Animal Kingdom can be one of the harder parks to navigate, but we assure you every step of your journey in this park will be worth it! But where is everything, and how do you begin to decide what’s important to you and your group of explorers? Trek through this guide for a glimpse into each land and area Disney’s Animal Kingdom has to offer.
Skip to: Oasis | Discovery Island | Africa | Rafiki’s Planet Watch | Asia | Dinoland, USA | Pandora
Oasis
Places to eat:
Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Located between The Outpost Shop and the main entrance to the park. Features a large variety of American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Reservation required
- Valid park admission and Park Pass are NOT required, as the restaurant is located outside the main gate.
- Food Favorites:
- Breakfast:
- As per usual, breakfast recommendations include a sweet and a savory option. If you have a sweet tooth in the morning, try the Tonga Toast. Your ears might perk up at the name, and it is in fact the same as the infamous treat over at the Polynesian Resort. Unfortunately, these are not the same menu item. This version is very much a standard french toast dish, but it is an incredibly solid french toast dish. If you prefer something a little more savory at the start of your day, try the Pie of the Viper, a Mexican-style breakfast pizza.
- Lunch:
- If you want an appetizer to share, a great choice is the Beef Lava Nachos. As with all things at this restaurant, the name of the game is portion size rather than providing something new and exciting. This is perfect as a sharable for the table, especially because it’s comparable to most chain restaurant versions of the dish and therefore accessible to most. As an entree, the Pastalaya pasta dish is one of the more flavorful options available. This is labeled as “spicy” on the menu, though the heat is very one-note. As long as you don’t have a particularly strong aversion to spice, it would be worth it to try as it actually has a strong, discernible flavor. For dessert, since you are already in an outrageously themed restaurant, you might as well order this silliest thing on the menu, which is of course the Sparkling Volcano. This is literally a volcano made of brownies and ice cream. It’s again, standard in terms of taste, but the presentation is fun and would excite any kids in your party.
- Dinner:
- The Awesome Appetizer Adventure is a sampler platter that features a couple of other appetizer options from the menu as well as a couple that are not, creating a unique combination. It’s varied enough that everyone has a little something to nibble on before the main course. For entrees, a common recommendation is the Mojo Bones, (i.e.:a half-rack of ribs). f you’re feeling adventurous, the Korean Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken is one of the more exciting options. The only caveat is that it can be pretty hit-or-miss. When it’s good, it’s good. When it’s not… eh. Like many dishes that claim to be spicy, this meal is less “spicy” than flavored, so again, unless you have a particularly low spice tolerance, it’s a dish that most can enjoy. For dessert, a nice, light finisher can be found in the Tribal Cheesecake. It’s a standard New York-style cheesecake, though it’s worth reminding anyone with park admission that there are a lot of unique and tasty desserts right inside the park.
- Breakfast:
Discovery Island
Things to do:
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
An 8-minute show that combines a 3-D film and live theater elements to show the audience what it’s like to be a bug. Features darkness, loud noises, and sequences that might be scary for younger audiences.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
- Audio description available
- Handheld captioning available
- Assistive listening available
- Language translation / Ears to the World device available (Please see Guest Relations for assistance)
Adventurer’s Outpost
Character meet & greets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Temporarily unavailable.
Places to eat:
Creatures Comforts
Located between Pizzafari and the bridge to Africa. Features Starbucks coffee and snacks.
Eight Spoon Cafe
Located across from the Adventurer’s Outpost, just before the bridge to Asia. Features snacks including macaroni and cheese and pulled pork.
Flame Tree Barbecue
Located just before the bridge to Dinoland, U.S.A. Features barbecue favorites including ribs, pulled pork, and chicken. (Mobile order available.)
Pizzafari
Located between Tiffins and Creature Comforts, across from the Discovery Island Trails. Features American-Italian favorites including pizza, pasta, and salads. (Mobile order available.)
Tiffins (Fine dining)
Located between Pizzafari and the bridge to Pandora: The World of Avatar. Featuring African, Asian, and Latin cuisine, Tiffins is the fine dining option at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
- Reservations required
- Must have valid park admission and Park Pass
- Food Favorites:
- Lunch and Dinner menus both feature these recommendations for this restaurant!
- There is no shortage of delicious and flavorful starters, but if you get nothing else, you HAVE to get Tiffins Signature Bread Service. It’s a diverse mixture of flavors and textures, many of which you probably haven’t experienced elsewhere. Another nice, shareable option is the Honey-chili Glazed Pork Belly. This also has bold flavors and a perfectly cooked pork belly. Tiffins features some specialty food items for the 50th Celebration. One of these is 50th Celebration Braai-spiced Veal. Reviews suggest that this dish is a winner. Remember, 50th Celebration food is more than likely limited to this year, so if you see it you might want to try it now before it’s gone! Another entree recommendation is the Tamarind-braised Short Rib. In this dish, the rib itself is really the star! It is perhaps a little pricey for the portion, but overall it is so well cooked that it probably evens out. For dessert, there is another addition to the menu for the 50th Celebration: the 50th Celebration Chocolate Gateaux. This dish is good, but it is crucial that you love chocolate. Seriously. There are other flavors involved, but it is heavy on the rich chocolate flavor. If chocolate is not your style, or you prefer to end a heavy meal on a lighter, fruitier dessert, look no further than the Passion Fruit Tapioca Créme. This is a refreshing finisher that should get you ready to do some more walking through the park.
- Lunch and Dinner menus both feature these recommendations for this restaurant!
Africa
Things to do:
Kilimanjaro Safaris
A safari in an open-air truck through Animal Kingdom’s African savannah enclosure, showcasing the variety of wildlife who live there. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- Must transfer to wheelchair from ECV
- Video captioning available
- Handheld captioning available
- Assistive listening available
A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King
A 30-minute colorful and energetic live show celebrating the music of “The Lion King”. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
- Sign language available on certain dates and show times (Please see Guest Relations for assistance)
- Handheld captioning available
- Assistive listening available
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Walking trail through a tropical forest where you can view various wildlife including gorillas, hippos, and exotic birds.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
- Audio description available
Places to eat:
Harambe Market
Located between Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the pathway to Asia. Features African cuisine including salads and rice bowls. (Mobile order available.)
Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
Located between Tusker House and Kilimanjaro Safari. Features African and American snacks and pastries.
Tamu Tamu Refreshments
Located across from the bridge to Discovery Island. Features African and American snack and pastries as well as alcoholic beverages.
Tusker House
Located across from the bridge to Discovery Island, between Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari. Family-style dining featuring African and American cuisine, including bread service, curry, and spiced meat dishes.
- Reservation required
- Must have valid park admission and Park Pass
- Modified character dining experience
- Food Favorites:
- Breakfast:
- Before starting on recommendations, it’s relevant to mention that since the COVID-19 shut-down, Tusker House has moved buffet-style dining to family-style all you care to enjoy table service. This means that you’ll get to try everything! Breakfast is always a kind-of standard meal at Walt Disney World, but something unique to this location is the Durban Chicken & Egg Curry with Jasmine Rice. This is probably not something you’ve ever heard of, and if you can be a bit picky might be intimidating. Please do not be dissuaded, however, because this dish is absolutely wonderful. It really elevates plain eggs into something vibrant and unique.
- Lunch and Dinner menus both feature these recommendations for this restaurant!
- The starters, which consist of bread service and two types of African salads, are both delightful. The stand-out entrees are the Moroccan-spiced Beef and the Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp. The beef is just as beautifully spiced as one would expect, and chimichurri sauce always seems to be a win. The stand-out, however, is certainly the Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp. There isn’t much at Disney that’s considered to be genuinely spicy, but this has a pleasant little kick and lots of flavors. If you are particularly sensitive to spice, you might have a little difficulty with this, but it’s worth trying a bite just to experience this dish. There are probably not many people who would pass up a House-made Macaroni and Cheese, but just in case, DO NOT PASS ON THIS MAC AND CHEESE. It is just Mac and Cheese, sure, but… this is Mac and Cheese on another level of creamy cheesy goodness. It might be hard, but save room for dessert. The menu simply lists your options as “Animal Inspired Mini Desserts”, so these theoretically rotate quite a bit. If it is included, please try the Flourless Honey Bee Cake. This is a chocolate and real honey layered cake and it’s pretty spectacular, especially if you love desserts sweetened with honey, and the honey flavor really comes through in this one.
- The starters, which consist of bread service and two types of African salads, are both delightful. The stand-out entrees are the Moroccan-spiced Beef and the Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp. The beef is just as beautifully spiced as one would expect, and chimichurri sauce always seems to be a win. The stand-out, however, is certainly the Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp. There isn’t much at Disney that’s considered to be genuinely spicy, but this has a pleasant little kick and lots of flavors. If you are particularly sensitive to spice, you might have a little difficulty with this, but it’s worth trying a bite just to experience this dish. There are probably not many people who would pass up a House-made Macaroni and Cheese, but just in case, DO NOT PASS ON THIS MAC AND CHEESE. It is just Mac and Cheese, sure, but… this is Mac and Cheese on another level of creamy cheesy goodness. It might be hard, but save room for dessert. The menu simply lists your options as “Animal Inspired Mini Desserts”, so these theoretically rotate quite a bit. If it is included, please try the Flourless Honey Bee Cake. This is a chocolate and real honey layered cake and it’s pretty spectacular, especially if you love desserts sweetened with honey, and the honey flavor really comes through in this one.
- Breakfast:
RAFIKI’S PLANET WATCH
Things to do:
Wildlife Express Train
A relaxing train ride offering behind-the-scenes views of Animal Kingdom’s animal enclosures and transportation from Harambe Village (Africa) to Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
- Handheld captioning available
- Assistive listening available
Affection Section
Petting zoo where guests can interact with various animals, including goats and sheep.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- Must transfer to wheelchair
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
A 25-minute class where a Disney animator teaches you how step-by-step how to draw your favorite Disney characters. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
ASIA
Things to do:
Kali River Rapids
A river rapids ride through a jungle that has been severely affected by deforestation. Features spinning, small drops, and a high likelihood of getting wet. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: 38in (97cm) or taller
Accessibility:
- Must transfer to ride vehicle from wheelchair / ECV
Feathered Friends in Flight!
A 25-minute behind-the-scenes experience with Animal Kingdom’s animal behavior specialists where they teach you about the free-flying birds of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Walking trails through the jungles of southeast Asia, featuring bats, tigers, and a Komodo dragon.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
- Audio description available
Expedition Everest
CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT THROUGH SPRING 2022. A thrilling roller coaster through the Himalayan mountains. Features darkness, sudden stops, big drops, and backwards sequences. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of an “Individual Lightning Lane”.
Height Requirement: 44in (112 cm) or taller
Accessibility:
- Must transfer to ride vehicle from wheelchair / ECV
Places to eat:
Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes
Located between the Yak and Yeti Restaurant and Kali River Rapids. Features Asian and American cuisine including egg rolls, fried rice, and teriyaki beef bowls.
Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
Located between Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids, across from Discovery River. Features soft-serve ice cream and sundaes and a rotating seasonal menu.
Yak and Yeti Restaurant
Located between Kali River Rapids and the Anandapur Theater. Features Asian and Chinese cuisine and seafood including sushi, potstickers, and noodle dishes.
- Reservation required
- Must have valid park admission and Park Pass
- Food Favorites:
- Lunch and Dinner menus both feature these recommendations for this restaurant.
- It isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but the Pork Egg Rolls here are simply phenomenal. Everything you wish and dream an egg roll can be. One thing that always disappoints is a soggy egg roll, so it’s important that these are always crispy and flaky and FILLED with pork, more-so than one can generally find in local Asian cuisine restaurants. Or, if you’d prefer a little more veggie but absolutely no less crunch, check out the Wok-Fried Green Beans. Pro-tip: use the chili plum dipping sauce from the Pork Egg Rolls to dip these in. By the way, these are small plates that may be fine for sharing if you have maybe one other person. If you are not terribly hungry, it’s not a bad idea to order these two things as your whole meal. They’re honestly pretty filling on their own. If you are looking for something meant to share, look no further than the Ahi Tuna Nachos (unless you aren’t a fan of raw fish). But if you are a fan, these have some of the most consistently good reviews of anything across Walt Disney World Resort. If raw fish isn’t your thing, go for the Korean Fried Chicken. These are tossed with gochujang maple syrup, creating a sweet and savory flavor combination. If you want something familiar and safe, a good bet for an entree is the Lo Mein Noodles, which you can order with chicken, shrimp, or veggies. They’re good, for sure, but you could probably find comparable quality elsewhere. If you want to try something a little more adventurous, consider the Korean Beef. Asian fusion thrives on sweet and savory combinations, and the surprising addition of pineapple to this dish does the trick nicely. You might be thinking, “wow, this all sounds amazing, no way is the dessert going to live up to the rest of the meal”. Two words for you: Mango. Pie. It’s light, it’s refreshing, it’s a perfect finisher to a meal that can get kind of heavy kind of fast. If mango is an absolute no-go for you, however, look no further than the Fried Wontons. You may not have tried anything but savory wontons before, and that should change starting with these. It’s another really refreshing end to your meal.
- Lunch and Dinner menus both feature these recommendations for this restaurant.
DINOLAND, U.S.A.
Things to do:
DINOSAUR
A thrilling prehistoric tour where you come face-to-face with the previous inhabitants of earth. Features darkness, small drops, sudden stops, and sequences that might be scary for some guests. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
Height Requirement: 40in (102cm) or taller
Accessibility:
- Must transfer to ride vehicle from wheelchair / ECV
- Video captioning available
- Assistive listening available
- Language translation / Ears to the World devices available (Please see Guest Relations for assistance)
The Boneyard
Playground designed to look like a dinosaur dig site.
Height Requirement: Any height / No height requirement
Accessibility:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
Triceratop Spin
Gentle spinning ride. Features spinning and heights.
HEIGHT REQUIREMENT: Any height / No height requirement
ACCESSIBILITY:
- Must transfer to wheelchair from ECV
Disney Kitetails
New 10-minute show featuring kites large and small depicting favorite Disney characters. Two different shows feature characters from “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book”.
HEIGHT REQUIREMENT: Any height / No height requirement
ACCESSIBILITY:
- May remain in wheelchair / ECV
Places to eat:
Dino-Bite Snacks:
Located between Restaurantosaurus and The Boneyard. Features hand-scooped ice cream and other desserts, including cookies and brownie sundaes.
Restaurantosaurus:
Located across from DINOSAUR. Features American cuisine including hot dogs, hamburgers, and salads.
- Mobile Order available
PANDORA – THE WORLD OF AVATAR
Things to do:
Slow-moving boat ride through the beautiful and exotic bioluminescent rainforest of Pandora. Features darkness. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of Disney Genie+.
HEIGHT REQUIREMENT: Any height / No height requirement
ACCESSIBILITY:
- Must transfer from wheelchair / ECV to ride vehicle
- Audio description available
- Handheld captioning available
A 3-D motion simulator unlike any other, where you fly on the back of a banshee through the skies of Pandora. Features darkness and heights. “Lightning Lane” is available through the purchase of an “Individual Lightning Lane”.
HEIGHT REQUIREMENT: 44in (112cm) or taller
ACCESSIBILITY:
- Must transfer to wheelchair, then to ride vehicle
- Audio description available
- Video captioning available
- Assistive listening available
Places to eat:
Located between Satu’li Canteen and the Windtraders shop. Features snacks and specialty alcoholic beverages.
Located next to Pongu Pongu. Features exotic Pandorian cuisine including bowls with your choice of base, protein, and toppings.
- Mobile Order Available