyes peeled for new limited-time merch AND snacks that’ll also be themed around all-things-LION KING.

The Oasis Rope Bridge

The Oasis area is the Animal Kingdom land that you’ll walk through at the front of the park to get to Discovery Island. And if you take the left side pathway when you first enter, you can run into a hidden rope bridge! When you walk across this bridge, you’ll come out into a rock cave that’s directly facing the Tree of Life. Which is, like, the COOLEST Tree of Life vantage point EVER. So don’t forget about this pathway like I almost did!

New Building Permits

Animal Kingdom is getting ready to change in a couple of MAJOR ways. First of all, we learned last year that Dinoland USA is gonna be rethemed to the Tropical Americas — which will host IP attractions themed around films and franchises like Encanto and Indiana Jones.

Secondly, It’s Tough to Be A Bug — currently taking place inside the Tree Of Life — will also be replaced with a NEW Zootopia-themed show at a later date!

We don’t know any OFFICIAL timelines for when we’re gonna start seeing these changes take place in the park, but we do know that Disney officially filed a permit with the South Florida Water Management District recently for a trailer compound — which will offer parking and utilities for those who’ll be working on-site. And THAT means we might start to see some construction in the Animal Kingdom soon.

A Show All About Birds

Let’s hear it for the birds! Feathered Friends in Flight is a 35 minute show that takes place at the Anandapur Theater in the Asia area of the park.

During the performance, a couple of Animal Kingdom’s professional trainers will teach guests all about the birds of the park — meaning you can expect lots of guest appearances from the feathered stars themselves. Parrots sing, owls low-dive, numerous birds catch fruit in the air. It’s a jolly good time indeed.

Showtimes are listed on the MDE app, but typically they happen all throughout the morning and afternoon, up until 3:30 PM.

A Safari Orientation Center

It’s easy to overlook the details of Tusker House when Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Daisy are the stars of the show here. But don’t forget to take a look at where you are when you’re dining. Once you’re inside the restaurant, you’ll have a chance to look around and take in the scene. The buffet is made out of different carts — fashioned from whatever the villagers could get their hands on — and set up like an open air market. But the seating areas are themed as a Safari Company’s offices and waiting areas!

There are LOTS of decorative wall hangings and authentic-looking signs that’ll really drive that theming on home. Like… the sign listing out the safari drivers on call. Or another sign showing the different safari tours available, as well as their scheduled departures.

And then, there’s the most EDUCATIONAL sign of them all — a whole list of different animals that you’ll see out on safari, as well as how to pronounce their names in Swahili!

A Character In Camouflage 

I have a hard time keeping houseplants alive, but Animal Kingdom’s managed to not only have a full park of lush-and-thriving greenery, but even host a character made completely out of foliage, too. DiVine is a rare character decked out in vines and other plant life, but if you’re lucky, then you’ll be able to spot her walking around Animal Kingdom on occasion.

DiVine may not be out and about ALL the time, but the MDE app will let ya know whenever she is. You’ll just need to type in her name in the search engine, and the app will tell you A.) Where she’ll be in the park that day, and B.) What hours you can expect to see her around.

A Restaurant Named After… Containers?

It’s not just ANY restaurant that’s named after containers… it’s the Tiffins SIGNATURE restaurant. The name “Tiffins” comes from an Indian English word meaning a light lunchtime meal, BUT “Tiffins” also can refer to the containers that were traditionally used to carry said meal.

If you look on top of the restaurant’s sign outside, you’ll see the inspiration for its name — gen-u-ine tiffin containers!

A Hidden Park Entrance

Even if you don’t dine at the Rainforest Cafe right outside the Animal Kingdom front gates, you may still wanna take advantage of its SECRET PARK ENTRANCE.

Yes, you still need to go through the main security check area and, yes, you still need a legit park ticket to get into Animal Kingdom — but if you go through the Rainforest Cafe gift shop’s park entrance, you’ll find fewer crowds to make your way on past (especially in the morning).

Free Stuff

Don’t leave Animal Kingdom without your FREE SOUVENIRS (and ample learning experiences, too)!

Over at the Wilderness Explorers’ headquarters — OR any of the Troop Leader locations — you can become a Wilderness Explorer yourself and start earning badges for your collection. There are over 25 badges for kiddos to collect — but each has to be AWARDED to you after completing a Wilderness Challenge.

Meanwhile, at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, you can learn how to draw a popular animated character from an experienced Disney artist during the Animation Experience. After the sketch class is over, you’ll have your very own work of art that you can take home with you to hang on the fridge after your vacation wraps up! Check the show schedules on the MDE app so you know when these FREE classes will be offered on the day of your visit!

Weave Around The Roots

Animal Kingdom has specific animal trails that you can leisurely explore at your own pace. And while the Discovery Island Trails wrap around The Tree of Life that everyone loves taking pictures in front of, those very trails are also some of the least frequented.

Don’t make the same mistake and skip these trails during your next visit. Because these trails will get you up close and personal with the Tree of Life’s intricate carvings that you won’t see otherwise.

You can enter the trails in multiple places — like near the Africa bridge, over by Adventurers Outpost, or near the It’s Tough to Be a Bug entrance. But we like to enter through that first path near the Africa bridge best, since it’s also close to the Creature Comforts coffee shop (meaning we can swing by to grab a coffee or tea before starting our Discovery Island Trails journey)!

Diggs County

Who’s ready to hear the story of Diggs County before Dinoland USA becomes a thing of the past? As the story goes, a married couple named Chester and Hester set up a gas station along Route 498 in Diggs County. And all was pretty quiet and sleepy, up until the year 1947 when an amateur paleontologist dug up some bones and found out Diggs County was a hot spot for dinosaur fossils!

Thus, the dino-dig site was born! At first, this site was just made up of a few tents here and there, but eventually it became a fully-fleshed-out Dino Institute where renowned scientists came to work and study. The Institute is now populated with grad students, who sell food over at Restaurantosaurus cause they’re #broke.

Eventually, Chester and Hester were inspired to retheme their gas station into a kitschy roadside shop that sells dino-themed knick knacks and trinkets galore. And the rest, as they say, is history. PREHISTORIC, even.

Banners That Answer Important Questions

Nomad Lounge might just be my FAVORITE lounge on Disney property. The drinks? Good. The food? Good. The views? REAL good. And the theming? Superb.

If you decide to have a bite and drink INSIDE Nomad Lounge, make sure to look UP. The banners hanging from the ceiling ask lots of travel questions — like “What was your best animal encounter?” Or “What was the most memorable food?”  Or even “How has travel changed you?” But don’t worry, these questions won’t leave ya hanging.

Disney Imagineers — who traveled to other countries during their research for the creation of Animal Kingdom — answer each of those questions. And they’re answers are, for lack of better words, really awesome.

UP Characters!

Let’s forget about how I can only watch Pixar’s Up every 10 years because it makes me cry so violently I can’t function like a normal human being. Instead, let’s think about the HAPPY parts of UP! Like Russell the Wilderness Explorer and Dug the talking dog! (Both, of which, you can now meet ONCE AGAIN over at Animal Kingdom!)

Russell and Dug like to hang out on Discovery Island over at the Wilderness Explorers Club House (OF COURSE!), but you might not always see them TOGETHER — so make sure to double check the MDE app for each of their updated appearance times.

And DON’T FORGET that Kevin the bird also likes to roam around Animal Kingdom, too!

Kevin’s not an actual meet and greet spot, but she does tend to wander the park’s pathways frequently — so be sure to keep an eye out for her! (Trust me, she’s IMPOSSIBLE to miss!)

The Trash Dino

Lemme introduce you to a little Dinoland USA guy that we HOPE doesn’t go away for good after the Tropical Americas retheme. This dinosaur sculpture was created by a concrete and found object artist called Mr. Imagination — who’s main inspiration for his work came from treasures, and trinkets, and trash of all kind.

Leading up to Animal Kingdom’s opening day, cast members would hand Mr. Imagination various discarded scraps and junk that they found while working so that he could add it into the dino sculpture.

One of the items that was handed to Mr. Imagination was a cast member’s one year of service golden Mickey pin — which you can TRY to find on one of his spikes when you’re facing INTO the Dinoland USA area. It’s very, very, VERY tiny though — so it may take a bit more searching than a Where’s Waldo book page.

Baby Animals!

So many baby animals have made their grand Animal Kingdom entrance just this past year — and we love EACH OF THEM WITH OUR WHOLE HEART. Most recently, we got to meet Elijah — an adorable baby Okapi who was born in October 2023 and recently made his debut on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.

Also toward the end of 2023, tamarin TRIPLETS were born. Tamarins are an endangered species of primate, so the fact that we’ve now got three more of them in Animal Kingdom to dote on is a very big deal.

And last year also brought us Corra — a baby elephant who you can now see hanging out over at Kilimanjaro Safaris with her mama, Nadirah! (It’s the circle of life, indeed!

Dole Whip Hard Cider Floats

We’re taking Dole Whip to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL, my friends. Over at Tamu Tamu Refreshments in Africa, you can order SPIKED Dole Whip Floats (just as long as you’re 21 and older). One of these floats has been around for awhile now: A classic DOLE Whip Pineapple Juice Float spiked with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum.

But the other Dole Whip float was introduced just last year, and is made with ACE Pineapple Craft Cider! (This float is nice, it’s crisp, it’s refreshing, and the pineapple on top of pineapple flavors compliment each other quite nicely.)

Not looking for a spiked float? Tamu Tamu also has non-alcoholic options, too! You can order the classic dole whip pineapple juice float minus the rum, OR you can try the Pineapple Orange Soda Float instead!

Animal-Inspired Goodies

If Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Confectionery gets SO much attention, then Animal Kingdom’s confectionery — Zuri’s Sweets Shop — deserves JUST as much attention for its over-the-top unique wildlife treats! Zuri’s takes those classic Animal Kingdom goodies and gives them an animal-inspired TWIST. So you can find desserts here like:

Tamarin Cake Pops, Monkey Caramel Apples, Giraffe Marshmallow Pops, Caramel and Marshmallow Zebra Spirals, and so many other exclusive goodies to satisfy your sweet tooth!

But I’ll never EVER forget how Zuri’s had that short-lived POOP candy in their display case for about a week when this confectionery first opened up. Nope, not kidding. You could legit get “poop candy” here years ago, which were edible versions of scientifically-correct-looking Elephant, Giraffe, Cotton Top Tamarin, and Hippo poop for you to sample. (Bottoms UP.)

Tasty? Yes! Popular? Yes… AND no. Most folks couldn’t get past the, um, VISUALS of it — so the poop candy at Zuri’s is no more. (But it still makes for a fun trip down memory lane — just as long as you watch where you step!)

Unique Margaritas

It’s MARGARITA time! It’s hard to go wrong with a classic lime-and-tequila margarita. But when you’re in Animal Kingdom, there are so many other unique margarita variations that you may wanna try if you’re looking for that classic combo with a little TWIST.

So let’s name a few Animal Kingdom margs that you can add to your must try list (if you’re of drinking age):

• At Pongu Pongu in Pandora, you can try the Mo’ara Margarita — made special with its addition of blue curacao and neon-green bursting boba balls on top.
• At the Dawa Bar (near Tusker House), you can order an African Margarita — which has a Van der Hum Tangerine Liqueur to give it an extra citrusy flavor.
• And then there’s the Bobo-Rita at Nomad Lounge — which includes Grapefruit Liqueur, Guava Purée, and a Pink Peppercorn garnish. BONUS — you can also get the Hightower Rocks at Nomad Lounge, too, which is ANOTHER margarita variation made with Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila and Watermelon.

Remember — even if you are NOT of drinking age, or you’re just not interested in alcohol — Animal Kingdom still has a PLETHORA of mocktails and non-alcoholic specialties for you to try, too. Some of our personal favorite non-alcoholic frozen drinks here include:

The Night Blossom at Pongu Pongu, the Frozen Chai at the Royal Anandapur Tea Company, and the Shanghai-La Berry Freeze at Warung Outpost.

An Old Tea Warehouse

Some ride queue lines are a pain to wait in, while other queues are part of the entire ride package. Expedition Everest’s queue is definitely the latter of the two options — and has one of the most DETAILED queues not just in Animal Kingdom, but in Disney World PERIOD.

