Intro
Are you planning a Disney trip for an animal enthusiast? Well then, you are at the right place! Disney World is the perfect place for any and all animal lovers to spend their vacation. From the parks to the resorts, there are so many amazing animals, restaurants, and tours for your animal obsessed traveler!
It’s no surprise that for this trip you will be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge and spending most of your park days at Animal Kingdom. There are so many exciting tours and experiences that allow you to get up close and personal with exotic animals on your vacation! You’ll be staying at a Deluxe Resort and purchasing a few extra experiences, so to combat that cost a bit you’re staying for only 3 days and not getting park hoppers. Luckily, there is so much to do at Animal Kingdom and at the resort, you really won’t need to stray from there too much!
Breakdown
- Theme: Animals
- Length: Three days
- Age and Group: Family with older kids
- Spending: $$$
Check-In
Today you are checking into the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge! This is my absolute favorite resort and a dream stay for me. You swing for a savanna room so you can wake up to views of the animals right outside your window! The first day is the perfect time to explore the resort; both Jambo House (the main house) and Kidani Village (the Disney Vacation Club building). If you’re interested in reading about another stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, check out my Splurge Vacation post here!
Take the afternoon to walk around the resorts and see all the animals, history, and artifacts that are everywhere on this property! Enjoy the outdoor paths and viewing locations on the savanna to really take it all in.
Food
Head over to Kidani Village for your dinner tonight which will be at Sanaa. Sanaa is an amazing restaurant with views of the savanna. It’s most known for the Indian-style bread service. It is definitely something you cannot miss while you’re here!
Extras
After dinner, stay over at Kidani Village to get ready for your first tour of the trip! The Starlight Safari happens only after the sun goes down and is such a cool experience. While on the tour, you wear night vision goggles to see animals you typically can’t see at night!
Day 1: Animal Kingdom
It’s your first park day and your vacation will of course start at Animal Kingdom! Even without any extras, Animal Kingdom is the perfect place for anyone who loves animals. There are animal trails, themed restaurants, and animal experts you can ask all your questions!
Rides
You start your day by heading straight to Pandora. While Pandora may not feature wildlife you are familiar with, it will be so fun to learn about new plants and animals while you are visiting! Make your way to Flight of Passage first to try to get a good spot in line for this popular ride. On this ride, you get to bond with a banshee and fly through the landscape of Pandora!
Next, get in line for Na’vi River Journey to get a closer look at Pandora’s native animals in this relaxing boat ride.
After your tour, hop in line for Expedition Everest to go searching for the mysterious Yeti!
Food
You have a tour scheduled today and it includes an amazing lunch with a view of the savanna!
For dinner, you will go back to the resort to eat at Jiko. Jiko is a signature dining restaurant, so there is a dress code and it is a little pricey. However, the food and the experience itself is very much worth it! There is still a kids menu, so the whole family will find something to enjoy here.
Extras
While at Animal Kingdom, you will be participating in the Wild Africa Trek. This VIP tour takes you on a rugged safari vehicle through the savanna, over a rope bridge, and allows you to see wild animals like never before. Your private tour guide will also share information on the animals and their conservation. This tour lasts 3 hours and includes a private lunch with a view of the savanna. Complimentary photo services are also included in the tour, so you will be able to download professional photos taken throughout the day!
Day 2: Magic Kingdom
Your second park day calls for a tiny break from Animal Kingdom to explore the animals at another favorite park, Magic Kingdom! Walt Disney always had a passion for animals and conservation, so it’s not a surprise that there are animals at every park. Animal Kingdom represents Walt’s vision of conservation coming to life, but Magic Kingdom definitely shows where that dream started!
Rides
Jungle Cruise is the perfect example of Walt’s love for animals. He dreamed of an attraction where visitors could ride around and see real life animals. Even though that idea was scrapped pretty early on, it ultimately led to the beloved attraction we have today!
After riding the classic Jungle Cruise, head to another Opening Day attraction that showcases Walt’s love for animals. The Enchanted Tiki Room is a 10-minute show featuring animatronic birds that sing and perform!
Lastly, make your way over to Frontierland for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. While this ride doesn’t focus as heavily on animals, there are definitely animals present throughout the queue and the ride itself!
Food
Before heading to the parks, you’ll stop at Boma for an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet style breakfast!
Lunch at the park will be at the Friar’s Nook so you can grab something quick. Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen (typically just referred to as Skipper Canteen) is the perfect place for an animal lover to eat dinner! This restaurant is themed around Jungle Cruise and has so many little easter eggs to find throughout the restaurant. Ask a cast member about the history of the restaurant to learn all about it!
Day 3: Animal Kingdom
It’s already your last park day and you are heading back to Animal Kingdom to close out your animal themed vacation!
Rides
First things first, make your way to Kilimanjaro Safari so you can get an early morning ride through the savanna. This is one of the best times to see the animals at their most active!
After a trip through the savanna, hop on the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. This area is an absolute must do for any animal lover. First, you’ll travel past animal housing and vet facilities on the train ride, allowing you to see behind the scenes! Once you arrive at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, stop by the petting zoo and the Conservation Station. This building lets you see a Veterinary Treatment Room and if you are lucky, they may actually be caring for an animal in that space while you’re there!
Lastly, get in line for the Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King. This amazing musical performance showcases music and characters from the Lion King. It’s the perfect show for anyone who loves animals!
Food
For lunch, stop at Tusker House and enjoy a filling, family-style meal with some of your favorite characters. This restaurant features African flavors and while you enjoy your meal, you’ll be able to see Donald Duck and friends!
Dinner will be a quick stop at Pizzafari for some pizza, salads, and garlic knots. If you saved any room for dessert, pop into Zuri’s Sweet Shop for some very cute snacks!
Extras
Your last day at Animal Kingdom has to include some extra animal encounters, so you book the Caring for Giants tour! This experience lets you see behind the scenes and learn more about the day to day care of the African Elephants at Animal Kingdom. Your guide will tell you all about these amazing animals and bring you closer than you can get anywhere else in the park! This tour lasts 60 minutes and costs $35, so it really is a great extra to add on to your Animal Kingdom day!
You will also want to be sure to ask for the show times of Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight. You’ll watch as six different species of macaws fly towards the Tree of Life! This show happens multiple times throughout the day and is hosted by a bird expert who can even answer audience questions.
Check Out
It’s sadly time to check out of Animal Kingdom Lodge and head home! I hope you loved this animal themed vacation and learned a ton. There is always something new to see at Animal Kingdom and at the resorts, so you’ll never have the same trip twice!
What is your favorite thing to do at Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!
Overview
- Check-In: Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Food: Sanaa
- Extras: Starlight Safari
- Day 1: Animal Kingdom
- Rides: Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, Expedition Everest
- Food: Wild Africa Trek (lunch provided), Jiko
- Extras: Wild Africa Trek
- Day 2: Magic Kingdom
- Rides: Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Food: Boma, Friar’s Nook, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
- Day 3: Animal Kingdom
- Rides: Kilimanjaro Safari, Wildlife Express Train, Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
- Food: Tusker House, Pizzafari, Zuri’s Sweet Shop
- Extras: Caring for Giants, Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight
