Are you planning a Disney World vacation with little ones and wondering what they might enjoy at Animal Kingdom? There is actually quite a lot of activities for toddlers to enjoy at Animal Kingdom. So much so that below you will find my 12 Fun Activities at Animal Kingdom for Toddlers.
Find Out More About Animal Kingdom
- Is Animal Kingdom Worth Visiting
- Must Do Animal Kingdom Activities
- The Best Rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- All The Animal Kingdom Rides and Attractions
- Helpful Tips for Visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Where to Eat at Animal Kingdom
My Tips For Visiting Animal Kingdom With Toddlers
Below you will find my recommendations for rides, shows and dining experiences to enjoy with your toddler/children at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Lots of fun for families with little ones, let’s take a look.
Your Toddler won’t be aware of the World of Avatar, but this gentle boat ride has enough sights and sounds to engage all ages. The colors, sounds and special effects should be more than enough to engage your little ones and make Navi River Journey a fun ride experience for all your family.
9. Meet Kevin from Up
Meeting characters at Disney World is always fun but at Animal Kingdom you can find Kevin from Up exploring the park. Kevin is such a great character to see in the park as he is so colorful and kids love to see him. I’ll be honest and admit that I get excited to see Kevin. He is a great character to show toddlers as he is a big silly bird and is so funny.
8. Up! A Great Bird Adventure
As well as meeting Kevin you can also go and see Up a Great Bird Adventure at Animal Kingdom with your toddler. During this show you will see a variety of bird species from around the world as well as Russell and Dug from the movie. The show is only around 25 minutes long so should keep your toddler entertained with the combination of birds and characters from the movie.
7. Take a Trip on the Wilderness Express
Who doesn’t enjoy a train ride? Take this short train ride to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the Affection Section. It is a fun little train ride which small children and toddlers will enjoy, and you get to see some of the backstage areas of Animal Kingdom where the animals are taken care of.
6. Visit the Affection Section and Get Up Close with the Goats
Following your short journey on the Wilderness Express you can take a visit with your toddler to the Affection Section. This is a petting zoo area that isn’t too different from what you would find at a normal zoo, but small children (and older ones too) do enjoy it. Expect to meet a host of friendly goats that you pat and feed.
5. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trails
It is a wonderful experience to see the Gorillas with your children especially when they are young. Animal Kingdom has so much more to offer than your standard theme park experience and animals are a big part of that. If you are lucky, you can get quite close to the Gorillas when you get to the screened viewing areas. Seeing the gorillas is a great experience for all the family, they are fantastic animals to see up close.
4. Tusker House and Meeting Disney Characters
Tusker House is in Africa at Animal kingdom and is a buffet style character dining experience where you can meet lots of characters too. There is a wide variety of food on offer for the adults to enjoy. The characters (Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy) in their safari outfits make for a fun experience for the children in your party. Tusker House is one of my family’s favorite Table Service Restaurants that provides great food and a fun character experience too.
3. Maharajah Jungle Trek
Tigers are magnificent creatures and it’s really special to see them as you make your way through the Maharajah Jungle Trek located near the Kali River Rapids. During the trek you will cross footbridges, discover ruins of a palace, and pass through an aviary that homes over 50 species of birds. There are also lots of other animals to see with your family such as gibbons, deer and Komodo dragons. The Tigers though make this wonderful trek something very special though and I can’t recommend it enough to experience it with your children.
2. Festival of the Lion King is the Best Show at Animal Kingdom for Toddlers
Festival of the Lion King is a wonderful show so try not to skip it when at Animal Kingdom. There are fantastic performers such as singers, acrobats and the whole show works so well. Festival of the Lion King will entertain guests of all ages including small children and toddlers. This is my favorite show at Animal Kingdom and if you are a fan of the Lion King it is a must see and even if you are not, I guarantee you will still enjoy it. The show does a great job of immersing the audience into the world of the Lion King. And of course, the songs are Disney classics.
1. Kilimanjaro Safari
Take a safari ride with your Toddler at Animal Kingdom. Explore the Harambe Wildlife Reserve where you will see hippos, crocodiles, giraffe’s, elephants, and lions and many other animals. This is a fantastic experience for all the family that you can enjoy anytime of day. The tour guides that drive your safari truck are very knowledgeable making this experience quite educational too.
Highlights for us are usually the elephants and the lions on pride rock who are usually taking a nap. The great thing about this tour too is that each time you take it you are never quite sure what you are going to see or how long it might take as you might have to stop for passing animals out on the plains. A must do attraction at Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom’s Baby Care Center
Like all of the other Disney World parks Animal Kingdom has a Baby Care Center and a First Aid Center. Both the Baby Care Center and the First Aid Center is located on the way to Africa– on the left-hand side just past Pizzafari restaurant and before the bridge. This can be a good location to visit if your little one needs a break from the hustle and bustle of the park.
Take a look at what else you can look forward to with Toddler’s at Disney World.
Animal Kingdom for Toddlers
I hope that I have given you some great ideas on what to do when enjoying Animal Kingdom with toddlers. Of course don’t forget the older children and even adults too. Animal Kingdom is a great park with lots of great attractions. If you are looking for more ideas do take a look at my article on the Best Rides and Shows at Animal Kingdom.
You might also find my article on the new Disney Genie App helpful too when planning your Disney World vacation.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Darren
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