Let’s set the scene:

Expedition Everest’s queue takes place in the quiet mountain village of Serka Zong, where natives honor and respect the legendary guardian of the mountain (AKA: The YETI). Throughout the queue, you’ll notice colorful and slightly tattered prayer flags waving overhead, as well as shrines and carvings honoring the infamous beast.

Despite all the red flags (and no, I’m not talking about the prayer ones here), it seems the proprietors of the Himalayan Escapes tour company are offering excursions through the mountains — which is why you’ll pass through a booking office FIRST before you’re off to Tashi’s General Store and Bar.  After the general store, you’ll weave through an old tea warehouse that features a Yeti museum, run by Professor Pumba Dorjay — a conservation biologist who believes in the yeti’s existence. (As should YOU.) Here, you’ll see artifacts reflecting Nepalese culture, a history of the Himalayas, photos of those who have hiked to the summit, and tales of the yeti itself.

And THEN what happens? Well… THEN it’s time for you to board the RIDE!

The Details Of A Popular Gift Shop

Island Mercantile is MORE than just a popular gift shop. You just have to be willing to dive into the decorative details and see BEYOND the merch lining the shelves. Each section of this store has a specific theme:

• There’s an elephant-themed room, where you’ll find fun abstract images of the animal near the ceiling and painted on the posts
• There’s a room full of insects, like bees and ants
• The beavers take the stage in the room with the registers

But probably our FAVORITE room is the camel room! (Just for all the hidden camel details in the lamps alone.

Flaska Reclinata 

Gesundheit! The Flaska Reclinata might have a funny name, and it also might be up to some funny antics, but it’s a seriously-cool addition to the entrance of Pandora. This HUGE green-and-pink plant waiting to greet you into the world of Avatar is actually alive!

If you touch the pink area on the plant, it’ll respond to you by glowing, spraying water, and making noise! (That’s just the plant’s way of saying, “Hello!”)

Otter Grotto!

Across from Pizzafari, you can find the Otter Grotto — a little sanctuary that houses a family of Asian Small-Clawed Otters. To find the viewing area to the otters’ humble abode, you’ll enter into a stone-covered path, leading up to their little slice of land-and-water fun. The otters won’t always be out and about, being all cute and playful, but you’re best chance of seeing them active will be first thing in the morning OR once the sun starts to set.

EXCLUSIVE Beers

Along with all the wildlife, Animal Kingdom is also home to a couple of beers that you’re not gonna find outside Disney World property. Over at Satu’li Canteen or Pongu Pongu in Pandora, you can grab a GREEN beer called GREEN Hawkes’ Grog Ale.

This is the only place you’ll be able to get your green beer fix outside of St. Patrick’s Day (and it’s probably better than any of the beer that’s dyed green for the soul sake of the St. Patty’s aesthetic anyway).

You can also find the exclusive Kungaloosh Spiced Excursion Ale at Nomad Lounge and the neighboring Tiffins restaurant. BONUS: This Kungaloosh ale is ALSO over at Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom!

MORE Bird Shows

It’s the Animal Kingdom Bird Shows: Part 2 that you never knew you needed. Every day, macaws fly around the Tree of Life, make a pit stop for a short show in front of the park’s icon, and then fly off towards DinoLand to return home to their enclosures backstage. The show is called Winged Encounters — and you can find the specific showtimes for it on the My Disney Experience App!

The birds usually make their flight a few times a day, so you can find what time works best for you and watch dozens of macaws soaring inches above your head!

Joe Rohde Masks

It’s not just the INSIDE of Tusker House that holds all the fun Africa-inspired theming… it’s on the OUTSIDE of the restaurant, too! More specifically, on the BACKSIDE. In the back of Tusker House, you can spot a wall of masks — each created to feature a bunch of cool shapes, colors, and designs.

If you look underneath all these masks, you’ll see a sign that labels them as “Jorodi Masks and Beads” — which is a little nod to the Imagineer who helped make Animal Kingdom the AWESOME park that it is today!

Unique Frozen Treats

You’ll see them EVERYWHERE. Disney has those tried-and-true frozen novelty ice cream treats sold in kiosks and carts around ALL the parks, which typically includes the Mickey Premium Bars, frozen bananas, Mickey Ice Cream Sandwiches, and strawberry fruit bars.

BUT if you decide to get one of these goodies from the ACE Mobile Treats cart in Pandora, you’ll ACTUALLY have access to a one-of-a-kind popsicle treat that you WON’T find other places on property. The Fruits of Mo’ara Bar is made with three different flavors: Strawberry, Lime, and Raspberry.

Initially, you’ll be able to taste each flavor separately — but once the Orlando sun has its way with it, the flavors will start melting together (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing)!

Custom Souvenirs At Windtraders

If you’re on the prowl for some super-unique Animal Kingdom souvenirs, Windtraders in Pandora is the PLACE TO BE! Windtraders is FILLED with Pandora-inspired merch — like shoulder banshees.

If you want a truly one-of-a-kind Disney souvenir though, you may want to invest in one of the Windtraders customizable experiences. Like the Avatar Maker, for instance:

The Avatar machine scans your face and creates an Avatar Na’vi figurine for you based on what you look like. This IS kind of a pricey souvenir, however (around $80 per figure), so for a customizable Avatar experience on the CHEAPER side of things, you could build your own Navi necklace or bracelet instead for around $20. The experience includes 1 bracelet or necklace cord, 8 beads of your choosing, AND also your choice of a feather OR crystal pendant!

A Nod To EPCOT

Disney World likes to keep you fully immersed in each of its specific lands. But, every now and then, it’ll break the fourth wall to remind you that, hey, it has OTHER really cool theme parks nearby that you can visit!

Before you enter Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures gift shop (through the entrance RIGHT underneath the big volcano billboard announcing how the store’s ERUPTING with gifts), make sure to look UP once you’re under the awning. There are little signs that you’ll see hanging overhead — and they say something DIFFERENT depending on the direction you face.

If you look in the direction facing the BACK of Dinoland, the signs will say: ”Rough scaly skin making you groan? Don’t despair, use FOSSIL FOAM!” Pretty catchy, right? However, if you look in the direction facing INTO Dinoland (in the direction of TriceraTop Spin), the signs will say: “When in Florida be sure to visit EPCOT.” (Wow. Way to be subtle, Disney.)

The GIANT Hidden Mickey In The Mountains

Hidden Mickeys are everywhere — and I mean EVERYWHERE — in Disney World. But some hidden Mickeys you’re never gonna see.

Like the BIG Expedition Everest hidden Mickey, for instance. You’re never gonna see THAT hidden Mickey because the ride itself is shaped to look like ONE BIG HIDDEN MICKEY — track, mountains, and all — which you can only fully appreciate from a bird’s eye view.

But, hey, at least you can impress your friends and family with THAT tidbit of info, eh?

Mammals That Take Turns

Sharing is caring, even for the animals at Kilimanjaro Safaris! For most folks who ride Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, seeing the African Dogs in the Savannah is one of the ride highlights.

However, during your particular Kilimanjaro Safaris ride through, you might not see the African Dogs AT ALL. Hyenas switch out with the African Dogs in the late afternoon each day — but only if they want to. So, you might spot hyenas instead if you ride Kilimanjaro Safaris towards the end of your day!

Dinosaurs That’ll Never Leave

Dinoland USA’s days may be numbered, but some of the dinosaurs in Animal Kingdom won’t be going anywhere, even after the Tropical Americas take over. As you travel around the line for It’s Tough to Be A Bug, you’ll shrink down into “bug size” and see The Tree Of Life’s MANY sculpted animals continue on with you throughout the queue.

As you get “smaller,” you’ll notice the animals get “bigger”. And when you’re finally under the roots of the tree, you’ll start to come face to face with — yup, you guessed it — dinosaurs! This is ON PURPOSE, y’all. Animal Kingdom’s icon features dino-creatures on the Tree of Life, BUT they’re only carved into the deadwood roots of the tree – as a symbol of their extinction. Extinct, but not forgotten.

Favorite Shareable Savory Snacks

I could go on and on and ON about the awesome snacks in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But here are my THREE favorite savory snacks in Animal Kingdom that are big enough to share.

SNACK #1: Tiffins Bread Service

You don’t HAVE to make an advance dining reservation for the Tiffins signature restaurant in order to enjoy its famous bread service. You can always order it over at the Nomad Lounge instead!

The Tiffins Bread Service comes with lots of different bread types (like naan and lavash) as well as unique dipping accompaniments (like Coconut-Curry Sauce, Guava Sauce, and Ginger-Pear Chutney).

Just remember — Nomad Lounge has a mobile walk-up waitlist that you’ll need to join before you’re invited into the bar area. This waitlist gets VERY popular, so the sooner you can join it, the better! Nomad Lounge typically opens around 10:30 AM daily.

SNACK #2: Chicken Fried Rice

Technically, the chicken fried rice at Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes is listed as a SIDE option, but for $8, you’re gonna get a LOT of rice. So much, in fact, that you COULD treat it as a full meal for yourself — OR you can split it with a buddy (if you just need something savory to hold ya over until your next snack pit-stop).

SNACK #3: Fries with Pulled Pork And Cheese

The Pulled Pork and Cheese Fries at Flame Tree Barbecue has all our favorite savory ingredients wrapped up in one basket. They’re cheesy, meaty, slightly tangy (from the bbq sauce), and just the right amount of salty.

Again, this is an easily shareable snack, but don’t be surprised if a friendship or two is ruined because you just can’t bring yourself to share.

Authentic Harambe Village Details

Harambe isn’t just an area of Animal Kingdom that you walk through to get to Kilimanjaro Safaris or Festival of the Lion King. It completely transports you into an authentic African village. But in order to really GET that, you’re gonna have to take the time to stop and look around at all the details surrounding you — starting with the rooftops.

Yes, I said it. The ROOFTOPS. Imagineers brought over real African craftsmen to create authentically thatched roofs in Harambe. To thatch the roofs in the traditional way, as done in Africa, the craftsman navigated the roofs barefoot to feel out for weak spots and make sure the thatching was secure.

This barefoot approach caused some concerns for OSHA — the US Occupational Safety & Health Administration — meaning Disney had to complete a lengthy process of petitions and appeals to help the craftsman create the thatched roofs authentically.

So DON’T take those roofs for granted — because Disney had to jump through a LOT of hoops to get ‘em done while still keeping true to the culture.

Different Flight Of Passage Pre-Shows

Before you get to soar across the Valley of Mo’ara on the back of your own banshee during Flight of Passage, you’ll be sent into a chamber to get matched with your very own Avatar Navi.

But this pre-show can actually be DIFFERENT depending on — get this — how EFFICIENTLY the line’s moving right along.

We learned on one of the Disney VIP tours that the faster the ride loads, the longer your preshow is gonna be (since they’re not ready for you in the next chamber just yet). So if you’re in the preshow and suddenly you’re being scanned for “Pandorian Parasites,” that’s why — it’s a STALLING tactic.

A Show Where YOU’RE An Active Participant 

Festival of the Lion King is a Broadway-caliber show — filled with pageantry, costumes, music, puppeteers, and acrobatics — all based around the original story of Disney’s animated classic, The Lion King.

The theater is sectioned into four parts: the elephant section, the giraffe section, the warthog section, and the lion section.

Now, before Simba and the gang arrive for the show, you’re gonna need to make ‘em feel welcomed — which means greeting them in your assigned animal’s personal way. So, when prompted, get ready to release the ANIMAL inside of you!

Along with all the animal antics, kiddos may also have the opportunity towards the end of the show to join the performers and dance around the stage. Only a lucky few will be chosen to do this, so to increase your child’s chances of getting picked, you may wanna sit more towards the front of the stage.

Then again, the views of the entire show tend to be BETTER more towards the back bleacher seats. So it really depends on what you wanna prioritize here.

The Tree Of Life Private Photo Shoot

The Tree of Life has never looked so GOOD. (At least, not in your pictures.) The Capture Your Moment experience — which you can find listed via Disney World’s Enchanting Extras Collection — lets you book a personalized 20-minute photo session with a Disney PhotoPass photographer.

The photo sessions here will take place on or near Discovery Island so that your pics can have that beautiful backdrop of the Tree of Life.

When you check in for your shoot, your photographer will discuss locations and ask you a few preference questions. You can also book back-to-back sessions if you want MORE time and MORE pictures to choose from. Each 20-minute session is $99 — which you can book 60 days before your visit over on Disney’s website.

Multiple Locker Locations

Yes, Animal Kingdom has premium storage lockers at the front of their park like all the other Disney parks have, it also has a SECOND set of premium lockers right outside Kali River Rapids.

While many guests who choose to pay for lockers here are just trying to keep their belongings dry before boarding the family raft ride, anyone can pay for a Kali River locker and have access to it all day long without having to backtrack to the front of the park each time you need something out of it.

Characters On The Water

Nope — there are NO parades in Animal Kingdom. But… there are FLOTILLAS. And those can be JUST as fun to witness!

Animal Kingdom’s Flotillas feature Disney characters on boats that travel all up and down and around the Discovery River. You might see Mickey and Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale, Donald and Daisy, Launchpad and Scrooge — even Pocahontas and Meeko.

And while there are SEVERAL good places around the park where you can wave to your aquatic-bound friends in passing, there is one particular viewing spot here that’s WAY better than all the rest. Remember that secret pathway connecting Africa to Pandora that I talked about earlier? If you head to that pathway (entering through the Africa side) and stand under the bridge, you’ll have one of the BEST views of these flotillas park-wide!

This area puts you at eye level with the flotillas, unlike many other spots around the park (where you’re just gonna be able to wave at your friends from up above). Plus, the biggest secret to this spot is that the boats actually slow down a little bit here because of the narrow waterway, giving you more time to wave and snap some pictures!

Christmas Festivities!

Animal Kingdom doesn’t go over-the-top with their holiday shenanigans, but what they DO pull off here around the end of the year is cozy, cute, and worth a visit. In fact, one of my very favorite things to see start popping up around the holiday season is Animal Kingdom’s Merry Menagerie!

The Merry Menagerie is made up of winter animal puppets strolling along Discovery Island. The animals come up and greet guests while nearby live musicians also help to set the scene. Even if you AREN’T big on celebrating the season, these li’l guys are an absolute delight.

Throughout the holiday season, the projections on the Tree Of Life go into Holiday Mode, too — delivering beautiful winter-inspired scenes across Animal Kingdom’s park icon.

And keep your eye on the character flotillas — because you just might catch dear ol’ Sandy Claws floatin’ his way on by.

Earth Day Celebrations

No other park QUITE gets into the Earth Day spirit like Animal Kingdom does! And THAT’S because Animal Kingdom’s birthday AND Earth Day share the same date — April 22!

Around this time of year, Animal Kingdom likes to go all-out on the Earth Day celebrations with rare character appearances, special treats, limited time merch, and limited time photo ops! So if you’re Animal Kingdom-bound during the month of  April, be on the lookout for these kinds of exclusive celebratory goodies, like…

• The Honeycomb Mousse at Creature Comforts
• The Elephant Cupcake at Pizzafari and Restaurantosarus
• The Pachyderm and the Pollinator gin cocktail at Nomad Lounge and Tiffins Restaurant

And even MORE fun animal-inspired treats, eats, and drinks to discover!

Merchandise Mobile Checkout 

Found something you wanna buy at the Discovery Trading Company OR Island Mercantile, but the line to check out looks a little too long for your liking? Try Mobile Merchandise Checkout instead! The Mobile Merchandise Checkout option allows you to buy park merch through your My Disney Experience app instead of having to wait in a physical standby line to purchase it.

You can find the merch checkout option on your app either by tapping on the “+’ sign at the middle bottom portion of the screen, OR by tapping on the “hamburger” button (on the bottom right portion of the screen), which will lead you to a main menu of options.

Either way, once you select the mobile merch option, you’ll select the store you’re currently in and then start scanning away from there!

Just remember that before you leave the store, you’ll need to show the cast member towards the exit your QR code receipt (which you’ll receive after you make your purchase).

Private Animal Tours

If you wanna experience a truly UNIQUE side of Animal Kingdom that msot guests will never get the chance to see, then you may want to add a PRIVATE Animal Kingdom Tour to your park day.

Currently, there are FOUR different VIP tours in Animal Kingdom:

1. Caring For Giants is an hour-long experience that gives you a closer look (and I mean a MUCH closer look) at the African elephants on site
2. Up Close with Rhinos is basically the same thing as Caring For Giants — just replace “elephants” with “white rhinos”
3. Savor the Savanna is an exclusive guided safari tour of Animal Kingdom’s Harambe Wildlife Reserve, followed by African-inspired small plates, beer, and wine from a lovely private viewing area on the Savanna itself.
4. And the Wild Africa Trek is a three-hour tour of the Safi River Valley — an area of Animal Kingdom that typically goes unseen by guests. This tour also includes tastes of Africa in an array of small plates from a beautiful vantage point on the savanna after your trek.

The tour or Safari you choose will determine your price point, but keep in mind that these additional experiences will cost extra on top of your standard Animal Kingdom ticket.

RDA Identification Dog Tags

I’ve talked about quite a few Animal Kingdom secrets today that you’re only gonna notice if you LOOK UP. And here’s ANOTHER one for you to add to your collection:

Over at Pongu Pongu in Pandora, you’ll notice a bunch of dog tags hanging from up above. Many of these dog tags have pictures of Imagineers printed on them — including, you guessed it, the Animal Kingdom creator and earring connoisseur, Mr. Joe Rohde!

Pandora Water Snails

So… “Pandora Water Snails” isn’t the technical term for these little aquatic creatures, but… that’s the best way I can describe ‘em! Over in Pandora, there’s a little valley pond where some blue slug-like creatures with spiky shells on their backs lounge around during the day. And these little guys are called… Sagittaria.

At first, the Sagittaria might seem idle, but WATCH OUT. Because they’re way more active than they’ll initially lead you to believe. Turns out, these pond-dwellers are hunting down prey — which they take down by spraying powerful jets of water into the air.

So if you’re within their shooting range, be careful! Because you just might step into a Sagittaria stream!

An Old Drum Ceremony Location

Aww… this awesome thing makes me kinda melancholy. Back when Pandora first opened, you could watch the Swotu Wayä perform a traditional Na’vi Drum Ceremony. Unfortunately, this offering hasn’t been back since the 2020 closures. But, if you’re over by where they used to take place, you can still put on a little performance yourself by beating on those ceremony drums!

If you’re still on the lookout for some professional percussion during your Animal Kingdom visit, check out the musical stylings of the Tamu Tamu Drummers over in Harambe during select times throughout the day.

Pizzafari Murals

Seriously, how much more can I emphasize how incredibly DETAILED each of the Animal Kingdom restaurants are? Even their quick service puffy pizza joint is worth entering into — just for all the dining room art! The four different Pizzafari’s dining rooms are covered in colorful and quirky animal murals, each themed around a different animal characteristic.

• One room is all about animals and their art of camouflage
• Another room features animals that carry their homes on their backs
•  Then there’s a room for all of our upside down animal friends
• And the final room showcases a bunch of different animals that like to party at night!

A Famous Trio Of Handprints

SO MANY SECRETS lurk inside Pandora alone — but we’ll wrap up all the Pandorian Easter Eggs today with one last final (and extremely cool) detail that you’re NOT gonna want to miss. After you’re done taking the ride of your life on the back of a Banshee, you might find some rather human-looking handprints on your way out of Flight of Passage. So, who are these people who got to put their hands AND initials on one of the most popular rides in Disney World?

The creators, of course! These prints belong to James Cameron (Avatar’s director), Joe Rohde (Pandora’s lead designer), and John Landau (Avatar’s executive producer).

Was that an awesome list, or was that an AWESOME list? Animal Kingdom doesn’t get enough credit for how many DETAILS and ACTIVITIES and HIDDEN GEMS are sprinkled within it — but hopefully you now appreciate this younger sibling park even more than before!

Best Snacks in Animal Kingdom for 2024 — Click Here!

What’s your favorite secret or not-so-secret part of Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!